What's Open Now in NYC For Kids

New Yorkers have ridden the roller coaster of the pandemic figuratively—and virtually—for nearly a year. Some of our favorite spots have closed and opened, only to close again. So, what's open now in NYC for kids? A lot, really.

We've done our best to pull together this list of family-friendly destinations in New York City that are open now. Our favorite parks and playgrounds, most of the city's top-notch kid-friendly museums, and destination-worthy tourist attractions, like the Statue of Liberty, have all reopened and are ready to welcome you and your brood—with safety top of mind.

So, read on for what's open now in NYC and bookmark this post, as we'll keep it up to date as we learn of new reopenings.

Please keep your family and others safe by always wearing a mask and maintaining an appropriate distance. If you arrive at a venue that appears too crowded, try using the “nearby” search feature on our Event Calendar to find something else to do. Keep in mind, reservations are required for many destinations, so plan your outings in advance, and be sure to click through to each venue for any updates to its policy. Some photos in this post were taken prior to the pandemic.

Family-Friendly Museums & Culture Spots Now Open in NYC

Visit the interactive artspace Artechouse in the Chelsea Market for the interactive light show Celestial through Sunday, February 21; Geometric Properties opens March 1.

Most museums have reopened with limited-capacity, and many are offering FREE or reduced admission hours.

Explore the Brooklyn Museum at 25 percent capacity and book tickets now for its upcoming KAWS: What Party exhibition.

Visit the American Museum of Natural History to see its interactive T. rex exhibition or temporary Nature of Color installation.

See the mind-bending Museum of Illusions in Chelsea.

Immerse yourself in kiddie culture at CMOM and the Brooklyn Children's Museum, which are both offering timed-entry play sessions to control capacity.

The New-York Historical Society was one of the first museums to reopen. Beyond the kid-friendly DiMenna Children's History Museum, you can also see its Oval Office replica and antique trains for a few more weeks.

Select New York Public Library locations are open for grab-and-go services, and its offers tons of FREE resources beyond book borrowing. The Brooklyn Public Libray and Queens Public Library are also offering book pickup services.

We barely knew the new MoMA before the pandemic forced it to close, but it's back!

Fotografsika, the photo-centric museum housed in a stunning landmark building on Park Avenue South, is open and welcoming visitors, though it's best for older kids.

Zoos, Gardens, and Aquariums Now Open in NYC

The WCS Zoos and New York Aquarium are all open. Visit the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and New York Aquarium, which are all requiring timed-entry tickets for entry.

The Staten Island Zoo is also open and requires advance tickets to visit.

The New York Botanical Garden is open and getting ready for a landmark installation of Yayoi Kusama's works, which opens in April.

Both the Queens Botanical Garden and Brooklyn Botanic Garden are open with generous, FREE, offseason admission policies.

The lesser-known—and equally enchanting—Snug Harbor, in Staten Island, and Wave Hill, in the Bronx, are both welcoming visitors.

 

Tourist Attractions Now Open in NYC

Times Square is hauntingly quiet without its slow-walking hoards of tourists, but you can visit the Disney Store, M&Ms World, Hersey's Chocolate World, or our new favorite sweet spot Krispy Kreme's 4,500-square-foot doughnut wonderland.

Lady Liberty shines bright in the harbor. Liberty Island, Ellis Island, and the newish State of Liberty Museum are all open and welcoming visitors, and the crowds are very light!

The city's sky-high observation decks have all reopened. You can take in stunning views from Edge at Hudson Yards, the newly renovated Empire State Building, the One World Observatory at the World Trade Center, and Rockefeller Center's Top of the Rock.

New York City Parks and Playgrounds Now Open

Bryant Park's Winter Village is open. Home to the city's only no-cost ice skating rink, there's plenty of fun to be had here. Many holiday shops have extended their season through March, and a slew of Kids Week activities are on tap for Midwinter Break.

All New York City parks and playgrounds are open. Find all our favorite spots to play in our Parks and Playgrounds Guide. A few favorite spots to highlight: These 18 time-tested top playground, 13 spots that boost mental skills during playtime, and 12 cool themed playgrounds.

Go off the beaten path at one of these 10 underrated NYC parks.

Explore some outer-borough gems like Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx, Socrates Sculpture Park in Queens, or The Greenbelt in Staten Island.

The Alley Pond Environmental Center is one of the only nature centers currently open and has a calendar full of in-person classes and workshops.

The High Line is open, offering a lovely above-the-fray walk, and reservations are required for weekend visits only.

Hit the ice at these family-friendly outdoor ice skating rinks.

Despite the pandemic, the Parks Department has been busy at work building plenty of new play spaces. Two recent openings to check out: Pier 26 in the Hudson River Park and the Pier 2 Uplands at Brooklyn Bridge Park. Spring will bring the seasonal opening of the Queens new mega splash pad in Flushing Meadows Corona Park and Little Island, the floating park that's one of our highly anticipated openings this year.

As long as the flakes are flying, hit the city's sledding hills or try your hand at cross-country skiing, yes, even in city limits.

Restaurants in NYC Now Open

Indoor dining makes its return right in time for Valentine's Day weekend, meaning many of our favorite family-friendly restaurants will be allowed to reopen.

Brooklyn's Industry City is home to tons of family-friendly destinations and the largest covered outdoor dining area in the city.

