Top 20 Places to Take Kids in and around Queens
Every May and June, thousands of local parents, grandparents, and caregivers weigh in on their favorite local places to take kids. This page is where we showcase the 2023 list of winners for the Queens area.
Of course, there are literally hundreds of wonderful places to take your kids in our area, not just this year's winners! After you check out the list, make sure to find great things to do on our packed daily calendar, sign up for our free weekly e-newsletter, and visit our Everything That's Free page for lots more ideas.
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1. Queens Zoo
The Queens Zoo is part of an effort to save wildlife that began 120 years ago with the creation of the New York Zoological Society, an organization founded on science and hope which has since grown to become the Wildlife Conservation Society.
2. Queens Museum
The Queens Museum is dedicated to presenting high quality arts and educational programming for the people of New York, and particularly the residents of Queens, a uniquely diverse ethnic, cultural, and international community. The Museum’s work honors the history of our site and the diversity of our communities through a wide ranging and integrated program of exhibitions, educational initiatives, and public events.
3. Museum of the Moving Image
The only U.S. museum devoted to film, television, and digital media.
4. Queens Botanical Garden
Queens Botanical Garden (QBG) is an urban oasis where people, plants, and cultures are celebrated through inspiring gardens, innovative educational programs, and real-world applications of environmental stewardship. QBG is located on property owned by the City of New York, and its operation is made possible in part by public funds provided through the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Queens Borough President, the New York City Council, State elected officials, the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, along with corporate, foundation, and individual supporters.
5. My Local Library
Of course, the libraries in the Queens area are not really ONE place, but MANY places... but it's important to emphasize how valuable libraries are for family learning and fun. The libraries in our area are wonderful about posting their events to the KidsOutAndAbout calendar so you always can get ideas for free things to do with your kids that celebrate education and imagination. KidsOutAndAbout.com takes this opportunity to salute the wonderful children's librarians who serve our community with such dedication. They're proud that locals voted them to the list of best places to take kids this year!
6. New York Hall of Science
Located in Queens — America’s most diverse county — NYSCI is committed to creating a world where diversity unlocks innovation, and where people learn to use science, technology, engineering, and math to tackle complex 21st century challenges.
NYSCI is more than a world-class destination for learning and play. It is where exhibits inspire visitors, where young scientists get their start, where community members come to learn, and where critical STEM education research occurs.
7. Alley Pond Environmental Center
For over 50 years, we have strived to educate children and adults in the New York metropolitan area, protect and preserve Alley Pond Park, open spaces and waterbodies, and advocate for sustainable environmental policies and practices.
8. Socrates Sculpture Park
Socrates Sculpture Park presents contemporary art & community programming. We are a 5-acre NYC public park located on the East River waterfront of Long Island City & Astoria, Queens. Open every day from 9am-sunset, admission is always FREE.
9. Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge includes over 12,600 acres of water, saltmarshes, freshwater and brackish water ponds, upland fields and woods, and open bay and islands. It is one of the largest bird habitats in the northeastern United States and is a great place to observe the seasonal bird migration as well as resident species.
10. MoMA PS1
Artist-centered and community-driven, MoMA PS1 embraces boundary-breaking ideas and experimental practices. A place where audiences can encounter and engage with new art and perspectives, the institution has offered insight into artists’ worldviews for nearly 50 years. Driven by a commitment to realizing artists’ visions, our programs explore the ways in which creative expression can inspire connection.
11. Flushing Town Hall
The mission of Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts (FCCA) is to present multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens, New York and New York City, New York, in order to foster mutual appreciation. As advocates of arts equity since 1979, we support local, immigrant, national, and international artists, developing partnerships and collaborations that enhance our efforts. As a member of New York City’s Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), we serve as stewards of Flushing Town Hall, restoring, managing and programming the historic 1862 landmark on behalf of the City of New York. FCCA celebrates the history of Queens as the home of Jazz, by presenting the finest in Jazz performance. We are committed to arts education and hands-on learning, for the arts-curious, arts enthusiasts, and professional artists. We serve one of the most diverse communities in the world, and strive to uphold the legacy of inclusiveness that has defined our community since the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657
12. Flushing Meadows Corona Park
One of the city's most iconic parks, and the site of two twentieth century World's Fairs, Flushing Meadows Corona Park continues to draw and delight visitors. From historic walks, to scenic trails, to sports and activities, there's always something to do here. You can play soccer, baseball, tennis, volleyball, cricket and more; work out at our recreation center or our indoor pool; explore the park's lakes and trails by foot, bike, or kayak; or visit one of the park's many cultural and civic institutions. Spend your day in a park that has it all!
