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PLAY IN NYC • PLAYSPACES & KID FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES IN NYC • UES

@playinnyc

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✨ Exploring and sharing playspaces and kid-friendly activities in & around NYC
✨ Mom @xtinaaalouise + Darcy (5YO) 🇬🇧🇺🇸
✨ Email - [email protected]

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What? LEGOLAND is currently running Brick-or-Treat festivities until November 1st to celebrate Halloween. LEGOLAND already has so much to offer, but there’s plenty of additional activities at this time, including themed meet-and-greets, Halloween-themed shows, Halloween builds, themed snacks for sale, and trick-or-treating throughout the park. All of this is already included in general LEGOLAND admission!

Where? Located in LEGOLAND in Goshen, New York. It’s around 1-1.5 hour drive away from the city, or you can also take the @coachusabus service, which took around 90 minutes from Port Authority Bus Terminal to LEGOLAND. The actual address is 1 LEGOLAND Way, Goshen, NY, 10924.

When? LEGOLAND is open on selected dates throughout the month, and is generally open from 12pm to 6pm or 10am to 6pm. You can check their days and hours of operation on the website.

Cost? Admission to LEGOLAND varies depending on which date you select, but those under the age of 2 are free. Those 2 and up require a ticket, where you can purchase an open-dated ticket for $49 whilst Brick-or-Treat is running!

Our Rating? 5/5. We are already big fans of LEGOLAND and it’s such a wonderful place to visit, well suited to children of all ages. The Brick-or-Treat was such a great addition and made our visit more exciting. Darcy enjoyed meeting many Halloween LEGO characters throughout the park, and getting so much candy! It’s one of our favourite spots to visit just outside of the city and highly worth visiting, and is perfect for all ages!

Anything else? The best way to plan your visit is via the LEGOLAND app.

#LEGOLANDNY #BrickorTreat by @playinnyc

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16 days ago

✨ Coffee Shops in NYC with play areas ✨

(Just to preface — these are different than play cafes, which there are a few of in the city)

☕️ Ebb & Bloom, Astoria - @ebbandbloomcafe

This lovely coffee shop with a play area, is officially opening on September 17th (Thursday!). Owned by a local mom, that felt something was missing in the neighborhood, so she created it! They have a wonderful selection of food and drinks, including speciality coffees. Play is at an additional cost of $16/hour.

☕️ Maman, available at 18th St, DUMBO & Tribeca - @_mamannyc_

Maman can be found throughout the city, serving wonderful coffee and food. They have recently partnered with Lalo, so your little ones can play with Lalo equipment in the select Maman locations while you enjoy your treats.

☕️ Overflow Coffee, Long Island City - @overflowcoffeenyc

Located in LIC, just a few minutes away from the waterfront, is Overflow Coffee, a neighborhood coffee shop that has integrated a cozy play corner with various toys available. They have wonderful coffee and pastries available, and this spot makes the perfect place to enjoy them whilst your child plays.

☕️ Black Star Bakery & Cafe, Upper East Side - @blackstarbakery

Black Star have two locations on the UES, but the one on 84th & York has a backyard with an outdoor playhouse, and a toy box with a selection of toys available. The food and drinks menu here is wonderful, with many that are kid-friendly.

☕️ Mimloo, Long Island City - @mimloo.nyc

Mimloo has just recently opened in LIC by Court Square station. Here is a huge playspace area with an array of toys, and pretend play playhouses, train tracks, LEGO tables, a designated baby area and much more. There is a big food and drinks menu available, with many children options. If you spend $35 or more ordering food, your children can play for free.

Which one are you heading to first? Drop your favorite kid-friendly coffee spots below so I can share more!

#nycwithkids #nyccoffee #manhattan #nyckids #nyccoffeeshops by @playinnyc

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a month ago

✨ Pop-Up Alert ✨

@thewoobles have just opened up a new store in Chinatown (291 Grand Street). To celebrate, they are giving away a free Woobles crochet kit or NYC themed charm bracelet to the first 300 visitors each day! This runs today through to Monday, from 10am to 7pm. After Monday, they will still have the store open until December, and will have a free friendship bracelet station! Super fun, and kid-friendly store with lots of character and exclusive Woobles kits available!

#woobles #crochet #nycpopup #kpopdemonhunters #bluey taken in Chinatown by @playinnyc

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2 months ago

⭐️ IKEA in Brooklyn has a free ferry running on the weekends to and from Midtown (W 39th) and Pier 11 (Wall Street). If your child is between the ages of 3 and 10, between 37” and 54”, and can use the toilet independently, they can visit Smaland, a drop-off supervised playspace! Each child is entitled to 30 minutes, however those who are IKEA Family members (which is free to join) will get around 45 minutes. Darcy loved this! There’s arts and crafts, play kitchens, and other toys inside. Also as an IKEA Family member, you get a free coffee or tea on each visit, $10 off birthday coupon, access to special events, additional savings and more!

