Things to do in NYC with Kids

You will be taken aback by the abundance of things to do in NYC with kids. Seemingly huge, overwhelming and hostile, the city proves exceptionally welcoming and children-friendly, so it's as good for embedding the traveler's bug into your own flesh and bone as any tropical hideaway or mooing and bleating attractions of the countryside. Hotels are generally kid-oriented (there are even stories about Eloise, a little girl who lives in the penthouse at the top of the Plaza Hotel), and hey, you're in the country of fast food, green ketchup and roasted marshmallows, so there's no way dining can pose difficulties.

After the hardly wholesome meal it's time for a revitalizing walk. And where else could you possibly go if not to the heart of New York - the family-oriented Central Park. Your kids will find the stroll all the more rewarding that there are opportunities for close encounters with all sorts of creatures and year-round education classes in Central Park Zoo. And if you happen to realize that your kids and animals click, make the New York Aquarium a next stop on your itinerary. Remember though that too much walking is not necessarily a good thing. If your little darlings by any chance get moody and refuse to move an inch, don't drag them like an obstinate dog on a leash but rather use a simple trick. Tell them you're going to Dylan's Candy Bar and you'll catch your breath trying to catch up with them whooshing with Superman's speed at the promise of having their sweet tooths satisfied.

New York entrepreneurs know how to cater for all tastes, even the little ones, and when you're 10 years old it's so important to set the record straight that girls and boys just can't play in the same team. If this is the reality you are facing, don't worry as there are also single-sex attractions on the list of things to do in NYC with kids. Just send your son with his caring father to the Robot Village, where budding engineers have hands full of work and hubbies tend to forget their age. Meanwhile, take your little lady in pink for a stylish brunch to American Girl Place, where even the doll gets a "Treat Seat" at the table. Everybody's happy and you managed without a major drama. But hey, you're in New York. If you'd like to introduce your children to New York's staggering cityscape and energy but fear that the real-life bustle might scare them, prevent the outbreak of hysteria by treating your family to the New York Skyride and let the visual and motion simulation do the rest.

Now, there might come the time when you and your significant other feel the need to share the Big Apple in private, and there's absolutely nothing shameful about that. The Baby Sitters' Guild, Inc. will go out of their ways to provide professional and trustworthy childcare service, they speak 16 languages and come directly to your hotel with bags brimful of age-specific games and pockets full of ideas on how to keep your kids entertained throughout the evening. Your little angels will be happy to get rid of folks for a while, and you will be able to enjoy all the adult things to do in NYC ... with kids cheerfully playing in the hotel room.