Blog

At a Glance

• Make the most of the final weeks before school starts.
• Discover limited-time summer events happening across NYC.
• Create one last summer memory your kids won’t forget.

When I was a kid, once it hit August 15th, my mom would say summer was over. It bummed me out, but now, from a parent’s perspective, I get it. By mid-August, you basically have two weeks to squeeze in everything you meant to do all summer, while also getting ready for everything back-to-school demands.

No one wants to reach the night before school starts and feel like they didn’t get enough of the fun in. So if your summer’s been more work than play, here are 10 things you can do in NYC that are pure fun and will hopefully leave your kids with good memories fresh in their minds as the school year kicks off.

Psst… Check Out Things to Do with the Kids This Weekend in NYC

Make the Most of the Last Weeks of Summer in NYC

1. Check out the Labubu exhibit. This is Pop Mart’s first-ever U.S. exhibition with nine galleries tracing the whole Monsters universe from early sketches to now, plus a gift shop stacked with 10th-anniversary merch. Runs through the end of August.
2. Fall into the world of Moomins. Summer of Moomin transforms the New York Botanical Garden into Tove Jansson’s whimsical Moominvalley, with lush garden backdrops, a clue-based quest woven through the grounds, and hands-on nature crafts. It feels like stepping straight into the storybook.

   

3. Seesaw in Herald Square and video it. Glowing Impulse Seesaws Take Over Herald Square. Eight giant seesaws light up and play music every time someone rides them, and grown adults have as much fun as the kids. Free, first-come, first-served, and running daily through August 21. Your kids will keep this video for years to come.
4. Get to one of the Summer Streets events. Miles of Manhattan streets go completely car-free for the day, so you can walk, bike, or scooter right down the middle of the road. There’s free fitness classes, art installations, and rest stops along the route.
5. Grab a slice from one of NYC’s best pizzerias, and then cool off with ice cream to round out any last summer outing!

   

6. Visit one or more of the best libraries in New York for kids. They were always my go-to when it was too hot to be outside. They are always free, blissfully air-conditioned, and most branches have story times or activities going on, no matter when you go.
7. Hang out with some tigers. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood at the Bronx Zoo. There’s a life-sized Trolley to ride, a live show with Daniel and Katerina Kittycat, and chances to meet the characters up close.
8. Go kayaking at Brooklyn Bridge Park. It’s free all summer, no experience needed, and they provide the gear and a quick lesson. Kids under 18 just need an adult with them in the boat.

   

9. Take a trip to the Balloon Museum at the South Street Seaport. The Balloon Museum just opened for good at the Tin Building in the Seaport, and it’s one of those places you have to see to believe, with giant, walk-through inflatable art installations in every color you can imagine. Kids can touch and climb through a lot of it instead of just looking, and it’s right on the water near the Brooklyn Bridge.
10. Spend a day indoors and flip the script. Make breakfast for dinner, or dinner for breakfast, and stay in your PJs all day. Do something your kids will find totally fun. Even better, make it an annual tradition before school routines take over again. One summer, my kids and I cranked the AC, piled under a blanket, and watched The Chronicles of Narnia. We turned summer into winter for an afternoon.

Psst… Check Out New York Family’s 20 Best September 2026 Events Across NYC