Prospect Heights is among Brooklyn’s most livable neighborhoods for families. Smaller than Park Slope but with many of the same advantages (Prospect Park, excellent transit, strong schools), it offers tree-lined brownstone blocks, a thriving Vanderbilt Avenue dining scene, and front-door access to the Brooklyn Museum, the Botanic Garden, and Barclays Center. Neighbors include Park Slope to the west, Crown Heights to the east, Fort Greene and Clinton Hill to the north, and Prospect Park to the south. A culturally diverse neighborhood of about 21,000 people, Prospect Heights is — by Brooklyn standards — still somewhat under the radar.
Things to Do with Kids
Neighborhood Blockbusters
Prospect Park | The 526-acre masterpiece by Olmsted and Vaux, Central Park’s legendary creators, is the neighborhood’s backyard. Here’s what’s inside:
- Prospect Park Zoo | A small, manageable zoo that you can cover in 2 hours. Sea lion feedings happen 2–3 times daily (weekdays at 11:30 AM and 3:30 PM; weekends at 11:30 AM, 2:00 PM, and 3:30 PM — check the daily schedule for updates). The petting zoo lets kids get hands-on with barnyard animals (bring quarters for the feed dispensers). Free-ranging peacocks strut around the grounds. Weekends at the Discovery Center offer zookeeper shadowing. Adults $9.95, kids 3–12 $6.95. prospectparkzoo.com
- Prospect Park Lake | Brooklyn’s only freshwater lake. Kids can observe turtles and red-eared on rocks, geese, ducks, and swans gliding on the surface, and large bass and carp lurking underneath. Catch-and-release fishing is permitted in designated areas (free for kids under 16; adults need a NYS DEC license). The Audubon Center at the Boathouse offers free nature programming and bird walks. Prospect Park Alliance — Fishing
- LeFrak Center at Lakeside | Ice skating and curling in winter; roller skating, splash pad, and water play in summer. The splash pad is a giant shallow pool with 20+ jets — bring squirt guns. The center also rents pedal boats for the lake, bikes, and four-person Surrey Bikes. prospectpark.org
- The Long Meadow | Come spring, it’s the neighborhood’s family gathering zone, where parents and kids make new friends over pickup games of soccer and frisbee. Small bands and drum circles play all afternoon. Sunday drumming sessions near the Drummer’s Grove (Sundays, April–October, 2–7 PM).
- Playgrounds | Seven playgrounds ring the park’s perimeter. More detail — including neighborhood spots outside the park — under Parks and Playgrounds below. (Note: the park’s best known playground, Zucker Natural Exploration Area, is currently closed for reconstruction; expected to reopen by 2028.)
- Prospect Park Bandshell | Free outdoor concerts all summer through the Celebrate Brooklyn! festival — family-friendly shows with picnic seating on the lawn.
- Brooklyn Museum | One of the largest art museums in the country, right on Eastern Parkway. Family programming includes Target First Saturdays (free admission the first Saturday of every month, 5–11 PM) with hands-on art activities for kids. brooklynmuseum.org
Brooklyn Botanic Garden | 52 acres of gardens adjacent to the park. Kids can taste herbs in the Discovery Garden and sniff hundreds of varieties of roses (from late May through fall) in the adjacent rose garden. The annual Cherry Blossom Festival (Sakura Matsuri) in late April/early May is one of Brooklyn’s most beloved family events. bbg.org
Brooklyn Public Library — Central Branch | A favorite rainy-day destination. The main branch at Grand Army Plaza has an entire children’s wing with play, weekly storytimes, craft programs, and summer and after-school reading events, and an indoor play area for toddlers. Free library card for all NYC residents. bklynlibrary.org
Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket | Every Saturday, year-round. One of the city’s biggest and liveliest farmers’ markets.
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music (BKCM) (58 Seventh Avenue, Park Slope border) | More than a music school — aside from music classes for all ages, BKCM hosts 250+ events annually, many free or low-cost. bkcm.org
Barclays Center & Atlantic Terminal | This giant stadium at the corner of Flatbush and Atlantic — home of the Brooklyn Nets (NBA) — hosts family-friendly events year-round. Chuck E. Cheese is right there for younger kids, Dave & Buster’s for the older ones, and the adjacent Atlantic Terminal Mall brings major shopping under one roof. The LIRR hub plus the 2/3/4/5/B/D/N/Q/R subway lines make Barclays an easy full-day destination that doesn’t require good weather or a car.
Kids’ Classes
The Tiny Scientist (69 Underhill Ave) | Hands-on science center for PreK–5th graders. A Prospect Heights institution — kids bring home a new experiment every session. thetinyscientist.com
BCakeNY (702 Washington Ave, between Saint Marks and Prospect Place) | Black-owned custom cake design studio and bakery. Great for kids’ birthday parties and creative afternoons.
Chelsea Piers Gymnastics — Prospect Heights | The newest Brooklyn location features a huge gymnastics and parkour center with class options for all ages and levels. BBP gymnastics guide
Prospect Heights Academy (720 Washington Ave) | Full-day educational programs Mon–Fri. Enrichment in art, music, yoga, and baking — taught in a dedicated baking room, STEAM room, and music room with real instruments. Indoor playground modeled after a small town. prospectheightsacademy.com
Best drop-in indoor fun in Brooklyn by neighborhood here.
Playgrounds
Prospect Park playgrounds | Multiple options along the Grand Army Plaza and Prospect Park West edges:
Harmony Playground (near the Bandshell) — Enormous, music-themed playground with harp and trumpet-shaped sprinklers, xylophones, jungle gyms, slides, and ramps for both toddlers and big kids. Restrooms on-site.
