Heard there's an amazing exhibit for toddlers. Anyone gone?
Any other must-sees for baby? I'm thinking maybe FAO Schwarz, Central Park Carousel. Also, I found some interesting posts on water playgrounds and City Treehouse. (It will be my 3rd trip in 10 years but first with 18 month old.)
GOLD / wonderful coffee bean / 18478 posts
So you decided to bring the fam! That is great, have fun!
Where will you be staying? If you are far away, I am not sure it will be worth it to trek all the way to the Brooklyn Children's Museum. But if you are close by, then I would definitely go. There is also a Manhattan Children's Museum so maybe you'd be better off going there.
I also found this thread for you:
http://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-are-some-fun-things-in-ny-for-a-one-year-old
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
Fun, my sister lives in Brooklyn so we'll have to check it out when we're there.
pomelo / 5866 posts
@Andrea: Well, we didn't buy Hubby's ticket yet. Still deciding if we should pay the extra seat. I'm guessing the flight won't be crowded since there is a brand new flight added that month by a competing airlines. Hubby really doesn't want to carry around the carseat but the idea of it makes me sooo nervous.
Anyway...thanks so much for the link. I'll check it out!! 
@artbee: Yes!! And when you get to Hawaii...I'll have my top10 list ready.
GOLD / wonderful coffee bean / 18478 posts
@808love: oh cool, what flight is it? we are thinking about finally making the trip to Hawaii...maybe!
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts
we've been to the brooklyn children's museum many times! but if you're staying in manhattan, you probably just go to the one in manhattan than make the trek all the way out here like andrea said.
check out that other thread she links to for more suggestions. charlie recently went to the natural history museum and loved it, but 18 months might be a little bit too young for it. it's huge!
pomelo / 5866 posts
@Andrea: Hawaiian Airlines is starting inaugural flights this summer. But we would probably go United (NYC sale going on now throughout mainland) because it's a red eye and LO can sleep.
@mrs.bee I appreciate the notes on the other thread. Very helpful!
@artbee I know you'll be there for just a short time but we will be there in late july fwiw in case you are there too. WEar a red carnation so I recognize you....
GOLD / wonderful coffee bean / 18478 posts
@808love: oh yes, can't imagine doing it on anything but a red eye!
grapefruit / 4049 posts
Are you staying in the city? Unless you are already in Brooklyn for another reason, Children's Museum of Manhattan would be a better bet... My girls love it. There was a giant Lite Brite there recently that I loved too, hehe. Made for a cute pic with my 9 month old. Cafe Lalo is across the street which was the cafe in You've Got Mail, just don't bring a bulky stroller there (you can leave it at the stroller check-in at CMOM, then go back). Central Park isn't too far from there either with tons playgrounds, Belvedere Castle, Shakespeare Garden, etc...
There's also the huge ferris wheel at Toys R Us Times Sq. for an indoor activity. I can write more later.
pomelo / 5866 posts
@Andrea: We are about to hop on the plane. Just found out the academy is paying for our place in a Newark Hyatt on the Hudson. So I had to cancel our Sheraton New York reservations I had booked for some extra days at the beginning. It's ok, b/c I read that place has bedbug reports. Still I'm sad we are going to miss out being in the center of the action and have to commute in and out. My mom advised less movement (jumping hotels) is probably better for the LO. @NYCaliMama: Thanks so much for the recommendations. Anything else you can think of? We are going to do Central Park, City Treehouse, CMOM, some water feature playgrounds and any other recommendations. I kinda want to hunt down the Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing places since I read that with my class every year.
GOLD / wonderful coffee bean / 18478 posts
@808love: yay! Did you book the United flight? Oh, good idea to stay away from those bed bugs. Eeeeeek. It sounds like you have so many great activities planned. I'm going to have to ask YOU for tips! It has been a few months since I've taken DD into NYC. Let us know how everything goes!
pomelo / 5866 posts
@andrea: yes, we did the United flight. We have a friend who lives in the city who offered to take us around to our toddler friendly sites so I'm looking forward to NOT getting lost. I'll let you know how it goes. We are going to try to 'do' everything late afternoon b/c I heard it's really HOT there.
grapefruit / 4049 posts
@808love: hmm okay here's some other things i'm thinking that would be good for an 18-month old...
