Slightly OT: NYC with a preschooler?

[jacksmomma]

DH and I are planning a vacation for Spring 2010. Originally we were thinking WDW, but with the recent fantasyland announcement we may wait and hit the world after the re-furb. Our decision is still up in the air, but I am thinking about back-up plans. One of those is NYC. I have always wanted to go, but never have. Can you give me expert advice? We will want to do a museum or two and we enjoy ethnic food so I am sure we would enjoy exploring Chinatown. What are some of the must see and do things within the city?

Thanks!

 

[badblackpug]

...just an aside...you know the re-furb won't be complete until sometime in 2013?

 

[msmama]

FAO Schwartz and the big Toys R Us in Times Square.

There's also a Hershey's Store and an M&M store in Times Square if you LO is a chocolate fan.

I like the Central Park Zoo, but I've heard others complain about it. It's not the best zoo ever but pretty impressive considering it's smack dab in the middle of a huge city.

Don't know how old your guy is but you could always do a Disney Show on Broadway (I think their age limit is like 5 or something though).

I don't know where you're from, but I will say that I've met people who think NYC is a little too intense for their kids, so if you're not a city person...Disney may be a better bet, lol!

 

[jenb1023]

I don't know if price is a factor but even with a great hotel deal 48 hours (a weekend) in NYC for the three of us cost as much as 5 days with FD at WDW for DD and me.

 

[luvmy3]

How many days are you going? My youngest 5 years can take about 2 days before he wants to go home.

 

[mousygirl]

We live about an hour outside NYC. I think it is tough with preschoolers, but it could be done. It is very crowded and you would also have to think about whether or not you feel comfortable with your child walking (and more importantly how far he/she could walk before exhaustion sets in.) If you have a stroller, it should be high or your child can only see legs and bags of people walking by.

There are so many diff. cultures and people that you could get any type of food anywhere in the city.

There is central park, times square, empire state building (although there can be a long line). The Bronx zoo is nice too. The possibilities are endless as is the walking.

The other posters are right- it is very expensive! NYC might be a better trip when your child is older or if you can get away for an adult weekend.

 

[Bren's Mom]

We live an hour by train from NYC and we love to go into the city with our kids. Lots of fun, different things to see and do. I don't think it's any more strenuous or more walking or more complicated than taking the kids to Disney. You just have to be smart about your planning, like with any vacation.

Some things to put on your list:

Statue of Liberty, you can do 2 ways...go to the island or just 'float' by it by taking the free Staten Island Ferry.
Top of the Rock, I prefer this to the Empire State Building. Less crowded, and you can SEE the ESB from it. Awesome view. Can be a little intimidating for younger kids particularly if it's a windy day/night.
Rockefeller Plaza, there is a Wii store there that appeals to my kids
Sony Wonderlab
Gazillion Bubbles Show
Times Square including the gigantic Toys R Us with the ferris wheel inside the store, giant Lego sculptures and every toy known to man, the Hershey and M&M stores, the Wax museum
Mars 2112 restaurant (you don't go there for the food, it's ok but not anything to write home about, but the whole atmosphere, theming is great fun for kids)
Central Park including the zoo and children's zoo, carriage rides, RC boat pond, carousel, neat sculptures and more. Centralpark.com will give you a complete list of things to see/do and a map.
FAO Schwartz
Little Italy
Chinatown
Max Brenner's, especially for dessert. Check out their menus, some things for the kids that they offer are a chocolate hamburger with strawberry 'ketchup' and a chocolate syringe you get to squeeze right into your mouth...great fun! Bring wipes!!! LOL
Street fairs and festivals, see the current schedule here and check back for 2010s schedule closer to your trip http://www.nycstreetfairs.com/sched.html
NYC Fire Museum and the FDNY Fire Store http://www.nyfirestore.com/visit.html
Children's Museum of Manhattan
American Museum of Natural History
Children's Museum of the Arts (near Chinatown) http://www.ny.com/museums/children.museum.of.the.arts.html
Bronx Zoo (obviously not in Manhattan but there is, or used to be you'd have to confirm this, a free shuttle from Manhattan and it is a GREAT zoo, so worth it)

Hope that helps!

 

[JaimeK]

Great list. We're planning on doing a 2 or 3 day trip this fall so I'm looking for ideas too. We have a 1 year old and a 3.5 year old.

We go to NYC every year for a day trip but there's only so much you can see in a day - generally we stick with FAO, Rockefeller, midtown down to Macys. (well we always go in December to see all the decorations and dept store windows). I'd really like to get to other parts of Manhattan this time.