If dining in is a no-go, consider supporting your local eateries with NYC Restaurant Week to-gothrough Sunday, February 28.

Indoor Play Spaces and Fun Zones Now Open in NYC

Hit the lanes at a family-friendly bowling alley. Most are open and taking reservations.

Let kids get their wiggles out at Brooklyn's top play spaces or top play spaces open now citywide. You can book the whole space at these play spaces offering private playtime.

Enjoy some ooey-gooey playtime at Soho's Sloomoo Institute or the Museum of Ice Cream.

Explore the Instagram-friendly Color Factory.

Many of our favorite arts and crafts studios have reopened and offer limited-capacity classes or take-home kits.

Bookstores have reopened but may limit browsing time. Hit up one of these kid-friendly spotsor the new Powerhouse@IC.

Let kids climb the walls at one of these rock climbing gyms or the newly opened New York Ninja Academy.

If you've got an older gamer on your hands, consider a visit to VR World, where kids ages 9+ can immerse themselves in another dimension.

Princesses in training will love the princess playdates, tea parties, and more at Let's Dress Up.

In-Person Entertainment and Theaters Open Now

The Skyline Drive-in has capitalized on the extended indoor movie theater closure by operating its drive-in since summer. Walk-up friendly lounge chairs are available if you don't have a car.

Brooklyn's Puppetworks is playing Aladdin & the Wonderful Lamp through Sunday, March 28, and has more upcoming shows in the works.

Connecting With Kids Party Characters

If you’ve gotten some value out of today’s article, join Kids Party Characters on Facebook for daily updates with our best parenting tips, as well as the magic we bring to children’s parties.

And be sure to plan your next party at Kids Party Characters, where you’ll find over 250 of your child’s favorite characters, as well as party packages that include cotton candy, face painting, balloon twisting, magic shows, crafts for the kids and more!

KidsPartyCharacters.com

Bringing Children's Imagination to Life

 

