Central Park
Located in the center of Manhattan, from 59th Street (Central Park South) to 110th Street, and from Central Park West to Fifth Avenue, Central Park offers 843 acres of family fun. The best section for children, however is the southern end. Entering from the corner of 59th and Fifth Street will place you right by the path that leads down to an area full of attractions that the kids will enjoy. The Wildlife Conservation and Children’s Zoo is down the path, as well as the boat pond. One of the favorites however are the statues of Alice in Wonderland, and Han’s Christian Anderson. Children will love to climb on up these statues, which have “big ears.” Central Park doesn’t end there though! There is also a Dairy, which now serves as the park information center. You can even rent chess and checkers from the Dairy to play with in the Chess House, which is located just a short hike west from the building. In the east section of Central Park, you will find the “Ancient Park” which has something for everyone including a water sprinkler during the summer for children to run through. There is also a small quiet area for little ones. In the North section you can find the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center and Duck Island, where children can learn about all sorts of bugs, bird, and bats in the park. Many playgrounds can also be found throughout the park, and each offers a different variety of slides and jungle gyms. Here is a list of playgrounds, and what they provide:

Hecksher Park
Located at 62nd mid-park. One of the largest parks, great for older kids, but has smaller toddler area. The park has see-saws, a rock mountain, and sprinklers during the summer.

Robert Bendheim
Located at E. 100th St., is a park designed for children with special needs. It also has a complete tree house!

Safari Playground
Located at W 91st St. Great for a Safari adventure!

Wild West Playground
Located at W 96th St. Saddle up, and pretend that you are the new sheriff in town!