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Central Park |
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People think of the Big Apple as an adult place but it also rocks for kids. For three years TV news journalist Carolyn Rogalsky edited the Calendar of Events for New York Families. Here she picks five great day trips for kids Click to view Top 5 New York Outings for Kids.
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Best Outdoor Fun (Central Park) |
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 It may seem way too simple, but Central Park provides the best of family fun. With 21 playgrounds to explore, gigantic glacial rocks to climb on, a zoo, cafes, ponds and lakes, and plenty of playing fields, this 840-acre oasis in the middle of town provides endless entertainment for kids (and their grown-ups). |
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Every New Yorker owes a big debt to Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, who in the mid-1800s had the foresight to transform a swampy pesthole populated with pig farms and squatters’ shacks into the glorious landscaped mecca that it is today.
Highlights include the Central Park Wildlife Center (Eastside at 64th St) which features daily sealion shows and houses a Children’s Zoo that’s lots of fun for the wee ones. The Carousel is close by at 65th St and is worth a whirl. Further uptown, Conservatory Water is more familiarly known as the Model Boat Pond (Eastside at 75th St), and was the setting for much of EB White’s book Stuart Little. Visitors can watch radio-powered racing regattas or rent a miniature boat of their own.
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Children's Theatre |
 When heading west, don’t miss the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre (Westside at 79th St) which presents classic fairy tales geared toward children ages 3 to 9. Nearby at Belvedere Castle, a scaled-down version of a Scottish castle, the Central Park Conservancy offers family programmes during weekends.
At the north end, lies the 23-acre North Meadow, the park’s largest open space. The city-run recreation centre located midpark at 97th St, houses instructors who lead classes in rock climbing and other sports, and provide Field Day kits supplied with balls, bats, Frisbees, and other sporting equipment.
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Gone Fishing |
During summer months, kids can fish at the Harlem Meer. Experts are available to help kids bait and cast their lines with rods provided at the Charles A Dana Discovery Center at Fifth Ave at 110th St. The Discovery Center, the park’s newest building, is another hub of family activities. In winter, whether there’s snow or not, the whole family can enjoy ice skating at one of the two outdoor rinks (Lasker is located midpark between 106 and 108 Sts; Wollman Rink is midpark at 62nd St).
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| There are park tours are available, but I highly recommend leading your family on a self-guided tour. You can’t make a wrong turn here. Just show up and explore. You’re bound to discover your own delights |
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