⭐️ If you’re a NYC resident with proof of residency, you’re entitled to an IDNYC, which then allows you to get free 1-year memberships to many institutions including MoMA, WCS (the zoos and aquarium), AMNH and more!

⭐️ Look at your local parks activity calendar for many free events and activities for children. Bryant Park has so many wonderful free activities daily, so I’d highly recommend checking it out!

⭐️ Take free trial classes! You can find them by visiting class websites directly, via the HiSawyer website or even reaching out to them.

⭐️ Sign up for birthday freebies. Ensure your birthday is set on your loyalty or rewards programs, so you’re able to enjoy many freebies. An extensive list can be found online, as there’s so many to enjoy!

⭐️ Let me know if you’d like a part 2! I have more to share!

#nycparenting #nycfree #freebies #nyckids #ikea taken in New York City by @playinnyc

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2 months ago

What? The Everett Children’s Adventure Garden is part of New York Botanical Garden. The Children’s Garden itself is 12 acres, with so many nature-based hands-on activities for children of all ages. There are areas such as the Seedling Circle, with outdoor musical instruments and activities involving natural materials, and the Treetop Walk, made up of elevated pathways and bridges. There is also an indoor discovery center, plus opportunities for children to engage in hosted experiences, such as planting seedlings.

Where? New York Botanical Garden is located in the Bronx. The easiest way to get there is via the MTA-North to the Botanical Garden stop, which is right across the street from the entrance. From Grand Central, this takes around 20 minutes!

When? NYBG is open 10am to 6pm Tuesdays through Sundays, and select Monday holidays.

Cost? On Wednesdays, ground access to NYBG, including the Children’s Garden, is completely free. NYC residents can enter anytime during the day with proof of residency, and non-residents can enter between 10am and 11am. Outside of Wednesdays, NYC residents can purchase a grounds access pass on-site for $15 per adult and $4 per child (2-12). If you’d also like access to exhibitions, the tram tour, or the conservatory, the all-garden pass is $35 per adult and $15 per child (2-12). Children under 2 are free. Bronx residents can receive free grounds access anytime.

Our Rating? 5/5. We’ve been visiting the Children’s Garden often since it reopened last year following a renovation, including the Treetop Walk addition, which is Darcy’s favourite activity. We spend hours here, as there’s so much to explore. Aside from the Children’s Garden, NYBG has so much to offer, and their exhibitions and events are always wonderful too.

Anything else? Moomin is currently integrated into the Children’s Garden until 13th September, so it’s very themed right now. There’s also a Moomin celebration on 13th September, from 1pm to 5pm, with arts and games, character meet-and-greet and more! There’s also a great cafe and restaurant, but you’re welcome to bring your own food, and there’s a picnic area.

#nybg #botanicgardens #natureplay #nyckids #moomin taken in New York Botanical Garden by @playinnyc

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2 months ago

What? DreamWorks Water Park, in American Dream, is the largest indoor waterpark in North America! It features a very large wave pool along with many slides and attractions, themed around popular DreamWorks characters and movies, such as Shrek, Gabby’s Dollhouse, Trolls, Kung Fu Panda and more. There are also regular character appearances for meet-and-greet opportunities throughout the day.

Where? Located in American Dream in East Rutherford, New Jersey, which is only around a 15 minutes bus ride from Port Authority on the 355 NJ Transit bus. Parking lots are also available, at a cost of only $6 flat rate!

When? The waterpark normally opens at either 10am or 11am and closes between 6pm and 8pm.

Cost? Admission to the waterpark is between $69.99 and $99.99 per person depending on your chosen day. On Saturdays, sunset sessions are available at $59.99 per person for the last 3 hours of the waterpark. Children 2 years old and younger get free admission. There’s add-ons also available, such as turbo passes (to skip lines), photo packages, daybeds and more.

Our Rating? 5/5. We had such an incredible day here, and would absolutely love to visit again. We spent a lot of time in the wave pool, which was at a very comfortable temperature and provided a lot of fun. Darcy who is currently 40” was able to go on a fair amount of water rides, and they have a dedicated kids section. Once children are 42”, they are able to go on many more. Definitely makes a great day out before school starts!

Anything else? Along with swimwear, bring towels and a waterproof phone pouch. Lifejackets are available to use. There’s also a ton of other attractions in American Dream, such as Nickelodeon Universe and Sesame Street Learn & Play that I’d recommend doing alongside too!

