14 Reasons Why You Should Take Your Kids to New York City

My husband and I grew up in a very small town. Like when I say small, I mean one square mile small.

It is an amazing community and we love it so much that we recently moved back with our children. But as much as I love living in our small little village, there is nothing like the excitement of being in a major city.

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Growing up, I didn’t travel to many large cities. Although we lived centrally located between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, I really only visited Cleveland as a child to go to the Cleveland Zoo or a Cleveland MLB game. However, all of that changed during my senior year of high school.

My senior English teacher was one of the most passionate teachers I had as a student. He inspired me in so many ways that year, but one of the biggest gifts he gave me was introducing me to the city that would become one of my favorite places.

In the spring of my senior year of high school, he took us on the annual senior class trip to New York City. I fell in love the instant I saw the skyline for the first time. The sights, sounds, people, and culture may have been overwhelming to some small-town kids, but I was in awe.

We visited all of the main tourist attractions and saw Chicago on Broadway, as well as Blue Man Group. The trip was only three short days, but in that small time frame, I was hooked.

My husband and I traveled to the city twice together before becoming parents in 2011. Our kids were six and four the first time we took them to New York City as a family. Since then, we have visited ten more times, including “moving” to the city for three weeks in July 2022.

It makes me so happy that our love for the city has transferred over to our kids. I feel that by taking them to visit this huge metropolis on a regular basis, we are giving them invaluable experiences that will help shape them into well-rounded individuals.

Here are 14 reasons why you should take your children to New York City.

1. The Culture
   America is called a melting pot, and no other place exemplifies that more than New York City. While walking down the street, you may hear multiple languages being spoken. You can eat at restaurants that serve cuisines from around the world. People of all ethnicities live in and visit the city. It is a remarkable way to experience the American culture that has been born from the immigrants who now call this beautiful country their home.

2. The History
   New York City is rich in history. Every borough, neighborhood, street, and building has a story to tell. I learn something new either through my research before our trip or through our experiences while visiting. For example, the Federal Hall National Memorial, located in the Financial District, was the location of Washington’s Inauguration as the first president, was the home of the first Congress, Supreme Court, and Executive Branch, and was where the US Bill of Rights was introduced in the first Congress.

3. The Architecture
   There is nothing like the architecture in New York City. The skyline is filled with bridges and iconic skyscrapers including the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Flatiron Building, and One World Trade Center. Well-known New York landmarks like the Vessel, Washington Square Arch, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Grand Central Terminal, Rockefeller Plaza, Metropolitan Opera House, and the New York Public Library Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (which not only houses tons of books but also the original Winnie the Pooh stuffed animals) are must-see structures. But there is also so much beauty to appreciate in the intricate architectural elements found in the average New York City building.

4. The Observatories
   Although they fit into the architecture category above, the observatories of New York City need their own place on the list of reasons to visit NYC with your children. There is nothing like going to the top of a skyscraper and looking at the city from above. We have visited all of the observatories of New York City: the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Edge at Hudson Yards, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, One World Observatory, and the Statue of Liberty, from which you can visit both the pedestal or the crown. We love them all, but Top of the Rock is our favorite.

5. Monuments & Memorials
   In my opinion, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum is possibly one of the most moving and important monuments/museums you should visit in your lifetime. While it may be a little overwhelming for younger children, it is definitely a place you want to take them at some point once you feel they can handle the emotion that comes with the visit. Other monuments and memorials to visit include the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the Museum of Jewish Heritage-A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, Federal Hall National Memorial, Trinity Church and Cemetery, New York City Vietnam Veterans Memorial Plaza, General Grant National Memorial, Titanic Memorial Lighthouse, and Strawberry Fields.

6. The Museums
   There are numerous museums in New York City for you to experience as a family that will inspire and teach your children. Some of my kids’ favorites are The American Museum of Natural History, The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Other extremely fun museums for children include the Museum of Ice Cream, the Museum of Illusions New York, and the AKC Museum of the Dog. There are so many to choose from, including the 9/11 Museum, The Guggenheim Museum, MoMA The Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, The Met Cloisters, the Museum of the City of New York, Tenement Museum, National Museum of American Indian, Liberty Island, Ellis Island, The Museum of Broadway, The Morgan Library and Museum, The Museum at FIT. The list goes on and on.

7. Theater, Music, and Dance
   There is truly nothing like seeing talented artists perform on stage in New York City. Broadway plays, Off-Broadway productions, ballet, opera, and the Rockettes at Christmas are all extraordinary ways to experience the talent NYC has to offer.

