Hit one of the amazing beaches in NYC, by train, ferry, bike, or car. Photo by Sara Marentette
40 Things To Do in NYC Before School Starts
Task-tackling service Taskrabbit is able to take on tons of back-to-school projects you may not have even considered outsourcing.
25 Back-to-School Tasks You Didn't Know You Could Pay Someone Else to Do
Get a birds eye view of the skyline from the Edge observation deck at Hudson Yards. Plan a visit near sundown to watch the city lights come to life. Photo by Jody Mercier
3 Days in NYC with Kids: Ultimate Itinerary by a Local Mom
Kids' classes like art lessons can help your NYC child grow and develop
GUIDE
Guide to NYC Classes for Kids
Enjoy the spacious shore and freshwater at Fahenstock State Park's Lake Canopus. Photo courtesy of I Love the Hudson Valley
Best Swimming Lakes near NYC You Need to Discover
Dreamery uses only the best all-natural milk and cream from local New York State creameries.
Best Cold Treats in NYC for Kids: Ice Cream, Ice Pops, and More
The Brooklyn Museum is a premier art museum, with floors of treasures and outdoor art, too.
Brooklyn Museum Guide For Kids - Everything You Need to Know Before Your Family Visit
The splash pad in Domino Park puts a smile on faces young and old. Photo by Jody Mercier
25 Top Sprinkler Parks and Splash Pads in NYC for Kids
Frolic in the Fountain of the Fairs, one of our 100 favorite free things to do this summer in NYC.
100 Free Things To Do in NYC this Summer with Kids
GUIDE
Ultimate NYC Kids Summer Vacation Guide
The Pier 6 Waterlab has been one of our favorite NYC splash pads since it opened in 2010. Photo by Sara M
Play Fountains in NYC Where Kids Can Get Totally Soaked
We've launched a partnership with Care.com to bring background-checked nannies and sitters to the Mommy Poppins Directory.
Find Trusted Babysitters and Nannies Now on Mommy Poppins–Powered by Care.com
See the skyline from a whole new vantage point on the Roosevelt Island Tram. Photo courtesy of NYCGo
100 Things To Do in NYC With Kids Before They Grow Up
Enjoy the Summer of Spongebob, courtesy of Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana - and Mommy Poppins!
Your Ultimate Summer Starts with Our Nickelodeon Resort Giveaway, Deals, and Guide
Make a splash at Coney Island when you need to beat the heat in NYC. Photo by author
Heat Wave Hot List: 50 Cool Things To Do in NYC with Kids
Enjoy the popular Movies With a View series at Brooklyn Bridge Park in July and August. Photo by Etienne Frossard
Where to See Free Summer Movies in NYC for an Outdoor Movie Night
Noshing on a funnel cake on the Coney Island boardwalk is a sweet ending to an epic day of summer fun.
50 Things To Do This Summer in NYC: Summer Fun Guide
Coney Island's shores are easy to get to, and action packed from the rides to the waves. Photo courtesy of NYC Parks
Best NYC Beaches by Ferry or Train
See Isabella's flower-filled wonderland in real-life at the new Disney Encanto x CAMP experience at the Flatiron location.
Encanto's Casita Comes to Life at CAMP Fifth Avenue
GUIDE
Family Amusement Parks & Water Parks Guide
NYC school kids head back to school on Thursday, September 7, 2023, according to the newly released NYC public school calendar. Photo by Al De Ingeniis
2023-24 NYC Public School Calendar: New Holidays, Plus 2024 & 2025 Calendars
Climb on platforms dangling from ropes at Hester Street Playground. Photo by Jody Mercier
NYC's Best Playgrounds: 21 Parks Worthy of a Subway Schlep
Enjoy a wild visit to the Philadelphia Zoo during a weekend getaway to the City of Brotherly Love. Photo courtesy of the zoo
13 Family-Friendly Weekend Getaways near NYC
Summer camps help kids develop social skills and have fun
GUIDE
NYC Summer Camp Guide
Lola and Tots offers is a drop-in play as well as membership-based childcare with co-working benefits.
19 Top Indoor Play Spaces in New York City
The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk has 75 animal exhibits and is home to more than 7,000 animals. Photo courtesy of the aquarium
Best Aquariums to Visit from the NYC Metro Area with Kids
Eat on the rooftop at Fornino on Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 6. Photo by Lisa Seibold-Winder
Best Outdoor Dining in Brooklyn at Family-Friendly Restaurants
Registration is now open for the reasonably priced summer camps at YMCA locations in NYC.
Free and Cheap Summer Camps in NYC for Kids
GUIDE
Guide to Kids' Birthday Parties in NYC
Get a Broadway-caliber serenade during a birthday dinner at Ellen's Stardust Diner.
Best Fun Restaurants for Kids' Birthdays in NYC
The Brooklyn Children's Museum offers three floors of rotating and permanent interactive exhibits perfect for warding off the rainy day blues. Photo courtesy of BCM
Indoor Activities for Kids: 35 Things To Do in NYC on a Rainy Day
Feed a crowd with extra large, classic, New York-style pizza slices without breaking the bank. Photo by Jody Mercier
NYC on a Budget: Cheap Things To Do and Money Saving Tips for Families
Free activities for Kids in NYC include the Children's Museum of the Arts, which has pay-what-you-wish Thursdays from 4-6pm. Photo courtesy of the museum
GUIDE
Free Things To Do in NYC with Kids
These boredom-busting activities turn a stuck-at-home day into a lasting memory.
75 Indoor Activities for Kids on a Rainy Day
The Ausable Chasm has been described as the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks and it's one of our top 100 things to do in New York State with kids. Photo by Anna Fader
100 Things To Do in New York State with Kids Before They Grow Up
& Juliet turns Shakespeare's classic tale on its head with plenty of girl power. Photo courtesy of Matthew Murphy
Best Broadway Shows for Kids and Families
Discover the NYC-themed play space hidden inside the Toys
22 Free Indoor Places To Play in NYC
Photo courtesy of PLAY Greenpoint.
GUIDE
Indoor Play Spaces & Fun Zones in NYC
The Peninsula New York rolls out the red carpet for kids—and their grown ups!
Family-Friendly Hotels in New York City with Perks for Kids
Hunting down pop-up public art displays is one of our favorite free things to do in NYC. Zaq Landsberg's Reclining Liberty is on display in Morningside Park through April 2022.
100 Free Things To Do in NYC With Kids
The Met offers pay-what-you wish admission at all times to New Yorkers and kids always attend for free. Photo by Jody Mercier
Free Museums and Free Museum Days in NYC for Kids
No visit to NYC is complete without an up-close encounter with the Statue of Liberty. Photo by Jess Laird
Top Attractions in NYC: Best Things To See and Do With Kids
Teach 'em to tie during downtime.
65 Life Skills to Teach Kids at Every Age
Kids can while away hours of a day with a set of watercolors and a stack of new paper for painting.
Crafts for Kids: 100 Awesome Art Projects
Hester Street Playground. Photo by Jody Mercier
GUIDE
Playgrounds & Parks NYC Guide
Creating a baking soda volcano is a classic science experiment for kids. Photo by Sara Marentette Nighswander
67 Easy Science Experiments for Kids To Do at Home
Find the NYC neighborhood that fits your family.
GUIDE
Moving Guide: Top NYC Neighborhoods for Families
Take a hike with your little one on a family day trip from NYC.
GUIDE
Family Day Trips and Weekend Getaways for NYC Kids
GUIDE
News & Openings in NYC
GUIDE
Boredom Busters for Kids

