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Best drop-in indoor activities for kids & teens in Brooklyn

Our overview of indoor activities in Brooklyn includes drop-in activities including play spaces, story times, arts and crafts, adventure parks, rock climbing, mini golf, bowling and more for all ages, from babies to teens! (Updated October 2024)

DUMBO

Area 53 Laser Tag & Mini-Bowling

Area 53 is located in a dual-level basement in DUMBO and offers laser tag and mini-bowling, best for ages 8 and up. Open Monday to Sunday, laser tag tickets are $39 during the week and $49 on weekends per person for non-private laser tag games. Each ticket allows for 3 laser tag games, each around 15 minutes. Area 53 now also offers mini-bowling for $30! Up to 6 players can play. Click here for more information!

Carnaby Club

Carnaby Club is a play space for ages 0-6 in DUMBO. The club features multiple play areas, including a large ball pit, soft play area, and imaginative play stations. There is also a parents’ lounge with coffee, tea and snacks. In addition to open play, Carnaby Club also offers drop-in classes in art, sensory, music, yoga, movement and many more classes for kids from groups like Ramblin’ Dan, Little Maestros, and Puppetsburg. Carnaby also offers workshops and community events for parents, as well as birthday parties, summer camps, and more. Memberships start at $125/month, single classes are $35, and class packs are available (3 classes for $89, 5 classes for $148, etc.). The club is open Monday-Friday, 9am–6pm and Saturday-Sunday, 9am–1pm. Learn more here!

Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Environmental Education Center

The Environmental Education Center is a year-round space located at the entrance to Brooklyn Bridge Park in Dumbo. There is a three-dimensional map of Brooklyn Bridge Park and a 250-gallon estuarium showcasing fish from the East River. The center also has a small collection of turtles, amphibians, and invertebrates. Free and open to the public on Thursdays 3-5 PM, Fridays 3-5 PM, and Saturdays 1-5 PM. The center also hosts Nature Storytime on the third Thursday of every month at 3pm. Visiting librarians from theAdams Street Library lead families in exciting stories, songs, and play related to the Ed Center’s current theme of the month.

Jane’s Carousel

Built in 1922 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, the beautifully restored Janes’s Carousel is located in Brooklyn Bridge Park and open year-round. Stop by for a ride! Each ride costs $3. One child under 42” and one adult may share one ticket. Additional children under 42” require their own ticket. Hours by season can be found here. Fall hours are 11am-5:50pm, closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Loop of the Loom

Drop-off your children for 2-hour weaving sessions at Loop of the Loom! Instructors will initially guide them with simple techniques, and within a minute, children will be able to start weaving by themselves. You will be amazed by what they made in two hours! 2-hour classes cost $65 (includes all materials). Best for ages 6-14. Book a class here. Weekly after-school class packs are $550/1.5 hours x 10 sessions. Offered every week from Tuesdays to Fridays 4:00 to 5:30pm.

Museum of Food and Drink

The Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD) is located on the 2nd floor of Empire Stores in DUMBO! Best for ages 7 and up. The museum’s fall hours are Thursday through Sunday, 12-6pm. Check out their programming and events here. Children under 5 are free, children up to 14 years pay $7 and adults are $14. Get your tickets here.

Randolph Beer

Play pinball, vintage arcade games, foosball, shuffle board, and more at Randolph Beer. Some games are free, and others are played for $1 tokens. You can also book an hour of Feather Bowling here for $46/hour. Best for kids 7 and older. Note: kids are only welcome on weekdays before 6pm, Saturdays before 2pm, and Sundays all day. Randolph’s rooftop is open during the summer months; kids are only allowed on the roof on Sundays.

SpeakItaly

Speakitaly offers a broad variety of Italian-themed language, cooking, and cultural classes at their DUMBO location. Classes are offered for kids only, or for children and their caregivers. Children as young as 6 months are welcome for Open Play Time and You & Me classes.  All other classes are grouped by age and introduce children ages 2-16 to Italian with developmentally appropriate activities. Learn more about group classes here. More events, including family classes and day camps, can be found here.

Brooklyn Public Library’s Teen Tech Center

The Teen Tech Center at 1 John Street (opposite the Adams Street Library) is open to teenagers ages 13 to 18. It is one of 5 Teen Tech Centers in Brooklyn. The space is designed as an interactive learning environment where teens can experiment with technology, get homework help, socialize with peers, meet professionals in the field of tech, and acquire skills for college and careers. The center features musical instruments including a drum set, 3D printer, sewing machine, video games, arts material and more. The space is only open during events and classes; learn about upcoming programs here.

