Author: local researcher

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

Learn more here.

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

Learn more here.

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″

Learn more here.

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

Learn more here.

F.A.O. Schwarz

Its mammoth size and unfaltering popularity have made FAO Schwarz a venerable city landmark. Yes, it can be a bit crowded and pricier than your average toy store, but this buzzing, blinking, whirring toy megalopolis is hardly average, and no trip to Manhattan with kids in tow is complete without it. If you trust your feet, you can play the Dance-On Piano, immortalized by Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia in the famous “Chopsticks” scene from the movie “Big.” Browse the world’s biggest and coolest collection of toys, ogle the giant stuffed animals, and check out the newest ride-on cars and scooters. After you’ve seen all you can handle, stop at the new ice cream bar downstairs to kick back and grab a treat.

Contact no: (212) 644-9400

Location: 767 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10153

Learn more here.

Build-A-Bear Workshop — New York City

Create your own teddy bear (or help your children make theirs) at the Build-A-Bear Workshop. Do they want their bears to be physicists? Olympic medalists? Ballerinas? They’ve got every conceivable accessory, and the customization ensures that kids get exactly the present they wanted and will treasure forever. Private rooms available for parties.

Contact no: (212) 871-7080

Location: 565 5th Avenue , New York, NY 10017

Learn more here.

Books of Wonder

There are dozens of bookstores in this city, each with their own area of expertise. Some specialize in cookbooks, some in biographies, and some in feudal Brazilian textiles. Since you have a child with you, you’re probably looking for children’s books. Books of Wonder is New York City’s largest and oldest independent children’s bookstore. They have a broad selection of rare and out-of-print books and an expert staff ready to help you find that one book you want to give your son. For any Emerald City-bound readers, be they your children or yourself, be sure to check out the incomparable “Oz” section, dedicated to all things along the yellow brick road, including Frank L. Baum’s volumes and all subsequent literature based on the same city.

Contact no: (800) 207-6968

Location: 18 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011

Learn more here.

Manhattan Carriage Co.

It’s probably the quintessential New York tourist activity, piling the family into the back of a horse carriage for a stroll through Central Park. However trite, it’s popular for a reason – the reason being the magic your children feel being drawn around by a gorgeous equine and marveling at the skating rink, carousel, ponds and statues that characterize Central Park as a whimsical respite from the rest of the city’s craziness. Rides vary in length, and you’ll need no reservation for the standard 20 minute tour. Just find the carriage parked at 59th Street and 5th Avenue, and hop in!

Contact no: (212) 664-1149

Location: 333 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019

Learn more here.

Kayaking in the East and Hudson Rivers

If you can’t get away to Nyack for the weekend but still want to do something outdoorsy with your older child, you can go kayaking in the bustling and challenging rivers that surround Manhattan. You know; the same gray waterways you never imagined you’d go anywhere near on purpose. Despite most people’s aversion to the city’s rivers, kayaking around Manhattan can be a super fun, physically invigorating afternoon. The most basic instruction is available to those who’ve never been near a ‘yak, and challenging classes and clinics are available to those who’ve rolled a few. Regardless of you and your child’s skill level, you’re sure to be paddling into good times.

Contact no: (212) 924-1788

Location: Pier 96 at 56th Street, New York, NY 10011

Learn more here.

Hudson River Park

This long, skinny park runs along the western edge of Manhattan from Midtown to Battery Park at the island’s southern tip. It’s a great parking for walking and bicycling along the waters of the Hudson River. The park features three wonderful play areas that kids will love. In the summer, all of the play areas have water features to keep kids cool – near Piers 51 and 84 and adjacent to the Chelsea Piers complex. Families can also take a quick kayaking trip on the Hudson for free, without reservations.

Contact no: (212) 627-2020

Location: 353 West Street, New York, NY 10014

Learn more here.