Getting Started

So you have grandchildren in New York City!  You want to engage them in fun, stimulating activities that will create lifelong memories.  With New York City (and surrounding areas) as your playground, you can enjoy excursions and activities for brief visits after school, full-day trips, or even multi-day vacations.

The East River as seen from The Roosevelt Island Tram

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

The Age of the Children
The first thing to consider is the age and interests of your grandchildren.  What's appropriate for a 7 year-old, might not be for a 4 year-old.  Unless you intend to take separate excursions, try to find trips and sites that have broad appeal. For example, a ride on the Staten Island Ferry in and of itself, might be fascinating for a 4 year-old, but a 7 year-old might enjoy working on checklist of items seen in the harbor, eg., a tugboat, a yacht, an ocean liner, the Statue of Liberty, etc.

The Timeframe
Of course, if you are planning an afterschool excursion, the timeframe will be different than if you have a full day available.  There are many interesting things to do from 3:00 - 5:00 PM that can enrich the day.  For example, depending upon where you start, a bus or subway ride to Rockefeller Center can easily be accomplished in an hour or two.  

Make Yourself Known to School Personnel
Most elementary schools will not allow anyone to pick up a child who does not have parental permission.  Make sure that the parents write a note to the appropriate teacher or administrator giving permission for you to pick up their child from school.  Many schools will check for your identification.  After a while, the teacher who dismisses the class will come to know the grandparents and release the children to them.   
Volunteer in Your Grandchildren's School
Grandparents have any number of skills and interests that they might offer to teachers in connection to a visit to the class.  Some teachers are more comfortable than others with such visits, so take your cues from the response to your offer.  Involvement in your grandchildren's schools can be personally rewarding and will make your grandchildren feel supported and somewhat special.  As one who has visited nursery school classes several times, though, it is important to show no preferance to your own grandchild.  Most teachers will ask your grandchild to introduce you, but once that happens, you are there for ALL of the kids in the class. Bringing in an activity or an artifact can foster a great deal of interest, but simply selecting a special book (even one that you have read to your own children) may be a very welcome event.

Use Public Transportation
Part of the adventure with kids is the use of public transportation.  Helping them to become familiar with city subway and lines is a great educational experience.  The differences between "express" and "local" trains and "limited" and "local service" is captivating to young kids.  They love to be involved in discussing routes and transfers.  

East Side Central Park Playgrounds

There are over 20 playgrounds within Central Park and thay are all imaginative, intriguing, and well-maintained.  What a wonderful way to spend an hour or so at any time of the year.  This entry will deal with 3 playgrounds within close proximity in the middle section of Central Park along the East Side. Each of the playgroun have nearby, accessible, and convenient bathroom facilities.

The Billy Johnson Playground

Located on the East side of the park at 67th Street, the Billy Johnson Playground  was inspired by the landscapes of Central Park, making it one of the Park's most distinctive play spaces. Constructed primarily from natural materials, the playground includes a stone bridge, luchs plantings and planty of shade creating small play "rooms."  Additional features include bucket swings and a small amphitheater, ideal for picnics and other gatherings. The playground's most popular feature is a granite slide set into a hill, scattered with plantings and rocks.  There is also a sprinkler during the warmer months.  

The Ever Popular Granite Slide

The East 72nd St. Playground

If you walk norh in Central Park along the eastern edge, you will soon come upon the 72nd St. Playground.  This playground's low concrete walls and numerous steps and seats define the play space, as well as providing a variety of levels and surfaces to climb and explore. Play features include bucket swings, a wooden tree house and a granite-faced climbing pyramid with slides and tunnels. A net climber and tire swings are set in a large sand area at the center of the playground. A wall-mounted water feature sprays into a sunken area surrounded by steps and round concrete seats.

                                The Ancient Playground

Just north of the Metropolitan Museum of Art on the East side at 85th St., is the Ancient Playground, also referred to as "The Pyramid Playground."  Despite its name, Ancient Playground is one of the Park's most recently reconstructed playgrounds. The ground material is particularly soft and spongy.  They playground, inspired by the collections at Metropolitan Museum of Art, includes pyramids, obelisk and a sundial.  In the main play area, pyramid-shaped climbers with slides and tunnels are linked by concrete bridges. Additional wooden climbers are ideal for older children who love to climb and explore. For younger children, the playground has an obelisk-shaped structure set in a sandbox. Bucket, tire and strap swings accommodate children of all ages.  The Ancient Playground has two user-activated water features. One is integrated into the main climbing structure: water runs from a central obelisk across two bridges and cascades like a mini-waterfall into an open area with water jets. The other is a small semi-circular area for younger children with spray nozzles set into a wall.  My grandchildren just love to play hide n' seek at the playground due to the numerous tunnels, levels, and low walls.