 

Brooklyn Heights

Brooklyn Cat Cafe

Visitors of all ages are welcome to Brooklyn Cat Cafe, where they have about 35 cats at any given time, all of which are rescues and available for adoption. Visits are $12 for 30 minutes. Brooklyn Cat Cafe is open Friday-Monday, 12-7pm, but Saturdays from 5-7pm are adults only. They have sensory friendly hours every Monday from 3:30–4:00PM. They also have yoga, comedy nights, movie nights, arts and crafts, and even overnight slumber parties for ages 9-13! See all programs and book your visit here!

Le Meraviglie Art

This art studio with art and cooking classes now has two locations in Brooklyn Heights. Classes are offered for ages 2.5 and up, and start at $30-$55/class. Le Meraviglie also offers a Playspace program for ages 1-4 ($30/session), with a large wall dedicated to free drawing, clay exploration, and more. Click here to see all drop-in offerings and register.

 

Cobble Hill

The Craft Studio

Drop in for a fun craft project at The Craft Studio! Choose from a wide variety of projects, from clay play to slime to fabric crafts and wood crafts, even edible crafts! Reservations recommended to guarantee your spot. Studio hours are 10:30am-5:30pm on weekdays, and they are open until 6pm on weekends. Drop in prices start at $28.95, and include all materials and no time limit! More info here.

Storytime at Barnes & Noble

Join for story time every Saturday at 11am at the Barnes & Noble on Atlantic Avenue. Best for ages 3 to 8. No RSVP needed!

 

Downtown Brooklyn

Storytime at The Center for Fiction Bookstore

Join every Saturday at noon for Story Time at The Center for Fiction Bookstore, where each week the staff reads some of their favorite books for young people! Led by our booksellers, this is a free community event open to people of all ages.

Chuck E. Cheese

Chuck E. Cheese includes everything from driving games and arcade racing games to dance sessions and live shows. The Downtown Brooklyn location also has an all-new trampoline park! Must be under 56” to jump. Open 11am-9pm daily, and 10am-9pm on Saturdays. You can buy a Fun Pass family membership for unlimited visit at $7.99/month. Click here for more pricing and details. 

Dave & Buster’s

Dave & Buster’s has hundreds of arcade games that are best for older kids and teens, but all ages are welcome (accompanied by an adult 25 years+ old). Opens at 11am Monday-Friday, 10am Saturday & Sunday. Click here for more info. 

Free Children’s Events at Dekalb Market Hall | City Point

On Saturdays & Sundays from 10am-12pm, stop by Dekalb Market Hall (downstairs at City Point) for free activities for kids ages 2 to 10 years old. Enjoy balloon twisting, magic shows, face painting, and more! Located in front of Osteria & Showroom Bakehouse.

The Escape Game Brooklyn | City Point

The Escape Game features six unique games including Cosmic Crisis, their newest escape room, and Prison Break, their hardest game. Each family-friendly option includes multiple rooms and can hold up to 8 players. Larger groups can start their experience with up to 52 people at the same time. Content is designed for 13 and up because of reading and math, but all ages are welcome. Kids 4 and under can play for free. Kids 14 and below need a parent with them to play the game. Games are available Monday–Sunday, 8am-12am. Click here for more info!

Golfzon Social

This 18,000-square-foot venue at 11 Hoyt Street and is home to 16 state-of-the-art golf simulators. Golfzon Social provides a unique opportunity for kids and families to play 240 simulated courses around the world, including Bay Hill, St. Andrews, Pebble Beach, Kiawah Island, Harbour Town, PGA National and more! Kids (and grown-ups) who are new to golf can experience the sport in a playful way with various golf arcade games. Up to 6 players can play in one bay, which costs $70-$99 per hour. Club rentals are $10-$20, but you can also bring your own. It makes a great family outing—those family members who are into golf can play, and the rest of the family can enjoy their kid-friendly menu, board games, or the 16 beers on tap. Learn more here!