100 Fun Things to do with Legos

100+ Fun Things To Do with Legos Legos are one of those toys that span ages and gender, offering hours of hands-on, creative building for kids and adults. There are dinosaurs, princesses, and plenty of other fun themed Lego sets. But if your kid keeps passing over the pile of Lego toys you've painfully collected to reach for the video game controller or tablet, we've come up with the ultimate resource of over 100 Lego ideas that are anything but boring. The best part is that you don’t need a huge collection of Lego bricks for most of these activities; just bring your imagination.And while planning your next vacation, consider a trip to Legoland Florida, which recently reopened, with your little Lego fanatic. A Duplo set plus kinetic sand is made for tots! Lego Activities for Toddlers & Preschoolers1. Practice color sorting by feeding these paper bag Lego monsters.2. Craft a Lego Duplo picture puzzle using your child’s school picture, a photo of your pet, family photo, or a printout of their favorite character.3. Teach patterns with Lego Duplos using these pattern card printables.4. Combine Lego bricks with kinetic sand for fun sensory play! 5. Mix Lego bricks and Jello for some fun sensory play for the little ones!6. Get kids moving with this Lego count and move game.7. Make this Lego Duplo ring toss game for a rainy afternoon activity.8. Practice fine motor skills by using eyedroppers and water to fill the small holes on top of the Lego Duplo bricks.9. This Lego Duplo mini golf activity is perfect for keeping little ones entertained on a rainy day. Make Lego boats for splashy play.Lego Water Play10. Keep the kids cool this summer with this ice excavation Lego activity.11. Construct your own Lego boat and see how many pennies it will hold before it sinks. 12. Set up your Duplo figurines or other Lego creations outside, then try to knock them over with water guns.13. Build and test Lego water dams with this simple STEM activity.14. This simple Lego water sensory bin is perfect for outdoor summer fun.15. Bring your bricks in the bathtub for some fun water play.16. Surprise the kids at bath time with these Lego bath bombs! Lego Sun Prints are the perfect craft for a summer day.Lego Crafts17. Make a paper bag puppet of Emmet from the Lego Movie.18. Craft capes for your minifigures out of duct tape.19. Create a Lego Star Wars clock with interchangeable minifigures.20. Fashion dresses for your Lego Friends using this template.21. Make toilet paper roll Lego Ninjago characters.22. Design a masterpiece using Lego bricks and stamp pads.23. Create a Lego sun catcher.24. Shape one-of-a-kind heads for your minifigures using oven bake clay.25. Build a Lego head out of popsicle sticks.26. Recycle old Play-Doh containers into Lego storage containers.27. Craft a Lego calm down jar for kids who need a little quiet time.28. Make Lego sun prints on a sunny day.29. Assemble a colorful Lego friendship bracelet to gift a friend.30. Make a DIY snow globe using Legos and a recycled jar.31. Transform empty food containers into DIY Lego storage.32. Switch out your favorite Lego minifigures on this DIY interchangeable hairclip.RELATED: Toys That Entertain Kids for Hours Lego volcanoLego STEM Activities33. Build a Lego balance scale and use it to compare various items around the house.34. Teach fractions using Lego bricks and flashcards.35. Use Lego bricks to solve these geometry riddles.36. Kids will be amazed by this Lego volcano science activity.37. Build and race Lego wind racers.38. Design your own Lego creation on graph paper then reconstruct it using Lego bricks.39. Build a Lego maze and then solve it using coding language.40. Little architects can build a treehouse out of Lego bricks.41. Help kids learn addition and subtraction with this Lego Duplo number line.42. Construct a bridge using your Lego bricks, then send some of your minifigures across to test its durability.43. Build a catapult using basic Lego bricks for some STEM-related fun.44. Assemble a moving Lego platform to teach kids about inertia.45. Construct ramps and slides out of Lego bricks and cardboard, then race your Lego vehicles to test which work best.46. Build the model house you've always dreamed of with a pool and all.47. Use Lego molds to create a fun fizzing science experiment.48. Design and race Lego balloon cars.49. Create a birdhouse out of Lego bricks.50. Build an adventure park for your minifigures complete with a Lego zip line. Sight words on Duplo? Yep, homeschool complete for the day.Reading & Writing Using Lego Bricks51. Use your Lego creations as creative writing practice.52. Practice building sentences with Lego Duplo bricks. 53. Encourage nightly reading with this Lego-inspired reading tracker.54. Build your name out of Lego bricks.55. Make your own Alphabet Lego set out of Duplo blocks and use it to practice letter recognition and sequencing.56. Use Lego bricks to create a secret code.57. Construct a scene from your favorite book using your Lego collection.58. Practice ABC’s with these printable Lego Duplo Alphabet mats.59. Combine Duplo bricks and stickers to create a rhyming match game. Come Christmas, Lego toys can even shelter a naughty Elf on a Shelf.Lego Gifts & Holiday Ideas60. Make Dad a Lego keepsake filled with memories “built” with him!61. Make Mom a DIY Lego vase and add a beautiful bouquet.62. Gift your Lego fanatic with a Lego I Spy book.63. Decorate the Christmas tree with DIY Lego ornaments.64. Gifting a new Lego set? Make Lego stamped gift wrap to wrap it!65. Here’s a new twist on the classic gingerbread house: make one out of Lego bricks and playdough!66. Let your Elf on the Shelf get in on the Lego fun! Our elf built a house complete with Christmas lights out of Duplo bricks. 67. Keep the kids entertained over the holiday season with this printable Lego Advent calendar.68. Instead of carving pumpkins for Halloween this year, build Lego pumpkin lanterns instead.69. Design and build your own Lego Easter eggs.70. Grab a flat photo frame and glue Lego toys around it for a personalized touch. Add a photo to make a unique gift for a loved one.Decorating with Lego Bricks71. Build a colorful Lego crayon caddy. 72. Add Lego bricks to the soap or hand sanitizer dispenser (great for a Lego birthday party or Lego themed bathroom).73. This DIY Lego house night light is perfect to decorate a kid’s room.74. Create one a kind bookends using your collection of Lego toys.75. Decorate the fridge with these Lego magnets.76. Wow the kids with their own Lego wall in their bedroom or playroom. | A Lego card holder keeps your hand hidden.Other Fun Lego Activities77. Construct famous landmarks from around the world using these Lego challenge cards.78. Plan a full month of Lego challenges with this 30 Days of Lego Play calendar.79. Make a Lego tic-tac-toe game (great idea to keep in the diaper bag to keep younger kids entertained while out and about).80. Build a Lego Hexbug maze.81. Fortnite fans will love this DIY Lego Fortnite Medkit.82. Design your own fidget spinner out of Lego bricks.83. Make a fairy garden to take your Lego minifigures outdoors for an adventure.84. Talk about emotions with kids using their favorite minifigures’ facial expressions. They can even draw their emotions on Lego faces using this template.85. Create a self-portrait using a Lego baseplate and bricks.86. This Lego air hockey table or this Lego foosball table would make a great addition to a game room.87. Combine your child’s love for Lego and Nerf with a spinning Lego Nerf target.88. Assemble a Lego card holder for a game of Uno or Go Fish.89. Pretend you’re at Hogwarts with these Harry Potter Lego challenge cards.90. Jam out to your favorite songs with this DIY Lego phone speaker.91. Amaze family and friends with these Lego Duplo magic tricks.92. Perform a shadow play using this DIY Duplo shadow theater.93. Construct your own Lego Duplo bowling pins.94. Enjoy a screen-free road trip with this DIY travel Lego kit.95. Watch your favorite Lego-themed movie and try to rebuild a scene.96. Do you have a collection of extra tiny pieces leftover from Lego sets? I know our house does! Use them to build mini Lego robots.97. Recycle old pool noodles while creating a Lego Duplo marble run.98. Photograph your favorite minifigure taking on adventures around the house.99. Build a Lego island, then pick one of these disaster cards (or make up your own) and fix the problem presented on the card.100. Make a Lego town using a giant cardboard box.101. Take the kids on a Lego scavenger hunt to find minifigures.102. Try building with a blindfold on for 5 minutes to see what creations you come up with. Connecting With Kids Party Characters If you’ve gotten some value out of today’s article, join Kids Party Characters on Facebook for daily updates with our best parenting tips, as well as the magic we bring to children’s parties. And be sure to plan your next party at KidsPartyCharacters.com, where you’ll find over 250 of your child’s favorite characters, as well as party packages that include cotton candy, face painting, balloon twisting, magic shows, crafts for the kids and more!

 

5 Strategies to Keep Your Business Strong Through the Holidays

 

There’s no fighting it at this point. The Halloween 70% off items are long gone and the shelves are overflowing with holiday candy, gifts, and decorations. The tree lots are being stocked and the stores are fully adorned in red and green, with Santa Claus cutouts to greet you at the door.