8. Art, Statues & Sculptures
   New York City is a major art capital of the world, and that doesn’t just include the multitude of artwork and sculptures you can see in the many museums listed above. There are also temporary art exhibitions and installations that call New York City home. For example, we were able to visit a temporary Banksy art exhibit in July 2022 which was incredible. My kids also love seeing the various statues around the city such as Charging Bull Statue, Fearless Girl Statue, and “Baby Bean” sculpture, as well as some favorites in Central Park like Alice In Wonderland Sculpture, Hans Christian Anderson Statue, Balto Statue, and the Romeo and Juliette Sculpture. There are also various other sculptures sprinkled throughout the city that you run into while exploring. Another very interesting way to experience art with your children while in NYC is to visit Color Factory New York, which is an interactive art museum.

9. The Parks
   Central Park is THE park to visit in New York City. There is so much to see and experience. It has multiple playgrounds to explore (our two favorites are the Billy Johnson Playground and Ancient Playground). Central Park is also home to the Central Park Zoo, Bethesda Fountain, Belvedere Castle, The Mall Literary Walk, Delacorte Theater, Shakespeare Garden, Turtle Pond, Conservatory Pond and Kerbs Boathouse, and multiple sculptures such as the Alice in Wonderland Statue and Hans Christian Anderson Sculpture. Children will also love experiencing the simple joy of playing in the green space, climbing on the rock formations, and walking the paths. But Central Park isn’t the only park worth visiting in New York City. Little Island, Bryant Park, the High Line, Battery Park, and Madison Square Park are some of our other favorites, but honestly, there are so many small neighborhood parks sprinkled throughout the city that are worth stopping at to rest your feet or let you kids burn off some energy.

10. The Boroughs, Neighborhoods, and Islands
    When people think of New York City, they typically think of what is actually Manhattan, which is one of the five boroughs (Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island) that make up New York City. Exploring any of the five boroughs is an experience in itself. As many times as we have been to NYC, the only other borough besides Manhattan that we have even scratched the surface of is Brooklyn. Our main reason for visiting Brooklyn was to experience the iconic walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and to visit Jane’s Carousel, which was originally built for Idora Park, an amusement park that was located near where we live before closing in 1984. There are also multiple neighborhoods within each borough that add to the uniqueness of each area. A few small islands surrounding Manhattan are also fun to explore: Liberty Island (home of the Statue of Liberty), Ellis Island, Governor’s Island, and Roosevelt Island.

11. The Food
    The food in New York City is SO good. We have our go-to favorite restaurants that we visit basically every trip, like Pep’s on Grand for wood-fired pizza with a hop over to Ferrara Bakery & Cafe for dessert in Little Italy, Maison Pickle in the Upper West Side, Mimi Chengs for dumplings, Levain Bakery for our favorite cookies, and of course, the obligatory vendor hot dog on the corner of most any block. But we also try to expand our palates by experiencing new cuisines, such as Georgian food at Old Tbilisi Garden in Greenwich Village and Thai food at THEP Restaurant in the Upper East Side. My advice when visiting the city is not to eat at a chain restaurant. You can do that anywhere. Try something new. Visit a restaurant that is one of a kind, all while supporting a small business.

12. The Shopping
    So much shopping… New York City is not short on places to shop. There are stores that will be a dream for your children to visit, such as The LEGO Store, American Girl Place New York, Harry Potter New York, Nintendo NY, FAO Schwartz, Hershey’s Chocolate World Times Square, M&M’s World Times Square, Disney Store Times Square, NBA Store, and MLB Flagship Store. The traditional shopping locations of Chelsea Market, The Shops at Hudson Yards, The Shops at Columbus Circle, the Oculus, Fifth Avenue, SoHo, and Macy’s are also so much fun to visit, but we love shopping in the small neighborhood shops throughout the city to support local small business owners.

13. Times Square
    Times Square is the quintessential tourist destination of New York City. Filled with billboards, lights, and people, lots and lots of people, Times Square is something you have to see at least once, especially at night.

14. Sports Teams
    If you have a sports-obsessed kid, New York City is home to multiple professional sports teams including the New York Yankees, New York Mets, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, New York Jets, New York Giants, and New York Rangers. Of course, you can catch a game while in the city, but you can also take a guided tour of your favorite sports arena or stadium, such as Madison Square Garden or Yankee Stadium.

New York City is a true gem of our country and is a place you and your children will love visiting.

Ready to visit the Big Apple? Check out my post, Ultimate 3-Day New York City Itinerary (Kid Friendly), to help plan your trip to New York City.

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