The best things to do in NYC this week with kids

Some of the best family films are screening at NYC parks this summer. There’s nothing quite as good as laying out the picnic blanket and taking in a flick with the kids. Read on to find out what’s playing.

The new, sprawling 16,000-square-foot roller rink opened in Bushwick this summer and has all-ages skates on Saturdays and classes on Fridays. Kids will enjoy the retro-futuristic decor and fun food menu and, they can rent skates if they don’t have any. Read more about it here.

The Color Factory covers a spectrum of hues, and it is guaranteed to be one of the most vibrant, educational and downright enjoyable Instagrammable moments you’ve encountered in New York. The interactive exhibition, located in Soho, was designed and launched by event planner Jordan Ferney of Oh Happy Day (a crafts and celebrations blog) to help visitors explore the fun and importance of color. There are 16 rooms to explore throughout the 20,000-square-foot space which showcase immersive artwork from local writers, poets and musicians.

On select Friday nights this summer, the Intrepid Museum opens its doors for free (tickets are usually $36/adult), allowing visitors to explore the museum and enjoy free after-hours programming. Free Fridays run on the last Friday of the month (July 26 and August 23). On Free Fridays, visitors can explore the museum free of charge and enjoy after-hours programming. Doors open at 5pm and close at 8:30pm. While you’re there, be sure to check out the fascinating exhibit “Apollo: When We Went to the Moon.” With archival speeches, historic documents, and incredible space equipment, the exhibit whisks visitors back to the 1960s, an era when humanity first ventured into the unknown.

Speaking of the Intrepid, NYC has so many museums that are a perfect day out for kids. If you’re looking for exhibits that happen to be educational as well as fun, these kids museums in NYC are the place to be. You’ll find interactive exhibits where kids can run, play and learn, and you don’t have to worry about getting the stink-eye from gallery docents (or even worse, knocking over a priceless piece of art).

Grab a frank and get a comfortable spot on the boardwalk to celebrate the summer. Friday Night Fireworks run from Friday, June 21 through Labor Day. Fireworks begin at approximately 9:45pm and launch from the beach at West 12th Street, providing a breathtaking backdrop to the iconic boardwalk and amusement parks.

The Big Bubble Experiment encourages kids of all ages to experiment and discover through the joy of playing with bubbles. That includes blowing, stretching, popping and looking closely to see what happens at each move. The exhibit features 10 stations, each one with different tools and methods for exploring bubble solution—and the museum's got plenty of it.

A seven-minute ride on a free ferry takes you to this island sanctuary, a scant 800 yards from lower Manhattan. It provides a peaceful setting for cycling (bring a bike on the ferry, or rent from Bike and Roll once there). The island hosts a program of events, such as concert series and art exhibitions (see website for schedule), and where else can you have a picnic directly across from the Statue of Liberty?

The Museum of Broadway, which celebrates more than 100 years of theater in New York City, opened its doors in November 2022. Exhibits include costumes, rare documents, photographs, sketches and immersive tributes to popular musicals—perfect for your theater kid.

As Manhattan’s newest art experience, this multi-sensory museum in Soho is worth a visit if you’re looking for a fun and memorable day out. From a sound bath and light installations to meditation and interactive digital art, it’s a feast for the senses. Other activities include a cavernous volcano-esque basement, a place to reflect on what you’re grateful for, a gong room where music plays while the floor vibrates and finally a bright white gallery space exploring the collective memory of the experience. There’s also a photo booth, so you can snap a few pictures to take the memories with you.

This New York Botanical Garden exhibit celebrates the magic of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland with a variety of botanical and artistic exhibitions throughout the Bronx garden’s 250 acres. See a massive white (well, actually green) rabbit made entirely of plants; explore an enchanting English garden with delightfully weird flora; climb through a rabbit hole; hang out in a house made of mycelium bricks; and much more at this sprawling exhibition. Wonderland: Curious Nature is now open and runs through October 27, 2024; installations will evolve with each season.

This year-long exhibition called The Insect World shows just how cool—and important—bugs actually are. You’ll get to walk through fields of 6-foot flowers, come face-to-face with Picasso bug artwork, and see a mantis partying under a disco ball. Larger-than-life ladybug sculptures dot the floor, and 200 faux monarch butterflies perch on a 12-foot cherry blossom tree. It all adds up to an important message of environmental stewardship. Tickets are on sale now for $36; the all-ages exhibition will be on view for one year.

Summit One Vanderbilt sits atop the new 67-floor One Vanderbilt super-tall—a 1,401-foot-high—skyscraper. After a trip through a mirrored hallway with its own immersive elements, visitors take an elevator up to the 91st floor, where they’re 1,000 feet over the streets and sidewalks of NYC. Kenzo Digital has created a totally mirrored infinity room called “Air” that reflects the sky and city views over and over, making you feel like you’re walking in the sky or on another plane of existence. Looking above you and below you in this two-story space, you see your reflection repeating forever. It’s super cool!

The Tenement Museum’s popular walking tour Foods of the Lower East Side is back, exploring 150 years of immigrant cuisine. The food tour covers 10 stops at historic neighborhood sites with five tastings from local Lower East Side vendors, offering diverse cuisines from Eastern Europe to Italy and Puerto Rico. All-age tours are available on Saturdays for $55/person. Expect a half-mile walk over the course of 90 minutes.

Ice cream is at the center of this 20,000-square-foot museum that'll make the cold treat even more fun (who knew it'd even be possible?). Across 13 multi-sensory installations visitors to the museum will be able to interact with fun elements like a sprinkles pool and photo ops like an ice cream truck you can "drive" and a rainbow tunnel. Better yet, you can purchase the museum's signature flavors at its cafe in cups or waffle cones, milkshakes (regular and spiked), sweet specialty sundaes, craft cocktails and boozy shakes after the fact.

Whether it’s The Mets, the Yankees, The Knicks or The Liberty, taking them to a game will create a lasting memory, whether it’s a major score, a super cute mascot or a really good hot dog.

This is a golden age of playgrounds. In recent years NYC has completely transformed what playtime is like for a city kid, introducing creative playgrounds to every corner of the Big Apple. There are so many gorgeous playgrounds to visit in NYC, and this list will help you set off on a fabulous adventure.

Our guide to the best NYC parks for kids will help you make the most of your sunny autumn afternoon! Simply put, these parks amazing. Have a look at some of our favorites and their activity offerings. 

RISENY places thrill-seekers inside a 180-degree, 40-foot projection dome that plays 8K aerial footage to create the sensation of flight. (The ride is similar to Disneyland’s “Soarin’ Over California” experience.) The experience begins with a film by documentarians Ric Burns and James Sanders—narrated by everyone’s fave actor Jeff Goldblum—that touches on NYC’s history, specifically Times Square and its global impact. Then visitors are taken to a re-creation of the city’s first subway station at City Hall circa 1904, which transforms into a fully immersive theater with visual and special effects. Eventually, a present-day subway car virtually transports guests to the galleries.

Just because you live in the Big Apple doesn't mean you can't spend time in the great outdoors. There are amazing family-friendly hikes close to NYC—in fact, the Bronx River Greenway and Inwood Hill Park are right in the middle of the city! So: Check the weather, grab a heavy coat and make plans to visit mother nature with the fam.