New York Family’s Ultimate Guide To Raising Kids In New York City, 2014-15

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Illustrations by Holly Morrison and Rachael Tucker

COLUMNS

Editor’s Note: Time to Play

Events & Offers: Our annual readership survey and a chance to win a fab parent-moon, our e-newsletters, and our new online calendar

Last Word: The Awakening

FEATURES

In My Room: We stepped into the bedrooms of seven décor-savvy kiddos (including three sets of siblings sharing rooms) to capture snapshots of urban family living

Spend City: Our budget blogger—and local mom of two—offers some savvy tips on saving money in all aspects of city life

It’s Super Dad!: In the hospital with leukemia, a Brooklyn father reassures his young son by sketching heroes from the comics

SPECIAL SECTIONS & DIRECTORIES

Classes
From new and cool offerings to classic favorites, our guide to the city’s best classes is sure to delight kids of all ages — plus, hot class trends

Museums
The city’s many museums aren’t just grown-up affairs—most offer special programming for children as well

Attractions
Our hit parade of the top family-friendly adventures and attractions in the city — plus, the best apps to help you get around, and scoop on seeing the city by foot, boat, or by bus

Education
Some of the city’s brightest teachers offer advice to parents on how to help their children thrive–plus, great education resources

Birthdays
Our favorite birthday party venues and entertainers are sure to make any child’s special day the best ever–plus, the 10 top birthday cakes in NYC and awesome cake alternatives

Shopping
Our guide to the best family retailers— from boutiques to big box stores—offers the inside scoop on shopping the city in the smartest way–plus, cool second-hand shops

New & Expectant Parents
A selective guide to local bump and baby essentials—plus, the Best in Show picks from the 2014 New York Baby Show and a guide to doulas, midwives, and lactation consultants

Health & Wellness
A selective list of New York City’s best family-friendly health and wellness pros–plus, tips on how pick a pediatrician

Theaters & Live Performances
Take a seat and check out the most kid- friendly theaters and live shows in town–plus tips on saving on ticket prices and our guide to the kindie music scene

Special Needs
A local mom of two (and special needs consultant) shares her wisdom about raising children with developmental challenges–plus, a resource guide and tips on entering kindergarten with special needs

 

Relevant Directory Listings

See More

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" data-sheets-value="{" data-sheets-userformat="{">Looking for something to do with the kids in New York City that is fun, exciting, and educational? The Intrepid Museum offers family-friendly activities and programs all year long that keep children engaged, entertained, and curious about history and science. Fun rain or shine, the Museum offers both indoor and outdoor interactive exhibits and activities. With so many things to do and see, you’ll never hear “I’m bored,” when you climb aboard Intrepid. A non-profit, educational institution featuring the legendary aircraft carrier Intrepid, the space shuttle Enterprise, the world’s fastest jets and a guided missile submarine.<br /></span></p>

Bounce! Family Entertainment Center

<p>Bounce! Family Entertainment Center is an indoor birthday party and play space located in Syosset, NY. Perfect for birthday parties, group events, open play, and more! We have the best party packages on Long Island! Our facility has multiple AWESOME attractions: The Trampoline courts, The Adventure Zone, Bumper Cars, Laser Tag, Soft Play, Arcade, & MORE! If you need a break from jumping and climbing, try out some of our delicious food from The Bounce Bites Kitchen! Come on in to any of our Open Play, Toddler Time, or Glow Night sessions!</p>

New York Society of Play Summer Camp and Classes

<p dir="ltr"><strong>Summer Game Camp</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">There are many who do not feel safe sending their children back out into the world with summer camp, this year. To serve those parents and keep the children connected and stimulated during this challenging time, we are offering NYSP Digital Summer Camp. The name of the game with NYSP Summer Camp is community. We have made a large effort to make our camp feel like a living space, with features including –</p> <p dir="ltr">- Role-Playing games familiar and new, led by our master storytellers!</p> <p dir="ltr">- Enriching electives such as Chess, World Building, Character Acting, Crafts, Drawing, and more!</p> <p dir="ltr">- Discussion and media screening rooms during lunch!</p> <p dir="ltr">- A digital campus!</p> <p dir="ltr">- Moderated chat hours!</p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr">Join us for a summer of games, friends, and more!</p> <p dir="ltr">Mon - Fri 10am - 2:30pm</p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Roleplay Expeditions: Dungeons & Dragons</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">No experience is required to join one of our Dungeons & Dragons games. Our game masters have pre-made character sheets, so you'll be able to start playing the game right away! We adapt the rules of traditional Dungeons & Dragons to make them more approachable to children of various ages. Battle in dungeons, search for relics, and make new friends in our one-of-a-kind Dungeons & Dragons workshop! </p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr">Public games meet once per week, with different groups every time. Private games meet 1 to 2 times per week with the same group of kids. Since the players and the storyteller in the group are consistent, this enables us to tell epic tales of adventure together!</p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Dungeons & Dragons Junior</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">No experience is required to join one of our drop-in Dungeons & Dragons games. Our Dungeons & Dragons Jr. game provides a D&D storytelling experience without character sheets. Battle in dungeons, search for relics, and make new friends in our one-of-a-kind Dungeons & Dragons workshop! A great way to introduce young children to D&D so they can eventually move onto the main game.</p>