Even if you’re Nordstrom, which has a long-standing policy of not decorating for Christmas until after Black Friday, you can’t deny that the world is awash in Christmas spirit. 

What this means for most solo or small businesses is that it’s time to wind down the year, take a break, and start planning for how you’re going to come on bigger and better next year.

But slowing down for 6-8 weeks during the holiday season is a mistake for a couple of reasons. 

First, for most of us, this is the time of year we’re spending more money than usual. So it hardly makes sense to bring in less money when you’re out spending more.

Second, chances are you have little to no competition from now until the end of the year, so why not take advantage of that and be one of the few businesses that is reaching out to people?

Of course there’s a reason people take time off right now, especially parents. We want to spend more time with friends and family. More time shopping and baking and addressing cards. More time listening to Christmas music, relaxing, and contemplating New Year Resolutions.

The nice thing is, with just a little extra effort on your part, you can make December your best business month of the whole year. It won’t require 40 hour work weeks and pulling all nighters to fit everything in.

Just a few well-planned strategies will allow you to take the time off you want, as well as grow your business. Here are five simple strategies you can start implementing before you put the Thanksgiving turkey in the oven.

1. Send a Personal Greeting

Don’t bother with the stock Christmas cards that come with some generic, impossible-to-offend greeting and your signature conveniently pre-printed on them. 

They may go on the mantel with the other cards, but they’ll be quickly discarded on January 1, without having made any real impact.

Take the time now to send a more personal greeting. Depending on your client and prospect base, it may not be realistic to send a handwritten message to everyone, but concentrate at least on your most valuable clients.

This is a great time to thank and re-engage former customers, and to get to the top of mind with your hottest potential clients. 

Choose a card that looks unique, if possible. Most businesses will send a green card with “Seasons Greetings” written in gold on the outside, and “Wishing you joy throughout the holidays” on the inside. These are boring and scream, “I’m trying to be spiritually-correct and non-offensive to all.”

You have to decide here. If you love Santa and celebrate Christmas, does it matter to you if you send  a card that represents this and two or three people blacklist you because they’re offended?

But if you’ll go with something that represents your personality, doesn’t look like it’s one of 5000 identical cards that was sent to all your customers, and contains a non-generic handwritten line or two, you’ll find the recipients especially responsive to your other holiday marketing efforts we’re about to go through.

2. Offer a Discount on Advance Purchases

You don’t want to spend your holidays working, and your customers may not need or have time for your services over the holidays. 

Come up with a solution that works well for both of you. 

Offer a discount if they buy now, receive a voucher for future services, and can redeem that voucher any time throughout the coming year.

Yes, they can wait until they’re ready for you in 2019. But if they do, they’ll pay 20% more. You get the money coming in now, they get the discount on something they’ll need later. (Just remember to budget and plan for the fact that you’ll be providing the service later without the money coming in!)

3. Put Together a Personal Holiday Video

No matter what your religious beliefs are, the holidays are the perfect time to get personal. People crave a feel-good, human story around this time.  

And there’s no better way to connect personally than through video.

It doesn’t have to be professionally done, and thinking that it does is what will keep 99% of your competition from doing it. 

In fact, it’s better if it’s not perfect, that’s what makes it personal.

Consider a behind the scenes video of how you manage your business (which can be quite funny for moms!), a story about your family’s holiday traditions, or even a sneak peek at how you plan to serve your customers in bigger and better ways in 2019.

No, you don’t have to be in it, but if you’ll get over yourself for just a minute and at least make a little personal appearance, your audience is bound to love it as much as you hate it.

Post the video on social media and send it to your email list. Send it personally to those you really want to reach.

4. Plan Your Social Media

Rather than just disappearing, or posting some random obligatory pictures of the school play, your fresh-cut tree, and your best attempts holiday baking, keep your business hat on by creating content now to either post manually or, better yet, load into Buffer (or the service of your choice) for automatic posting while you shop, bake, and wrap.

Yes, it will take some extra time now, but it will be so worth it. 

Remember, people are likely spending a little extra time on social media sharing pictures and stories. If they see you out there joining in the fun, they’ll remember you, and their know/like/trust for you will grow.

Make sure you set aside a few minutes to respond to comments, and engage, but that’s the easy stuff compared to content creation.

Also, pay special attention to Pinterest. Everyone goes there for some type of holiday inspiration.

5. Open Some Time on Your Calendar

Yes, we’ve already decided you don’t really want to work over the holidays, but could you do just 5-6 hours a week those last two weeks in December?

Sure you could if it meant going into the New Year with no Christmas debt!

Open up your calendar for new client calls or consults or whatever is relevant to getting you business. Maybe it’s just a check-in session, or a jumpstart to 2019 where you brainstorm the New Year and how you can help your prospect be more successful.

The point is, you’re going to be the only one talking to your client or potential client during this time. And a lot of people have some extra time off around the holidays, a lot are planning for 2019 right now. It’s the perfect time to establish you as the one who’s going to help with whatever product or service you provide.

If nothing else, it’s going to make you memorable, which is half the battle in business.

Planning is the Key to Profitable, Stress-Free Holidays

You wouldn’t sit down on Wednesday night and start meal planning and making your grocery list if you were serving Thanksgiving dinner for 20 the next day.

