Great outings for parents and children

Citywide programs

The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation holds free family events around the five boroughs all year long. Visit the online calendar.
The New York Public Library online events calendar lists free, fun and educational events for families and students at public libraries in the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island. The Brooklyn Public Library events calendar covers public libraries in Brooklyn

The Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Park, 2300 Southern Blvd. The zoo is one of the world’s leading international centers for environmental education and a facility for rare and endangered species. It also offers summer camp programs.
Wave Hill, A Public Garden & Cultural Center, W. 249 Street & Independence Avenue (Front Gate).

North Meadow Recreation Center, Central Park, Mid-Park at 97th Street. Known as Central Park’s largest open space, the center includes 12 sports fields for baseball, softball and soccer.
Bike Rentals in Central Park, 1 hour for $8; 2 hours for $14; 3 hours for $18.
Rose Center for Earth and Space at the American Museum of Natural History (Hayden Planetarium), entrance on 81st Street just off of Central Park West.
The South Street Seaport, 12 Fulton St.

New York Hall of Science Museum, 47-01 111 St., Corona. In addition to housing more than 450 permanent exhibits, this museum features a dynamic schedule of featured exhibitions, events, programs and workshops.
The U.S. Tennis Association, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Flushing. The tennis courts are open to the public throughout the year. There are indoor and outdoor courts and programs for adults, youths and seniors.

The Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave. One of the world’s oldest museums for children.
The New York Aquarium, 602 Surf Ave., Coney Island. Sharks, penguins, sea lions and more.

Staten Island Institute of Arts & Sciences, 75 Stuyvesant Pl. Come learn about the art, science and cultural history of Staten Island through exhibitions taken from a collection of more than two million artifacts, along with traveling exhibits. It’s a four-minute walk from the Staten Island ferry dock.
Staten Island Zoo, 614 Broadway. Open seven days a week.

Time Out New York magazine provides a calendar of current and upcoming fun activities for all ages. Pick up the magazine or visit the kids’ section online.