Travel for Kids New York City - MoMa & Rockefeller Center



United States		\| new york \| new york city

		New York - Midtown


			MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) – Visiting MoMA with kids is a great introduction to modern art.

			Look for Starry Night by Van Gogh, The Sleeping Gypsy by Henri Rousseau, Cat and Bird by Paul Klee, Waterlilies by Monet, Three Musicians by Picasso, plus works by Magritte and Basquiat (perfect for teens).

			Don't miss the Bell helicopter (kids may have their own ideas as to why this is in a museum), and the stellar Picasso goat sculpture.

			Tip: Use your New York CityPass.

			Rockefeller Center –

			Rockefeller Plaza – In winter, kids will want to take a turn around the ice skating rink at Rockefeller Plaza. Skates can rented and the rink is open daily, until 10:00pm (and sometimes later), daily from October to March. In the plaza is also the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, a huge tree, at least 65 feet high, decorated with thousands of lights. Each year there is a Christmas Tree lighting ceremony, usually at the end of November.

			LEGO store – Pop into the store next to Rockefeller Plaza to see the ice skating rink, fountain, flags, Rockefeller Center buildings, statue of Atlas, and other New York landmarks, created out of LEGO.

			Top of the Rock – Ride the elevator to the 68th floor of Rockefeller Center for panoramic views of New York in all directions (the nighttime view is stunning, the skyscrapers are all lit up). The observation deck has three levels, one is enclosed (perfect for bad weather), the other two are open air (child-safe). The view of Central Park is especially nice in autumn, when the trees have turned color.

			FDNY Fire Zone (next to Radio City Music Hall) – Meet New York firefighters, climb on a real-fire truck, try on equipment, check out fire fighting tools and learn fire safety. (The Fire Zone is free). There’s also a Fire Simulation Presentation every hour. Kids need to be 4 and up for the simulation (a fire drill and smoke).

			Radio City Tour – Go backstage to find out about Radio City Music Hall, one of the great performance venues. The Great Stage is a technical tour de force, with four elevators and a nifty hydraulic system (budding engineers will find this fascinating). The tour lasts one hour.


			Fun food –

			Down below Rockefeller Plaza is a dining concourse, with lots of restaurants and casual eats, sandwich shops, pizza, sushi, Chinese, hamburgers, bakeries, ice cream. And restrooms. A hidden gem!

			Shopping –

			FAO Schwarz toy store is a New York tradition. Three floors of toys for kids of all ages, famous selection of stuffed animals (some bigger than a child), plus remote control toys and trains, arts and crafts, FAO Schweetz candies and chocolates, fun to dance on the floor piano. Store is located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

Imagine!
Raul Colon

A boy visits the Museum of Modern Art for the first time. As he walks by Picasso's Three Musicians, and Rousseau's The Sleeping Gypsy, the musicians, lion and gypsy step out of the paintings. They play and dance their way out onto the streets of New York, climb the Statue of Liberty, eat hot dogs, sing in Central Park, until the museum closes ... but the boy dreams and imagines. (Picture book)

The Cat and the Bird
Geraldine Elschner, Peggy Nile

Read this delightful story, inspired by a painting at the museum called Cat and Bird by Paul Klee. A cat lives in a lovely house, but envies a little bird, who flies free. One day the bird sets the cat free, and he dances on the roof of his house in the moonlight. (Picture book)

The Cat and the Bird kids books art museum modern art new york

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New York - Midtown