The best indoor activities for kids in NYC for weather-proof fun

Home to the largest and arguably most fabulous collection of dinosaur fossils in the world, AMNH’s fourth-floor dino halls have been blowing kids’ minds for decades. Roughly 80 percent of the bones on display were actually dug out of the ground; the rest are casts. The Hall of Human Origins boasts a fine display of your old cousins, the Neanderthals. The Hall of Biodiversity examines world ecosystems and environmental preservation, and a life-size, 100-foot-long model of a blue whale hangs from the ceiling of the Hall of Ocean Life. And now, there’s a whole new cavernous wing to explore! 

This new space is geared for infants through kids in fourth grade, with site-specific installations and exhibits focused on patrons’ relationships with the neighborhood. Here, “children can launch boats, splash and play with locks and bridges while learning about local waterways such as the Bronx River, Harlem River and Orchard Beach,” plus The Woods exhibit where guests will get to look at animals and plants through a microscope and play in a kid-sized beaver lodge, and a soft area space that will certainly delight the younger set and help them develop fine and gross motor skills through various activities.

This nearly 40,000-square-foot institution houses exhibits that make learning about culture, history and science a blast for kids ages 6 and under. Explore the benefits of good nutrition from “EatSleepPlay,” a Dora the Explorer play area, and immersive exhibits that rotate in and out of the five-story space. CMOM also hosts classes and workshops—from Gross Biology for kids who love burps and germs, to the Music in Me!, a toddlers’ program by Laurie Berkner—all designed with the latest child-development research in mind.

If you’re searching for ways to keep your creative kiddos engaged, take a trip to Chelsea.  This is an innovation space for tiny New Yorkers with big dreams. The hub is geared toward visitors ages 5–12 who are curious about STEAM studies and art classes for kids. Arguably one of the main draws to the space is the “Blank Canvas,” where participants help piece together a new monthly exhibit for The GIANT Room’s gallery. Exciting workshops, including “Storytelling, Animation and Character Design” and “Design and Fabrication,” are also available.

This children’s museum celebrates imagination through art, storytelling and education. Kids can explore different exhibits like “The Pollen Catchers’ Color Mixing Machine” a site-specific mural inspired by fables and folktales and “People, Places, and Things: Selections from The Studio Museum,” a collection of art from the 1930s to 1980s that features portraits and landscapes from a group of artists who depicted everyday life in U.S. communities including Harlem. The museum hosts a variety of events for kids from story hours to art workshops.

When it was founded in 1899, the BCM was the country’s first museum specifically made for children. Today it’s one of the most comprehensive, with a permanent collection of 30,000 objects, including musical instruments, masks, dolls and fossils. Kids have fun while learning (sneaky!) at interactive exhibits like “World Brooklyn,” a pint-size cityscape lined by faux stores where young’uns can weigh ingredients and knead pretend dough at the Mexican Bakery, or shop for cans of Indian ghee and Turkish candy at the International Grocery.

Working in groups of ten, kids prepare foods like sweet potato fries, brownie bites, deep-dish pizza and gooey butter cookies. They’ll also learn mixing and measuring techniques, kitchen etiquette and the proper way to use kitchen tools. A special session for children with autism is also offered (classes are limited to seven students and staff have been trained by Autism Friendly Spaces, LLC). 

If your littles have begun drafting a holiday wishlist, now is the time to pay a visit to one of the most popular New York toy store locales. Beginning today, CAMP will transform into a winter wonderland. With the help of eko, the shop’s Toy Lab CAMP theme will boast a variety of interactive features that emanate major North Pole vibes. Akin to channeling the role of elves, little shoppers will make their way into the “fun-o-vator,” select a toy-testing job (funfluencer, awesomeness agent and play pioneer) and receive a lanyard that they’ll get hole-punched as they test each item. It sounds like Santa’s workshop has a bit of competition from CAMP! 

Rather than being a place to learn math, the museum is a place to realize all the remarkable things math can be used to create. Its 30-plus interactive exhibits include the Wall of Fire, a laser “wall” that shows visitors that cross-sections aren’t always what you think they are; Math Square, a Jumbotron on the floor that connects each person standing on it by the shortest path possible, changing the moment anyone moves; a design studio where participants create a 3-D design on a screen, for a chance to have it “printed” into an actual sculpture via a 3-D printer; and Enigma Café, a place where families can sit down at tables to work on digital puzzles.

This Gowanus climbing gym is the largest in New York City, featuring more than 18,000 square feet of bouldering and climbing walls. Climbing classes for all skill levels, as well as yoga and pilates instruction, are also available. Learn the ropes through packages like BKB Adventures, which includes five full-day sessons with unlimited climbing, outdoor recess and snacks. Bring the whole family to Weekend Family Hours to avoid peak-hour climbing traffic.

This Park Slope hotspot is a win-win for the whole family. The cafe and playground hybrid will give parents the opportunity to snack and socialize—a much-needed break—while their kids run wild. Youngsters will be able to slide into a ball pit, create masterpieces in the LEGO station, test their agility at the angled climbing wall, run around the matted play area and explore the wonders of the magnetic wall. Let the kiddies refuel with juice and cookies once they’ve wrapped up their adventures, and don’t forget to explore the possible birthday party options available. 

