With Memorial Day just around the corner, summer getaway plans are underway. But plenty of adventure can be had right here in the Big Apple. We asked the city experts at Look Out World for their favorite ways to have fun without leaving the island.
Who needs to leave the Big Apple when it’s filled with lots of adventures for you and your little global citizen! Here are some ideas to re-discover the city you love and live in.
 For little ones, half the fun of going places is how you get there. Why not let your child choose the mode of transportation for the day? Take a subway! The Q train goes underground, then above ground, then back again, in one ride! Take the bus and press the magic tape that tells the driver to stop! Even hailing a taxi can be fun, and is something every New Yorker should know how to do! There’s even a taxi that rides on the water, so you can explore the East and Hudson rivers!
Well actually, there are 21 of them…playgrounds, that is. Take your pick!
Make a game of counting the animals. There are thousands of them in the park…make the sounds of the ones you see! If you go to the Central Park Zoo, you’re sure to win; they have 1,400 animals!
The Central Park Field Day Kit, at The North Meadow Recreation Center comes filled with balls, jump ropes, hula-hoops, horseshoes, Frisbees and more! Everything you need to make Central Park feel like your own backyard!
Your magical castle awaits you in the middle of Central Park! You’ll find Belvedere Castle mid-park at 79th street. There are two observation decks where kids can imagine themselves as kings or queens of the castle scaring away a fiery dragon (bring their favorite costume for extra fun!)!
Don’t miss the carousel at mid –park at 64th street. It’s one of the largest in the world, and mostly hand-carved. It’s as fun to watch, as it is to ride! It’s extra-fun to pretend you’re in a horse race, just like in Mary Poppins!
Have your very own tea party at North Meadow. Bring along a basket, a blanket, some dolls or furry friends, little plates, snacks, and your imagination!
Little ones get to feel like giants when they’re on the tippy top of The Empire State Building. Teeny, tiny cars and buses, and buildings that go from towering to toy-like. Try finding shapes in the buildings. Which ones look old, and which ones look new? And what about the clouds way up high, is that a whale I see?
Museums are much more kid-friendly these days and lots of them have special activities for even the littlest ones. And you can make your own fun too! We love to find shapes and colors at the MOMA, stomp like a dinosaur at the Museum of Natural History, bring along an artists’ pad to The Met, sing ‘twinkle twinkle little star’ at the Hayden Planetarium, and waddle like a penguin at the Bronx Zoo!
Even on a day when your adventure is limited to the inside of your house (or apartment!) you can explore New York! Let your little one be a chef! Make New York City pizza! Or an architect! Build your own Empire State Building with boxes and markers! Or be an artist! Create a big apple stamp with paint and a big red apple!
Every city in the world has an adventure waiting around each corner…. you just have to look for it!
This award-winning adventure series invites little global citizens on amazing adventures with characters Otto, Blink, and Casey as they explore, sing, play, and learn their way around the world! Check out the latest DVDs, activity books and plush at www.lookoutworldhereicome.com.
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Calling all princes and princesses!
Who needs to head to the countryside for adventure when you can rent a rowboat right in the middle of New York City at The Lake in Central Park (located centrally at East Drive between 74th and 75th Streets)? Or if you prefer a boat with a little power, head over to Conservatory Water on the Eastside between 72nd street and 75th. Your little captain can drive their very own sailboat…a remote-controlled sailboat, of course! 
“Hello down there!” 