The 11 Best Playgrounds for Little Kids in NYC

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The 11 Best Playgrounds for Little Kids

The sun is coming out, the weather is getting warm again, and kids in NYC are making any excuse to get outside! Playgrounds are a great place for kids to have fun and enjoy some sun. Even living in a city, you’ll find that there are some great family-friendly playgrounds that are made with toddlers and little kids in mind! Watch your children play or join them in the fun, either way, make the experience memorable with our list of the 11 Best Playgrounds for Little Kids!

Looking for another fun activity? Check out The Best Skateboarding Parks in NYC for kids and families.

Ancient Playground
Museum Mile, New York, NY 10028

The Ancient Playground gives a new take on traditional activities. The playground is made with more of an adventure style. Toddlers and kids can let their imaginations fly as they play with the interconnected structures, pyramids, and bridges that encourage exploration. This is a great place to bring the family for a few hours of play and make sure to check out the amazing sculptures at the entrance!

Bloomingdale Playground
Amsterdam Ave &, W 104th St, New York, NY 10025

This playground for little kids welcomes anyone of all abilities. This playground has been designed with ramps that make it easy to travel through the upper and lower levels of the structures. Kids can push each other down the slides or engage their imaginations in the sensory tunnel and sensory play panels. It’s perfect for kids of any age, with activities that will keep them entertained so that they won’t want to leave when it’s time to go home again!

Pier 51 at Hudson River Park
Hudson River Greenway, New York, NY 10014

The Pier 51 playground isn’t just for amusement. There’s a great view to admire and during the warm seasons and for those really hot days, the park has water features for kids who like to get wet! There are sand play areas and a nautical theme that will have kids pretending they are exploring the sea around them! There’s even a “stream” that runs through the playground, perfect for an exciting adventure to the other side. With this playground full of exciting activities, climbing equipment, slides, and more; kids will have so many different options of fun, that they’ll have to come back again to experience it all!

James Forten Playground
117B Underhill Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

This clean and family-friendly space is a perfect environment to bring your kids to! The playground has a separate area for toddlers that has climbing equipment perfect for their size. Any child will find their amusement, whether that be dangling off railings or walking through the bridge. Bond with your little ones as you wait for them at the end of a slide or push them on the small tire swings!

J.J. Byrne Playground
5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215

Here, you’ll find all the traditional playground equipment like swings, tunnels, bridges, slides, jungle gyms and more that kids have loved for decades now. For toddlers, the park has a fully gated area as well as farm animal cutouts and bucket swings perfect for their size. Make sure to bring a towel with you for when it gets warmer out so you can be prepared when your kids experience the water features of water cannons, splash pads, water pumps and even a mill stream! This is the perfect place for kids to let their creativity run wild and make new friends!

30th Street Playground
1-09 Beach 30th St, Queens, NY 11691

As the days get warmer, you might want to think about stopping at this playground. With activities like slides, climbers, playhouses and more, your kids are sure to have a great time. They have activities specifically for toddlers, inviting imagination into their play. Kids can take a break from the dry land as they play with the water-shooting cannons that will have them laughing and squealing!

Big Bush Park Playground
Laurel Hill Blvd. &, 61 st St., Queens, NY 11377

Big Bush Playground is a great location for the entire family. The bright green jungle gym will have kids climbing, playing, running and laughing! While your kids are running around, check out the seating area where you can relax and enjoy your own time in the outdoors. As it gets hotter out, kids can run through the splash and spray showers to cool down before going back to their fun!

Rosewood Playground
Bronx Boulevard and, Rosewood St, Bronx, NY 10467

Take a trip to the Rosewood Playground to give you and the kids a break in your day! Kids will be able to enjoy play apparatuses like slides, swings, a sandpit, seesaws and even a shower basin. The entire area is fenced in for safety and you’ll find that this family-friendly area will become a favorite for everyone! While you’re there, make sure to check out the rest of the park and its beautiful trail.

