Indoor Activities

If you can get past the skyscrapers and sidewalks of New York City you may start to see the diverse natural environment we live in. Our city is made up of beaches, forests, marshlands and glacier formations. There are animals everywhere, too, seals in the harbor, red-tailed hawks on Fifth Avenue, raccoons in Central Park and coyotes have recently been spotted lurking around in northern Manhattan and The Bronx. And since we are located on the eastern flyway, our skies are filled with hundreds of different species of birds.  My family is passionate about the natural world around us and so are many other New Yorkers as evidenced by the myriad of nature centers available to us – even in the winter.

Nature centers are a great way to while away a winter’s day and maybe even learn something you didn’t already know about the city. Drop in during their open hours and check out the exhibits that cover animals, plants, history and geography. Or hit one of the many special events or organized group activities going on all winter. The best part is there is no entrance fee to visit (but some centers will accept a donation.) 

We've been updating our Indoor Activity Guide and parrticularly our list of drop-in indoor play spaces so NYC families can find lots of fun things to do during this cold weather.

With cabin fever setting in over these winter weeks, I've been bundling up my 13-month-old and taking field trips to a few indoor spaces with open play times. With drop-in play areas, it's great to be able to hang out for a few bucks admission without having to commit to expensive memberships or classes. My son loves exploring the new toys, and I love not having to clean up the mess.

Check out one of my new favorite drop-in indoor playgrounds:
 

My son was born in the dead of winter. It was freezing cold everywhere and between nursing, naps, sleep deprivation, laundry and that overwhelming new parent frenzied feeling, I just couldn’t get it together to go anywhere or do anything. For two months I sat on the couch with him and let people come to me. But one day I decided to venture out. 

With my little son in a front carrier I went looking for somewhere else to sit. Starbucks was out of the question, I was a little too nervous to drink hot coffee with his beautiful bald head so precariously close to the boiling java. Instead we found our way to an indoor, tropical, hideaway just a few blocks from our midtown apartment. 

New York City is full of many semi-secret indoor public spaces that are perfect for getting in out of the cold (or heat) when you just need somewhre to go.

You remember the roller skating rink: Sweaty hand-holding as you looped under the disco ball to “Stairway to Heaven”; the hokey-pokey; homemade pom-poms; and newbies holding for dear life to the carpeted walls...ahhhh...the good old days. But just because it’s 2010 doesn’t mean your child can’t experience the same skating thrill (well, let’s hold off on that hand-holding thing, but bring on the hokey-pokey). Get ready for a full-on hit of nostalgia as your kids lace up their rental skates and hit the rink at these fabulous New Jersey roller skating centers. NOTE: All posted times are subject to change. Please check web schedules or call ahead prior to heading out to skate!

It’s freaking freezing outside! There is no need to spend your day freezing when you can head over to one of our top 5 favorite indoor play spaces in Queens.

Even if you're a crackerjack story reader (silly voices, accents and all), most kids appreciate a new face behind even the most familiar books now and then, which is why story times are a swell way to spend an hour or two. Most storytimes are free (or cheap) and some venues also offer other activities or tempting kids' book-browsing, so the fun can continue after reading time ends. 

Luckily, Brooklyn has plenty of regular story time opportunities for kids, but if you're looking for more, check out our earlier post on NYC Story Times (mostly Manhattan). Or add yours to the list in the comments section below.

Story times are a great free (or low cost) activity. A good story time can be just the incentive you need to get out of the house on those cold or snowy days. You know that your kids will be quietly entertained for just long enough for you to get your sanity back. Hosted at bookstores, libraries, toy stores and other fun places, reservations aren’t required – just drop in. Sometimes a story hour can even turn into a whole morning or afternoon of fun if you are looking to stretch it out.

When the winter cold sets in, not only do the kids bounce off the walls, they also manage to turn the house upside-down. Better plan: Let them get the wiggles out somewhere else! That is why indoor playspaces were created. These kid-tested spots will keep younger kids entertained for hours, and you with a clean house (plus some sanity!)

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Long Island is filled with terrific places to play inside, where kids can run amok on a cold or rainy day without destroying your living room. It's like being at a park, just without the outdoors part. Here, we've rounded up our picks for some of the best indoor playspaces on Long Island: 

For kids, a week off from school is bliss. For parents, well, it can be a little stressful. My son is bound to go a little stir crazy in our over-heated apartment. It is too cold for the playground and every inside attraction is going to be packed. Plus, I really need a break from our monthly trek to the American Museum of Natural History.

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But you don't need a car to get out of the city. Here are some great day trips from New York City that should entertain the whole gang that you can do without a car! No need to battle the traffic getting back into town when you can kick back and take a seat on public transit. It makes getting there part of the adventure and kids just love it.