Indoor Fun For Cold Days. Freezing outside? No problem. NYC’s indoor fun keeps kids moving, learning, and laughing all winter long. Bad weather doesn’t keep us New Yorkers indoors — and it definitely doesn’t stop our kids from having fun. When the sky turns gloomy or the temperatures dip, families across the city simply swap playgrounds for play spaces, museums for muddy parks, and ninja gyms for snow-slushed sidewalks. In true NYC fashion, we don’t slow down — we just take the adventure indoors. When temperatures drop, NYC families don’t need to stay home — the city is full
of warm, exciting indoor spaces perfect for playing, creating, climbing, and exploring. In Manhattan, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan on the Upper West Side remains a family favourite thanks to its creative exhibits and hands-on play areas. Just a few blocks away, the American Museum of Natural History offers endless indoor exploration, from towering dinosaur fossils to the magical Discovery Room where young visitors can dig, build, and imagine. Families looking to get crafty can pop into The Craft Studio on the Upper East Side or in Tribeca for drop-in art, slime sessions, and themed workshops, or head to Color Me Mine in Tribeca or UWS to paint colourful pottery masterpieces. For puzzle-solving kids and adventure-ready teens, Mission Escape Games in Midtown and The Escape Game in Times Square deliver immersive escape challenges perfect for cold days. Younger creatives will love The Rainbow, a brand-new colourful play and imagination space in the East Village, while energetic kids and teens can tackle Ninja Warrior–style obstacle training at New York City Ninja Academy
Across the river in Brooklyn, families can warm up inside the Brooklyn Children’s Museum in Crown Heights, where interactive exhibits spark curiosity and play. Little ones under six adore Twinkle Playspace in Williamsburg with its whimsical, imaginative zones, while budding artists can get hands-on at Private Picassos in Clinton Hill through family classes and creative workshops. For those eager to climb away the cold, Brooklyn Boulders and Movement Gowanus offer youth climbing programs suited for all levels. Teens and tweens love the high- tech team challenge experience at Beat the Bomb in DUMBO, while energetic kids can burn off winter wiggles at the Brooklyn Ninja Academy, home to obstacle courses and ninja training sessions. Queens families can spend hours exploring The New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows, with more than 450 interactive STEM exhibits that make science feel like play. If bouncing is more your speed, Launch Trampoline Park in Howard Beach offers trampolines, foam pits, and obstacle courses. Younger children will have a blast
at Kids Fun House in Ridgewood, a multi- level indoor playground perfect for staying warm and active. In the Bronx, the Bronx Children’s Museum provides creative, community-centred fun for young learners, while the Bronx Zoo’s indoor exhibits, including JungleWorld and the World of Reptiles, offer warm, immersive environments where kids can explore tropical habitats—without stepping outside. Staten Island families can enjoy hands-on exhibits and art programs at the Staten Island Children’s Museum in Snug Harbor, or lace up their skates at the Staten Island Skating Pavilion, where indoor lessons and free-skate sessions help keep winter blues at bay. Cold weather is the perfect excuse to try somewhere new — from ninja academies to climbing gyms and creative studios. Finish with a hot chocolate and turn a chilly day into a fun family adventure.
38 | New York Loves Kids | Family Winter Guide 2025-2026
New York Loves Kids | Family Winter Guide 2025-2026 | 39
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