Bronx Children's Museum - A Fantastic Place to Visit with Toddlers
The Bronx Children’s Museum’s new space opened recently, and it is a fantastic addition to NYC’s toddler-friendly attractions. I visited on a Saturday morning with my wife and 2-year-old son. We had a great time and spent between an hour and 90 minutes playing. I highly recommend the Bronx Children’s Museum for families with kids aged 5 or 6 and under.
Table of Contents
Admission & Logistics
Admission is Free!
Accessibility is key for the Bronx Children’s Museum, and admission is free! Just remember to book online in advance because it does fill up. We forgot to book, but luckily we arrived right at opening and were able to visit. Also, as of March 2023 the museum is only open 3 days a week. Check their website for more information.
Ample Stroller Parking
Bring Your Own Snacks
There isn’t space for a cafeteria, so I recommend bringing your own snacks from home. We sat in the entry area and enjoyed a granola bar we had with us. Don’t plan to buy lunch here.
Museum Highlights
Giant Water Table
My son’s favorite part of the museum was the water play area! There is a whole room dedicated to a snaking table where kids can build bridges, float boats and enjoy water play. We spent probably 20 minutes watching plastic boats speed from one end of the table to the other. There are also plastic smocks to help prevent kids from getting wet.
Pro Tip: Bring a short-sleeve short or an extra top for your child. Our son's shirt got wet (even with the plastic smock), and having a back-up shirt saved us from dealing with a wet child in winter.
Toddler Play & Reading Area
The museum has a specific area designed for babies and toddlers to play. There are soft climbing structures, tinker boards, instruments, a light table, toys and so many books to read. Multiple staff members were on hand to help children find age-appropriate toys and support with continuous toy clean-up. I was impressed by how un-chaotic it felt.
Children's Books About NYC
I really appreciated the number of children’s and baby’s books about NYC. Always on the hunt for books that are relatable to my son’s life, I ended up adding a few of the books I saw at the museum to my wish list.
To the left of the museum entrance is a reading room filled with books for children of all ages. Kids can sit and read on the large couch or the soft carpet. I appreciate that the room also has a door that can be closed to keep it a bit more peaceful and quiet.
Beaver Dam
Slightly older kids would really enjoy the large-scale beaver dam. (Honestly, I am a grown adult, and I thought it was really cool!) You can walk under the shell of a beaver’s dam. Inside there are long, stuffed “sticks” that you weave through the installation to create your own reinforced dam! I couldn’t get great photos since children were enjoying it.
Wall of Birds!
My son loved the bird wall. Nature is one of the prominent themes throughout the museum, with multiple exhibits focused on local NYC flora and fauna. Kids can touch each bird to hear their unique tweets and songs.
Animal Encounter!
Visitors can also check out the small tanks with a turtle, snake and fish. The museum hosts turtle petting / animal encounter hours at certain times during the week. We didn’t join in on our visit, but when kids looked like they were having a great time.
Plus More...
There were other spaces in the museum that we didn’t even get to explore! The space is not very large, but I was impressed by how much they fit in. Kids can pretend to fish in wooden boats, get creative in the art room, stroll through a mini-model of a few Bronx storefronts and dig through sensory tables.
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