Don’t take a “fly by the seat of your pants” approach to your marketing either and December can be your best month ever, and can set you up for an easy flood of business after the New Year.

It’s easier to connect over the holidays because most people aren’t, and when you’re getting personal, a little bit goes a long way. You don’t need a complicated marketing funnel to make a significant impression.

Take an hour to think about your unique business and your unique story. These five ideas will get you started, but what personal, yet simple, ways can you come up with to keep your business strong over the holidays without sacrificing your holiday cheer?

As you hopefully know by now, if you want mentoring for your entrepreneurial journey, Kids Party Characters owner Cheryl Jacobs may be able to help.

Cheryl started out as a single mom needing to feed two small kids, and has now had a hand in starting 10 different businesses. 

To help cut out the learning curve and meet the time constraints most moms have, Cheryl has created a unique opportunity that allows you to have your own Kids Party Characters business, complete with all the resources Cheryl used to grow her business to six figures.

In addition to an exclusive territory in which to book parties and the right to use our 250-plus costumes, you’ll also get step-by-step training from Cheryl on how to set your business up for quick profits.

Book a free, no-pressure chat with Cheryl right here and she’ll answer all your questions and get you on the right path.

Learn more about the joy we bring to children’s parties by connecting with Kids Party Characters on Facebook for daily updates, including our best tips for building a successful business while raising happy and healthy kids.

 

10 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Veterans Day

The United States has been observing Veterans Day in some form since Germany signed an armistice with the Allies during the First World War on November 11, 1918. Now that it’s a federal holiday, many schools are out and it’s a welcome break between Halloween and Thanksgiving.
But what does it mean to “observe” a holiday when they’re becoming more synchronous with sales than symbolism? This year, honor our veterans by engaging in one of these ten activities to teach your kids about Veterans Day.
10 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Veterans Day

Attend a parade. Find a local parade in your newspaper or online. Make it a point to meet some of the veterans afterward and let your children interact with them. Encourage your kids to be reporters for the day and have them interview veterans if they’d like to share their story. Find an interested veteran and set up a time for your children to participate in the Veterans History Project. Led by the Library of Congress in conjunction with the AARP, this incredible initiative is capturing countless veterans’ personal accounts through crowdsourcing the interviews.
Give thanks. Have your children draw a picture or write a thank you note to give to a veteran. This simple gesture lets our veterans know that their service is not forgotten and still appreciated. If you don’t know a veteran, use Operation Gratitude to deliver the message.
Donate. Rather than just writing a check (which is also a great option), have your children research a veterans organization to donate to, and then have them raise the money to do so. Help your little ones with a coffee or hot cocoa stand or help them bake goods for a bake sale. Or, in lieu of money, donate time. Have kids rake leaves of a neighboring veteran, shovel a walk way or do a random act of kindness.
Raise the flag. Our favorite tradition is to line the park near our house with flags and talk about the history of the day. Whether you decorate your neighborhood, walkway or just fly one in your yard, talk to your kids about what the colors mean and why it’s so important to respect those who have fought and continue to fight to defend them.
Clean your house. Have your children go through their toys and clothes, and donate gently used items to your local Disabled American Veteran’s (DAV) chapter.
Invite a Veteran. Have a veteran over for coffee, invite him or her to an outing with your family, or volunteer to bring him or her dinner one night. Have the kids design and deliver the invitation. If you’re serving a meal, let your children help you prepare it, and have them play waitstaff.
Make poppies. While these signature flowers, made famous by the poem “In Flanders Field,” are often associated with Memorial Day, a bouquet of these beauties of remembrance would brighten any hospital room. Call your local VA medical facility to see what your family can do to cheer up patients.
Sing a song. Teach your kids the words to the national anthem or “God Bless America.” If they’re feeling really ambitious, take them to a local VA facility to perform.
Color. Print off Veterans Day coloring pages. Have your budding artists color a picture and give it to a Veteran as a thank you.
Rally your community. For your community organizer, help him or her establish a “Kids Thank a Vet” (KTAV) Chapter in your area. Participating children think of ways to say thank you, from volunteering to writing poems.
Whether your children commit to transcribing a veteran’s history or taking toys to the DAV, this year help them do more than just observe the holiday; help them honor it.

Happy Veterans Day

Despite is sad underpinnings, Veterans Day is a time for celebration and appreciation of life and country, not for mourning death. 

At KidsPartyCharacters.com, owner Cheryl Jacobs and all the team wish you and your family a safe and happy Veterans Day, and we can’t wait to see you at your child’s next party!

Make sure you join us on Facebook to keep up with all that’s going on at KidsPartyCharacters.com.

Cheryl Jacobs Interview with Jeremy Deighan on Online Courses

Do you dream of owning your own online business or sell your own online courses? Check out this interview between 2 top experts in the field. Learn tips on how you too can become successful online. For more tips & to connect with these 2 speakers join the free facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/BuildYourOwnOnlineBusiness

Pumpkin Patches, Hayrides, and Harvest Fests Right Here in NYC

Masks are cool during Boo at the Zoo! 

Pumpkin Patches, Hayrides, and Harvest Fests Right Here in NYC 

If you think you need to head out of the city for an authentic fall harvest experience, we've got good news: You can pick the perfect pumpkin, go on a hayride, meet farm animals, and even get lost in a massive corn maze right here in NYC. And, though most festivals are on hold for now, there's still plenty of outdoor seasonal fun to enjoy.

