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Midtown West with Kids: Top 40 Things to Do for NYC Families

4/1/13 - By Raven Snook

For many people, the words Midtown West conjure up visions of Times Square with its Broadway theaters, illuminated billboards, crowded chain restaurants, megastores and tourist traps. But go a little further west and you'll find the treasures of Clinton, an amenity-filled residential neighborhood that many actors, artists and families call home. Also known as Hell's Kitchen, the area was once infamous for gangs and poverty but started changing in the 1990s. Tenements were renovated, luxury condos went up, and a slew of new restaurants and bars opened, especially on Ninth Avenue, which plays host to the International Food Festival every May.

While the nabe's gritty past is still evident—it hasn't enjoyed quite the same makeover as nearby Chelsea—it's getting more kid-friendly every year: Local parent group, Hell's Kitchen Babies, is very active; the Matthews-Palmer Playground on West 45th is poised to get a $2 million overhaul; the Midtown West School has become a sought-after public elementary school; and the waterfront, Bryant Park and, yes, even Times Square offer fantastic kid-friendly activities like a life-size T-rex and an indoor Ferris wheel. (Hey, sometimes there's something to be said for tourist spots!)

Throughout April we'll be writing about everything Midtown West (both Times Square and Hell's Kitchen) has to offer, including our favorite places to eat, play, shop and experience with kids. For the purposes of our posts, our geographical boundaries are 34th to Columbus Circle, Sixth Avenue to the Hudson River. We kick off our coverage with a list of the top 40 things for families to do in Midtown West.

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  1. See a puppet, circus, movement or other offbeat family show at the New Victory Theater
  2. Or catch a kid-friendly Broadway production at a discount by hitting the Times Square TKTS Discount Booth
  3. Slide down a giant leg on the whimsical Tom Otterness play structure at Silver Towers Playground
  4. Get your geek on with graphic novels and action figures at Midtown Comics
  5. Speaking of comics, dress up in your best superhero costumes for Kids' Day at the annual New York Comic Con at the Jacob Javits Center
  6. See what else is going on at the Javits for families, like the annual FIRST Robotics Competition and the New York International Auto Show
  7. Ride the massive Ferris or face the giant T.rex at Toys R Us, the best of the interactive Times Square megastores
  8. Find more retail fun in the Disney Store, M&M's World or Hershey's Chocolate World
  9. Run around Hell's Kitchen Park, which has separates play areas for toddlers and big kids, plus a basketball court
  10. Explore all that Bryant Park has to offer, including the year-round Le Carrousel, the free summer and winter film series, the seasonal ice-skating rink and no-cost kids' events
  11. Avoid the overpriced and underwhelming chain restaurants and try local family-friendly Midtown West eateries
  12. Play Fruit Ninja, Skee-Ball and other old and new arcade classics at Dave & Buster's
  13. Or go bowling with the family at three neighborhood alleys: Frames, Lucky Strike or my personal local favorite, Bowlmor Times Square, which has swanky themed rooms and a great finger food menu
  14. Catch the hilarious Story Pirates' at the Drama Book Shop on Saturdays, where they do mini musicals based on kids' stories
  15. See a family film in old-fashioned style at the historic Ziegfeld Theater, which has Hollywood Golden Age memorabilia on display in the lobby
  16. Grab a snack and hang out at the spacious NY Waterways ferry terminal, and watch the boats come and go
  17. Or hop on a Circle Line Kids' Cruise, which includes a concert, face painting, balloon twisters and a ride to the Statue of Liberty and back
  18. Want to steer your own boat? Try free seasonal kayaking at Clinton Cove
  19. Or landlubbers can get all wet on solid ground during the summer at the Pier 84 water play area
  20. Explore a real aircraft carrier and space shuttle at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum—save on admission by using this discount code
  21. Ride the great glass elevators up to the eight-floor lobby in the New York Marriott Marquis, where you'll find a space-age lounge with a view and no-cost restrooms
  22. Enjoy free storytime and movies at the Columbus Library
  23. Sign up for kids' gymnastics classes at the brand-new Bounce and Flip Unfortunately this venue closed in May 2015
  24. Or join the local Kidville for a variety of preschool programs
  25. All ages get a chance to go onstage at the gut-busting Improv 4 Kids shows—if your kids like it, they can drop in to Saturday classes and learn the craft
  26. Head to Macy's for its annual spring Flower Show, amazing holiday windows and Kris Kringle's home away from home, Santaland
  27. Bring a picnic to the underused DeWitt Clinton Park, which features a playground, ball courts and a bathroom that's open year-round
  28. You don't need to wait until the Ninth Avenue International Food Festival to sample all of the diverse cuisines you'll find on the street
  29. See underground art in the Times Square subway station, including a colorful Roy Lichtenstein Pop Art mural
  30. Try one of the many family programs at the Museum of Modern Art, including free kids' movies on select Saturdays
  31. Get creative at a Museum of Arts and Design family day
  32. Pick up a few new tricks at Tannen's Magic and Fantasma Magic, which is also home to the no-cost Houdini Museum
  33. Wander the Garment District to pick up fabric, trimming, buttons and beads for your next big craft project
  34. See what's on display at Discovery Times Square—past kid-friendly exhibits include Harry Potter: The Exhibition and Spy: The Secret World of Espionage
  35. See plays written by neighborhood kids but performed by big-name pros at The 52nd Street Project
  36. Go behind the scenes at one of NYC's greatest architectural gems on the Radio City Music Hall Stage Door Tour
  37. Learn about fire safety and New York's Bravest at the FDNY Fire Zone
  38. Get spooked by the talking skulls and possibly the amount of your bill at the brand-new Jekyll & Hyde Restaurant and Bar
  39. Pose for a dramatic picture on the majestic steps of the landmarked James Farley Post Office
  40. Explore the shops at the Time Warner Center's high-end urban mall; around the holidays it hosts special events like the annual Winter's Eve

