Any tips out there for a weekend trip to NYC after Christmas with 9 and 6 year old. Not planning on any shows as expense (time wise and penny wise) is too great. So far planning the following:
Rock Center for tree
Central Park for skating, carriage ride and zoo
Dim Sum in Chinatown for Sunday
St. Patricks Cathedral
Window shopping
New Toys R Us store

Have questions on the art hunt for kids at the Metropolitan Museum - has anyone done this? Their website makes a brief reference to is but doesn't elaborate. I'm hoping its a list of art works the kids would like.

Also - any recommendations for great ice cream sundaes? or other restaurants that kids would like?

Any comments on Circle Line tours with the kids would be appreciated too.

Anything else anyone could recommend would be appreciated too.

I think your children are too young for the Art hunt, I don't think they would get all excited about spotting that Monet unless they are prodigies, but would love the Egyptian and Armory exhibit at the Met. If you haven't done the museum of Natural History that would be an even better choice than the Met for their ages. Don't forget FAO Schwartz and a trip to Serendipity.

Our kids loved the Circle Line tour but only if they (we) could sit on the upper level (ie outside). I would also recommend the Sony Wonder Technology Lab at 56th and Madison. It's a three story interactive lab that's fun and FREE. Their website is www.sonywondertechlab.com--one tip--get there before it opens so you're first in line since the lines can get long. You'll be in and out in 1-2 hours. New York at Christmas--lucky you. Have fun!!

Jeckyll (sp?) and Hydes is fun for kids although maybe it is a bit frightening for a 6 year old-depends on the child. there's one in Greenwich Village and another uptown i believe. Serendipity (I'm a lousy speller) for ice cream. Little Italy is fun-there is a place called Puglias or something like that where they seat you with other parties and people (customers too) sing to old Italian standards. It's fun. FAO Schwartz, although I hear the new Toys r us is giving them a run for the $$. The Intrepid is good for boys (military musuem on board an aircraft carrier-submarine you can tour, lots of planes). Go see the ceiling at Grand ?Central Station. It's beautiful and doesn't cost anything.

A lot of museums and other cultural organizations have varying discounts if you visit them during the weekend. There have been full page ads in the Daily News and Times or go to nycvisit.com to get a full list of them.

The ones I highlighted as possibilities for my family during Winter Break include free admission to the Butterfly Conservatory at the American Museum of Natural History and $1 off each child's admission to the Children's Museum of Manhattan (but your 9-year-old may be too old for CMOM).

As for food we went to Golden Unicorn in Chinatown for dim sum and it was excellent. We also like ramen for a quick lunch in midtown (Japanese fast food noodles) - there's a little place on the west side of Seventh Ave between 48th & 49th St, or Sapporo (more of a sit-down restaurant) on 49th St just east of Seventh Ave; we also like Menchanko-Tei - there's one near Grand Central Station on E. 45th St and one on W 55th between Fifth & Sixth Ave. The latter is close to St Patricks and Sony Wonder Technology.

Thank you for all the tipe - especially the free ones. Skipping FAO on this trip (and would like to skip Toys R Us too but a well intentioned uncle insists on everyone seeing the ferris wheel.) But at least that brings us into Time Square. Anywhere else for ice cream besides Serendipities? Wasn't thrilled with it 3 years ago.

Probably hit both the Natural History museum and the Metropolitan. The kids really do get a kick out of really big paintings. And they hate mummies.

I highly recommend Belvedere Castle in Central Park, at the south end of the Great Lawn, behind the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Children absolutely love it. And you must take your children to the Museum of Natural History on Central Park West. That should be #1 on your list. Enjoy!

There's a new place, Dylan's Candy Bar, owned by Ralph Lauren's daughter, which opened at 60th & 3rd Avenue. It's some huge, glamorous candy store with an ice cream bar you can sit at. My mother-in-law lives close by but we haven't made it to the candy bar yet.

For plain ice cream, there's Chinatown Ice Cream Factory if you're eating brunch there. Lots of different, exotic flavors. And a downtown friend likes Cones, on Bleecker east of Seventh Avenue, in the Village. Oh and Ronnybrook Farms in Chelsea Market. But all these are not restaurants and have no atmosphere if that's what you want. No seats, even, at some of them. Just ice cream...

I forgot to mention something my daughter loves for dessert - do it yourself s'mores. We did it at XandO on Broadway & 76th St on the Upper West Side. DT-UT on the Upper East Side - Second Avenue - offers it too I think. We, the adults, felt it was expensive for marshmallows, chocolate & graham crackers, but I couldn't deny the fun of doing it over a sterno. A perfect slumber party activity or perhaps for visiting kids.

Thanks Patty for the great tips. I checked out that website you mentioned but could not find the discounts. Could you give me a pointer or two on how you found them? Thanks again.

The candy store sounds great as does the smores thing. Believe or not the ice cream is for my husband not the kids. He's totally focused on food and the rest of us just want to see the Christmas lights. It will be fun either way.

The Metropolitan Musem has a wonderful Christmas tree inside, and all little boys and girls like the knights and their horses,and going inside the pyramid.
The Circle Line and the Intrepid are good, the Intrepid might be pricey.
Serendipity is a must,have a Frozen Hot Chocolate~
Chinatown is fun, let the kids wander some of the shops, with all the different kinds of toys.
You can eat your way through NY, have dessert in Little Italy after your DimSum~
Have a wonderful time~NY city is lovely at Christmas time.

You can't beat Serendipity for ice cream. They have huge banana splits and the signature dish is frozen hot chocolate!

A restaurant called Mars 2ll2 is a must. Our 5 year old and ll year old are still talking about it from a year ago. You will even enjoy the adult food. It is not expensive for New York either.

Bennie - at nycvisit.com you can scroll down and there's a mention of cultural weekend discounts. Or here's the URL for that page: http://www.nycvisit.com/Ad_Culture.html

Then each place they mention has a link to that organization's own website! Have fun.

Patty thanks for the instructions. I've got it now.