So head out to these local fall festive happenings, all located within the five boroughs. Looking for more fall fun? Check out our NYC Fall Fun Guide for the best of the season.

Your little city slickers know their way around the streets, but can they navigate the Amazing Maize Maze? 

NYC's Only Corn Maze: The Amazing Maize Maze – Glen Oaks, Queens

Fridays and Saturdays beginning Friday, September 18; Friday, Saturdays, and Sundays from Friday, October 2-Friday, October 30; Maze is also open on Columbus Day, Monday, October 12
You need a lot of room for a good corn maze, so it's no surprise that NYC's only one is located on the grounds of the Queens County Farm Museum. Since the maze changes every year, tackling it has become a tradition for my family. Before you embark on your adventure, staff members explain how to find hidden clues and solve puzzles that help you successfully navigate to the exit. If you've got older kids who enjoy a challenge, try doing it by flashlight: The corn maze stays open until 9:30pm (with two staggered entries at 5:30pm and 7:30pm) on October 3 and 24. Timed-entry tickets are required and available for advance purchase only.

Pick a pumpkin at Decker Farms on Staten Island. Photo courtesy of Historic Richmond Town

Pumpkin Patches in New York City

Decker Farm Pumpkin Picking Weekends – Richmond, Staten Island

Weekends October 3 through October 31
This 19th-century farm is part of the Historic Richmond Town's living history museum. Pumpkins are set out in a field for kids to "pick." There's also a hayride and small hay maze. There are plenty of fall photo ops, foods to sample, and vendors peddling their wares. If you visit during Old Home Day on Sunday, October 18, you can also see costumed artisans performing old-school trades such as stone carving and tinsmithing. Timed-entry tickets are required for entry and can be purchased in advance beginning Friday, September 18 online. Masks and social distancing are required, and hand-washing and sanitizing stations are available.

Pumpkin Patch – Glen Oaks, Queens

Weekends October 3 through October 25, plus Columbus Day
You might come for the Amazing Maize Maze, but it will be hard to leave without a pumpkin! Admission to the Queens County Farm Museum is FREE; pumpkin prices vary. Like Decker Farm, children are "picking" pumpkins lying on a lawn, but it's a fun experience for little kids, and there are lots of other farm attractions. Beware: You'll pay by the pound for your gourd, so choose wisely!

While pumpkin patches are slim pickings as of this writing, we're working to confirm whether other annual favorites like those at the Queens Botanical Garden or Governors Island's Pumpkin Point return in 2020 and will update this post as new information is available.

Carnegie Diner Pumpkin Patch – Midtown West

Daily through Saturday, October 31
A pumpkin patch in Midtown Manhattan might sound too good to be true, but the Carnegie Diner is drumming up business with its adorable street-side installation. Stop by for a photo op; if you find a gourd worty of your carving skills, they're all available for purchase. Enjoy some outdoor dining of classic diner treats while you're there.

Pumpkin Day — Greenpoint Brooklyn

Saturday, October 18
Community organization Town Square hosts this day of outdoor Halloween fun on the Brooklyn waterfront. Visit the pumpkin patch to pluck a perfect pumpkin, then head over to the craft table to decorate it with paint, glitter, and colorful ribbons. 

Vale Park Pumpkin Patch – Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Sunday, October 18 and Sunday, October 25
The trendy William Vale Hotel transforms Vale Park into a family-friendly pumpkin patch for two October weekends. Pluck your perfect pumpkin from the patch, then hit the craft tables to transform it into a table-worthy decoration. Scarecrow-making and seasonal drinks for sipping add to the fun.

The Queens County Farm Museum is the place to be for fall-themed fun in city limits. 

NYC Fall Harvest Festivals

So far, these fall fests are confirmed, but we'll keep an eye out for more. Be sure to click through to the listings and confirm the final details before you head out.

September Sundays – Glen Oaks, Queens

Sundays, September 13, 20, and 27
Enjoy some fall fun on select Sundays at the Queens County Farm Museum, which features audience crop circles, hayrides, and the New Orleans-inspired bluegrass band Mama Juke. While you're there, hit the farm's Amazing Maize Maze. You can enjoy a homemade brew from the beer garden or peruse local food vendors. Plus, don't forget to grab some freshly harvested items from the farm stand on your way home.

Annual Harvest Festival – Upper East Side

Saturday, October 17
Choose and decorate your own pumpkin from the patch on the Mayor's Lawn. Kids can also try their hand at making Halloween slime and take a stroll through the Spooky Trail. There will be no timed tickets for this event, and all activities are first come, first served.

Step back in time at Old Home Day at Historic Richmond Town. Photo courtesy of Historic Richmond Town

Old Home Day – Richmond, Staten Island

Sunday, October 18
Watch costumed artisans reenacting 18th and 19th-century trades. They'll be pressing cider, making candles and lace, embroidering and quilting, stone carving, and tinsmithing at Historic Richmond Town. Afterward, hit Decker Farm's pumpkin patch to pick your pumpkin, let kids get lost in the hay bale maze, and hitch a hayride.​​

Trick or treat your way through the Boo at the Zoo. Photo by Julie Larsen Maher

Boo at the Zoo – Bronx Park, the Bronx

Thursdays-Sundays, October 1-November 1, plus Monday, October 12
While not a harvest fest, per se, Boo at the Zoo is an annual not-to-be-missed fall fun fest, so we're including it here. Not only can you get up close with the animals of the newly-reopened Bronx Zoo, but you can pepper your visit with seasonal fun. See a magic show, traverse the candy trail to collect treats, see cool jack-o-lanterns on the pumpkin trails, watch pumpkin-carving demos, and embark on a scavenger hunt to find all the masked animals who call the zoo home.