Oh and they just opened a Max Brenner's here in Philly. We need to go!

 

[micheleq]

We live an hour by train from NYC and we love to go into the city with our kids. Lots of fun, different things to see and do. I don't think it's any more strenuous or more walking or more complicated than taking the kids to Disney. You just have to be smart about your planning, like with any vacation.

Some things to put on your list:

Statue of Liberty, you can do 2 ways...go to the island or just 'float' by it by taking the free Staten Island Ferry.
Top of the Rock, I prefer this to the Empire State Building. Less crowded, and you can SEE the ESB from it. Awesome view. Can be a little intimidating for younger kids particularly if it's a windy day/night.
Rockefeller Plaza, there is a Wii store there that appeals to my kids
Sony Wonderlab
Gazillion Bubbles Show
Times Square including the gigantic Toys R Us with the ferris wheel inside the store, giant Lego sculptures and every toy known to man, the Hershey and M&M stores, the Wax museum
Mars 2112 restaurant (you don't go there for the food, it's ok but not anything to write home about, but the whole atmosphere, theming is great fun for kids)
Central Park including the zoo and children's zoo, carriage rides, RC boat pond, carousel, neat sculptures and more. Centralpark.com will give you a complete list of things to see/do and a map.
FAO Schwartz
Little Italy
Chinatown
Max Brenner's, especially for dessert. Check out their menus, some things for the kids that they offer are a chocolate hamburger with strawberry 'ketchup' and a chocolate syringe you get to squeeze right into your mouth...great fun! Bring wipes!!! LOL
Street fairs and festivals, see the current schedule here and check back for 2010s schedule closer to your trip http://www.nycstreetfairs.com/sched.html
NYC Fire Museum and the FDNY Fire Store http://www.nyfirestore.com/visit.html
Children's Museum of Manhattan
American Museum of Natural History
Children's Museum of the Arts (near Chinatown) http://www.ny.com/museums/children.museum.of.the.arts.html
Bronx Zoo (obviously not in Manhattan but there is, or used to be you'd have to confirm this, a free shuttle from Manhattan and it is a GREAT zoo, so worth it)

Hope that helps!

Ditto to everything! A great list! We're an hour outside the City too, so the only other things I'd add are:
Dylan's Candy Bar
Serendipity 3 for frozen hot chocolate
Shake Shack in Madison Sqaure Park (not MSGarden), have a burger and milkshake, then your child can run around and play in a very cool park...
My girls love the Central Park Zoo and AMNH, esp. the dinosaurs.

Tackling NYC or any major city with a toddler can be a challenge, but with a little planning you'll be fine. There are things for all ages to appreciate.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I took my son there 2 years in a row when he was 4 and 5. Three highlights of the trips that I don't see above:

1) The pond in central park with the remote control sailboats, a la Stuart Little.

2) The Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the mummies and the Egypt stuff and then outside to play on their Egypt themed playground. Nothing to spark the imagination like a real pyramid to play on!

3) A trip to see Beauty and the Beast on Broadway (I'd do Lion King if it's an option, we saw it here and it was fantastic) and then a ride home in a bicycle cab -- 5 years later he still talks about how cool that was.

 

[emma'smom]

My DH telecommutes to NYC....and travels their often for meetings. I've often gone with him taking my toddler/preschooler (now preschooler/2nd grader) with me. The PP has given you a great list (and new ideas for me for next time).

We LOVE the CMOM (Children's Museum of Manhattan) and then either hit Ollie's Noodle Shop or Artie's Deli...both on Broadway right around the corner from the museum.

This past summer we spent a lot of time in Central Park-- The Zoo, the playgrounds, and the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater. We wander from north to south ending at 59th street where we hit FAO Schwartz.

They find EVERYTHING to be an adventure. It is kind of fun to see the city through their eyes (DH is from Queens and we lived in the city for years before had kids and moved to the mid-west for my job). They get excited over stuff I forget to notice.....like all of the "yellow cars", fruit on every corner, even just riding a bus or train.

My advice is to take a folding stroller so you can more easily navigate the city's steps/restaurants, etc.

 

[barnaby1]

We have just spent a week in NYC with our dd 3.5. She loved it and now complains about the fact that we live in London and not NYC!

All the great places are already listed I just wanted you to know that big cities and small children do go together.

 

[tessieg]

Just wanted to agree that NYC is a GREAT place for kids. Took our oldest dd's when they were 2 and 7 and they loved it all. It was an endless delight for their senses.
Hope you go and enjoy yourselves!