The Big Apple Circus

Since its 1976 debut in New York City’s Battery Park, the Big Apple Circus has become an entertainment tradition. At this circus, you and your kids can get up close to the energetic and hilarious show because every seat in the tent is less than 50 feet away from the ring. Spotlighting world-class performers juggling, bending and twisting as acrobats, and swinging in trapeze tricks, this circus has something for everyone. A surefire crowd pleaser, the Big Apple Circus creates lasting memories and lingering laughter for years to come. This nationally recognized nonprofit organization shares some of its funds with community outreach programs, including Clown Care, which places clowns-in-residence at 19 children’s hospitals across the country. The troupe is featured every year in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and pitches its tent twice a year in Lincoln Center. The Big Apple Circus is giving performances in several locations in the metropolitan area, before moving on to New England venues. Tickets available online and in advance.

Contact no: (212) 268-2500

Location: 505 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10018

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Roosevelt Island Tram

The Roosevelt Island Tram, 250 feet above the East River at its peak, carries 125 people in its cabin every 15 minutes. Originally built for commuters between the islands of Roosevelt and Manhattan, the tram now serves as a popular activity for sightseeing tourists less prone to vertigo. The spectacular views of midtown Manhattan and the Queensborough Bridge are incredible to even a veteran New Yorker, and the ride itself, suspended from cables over the water, is a memorable experience.

Contact no: (212) 832-4555

Location: 59th Street and Second Avenue, New York, NY 10022

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Empire State Building

As the saying goes, the view is always best from the top, and New York is no exception. As breathtaking as the skyline can be from popular vantage points like the Brooklyn side of the East River or the flight into JFK, there’s still no better place to marvel at New York’s skyscraping landscape than from the top of some its tallest buildings, namely, the Empire State and Rockefeller Center. Both spots have observation decks open to the public (for an admission price, of course), and offer stunning views from the 103rd and 70th floors, respectively. Rockefeller Center is also host to a battery of shops and eateries at its ground level, a safe plan B for anyone prone to vertigo.

Contact no: (212) 736-3100

Location: 350 Fifth Avenue at 34th Street, New York, NY 10118

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Chrysler Building

One of New York’s tallest and most interesting buildings, the Chrysler Building is a monument to the art-deco period in which it was built. There are no organized tours or exhibits, but the gleaming chrome lobby is open to tourists daily, making it a cool stop on a day of other sight seeing, and perfect fieldwork for a child with an Art History assignment.

Contact no: (212) 682-3070

Location: 405 Lexington Avenue at 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017

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Hudson River Park

Enjoy a relaxing 3-hour cruise around the city. You’ll go all the way around Manhattan and see it all: three rivers, seven bridges, five, over 25 world renowned landmarks and one magnificent close-up of the Statue of Liberty. Beverages, food and souvenirs are available on board.

Contact no: (212) 563-3200

Location: West 42nd Street on 12th Avenue, New York, NY 10036

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Scholastic Store

This big downtown bookstore focuses on educational material, but they carry a full range of children’s books. You can expect visits by characters from the more popular books such as Harry Potter, Clifford the Big Red Dog and even Captain Underpants as well as book readings and author signings.

Contact no: (212) 343-6166

Location: 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012

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Village Chess Shop

Experts say that learning chess is an ideal method for stimulating young minds. Kids learn valuable math and logic skills, not to mention fair play and sportsmanship, and who better to acquire such traits than from their wisest relative? (That’s you.) Village Chess Shop, with its classic storefront and gaggle of different chess sets, tables, and tournament gear is highly regarded as not only a shop but a veritable chess museum and Mecca. Aptly named by the New York Press as “The Best Place To Think In Public,” Village Chess will set you up with a fully stocked chess set, a board, a table, and two chairs for a dollar an hour. You’ll have to give the lessons yourself, so you might want to brush up on your openings beforehand.

Contact no: (212) 475-9580

Location: 230 Thompson Street, New York, NY 10012

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Kid Robot

This tiny Greenwich Village shop is crammed with the latest and greatest imported Japanese toys. Although the emphasis here is on selling toys to adult collectors rather than to kids who will actually play with them, they have a good variety of unique and strange toys that will captivate kids more so than any trip to the MoMA. Bunnies with moustaches, plants wearing suits and other oddities predominate, most of them from Japan, which seems to specialize in such things.

Contact no: (212) 966-6688

Location: 126 Prince Street, New York, NY 10012

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Toy Tokyo Retail Store

This Japanese toy emporium caters to adult collectors and children alike. Some of the pricier items, like the porcelain hand painted Simpsons figurines, are geared toward an older toy patron than your child, but if he loves Pokemon, Astroboy, Godzilla, The Simpsons, and robots in general, this is still an ideal place to visit. Their over the top inventory is unrivaled, they even have the wind-up “chattering teeth” toy, which we thought hadn’t been made since the ’70s. Although for some ungodly reason, they don’t offer the “Build Your Own Superhero” service anymore, there is still plenty to make up for it.

Contact no: (212) 673-5424

Location: 121 Second Avenue, Unit 2F, New York, NY 10003″

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The Strand

This legendary bookstore, just south of Union Square, is known for its “18 miles of books,” and not much else. You’ll find no latte stands or leather couches in this bare-bones book warehouse. Despite the lack of polish or flair, the children’s book section is the best in New York City, which is probably why it has been around for over 80 years and isn’t going anywhere. With bookcases stacked higher than those mattresses in the “Princess and the Pea,” you and your literate children can get lost for hours browsing everything from Harry Potter to more obscure titles like “The Linnet’s Tale” and “Night birds on Nantucket.” You’ll be back buying college textbooks together before you know it.

Contact no: (212) 473-1452

Location: 828 Broadway, New York, NY 10003

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