Garfield Tot Lot (Prospect Park West between Garfield Place and 1st Street) — All equipment designed for under-5s. Low rails perfect for new walkers. Plenty of seating.
LeFrak Center at Lakeside (enter at Lincoln Road and Ocean Avenue) — Ice skating in winter, splash pad and roller skating in summer. The splash pad is essentially a giant shallow pool with 20+ jets. BYO squirt guns.
Mount Prospect Park | A small, often-overlooked hilltop park between the library and the Botanic Garden. Quiet, shaded, great for toddler wandering. Great sprinklers and water play.
Underhill Playground (Underhill Ave between Park Place and Prospect Place) | The neighborhood’s beloved “Toy Park,” with an ever-changing collection of tricycles, ride-on cars, scooters, big wheels, and assorted toys left behind and recycled by neighborhood families.
Schools
Public Schools (District 13):
PS 9 Sarah Smith Garnet (80 Underhill Avenue) — The neighborhood’s anchor school. An International Baccalaureate (IB) World School with a Spanish Dual Language Program running Pre-K through 5th grade (50/50 model — all subjects taught in each language half the time). Also offers Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) classrooms for students with IEPs. Highly rated and in demand — zoned and out-of-zone students accepted. 771 students, 17:1 student-teacher ratio. ps9brooklyn.org
Brooklyn Arts and Science Elementary School (BASES) — A choice school (not zoned) in the neighborhood known for strong arts and music programming for all students.
PS 316 Elijah Stroud and PS 11 Purvis J. Behan — Additional elementary attendance zones within or bordering Prospect Heights (District 13).
Nearby highly rated: PS/MS 394 in Crown Heights (selective, K–8, among the highest-rated in the district).
Charter schools:
Success Academy Charter School — Prospect Heights — K–8. High test scores, structured curriculum. One of the larger charter options in the neighborhood.
Brooklyn Prospect Charter School (Prospect Schools network) — K–12 across 7 Brooklyn campuses, including a middle school at 1100 Fulton St in the 11238 ZIP. IB curriculum. Students outperform NYC public school averages by 23 points in ELA and 18 in math. 2,800+ students network-wide. brooklynprospect.org
Brooklyn Charter School — Nearby, serves the area. brooklyncharter.org
Preschools and daycares:
Prospect Kids Academy (532 St. John’s Place) — Ages 2–5, play-based/Reggio-inspired curriculum. STEAM Saturday program (10 AM–1 PM). Also in Park Slope. Two blocks from the 2/3/4/5 trains. prospectkidsacademy.com
Congregation Beth Elohim ECC — NEW Prospect Heights location opened 2024, state-of-the-art space near the Botanic Garden. Ages 2–5, play-based, optional Spanish Dual Language Program. Jewish values but all faiths welcome. Now accepting applications for 2026–27. cbebk.org
BumbleBeesRUs (Classon Ave) — Infants (6 weeks) through preschool, with 3-K and Pre-K programs. Near the Brooklyn Museum and Botanic Garden. bumblebeesrus.com
Lightbridge Academy — Infants through preschool. Flexible hours, meals included, parent workshops, occasional babysitting nights. lightbridgeacademy.com
Montessori Day School of Brooklyn — In the neighborhood since 1976. Ages 2 through kindergarten, seven classrooms, three teachers per class. Authentic Montessori. montessoridayschool.org
For more information about schools, download our school guides here.
Kid-friendly restaurants with backyards
Prospect Heights is a family-oriented neighborhood, and several of its best backyard spots are specifically set up to welcome kids.
Zaytoons (594 Vanderbilt Ave) | A neighborhood staple, very accommodating for large groups and families. The big outdoor garden is heated in winter — a rare find. Relaxed al fresco dining that kids enjoy. zaytoons.com
Ample Hills Creamery at The Social (816 Washington Ave at St. Johns Place) | Beyond the outdoor seating in lawn chairs, there’s a large party room for birthdays and ice cream socials, a kitchen window with built-in steps so little kids can watch the ice cream being made, and a play space with books curated by Greenlight Bookstore. amplehills.com
Cheryl’s Global Soul (236 Underhill Ave) | A neighborhood favorite for families. Soulful, welcoming atmosphere with a spacious garden patio perfect for weekend brunch. cherylsglobalsoul.com
Polly’s Cafe (766 Classon Ave) | Cozy cafe with a massive, charming backyard that reviewers specifically note is great for toddlers. Kids’ menu and plenty of room for little ones to sit comfortably. pollyscafenyc.com
Gertie (602 Vanderbilt Ave) | The reimagined Jewish deli has a bright, colorful vibe and a covered back patio that’s great for casual neighborhood brunch with kids. gertie.nyc
Honorable mentions (no backyard, but family-welcoming): Tom’s Restaurant (782 Washington Ave) — the legendary diner gives out snacks to kids waiting in the weekend brunch line. Little Egg (657 Washington Ave) — a newer family-friendly spot that puts crayons on every table.
Our overview of kid-friendly restaurants in Brooklyn by neighborhood here.
Transit
Subway: 2/3 at Grand Army Plaza (direct to Lower Manhattan). B/Q at 7th Avenue/Flatbush. Atlantic Terminal (2/3/4/5/B/D/N/Q/R + LIRR) at the north end of the neighborhood. You can get almost anywhere from here.
Bus: B41 on Flatbush, B65 on Dean/Bergen, B69 on Vanderbilt.
Biking: Citi Bike stations throughout. Protected bike lanes on Vanderbilt Avenue and expanding. The neighborhood is flat and very bikeable.
Driving: Don’t. Alternate side parking is brutal. But if you must: easy BQE access via Atlantic, and the neighborhood is close to the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel.
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