CAROUSELS
Take a spin on charming carousels at scenic locals.
Also climb on public art and see what else in open in NY and beyond the city (including museums & pop-ups for when the weather's not so nice). Sign up for our email list and follow our insta for the latest.
Manhattan
Le Carrousel
42nd Street & Fifth AvenueThis small, charming carousel, specially created to complement the park’s French classical style, is an homage to both European and American carousel traditions. Its 14 delightful animals, replicas of classic carousel horses plus frogs, bunnies and and more, revolve to the sounds of French cabaret music. The rounding boards, inspired by Bryant Park’s elegant barouque-style torchères along 40th Street, blend into the leafy canopy of the park’s London Plane trees.
See our complete guide to Bryant Park.
Seaglass Carousel
Battery Place (State Street & Whitehall St)Spin under the sea in an aquatic carousel in historic Battery Park. Sit within iridescent fiberglass fish that glide through a (covered) spiraling nautilus of glass and steel. LED color-changing lighting combined with “water effect” light projectors and oceanic music create a magical underwater atmosphere for kids of all ages.
Purchase tickets at the carousel or online.
Monday – Friday 11am – 7pm
Saturday & Sunday 11am – 8pm
Near new destination playground Battery Playscape. See our guide to Fidi.
BROOKLYN
Jane’s Carousel
John Street & Jay StreetRide exquisitely carved horses (and two chariots) on this charming carousel with a view, created in 1922 in Ohio and recently restored and relocated to the edge of the East River. The carousel is covered, but the line to enter is entirely outdoors. Some horses unavailable due to social distancing.
See our guide to playgrounds, food, roller skating & more in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Prospect Park Carousel
95 Prospect Park West53 magnificent horses ride alongside a lion, a giraffe, a deer and two dragon-pulled chariots in a charming carousel built in 1912. One of the only wheelchair accessible carousels in the nation.
Snacks available at the Pony Express Snack Bar.
In the park’s Children’s Corner near the Prospect Park Zoo.

Events Search and Views Navigation
List of Events
Wednesday, January 1
Wow in the World
Join hosts Guy Raz and the hilarious Mindy Thomas on a journey into the wonders of the world. Go inside brains, out into space and deep into the coolest new stories in science and technology - with lots of wacky fun along the way. One of our family's faves.
Circle Round
Hear sound- and music-rich radio plays based on folktales from around the world. Explore important issues like kindness, persistence and generosity with guest stage and screen stars. Each episode ends with an activity that inspires a deeper conversation between children and grown-ups. My daughter's favorite at bedtime.
Here Wee Read
Find great books recommendations for all ages in all sorts of diverse & inclusive categories, from Harlem Renaissance picture books to graphic novels talking about race. Includes themed collections like Halloween, Weddings,, Kids with Disabilities and RBG. Find links to buy at bookshop.org, an alternative to amazon that supports independent bookstores.
Kobra Street Art Gandhi & Mother Teresa Mural
West 18th Street & Tenth Avenue Chelsea/Meatpacking
Humanitarians Mother Teresa and Mahatma Gandhi Brazilian are depicted facing each other in street artist Eduardo Kobra’s colorful harlequin-pattern mural.
Kobra Street Art Albert Einstein
292 West 21st Street Chelsea/Meatpacking
Albert Einstein is a NY-loving graffitist in street artist Eduardo Kobra’s colorful harlequin-pattern mural.
Thursday, January 2
BRAINPOP
Watch short, well-written animated films on a variety of topics including antiracism & Black history, STEM, arts, math and much more starring a very funny robot. Take quizzes and play games to test what you learned. Two editions, for ages K-3 or 4th -12th Grade (which can thoughtfully address some weighty topics, so monitor…
Wednesday, April 1
Art For Kids Hub
Follow along step by step as a professional artist and his kid draw animals, emojis, people, vehicles and more. Clear, simple steps turn anyone into an illustrator.
Children’s Museum of the Arts
Children's Museum of the Arts' blog features how-to videos and detailed instructions for art projects like Paper Chains of Kindness and Collaborative Drawing Games. Projects can be adapted for different ages and made with materials around the house.
Audible Kids
Find hundreds of free audio books handpicked by Audible editors. Choose from a mix of stories to entertain, engage, and inform young people, ages 0–18. Spanish, German, French, Japanese and Italian selections also available.