New York Transit Museum

Located in a decommissioned subway station at 99 Schermerhorn Street, the New York Transit Museum is a great destination for kids, who can explore buses, vintage subway cars, and more! Keep in mind that the entrance to the Museum is down two flights of stairs, and there is no cell phone reception. A second wheelchair-accessible entrance is located on the corner of Schermerhorn and Court Streets. A limited number of tickets are available for purchase on site, and advance reservations are strongly encouraged. Admission is $10/adult, $5/child (2-17 years). Open Wednesday–Sunday, 10am to 4pm.

Storytime at McNally Jackson | City Point

McNally Jackson bookstore hosts free storytimes upstairs in their children’s section on Tuesdays and Fridays at 4pm. Great for kids 4 to 8, but all ages are welcome. No RSVP required, just show up!

 

Clinton Hill

Lola & Tots

Lola & Tots is a membership-based center that offers open play, after-school classes and enrichment programs, co-working for parents, and childcare. Membership options start at $200-$215/month for unlimited open play and co-working. Drop-in open play is $20/hour or $40 for an all day pass. Lola & Tots is open Monday–Friday from 9am-6pm. Call to inquire about events on Saturdays; closed Sundays. Browse open play hours and drop-in classes here.

Shining Smiles

Drop by Shining Smiles for open play! This indoor place space is geared towards toddlers and younger kids with a slide, jungle gym, wind tunnel, peg wall, ball wall, gear wall, and more! Open Play is available Monday–Friday, 9am-12:30pm and 2:30-6pm, and is $25/90 minutes. Shining Smiles also offers an after-school program designed for children ages 4-6. After School is from 3-6pm, includes a snack and daily activities including art, science, story time, games, and more. Visit their website for more information!

 

Carroll Gardens

Brooklearn

Brooklearn playspace offers children under 6 fun every day of the week! The playroom is outfitted with gym mats, a climbing wall, uneven gymnastics bars, a trampoline, foam pit, basketball hoop, giant swing, jungle gym, and much more! Open play hourly rate is $30/hour and daily drop-in classes in dance, music, math and more are $32-$40/class. Open Monday through Friday, 9:30am to 5:30pm. Reserve for open play or classes online. 

Brooklyn Strategist

The staff at Brooklyn Strategist can teach your family some new games from a library of over 500 titles. Children 11 and older are welcome to play independently with friends in a supervised environment. Walk-in play is $15 for 4 hours, or an individual membership is $100 for 3 months. Find a full list of drop-in after-school classes on their website—from chess to comic design to Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons and more! Brooklyn Strategist also offers lessons, community play, camps, and more. They are open 9am to 11pm daily, and there is a cafe and retail store in the space as well.

 

Columbia Street Waterfront & Red Hook

Jalopy Theater | Columbia Street Waterfront

Bring the family to Jalopy for a family-friendly music performance or sing-a-long! Jalopy Theater presents traditional and folk music that all generations will enjoy, and at family-friendly hours. Check their website to browse upcoming acts and book tickets! Click here for family-friendly shows, such as Tuesday Morning Music and Thursday Afternoon Singalong. The Theater also offers Jalopy Jr. Folk School for children 6- 14 years old.

Shipwrecked | Red Hook

Shipwrecked in Red Hook has indoor miniature golf, arcade games and immersive mini escape rooms. The mini golf course is $16.99 for ages 3-12 and $21.99 for ages 13+. Escape rooms start at $15.99. Arcade games are pay per game with rechargeable game cards. They also offer Sensory Nights now with sound effects off, lighting dimmed, and other sensory-friendly accommodations and amenities. Shipwrecked is open Thursday-Sunday, 11am-10pm.

 

Gowanus

Brooklyn Bouldering Project

Brooklyn Bouldering Project has opened in Gowanus—now an even bigger rope-free climbing center! Youth programs include teams, Parent’s Night Out, and after-school programs, and drop-in sessions. Programs available ages 4 and up. During drop-in sessions children under 14 years must climb with or be monitored by a grown-up or care giver. Day passes for children are $22 (under age 13) and $27 (ages 14-20). Enrollment for 10-week after-school programs start at $315. For all climbing programs and more details, visit their website.

Gotham Gymnastics 

Gotham Gymnastics offers drop-in classes without having to commit to a full session. Kids of all ages and skill sets are free to drop in whenever they feel like it! Classes are for ages 6 and up. Drop-ins include Balance Beam Clinic, Strength and Flexibility Clinic, and Intermediate Bars; click here to see full offerings. Gotham’s original location at 315 Douglass Street has recently expanded, with a new state-of-the-art facility at 316 Douglass. Both gyms have vaults, bars, beams, full-size spring floors, foam pits, in-ground trampolines, TumbleTraks, ropes, rings, climbing walls, and more.

