Julia Israel

It appears NYC has taken a page of the Hogwarts syllabus: check out the city's best magic shows for kids if you're not convinced! Youngsters—and even their parents—will find themselves curious and stunned by an array of epic, unexplainable acts. From the weekly Magic at Coney performances to eye-popping performances from The Amazing Max, our roundup of can't-miss shows will please everyone in your crew. Littles just might be inspired to grab a wand of their own at try out the tricks themselves.  Once you've seen NYC's best magic shows for kids, be sure to enjoy our favorite kids' movies of all time, take a trip to the best kids' museums and grab a bite at these family restaurants. Looking for more adventure? Book a trip to a great attraction  here. 

FREE TheatreworksUSAThe nation's largest children's theater company puts on original, G-rated productions at venues across the city all year long. Every July and August, the troupe mounts a new show—for free—at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. 212-647-1100, theatreworksusa.org FREE CityParks PuppetMobile With a portable stage and a trunk full of marionettes, a staff of puppeteers presents scaled-down versions of Swedish Cottage productions in city parks and playgrounds every summer. 347-865-5289, cityparksfoundation.org $5 The Heights Players Storybook Theater for Children Run entirely by volunteers, this nonprofit theater in Brooklyn Heights produces three or four interactive family musicals per year. 718-237-2752, heightsplayers.org $5 Monster Literature Theater Every other month, this troupe enacts a fresh adventure in the lives of two brave kids trying to stop an evil wizard from sending monsters to destroy storybook lands. Catch The Emperor's New...MONSTERS!, a reimagining of "The Emperor's New Clothes," from June 5 to 13 at the Brooklyn Lyceum in Park Slope. 718-857-4816, monsterliterature.com $6 Target Family Fun Series at the Brooklyn Center for the Performing ArtsFrom October to late April, the Brooklyn Center presents five family-friendly shows. Upbeat kid classics like Seussical and Beauty and the Beast are on its 2010--11 lineup. 718-951-4500; brooklyncenter.com $5--$8 Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater This cozy venue presents puppet versions of well-known tales. Thr

How did you settle on your neighborhood? JS I married into it; I actually prefer downtown. I love the East River, but I hate that there are no uptown ballet classes for boys. DS I was raised around here. I love the quiet. I’m just frustrated with the long commute to other parts of the city. What do you like best about bringing up your kids in NYC? JS Lots of things. Being able to walk everywhere. The arts. The fact that it’s arguably the most—or the only—successful melting pot in the world. And of course, the many options for cupcakes. Where do you take the kids for a little breathing room? JS Central Park and MoMA, with friends. DS The zoo. And many, many restaurants. Which ones are your favorites? JS Luca, Barney Greengrass, Japonais, Primola and Haru. What’s the best piece of advice you would give another city parent? JS When you’re in a restaurant or a movie and you say, “If you do that again, we’re going to leave”—leave. It’s better for all of us.

What do you like best about raising your kids in New York?Vinit We’re Indian-American, and we love the ethnic diversity of the West Village. We also like that there are so many things for kids to do here, and that it’s a walking town. How do you deal with space constraints at home? Vinit To maximize our space, we’ve done all kinds of crazy things. The doors to the closet opened out and took up a lot of room, so we took them out and put up curtains. And we’ve created a vertical work space, as opposed to having a wide desk. Where do you like to take the kids?Veenu We go to Bleecker Playground and Hudson River Park. We also love Chelsea Market; it has great family events on Sundays. Favorite restaurants?Veenu Vento, in the heart of the Meatpacking District, is a hip, happening place at night, but during the day it has coloring and high chairs, and the staff is super-friendly. We also go to Cowgirl, and another unlikely choice for the daytime, Barbuto. Kareena tried octopus there. Most essential service?Vinit Diapers.com. That’s my company! But it’s true: Diapers, wipes and baby products are delivered within two days. Veenu We’re just big on online shopping. We use Fresh Direct for our groceries and Barnesandnoble.com to order books. Any big Thanksgiving plans? Vinit We celebrate Thanksgiving, but also in November is Diwali, the biggest holiday for Hindus. We celebrate that by turning our home into the traditional festival of lights. What’s the strangest thing about the city that