Post Punk Kitchen Forum

I haven't been to NYC in 7 years, or as a vegan. We are planning to visit my brother-in-law in May and looking for recs for fun kid activities. Definitely Central Park. We'll be staying way north in Washington Heights, but have no problem with subway/buses.
Any good hands-on type museums? Or places to see dinosaur bones?

the butterfly conservatory is open until may 27 at the museum of natural history. they also have dinosaur bones.

the Museum of Natural History isn't exactly hands-on, but it's pretty kid-friendly and has three dinosaur skeletons right in the lobby. (be warned that there are a lot of exhibits with taxidermied animals, though they didn't upset me here like they can in other museums.)

FAO Schwarz should be fun to look around. granted i haven't been there in 15+ years, but it's hard to go too wrong with a fantastical toy store.

the MoNH also has some manipulative stuff for younger kids, it's worth looking at their site and seeing if they have any special things going on too. i do remember a large 3D praying mantis puzzle and a part where kids could look through microscopes and things, hands on bugs things.... it was sort of hidden away though so you have to know where you're going, check the map/site. We went there when FC was 6 and it was pretty good. Large whales too. I also didn't find the taxidermy thing as bad as i expected it to be.

The Union Square Greenmarket is fun, then they can run around in the park. You can get vegan pizza at Pie too.

Thanks, for everyone's suggestions - greenmarket and Natural History museum sound like must-dos!

Brooklyn Childrens Museum, if you want to venture out there. The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens has a kids section where they can touch everything.

Atlas Cafe on Second Avenue carries a wide selection of Vegan Treats. If you go on Tuesday or Wednesday or you may be able to snap a whoopie pie before they are gone.

oh! does your kid like trains? the transit museum in Brooklyn is awesome and you get to walk around on all the old models of trains.

She LOVES trains!
There is a ton of stuff in Brooklyn I want to get to, so both these museums mentioned are going on the list!

This is such a great list of things to do!

I really like the playground in Madison Square Park - its centrally located, and perfect for a break in the middle of doing other fun stuff. The lawn should be open then and they have revolving sculpture and art exhibits, which are wonderful. The water features probably won't be open in May, but if anyone is looking for stuff in the heat of summer, that is an added attraction.

Thanks for the suggestion Tofulish! Will add to the list.

So, we never made it in May, but ARE going at the beginning of August.

I am really excited to try Blossom and Candle Cafe - are they kid friendly? Looking at their menus, I didn't see much that my kid would eat.... where can we find a good mac and cheese or pizza?

Mac and Cheese from Sarita's is what alot of people recommend, and they have it in the park on Houston too. (Though they just went through a health inspection that was massively bad that they were closed for repairs for a few weeks).

I see kids in Peacefood cafe all the time, and they have some good finger foods. Pizza definitely Viva Herbal on second avenue. It's just like a regular pizza place, albeit somewhat tiny! Plus when Lula's is re-opened you can walk for ice cream directly after as it is only about 6 or 7 blocks away.

As a kid, I may be alone on this, but I would have enjoyed the Ripley's Museum in Times Square. Now that I'm older, I realize the 'Rip' is for rip-off, but there are usually deals and coupons around, if your daughter is at the age when she'd enjoy it now?