Movement Gowanus 

Formerly The Cliffs, Movement Gowanus is the largest climbing gym in New York City. The gym also offers fitness and yoga classes. A day pass is $34 and gives you access to the climbing gym, fitness areas, and locker rooms for the day. See all memberships and passes here. Climbers can rent shoes, harness, and chalk. Best for kids 6 and up; however, parents have to be on site and clip the kids in before climbing.

PlayWell

PlayWell Brooklyn is an integrated play space for all kids to have fun, develop social skills, and fitness. The play space offers both open play and drop-in classes for ages 0-6 in music, storytelling, sensory art, social skills, Mommy & Me, and more. Open play is $35/session, and class prices vary rom $30-$50/class. Find out more here.

 

Park Slope

Brooklyn Game Lab

Brooklyn Game Lab is an after-school program where kids learn to play games and also learn to change and expand games using their imaginations. Brooklyn Game Lab will even pick up kids from their schools for after-school programs! They also offer a year-long super-game, birthday parties, holiday camps, and weekend games including Pokémon Club, Magic: The Gathering, “Girls Who Game,” Saturday Night Dungeons & Dragons and more! Drop-in sessions range from $35-$50. Browse all offerings here.

Brooklyn Ninja Academy

Brooklyn Ninja Academy teaches kids ages 6 through 13 years old the exciting sport of ninja warrior! Ninjas will learn ninja warrior obstacles, and gain strength, agility, and confidence as they improve their skills. Drop-in classes are $60 for one hour on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and some school holidays; check their calendar here. For younger kids ages 3-5, try Mini-Ninja Classes, $40 for 45 minutes. Kids will learn the basics of standard ninja obstacles – angled steps, ring swing, balance and agility, mini trampoline jump and so much more!

Good Day Play Cafe

At Good Day Play Cafe, you can book 2 hours of play time for your little one, supervised by you. Drop-in play starts at $28 for 2 hours. Children can explore the climbing wall, ball pit, fully-matted areas, a Hinoki cypress wood cube pit, sensory toys, imagination stations and more! Adults can order food and drinks while at the cafe. Learn more about open play, Parent & Me music classes, events, and more here. 

The Painted Pot

The Painted Pot is a paint-your-own pottery studio that offers drop-in pottery painting, acrylic painting, and clay projects, best for ages 6 and up. They also offer workshops, special events, classes, private parties, and more. Walk-in sessions range from $20-$30, depending on the activity. Also check out The Painted Pot’s sister studio, ClayHouse Brooklyn in Cobble Hill, which features wheel and handbuilding projects.

Ume Ume

Ume Ume is a music and arts center for children and families in Park Slope that offers drop-in classes at $20/family including Baby Rhythm-Makers, Sing-along, It’s Art Time, and Story Time & Open Play. Ume Ume also has group music and arts classes, private piano and violin lessons, day camps, birthday parties, and more. For more information, click here.

 

Prospect Heights & Crown Heights

Brooklyn Children’s Museum | Crown Heights

Bring your little ones to the Brooklyn Children’s Museum! Check out Totally Tots, a sensory play area for ages 0-6, or AirMaze, where children can discover the force of air first hand, or World Brooklyn, a kid-sized Brooklyn neighborhood with shops to play in. There are also themed movie showings in their new movie theater. The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. General admission is $15; book admission plus a movie showing for $22. Or visit for FREE during Amazon Free Hours, every Thursday afternoon from 2-5 pm! There is also a new STEM makerspace called Nature’s Engineers that is open Thursdays from 2:30-4:30pm, where children can engage in hands-on STEM activities, focusing on a different project every month.

Brooklyn Museum | Prospect Heights

Check the Brooklyn Museum’s permanent collection, special exhibitions, or sign up for a kid-friendly program here! Family programs include Saturday Sketch Club, Sunday Art Hang, and Family Concerts. The museum is open Wednesday-Sunday, 11am-6pm; closed Monday and Tuesday. General admission is free for children 19 and younger; adults are $20/person. Ticketed exhibitions required fee-based tickets.

