Children’s Museum of Manhattan, NY
Living in New York City is a wonderful experience. Being able to raise kids here, or at least being able to make the city and all it has to offer accesible to one’s children is also a wonderful experience. And though NYCity Mama appreciates this, she also is well aware of how expensive it can be take part in all these activities with the kids in The Big Apple.
Luckily, there are still a few things that are offered throughout the city free of charge. In the summer, they are all the free concerts and performances in the parks, there are the puppet shows, and street fairs. There is Dancing on Lincoln Square and so much more. In the Winter, all these things become a bit more scare, but some places offer free access all year through.
One such place is the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. Every first Friday of the month, they offer free admission to all from 5:00PM to 8:ooPM.
Mama started getting her kids ready for the trip, scheduling it so that they would be there at least an hour. Her husband was going to meet them there after work.
The train ride down to the Upper West Side was a good one. It was right in the midst of rush hour, which made the trains crowded, but reliable and speedy.
The evening was wonderful (a sign of the weekend to come), not too cold, with clear skies. The boys were very excited to be going there.
They arrive to the Museum and Daddy is already there waiting for them. They enter the museum (free!) and find a large group of people already there. After a short stop at coat check, the kids immediately run towards the larger Trojan Horse, located on the first floor, part of the Gods, Myths & Mortals exhibit. The boys climbed into the horse and slid, jumped, crawled and climbed their way around, laughing the entire time.
But they also took some time to check out the interactive and kid friendly displays throughout, running around to each one, stopping to admire and press buttons along the way.
Mama and her husband got separated, and Mama took her 2 year old to the 3rd fl., where they have their age appropriate Playworks exhibit. Here, the 2 year old spent quite awhile in the “fire engine” flipping switches, pressing buttons, and lighting up siren lights. All before moving on to “put out a fire”.
Not too far off, they had a play area, where most kids were playing and parents resting. This floor was very crowded, as can be expected on “free day”, and though Mama felt a little hot, her son was having the time of his life running and playing around while he stopped to look and touch all the various things they had set up for the kids.
After awhile, they head to the 2nd fl, where Daddy was waiting for them and the 3 year old played. It was a lot cooler on this floor and not as crowded. This is where one can find the Adventures of Dora and Diego exhibit, and where her kids have the most fun when they come visit the museum.
Though there were so many other exhibits and two other florrs left undiscovered, it seemed that an hour and a half was enough time before her kids started getting tired and acting out, which was perfect because it was also closing time.
It was funny to watch the closing time scene. Babies and toddlers, left and right, exhausted from so much play, overwhelmed from all that there was to see, and resisting to leave, were crying, whining, and just being kids. Thus, when her own kids started doing the same, Mama and Daddy just joined the corner of other parents with crying kids, while they put on their coats to head back out.
Before heading home they stopped to get pizza and some drinks. It was just a generic pizza place, one of many on the Upper West Side. Nothing fancy, nor expensive. Perfect for a family with kids on the verge of a complete meltdown.
(By the way, that is NOT soda the kids are drinking!!)
After filling their tummies and tempers cooled, they started making their way home, happier, sleepier, and thrilled that the trip had been so full of fun and laughter.
Hey looks like a good time. You are brave. I could never do that in the evening with my guys. But I would totally do it mid morning. I’m glad to see your blog bringing you new and fun opportunities!