FiDi Top Fives

FiDi Top Five List…Best Toddler Story Time in Lower Manhattan

Reading to toddlers provides an immeasurable amount of benefits to children, whether it is related to word recognition, understanding of speech, communication skills and all-around enjoyment and special time with their parent or caregiver. Take advantage of some of the opportunities for story time offered throughout Lower Manhattan and introduce your children to the wonderful world of books. Check out our top five story times below!

1. New Amsterdam Library @ 9 Murray Street
2. Housing Works @ 126 Crosby Street in SoHo
3. Battery Park City Library @ 175 North End Avenue
4. Barnes and Noble Tribeca @ 97 Warren Street
5. Museum of Jewish Heritage @ 36 Battery Place

FiDi Top Five List…Best Day Trips from Lower Manhattan

Summertime is the perfect time to pack up the car and take the kids somewhere fun and out of the City. But, with toddlers and their routines, sometimes it is best to plan quick trips that won’t require an overnight stay. This will allow you to avoid the dread of lugging all of the gear that is required to go out of town such as a portable crib, toddler aerobed, favorite lovies, pj’s, bath toys, etc. A day trip will allow you to minimalize. There are many places to visit that only require the smallest bit of planning and can be done in a day. Our bets are on the following day trip destinations*.

1. Crayola Factory Discovery Center (1 hr and 30 mins) http://www.crayolaexperience.com
2. Sesame Place (1hr and 30 mins) www.sesameplace.com
3. Adventure Aquarium (2 hrs) http://www.adventureaquarium.com
4. Philadelphia Zoo (approximately 2 hrs) www.philadelphiazoo.org
5. Camelbeach Mountain Water Park (2 hrs) http://www.camelbeach.com

*Destinations are based on a departure from the Financial District and trip time provided by MapQuest.

FiDi Families Insiders: Pack easy on-the-go snacks, such as Cheerios, bananas, and GoGo squeeZ and wipes for easy car cleanup. Don’t leave home without the iPad, and if you want to encourage cat naps, be sure to bring favorite lovey/blankies.

FiDi Top Five List…Best “On-the-Go” Frozen Treats in the Financial District!

Summer in the City can be hot, especially for little ones as they navigate the concrete jungle. One way to help kids cool down is to treat them to a NYC frozen treat. It’s a great afternoon surprise and is guaranteed to put a smile on a red-cheek face. Check out these FiDi Families favorites for easy-to-eat frozen treats, as the family is out and about exploring NYC. Stop by one of these locations in Lower Manhattan’s Financial District and along the East River…

1. NYC Yogurt (self-serve frozen yogurt) https://www.nycyogurt.com
2. Gelato Ti Amo (all natural gelato) https://www.gelatotiamo.it
3. Strawberry Fields (all-natural self-serve frozen yogurt) https://www.strawberryfieldsyogurt.com
4. Magnolia Bakery Pop-Up Shop (homemade ice cream sandwiches) https://www.magnoliabakery.com/location-detail-page?id=113
5. Chinatown Ice Cream Factory (exotic  ice cream flavors) https://chinatownicecreamfactory.com/

FiDi Families Insiders: The Chinatown Ice Cream Factory is North of FiDi, but it is so good, it had to be included on our FiDi Top Five list!

FiDi Top Five List…Best “Family-friendly sports venues”

1. If you haven’t already introduced your kids to the wide world of professional sports, consider a day out with the kids at a nearby sports venue to witness some great athletes at a family-friendly venue. Some offer kids a chance to run around the bases during the seventh inning stretch, offer kid-friendly concession stand snacks, and offer an up close and personal sporting event that kids won’t get in the big leagues.

1. Brooklyn Cyclones Baseball – Log onto: https://www.brooklyncyclones.com
2. Staten Island Yankees Baseball – Log onto: https://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t586
3. Red Bull Soccer – Log onto: https://www.newyorkredbulls.com
4. Long Island Ducks Baseball – Log onto: https://www.liducks.com/schedule/
5. NY Cosmos Soccer – Log onto: https://www.nycosmos.com