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How to read your way to a classic NYC kid

7/19/07 - By Anna Fader

There's an undeniable charm to the idea of the classic NYC kid. Precocious, worldly, outspoken and feisty; whether you're just visiting NYC with a child or raising your own specimen, you can enjoy imagining your child as one of these feisty tots. There are a host of books that will set the stage and act as a primer for aspiring Eloises and children will enjoy reading about the familiar places and connecting their lives with the ones in the book.

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For younger children Eloise is an obvious place to start and an outing for tea at the Plaza is a perfect accompaniment to the book. After tea, walk into Central Park and visit the Central Park Zoo as depicted in One Sunday Morning. Take time to listen to the chimes of the Delacorte Clock ring out favorite children's rhymes. Other classic NYC kid activities include a ride on the carousel or sailing a boat in the conservatory water. Whatever you do, don't rush. To be a true classic NYC kid is to live in your own precious world that you own as depicted in The House on East 88th Street. NYC runs around you. You never run around it. To that end perhaps a slow carriage ride around central park would be nice. For older kids Harriet the Spy, Superfudge, The Cricket in Times Square, and Stuart Little all romanticize NYC childhoods in a way sure to charm young readers. An outing to Serendipity for frozen hot chocolate and a trip over the Roosevelt Island Tram should recreate the magic of being a kid in NYC for them in real life. What do you think is magical or special about raising kids in NYC? Leave a response.

About the Author

Anna Fader

Founder of Mommy Poppins

A fourth-generation Brooklynite, Anna started Mommy Poppins in 2007 to help families find the best things to do with kids in NYC, with a particular emphasis on sharing activities that are free, affordable, and enriching. The site, used by millions of families, has grown to become the ultimate resource for parents in the major US cities, plus travel guides for 100s of destinations.

Anna is a believer in the magic of summer camps, traveling with kids, and that you can raise kids on a budget and still have a rich life full of amazing memories. Anna's first Mommy Poppins book, The Young Traveler's Journal and Activity Book, published in 2025 and co-written with her daughter, Amelia Eigerman, brings that ethos to life, in addition to this website.

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