This year, New York is wasting no time in coming up with the most fun, innovative and even unusual ways to help NYC families get the most out of their city—but have you heard about them yet? Check out our roundup of happenings around town
1. Trader Joe’s locations in Chelsea, Union Square and at Court St. are introducing a “Parent Pass” in May that allows moms and dads with one or more child in tow to skip the line. Simply grab a blue “Parent Paddle” when you walk in and wave it over your head when you step in line to be rescued by a Trader Joe’s employee and shuttled to the next open cash register. It’s time to say buh-bye to long waits and hello to that bottle of pinot.
2. Ultra-private Gramercy Park will host an out-of-this-world Easter egg hunt for kids this year (first come, first served). Here’s the kicker: One of the hunt’s eggs contains a key to the actual park that the recipient’s parents will then be able to borrow for one year of park access...though your kids will probably be more pumped about the chocolate and temporary tattoos. Talk about bragging rights…start training now!
3. If you thought the ‘Slope wasn’t celebrating its tiniest residents enough, you need to batten down the hatches for J.J. Byrne Playground’s very first ToddlerFest, a celebration of all humans small, adorable and ever-prepared for a debate on where to find New York’s best slice of pizza (binkys will be thrown!). Apart from local vendor booths boasting all their favorite finger foods (think mozzarella sticks, quesadillas and artisanal chicken nuggets), the event will also host New York’s first for-toddlers, by-toddlers indie film competition. Details TBA.
Photograph: Courtesy Marielle Solan/McCarren Park Pool
4. We know it’s not quite swim season yet, but it looks like McCarren Park Pool is opening a tad early (and by early, we mean in two weeks) for a frosty family Polar Bear Plunge (open to those ages 12 and up accompanied by a guardian). Bring your wetsuits!
5. A nonprofit group will launch a baby bootcamp in Central Park this summer. Listen, we all want the best for our kids, and would obviously do anything to ensure a good life for future generations of New Yorkers. Nonprofit group Baby Boomerz believes just this, and so they're launching a "bootcamp" for children ages three and under that aims to provide "robust programming that keeps your toddler in shape both mentally and physically." The bootcamp will take place in three-hour sessions, and will include an hour of workouts (including Kettlebells), an hour of abacus training and an hour of napping.