- Carousel at Bryant Park (there's a cute cafe called Lily O'Brien's across the street for a snack afterwards)
- Books of Wonder storytime, then Alice's Tea Cup for lunch/snack
- the Big Piano at FAO Schwartz
- Evelyn's Playground at Union Square (Barnes & Noble is across the street too, and you could plan to go before or after storytime)
- storytime at any NY Public Library
- CMOM
- Summer on the Hudson at Riverside Park has a ton of family/kid things... most are free or have low drop-in fees. there's kiddie concerts on the pier, mommy & me classes, art classes in the park, pee wee soccer and basketball... http://www.riversideparkfund.org/calendar/?c=FamilyKids-Event
- Central Park Zoo (your LO might especially love the Children's Zoo which is more hands-on)... there's also a big playground a little north of it around 5th Ave and 66th or 68th St.
- Central Park activities for kids... One I've always wanted to do was to see a Marionette show at the Swedish Cottage: http://www.centralpark.com/guide/activities/children-s-activities.html
that's all I can think of for now for your LO's age... have fun and update on how things are going! i'm going with my two LO's next week and am looking for things to do too!
ETA: try to get a copy of Time Out NY Kids too... there should be plenty of ideas on there... or check out their website!
pomelo / 5866 posts
@NYCaliMama: wow you are amazing. Thank you sooooo much. This helps a million. Last night I was thinking we don't have enough planned yet since we will be there over a week. My husband is going to do some of it on his own while i am in the academy. I really appreciate your detailed response.
grapefruit / 4049 posts
@808love: oh no problem! i love all things new york-related 
and i am researching too since we are going there next week! although i lived there for a long time, NY is always changing and there's so much to do and see... with an 18-month old and while on vacation though, it's important to plan ahead of time, i think!
btw, i thought of another... Madison Square Park has a cute playground (with water sprinklers too)... and you guys can check out Shake Shack as well (yummy burgers and shakes). Eataly is also across the street for yummy pizza and gelato. There's also another indoor playground near there called Appleseeds NYC. Not sure what their drop-in fees are though.
Okay, that's really it for now! Have fun!
pomelo / 5866 posts
Day 1 was an amazing day--we slept in and are on nyc time now. Then went tomcentral park zoo, 4d movie, petting zoo, 5th ave shopping, fao schwarz and jumped on the big piano. Lo slept through the carousel amd herckscher playground so we will be back to do that another day and maybe even take a carriage ride. We have a view of the statue of liberty from our room so we are so thrilled. Plane was rerouted two hours longer but we survived and got appreciation flight credit. Very nice.. So far so good. Tomorrow, church and more shopping.
grapefruit / 4049 posts
wow! that's a lot for one day! we are packing for our trip now... can't wait, but I'm NOT looking forward to the heat and humidity.
pomelo / 5866 posts
@NYCaliMama: are you going to Herckscher playground? (sp?) If you want to join in on the fun, pack a really light breathable dress for a run under their sprinkler -dried off in less than 10 mins afterward. Also, I packed tabis, water shoes, because the pavement was super hot wherever water was not. Most of the kids were wearing crocs so that worked too. (Lo went on bucket swings there and had a blast. She almost cried when we took her off.)
pomelo / 5866 posts
Highline has some fun water play and yummy Popsicles. Three other toddlers joined us splashing in clean puddles. The walk/park is amazing and walking through Chelsea shopping boutiques was fun. Have you been to Eataly..not exactly for kidsbutreally cool.. M and M world just opened their candy engraving machine a few days ago. You can personalize 4 different designs and mix and match colors.
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