Little Makers Art Studio | Prospect Heights

Little Makers Art Studio is new art school in Prospect Heights that offers After-School Programs, Workshops, and Art Play Sessions for kids 18 months and up. Programs are grouped by age range: Mini Makers (18 months–3 years), Little Makers (4–8 years), and Studio Makers (9–12 years). Little Makers studio also has a “Makers Market” that sells DIY crafts, kids’ art books, supplies and gifts. You can book open studio time for $35/session, and classes range from $45-$60/session. See all classes here.

 

Sunset Park

Brooklyn Escape Room | Industry City

Brooklyn Escape Room at Industry city features four different escape rooms and a Nerf battle area. They are open Monday–Thursday with the first game at 11am and the last game at 9:40pm, and Friday & Saturday with the first game at 11am and the last game at 10:30pm. Escape Rooms for groups of 2 are $50/player Monday-Friday, and $45/player for groups larger than 2. On weekends, there is a 4-person minimum and 15-person maximum. Escape Rooms are best for ages 8 and up! Nerf Battles are $20/30 minutes and $30/hour.

CREA Interactivity | Industry City

CREA is Industry City’s first tech driven indoor playground where players navigate through interactive zones, conquering challenges and fostering creativity through movement. The “Crea Adventure” is a 60 minute experience, geared toward 5-12 year olds that combines technology with traditional play/games. Each step reveals new and captivating challenges as players run, jump, climb, crawl and dodge through our seven zones. Drop-ins are $35/class. CREA also offers Date Night Drop Off on Friday and Saturday nights from 6-9 pm for $75/child per event. Date Nights include 3 hours of guided fun, play, learning and creativity, plus pizza, juice, and water. Find out more here!

Game Room at Industry City

The Game Room at Industry City has an array of free-to-play vintage arcade games as well as ping pong, and table top gaming! They are open on weekends from 12-2:30pm and 3-5:30pm.

Joy Gymnastics | Industry City

“Open Joy” at Joy Gymnastics is open play for children ages 1-6. Membership is required to participate ($40/annually). Open Joy is unstructured play led by caregivers; coaches are not available to supervise children during these sessions. Single passes are $20, or purchase a 5-pass package for $75 or a 10-pass packages for $100. Joy Gymnastics also offers group and private Recreational Classes, Mini & Summer Camps, Joy Night Out, and Birthdays!

Melody Lanes

Take the family bowling at Melody Lanes! There are 26 lanes, arcade games, and tons of snacks and food, as well as alcohol for adults. Bowlers are first-come, first-served (for groups less than 10). Open every day, Sunday-Thursday 9am-12am, Friday & Saturday 9am-1am. Bowling starts at $60/hour for weekdays, $65/hour for weekends; prices vary by day, but check their website for specials for family time, after school, and more! Bowling shoe rental is $6. 

Powerhouse Sunday Storytime | Industry City

Every Sunday at 1pm, come join your friends at Powerhouse Books for storytime! Powerhouse Books is located at 220 36th Street.

4Play Skate Lounge | Industry City

This skating lounge in Industry City offers Sensory-Safe Skating from 12 to 3pm daily, creating an inclusive space for neurodivergent skaters. During these sessions, there is reduced lighting, lower music volume, and other sensory-friendly amenities such as headphones for those with sound sensitivities. Adults and children are both $10/person; book your session here! 4Play also offers Family Skate for $20/adult and $10/child.

Urban Air Adventure Park

Urban Air is a trampoline and adventure park in Sunset Park. There are battle beams, dodge ball, tumble track, slam dunk zone, a tubes playground, trampolines, and so much more. Tickets start at $39.99 and $23.99 for ages 5 and under. Open play hours are 3-10pm Mondays through Wednesdays, 10am-10pm Thursday & Friday, and 10am-11pm Saturday & Sunday.

 

Williamsburg & Greenpoint

Area 53 Adventure Park | Williamsburg

Area 53’s Adventure Park in Williamsburg has a ropes course, rock climbing, zip line, slides, battle beam, arcade, ball pit, skating, and more! Book a 3-hour time slot starting at $42. There is also skate-only admission available for $10, with skates rental included. Family Thursdays are $42 for 4 hours, 4:30 to 8:40pm.

Canopy | Williamsburg

Canopy a play and movement studio in Williamsburg for babies and toddlers up to 4 years old. Canopy’s open floor plan features cloud-inspired pillows and ceiling fixtures, mini playhouses, swings, soft rugs & toys, a cozy lounge areas for adults, and designated spaces for babies to safely explore. Open play is members-only; learn about memberships hereClasses are open to the public and include music classes, story time, baby + me pilates, baby + me yoga, baby wearing dance classes, and much more!