BUSY TODDLER
Find a trove of educational, easy-to-set up creative and sensory activities from a K-1 teacher turned SAHM. So many great ideas, quick & easy to messy messy, babies to tweens plus links to useful art supplies. Follow their great instagram account for daily inspiration.
DAYS WITH GREY
An educator and mom to 3 shares daily 'Breakfast Invitations,' easy-to-set-up sensory and art activities for preschoolers and toddlers.
VIRTUAL MUSEUM TOURS
Take virtual journeys to over 1,200 museums around the world via Google Arts & Culture. See collections and gallery views of Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum, Florence’s Uffizi Gallery, Mexico City's Museum of Anthropology, Paris's Musée d'Orsay and more (plus NYC faves like the Whitney, Guggenheim and MoMA).
New-York Historical Society Online
This fascinating historic museum (now partially open for visits) hosts engaging live educational programs for all ages, audio and video resources (including the inspirational We Rise) and interactive 360 degree tours drawing on its world-renowned collections. Excellent educator resources including videos, remote lesson plans, and media-rich curriculum website Women…
MOMI Moving Image Studio
Find tutorials and interactive ways to collaborate and make media art with Astoria's Museum of Moving Image educators. Create Jim Henson-inspired puppets, learn about film editing and apply to have your media art shared on their YouTube channel.
MoMA Families At Home
MoMA provides resources and ideas—from art-making activities to books and films—to spark creativity and fun at home. Explore artworks in MoMA’s collection through activities (available in English and Spanish), watch favorite kid-friendly short films with prompts to spark discussion, dig deeper into Dorothea Lange: Words & Pictures, find favorite Children’s Books about Art, listen…
Ailey All Access
The acclaimed Alvin Ailey dance company shares full length videos of past performances. Also see videos of company members dancing the landmark Revelations and other pieces together from home, join free online dance classes and check out the great Resource Guide for Educators. Find free live and on-demand classes for all ages in a variety of dance…
Carnegie Hall Music Explorers
Learn about musical culture and tradition around the world - African-American Freedom Songs, South African Zulu songs and many more - with lessons plans, music and video featuring global artists. The well-designed site features a world map to explore. Also Learn about symphony orchestras in an animated adventure in Carnegie Hall Listening Adventures.
Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz Academy
Watch curated educated videos on the from Jazz at Lincoln Center's educational programs and learn about it's roots in African-American traditions and communities. WeBop instructors demonstrate fun activities to get families swinging and singing, members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra share performance secrets, and Middle School Jazz Academy instructors break down jazz techniques.…
Black Art Picture Books
Learn about African American art history with curated lists from Culture Type, a website exploring art by and about people of African descent. Find gorgeous books about Jean-Michel Basquiat, fashion designer Ann Cole Lowe, Jacob Lawrence and other great black artists on posts Black Art History: 10 Children’s Books Illuminate the…
FLOCABULARY
Learn about a range of subjects for grades K-12 though catchy, educational hip-hop songs. Watch videos about math, history, science and more, learn new words, take quizzes then (this is the coolest part) write short raps/songs using your new words and knowledge.
KHAN ACADEMY
Watch short videos taught by excellent instructors with an electronic whiteboard in just about any subject for preschool through college. The free Khan Academy Kids app (for ages 2-7) teaches reading, language, writing, math, social-emotional development, and more through open-ended activities and games like drawing, storytelling, and coloring guided by adorable animal characters. Also…
The Davidson Institute At Home
The educational arm of Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science offers online kids science courses, videos, games, puzzles, quizzes and science experiments in fun topics like the science of soccer and (safe) homemade explosives.
Lincoln Center At Home
Watch short #concertsforkids recorded (at home) by world-class artists including musician Etienne Charles celebrating a cross-section of cultures from the African Diaspora, Soul Science Kids weaving soul, funk, hip-hop and educational themes and many more diverse voices. Learn puppetry, dance, songwriting and other art forms with simple materials found at home with Lincoln Center Pop-up…
The Super Secret Hive
Join a former Disney duo on a musical adventure for the whole family. A cast of quirky characters navigate timely challenges to help kids save the world. Explore topics like honeybees and pollinators, plastic in the oceans, germs and our immune system, inclusion and kindness vs. bullying (as expressed by a T-Rex!) and…
Dav Pilkey At Home
Get creative and have fun with the creator of cult favorites Dog Man and Captain Upderpants. Watch short videos of Pilkey drawing and reading aloud and download printable activity sheets, drawing guides, comic book creators, games and more.