13. Noguchi Museum
Founded in 1985 by category-defying artist Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988), The Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum (now known as The Noguchi Museum), was the first museum in the United States to be established, designed, and installed by a living artist to show their own work. Located in Long Island City, Queens, the Museum itself is widely viewed as among the artist’s greatest achievements.
Holding the world’s largest collection of his works, it features open air and indoor galleries in a repurposed 1920s industrial building and a serene outdoor sculpture garden. Consistent with Noguchi’s interest in art being experiential, works are often displayed without barriers or interpretation to encourage visitors to form personal and introspective connections.
14. Welling Court Mural Project
This 11+ year community mural project has brought together founders of Graffiti and Street Art with early career, mid-career, and burgeoning young artists to help foster beauty of all life, peace, and support for all people of any race, belief, and/or sexual identity around the globe.
15. Fort Totten Park
A pristine stretch surrounding a preserved Civil War fortress, Fort Totten Park provides not only recreation and relaxation but a fascinating glimpse into New York’s past.
Year-round, New Yorkers flock to Fort Totten Park to enjoy its special events, natural wonders, and historic buildings. On hot summer days, swimmers can take a dip in the pool and sunbathe around its grassy edges, or take canoes out and paddle along the Long Island Sound. During the winter, bird enthusiasts congregate to watch migrating waterfowl rest before their long journey south. And exploring the fortress and its surrounding buildings remains a unique adventure during any season.
16. Skyline Cruises
For more than 25 years, Skyline Cruises has been hailed for its outstanding service and best overall value for NYC dinner cruises, NY yacht charters and New York Harbor party boat cruises. Between the many well-known organizations that regularly hold events on Skyline Cruises and an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, it’s easy to see why we are trusted with so many special event cruises for everything from birthdays and weddings to major corporate galas.
17. Gantry Plaza State Park
Gantry Plaza State Park is a 12-acre riverside oasis that boasts spectacular views of the midtown Manhattan skyline, including the Empire State Building and the United Nations. Enjoy a relaxing stroll along the park's four piers or through the park's manicured gardens and unique mist fountain. Along the way take a moment to admire the rugged beauty of the park's centerpieces - restored gantries. These industrial monuments were once used to load and unload rail car floats and barges; today they are striking reminders of our waterfront's past. With the city skyline as a backdrop and the gantries as a stage, the park's plaza is a wonderful place to enjoy a spring or summer concert. Recreational facilities include basketball courts, playgrounds, handball courts, and a fishing pier with its own cleaning table.
18. Museum of the Moving Image
The only U.S. museum devoted to film, television, and digital media.
19. Queens Historical Society
The Queens Historical Society (QHS) is the historical society for the largest borough in New York City and is dedicated to preserving the history of Queens through educational programs, exhibitions and its role as a local history research center.
20. Cinemart Cinemas
The Queens Historical Society gives the Cinemart the distinction of being the oldest continuously operated independent theatre in the borough. Built in 1925, Cinemart began life as a 1500 seat single screen showplace called Metropolis but soon renamed the Inwood. Cinemart is the last of a generation of independent neighborhood theatres. In the early sixties, a New York art exhibitor acquired the theatre and renamed it the Cinema Art with plans to use it as the Queens leg of his art cinema circuit that included the Cinema Village in lower Manhattan and the D. W. Griffith (now the 59th Street East) on the Upper East Side. The booking policy drifted into more studio fare and the theatre was converted into a twin theatre in the early seventies. Later on, the theatre whose name in the meantime had become shortened to Cinemart was expanded and completely renovated into five screens with Dolby Digital sound system, new projection equipment and seats. The latest addition is a cozy café lounge with a working fireplace where patrons can enjoy light meals and beverages while waiting for the movie to start.
