Five Things To Do In New York With Your Kids This Holiday Season

If your kids go crazy for decorations, stop in at Rolf's Restaurant near Gramercy Park for a seasonal sensory overload, delicious German fare and some Vanilla Spiced Egg Nog for the adults.

Lightscape is a new illuminated experience that children of all ages will love. Stroll through more than one million dazzling lights stopping along the way to roast your own s’mores or snap the perfect holiday selfie.

Bundle up and hit the Bronx Zoo after dark for a holiday light show complete with animated sculptures, an illuminated safari and roaming carolers. Don't forget to hop aboard the holiday train and indulge in sweet treats like s’mores and hot chocolate!

Nothing creates holiday magic quite like George Balanchine's The Nutcracker at the New York City Ballet—and we are so thrilled to see it return this year. The show is recommended for children ages 5 and up and vaccination and masks are required.

This year’s holiday installation at Rockefeller Center will feature winter wonderland-esque large-scale vinyl murals from fine artist and illustrator Lisa Congdon. Presented in partnership with the Art Production Fund, the holiday map series also offers visitors a free limited edition map featuring Congdon’s playful take on beloved icons like the Rockettes and everyone’s favorite Christmas tree.

The Apollo’s annual Kwanzaa celebration returns to the digital stage on December 26 and runs through January 3, making it accessible to residents of NYC and beyond! Hosted by Imhotep Gary Byrd, the celebration features the Forces of Nature Dance Theater honoring traditions from across the country with music, percussion and a mix of modern and African dance.

See the city in miniature at the New York Botanical Gardens' beloved Holiday Train Show. This year's show brings Central Park to life in a beautiful winter wonderland.

Remember shopping for gifts in person? Get your children excited about giving with a stroll through the Holiday Shops at Bryant Park. With more than 170 artisanal vendors and food choices that range from ramen to crepes, all conveniently located around the park’s central skating rink, you can definitely make a night of it.

Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas! at New Victory Theater is a merry musical featuring puppets from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop and a score by the legendary Paul Williams. Based on Jim Henson’s classic holiday special from the seventies, it’s a new spin on an old tradition that your family is sure to love.