Kennedy Center Education
Explore music, dance, theater, opera, visual and media arts through informative and engaging Kennedy Center Education interactive lessons with music videos. Learn about African-American History, US President's Favorite Music, all sorts of dance, popular American songs and more. Designed for grades K-12.
TATE KIDS
Play art-inspired games, take cheeky quizzes, find art activities, and share your art on a fun website from British museums Tate and Tate Modern. Find detailed instructions for activities such as "think like the artist Alberto Giacometti" and create interesting portraits and landscapes.
NYSCI At Home
Find tons of games, activities, experiments and projects from Queen's New York Hall of Science. At-Home STEM resources encourage open-ended exploration and imaginative learning. Learn about physics, engineering, design, biology, math, chemistry and more with videos, instructions for experiments and art projects, interactive graphic novels, engaging apps and more.
The Past & The Curious
Learn that history can be amazing, inspiring and relevant to anyone in a podcast featuring stories of Spies, funny foods, George Washington's foibles, early advancements in cartooning and ballooning and much more. A professional music…
Story Pirates Podcast
This absurdist sketch comedy show based on stories written by kids features original music and celebrity special guests. Young listeners are invited to submit their own stories that might be brought to live in the podcast or a future live show. Find comprehensive activity guides for each episode online with recipes, poetry lessons, and more.…
Ear Snacks
Kindie musicians Andrew & Polly and their friends consider music, science, art and culture in a fun-filled family-friendly podcast enjoyable for kids and grown-ups. Developmentally appropriate & absurdist but never untrue.
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
Learn about extraordinary, inspiring women women in a podcast based on global best-selling book series Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls (a great purchase for all ages). Features famous leaders like Harriet Tubman and RBG as well as lesser known heroes from around the world.
Noodle Loaf
Explore music in an interactive podcast and video series born from the brain of a music education teacher and his goofball kids. Each approx. 10 minute episode features inventive sing-alongs and activities. Geared for kids 3-9 years old but all ages get into it.
Cooper Hewitt Online Learning
Follow along with design activities (with clear, well-designed instructions) to create protoypes, chairs, zines, posters and more. Also explore design case studies, remarkable female and LBGQT+ creators, the digital mansion, and museum exhibitions. Great graphics, video and easy-to-understand text for all ages.
Greeking Out
Hear kid-friendly retelling of classic ancient Greek myths as featured in the Nat Geo Kids book Zeus the Mighty. Zippy and fun retellings with all the inappropriate parts glossed over.
Radiolab for Kids
Find family-friendly content from Radiolab, one of the most beloved podcasts in the world. From “What do dogs see when they look at the rainbow?” to “Do animals laugh?” the topics are squeaky clean (mostly) and all about science and curiosity.
Pajama Program
Help kids in need have a loving bedtime and restful good night by collecting new pajamas and/or books to donate. Here’s info on starting a drive. A great solution for birthday or holiday presents for the kid who already has too much. Party guests still get to shop and have something fun to bring to…
Volunteer
Search for in-person and virtual family-friendly volunteering opportunities at New York Cares, Volunteer New York (includes Westchester & Long Island) and Doing Good Together. Find opportunities for specific dates/times or ongoing with a range of non-profits including city parks and senior centers.
Tuesday, November 3
Support Museums
In a win/win for all, refresh your library/playroom at expertly curated online shops of local museums. Find great toys, books, crafts and games for at-home entertainment and consider becoming a member of your faves - so many perks all year round (including store discounts and the ability to visit in person whenever). Some favorite…
Friday, January 1
Krispy Kreme Times Square Flagship
Get hot, fresh addictively delicious doughnuts 24/7 at Krispy Kreme's Times Square Flagship store. The 4,500 square-foot shop features a doughnut-making theater, a Glazed Waterfall with digital projection, a giant conveyor belt that runs throughout the store and and a doughnut themed seating area. Choose from a variety of flavors, including an exclusive Big Apple…