Central Park is one of New York City’s most iconic tourist locations. Central Park is packed with fun, free (or low cost) activities for kids and families. You could spend hours exploring Central Park, or use the park as a break from other sightseeing activities. Here are the 20 Best Central Park Children’s Activities in 2024!
Written and edited by Jen Ryland. Last updated on:
Where is Central Park?
It’s right in the middle of Manhattan, running from 59th Street on the South to 110th Street on the North, between Fifth Avenue and Central Park West.
What should families skip in Central Park?
Forget the horse carriage rides. They are expensive and, as an animal lover, I’m not a fan.
Think twice about bike rentals, unless you have older kids who are experienced bike riders. Central Park has serious hills, making it tough for little legs. Plus, the park road can be dangerously hectic. Instead, check out these fun activities!
Jen’s best tips for a safe and fun day in Central Park with kids:
Before we get started on my favorite Central Park Activities for kids, here are a few tips and tricks for visits gate park.
Is Central Park safe?
YES! During the day, Central Park is filled with dog walkers, runners, bike riders, bird watchers, and families.
Many people also visit the park after dusk, but the park is more deserted, unless there is a concert or event, like Summerstage or Shakespeare in the Park.
How not to get lost in Central Park:
It can be VERY easy to get turned around or confused in Central Park. I’ve lived here for decades and it even happens to me in parts of the park I’m less familiar with.
I recommend either using a map phone app or downloading a park map to your phone!
If you’re familiar with the East side and West side NYC skylines, you can use those to orient yourself.
Here’s another fun trick so you don’t get lost in Central Park:
All the streetlights in the park have a number/letter code on them that tell you where you are!
See the numbers on this street lamp that say E 73? That means you are on the East side of the park and that your closest cross-street is East 73rd Street. The 01 is another clue as to whether you are headed north or south, as those numbers get bigger going uptown (north).
It’s a BIG park! There are lots and lots of shady benches to rest on, but if your kids are under five, you still might want to bring that stroller or baby carriage. Don’t forget water and sunscreen!
Be VERY careful crossing the roads within the park.
Central Park is closed to vehicle traffic during much of the day, but bike riders (plus e-bikers and motorized scooter riders) often don’t obey the traffic lights and come speeding through crosswalks, even if you have the right of way. This guy above was following the traffic rules, but many people don’t. Be very careful!
My 20 Best Central Park Children’s Activities: my favorite free and low-cost things to do in New York City’s Central Park with kids of all ages.
Numbers 1-3 Best Central Park Children’s Activities: Celebrate Your Favorite Books at The Conservatory Water (free!)
Spending an hour at the Conservatory Water is a great way to take a break after a visit to the Metropolitan Museum or a lovely way to start your day on a weekend.
How to get to the Conservatory Water in Central Park?
Enter the Park at 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue, take the first right turn, and walk south down Pilgrim Hill.
Known by New Yorkers as the “model boat pond” this compact space has three separate attractions: The Conservatory Water, the Hans Christian Andersen statue and the Alice In Wonderland Statue.
The Conservatory Water was featured in the book and the movie Stuart Little. The “water” is a large, rectangular ornamental pond, where hobbyists race miniature sailboats and yachts every Saturday morning in the spring and summer.
The pond is lined with wooden benches, popular spots for relaxing. It was designed as a reflecting pool and its geometric shape provides a contrast to the Park’s other more organically-shaped bodies of water.
Alice In Wonderland statue, located on the north end of the Conservatory Water.
This large bronze sculpture of Alice in Wonderland characters is a favorite of kids and families.
The statue was a gift from philanthropist George Delacorte (as in Delacorte Books) who intended the donation as a gift to the children of New York and a memorial for his wife Margarita, an enthusiastic reader who recently passed away. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was her favorite book to read to her children.
Spanish-American sculptor José de Creeft used illustrations from the original (1865) edition of the book for his design. Alice was inspired by his daughter Donna Maria and the Mad Hatter by George Delacorte.
The terraced landscape surrounding the sculpture was designed by Hideo Sasaki & Associates and is one of the few examples of modern landscape architecture in Central Park.
Hans Christian Andersen statue, located on the west side of the Conservatory Water.
This larger-than-life-sized bronze statue depicts Andersen reading his story, The Ugly Duckling, to a duckling. Children often climb up the sculpture and onto Andersen’s lap.
The statue commemorates the author’s 150th birthday and was unveiled in the Park in 1956.
The Hans Christian Andersen statue has free storytelling (provided by the Hans Christian Andersen Storytelling Center) every Saturday morning at 11 from June through mid-September. You can find out more about Hans Christian Andersen storytelling here!
JEN’S TIPS FOR VISITING THE CONSERVATORY WATER AREA OF CENTRAL PARK
There are restrooms and a small coffee stand offering drinks and food (even wine!) on the east side of the Conservatory Water.
