Ready to celebrate the holidays or just get out of the house and try something new? This guide shares some family-friendly — and budget-friendly — activities that you can enjoy this winter with your kids.
Also Read: Discover 18 NYC Giveaways with Free Toys for the Holidays
Manhattan winter activities for kids
Free: Stargazing in Morningside Park
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- Saturday, December 27th from 5 to 7 p.m.
- Morningside Park (112th Street and Manhattan Avenue, Manhattan)
- Celebrate the winter solstice by looking up at the stars with an outing led by West Harlem Art Fund & Amateur Astronomy Association. Free registration here.
Wollman Rink Reduced-Price Ice Skating
- Anytime during public skating hours (see here for hours)
- Wollman Rink in Central Park (Enter at 59th Street and 5th or 6th Avenue)
- Through the Wollman Rink Access Program, New Yorkers with an IDNYC or NYPL card can enjoy admission, ice skate rental and a hot cocoa for $16.
Brooklyn winter activities for kids
Free: Cobble Hill Gather & Sing
- Monday, December 22 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Cobble Hill Park (Clinton St. between Verandah Pl. and Congress St., Brooklyn)
- Brooklyn Youth Chorus invites families to join in for a night of singing, cookies, cocoa, and cider. RSVP for this free event here.
Free: Family-Friendly NYE Balloon Drop
- Wednesday, December 31 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Three’s Brewery (333 Douglass Street, Brooklyn)
- Enjoy a free, family-friendly NYE gathering at Three’s Brewery. There will be a DJ and complimentary non-alcoholic cider toast.
Bronx winter activities for kids
Family Art Project: Winter Silhouettes
- Saturday, December 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Wave Hill (4900 Independence Ave., Bronx)
- Details: Use lamps and shadows to draw wintertime animals. At 11:30 a.m., families can enjoy storytime. This event is free with admission to grounds. Admission is $6 for children and $10 for adults.
Free: Wintertime Hike
- Saturday, December 20 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Van Cortlandt Park Nature Center (West 246th Street and Broadway, Bronx)
- Details: Come and learn how birds, squirrels and other wildlife survive the winter. Free hike that is open to all.
Queens winter activities for kids
Free: Winter Crafts & Storytime at the Queens Botanical Garden
- Saturday, December 27 from 1 to 3 p.m.
- Queens Botanical Garden (43-50 Main St., Flushing, Queens)
- Details: Bring your kids to craft and storytime. This event and admission is free.
Free: Survival Skills for Kids
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- Wednesday, December 31 from 1 to 2 p.m.
- Astoria Park (Hoyt Ave. North and 19th St. Astoria, Queens)
- Come learn essential winter survival skills like reading a map, building a fire and pitching a tent. Hosted by the Urban Park Rangers. This event is free and open to all families.
Staten Island winter activities for kids
Free: Winter Solstice Campfire & Storytelling
- Sunday, December 21 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
- DeMatti Park Fieldhouse in De Matti Park (Tompkins Avenue between Chestnut Street and Shaughnessy Lane, Staten Island)
- A free storytelling event put on by the Urban Park Rangers.
Free: Cookies, Crafts and Cocoa with Santa
- Friday, December 19 from 3 to 5 p.m.
- DeMatti Park Fieldhouse in De Matti Park on Tompkins Avenue (Tompkins Avenue between Chestnut Street and Shaughnessy Lane, Staten Island)
- NYC Parks hosts a free event for families with children ages 5 to 13. Families can decorate cookies, sip on cocoa and meet Santa.
Free: Winter Wonders Storytime and Crafts
- Saturday, December 21 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
- Greenbelt Nature Center (700 Rockland Avenue, Staten Island)
- A free event where you can bring the family to listen to a story and then make your own art.
