The best outdoor activities for kids in NYC

You might think you've been transported to Japan thanks to Brooklyn Botanic Garden's legendary spring festival. Welcoming the peak of the cherry blossom season, the Japanese tradition of Sakuri Matsuri celebrates spring, the arts and the great outdoors with a slew of cultural arts and merry making. Expect performances, tea ceremonies, games and more. All ages.

Have you ever played with giant blocks at a water playground? Or scaled a giant bronze sculpture to go down a slide? NYC is home to some pretty amazing parks, many of which come equipped with equally amazing playgrounds. The outdoor activities for kids seems endless—jungle gyms, monkey bars, sandboxes, the list goes on and on.

Think you know Central Park? Think again! There is so much to explore throughout the 843–acre playground for New Yorkers of all ages. Rent a boat from the boathouse, send a sailboat across the Conservatory Water, catch an outdoor storytime and pay a visit to the Central Park Zoo (for starters). Exploring your options for fun outdoor activities for kids? Your little ones will love spending a day at this iconic NYC location. 

Sure, the squirrels and pigeons are cool and all, but city kids deserve a real taste of nature too! Thanks to the Bronx Zoo, your urbanites (and future zoologists/conservationists) can meet fascinating creatures from around the world: Think reptiles, bears, giraffes, sea lions, birds and other amazing animals! The Bronx Zoo is also home to the Bug Carousel, where tykes can ride grasshoppers and caterpillars instead of horses.

Walk the High Line, visit the Brooklyn Botanic Garden or head uptown to the New York Botanical Garden to see (and smell) the best flowers in town. It's a beautiful way to spend the day, plus you can always sign your crew up for exciting outdoor activities for kids. 

With just a quick hop on the ferry, New Yorkers are transported to the calm, serene setting of Hammock Grove...or the adrenaline-inducing zip-lining course. Truly, this location is the best of both worlds.  If you're planning to visit the Governors Island playground (a kid-only spot) with your tots, make sure to take full advantage of the other amenities before heading home. There's a multitude of craft options, athletic activities and of course, places to take a load off (parents will love a pitstop on those hammocks). Plus, the annual Governors Island events are practically essential happenings on all New Yorkers' calendars.

New York's literary scene is booming with activities for little ones. Not only can children attend a storytime at the bookstore, but outdoor venues such as Bryant Park and Central Park offer kids the chance to hear their favorite stories in the backdrop of NYC's most beautiful spaces.  

Whether you're keen to go round and round atop a ceramic horse, sea creature or other critter, these carousels can deliver. Some are old, some are new, and each offers its own unique (and beautiful!) experience for NYC kids. We especially love the Seaglass Carousel at The Battery, a newer addition to NYC, where families can go on an undersea adventure inside vibrant fish.

Get in on the very best mini golf NYC spots with your tots, kids and tweens (even teens!) to get competitive on some astroturf. Here in the city, we have teeny golf courses that offer many a mini-sight to behold, including tiny windmills, caves kids can walk through, statues and quirky plastic animals. 

Two words: water cannons. Come prepared with a swimsuit and watershoes to brave the city's best water playgrounds and splash parks. You and the whole family are guaranteed an afternoon of (free) outdoor fun! Don't miss destinations like Prospect Park Splash Pad, Chelsea Waterside Park Play Area or Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6 Water Lab.

Nothing beats grabbing your folding chairs and heading to a local outdoor movie screening—like a drive-in, but better! Various organizations (such as the Intrepid and Hudson RiverFlicks) host movie nights throughout NYC summers, plus some venues even provide free popcorn. We'd call that a win-win.

No need to visit museums to catch a glimpse of the best artwork in the city. Did you know some of New York's coolest playgrounds feature the work of famous artists, designers and architects? Catch cool moveable blocks, spectacular graffiti art and more at these epic kiddie hotspots.

Get ready to burn rubber at these NYC go-karting spots. Find a few friends and race around the track until you're crowned the winner. Little thrill-seekers will get a kick out of an afternoon at one of these fun and exciting venues. 

Few things are more satisfying than bringing home (er—eating half of) a bushel of perfect apples or a few pints of blueberries, strawberries or raspberries. Little ones dig it just as much as you do, and some places even offer cute little wagons and add-on attractions, too.

Once pool season starts up in June, it’s time to break out the swimsuits and beat the heat at any of the swimming pools around NYC. Most offer shallow wade pools and adjacent splash parks for tiny tots as well as deeper ends for the seasoned swimmer. If your little ones don’t know how to swim yet, NYC Parks offers free swimming lessons to keep kiddos (and adults!) safe.

Kids might reconsider their aversion to veggies when they get to meet the super-cool farmers that grow them! Local bakers, chefs and growers set up tables at these farmers' markets in NYC to show off seasonal favorites, while local artisans display their coolest creations.

Families, rejoice! You don't need to plan a family vacation (or even head to the beach) for waterfront fun in the sun. Just head to one of these NYC parks/boathouses (Brooklyn Bridge Park, Hudson River Park, etc!) and rent a kayak or two-person kayak for free. Outdoor activities for kids don't get much better than this! 

When the warm weather arrives, street fairs and festivals come right with it to pack your weekends with live music, family-friendly entertainment and art projects. Best of all, so many of these festivals are totally free! You'll definitely want to check out the Sheep Shearing Festival, Apple Blossom Children's Carnival and other fun picks throughout the year.

Coney Island delivers some of NYC's best outdoor activities for kids. It's most well-known for being home to top-notch amusement parks (Luna Park, Deno's Wonder Wheel Park), but there's plenty more family-friendly entertainment near the expansive boardwalk, including summer fireworks and delicious food from local vendors. 

Have some silly kid-friendly fun with the best roller skating NYC has to offer—you and the little ones can rent skates, helmets and pads or bring your own for these indoor and outdoor roller rinks for families. Afterward, be sure to hit up the 50 best family restaurants in NYC or grab a scoop at one of these special ice cream shops. 

Though the local lions and tigers may are not best-suited for cuddle time, these petting zoos' goats, chickens, ducks, turtles and other creatures are happy to let your little ones touch and feed them.

If your youngsters love the carnival rides at NYC street fairs and festivals, they'll flip for the cool roller coasters, games and character visits at kids' amusement parks near New York City. Take the littles to Sesame Place on Pennsylvania, let your kids dig and use real construction equipment to their heart's desire at Diggerland, or hop over to Morey's Piers for some action ride (the latter two are in New Jersey).

Pack a beach bag and take the subway (or Metro North or Long Island Railroad) to these great local beaches for some swimming and sandcastle building! Jones Beach, Rockaway Beach and Jacob Riis Park Beach are some of our favorites for families.

Trade a weekend in your beloved concrete jungle for swimming, hiking and other outdoor activities out in the woods! First, pack your week with the best summer activities for kids in the city, then when Friday rolls around, branch out and book a campsite, borrow a tent and do some stargazing. These campgrounds span from cushy to rustic, so whatever your interest, we've got you covered.