Connecting With Kids Party Characters

If you’ve gotten some value out of today’s article, join Kids Party Characters on Facebook for daily updates with our best parenting tips, as well as the magic we bring to children’s parties.

And be sure to plan your next party at KidsPartyCharacters.com, where you’ll find over 250 of your child’s favorite characters, as well as party packages that include cotton candy, face painting, balloon twisting, magic shows, crafts for the kids and more!

 

Trees festooned with pumpkins are among the attractions at Skylands Stadium's Jack-o'-Lantern Experience. Photo courtesy of Skylands Stadium

Drive-Thru Halloween Attractions in the Tri-State Area For Safe 2020 Thrills

With Halloween on the horizon, we’re all trying to figure out how to find some safe, spooky family-friendly fun this season. Thankfully, the holiday isn't canceled, and many of our favorite annual attractions have gotten creative, pivoting to offer drive-thru Halloween attractions. Ranging from sweet to spooky, visiting one of these haunts makes for an out of the ordinary celebration.

So, don your costume and hop in the car to visit one of these drive-thru or drive-in Halloween attractions in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. We've even got the details on a preschool-friendly pick in Pennsylvania. There are plenty of options for ghosts and goblins big and little, from drive-thru jack-o'-lantern displays to haunted houses and horror movies. 

Use your outing as inspiration to plan an at-home Halloween party complete with fun games and spooky snacks, and find more safe Halloween ideas in our Guide to Halloween Family Fun at Home.

Drive-Thru Halloween Attractions in New York

Drive through the Horseman’s Trail—if you dare—and try to spot the Headless Horseman.

The Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Mansion – Ulster Park

Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Saturday, October 31
Ages 13+ for the Haunted night time attraction; children's day is all-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Visitors are invited to drive through the haunted Horseman’s Trail. Walkthrough attractions, like a haunted corn maze and a haunted house, are also located on the premises and observe COVID-safety precautions. The Headless Horseman also hosts Children’s Days with a daytime drive-thru fun and visits from family-friendly characters.

Woodbury Commons Drive-In Experience – Woodbury

Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from Friday, October 16-Sunday, November 1
Age appropriateness varies by film
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Woodbury Commons Premium Outlets hosts a drive-in Halloween experience during October weekends. Each weekend has a theme, including The Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice, and Casper. The nightly fun includes Broadway-style musical performances, stand-up comedy, trivia, raffles, treats, and (of course!) showings of the classic Halloween flicks.

The Forgotten Road at Gateway’s Haunted Playhouse – Yaphank

Fridays and Saturdays through Saturday, October 31
Ages 13+
Purchase tickets in advance online.
This year, Gateway’s Haunted Playhouse hosts The Forgotten Road, a drive-thru attraction at Southaven Park. The 1.5-mile journey invites guests to solve a haunting mystery as you're immersed in the chilling details of a 40-year-old "cold case." If you don't solve it by attraction's end, you might find yourself haunted long past your visit.

Halloween at thePark – Jamesville

Nightly through Saturday, October 31
All-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Halloween At The Park is more sweet than spooky and invites families to drive down a 1-mile path to see festive Halloween-themed displays along the spooky trail. Attractions include the witch’s shoe house, the ghost’s barnyard, skeleton graveyard, and the spider forest.

Halloween Drive-Thru at Stew’s – East Meadow

Daily through Saturday, October 31
Ages 10 and younger
Families are invited to Stew Leonard's for a drive-thru Halloween celebration. Cars follow a path through more than a dozen family-friendly Halloween-themed scenes featuring inflatable characters. It's all conveniently located in the parking lot just steps from Stew’s pumpkin patch. Customers can also tune their car’s radio to the right station to catch Clover the Cow’s spooky Halloween soundtrack. This Halloween attraction isn't limited to the East Meadow location. Stew Leonard's is hosting similar drive-thrus at its Norwalk, Connecticut, and Paramus, New Jersey, locations, too.

Halloween Drive-In Event at Bach to Rock Music School – Nanuet

Saturday, October 31
All-ages
Bach to Rock Music School hosts this safe, socially distant, fun Halloween celebration. Enjoy an outdoor drive-in event featuring live music, DJs, trunk-or-treating, a prize wheel, and more. Student bands and solo artists perform in the parking lot. An RSVP is required to ensure social distancing measures are followed. Space is extremely limited to 10 cars per time slot, so RSVP as soon as possible to guarantee attendance.

Dracula’s Drive-Thru Kids Farm Tour– Baiting Hollow

Saturday, October 31
All-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Drive through Dracula's Farm, aka the North Shore Horse Rescue, to see Halloween-themed horses and decorated paddocks from the safety of your car. Each vehicle receives a Halloween candy basket. Space is limited, and reservations are required.