The area is lined with benches and is a great place to take a rest from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Where to eat near The Conservatory Water Boat Pond in Central Park?
Le Pain Quotidien is right at the water’s edge, and has a pretty large menu and some outdoor tables. But if your kids don’t want a hot dog, you may want another alternative!
There are not many places to eat between Fifth Avenue and Lexington Avenue on the Upper East side.
But if you leave the park at 72nd Street, there are options. Head up the hill at the south end of the Conservatory Water, and turn left. Cross Fifth Avenue and walk three long blocks east to Lexington Avenue (about a ten-minute walk), where there are family-friendly places to eat.
Mariella Pizza, at 965 Lexington between East 71st and 70th, is an order-at-the-counter kind of place but has good pizza and some indoor seating. Try the Sicilian square slice!
If you want coffee, sandwiches, or cookies, head to Corrado Bread and Pastry on the other side of the street (the northwest corner of Lexington Avenue and 71st Street). Corrado has a few indoor and lots of outdoor tables.
Number 4 Best Central Park Children’s Activity: Ride the Central Park Carousel!
Located mid-Park at 65th Street
As of June 2023, the Central Park Carousel seems to be open – hooray!
Though the Central Park Carousel as an attraction dates to 1871, the current carousel was made in 1908.
The Central Park Carousel is one of America’s largest merry-go-rounds, featuring 57 hand-carved horses and two chariots. Because it is so old, it is periodically closed for repair and maintenance.
How to get there: the Central Park Carousel is located mid-park, you can enter either at East or West 65th Street and walk toward the center of the park (use that map!)
Riding the carousel is a lovely way to spend an hour. Each ride costs $3.25 and the hours (as of June 2023) are 11 am to 6 pm.
Number 5 Best Central Park Children’s Activity: Watch a Puppet Show at the Swedish Marionette Theater
Located mid-Park near 79th Street.
The Swedish Cottage is an often-forgotten treasure in the park. It was built in Sweden and brought to the U.S. in 1876 as part of the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. It’s unclear how it ended up in the park, but since 1970 it has offered marionette puppet shows that are perfect for young kids.
Jen’s Tips for visiting the Swedish Marionette Theater at Central Park
The theater is most easily accessed from West 79th Street, but you can also enter on the east side and walk across the bottom of the Great Lawn. Use a map app to find your way.
Check the City Parks Foundation website to see if there’s a show available during your visit. Tickets in 2023 were $12 for adults and $8 for kids.
There are no toilet facitilites in the theater, so visit the restrooms at the Delacorte Theater nearby beforehand!
Places to eat near the Swedish Marionette Theater in Central Park
Number 6 Best Central Park Children’s Activity: Get a Great View at Belvedere Castle (free)
Located mid-Park near 79th Street
Belvedere Castle is not really a castle, but a lovely stone building. Its terraces and pavilions are named “the Belvedere,” which means “beautiful view” in Italian.
The entire complex was completed in 1872, and is the best place to enjoy panoramic views of the Central Park. Constructed out of Manhattan schist, the building appears to emerge right out of the dramatic rock on which it is perched.
The terrace is open all the time, and the building inside is usually open from 10-5, Wednesday to Sunday. Inside you can climb to an even higher vantage point.
There are no restrooms, but those at the Delacorte theater are very close by.
Numbers 7-10 Best Central Park Activities for Kids: The Best Central Playgrounds (free!)
Central Park is filled with free children’s playgrounds that offer a great break for families who are visiting the city. Parents can sit on a bench and watch their kids swing, climb and slide.
Jen’s Tips for Playground Fun:
Yes, the playgrounds are safe. My kids played there for decades and I never had a single problem, except that once a squirrel made off with a PB&J sandwich that was in my stroller.
However, this is a city, so keep an eye on your kids at ALL times.
In the summer, most of the playgrounds have water features like the one below in the Billy Johnson Playground, so you might want the kids to wear waterproof sandals and bring a towel.
My favorite Central Park playground is the Billy Johnson Playground
The Billy Johnson Playground is located in the Park just off East 67th Street.
Why is it my favorite? This awesome stone slide. (There’s a mini one for the littles.) It’s so much fun!
The Billy Johnson Playground is an “Adventure” style playground with tire swings, two long granite slides set into a hill, a net climber, and a rustic stone bridge.
The sightlines aren’t as good for watching kids, so you may want to follow them around, but it’s a unique and fun playground my kids and I adored.
Where to Eat Near the Billy Johnson Playground in Central Park?
If you worked up an appetite, it’s only a short walk to Bel Ami, a very cute little French cafe at 30 East 68th. They serve all kinds of coffee, plus sandwiches and salads.
On the West Side, Heckscher Playground is amazing.
