Spring Activities for Kids in the New York Area
80 things to do with your kids in the spring in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Westchester, Rockland, and Long Island.
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Make Mom feel special.
Pack up a special Mother’s Day picnic and spend the afternoon at your family’s favorite local park, or check out these other ideas to celebrate the Moms in your life.
Spend a day at the zoo.
Spring is the perfect time to visit your favorite animals at the zoo: The weather’s not too hot and you might just spot some adorable baby animals! The Bronx Zoo is open, with COVID safety precautions in place. Just make sure to purchase your tickets in advance to ensure you’ll be able to visit on the day you want!
Family-Friendly Spring Activities in Rockland County
*In the wake of coronavirus concerns, we recommend calling these venues ahead of time to make sure events are still happening.*
Celebrate St. Patrick and the luck of the Irish.
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Pearl River hosts a super celebration of all things Irish, including the second-largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the state, second only to the New York City parade. It typically features 12 bagpipe bands, Catholic school groups, veterans, fire fighters, police officers, and performances by Irish dance schools. While this year’s parade has been postponed due to COVID-19, you can still celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at home.
Walk among treetops.
If your family is on the adventurous side, take a trip to Boundless Adventures in Purchase, which reopens for the season on March 27. Consisting of nine different ropes courses, this park will satisfy any adrenaline-fueled family.
Roast marshmallows on a campfire.
Gather around a Spring Campfire at the Tenafly Nature Center in Tenafly, NJ, in late March to learn how this season affects our local plants and animals. You’ll also listen to stories and roast marshmallows for s’mores. If you plan on making your own campfire at home, check out 10 tips on cooking food over the flames.
Shop at the local farmers’ market.
In early April, the Nyack Farmers’ Market moves from its indoor location in the Nyack Center to the Main Street parking lot in downtown Nyack. The outdoor market offers local produce, cheese, wine, bakery and specialty items, and more. Get details on live entertainment at the market before heading over. If you can't find what you need there, check out another farmers' market in the area.
See a new kind of circus.
In April, UniverSoul Circus sometimes comes to Newark, NJ to deliver a unique, jaw-dropping performance with the message that everyone belongs.
Search for Easter eggs with Boulder Bird.
Near Easter time, kids ages 10 and younger can join Boulder Bird’s Egg Hunt at Palisades Credit Union Park in Pomona, home of the Rockland Boulders. Special prizes are hidden along with candy-filled eggs, and kids can take pictures with Boulder Bird and the Bunny throughout the day. It hasn’t been announced yet whether the egg hunt will happen this year, so check back for updates.
Help clean up your neighborhood.
In honor of Earth Day, Keep Rockland Beautiful hosts community cleanup events throughout the county to…well, keep Rockland beautiful!
Learn where wool comes from.
The popular Sheep Shearing event at Bergen County Zoo in Paramus, NJ, typically invites visitors to cheer on the zoo’s flock of sheep as they get their annual haircuts in early May. In addition to shearing demos, there are children’s crafts, special story times, wool spinning demonstrations, and more, and you can enjoy visiting the animals and taking a spin on the zoo’s carousel while you’re there—or find another zoo, botanical garden, or nature center in the area!
Play in nature.
Stop by Grasshopper Grove at Hudson Highlands Nature Museum’s Outdoor Discovery Center when it opens for the season, typically in mid-April. Located in Cornwall in nearby Orange County, Grasshopper Grove aims to inspire children to discover nature play spaces in their own backyards.
Get moving for a good cause.
Join the March of Dimes’ March for Babies is hosting an online experience in late April to help raise funds to support research to expand programs and educate medical professionals so that moms and babies can get the best possible care, even when pregnancy doesn’t go as planned. After you walk this walk, find another in the area!
Jump aboard a train ride.
Celebrate National Train Day in mid-May with a train ride (including one on Thomas the Tank Engine!) or by visiting a nearby train exhibit or museum.
Celebrate spring flowers.