“Mall” isn’t necessarily an accurate way to describe American Dream.  Sure, the Jersey attraction boasts hundreds of retail options, from Zara and H&M to Saks Fifth Avenue and Tiffany & Co., but the three-million-square-foot destination is definitely an entertainment hub that needs to be on your radar.  Check out all that awaits: Nickelodeon Universe, DreamWorks Water Park, Big SNOW Ski and Snowboard Park and more. 

As the saying goes, “You have to see it to believe it.” The now-permanent Museum of Illusions offers 70+ exhibits in science, tech, mathematics and other fields that will have patrons doing a double take. This sensory-driven experience allows visitors to take a look at unusual works, try their hand at games and puzzles and get to the bottom of the opitical ollusions. All ages. 

Head straight to the Heyman Family Art Lab on the first floor. The cheerful art studio overlooks the garden, and it has books and toys and a small play area in addition to activity stations stocked with amazing art supplies. After visiting the art lab, grab one of the family gallery guides that helps transform the museum into a playful and thought-provoking experience. Labels in the museum for children called For Kids not only identify art, they ask questions that will get your little gallery-goer chatting away.  Older kids (10 and up) will want to go to Paula and James Crown Creativity Lab on the second floor. This studio is geared for children, teens and adults, with more sophisticated art projects.

Though the city’s made up of five boroughs, it has just three public library systems. The largest—the NYPL—runs all libraries in Manhattan, Staten Island and the Bronx. Hours at the branches vary wildly, but all have a dedicated section of children’s books, and many a separate room for the use of kids up to fifth grade. Storytimes, craft and cultural projects, and poetry writing workshops are just some of the offerings on tap.

The Hunters Point Library is a stunner, a public amenity so airy and tasteful it looks like it could be in the capital of a Scandinavian country. The library is more than a pretty facade—it’s some serious architecture.  Most importantly, it’s a library with an amazing section for kids and some fantastic children’s programs, including Toddler Times, Saturday Pre-K Music and Play Times, Wednesday Crafternoons and Thursday STEAM Afternoons. You can find a calendar of activities online.

With numerous NYC stores shutting their doors, we couldn’t be more thrilled to see this little indie-store-that-could still going strong. The locally owned haven for lit lovers boasts 300 square feet of picture books, chapter books, and YA selections for children and tweens, as well as an assortment of educational games and toys. Catch storytime on Saturday mornings.

It just so happens that New York’s oldest operating theater is home to the city’s most innovative and exciting new productions for children. Families eagerly await each season’s offerings, which include everything from reworkings of classic plays to dance, performance art and even break-dancing BMX bandits. Expert-led workshops after select shows educate kids on fun topics like puppetry, juggling and songwriting in the intimate and beautifully restored space. The New Victory often collaborates with Autism Friendly Spaces on special adaptations of its shows for children with ASD and sensory issues, ensuring all kids can enjoy the experience of live theater.

This DUMBO space promises a healthy dose of compeition. Suit up for an adventure in a darkened, dual-level basement where you and friends can aim for one another and try to claim victory. Events and parties welcome. All ages are welcome, provided participants are able to handle the laser gun.

Check out the Field House at Chelsea Piers to burn off some energy! Drop-in activities include open basketball and soccer, batting cages, teen parkour, youth rock climbing and more. Click here to see pricing and hours.

When it’s time for treat, this old timey soda fountain shop offers a variety of different floats made with soda made in-house and Adirondack Creamery ice cream. Kids will want to grab a stool at the counter and watch their sundae handcrafted on the spot (half sizes are available on most flavors, which is welcomed for a family with little tummies). The Sir Twix-a-little features Farmacy’s shortcake crumbles topped with caramel and vanilla ice cream in a milk chocolate hard shell and sprinkled with fleur de sel. To keep from overdosing on sugar, the shop also serves more savory meals, including sandwiches, freshly baked biscuits and granola.

The behemoth food-entertainment venue offers virtual-reality simulators and Skee-Ball—plus Philly cheese steaks, salads and burgers.

With four rooms to escape from (each puzzle must be solved in 60 minutes), Mission Escape Games is perfect for families in need of a challenge. If you work together, you’ll be able to use clues around the room to free yourselves, but you’ll have to work quickly before time’s up. All ages.

Group gaming is a brilliant way to build social skills and develop good sportsmanship. This Carroll Gardens space rotates games throughout the semester to keep kids engaged and learning. Each class dedicates two weeks to a single game before moving on to a new one, and the titles cover a variety of styles, including classics like chess, role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons and board games like Settlers of Catan.

Learn how to make your own pottery—or just paint a pre-made piece—at this crafter’s studio-cum-boutique chainlet. You’ll find mugs, piggy banks and even dinosaurs to customize, all at varying prices.

At this low-tech playhouse, kids will gladly cast phones and gadgets aside to see amazing handmade puppets in action. Founder Nicolas Coppola adapts classic tales for his marionettes to perform in the cozy theater (kids sit on rugs at the front, parents are on benches at the back). Families will be swept away by the artful scenery, lively music and intricate puppets as they take on a life of their own, moving across the stage as if by magic.

Tykes can let their creative juices flow anytime at this no-reservation paint-your-own pottery studio. Walk in and choose from a wide array of pieces and then select 40 paints and glazes. If that’s not enough, kids can also create beaded jewelry or a mosaic picture frame.