Read all of our posts about things to do with kids in Midtown West.

Places featured in this article:

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New Victory Theater
209 W 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036

TKTS Discount Booth
Father Duffy Square, Broadway and 47th Street, New York, NY 10036

Silver Towers Playground
42nd Street and Eleventh Avenue, New York, NY 10036

Circle Line Kids' Cruises
42nd Street and 12th Avenue, Pier 83 , New York, NY 10036

Midtown Comics
200 West 40th Street , New York, NY 10018

Jacob Javits Center
655 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001

Toys R Us
1530 Broadway, New York, NY 10036

Disney Store
1540 Broadway , New York, NY 10036

M&M's World
1600 Broadway , New York, NY 10036

Hershey's Chocolate World
48th Street and Broadway, New York, NY 10036

Hell's Kitchen Park
47th Street and Tenth Avenue, New York, NY 10036

Bryant Park
42nd Street and Sixth Avenue, New York, NY 10036

Dave & Buster's
234 W 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036

Frames
550 Ninth Avenue, New York, NY 10018

Lucky Strike
624-660 W 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036

Bowlmor Times Square
222 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036

Drama Book Shop
250 West 40th Street , New York, NY 10018

Ziegfeld
141 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019

NY Waterways Ferry Terminal
459 12th Avenue , Pier 79 , New York, NY 10018

Pier 84 in Hudson River Park
44th Street and 12th Avenue, New York, NY 10036

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
46th Street and 12th Avenue, Pier 86, New York, NY 10036

New York Marriott Marquis
1535 Broadway, New York, NY 10036

Columbus Library
742 Tenth Avenue, New York, NY 10019

Macy's
151 W 34th Street, New York, NY 10001

DeWitt Clinton Park
52nd Street and 11th Avenue, New York, NY 10019

Museum of Modern Art
11 W 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019

Museum of Arts & Design
2 Columbus Cirle, New York, NY 10019

Tannen's Magic
45 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001

Fantasma Magic
421 Seventh Ave‎nue, New York, NY 10001

Discovery Times Square
226 West 44th Street , New York, NY 10036

The 52nd Street Project
789 Tenth Avenue, New York, NY 10019

Radio City Music Hall
1260 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

FDNY Fire Zone
34 West 51st Street, New York, NY 10020

Clinton Cove Pier 96
55th Street and 12th Avenue, New York, NY 10019

Jekyll & Hyde Restaurant and Bar
216 West 44th Street, New York, NY 10036

James A. Farley Post Office
421 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10001

The Shops at Columbus Circle
10 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023

Broadway Comedy Club
318 West 53rd Street, Improv 4 Kids, New York, NY 10019
Best Of Lists Preschoolers Kids Tweens & teens Uptown New York City Midtown West

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