June events calendar for kids in NYC

The Wonder, an 8,000-square-foot space, is the brain child of two moms looking to engage with multiple generations at once. If you're looking to keep the littles active and engaged with their friends, there are plenty of options to choose from at one of the newest kids' play areas in NYC. Expect slime-making workshops, book clubs, play dough classes, an indoor play space—currently sporting an intergalactic "Retro Future" theme—and much so much more. Moms and dads will be able to enjoy booze and board game events, a respite in the café (which will serve coffee and adult beverages) and of course family-focused programming such as disco nights and craft nights. 

Now that the Bryant Park lawn has officially opened for the season we're actively planning our spring and summer bucket list. From juggling classes and carousel rides to story time and yo-yo shows, Bryant Park has it all. Your kids will get fresh air and plenty of creative stimulation through all the park has to offer.

The new Stranger Things immersive experience—now open inside the Brooklyn Navy Yard—is grandiosely epic. At 35,000-square-feet, it is a huge undertaking that's co-produced by Netflix and Fever—the company behind a number of other experiential destinations. Although immersive shows seem to be all the rave these days, there's something different about this particular production, which actually requires the participation of audience members to move forward and includes a life-like reproduction of the TV series' Starcourt Mall that doubles as a unique retail hub at the end of the 45-minute show.

 Hudson River Park just unveiled its spring and summer lineups, which are looking even better than usual given an increase in funding. In total, New Yorkers will get to enjoy more than 260 free (and awesome!) events through November, including sunset salsa lessons, a BBQ festival, fitness classes, science-related programs and tours of the park itself. Add to it all the new giant public rooftop park that will open at Hudson River Park's Pier 57 and you've got yourself a new must-visit summer destination.

Let this upcoming summer forever be (unofficially) remembered as the season of the roller rink. Following the arrival of a groovy roller skating rink at Rockefeller Center, Central Park has announced the launch of a similar, new immersive, musical and theatrical experience at its own Wollman Rink starting June 16. Woohoo! The ongoing happening is officially dubbed The DiscOasis and it will stay put through October 1.

Two new exciting rides are making their debut at Coney Island's beloved Luna Park this summer and we already can't wait to ride them. Tony's Express, a new custom-made roller coaster, is set to make its global debut at more than 40 miles per hour and running over 1,200 feet of track. Leti's Treasure, on the other hand, is a log flume ride that will operate with 12 flume boats that will sit up to six guests each at a time. At moments lifting riders up to 40 feet in the air, the new thrilling offering will grant a semi-circle panoramic view of Coney Island's shoreline... before plunging down, of course.

A staple of the Washington, D.C. food scene, Captain Cookie & the Milkman is a superhero-themed cookie and ice cream shop that just opened its first New York location at 741 Broadway, smack-dab in the middle of the New York University campus right by Astor Place. Sweet tooths can expect a rotating menu of homemade cookies, made-to-order ice cream sandwiches and farm-fresh local ice cream and milk at the new venue, which is operated by Neil Hershman. The 27-year-old entrepreneur already runs seven other dessert destinations across New York, including the first ever Dippin' Dots store, which settled in town last year.

Ladies and gentlemen of New York, get ready for your Instagram feeds to be drenched in all things candy once more: Candytopia, the social media friendly exhibit that first debuted back in 2018, officially returns to the city tomorrow. We took a peek at the destination before it opens and we must admit that the 24,000-square-foot space at 111 West 32nd Street by Penn Station is a feast for all senses.

The Beast has been unleashed! The speedboat-thrill ride The Beast, which takes people on a rollicking jaunt down the Hudson River while doing figure eights and doughnuts, is back for the summe. You might've seen it tearing down the river in summers past—it would be hard to miss since it is New York’s only jet-powered speedboat attraction that goes about 45 mph to party music. The Beast’s route takes guests from Pier 83 to the Statue of Liberty and back again with splash-filled action all the way.