The annual Orchid Show is on hold this year due to limited capacity, but the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx is still showcasing the unique flower. Through April 4, visit select galleries of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory to see displays of orchids in brilliant white and striking colors set against the foliage of aroids, ferns, and bromeliads—planted as they might be found in nature and blending gracefully with their surroundings.
Catch some thrills at an amusement park.
Land of Make Believe, in nearby Hope, NJ, opens for the season Memorial Day weekend with rides, a water park, and games for all ages. Browse the full list of area theme parks, too.
Explore a farm.
Cropsey Community Farm in New City hosts open houses and other family events throughout the spring and summer. Visitors to this 12-acre organic, biodynamic community farm—the first of its kind in Rockland County—can typically stroll the fields, meet the farm team, meet animals, and do a planting activity or even work alongside the team in the fields.
Walk with dinosaurs.
Travel back in time—to the Jurassic period, to be exact—at Field Station: Dinosaurs in Leonia, NJ. This 30-acre zoo-like adventure park, where the “animals” are actually animatronic dinosaurs, reopens in May (exact date TBA).
Interact with living history.
On late spring and summer weekends, the Fort Montgomery State Historic Site in nearby Orange County (690 Route 9W in Fort Montgomery, just north of Bear Mountain) hosts living history demonstrations complete with costumed interpreters and musket and cannon firings (featuring the fort’s pride and joy, a 32-pound cannon named George).
Attend the Spring Street Fair.
The New City Chamber of Commerce hosts an annual Spring Street Fair in early June on Main Street in downtown New City. The fair features live music, bounce houses, food and craft vendors, kid’s activities, rides, games, a DJ, and more. Check newcitychamber.com for details.
Root for the home team.
Catch a minor league baseball game and cheer on the Rockland Boulders at Palisades Credit Union Park in Pomona—or find another team to cheer for!
Plant a garden with your kids.
In addition to being a fruitful hobby, gardening has health benefits for kids and adults. Gardening outside promotes movement (walking, squatting, and lifting), and you’ll get plenty of vitamin D—just remember to wear sunscreen! So, whether you want to start growing your own produce or your child has expressed interest in digging in the soil, we've compiled a list of 17 ways to grow a green thumb, including gardening activities for kids, how to create small container gardens, and how to start composting.
Putt your way to a hole-in-one.
Waterfalls, windmills, and sandtraps, oh my! Challenge your kids to a round of mini golf at Space Adventure Glow in the Dark Mini Golf at Palisades Center or one of the other mini-golf courses in the area. Loser has to do the dishes!
Family-Friendly Things to Do in Spring on Long Island
*In the wake of coronavirus concerns, we recommend calling these venues ahead of time to make sure events are still happening.*
Enjoy an Irish celebration!
Embrace Irish music on the luckiest day of the year at the annual Huntington St. Patrick’s Day Parade in early March. This parade is Long Island’s oldest and largest, and it features a variety of pipe bands, including some of the finest of the New York metro area. This year’s Huntington St. Patrick’s Day celebration is virtual, and you can find even more ways to celebrate at home in our roundup.
Walk among treetops.
If your family is on the adventurous side, take a trip to The Adventure Park in Wheatley Heights, which reopens for the season on March 26. Consisting of eight different ropes courses amidst 5 acres of trees, this park will satisfy any adrenaline-fueled family.
Find Easter eggs by the sea.
Orient Beach State Park’s annual Easter Egg Hunt is worth the trip for the novelty of hunting seaside. The Big Rabbit himself will be there to greet the wee hunters, ready to hand out prizes for those who discover the special eggs at this event, which changes dates according to when the holiday falls. Specifics for this year haven’t been announced yet, so check back for updates.
Celebrate trees.
Explore the grounds at Coe Hall Mansion in Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park in Oyster Bay. With plenty of space for wiggly kiddies to romp, they’ll go home happy and tired—and you might just be able to participate in a fun nature-based program.
Tiptoe through the tulips.
Huntington Tulip Festival at Heckscher Park in early May is a family-oriented, floral bonanza that showcases more than 20,000 tulips. Hands-on children’s activity booths, art exhibitions, and lectures and demonstrations are all featured among the blooms. The 2020 festival was cancelled due to the pandemic, and we’re waiting to see if the 2021 festival will happen with safety protocols in place.
