Taking toddler to NYC this summer
 

Hello,

My husband and I and our two-year old daughter will be heading to New York for a week at the beginning of August (flying from Brussels, Belgium) to stay with family. We'll be spending part of the week in the Hamptons, but will also be spending a few days in the city.

We'll be staying in SoHo, which isn't so convenient for museums and things, but we're happy to use the subway (we're used to taking our daughter on public transit, carrying the stroller up and down steps, etc.) and the occasional taxi, even if I don't like the idea of holding her on our lap with no car seat!

I know the city is likely to be pretty hot at that time of year. I'm pretty familiar with NYC but this is our first time there with a child, so that puts a whole new perspective on things.

I'd be really grateful for any hints or tips for making life easier, or recommendations for fun places to take her, or good places to eat. Our daughter is a typical two year old in that she loves to run around and play and has the attention span of a gnat.

TIA :-)

Besdies nearby playgrounds (II can;t help with that) you will definitely want to visit Central Park. There is a small zoo - with kids zoo - a carousel, a lake for boating, several playgrounds and lots of room to just run. A lot of local nannies take their small kids to the museum of natural history - a small kid may like the animals and dinos if nothing else.

For info on central park go to the web site of the Central Park Conservancy.

You might also consider a ride on the (free) Staten Island ferry.

The children's museum - cmom.org - more later - I am off to work on the double deckers

There's a new park on the Hudson River near Chelsea Piers that also has a carousel. It's not that far from Soho. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/30/ny.../30critic.html

menupages.com is a good site for researching restaurants. Their features menu (once you select an area) includes an option for kid friendly. While they have somewhat of a narrow view of kid-friendly, it will help. Eating outside typical meal hours (ie early dinner at 5 or 6) is a good way to go to many places that might otherwise not want kids. What we call a coffee shop or diner are always fine with kids. Carry lots of snacks and water or drinks.

Gocitykids.com might be useful for finding date specific events for toddlers.

On the way to the Hamptons you can stop at the Long Island Game farm exit 70 on the LIE. Great for small kids. http://www.longislandgamefarm.com/about/ The kids can feed the baby animals from a bottle. I took my kids when they were that age. This zoo is geared for smaller children. This will be much calmer then the Central Park zoo. The best zoo around is the Bronx Zoo- but it is huge.

Thank you all for your replies - very helpful indeed! We'll definitely head to Central Park, the children's museum and the park near Chelsea Piers, and will investigate the Long Island Game Farm too.
The web links are useful too - thank you.

Heading out on Long Island you might stop at Olde Beth Page restoration, a fun day for big and little kids. One of the better restorations and everyone is in costume, and some great docents, so the little one can run around a bit and the "big" kids get a little history.

Of course there are restaurants and a really nice gift shop and it's just off the LI Expressway.

In the city, Bryant Park might be a fun stop, the carousel there is a bit smaller and more geared to kids and it's $2.00 a ride. There's also a character there some days for readings to the kids.

Not far from there is ToysRUS in Times Square with a HUGE indoor ferris wheel, might be fun and of course seeing all the toys would be fun too.

There's quite a good playground with sprinkers on 23rd St and Madison Ave. Fences for security and lots of "rides", and nicely shaded, would be nice on a hot day.

Hope this helps.

As long as you'll be in Bryant Park do go to the children's room of the public library

If you're in the main branch of the library do have a look at the reading room - incredibly beautiful - and not like any library you ever saw.

If you think your child has the patience have a meal in Ellen's Stardust Diner. Its basic diner fare but the waitstaff is out of work B'way chorus boys and girls and the performances are great.

Tribeca has some kid-friendly restaurants like Bubby's.

Barnes & Nobles has a children's story time-which might be good if you encounter a rainy day
http://store-locator.barnesandnoble....t/225571725-64

Wow, so much great information, thank you! I think we are going to have a lot of fun :-)

Here's a link for Old Bethpage Village Restoration, though I can't imagine that it would be of much interest to a two-year-old child.

http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agenci...page_rest.html

I agree- skip the Bethpage Restoration for a good few years. It is a great stop for 10+ yr olds. I live very close to the place.