#visitamericandreamnj taken in American Dream by @playinnyc

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2 months ago

What? Crayola Experience, based in Easton, is a 4-floor attraction that allows for many hands-on activities exploring all of Crayola’s creations. Inside, you’ll be able to create your own crayon, sculpt Model Magic creations, create your own coloring sheets, engage in some water-play, and much more! As part of your admission, you will receive a voucher for a scribble scrubbie along with 2 tokens each, that can be redeemed to make your own crayons, or to get some model magic. You can purchase additional tokens to experience more of those activities.

Where? Crayola Experience is located in Easton in Pennsylvania which is around a 2 hour drive from NYC. Greyhound, Fullington and FlixBus also have a coach buses that depart the city to Easton, so this is worth checking out if you’re without a car, although I would recommend staying a night in Easton. There is no on-site parking but metered street parking is available. When? Summer hours (until 7th September) is open daily from 10am to 6pm!

Cost? Children 2 and under are free, then it’s $30.99 each when booking online. But use the code CEColor26 for $5 off each ticket (code is valid for purchases until 8/31).

Our Rating? 4/5. Darcy is in her creative phase right now, so we were SO excited to finally visit Crayola Experience. Her favourite activities were making her own crayons, the drip art activity and the scribble scrubbies station. The Crayola Store is amazing, stocked with so many products that I’ve never seen before! It was much busier than I anticipated, and somewhat overwhelming at times. It does make a great activity to avoid the summer heat!

Anything else? You can get a re-entry stamp, which I would recommend doing for lunch. There are also storage lockers available for an additional cost.

#CrayolaExperienceColorfulFun #ad taken in Crayola Experience by @playinnyc

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2 months ago

What? Dorney Park & Wildwater Park is an amusement park and waterpark located near Allentown, PA. The park features ‘Planet Snoopy’ which consists of 16 Peanuts-themed rides, meet-and-greets and live shows. The Wildwater Park Waterpark has an array of pools and waterslides, with a variety of dedicated children’s areas.

Where? Dorney Park & Wildwater Park can be found in Dorneyville, which is a suburb in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania and just 5 miles west of Allentown. Driving to the park from NYC would take approximately 1.5 to 2 hours, but with an additional parking fee. There is also a bus available through Transport Azumah from George Washington Bridge directly to Dorney Park available on Saturdays, at a cost of $60 per person for a round trip.

When? Dorney Park is usually open at either 10am or 11am, and closes between 7pm and 10pm depending on the date chosen. The waterpark normally operates at a shorter schedule, usually closing a few hours before the main park does.

Cost? They have a ‘Christmas in July’ sale on until Monday, where a single day ticket is $39 each, or a two-day ticket is $50 each, providing you visit before September 7th. Children aged 2 and under are free. Normally day tickets range from $39 through to $59 if purchasing outside of the sale.

Our Rating? 4/5. This was one of the best theme parks I’ve ever visited, and the Planet Snoopy area was incredible and perfect for young children. There were many rides Darcy could go on by herself, and the meet-and-greets and live shows were wonderfully engaging. The Wildwater Kingdom was phenomenal and we spent 4 hours in that section alone. The only reason I’m not giving this a 5/5 is due to the food as I paid $42 for two slices of average pizza and a fountain soda, which is more than the entrance ticket! They have a meal deal and dining plan options available to purchase online which I should’ve got, and recommend anyone visiting to look into this.

Anything else? Lockers are available throughout the park, but you’ll need your own towels for the waterpark, and of course your swimwear. Lifejackets are provided and mandatory for young children in some of the pools. taken in Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom by @playinnyc

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3 months ago

What? Diggerland is an amusement park and waterpark located in West Berlin, New Jersey, where visitors can drive, ride and operate real construction machinery. There are a variety of vehicles on site to operate, and some construction-themed rides. There’s also a Waterpark, The Water Main, which features a variety of pools, including the ‘Claw Hammer Cove’ wave pool and the ‘Jackhammer Bay’ construction-themed splash ground.

Where? Diggerland is based in West Berlin, New Jersey, which is around 15 miles south of Philadelphia. We got the PATCO train to Lindenwold followed by a 15 minute Uber to get to the park. It’s around a 90 minutes drive from Manhattan.

When? On most days during the summer season, the waterpark section is open from 10am to 6pm, while the rides section is open from 12pm to 6pm. The calendar changes in September, but all days and times available can be found on their website.

Cost? Date-specific tickets are $47.98 each, and any-day tickets are $50.98 each. Children under 36” are free, but there are very limited activities for them.

Our Rating? 3/5. Luckily Darcy was tall enough to go on every ride she wanted, but most of the rides felt quite tame and slow. The ‘Water Main’ waterpark section was the highlight of this park, and we enjoyed all the pools there! There were surcharges for a few of the rides and attractions, and the food was very overpriced for quite bad food. To be honest, we’re not massively into construction, and I felt we might’ve well have gone to a waterpark for the day. With many rides having a 36” or 42” height requirement, I’d recommend waiting until your child is at least 36” to visit.

