When camp is over and school hasn't started, these five NYC outings cover a rainy morning, a short trip out, a hot afternoon and a full day.
| Option | Good for | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| 81st Street Studio at the Met | Rainy days, ages 3–11 | Free. Sign up when you arrive. Closed Wednesdays |
| Ancient Playground, Central Park | An hour or two, or after the Studio | Restroom open 6:30 AM to dusk |
| Water Lab at Pier 6, Brooklyn Bridge Park | Hot days | Water is seasonal and closes for storms |
| Bronx Zoo | A full day | Tickets, hours and map on the zoo's site |
| New York Botanical Garden | A full day | Open Tuesday to Sunday, plus Monday federal holidays |
I first wrote a version of this for my own family. Camp had ended, school hadn't started, and a list of 50 things to do in New York didn't help with a specific Tuesday. What helped was knowing what worked in 90-degree heat, what worked in the rain and what worked when nobody had a full day in them. To see when your open days run out, check the NYC Public Schools calendar or your own school's calendar.
Rainy morning: 81st Street Studio at the Met
The 81st Street Studio is free for children ages 3 to 11 with an adult, and you don't need Museum admission to use it. You can't reserve ahead, online or otherwise. You sign up when you arrive, and space is limited and first come, first served. You can decide to try it on a rainy morning, but entry isn't guaranteed.
It's open 10 AM to 5 PM with last entry at 4, and it's closed on Wednesdays. School groups sometimes close it on Friday mornings, and when it's busy, visits may be limited to 30 minutes. There's a family restroom across the hall.
The Studio's free entry doesn't mean ordinary gallery admission is free too. If you plan to keep going into the Museum, check admission on the Met's site before you leave home.
Short outing: Ancient Playground, near the Met
Ancient Playground is in Central Park at East 85th Street. It has pyramids, an obelisk, a sandbox, swings and water features. The Central Park Conservancy lists a wheelchair-accessible restroom that's open 6:30 AM to dusk all year, which makes it easy to do as a quick trip. Water features are seasonal; check their status if getting wet is the reason for the visit.
It also works as an optional second stop after the Studio. Decide once you're back outside. If everyone is done, go home.
Hot day: Water Lab at Pier 6
Water Lab at Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park is right next to Slide Mountain, Sandbox Village and Swing Valley. If the water is off, or once everyone is done getting wet, you can move to the dry playgrounds.
Brooklyn Bridge Park lists Water Lab as seasonal, open 10 AM to 7 PM. The water turns on for the season once daily temperatures are consistently in the 80s, and it closes for heavy rain and thunderstorms, so check the page the morning you go. Public restrooms are at Pier 6 Fornino and Quay Tower. Pack a change of clothes.
Two full-day options: Bronx Zoo or the Botanical Garden
Both are in the Bronx. Allow a day for either rather than trying to fit both into one outing.
Bronx Zoo
The zoo's plan-your-visit page has tickets, hours and a map. Look at the map before you leave, pick a few animals to see first and set aside the whole day.
New York Botanical Garden
NYBG is open 10 AM to 6 PM Tuesday through Sunday and on Monday federal holidays, according to its visit page. For kids, look at the Edible Academy, which runs hands-on indoor and outdoor gardening programs for children and families. Programs change by date, so confirm what's running on your day and the ticket you need before you plan around it.
Creators and sources
- Ancient Playground: public playground save.
- Water Lab at Pier 6: public playground save.
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