Since I am so not the outdoor person, staying warm is my only goal during the winter months. This means that I am always looking for fun indoor activities that will motivate my daughter and me to leave the apartment, so we don’t end up becoming coach potatoes.
Hot Chocolate Festival at City Bakery
City Bakery is one our favorite places to enjoy hot chocolate and from February 1- 28, you can partake in the restaurant’s 19th annual Hot Chocolate Festival. Everyday in the month of February, you can buy a different hot chocolate flavor.
The City Bakery
3 W. 18th Street b/w Fifth and Sixth Avenues
(212) 366- 1414
thecitybakery.com
Get Warm with Tropical Butterflies at American Museum Natural History
Discover numerous species of butterflies in the bone-warming 80-degree Butterfly Conservatory. Once you are finished, the museum has numerous exhibits that are sure to appeal to kids and adults alike. And for iPhone/iPad user, the museum now has an amazing app to help you navigate the museum.
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West @79th Street
(212) 769-5200
amnh.org
Wander the Central Park Zoo and visit with the Penguins
Who isn’t happy after seeing penguins? This easily manageable zoo has entertained kids of all ages and has been our go -to – zoo because of it’s central location.Visit the Polar Bears as well as the newest addition to the zoo, Mongoose Pups.
Central Park Zoo
Fifth Ave at 64th St
(212) 439-6500
centralparkzoo.com
View “1001 Inventions” from the Muslim Middle Ages
Why not explore inventions from another culture? The New York Hall of Science in Queens is showcasing an interactive exhibit “1001 Inventions” from the Muslim Middle Ages. This exhibit runs through March.
New York Hall of Science
47-01 111th St at 48th Ave
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens
(718) 699-0005
nyscience.org
Satisfy your Sweet Took at Dylan’s Candy Bar
Have a sweet tooth or have a hankering for some old school candy? Then take a stroll through Dylan’s Candy bar filled with over 7,000 candies from around the world and will ensure that you and your child experience the ultimate sugar rush. Along with being memorized with all the candy don’t forget to notice all the cool Pop-Art candy installations scattered throughout the store.
Dylan’s Candy Bar
1001 Third Avenue
(646) 735-0078
dylancandybar.com
Hands-On Exhibits at the Sony Wonder Technology Lab
This state of the art facility features both technology and entertainment exhibits. Every Saturday, the lab also offers feature (teens- adults) and children’s movies. Definitely reserve ahead as there are only 73 tickets available for each showing. The best feature of the Sony Wonder Lab is it’s free.
Sony Wonder Technology Lab
Sony Plaza 56th Street and Madison Avenue
(212) 833-8100
sonywondertechlab.com
Madame Alexander Doll Factory Tour
Love dolls, then head up to this All-American institution in Upper Harlem to see the history of how Madame Alexander dolls came to be along with learning how the dolls are made. There is a free tour option along with an under $10 tour. Opt for the paid tour option, you get to see so much more and it’s worth it.
Madame Alexander
615 W. 131st Street, near Broadway
New York, NY 10027
For more information and times, visit or to arrange a behind the scenes tour, call
(212) 283 – 5900 x7299 or email: [email protected]
Take a break at the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre
This theatre is an adorable representation of a Swedish cottage, smack dab in Central Park that puts on various plays throughout the year using, you guessed it, marionettes. Starting January 18, the newest show, A Secret History of the Swedish Cottage will introduce visitors with the tale of how the theatre ended up in Central Park.
Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre
Enter at 5th Avenue and 79th Street, the theatre is mid-park
Showtimes: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday @10:30am, 12pm
Wednesday @10:30am, 12pm, 2:30pm
Saturday/Sunday @1pm
Admission: $8, children under 13 $5
Head to Barbie’s Doll House
The iconic doll has her own two-story mansion on the second floor of the Toys “R” Us store in Times Square and is filled with tons of Barbie-related products. And while you are fending off your daughter’s pleas for you to buy her another Barbie, divert her attention with a ride on the Ferris wheel.
Toys “R” Us
1514 Broadway @44th Street
(646) 366 – 8000
toysrustimesquare.com
Play Old School Video Games at The Museum of Moving Image
Visit the newly renovated Museum of the Moving Image in Queens with it’s education center full of high-tech gadgets where the future Stephen Spielbergs of hhe world can create animated shorts. And of course, one can’t forget the rotating selection of old school video games that are sure to delight mom, dad, and the kids.
The Museum of the Moving Image
35th Avenue at 37th Street
Astoria, Queens, NY
(718) 777-6888
movingimage.us