Anything else? There is very little shade here, so bring all your sun essentials, along with swimwear and towels for the waterpark. taken in Diggerland USA by @playinnyc

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3 months ago

What? Storybook Land is an amusement park in Egg Harbor Township in New Jersey. The park features many well-known storybook characters such as Snow White, Three Little Pigs, Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty and many more. The characters are mostly shown through hands-on interactions that allow children to immerse themselves with the characters and stories. Aside from those, there’s also over 15 rides, from “kiddie” rides to some more thrilling ones. There’s also other attractions, such as a bird aviary and the ‘Storybook Seaport’ splash pad.

Where? Based in South Jersey in Egg Harbor Township, which is approximately a 2.5 hour drive from Manhattan. We’re in Atlantic City, which Storybook Land is only 10 miles away from, so we got the 502 bus which took around 30 minutes and stops right outside the park.

When? Storybook Land is open from 10am to 5pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and from 11am to 5pm on Sundays. It’s closed on Tuesdays.

Cost? Admission is $42.95 per person, from 2 years of age. Those under 2 are free.

Our Rating? 5/5. I’ve been wanting to visit here for so long, and it was definitely worth the wait! It’s absolutely packed full of attractions and rides that take you right back to your own childhood. The park is absolutely beautiful, and such a great size too, perfect for children of all ages. I loved the variety of rides, so I was able to have fun on some of the more bigger rides. Also, most of the park was shaded which made a pleasant visit even on a hot summers day! We spent 4 hours here, but wish we had longer as there was so much to see and do. Would definitely go again and recommend to everyone!

Anything else? Pack some swimwear for your child if you think they’ll want to go into the splash pad. There is a few food outlets, but you’re also welcome to bring your own food as they have a picnic area. taken in Storybook Land by @playinnyc

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3 months ago

What? Foods of NY Tours offers walking food and culture tours of some iconic neighborhoods in NYC, including Greenwich Village, Chinatown and NoLita. The tour is led by a guide, that provides many insights, and of course, many food tastings. We specifically chose ‘The Original Greenwich Village’ tour, that included food tastings at @murrayscheese, @joespizzanyc, @tacombi, @janiedbakes, @rafelenyc and many more.

Where? Many tours are offered, mainly in Downtown Manhattan. As we opted for a tour in Greenwich Village, our meeting point was @murrayscheese in Greenwich Village.

When? This tour runs from Thursday through Sundays, starting at 11am, 11.30am and 12pm, and it lasted 3 hours long. Other neighborhood tours are available on different days, which can be found on their website.

Cost? Children (12 and under) are $59, and adults are $89.

Our Rating? 4/5. This was a wonderful tour, that provided many food tastings at establishments with a great history. Our tour guide, Robin, provided such a wonderful insight to the neighborhood, and we got to see other sights including NYC’s narrowest house and Taylor Swift’s Cornelia Street residence. We both loved tasting the variety of foods, and it really filled us up for the day! It was definitely something unique to do, and felt quite cultural.

Anything else? With it being a walking tour, we walked a lot of steps, but this specific tour is totally stroller accessible if you have a young child. Also, some tours can cater to dietary requirements, and I chose this tour as they could cater to vegetarians. taken in Greenwich Village by @playinnyc

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3 months ago

What? Pinard Nursery, located on the Upper East Side, is a play-based enrichment space aimed at toddlers from 15 months of age through to 4 years old. They offer drop-off programs, where children are exposed to a range of activities, including sensory play, language and early literacy, hands-on crafts, and even outdoor learning, such as visits to Central Park Zoo! Currently they have summer camp and very soon, Pinard will be offering a range of afternoon enrichment classes, as well as open play sessions beginning in Fall.

Where? Pinard Nursery is on East 64th and Lexington Ave. It’s very accessible via subway, with 68th Street station and Lexington-59 St station being within a few blocks walk. The M101, M102 and M103 buses stop right across the road from Pinard also.

When? They are open Monday through Friday, with the morning drop-off program available on a flexible basis, so you can choose from 2 days, 3 days, or 5 days per week, and also a choice of your child doing the full 9am to 12pm session, or the first session of 9am to 10.15am, or the second session from 10.30am to 12pm.

Cost? As far as pricing for drop-off programs, Pinard is very affordable. Pricing of course depends which options you choose, but as an example, for the summer camp, half day (9am to 12pm) is $85 per day, or $350 per week.

Our Rating? 5/5. This was our first experience of a drop-off program, and I instantly knew Darcy was in safe hands. The staff were so lovely and engaging. Darcy loved telling me about her day, especially when she went to the zoo! I was also sent photos throughout which was so great and put me at ease. I’m so excited to see Pinard expand with enrichment classes and open play coming soon.

Anything else? Snacks and water bottle must be packed for the morning program. by @playinnyc

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3 months ago