New York with kids aged 6-10
Six-to-tens can handle the big days: the natural history museum, the Bronx Zoo, the Intrepid and the Statue of Liberty. They are tall enough for the submarine and old enough for the crown if you book months ahead. Use the tram and the ferry as cheap rewards between museums.
Tips by age · 6-10
- Do the Intrepid's submarine first. Children need to be 40 inches tall and the line can close early.
- Book Statue of Liberty crown tickets months ahead. Children must be at least 4 and 42 inches tall.
- At the natural history museum, add one ticketed show at most. The permanent halls fill a morning.
What works at 6-10
12 activities
Natural history museumAmerican Museum of Natural History
child from $22Dinosaur halls, a blue whale and a planetarium. Strollers go everywhere except the theaters.
City parkCentral Park
No ticket neededFree, open 6 am to 1 am, with a big playground at the south end and room to run everywhere.
ZooBronx Zoo
child from $27.70A full day at one of the largest city zoos in the country. Expect to park the stroller often.
AquariumNew York Aquarium
child from $25.95Sharks, sea lions and penguins by the Coney Island boardwalk, at the end of the F and Q lines.
Landmark and ferryStatue of Liberty and Ellis Island
child from $17The ferry ride is the fun part for kids. The crown is for children 4 and over and 42 inches tall.
Observation deckEmpire State Building
child from $38Open-air deck on the 86th floor, free for children 5 and under. Strollers must fold on the decks.
Ship and aircraft museumIntrepid Museum
child from $28An aircraft carrier with jets on deck, a space shuttle and a submarine. Submarine from 40 inches tall.
Free harbor ferryStaten Island Ferry
No ticket neededA free 25-minute boat ride across the harbor, running day and night from Lower Manhattan.
Waterfront parkBrooklyn Bridge Park
No ticket neededFree waterfront park with a run of playgrounds at Pier 6, a $4 carousel and the skyline across the river.
Aerial tramRoosevelt Island Tram
A cable car over the East River for the price of a subway ride. Strollers roll straight on.
ZooCentral Park Zoo
child from $16.95A small zoo inside the park that a toddler can finish before lunch. Strollers stay outside the buildings.
Children's museumChildren's Museum of Manhattan
child from $17Hands-on play floors built for ages 0 to 6. Closed Mondays, and strollers are checked at the door.
Nothing matches these filters.
Playgrounds worth the detour
For the hour when nobody wants another sight.
- Heckscher PlaygroundCentral Park South · ToiletsThe largest playground in Central Park, with swings, slides, a climbing maze and a water feature, good from toddlers to about 10.Map
- Ancient PlaygroundCentral Park, East 85th Street · ToiletsPyramid-shaped climbers, sand and water play beside the Metropolitan Museum, best for ages 3 to 10.Map
- Pier 25 PlaygroundTribeca · ToiletsClimbing structures and water features on a Hudson pier that also has mini golf and a snack bar, for toddlers to tweens.Map
- Pier 51 PlaygroundWest Village · ToiletsWater and sand play, slides and a pretend boat hull by the river, best for under-eights, with water switched off in the cold months.Map
- Chelsea Waterside PlaygroundChelsea · ToiletsA long wooden slide shaped like a pipefish, water features and a picnic area next door, for ages 2 to 10.Map
3 days in New York with kids
Getting around
- Subway and bus fare
- $3 a ride, tap a card or phone
- Weekly fare cap
- $35 in 7 days on the same card or device
- Children on transit
- Under 44 in ride free, up to 3 per paying adult
- Strollers on buses
- Open in the marked area, otherwise folded
- AirTrain JFK
- $8.75, free for children under 5