Day trip to New York with a 9 yo-what would you do

[Anonymous]

What would a 9 yo boy like to see/do in New York if only there for 1 day? Shows are out.

Thank you

[Anonymous]

We just went and my 9-year-old DS loved the Natural History museum and Empire State Bldg. We went for 2 1/2 days and also did Statue of Liberty, and ate at Mars 2112. Saw a show as well and did some other stuff. Museum was definitely favorite. We could have spent all day there alone.

[Anonymous]

I just went overnight with my 7 year old son. We went to the metropolitan musuem and checked out the egyptian exhibits and went to the rooftop sculpture garden. They have a martini bar in pm and you can enjoy a martini while you get son a juice or something. We went to a park next door to met--ancient playground, he really liked it and met some friends there. We went to times square and kinda hated it. Toys R Us is mobbed!

We went to a great playground in central park (bring swim suit) with water features and hot hotdogs and icecream for dinner! He loved it. I couldn't drag him out of there. Near Central Park south and 7th--Also when I was there last week, there was a carnival where wollman rink is. Also you can rent bikes in central park, my son still can't go far but at nine I bet you could see alot.

Last time I took him we did a greenwich village food tour that he liked and also went to Brooklyn Bridge Park. Pier 6 is awesome! Beautiful views. We just took a cab. Enjoy! Try to stay longer if you can.

[Anonymous]

Tickets to Rockefeller Center observation deck are timed and cheaper than Empire State Building, where I think you have to wait in line. You can also spend at an hour in Times Square at the M&M Store, Hershey Store, etc, and if you want to wait in line, the ferris wheel inside of the ToysRUs.

[Anonymous]

We were there a few months ago with our kids, including my 9 year old boy. I think his favorite thing was the ferris wheel at Toys R Us (and getting to pick out a toy afterwards! )

We also went to the Tenement Museum http://www.tenement.org/

American Museum of Natural History

He actually really enjoyed the Met. Prior to the trip, I saw a DVD in the library
http://www.amazon.com/Sister-Wendys-American-Collection-Metropolitan/dp/B00005YUQ0

It's not really geared towards kids, but we had our kids watched it anyway. When we got to the museum, our kids (in particular, the 9 year old) were telling Dh and I about several of the works of art! Kind of fun! They also really enjoyed seeing the Armor displays.

Eating at Shake Shack was a hit too...

[Anonymous]

we went for a weekend with kids aged 7,9,11

we did

a show (lion king)
nbc studio tour, the rock, ninetendo store
tenement museum
ellis island
toys r us / times square

previously we did empire state bldg. statue of libery, battery park

my 7 year old would say toys r us was the favorite. my 9 year old (boy) would say nbc studio tour, top of the rock and nintendo store was his favorite.
my 11 year old liked ellis island (she was learning about immigration at the time)
all liked the show second best.
only the parents liked the tenement museum. oh well.

[Anonymous]

We went this winter. We did the statue of liberty and ellis island, mass at St. Patrick's, a trip to FAO Scwartz and Dylan's Candy Bar, and Broadway show. FAO Schwartz is way better than TRU in TS.

[Anonymous]

Museum of the Moving Image to see the Jim Henson retrospective
Museum of Natural History for reasons noted above
Sony Wonder Technology Lab
New York Hall of Science
The Metropolitan Museum of Art - the tombs, the hieroglyphs, the weapons, the armor. All very cool.
The Lego store at Rockefeller Center (I know - but they love it if they are into it).

[Anonymous]

These are all great ideas and easily fill (more than) a day trip. Do not underestimate the amount of time you can spend just hanging around central park - tons of different playgrounds, big grassy areas for soccer, etc., radio-controlled boats on one of the ponds on the NW side of the park, paddle boats, climbing to the top of the "castle" in the park. For only one day, I'd plan to get to the Museum of Nat'l History when it opens, spend a few hours there plus get tix to the planetarium show, have lunch (the cafeteria there is usually mobbed but decent food, or you could get hot dogs in the park) and then walk across the street to central park and spend late afternoon in the park until dinnertime.

[Anonymous]

We went for a 8 days over spring break, with kids aged 2, 7, and 9. Did a bunch of things, and the highlights were:

Metropolitan musuem of art -- the armor!
Walking across the brooklyn bridge (after a huge lunch at Shake Shack)
Central Park zoo.
Playing at various playgrounds in central park.
MOMA (my kids are big art fans and have studied a bunch of artists so it was a thrill for them to see the Warhols, Picasso, etc.)

And the surprising disappointments were:
Museum of Natural History -- so crazily crowded that it was unpleasant to be there.
FAO Schwartz -- I took them there out of nostalgia (I'm from NYC and it was a dreamland to me when I was a kid) but it really seemed like just another crowded big toy store.

[Anonymous]

love all the suggestions.

There is also the Nintendo store at Rockefeller center (Yes I know but boys will be boys) They also liked shopping at the Nike Store on 57th Street.

Instead of Mars 2112 try a more NY restaurant like Carnegie Deli. Not that far from Mars 2112. Great food, huge portions and much more "NY."

My boys also really liked going to a Chinatown Dim Sum restaurant. They still talk about the Peking Duck they had.

If heading to Greenwich Village, you can also walk to the Lower East Side to Katz's Deli and Economy Candy. Much bigger and unique selection than Dylan's just not as fancy.

If you like lox & bagels, Russ & Daughter;s is the place to go.

[Anonymous]

We did Dylan's, and while I hated it ($$$$$$) DD still talks about it, so I suppose go.

Will have to check out Katz's for our next trip though!

[Anonymous]

If he's into trains and construction and all that, I really enjoyed (as an adult!) the MTA's Transit Museum in Brooklyn.
Food-wise, S'Mac (mac and cheese) is fun, or get custom grilled cheeses (with or without fancy toppings) at Murray's and go eat them in a nearby park.