Waring Playground
Bronx Park E. &, Waring Ave, Bronx, NY 10467

This playground has seen huge renovations in the last few years. Kids can take turns on the slides or try to climb the small rock climbing wall. Watch as your kids run between the two play structures through the bridge, expanding their creativity and imagination. There are small games on the walls of the playground’s structures that will make even a momentary break entertaining. Take some silly pictures to remember the day and if you dare, play a fun family game of basketball with the hoops that are within walking distance!

Lieutenant John H. Martinson Playground
Koch Blvd. &, Preston Ave, Staten Island, NY 10312

As one of Staten Island’s most innovative playgrounds, it has two different levels of play. There’s one for older children as well as one geared towards toddlers. The playground is made with two large slides that separate each level with different age-appropriate swing sets as well as climbing apparatuses for every kid to play with. As an added plus, the playground is located right next to basketball and handball courts. With so many activities in this one playground, you’ll never hear your kids saying that they’re bored! 

Seaside Wildlife Nature Park Playground
Nelson Avenue &, Tennyson Dr, Staten Island, NY 10308

This creative playground will make any kid want to come back the second they leave! They have amazing structures, perfect for casual play like a ship sporting a dragon head, a shark jungle gym and a lighthouse. The cheerful and themed ocean colors will bring out the imagination of any kid as they create stories of adventure! Before you leave, make sure to take a short walk to the beach and finish off the day with a beautiful sight.

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British Swim School

<p>The premier learn-to-swim provider for people of all ages, offering programs for children ages 3-months through adults.  British Swim School uses gentle teaching methods and a survival-first approach to help people of all experience levels become safer, stronger swimmers. British Swim School’s safe, fun, and effective instructional program has made it the preferred choice for parents and students for over 40 years. Come see the British Swim School difference!</p>

Brooklyn Music School

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For over a century, we at The Brooklyn Music School have strived to make the joy of music, dance and performance accessible to everyone no matter their age, background, or financial status.</span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In addition to offering affordable in-person and online private and group music lessons, dance classes, after-school programs, and community outreach, we also provide space for </span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brooklyn and NYC artists to perform in our 250-seat Spanish-style theatre. Come by for a night of live music, or join us for a class!</span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Visit BrooklynMusicSchool.org to learn more, register for classes, or view our calendar for upcoming events. </span></p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-4b378613-7fff-f89d-3c88-fe6beaabeb55"></span></p>

Adventuring Portal

<p><a name="m_-1473885667065203258__Hlk72147528"></a>Adventuring Portal runs Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) games for kids.   We have created a safe online space for tweens and teens to learn and play D&D.</p> <p>Our D&D Summer Camp session are a one-week experience.  Monday – Friday.  Each day will be 3 hours of gaming (with 2 breaks build in).  15 total gaming hours for $180.  If you have played with us before, you are entitled to 10% off.   </p> <p>Need your kids, nieces or nephews, grand kids or neighbor’s kids to be occupied for a bit so you can get work done & take care of your to-do list? Maybe your tween or teen is still a bit isolated and craves connection with their peers? Whether your teen/tween has played D&D before or is brand-new to the experience, this safe space brings players together to have fun and solve problems as a team in ways few other online opportunities do.</p> <p>All our games focus on experiential learning.   Our players leave knowing all the basic game play as well as experiencing: teamwork, bravery, compassion, generosity, negotiation, improvisation, gamer etiquette, strategy, critical thinking, problem solving, cartography and probability - all through online D&D adventuring!</p> <p>We are an inclusive organization and welcome gamers who are LGBTQIA+ and those on any spectrum. </p> <p>All girls’ groups available. </p> <p>I am a parent, a certified elementary school and middle school math teacher and last summer in the midst of the mess started Adventuring Portal, an online Dungeons & Dragons business for kids. There are so many benefits to playing D&D and I hope you will consider us as a great way for your child to safely socialize, grow as people and have a great time.</p>