Nope, I haven't been hiding my wee ones under the table at Elite events...I'm entertaining my step brother's family while they're in town next weekend.

Being that I'm pretty clueless about kid-friendly restaurants, museums...toy stores etc...I haven't got a clue where to take them!

My niece is 4 years old and nephew is about 18 months.

i am so going to follow jane around just to see her chaperoning two wee ones around the city.  hahahahahahaha.....

keep lots and lots of benadryl on hand, lady jane.  trust me....

Obvious ones that jump out to me are FAO Schwartz, The Times Square Toys R Us, The Bronx Zoo, Central Park (and that zoo might be closer),  They have a soda fountain kind of set up at FAO Schwartz - great way to kill time.  I think the more touristy stuff is more appropriate for kids like Ellen's Stardust Diner.

FAO Schwarz and Dylan's Candy is a start. That American Girl doll place too.

eating? how about...

newyorkkids.timeout.com/…

Thanks guys, those are super helpful. FAO Schwartz would be great...

Are there restaurants that are more family friendly without being cheesy? I never see kids when I'm out but maybe it's my neighborhood. The upper east and west sides seem more baby-oriented. Thoughts?

chuck e. cheese's on northern blvd.  bring advil.  and alcohol.  or take them out to coney.  coney rocks.  even in the rain.

What's the best kids park? I know central park has a cool playground and so does Madison Sq Park...any other noteworthies? I feel like a park pushing them on a swing is more my flavor than ::shudder:: Times Square on a Saturday.

anywhere with a dog run.

Battery Park City. Less touristy and a pretty big playground for kids next to the basketball courts.

yelp.com/biz/battery-par…

There is a pretty good kids playground at 23rd and 10th, which is part of Hudson River Park.   I am there quite often.  

No, I don't have kids.

Second Battery Park City.  Lots of families/strollers last time I was there.

meat baby is getting creepier by the minute....

Here is a good interactive map of Hudson River Park that shows you what's what.

hudsonriverpark.org/expl…

ooooh the petting zoo!! I want to go there!

Craig "pinchy" N. says:

meat baby is getting creepier by the minute....

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Coming from Craig, I'm not sure how to feel but suicide sounds about right.

ESPN Zone or Dave and Busters are good places for kids, although they may be a little young. FAO Schwartz is a must, plus you would be close to the Central Park petting zoo.

Zoos for sure, I'd also suggest something like the hop on, hop off water taxi on the weekends if they're not from around watery areas. Kids love going fast on boats. And the carousel at Central Park if it's up and running again.

If they're artistic: painting pottery, something like Little Shop of Crafts has pots, beading and stuffed animal creations.

If they like to play: nymag.com/bestofny/kids/…

If I tell you, do I get to be the weekly Yelp (kid friendly edition)?

If I was 4 years old and visiting the greatest city in the world, the last place I would want to be is at a bookstore.

Louis "The Wanderer" D. says:

Central Park Zoo and Barnes and Noble.  Best thing for a kid is a book.
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I agree with this except replace  Barnes and Noble with Dylans.  And book with with Candy.

dylan's candy bar is the way to go

the children's museum of the arts in soho is a very cool great place to take the 4 year old and perhaps even the 18 month old, if it is still in existence.

I'm a little worried about giving these tykes candy....as in worried about the wrath of my step sister when she has to deal with the consequences of candy heaven

central park zoo = yes.
childrens museum of manhattan is also really good: yelp.com/biz/childrens-m…

Children love ice cream!!!  And the small Central park zoo for children is great with lots of animals and a playground nearby.... and Museum of Natural History also has Haydn's Planetarium... and the IMAX theater there too with great movies.
The duck pond in the forefront of the park is also nice place to relax off Central Park South.

Hi Jayne, not sure if you have boys and girls, but if it's just girls, I'd suggest one of the Alice's Tea Cup restaurants, especially if you have a large enough group for a reservation.  Enjoy!

i was going to recommend silly billy, but those kids are too young...

things my 4 year old loves:

central park
Natural history.
john jay park
childrens museum

bronx zoo
aquarium
anyplace with toys and candy

Bring them to Park Slope and drop them into one of the doublewide strollers clogging the sidewalks.

Then you and your step brother can go enjoy civilized things.

I think the Upper Westside is the most family-friendly area in Manhattan. And there are entrances to Central Park, I was there this Saturday through an entrance around the 80's and the Great Lawn wasn't crowded and annoying. It was really nice. People having picnics with their kids, young families, teenagers just hanging out. It was really cute, reminded me of being a kid. Meeeeemories. Anyway, the Museum of Natural history is there and they have the Dinosaurs.

I know you just mentioned Manhattan, but the Brooklyn Children's Museum would be cool.  These tykes seem really young so I'm not sure if it will be their scene.

Also, the zoo in Central Park would be fun - it's small but they might dig it.

Bronx Zoo would be a cool day trip - my sister took her daughter when she was 2 years old and she had a blast so they are definitely not too young for the animals.

Oh and I really like the zoo so it's a good excuse to go see the aminals.

Now who's the 4 year old...

depends on your budget and nanny preferences.

4 year olds aren't into American Girl dolls yet. My five year old loved Pinkalicious when she was 4. We saw it on the UWS, but it's at Bleeker Street Theatre now. Books of Wonder on 18th Street is good. Kids like the Greenmarket, and they like the playgrounds at Union Square and basically all over the city. The Manhattan Children's museum is exhilarating for kids and exhausting for adults.My girls love, love, love arms and armor at the Met.

my daughter loves arms and armor, too.  i took all the butter knives away from her.

You abandon them at a park or a museum

give them to Tori K?

let them drink with Andy & Kyle?

4 year olds love dinosaurs - try the museum of natural history, children's museum on the uws is supposed to be pretty good, carousel in CP... my nephew loves to chase big packs of pigeons

Let them tire themselves out running around FAO Schwartz and the Central Park zoo, then stick them with their mother and go out drinking when they pass out.

Jane and a kid in NYC = trouble

jk

Youve got the zoo, central park, toys r us, FAO shwartz, childrens museum, its all been mentioned already.

not on yelp..
appleseedsnyc.com

Apple Seeds
10 west 25th street
between broadway and 6th avenue
new york, ny 10010

it's an indoor playground
salon (kids get haircuts sitting in a car)
boutique
cafe

i second ariane b.

books of wonder in the flatiron. feed the kids buttercream from cupcake cafe and watch em' wig out...

.

When I have my overseas family w/ kids visit, I take them to Central Park, FAO Schwartz, Dylan's Candy Bar, then feast on burgers and foot-high sundaes at Serendipity 3. This easily takes up most of the day. Nothing against the Upper West, but the kids just love love love this part of town.