Brooklyn Zoo | Williamsburg

Brooklyn Zoo offers after-school classes for ages 5-15 in tumbling with trampoline, parkour and Ninja Warrior. Brooklyn Zoo is now offering open play for kids on weekends. Open play is $30/2 hours, from 2-6pm on Saturdays and Sundays. All classes are all drop-in, but booking in advance is recommended. For their full schedule, click here.

Ferox Athletics | Greenpoint

Ferox is biggest ninja park on the East Coast for adults and kids at 40,000+ square feet! The gym includes ninja warrior courses and obstacles, a trampoline arena, and a full-size cafe where parents can hang while kids play.  Come for a 2-hour open play session: explore the amazing obstacle courses, twist’n’twirl, jump and flip on our gigantic trampolines, rock climbing, or the parkour zone! All ages welcome; kids under 5 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Open play is $30 during the week and $37 on weekends. Hours are 2-6pm Monday-Thursday, 2-11pm on Friday, 10am-10pm on Saturday, and 10am-8pm on Sunday.

The Play Lab | Greenpoint

The Play Lab is a eco-friendly Montessori-inspired playspace for ages 0 to 7. There is a rock wall, treehouse, Lego & construction zone, baby & toddler zone, and areas for pretend play, a critical thinking zone, magnetic wall, and more. They are open 7 days a week, with Open Play 10-6 Monday-Friday and 8am-6pm on the weekend. 2-hour sessions are $39.50 for 1 adult and 1 child. On the weekends, they offer a special price of $25 for 8-10am. Founded by a local mom, The Play Lab has a sister space called Play Kids (ages 4 to 8). Both centers offer drop-in play and birthday parties, and Play Kids also offers afterschool classes, drop-off movie nights, and more for older kids.

Twinkle Playspace | Williamsburg

Twinkle Playspace is one of New York’s most unique indoor playgrounds. Twinkle is for children 6 and under only, and reservations are required. Either visit with a 2-hour day pass ($20/child, $15/adult) or buy a membership to save on admission. Play sessions are Monday-Friday, 10am-12pm, 12:30-2:30pm, and 3-5pm. Open Saturdays and Sundays 8:30-10:30am only. Socks are required for children and adults! Visit their website for more information.

Vital Climbing Gym | Williamsburg

Kids 6 and up can learn how to climb and boulder at this indoor gym, which also has teams, climbing clubs, camps, and birthday parties. Single visits are $35, and you can rent climbing shoes and a chalk bag. They are open Monday-Thursday, from 8am-11pm and Friday & Saturday, 9am-10pm.

 

More Neighborhoods

Fairytale Island Playground | Bay Ridge

Fairytale Island Playground is an indoor playground and cafe in Bay Ridge. The playspace features a faux sandbox, giant ball pit, two-level Fairytale Island train, swings, slides, trampoline, climbing wall, kids shopping center, and lots of toys (little tikes cozy coupes, bouncy ride-on animals and balls, rocking horse, mega blocks and much more). Admission is $22/child, and tickets are valid for 2 hours. One free adult is included, but an additional adult is $5.

Flying Apple | Bed Stuy

Flying Apple is an indoor play center for ages 1-10. New York City-themed with a futuristic design, Flying Apple’s play areas include a ball blaster, climbing wall, slides, an obstacle course, and a huge ball pit. Flying Apple also hosts parties, events, and classes. Open play is $22 on weekdays and $30 on weekends. Kids ages 3 and under pay $16, and all prices include admission for one adult per child. There are even massage chairs and free snacks for caregivers!

New York Aquarium | Coney Island

Visit the NYC Aquarium in Coney Island to see all your favorite marine life! The aquarium is open seven days a week from 10am to 5pm (park closes early at 4:30pm November-March). Check out the Touch Pool, where guests of all ages can meet local marine invertebrates, including crabs, marine snails and horseshoe crabs. The Touch Pool will be open on weekends from 11:30am – 3:30pm (times changing seasonally) starting December 14, 2025. It will also be open on January 20, 29 and February 17-21, and is included with admission to New York Aquarium. Admission for children 3 and up start at $26, adult tickets start at $30. Don’t miss out on their free tickets on Wednesday afternoons! And check out tips for planning a day trip to Coney Island here.

