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Free things to do with your kid in New York City this summer
By
Jessica Gould
Published Jun 20, 2024
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Malcolm Pinckney, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
By
Jessica Gould
Published Jun 20, 2024
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Amid the many pleasures of summer, parents also face the stress of figuring out what to do with kids during the two long months between the end of one school year and the start of another.
Gothamist scanned the city for free options to keep kiddos entertained during the sweltering days ahead. Archery, hiking, canoeing — some of the staples of an outdoor getaway are available right here for free. Welcome to summer (camp) in the city!
Nature lovers and sports fans
- Have a ball: The City Parks Foundation has free soccer, tennis and golf lessons once or twice a week in all boroughs from early July to early August, plus daily fitness activities. Register in advance online. The parks department also organizes outdoor fun and activities at playgrounds across the city through the drop-in Kids In Motion program, along with other workshops and events. (Insect exploration anyone?)
- Hit the water: Free kayaking abounds. In Manhattan, hit the water at Pier 26 and Pier 96. Volunteer-run Kayak Staten Island is free on dates throughout the summer. In Queens, there’s Long Island City Community Boathouse and the Community Boathouse in Rockaway. In Brooklyn, try Brooklyn Bridge Park, Red Hook Boaters or the North Brooklyn Community Boathouse.
- Go fish: At the Dana Discovery Center on 110th Street, kids can borrow fishing poles and corn kernel bait for free catch-and-release fishing on the Harlem Meer. Fishing is also available at Hudson River Park.
- Take a hike: Follow a trail, join a group through the parks department or explore the city’s 20,000 acres of forests, wetlands and grasslands through the Natural Areas Conservancy, which hosts free trail maintainer trainings and tours.
- Relax: Scenic Wave Hill in the Bronx and its lush gardens have free admission on Thursdays.
Many museums in the city let kids in for free.
Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images
Artsy kids
- Learn from the best: If the performing arts are your kid’s thing, check out Summer In The City at Lincoln Center, where pros from New York City Ballet and Alvin Ailey teach choreography from masterpieces including George Balanchine’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and Ailey’s “Revelations,” among many other activities. Lincoln Center’s programming also includes musical stories with Thorgy Thor from "RuPaul’s Drag Race" and the Big Umbrella Festival, with workshops and performances specifically for neurodivergent kids and families.
- Summer with the Bard: While the landmark Delacorte Theater in Central Park undergoes renovations, the Public Theater will bring Shakespeare in the Park to neighborhoods across the city with a bilingual production of "The Comedy of Errors" through June. Hip to Hip Theatre Company is presenting "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" and "The Winter’s Tale" in Queens in August. "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" comes to Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem. Brooklyn Bridge Park will host free productions of "The Tempest" as part of Shakespeare at Sunset in a “fast-paced version meant for the whole family.”
- Visit a museum: MoMa is free to children under 16 and offers kid-friendly audio guides and art quests. The Brooklyn Museum is free for kids under 19: Keep your eyes open for drop-in art programs at select times. The Met is also free for children under 12, and kids and their caregivers can visit its 81st Street Studio.
- Take in a puppet show: The PuppetMobile is making the rounds through June with Cinderella Samba, which takes place in Brazil during Carnival.
Budding scientists
- Shoot for the moon: The Intrepid Museum in Manhattan hosts summer Fridays from 5-9 p.m. Admission is free and visitors can watch movies on the flight deck. This year’s films revolve around the moon, which is the subject of the museum’s newest exhibit: Apollo: When We Went to the Moon.
- Get STEAM-y: Through the New York Public Library, kids can learn about gravity, acceleration and force through special workshops on ziplines, the basics of engineering through a robot-build, or become transit enthusiasts by building a magnetic subway. The Queens Public Library has balloon artistry, magic and more. Harlem Week in Manhattan in mid-August features a youth hackathon for middle and high school students.
- Dig it: Kids with green thumbs can head to the Heritage Farm at Snug Harbor on Staten Island for volunteer days on Saturdays. Brooklyn Grange Rooftop in Sunset Park is free on Sundays and buzzing with bees and squirming with worms for kids to explore.
- Go wild: The Bronx Zoo offers free “limited” admission tickets on Wednesdays that allow visitors access to the park but not the rides. The New York Aquarium in Coney Island is free on Wednesday afternoons. Visitors must register in advance.
The Bronx Zoo, where these snow leopards are on display, offers free limited admission tickets on Wednesdays.
Julie Larsen/WCS
Summer reads
- Hit the books: Brooklyn Public Library hosts “Read with a Therapy Dog” at various times and locations. BPL is also celebrating the 10th anniversary of Book Match with customized recommendations from librarians. Queens Public Library has a slew of book clubs and events, from manga for teens to ASL and creative writing workshops. Kids can also lobby for their favorite novels in the library’s battle of the books.
Community service, history and social justice
- Help a neighbor: Service Collective partners with nonprofits to support the local community.
- Be inspired: The city just launched a new audio tour called More Than A Brook: Brooklyn Abolitionist Heritage Walk, which narrates the history of resistance and the Underground Railroad in Brooklyn Heights, Fulton Ferry, Downtown Brooklyn and Fort Greene. The city's Landmarks and Preservation Commission also has walking tours of Crown Heights, Grand Concourse and Times Square.
Tagged
museums
education
Music
kids
summer
new york city
sightseeing
books
animals
dance
theater
things to do
Jessica Gould
Jessica is the education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Jessica reported on the shutdown and reopening of the nation’s largest school system, highlighting the unprecedented impacts on learning, health and mental health for students, staff and families. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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