Happy New Year Aussie Mums and Dads! I hope you all enjoyed time with family and friends over the holidays.
We just returned from a glorious 3 weeks in Sydney, spending most days on the beach and to be honest, returning to minus temps is a bit depressing! So, of course, it had me thinking what activities are available for kids in the city over these cold winter months.
There are plenty of museums in the city, but I’m sure we have all taken our kids to the big ones eg MoMA, Natural History Museum, MET. Here a few places you may not have been to that are worth checking out:
For the little ones, (under 9 years) my go-to bad weather spot was CMOM (Children’s Museum of Manhattan) on the Upper West Side. It offers hours of entertainment with 4 floors of fun activities. Kids can see the Dora exhibition, drive the big fire truck and NYC bus, play in the sand and visit the ever-changing exhibits on the ground and first floors. Please note there is no food allowed and there is no restaurant on site, so plan to go either side of lunchtime. You can also leave and return at no additional cost. Tickets for children & adults are $14 per person. Children under 1 year are free. It’s closed on Mondays.
Have you been to the Museum of Mathematics aka MoMath? It is a great hands-on museum which is a fun, educational experience. It’s located in Flatiron close to Eataly so the kids can have a great time at the museum and you can have a nice lunch. There is also a Lego store next door to Eataly. MoMath admission is $17 for adults, $14 for kids. It’s open 7 days, 10am – 5pm.
If you are wanting a little trip across the Hudson, The Liberty Science Center in Jersey City gets excellent reviews with lots of special exhibitions including Doc McStuffins and Sherlock Holmes. Plus all the usual fun Science activities on offer. It’s closed Mondays. Admission is $23.75 for adults, $19.75 for kids. Special Exhibitions are a small additional charge.
If you have a lover of trains, then you are in luck. In Brooklyn, you will find the New York Transit Museum. Travel back in time on old subway trains and learn about transport history over the past 100 years. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for kids.
Another transport inspired option is the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum. There’s so much to see and it’s very kid friendly. There is a lot of space onboard the Intrepid so you can bring your stroller. Admission is $33 for adults, $24 for kids.
If you’re a member of the New York, Brooklyn or Queens Public Library, you can get free admission to Children’s Museum of Manhattan, the New York Transit Museum and the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum with Culture Pass NYC. You’ll need to reserve a ticket in advance of your visit.
If you’re looking for something other than a museum, I sometimes take the kids to Rockefeller Center. There’s so much to do and see. Start with the Lego store, move on to American Girl and then finish at the Nintendo store. All three stores have lots of hands-on activities and you can find plenty of food options in the Rockefeller Center.
Finally, a shout out to all the lovely Mummies who joined us in December for Christmas drinks and dinner at the Arte Cafe on the Upper West Side, located in a gorgeous Brownstone building offering authentic Italian food. It’s always a great night out with such a fun and diverse group of ladies. Marion is busy working on our next event, “Wine & Cheese” which sounds fabulous! Invites will be on the Aussie Mums & Dads in NYC facebook group when date and location are confirmed.
AWNY | Australian Women in New York 