NYC Experience Gift Ideas for Kids |

Are you looking for a fun experience gift for a kid in New York City?

Whether you live in NYC or are visiting during the holidays, there are plenty of amazing options for experience gifts there.

My family has always been into experiences more than physical gifts. New York City has a plethora of activities, shows, and experiences for kids. Sure, you can get them some pretty amazing gifts in the city, too, but add some experiences in there this holiday season.

Keep reading to find out the best experience gifts for your child.

Experience Gift Ideas for Kids in New York City

See Your Name in Lights

One experience gift that can truly only be given in New York City is seeing yourself on a billboard in Times Square

Don’t worry that you’ll miss it. Each hour, for 24 hours, your ad will be shown for 15 seconds.

Camp Store Workshop

Camp: A Family Experience Store is located by Union Square, and it is both a fun shop, a place for kids’ workshops, and a slime bar.

Unfortunately, Camp has changed from when it first opened, and you can no longer go through the secret door unless you have a workshop booked. Check their website to see the current theme.

My kids are now too old to participate in the Camp Experience workshops, which are geared toward younger kids, but there is a slime bar at the front, which they would love. They also love wandering through the shop.

Broadway Show

Going to the theatre is a great experience and a gift idea for kids of all ages. In New York City, there are Broadway and off-Broadway shows. The difference between Broadway and Off-Broadway is the size of the theater.

Depending on the person’s age and interest, there are fantastic options in New York City for gifting the experience of a day at the theatre.

Off-Broadway has some amazing family-friendly shows that would make a great experience for New York City kids, including The Gazillion Bubble Show, which is fun for all ages.

I recently took my kids to see & Juliet, which is perfect for tweens and teens. I also suggest Six! for the older kids. More fun kid options include Wicked, Aladdin, and The Lion King.

Sporting Events

Madison Square Gardens NY Rangers Ice Hockey Game

Depending on the season, a ticket (or season tickets) to a sporting event makes a fun experience gift.

In New York City, options include Yankees and Mets Major League Baseball tickets as well as minor league baseball, including the Brooklyn Cyclones and Staten Island Yankees.

Hockey fans will love a ticket to a New York Rangers game, while basketball fans prefer a ticket to see the Brooklyn Nets or New York Knicks.

While there aren’t any football teams in New York City, the NY Giants and NY Jets aren’t too far away.

If you have a sports fan who would be interested in a tour of the stadium, this is an option, including at Madison Square Garden and Barclays Center.

Staycation at a Hotel

While you may live in New York City, it is always fun to play tourist and stay in a different part of the city.

Spending a night or a weekend in a hotel makes the perfect experience gift for kids, especially if that hotel has a pool!

Find the best hotels in New York City for families and where to stay in Brooklyn with kids.

Helicopter Tour

New York City from above, lots of buildings and a river

Experience New York City from above on a helicopter tour!

Choose between a 15, 20, or 30-minute helicopter ride that departs from Pier 6. See the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and Central Park from above. There is even a chance to see Yankee Stadium!

Decide which helicopter tour is the best experience gift for your New York City kids.

Ice Skating

Each winter, ice skating rinks pop up in New York City, and a day on the ice makes for a fun experience gift.

The most popular ice skating rink options include:

The Rink at Rockefeller Center
Wollman Rink in Central Park
Bryant Park

Find more ice skating rinks in the city and more fun things to do in New York City in December.

Bowling

My kids love to go bowling and have asked to take a family trip as a gift more than once.

The bowling alleys in New York City tend to be what I would consider “fancy,” and they are definitely not your typical suburban bowling alley.

Some of our favorites include:

If you are looking for that old-school bowling alley vibe, check out Melody Lanes in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

High Tea

High tea is one of those things that always makes us feel fancy and special. It makes the perfect experience gift, and New York City has plenty of high tea experiences to choose from.

Some establishments have a high tea especially for kids.

You can even drive around in a bus and enjoy high tea, Tea around Town.

Find the best high tea in New York City, or if budget is a concern, look for the best cheap high tea experiences in NYC.

Class Bento Workshops

Sign the kids up for a workshop through Class Bento.

Instead of scrolling through various businesses to find the best cooking class for kids or the best art workshop for kids, Class Bento has a list of up-to-date classes and workshops.

Class Bento also has virtual workshops where the materials are sent to your home, and the class is available online.

Have you thought about having a photo shoot while you are in New York City?  Check out NYC Photo Journeys to get matched with a professional photographer.  You can book a photo shoot or even a private tour + photo shoot throughout the day.

Use code MAKEMOREADVENTURES for $10 off.

Boat Cruise

Hop on a boat and cruise around Manhattan.

