Explore history, art, literature, and culture through the miniature world of dolls. The Madame Alexander Heritage Gallery embraces the vision of engaging children’s imaginations by showcasing more than 600 dolls from the 1920s to today. The gallery offers special tours, birthday party options, and creative workshops to customize your very own Madame Alexander doll. For a world even more miniature, Tiny Doll House has an astounding collection of dollhouses—not to mention farms, old NYC townhouses, and medieval castles. This store is perfect for children, adult collectors, and tiny interior decorators alike. 615 West 131st Street, 6th Floor, madamealexander.com; 314 East 78th Street
With a hand-picked assortment of over 60,000 titles to choose from, the Bank Street Bookstore is a great resource for both parents and kids. The store regularly offers family events, story hours with children’s book authors, and weekly Fairy Tale Puppet Theater. Likewise, Books of Wonder has a wide selection of books for purchase that are essential for young readers and listeners. They have classic and contemporary books for all levels and ages and host weekly storytime sessions every Friday and Sunday. 610 West 112th Street, bankstreetbooks.com; 18 West 18th Street, booksofwonder.com
Bring your family to see a bevy of marionette puppet adaptations of classic children’s stories. With intricately crafted puppets and sets, Puppetworks offers intimate, captivating performances, including “Hansel & Gretel” and “The Prince & The Magic Flute” this winter. Located in Central Park, the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre will perform “Pippi” this January, based on the story of Pippi Longstocking. The Swedish Cottage is also home to CityParks PuppetMobile, a traveling group of puppeteers who perform nationally and locally, in parks, schools, and recreation centers. 338 Sixth Avenue, Brooklyn, puppetworks.org; West 79th Street and West Drive, cityparksfoundation.org/arts
Looking to expose your children to global culture? Discover the Himalayas and Tibetan art at the Rubin Museum of Art through a variety of unique family programs. Make arts and crafts at Yak Packers, dance your heart out at Drum Beats & Little Feet, or enrich your self-guided tour with fun Family Activity Bags. At The Scandinavian House, your little ones can explore all things Nordic at The Heimbold Family Children’s Playing & Learning Center. Kid-friendly activities this January include Scandinavian sing-alongs and saturday morning storytelling. 150 West 17th Street, rmanyc.org; 58 Park Avenue, scandinaviahouse.org
The New York Hall of Science strives to educate children of all ages in the areas of biology, chemistry, and physics through their many exhibitions and hands-on activities. The science and technology center has a “preschool place,” cool science-themed birthday parties, year-round camps and afterschool clubs, and more. Boasting the nation’s largest IMAX Theater, the Liberty Science Center offers tours, sleepover “camp ins,” and a dynamic list of workshops that changes daily—from robotics competitions to making liquid nitrogen ice cream. 47-01 111th Street, Queens, nysci.org; 222 Jersey City Boulevard, Jersey City, lsc.org