It’s a little tricky to find, located in the middle of the park between 61st Street and 63rd Street, but if you enter the park from the south and use your phone’s map function, you should be fine.
It’s the largest in playground Central Park and has restrooms and a lot to do. It features swings, slides, climbers, and an extensive water feature, as well as ample open space for games—all set against Umpire Rock, one of the Park’s most dramatic rock outcrops, and the Midtown skyline.
Family Friendly Places to eat near Heckscher Playground in Central Park
The cafe nearby is closed at the moment, but you can walk south out of the park and grab a great burger at Burger Joint, 119 W 56th Street.
Jen’s Tip: How to Give Kids a Play Break After Visiting Museums:
Sometimes New York can seem very adult oriented, with lots of places you have to be quiet and keep your hands to yourself. Take a break after a museum with a little running around time!
Playgrounds Near the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York
If you have just visited the Metropolitan Museum, check out the Ancient Playground at Fifth Avenue and 85th Street. Inspired by the Temple of Dendur at the Met, it offers a great place to play and has restrooms.
After leaving the museum, turn left and walk a block north. You’ll see the playground just north of the museum, on the west side of Fifth Avenue. The photo above is looking south down Fifth Avenue, across the playground and toward the north side of the museum.
Kid Friendly Places to Eat Near the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York:
If you’re hungry after that, your best bet for kid-friendly food is to walk (or take the 86th Street crosstown bus) to Third Avenue, where there is a Chipotle (1497 Third Avenue between 84th and 85th). There’s also a Shack Shack at 154 E 86th (between Lexington and Third Avenues).
Playgrounds Near the Natural History Museum:
After a visit to the Natural History Museum on the Upper West Side (highly recommended and featured in movies like Night at the Museum), walk across Central Park West, enter the park at 79th Street, and visit the Diana Ross Playground. (Yes, that Diana Ross! The playground was funded by the famous singer the following her Central Park concert in 1983. There are no restrooms, so make sure the kids go at the museum!
Kid-Friendly Places to Eat Near the American Museum of Natural History in New York
If you’re hungry afterwards, go to Patsy’s Pizzeria at 61 West 74th.
Number 11 Best Central Park Kids’ Activity: Visit the Central Park Zoo
A short walk from the Fifth Avenue shopping district, the Central Park Zoo is broken up into two parts: A small Children’s Zoo where kids can feed sheep and goats, and a larger zoo featuring a penguin house, a sea lion tank, an aviary, and more.
How to get to the Central Park Zoo:
Enter the southeast corner of Central Park at 59th Street and Fifth Avenue. If you are coming from further north in the park, try to walk down the east side of the park as parallel as you can to Fifth Avenue.
You’ll pass a playground near 72nd Street, then go down a hill and under a bridge, and the zoo is right there!
Jen’s tip for Visiting the Zoo:
Start your Fifth Avenue shopping in the morning, around 49th Street (with Rockefeller Center at the West and St. Patrick’s Cathedral on the East.) Stroll north and enjoy ten blocks of shops, from Tiffany & Co and Gucci to H&M and Uniqlo. Then, when you hit 59th Street (the iconic Plaza hotel will be on your left) you can cross the street and enter Central Park. The Central Park Zoo is only a few minutes away!
The cost in 2023 was $20 for adults, $15 for kids, which includes admission to both zoos.
If it’s a weekend or holiday, buy a timed ticket in advance to the Central Park Zoo here.
Family Friendly Places to Eat Near the Central Park Zoo
Your best bet is the zoo’s own Dancing Crane Cafe, a simple fast food style cafe which specializes in kid-friendly food, plus plenty of indoor and outdoor tables.
If you prefer something a little more upscale, here are two more choices:
- Walk south out of the park, head a few blocks south down Fifth Avenue, then turn west and grab a great burger at Burger Joint, 119 W 56th Street.
2. Added September 2023: There’s a brand new Tuscan sandwich shop that a family member recommended to me: All’Antico Vinaio at 36 East 60th, between Park and Madison Avenues. It’s a very short walk from the zoo.
If you’d prefer to be heading uptown (north) scroll up to my tips for family friendly places to eat near the Conservatory Water, which is only a ten minute walk north of the zoo.
Number 12 Best Central Park Kids and Teens Activity: Go Ice Skating (or play Pickleball) at Wollman Rink
If you’re visiting New York between October and April, a visit to Wollman Rink is a fun way to enjoy the park. The rink has been featured in movies like Serendipity, Home Alone 2, and Gossip Girl (“It’s a Wonderful Lie.”
During the warmer weather, Wollman Rink is offering CityPickle, a spot to play some Pickleball. You can book a court and a cabana or sign up for lessons.
Numbers 13 Best Kids and Teens Central Park Activity: Watch an Outdoor Movie in Central Park!
