NYC is an overwhelming location to visit with children because it is crowded, expensive, and loud. If you are having a hard time planning your trip because of children, take solace in the fact that people are raising kids in the same concrete jungle. Here are some helpful tips for visiting NYC with your children:

Lesson Plan

Do not expect your children to spend entire days wandering through museums because they do not have enough patience. However, if your child wants to visit a museum, take him or her to the Tenement Museum, which offers a glimpse into the urban life of families. The guided tours offered at this museum reveal daily routines of Italian and Jewish immigrants.

MoMA is another museum that does a great job of making contemporary and modern art accessible to kids. When you visit during weekend mornings, there will be guided tours that divide kids into groups so they can observe works and gain free entrance into the whole museum. Their cafeteria is family friendly, making it ideal at lunch break when the kids feel hungry.

The New York Transit Museum is a favorite amongst children and grown-ups alike. You can see permanent exhibits such as vintage subway cars and old turnstiles if you like.

Snack Time

Chain food restaurants are all over the place in the city of New York. If you are looking for fresh food, opt for Union Square Greenmarket, which is a Mecca for restaurateurs and is open on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. If you are lucky, you might be able to convince your child to eat a wild strawberry and some greens.

If you are not willing to waste your time waiting for a table to free up, try going to Alice’s Tea Cup, where your child can get a shower of fairy dust before eating the s’mores. You can also enjoy the amazingly moist scones served at this restaurant as well as some healthy sandwiches and salads. If you are looking to treat your kids to some sweets, you should head over to Economy Candy on Rivington Street for overstuffed candy such as gummies.

Recess

Once your child has his or her fill of sugar, visit a park or playground to burn off the energy. Central park is a kid’s favorite because it offers acres of land to jump around and you can see several attractions whilst there. You can bike through Central Park with your children as you take in the sights. Heckscher, the oldest playground in Central Park, is filled with sprinklers and rivers of water for the kids.

The Children’s Museum of Arts is another great place to visit – it features artwork made by children and your child can make some of his/her own. Depending on how old your child is, you can take him or her to the area with play-doh, sand, and music festivities. Kids go crazy for the Ball Pond, which is an enclosed area with oversized balls.

If you are in the Downtown area, visit Teardrop Park, which can be found in Battery Park City for a haven of playgrounds, walkways, and one of the best slides in the city. You can also enjoy a walk on the Brooklyn Bridge with your kids if you feel like taking a walk through nature.

Must-sees to Miss

If you want to save time by avoiding certain places, you should think about skipping Dylan’s Candy Bar because it is usually crowded. You should also avoid the Children’s Museum of Manhattan because it is small.