Make Mom feel special.
Pack up a special Mother’s Day picnic and spend the afternoon at your family’s favorite local park, or check out these other ideas to celebrate the Moms in your life.
Go for a stroll.
As the weather warms, thoughts turn to strolling—and Downtown Glen Cove is a really good place to do just that. Meander past boutiques, restaurants, specialty food markets, a movie theater, and a marina. And don’t miss Justin’s Toys, a store that offers workshops in which kids create their own playthings.
Visit a lighthouse.
A calming and relaxing experience, visiting the Fire Island Lighthouse is a must for any Long Island family. Walk the scenic boardwalk, visit the museum, and climb to the top of the tower that’s become one of Long Island’s best-known symbols.
Spend the day at an all-in-one nature site.
Where can you find exotic animals, a fitness trail, an ecology center, a picnic area, and three pools? Only at the Town of Brookhaven’s Ecology Site, Park & Animal Preserve in Holtsville, which is scheduled to reopen in April.
Explore local flora and fauna.
Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center in Oyster Bay comes to life in spring. You’ll find birds of prey as well as reptiles and amphibians native to our area. Consider an Owl Prowl or other guided hike.
See beautiful springtime colors.
The Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River is awash with color in May. Five different nature walks are available next to the Connetquot River. Kids will surely stop at the duck and chicken pens. Find more info on Bayard and other nearby nature centers in our zoo guide.
See an awesome parade of planes.
The Bethpage Air Show, a Memorial Day staple at Jones Beach in Wantagh, is a can’t-miss Long Island event that showcases world-class military and civilian fliers. Pack a lunch and some sunscreen, and witness the incredible feats of amazing pilots and parachuters (be sure to bring earplugs for the youngest in your brood and for kids with sensitivities).
Walk for a cause.
Join the March of Dimes’ March for Babies is hosting an online experience in late April to help raise funds to support research to expand programs and educate medical professionals so that moms and babies can get the best possible care, even when pregnancy doesn’t go as planned. After you walk this walk, find another in the area!
Plant a garden with your kids.
In addition to being a fruitful hobby, gardening has health benefits for kids and adults. Gardening outside promotes movement (walking, squatting, and lifting), and you’ll get plenty of vitamin D—just remember to wear sunscreen! So, whether you want to start growing your own produce or your child has expressed interest in digging in the soil, we've compiled a list of 17 ways to grow a green thumb, including gardening activities for kids, how to create small container gardens, and how to start composting.
Go for a hike.
Taking the family on a hike is a great way to get outside, get moving, and stay socially distant! Plus, there are so many great family-friendly trails on Long Island that you’re sure to find the perfect outing for your family.
Gaze at the stars.
You don’t need to go to the planetarium or have special equipment or knowledge to lay back and feast your eyes on the wonders of the universe. Grab a blanket and head into your backyard to view the night sky and see if you can spot any constellations.
Putt your way to a hole-in-one.
Waterfalls, windmills, and sandtraps, oh my! Challenge your kids to a round of mini golf at Five Towns Mini Golf or one of the other mini-golf courses on Long Island. Loser has to do the dishes!
Shop for fresh, local produce.
One of the great things about living in the city is the abundance of weekly farmers’ markets featuring local produce, dairy items, meats, baked goods, and more, fresh from the farm. Find a farmers’ market near you, grab your reusable bags, and spend some time picking out your goodies.g over. If you can't find what you need there, check out another farmers' market in the area.
Go for a bike ride.
Go for a ride during National Bicycle Month! Whether it’s in your neighborhood, to the beach or local park, or along a section of the Long Island Greenway, your family will enjoy getting active together. Before heading out, learn about the benefits of balance bikes for beginners.
Catch some thrills at an amusement park.
Adventureland in Farmingdale is reopening this spring after being closed last year due to the pandemic. While the exact opening date hasn’t been announced yet, you can be sure your little ones will enjoy thrilling rides, games, and more! Browse the full list of area theme parks, too.
Main photo by Antonio M. Rosario
