Free in September: 51 Things To Do in NYC with Kids

Italian pride—and tasty eats—are on the menu at the annual Feast of San Gennaro, which takes over Little Italy in September. Photo by Jody Mercier
Italian pride—and tasty eats—are on the menu at the annual Feast of San Gennaro, which takes over Little Italy in September. Photo by Jody Mercier
8/29/23 - By Drew Kristofik

Back-to-school season can be expensive, but we've found more than 50 free things to do in NYC with kids this September. September in NYC serves up the last few bites of summer fun, with Labor Day weekend. This month also marks the kickoff of fall festivals around NYC with the West Side County Fair, the Rockaways' sweet NYC Honey Fest, Little Italy's San Gennaro, and the big book fest in Brooklyn.

The free family fun doesn't stop there: The Met is opening its brand new play space, Morningside Lights celebrates classic literature, and science geeks can Submerge on the west side.

Read on for more than 50 free things to do in New York City this September with kids, including events in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. Find more top events on our always-packed Family Activity Calendar.

As always, if an event piques your interest, click through to our listing for all the details, including addresses and times. And keep in mind: Really cool things to do with kids often book quickly, so register or buy your tickets ASAP.

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OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Places featured in this article:


Multiple locations around NYC

Hudson Yards Public Square and Gardens

Various Central Park playgrounds

Multiple locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn

Miller Theater at Columbia University

John Ericsson Middle School 126

National Parks - Multiple Locations

Rockaway Beach Boardwalk Roller Hockey Rink

Miller Theater at Columbia University

Brookfield Place New York

Central Park Hans Christian Andersen Statue

About the Author

Drew Kristofik

Drew Kristofik's early career editing teen magazines somehow morphed into a seven-year stint at MacNeil/Lehrer, followed by a very long sojourn at Nickelodeon/Viacom as Director of Content for Nick online and then Editor-in-Chief of ParentsConnect.com local. She was a founding member of the WebbyAward winning GoCityKids, has written for Family Fun Magazine, Vanity Fair, and New York, and her novel for middle schoolers, The Time Boat, is available on Amazon Kindle. She strives to keep the MommyPoppins New York Events calendar packed and accurate, and can be reached at events@mommypoppins.com.