You can opt for a regular tour, a boat tour at night, a dinner cruise, or a holiday cruise.

Circle Line Speed Boat

While a boat tour around Manhattan is fun, a speedboat is way more fun for kids.

The Circle Line Speed Boat offers a 30-minute thrill ride with a great view of the Statue of Liberty.

Museum Passes

A day at any of the following museums makes for a great experience gift, and most of them sell annual passes, which is even better (if you live in or near New York City).

Find even more options for kid-friendly museums in NYC and other great things to do in all 5 boroughs.

Spyscape

Learn how to be a spy at Spyscape.

Kids can solve codes, spot liars, dodge lasers, and participate in immersive spy challenges at Spyscape, which is located in Midtown.

This is one experience gift that just may be as much fun for the adult chaperone as it is for the kids.

Museum of Illusions

You can actually find the Museum of Illusions in multiple cities in the US, as well as in cities around the world. Their New York City location is in the West Village and offers a fun experience for all ages.

Kids under 5 do not need a ticket to enter the Museum of Illusions, but everyone else does. Tickets can be purchased at the door, but pre-purchase your ticket online to guarantee a time slot.

Museum of Mathematics

A boy riding a bike with square wheels at MoMath in New York City

MoMath, the National Museum of Mathematics, is a hands-on museum that helps make math fun.

The math museum is open every day of the year except Thanksgiving, so it is one place you can even plan to go on Christmas if you are looking for a fun NYC experience and do not want to wait to cash in the gift.

Museum of Broadway

If you have seen all the latest Broadway shows, if your budget isn’t big enough for Broadway, or if you are just interested in the history of Broadway and what happens behind the scenes, check out the new Museum of Broadway.

Another option for Broadway lovers is a haunted Broadway theater tour.

Transit Museum

Have a train-obsessed child? Take them to the Transit Museum in Downtown Brooklyn.

The Transit Museum is located in the Court Street Subway Station. There is an accessible entrance, but let the museum know if you are going to need to use it before your visit.

Ice Cream Museum

What is better than a trip to the ice cream shop? Try an experience gift voucher to the Ice Cream Museum!

This museum is interactive and includes a 3-story slide and the world’s largest pool of sprinkles in addition to unlimited ice cream during your visit.

Read our review of the Ice Cream Museum to find out what to expect there.

Sloomoo Institute

A girl pulling lavender slime out of a large white container at Sloomoo Institude, a slime museum in New York City

An entire museum dedicated to slime? Sloomoo Institute is just one reason that New York City has the best experience gifts for kids.

Every ticket to Sloomoo Institute includes a trip to the DIY slime bar, where kids can make themselves a souvenir.

You can upgrade your ticket to include getting slimed!

Find out what to expect at Sloomoo Institute.

Find more than 100 things to do with kids in New York City.

Color Factory

The Color Factory is an interactive museum and makes for a fun experience gift.

I took my daughter when she was 5, and while a lot of the exhibits are aimed towards adults, she had the best time. She still talks about it years later.

Various desserts are handed out throughout the museum, and there are plenty of places to play. Plus, the photo ops are so fun that kids can’t help but smile.

Liberty Science Center

Yes, the Liberty Science Center is in New Jersey, but it is very close to NYC and worth the trip if you have little science lovers.

Visit the largest planetarium in the Western hemisphere and spend the day interacting with the various exhibits.

Sleepover at a Museum

Did you know that you can sleep over at some of New York City’s favorite museums? This is just one of the fun bucket list experiences kids can have in NYC.

Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum

You can bring a group or go as a family to sleep over at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum.

Dates fill up quickly, so be sure to book as soon as you know the date you can go. The sleepover runs from 6 pm until 8 am.

An overnight at Intrepid includes:

dinner, a snack, and breakfast
a flashlight-guided tour
unlimited simulator rides
planetarium shows
hands-on activities
a pass to go back to the museum

American Museum of Natural History

Sleepovers at the American Museum of Natural History are back!

The sleepovers at the AMNH are for kids ages 6-13 (and up to 16 with scout groups).

Sleepovers at AMNH include:

evening snack and a light breakfast
cots
fossil finding mission by flashlight
planetarium show
3D nature movie
live animal presentation
access to permanent exhibits

Looking for more upscale and unique New York City experiences for kids?  Check out this list of luxury experiences for kids in NYC.

NY Aquarium

Kids 5+ and their families can participate in a sleepover at the New York Aquarium in Coney Island.