Free Sledding and Hot Chocolate in NYC Parks Saturday, January 4, 2014

1/3/14 - By Anna Fader

It's official... an official snow day that is. On Saturday, January 4, the Parks Department is inviting New Yorkers to come out to a neighborhood park for some winter fun. White-capped hills around the city are open for sledding, snowman-making and more. And at five designated locations, the Parks Department will be handing out sleds and free hot chocolate while supplies last from 11am to 3pm.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Check out the snow fun and sledding locations in each of the five boroughs. In addition to sledding, activities include snowman-building and snow angel contests, friendly snowball fights, music and free hot chocolate. Arrive early if you want to borrow a sled or grab a cup of cocoa as they're first come, first served.

Bronx:
Crotona Park
Fulton Avenue and East 172nd Street

Brooklyn:
Prospect Park
Prospect Park West near the Tennis House

Manhattan:
Highbridge Park near the Field House. Sledding is by 174th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. Note: This is a new snow day location. In years past it was at Riverside Park at 103rd Street.

Queens:
Juniper Valley Park
78th Street and Juniper Boulevard North

Staten Island:
Clove Lakes Park
Martling and Slosson Avenues

For more sledding hills, read our roundup of the best sledding hills in New York City and find more seasonal activities in our Winter Fun Guide.

Places featured in this article:

About the Author

Anna Fader

Founder & CEO of Mommy Poppins
Anna was born in Park Slope, spent her early years in the West Village. By the time she graduated high school, she had lived in 4 of the 5 boroughs. Growing up in NYC in the '70s meant the streets were her playgrounds. Museums and avant garde music venues were the kid-friendly activities. And living downtown taught her the importance of creating community for families in NYC.

Now, raising her own two children in the city, she tries to create the same sense of magic and community she felt growing up, despite today's more commercialized version of kid-friendly New York.

She started Mommy Poppins in 2007 to share a more artsy, educational, uncommercial, community-oriented vision of raising kids in New York City. Today Mommy Poppins is relied on by millions of families as the authority on the best things to do with kids beyond New York City: from Boston to Philly, Los Angeles, Houston and travel guides for dozens more cities and destinations.

Recent Articles By Anna Fader:
Read more articles by Anna Fader.