Double Dare Drive-In – Rhinebeck

Fridays and Saturdays through Saturday, October 31
Ages 7+
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Classic, black-and-white Halloween thrillers are shown every weekend in October as part of The Center for the Performing Arts double-feature drive-in series. Films are presented on a 40-foot screen on the Great Lawn. On Halloween, guests receive a goody bag.

Spooky Walk's Haunted Drive-Thru – Center Moriches

Friday, October 16-Saturday, October 17 and Friday, October 23-Saturday, October 24
Ages 6+
Purchase tickets in advance online.
An annual fundraiser for special needs Camp Paquatuck, Spooky Walk has pivoted to offer a drive-thru in 2020. Haunted exhibits range from the Living Hell Hospital to a spooky dance club, and an Alice in Wonderland scene more befitting a nightmare than a fantasy. All that said, the frights are generally on the mild side, making this haunt more kid-friendly than others.

Drive-Thru Halloween Attractions in New Jersey

Brite Nites at the Wagner Arboretum brings the grounds to life with the glow of jack-o'-lanterns.

Wagner Farm Arboretum Brite Nites Drive-Thru – Warren

Wednesdays through Sundays through Sunday, November 1
All-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Wagner Farm Arboretum's popular Brite Nite attraction returns for a ninth season, in drive-thru form for 2020. The family-focused Halloween-themed Brite Nites showcases an elaborate display of intricate, creative hand-carved, and lit pumpkins, which pay homage to first responders. Drive through the Pumpkin Path to view the many different displays meant to delight old and young alike and see the complex pumpkin sculptures that take volunteers months to carve.

Skylands Stadium's Jack-o'-Lantern Experience & Fall Festival – Augusta

Daily through Sunday, November 1
All-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Take a drive through Skylands Stadium, decorated with more than 5,000 jack-o'-lanterns throughout the stadium, property, and surrounding cornfields. You'll see a wide variety of pumpkin creations ranging from tiny creatures—gremlins!—to gigantic dragons, and popular comic book and Disney princess characters. After the drive-thru, visit the Outdoor Fall Festival, with rides, games, and food.

D&R Greenway Land Trust Masquerade Parade – Princeton

Saturday, October 31
All-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Celebrate Halloween safely from your own vehicle in this festive car parade. You'll decorate your car and then navigate the parade route, passing by themed floats positioned along the bucolic farm road on St. Michaels Farm Preserve. Goody bags filled with nature-inspired surprises are doled out to participants. The parade is limited to 300 cars, and you must preregister.

Bloodshed Farms: The Last Drive – Columbus

Friday, Saturdays, and select Sundays through Saturday, October 31
All-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online. 
Theatrical sets and live actors transport you from the comfort of your car to Bloodshed Farms in this haunted attraction. If you want a real scare, consider upgrading to the gory VIP package where actors and their props prod your car along the route, dousing it in fake blood, water, soap, and (of course!) ectoplasmic goo. Organizers say the attraction is all-ages, but we're more included to recommend it for ages 10+.

Drive-Thru Halloween Attractions in Connecticut

Take a ride around the popular and non-scary Pumpkintown USA.

The "Ride" at Pumpkintown USA – East Hampton

Daily through Saturday, October 31
All-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online.
One of New England's premier non-scary Halloween villages, Pumpkintown USA annually draws about 25,000 visitors. For 2020, guests can enjoy the normally walkthrough experience during a 1-mile drive. Traverse the seasonal landscape to view more than 30 pumpkin-head people set up in whimsical woodland scenes. Reservations are required. If you want to up the fun factor, pre-purchase seasonal treats to enjoy while you roll down the Pumpkintown trail.

Trunk-or-Treat: Drive-Thru Edition – New Haven

Saturday, October 31
All ages
Join New Haven Youth & Recreation for a drive-thru version of its annual spooky trunk-or-treat event. Carloads of costumed characters are welcome to drive-thru Edgewood Park where all kids in the car receive individually packaged bags of candy from volunteers. If you arrive on foot, head to the Coogan Pavilion to get your share of the goodies.

Halloween Movies at the Drive-In at Foxwoods – Mashantucket

Select weekend nights through Saturday, October 31
All-ages
Purchase tickets in advance online.
Halloween-themed drive-in movies at Foxwoods Casino start with a costume parade at 6pm where kids are sure to collect plenty of treats. Following the parade, a family-friendly movie is enjoyed on the big screen. Make sure you disappear before the 10pm flick plays, though, as it's got a decidedly spookier feel.

See The Count, Elmo, and more from the comfort of your own car at Sesame Place's Not-Too-Spooky Drive-Thru. 

Bonus: Sesame Place's Not-Too-Spooky Halloween Drive-Thru – Langhorne, Pa.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays through Wednesday, October 28
All-ages
We realize this pick is a little further afield, but parents of preschoolers may appreciate a little mid-week diversion. Earn some cool parent cred when you take your little one on a drive down Sesame Street as they spot their favorite characters costumed for the holiday. Lights, festive decor, and a spooky soundtrack round out the experience. Of course, there are treats to collect when you exit!

Connecting With Kids Party Characters

If you’ve gotten some value out of today’s article, join Kids Party Characters on Facebook for daily updates with our best parenting tips, as well as the magic we bring to children’s parties.

And be sure to plan your next party at KidsPartyCharacters.com, where you’ll find over 250 of your child’s favorite characters, as well as party packages that include cotton candy, face painting, balloon twisting, magic shows, crafts for the kids and more!