Explore the sharks exhibit at night and these other inclusions for this unique experience:

parking pass
behind-the-scenes tour
pillowcase decorating
a movie
live animal encounter

Zoo Pass or Membership

Two young kids looking at an animal behind the large glass at Prospect Park Zoo — Prospect Park Zoo

Did you know that there is a zoo in each New York City borough?

The Bronx Zoo is the largest in the city, and it is worth spending a day there. If you live in the area, you can even purchase an annual membership.

While Central Park Zoo is a small zoo, it is fun, especially for younger kids. The smaller space makes it easier to navigate with young kids.

Prospect Park Zoo is located in Brooklyn.

Zoo Encounter

If you are looking for something a bit more unique than a trip to the zoo, add on a zoo encounter.

At the Bronx Zoo, you can book a Wildlife Encounter and get close to animals, including:

cheetah
sloths
giraffe
penguins
camels
reptiles
birds

For younger kids, there is a “My First Connection” experience.

Ziplining

During certain times of the year, you can go ziplining at the Bronx Zoo.

The Bronx Zoo Treetop Adventure has 8 ziplines, rope courses, and obstacles.

Kids must be at least 7 years old and above a certain height and weight to participate.

City Climb at The Edge

Adventurous kids 13+ can participate in the City Climb at The Edge.

Anyone 13-17 must participate with an adult. Additional members of your group can watch.

The City Climb is the highest external building climb in the world.

Book a Taylor Swift Tour for your little Swifty.

Graffiti Lesson

Kids (and adults) of all ages can participate in a graffiti lesson in Brooklyn. While the graffiti lesson is a fun experience gift, there is also a physical product of the child’s art to take home at the end of the class.

Each participant gets a canvas to practice their graffiti skills on at the end of the lesson.

Candlelight Concert

a lot of candles on the floor in a stone church

You can find all types of Candlelight Concerts in New York City, including seasonal music and modern musicians.

An orchestra performs all of the concerts. Locations vary, but the candles remain the same.

Find more unique events, including seasonal shows and activities.

Carousel Ride

Experience gifts do not need to be expensive! Kids have fun at all price points, and I don’t know any kid who doesn’t enjoy a ride on a carousel.

Note that not all of the carousels are open year-round.

Some of the carousels in New York City include:

Sea Glass Carousel, Battery Park
Jane’s Carousel, Brooklyn Bridge Park
Le Carrousel, Bryant Park
Central Park Carousel

Cupcake Tour

Sure, food tours are fun, but a cupcake tour seems like the perfect experience gift for kids. What kid doesn’t love cupcakes? Plus, New York City has the best cupcakes.

You can’t go wrong with 7 cupcake tastings in Greenwich Village. That is a gift any kid would love to have.

Rise NYC

Two kids playing with records and making music in front of a large Biggie Smalls mural at RIse NY, whcih makes a fun experience gift for all ages.

Get a unique perspective as you soar over New York City in a projection dome that is part museum and part ride.

If you are looking for a different type of experience gift for kids in New York City, Rise NYC allows them to view the landmarks in the city and learn about the city’s history while taking a fun ride.

Before the ride, there are lots of photo opps and information on music, fashion, theatre, TV, Broadway, and movies that have taken place in New York City.

The ride itself reminded me a lot of Soarin’ at Epcot, though you are flying over New York City instead of San Francisco. Our whole family really enjoyed Rise NY, and we all recommend it. My kids were 9 and 10 at the time.

Find out what to expect at RiseNY.

Superhero Tour

For superhero lovers, a walking Superhero Tour makes for a fun way to experience NYC.

Kids can see the landmarks from their favorite comic books while exploring the city.

Home Alone 2 Experience

If you are looking for a unique experience gift for a group of kids, up to 7 can ride in a private limousine while eating pizza and visiting NYC landmarks and places seen in Home Alone 2.

Another more affordable option is to take a pedicab tour to all of the sites seen in Elf and Home Alone 2.

Harry Potter Experience

A girl holding a glass of butterbeer at the Harry Potter Store in NYC.

I am sure a trip to the Harry Potter store to pick out a souvenir would make a great experience gift for any Potter fans, but you can go a step further and get a souvenir package that includes a butterbeer, butterbeer ice cream, a chocolate frog, and a wand.

Another option for Harry Potter fans is tickets to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway.

Experience Gifts for Kids in New York City Wrap-Up

New York City offers a plethora of amazing experiences for kids, any of which would make for a fun experience gift.

Whether you live in NYC or are planning to visit, the items on this list are worth checking out and booking as a gift. This list includes experiences at various price points and experiences great for a wide variety of ages.

While we understand the need to unwrap a gift or two, we personally recommend experience gifts whenever possible. It is a great way to spend time together while doing something you may not have been able to do otherwise.