From June through early July, movies are shown at parks all over New York City, including Central Park. You can check out this year’s offerings here. Movies are sponsored by both The Central Park Conservancy and the NYC Dept of Parks and Recreation, so check their websites for all the details.
6 More places in Manhattan showing outdoor movies in the summer:
Outdoor movies have become a very popular summer activity in New York City. Here are the places in Manhattan that are showing summer movies in 2023!
The Intrepid Museum, Pier 86, 12th Ave. & 46th Street (free)
Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis and space is limited.
Guests are invited to bring lawn chairs, picnic baskets and blankets to view the films outdoors, free of charge, on a huge inflatable screen on the flight deck. Light concessions will be sold onsite, and visitors are encouraged to bring their own food and non-alcoholic beverages.
Rooftop Cinema NYC (60 West 37th) $22 tickets but a huge of movies
The SkyLawn Rooftop Bar at Embassy Suites in Midtown Manhattan features outdoor summer movies. 2023 has a Y2K theme, with all your favorite aughties movies. (Note: most of these movies are PG and better for tweens and teens.)
Guests are seated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Seaport Cinema Summer Flicks at the South Street Seaport
Seaport Cinema is back – head up to The Rooftop for great movies and surprises throughout the season.
Enjoy snacks and drinks during the movie with a menu of popcorn, tater tots, chicken fingers, pretzels, candy, beers and cocktails.
Doors open at 6:30pm. Come early to stake out your spot. Seats are first come, first served.
Bryant Park Movie Nights (free)
Paramount+ Movie Nights returns to the park with a stellar lineup of films, fun, and food! We’re celebrating the 30th season of summer movies in Bryant Park so bring a blanket and a friend, and grab your spot on the lawn to watch a feature film on the big screen under the city skyline. Enjoy the show!
Summer for the City at Lincoln Center (free)
Lincoln Center has a huge amount of summer programming, including a silent disco, and outdoor movies.
Onsite concessions with popcorn and drinks alongside a gargantuan screen on Damrosch Park.
Summer Movies on the Hudson Pier (free)
There’s a full range of programming at the link above. You can download this PDF that includes the movie schedule!
Jen’s Tip for Outdoor Movie Success:
The movies shown range from kids’ movies to PG movies more suitable for teens and tweens, so check the websites linked above to see what movie is playing!
Bring a blanket, drinks and snacks BUT always check the website to see what is and isn’t allowed. Lawn chairs are only sometimes allowed as they can block others’ views and alcohol rules vary!
Number 14 Best Central Park Family Activity: Rent a Rowboat in the Central Park Lake
The lake in Central Park has long featured a rowboat rental and gondola rides.
Last I checked in late May 2023, the boat rentals were closed, which is odd.
This may have something to do with the fact that the Loeb Boathouse restaurant closed in the fall of 2022 and is supposed to be reopening. I will keep an eye out and update this when I know anything!
Number 15 Best Central Park Activity for Kids and Families: Stroll Around the Reservoir (free)
The Central Park reservoir used to actually provide some of the water for the city. Built between 1858 and 1862, it provided additional capacity for New York City’s existing reservoir, located to the south. Spanning 106 acres and at 40 feet deep, the Reservoir holds more than one billion gallons of water.
A 1.58-mile track surrounds the Reservoir, The 1.5 mile circular running track around the Reservoir provides beautiful views of the New York City skyline to the west and east. The edges of the Reservoir are lined with Yoshino and Kwanzan cherry trees and rhododendrons.
Dogs, baby carriages, and bikes are not allowed on the track, but the Bridle path, which is a longer loop below the reservoir, does allow dogs.
Number 16 Best Central Park Family Activity: Have a Picnic at the Sheep Meadow
Sheep Meadow is one of the most popular gathering spots in Central Park! It’s an ideal spot to read, hang out with friends, or enjoy a picnic, all while you admire the skyline of Manhattan peeking over the treetops.
In the 1800s, a flock of sheep grazed in this grassy field and the name stuck. The sheep lived in a building known as the Sheep Fold, now home to the restaurant Tavern on the Green.
Jen’s Tip for A Sheep Meadow Picnic:
Grab a picnic right in the park at Le Pain Quotidien At Mineral Springs. It’s located on the northeast side of Sheep Meadow and features sandwiches and salads.
Salumeria Rosi (283 Amsterdam between W 73rd/74th Street also has antipasti, salads and more picnic goodies.
Numbers 17-20 Best Things For Families To Do in Central Park:
Central Park has lots of seasonal activities too! Some, like an Easter Egg Hunt in spring, a Halloween Celebration in fall, and Winter Carnival in the winter, are great for younger kids.
If you have teens or tweens, check out Summerstage and Shakespeare in the Park, which run in the summer.
Check the Central Park Conservancy Calendar for all the latest Central Park events!
