I am raising two autistic teens in NYC, here are things we loved when they were young and now, and tips.
Map
Sections
2
Manhattan
Brooklyn
Manhattan
This is so much fun and so much ice cream to eat! Interactive rooms and great pics.
Museum of Ice Cream
for the sensory seekers, this fills that need. Lots of visual sensory stimulation.
Museum of Illusions - New York
who doesn't love a sensory show full of bubbles?
The Gazillion Bubble Show
Sloomoo is the Slime Institute and your kids will get their Sensory FILL
Sloomoo Institute
My kids love to try bowling and Chelsea Piers has fun bowling, plus an arcade and kid friendly food.
Lucky Strike Chelsea Piers
The Bronx Zoo can be overwhelming for my autistic kids so the Central Park zoo is the perfect size.
Central Park Zoo
WAY MORE INTERESTING than you ever think it's going to be and it has a freaking space shuttle. They love it and ask to go back all the time.
Intrepid Museum
for the sensory seeking autistic kids, this is the RIDE
The BEAST Speedboat Ride - Midtown
this can be overwhelming so come first thing in the morning and stalk their website before to see when bumper cars on the ice skating rink tickets go on sale. this is serious fun.
Bryant Park Winter Village
This Lego store is much less crowded and equally fun.
The LEGO® Store Flatiron District
A fun stroll ABOVE the city streets with nice little areas to sit and have a break and chill, end it at the Hudson Yards Mall for some food or ice cream or a bit of shopping.
The High Line
If it's raining on your NYC visit and your sensory seeking kiddos need to blow off steam, come to Complete Playground NYC. It's an amazing place and autism friendly.
Complete Playground
Brooklyn
Discover one if the best playgrounds in Brooklyn and get a fabulous view of the city. I still take my autistic teens here because they love it so much. Have lunch in Williamsburg, Brooklyn after.
Domino Park Playground
If you venture out to Brooklyn, Come here. It's such a great place to play but also with areas to chill and an allergy-friendly pizza restaurant (GF, DF, too!)
Pier 6
After you let your kids have the time of their life at Pier 6 Playground, have lunch within the park on the rooftop of Fornino. It's casual, great for groups, plenty of space for our autistic kids and gluten-free/dairy-free friendly too!
Fornino Pier 6
There is so much to do at industry city including a nerf arena, an arcade, eateries, shopping, comic books, ice skating in the winter with fire pits and hot cocoa.
Industry City
Here in NYC in the rain or winter and need your kids to burn off some energy? Have an epic nerf gun battle here, also shop and eat and drink too as you roam from building to building in Industry City, it's a really cool place.
Brooklyn Battle Blasters, Nerf Arena, and Birthday Parties
Less crowded than the Manhattan Children's Museum and so very cool.
Brooklyn Children's Museum
A sensory gym where you can book open play while you are here and have your kids burn off some energy, especially if the weather ends up not in your favor. Ages 0-11.
Drop-in for Open-Play - PlayWell Brooklyn
If you are in NYC with kids and need them to burn some energy in the winter, head here.
Beat The Bomb Brooklyn
You have to come here twice; In the winter for LIGHTSCAPE. It's beautiful art installations that you walk through at night with music and hot chocolate and adult beverages. Plenty of space for your autistic kids to walk around. Then come again in the SUMMER To enjoy the beautiful plants and parks. There is a fragrance garden originally created as a sensory garden for the blind and it just smells amazing.