 

Multiple Locations

Storytime at Books Are Magic | Brooklyn Heights & Cobble Hill

Books Are Magic offers free story times and author events at both of their Brooklyn locations. Click here to see upcoming programs! In addition to special author events, the bookstore offers First Friday Storytime on the first Friday of every month at 11am at their Smith Street location in partnership with Carroll Gardens Public Library. Both locations also offer Tiny Storytime for ages 6-36 months on Tuesdays at 11am in Cobble Hill and Thursdays at 11am in Brooklyn Heights.

Brooklyn Public Library | Various Locations 

All BPL branches offer free programming for children as young as babies up to teens including weekly story times, play groups for babies and toddlers, teen programs, family programs, and so much more. Click here to find your branch and browse upcoming events. Note: BPL branches are now closed on Sundays.  

Hopalong Andrew | Various Indoor Locations

Award-winning singing cowboy Hopalong Andrew offers a few indoor music classes in Brooklyn each week, including a FREE show at the Gowanus Whole Foods (Tuesdays at 10am) and two shows every Thursday at City Point Bklyn (downstairs in Dekalb Market Hall, 10am and 12pm) for $20/family. Click here for his schedule and check his Instagram for location and cancellation updates.

PLAYDAY | Cobble Hill  & Park Slope

PLAYDAY is an art-making studio for children with locations in Cobble Hill and Park Slope. PLAYDAY offers Grown Up & Me activities for ages 1-4 ($37/class), drop-in art classes for ages 5 and up, as well as after-school programming, advanced art classes, and more! Click here to learn more. 

Private Picassos | Park Slope & Clinton Hill

Private Picassos offers drop-in art making 6 days a week, weekly classes for kids 1.5-10 years, art playgroups for babies 12-18 months, birthday parties, private classes, camps, and more! One in-studio art project starts at $20. Day passes are $50 for unlimited art projects, and kids can stay as long as they’d like! Monthly memberships also available for unlimited drop-in art making. Classes start at $40-$50/session; click here to see all prices and register. The new Clinton Hill location also has a special reading nook for kids to take an art break and space for grown-ups to relax comfortably. Every Tuesday at 11am and select Saturdays at 10am, Private Picassos founder Valeen Bhat will read a favorite kid’s book in their cozy reading nook – perfect for babies and toddlers.  Hang out after for coloring, toys and exploring all of the books at their Studio.

Prospect Gymnastics | Bed Stuy & Ditmas Park

Prospect Gymnastics offers gymnastics, tumbling & cheer, parkour, birthday parties, camp, plus lots of family-friendly programs for toddlers and young children. There is Toddler Playtime for crawlers to 4 years ($20/session), Parent & Tot Gymnastics ($600/semester) and Parent & Tot Music Class ($30/session). Learn about classes and more programs here.

Space Club | Greenpoint & Fort Greene

Space Club is a sensory play space with locations in Greenpoint and Fort Greene. Both Space Club locations are open 365 days a year, 8am-7pm daily. There are no age limits at Space Club; all ages, 0 and up, are welcome! The original location in Greenpoint has a two-story playground, bouncy house, ball pit, sensory area, and more! The new location in Fort Greene is a four-level, 36,000 square-foot space includes both a rooftop and an outdoor deck. There are jungle gyms, huge ball pits with swings and rings hanging overhead, a studio for arts and crafts, a LEGO pit, a bead pit, a huge floor piano, and even a glow-in-the-dark room. Single passes for 2 hours of play are $35 for one child and one adult. Booking online in advance is recommended for weekends and holidays, and a limited number of walk-ins are also accepted. No bookings are required for weekdays, families can just drop in.Membership is $249/month, plus a $500 joining fee. Membership includes free weekday classes, free movie nights, free after school care, 2 accompanying adults per entry, and more. Learn more here!

Treasure Trunk Theatre | Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope & Opening January 2025 in Prospect Heights!

Treasure Trunk Theatre offers a wide variety of drop-in classes, such as Toddlers at the Trunk, Musical Art Adventure, Indoor Sing-Along Adventure, and Broadway workshops. Drop-in classes start at $40. They also have playgroups for babies and toddlers, as well as a $5 storytime at their Park Slope location on Thursdays from 10:30-11:15am. Browse all classes here.

Updated: December 2024. Main Image: Space Club in Greenpoint.

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