Traveling to New York with kids? Here's an insider guide for what to do and where to go, tested by us and proven to be kid-friendly and cool.
Art, food and a place to sit
I do love New York but there are also a lot of things that I really hate about it.… the lack of parks and open spaces, and the complete absence of places to just sit down. The other day I took my girls to the New Museum on the Bowery. I have been wanting to go since it opened and there was an exhibition by Urs Fisher which looked bizarre and cool. There was, after all, a croissant hanging from the ceiling on fishing wire with a butterfly on it! Anyway– the exhibition was indeed cool but the best discovery of the day was the little cafeteria with tables and chairs that they had in the back of the main lobby. It’s a nice place to sit (for free!) and shockingly, it was very kid friendly — they even serve peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. So for those roaming around Soho or the East Village with a stroller looking for a place to just sit for a few minutes — stop in. Admission is free for everyone under 18.
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Veniero’s Pasticceria | Katz’s Delicatessen | Liquiteria — It’s clean-up time everybody! |
Favorite children’s bookstore — Scholastic Store
I absolutely love hanging out in bookstores and the smaller the specialty bookstore, the better. I spend a lot of time at Scholastic and it is always a go-to destination when I am in Soho with the kids. It’s a huge space that offers a little something for everyone from birth through the angst ridden teen years, and they even have a decent sized section of books in other languages. They have a storytime for wee-ones on Tues, Wed and Thursday mornings at 11am, and carry a nice selection of toys, crafts and CDs – all educational. Also, worth noting – the place is a real mood booster — you can’t help but feel happy in here. It’s a bright and cheery space – something you don’t often see.
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Art classes for wee ones | Pearl River Mart | KISAN Concept Store |
Belly Dance Maternity
Seems like everyone I know is having a baby all of a sudden. Funny how it always happens in waves.
With “three being the new two” and “twins being the new singleton” in NYC, the maternity business is booming! When I was pregnant I was determined to remain somewhat stylish (well with the roots growing in and the adult onset acne, the least I could do was wear a semi-decent outfit.) One of my very favorite brands to discover along the way was Nom de Naissance, which is based out of LA and is carried at my very favorite maternity store in NYC, Belly Dance Maternity. This adorable West Village shop carries a well edited selection of labels like Splendid, Diane Von Furstenburg and Ripe with the premise being that you can still dress like you did before you got prego. Two other amazing stores that I discovered along the way were Cappucine in Tribeca which does not have an on-line website but is definitely worth the visit. The owner carries both maternity wear and adorable regular clothes in larger sizes (and the owner is French so you know it’s cool). The other place that I found was Bump in Brooklyn which opened after I had the girls but it looks ultra, ultra swank. For the gals that are not into “Pea in a Pod” and “Liz Lange” – these stores are for you.
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| The Shoe Garden | Doodle Doo’s | Clementine Consignment Shop — For Kids |
New York Transit Museum
On a recent freezing and rainy Sunday we hopped on the subway and headed to the Transit Museum and what a treat it was! The museum itself exists in an old subway station and has two entire platforms of old subway cars to explore. It really is a trip down memory lane to the time of the good ole pre-blackberry days. The early subway cars had hand-woven wicker seats and hanging lamps – can you even imagine how long those would last today? Upstairs there are two city buses that little ones can sit in and pretend to drive as well as a lane of turnstiles. It is much like the transport museum in London – but a bit more gritty. This is after all, New York. There is also a nice little lunchroom to take a breather, so pack a lunch!
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Pomme | Williamsburg | Things to do on a beautiful sunny day. NYC museums! |
Pomme
I always like to find special gifts that are useful and practical for friends with a new baby. In a cramped NYC apartment the last thing you need is more stuff, especially if you are on kid number 2 or 3, which is why I love these adorable little square quilts from Pomme. They are small, plush, easy to wash and cheery.
Pomme is an adorable little store in the Dumbo section of Brooklyn that carries a well-edited and unique array of items for young children. You can call the store direct to get matching pillows or if you are feeling particularly fashionable there are booties to match!
ALSO IN THE AREA:
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| Things to do on a beautiful sunny day. NYC museums! | New York Transit Museum | Sweet William |