New York City Fire Museum

An interesting little museum in lowerr Manhattan is located in a former firehouse!  It is the New York City Fire Museum.  It makes for a nice, brief visit than can be accomplished in an hour.  Located at 278 Spring Street, the museum is located in the former quarters of NYFD Engine Company No. 30.  On display are there are vintage fire trucks, some of which kids can climb upon, as well as sorts of fire equipment and paraphernalia.  It is open 7 days a week from 10:00 Am to 5:00 PM.  Admission is $8.00 for adults and $5.00 for children, students, and seniors.

The NYS Fire Museum

An Old Fire Engine

An "Older" Fire Engine

Via Public Transportation:

To reach the Museum by subway, take the "C" or "E" train (8th Avenue Local) to Spring Street. Walk west 1 ½ blocks. Alternately, take the "1" train (IRT) to Houston Street. Walk south along Varick Street for 4 blocks to Spring Street. Walk west ½ block.

To reach the Museum via bus, take the M10 or M21 to Spring Street.

The website for the museum is:

http://www.nycfiremuseum.org

Address
New York City Fire Museum
278 Spring Street
New York, NY, 10013
Main Telephone: 212.691.1303
Fax: 212.352.3117

Open 7 days a week: 10:00am - 5:00pm
Closed major holidays

Admission
$8.00: Adults
$5.00: Children (12 and under),
 seniors and students with
 college ID

Directions

The New York City Fire Museum is located in the former quarters of FDNY Engine Company No. 30, a 1904 firehouse in the Hudson Square district of Manhattan.

View map on Google

The Eloise Shop at The Plaza (and More in the Area)

What could be more exciting for a 5 or 6 year old girl (and her little brother) than a trip to the Eloise Shop located in the basement of New York's iconic Plaza Hotel at 59th Street and Fifth Avenue!  The shop has several rooms (and of course lots of items for sale) that appeal to toddlers to pre-tweens. There is even a toy piano with a 3-sided mirror on which to practice scales.  Eloise's "playroom" has huge round pink sofas where kids can lounge and watch the Eloise movies that are continuously looped on a big screen. There is a party room as well where sometimes visitors can peek in on a celebration in action.  Of course, it makes sense to read books from Eloise series or watch the videos (available at most children's libraries) prior to a visit.  This adds meaning and context!

The Plaza

Eloise's Apartment

The Party Room

Playing the Piano

Eloise's Bedroom

Eloise's Playroom

 While at The Plaza, make sure to stop for a snack in the huge, magnificent food court right outside of Eloise's apartment.  You can get anything from a small cookie to a full meal at any number of restaurants and shops.  We found that a cookie and a juice pack was just fine and it didn't "break the bank!"

The Food Court at the Plaza

Just across Fifth Avenue is New York's landmark Apple Store.  Entering the huge glass cube is an event in itself and then taking the glass elevator downstairs is another adventure.  Once inside, head for the iPad tables where several tablets are loaded with games while kids sit on sturdy balls on low-lying tables.  We had to pry the kids away after more than one "five-minute warning."

The Apple Store on Fifth Avenue

Playing with iPads at the Apple Store

Now if you really want to splurge, just behind the Apple Store is the internationally-known toy store, F.A.O. Schwarz.  Of course, browsing all of the toys is just too tempting for some kids, but one time when we visited, we simply said that it was for looking and exploring, but not for buying. (On another occasion, we tried to teach an "economics lesson" and limited each child to an $8 purchase. It was somewhat challenging to find an item at that price point, but we were successful.  (Our grandchildren were prompted to make the purchase themselves, to approach the counter money in hand, and check on the change received.)  Of course.there is plenty to explore without a purchase-- magnificent Lego structures, giant stuffed animals to sit on or hold, demonstrations, and the famous "Big Piano."  Kids remove their shoes and after waiting a turn, they can walk, slide or jump onto a giant keyboard and their motions make piano sounds.  It is great fun.

The Big Piano at F.A.O. Schwarz

 As you leave the store, make sure to say goodbye to the costumed "toy soldier" who is stationed at the door.

The American Museum of Natural History

You cannot say too much about this New York City gem!  Located on Central Park West between W. 77th and W. 81st Streets, the very imposing facade is a joy to behold and provides a lot to point to young children.  Older sections have fascinating turrets and of course there is the famous statue of Teddy Roosevelt on a horse at the main entrance.  Once inside, most kids want to head straight to the dinosaurs and they are wonderful, but there is so much more to explore.  In addition to the special exhibits, my own grandkids love wandering through the maze of fascinating objects in the Hall of Minerals.  The Museum usually has an IMAX film production (extra fee) and of course the Rose Planetarium is worthy of a separate visit.  If the time spent at the museum gets to be too much for some, you can always walk out of the front door, cross the street, and enjoy some relaxing strolls (and great playgrounds -- topic for another post) in Central Park.

The Front of the American Museum of Natural History

The Hall of Dinosaurs

The Hall of Minerals

The Rose Planetarium