Hand-picked every week — checked against organizers’ own pages.
Stumblday's hand-checked ranking of the best free things to do with kids in New York City the weekend of Oct 2–4, 2026: 10 picks, refreshed weekly.
10 picks · checked Sep 28
Fort Washington Park (Little Red Lighthouse), Washington Heights, ManhattanBillie Grace Ward · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsClimb inside Manhattan's only remaining lighthouse, tucked beneath the George Washington Bridge, with Rangers, storytime and live music — free.
Fort Washington Park (Little Red Lighthouse), Washington Heights, ManhattanBillie Grace Ward · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia CommonsClimb inside Manhattan's only remaining lighthouse, tucked beneath the George Washington Bridge, with Rangers, storytime and live music — free.
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Ballet Hispánico, Upper West Side, ManhattanBallet Hispánico shuts West 89th for company dance, free kids' classes, Latin social dancing, a bounce house and taco trucks — all free.
Ballet Hispánico, Upper West Side, ManhattanBallet Hispánico shuts West 89th for company dance, free kids' classes, Latin social dancing, a bounce house and taco trucks — all free.
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Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Morningside Heights, ManhattanBring the dog to St. John the Divine: a service beneath Luke Jerram's 23-foot Gaia globe, then outdoor pet blessings for St. Francis's 800th. Free.
Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Morningside Heights, ManhattanBring the dog to St. John the Divine: a service beneath Luke Jerram's 23-foot Gaia globe, then outdoor pet blessings for St. Francis's 800th. Free.
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Randall's Island Park, Urban Farm & Fields 62/63, Randall's Island, ManhattanTdorante10 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsA pumpkin patch, seasonal cooking demos, face painting and hands-on nature stations fill Randall's Island's Urban Farm — free.
Randall's Island Park, Urban Farm & Fields 62/63, Randall's Island, ManhattanTdorante10 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsA pumpkin patch, seasonal cooking demos, face painting and hands-on nature stations fill Randall's Island's Urban Farm — free.
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Fort Totten Park, Parade Grounds, Bayside, QueensA puppet show, performers and family games on the Parade Grounds of a Civil War–era fort on Little Neck Bay — free.
Fort Totten Park, Parade Grounds, Bayside, QueensA puppet show, performers and family games on the Parade Grounds of a Civil War–era fort on Little Neck Bay — free.
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Indian Field, Van Cortlandt Park, Woodlawn, BronxDanTD · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsCeltic and Americana tunes, bocce, face painting and ranger-led woodland walks on Van Cortlandt Park's Indian Field — free for families.
Indian Field, Van Cortlandt Park, Woodlawn, BronxDanTD · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsCeltic and Americana tunes, bocce, face painting and ranger-led woodland walks on Van Cortlandt Park's Indian Field — free for families.
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New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Bruno Walter Auditorium, Lincoln Center, ManhattanSpielberg's E.T. on the big screen for free at Lincoln Center's library, opened by a rare short pulled from NYPL's reserve film collection.
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Bruno Walter Auditorium, Lincoln Center, ManhattanSpielberg's E.T. on the big screen for free at Lincoln Center's library, opened by a rare short pulled from NYPL's reserve film collection.
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Fred Samuel Playground, Harlem, ManhattanAn animated goat crashes a pro league of fierce animals in 'Goat,' screening free in a Harlem playground as the outdoor movie season winds down.
Fred Samuel Playground, Harlem, ManhattanAn animated goat crashes a pro league of fierce animals in 'Goat,' screening free in a Harlem playground as the outdoor movie season winds down.
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34th Avenue Open Street, Jackson Heights, QueensThe original uploader was Jleon at English Wikipedia . · CC BY 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons34th Avenue closes for two days of races, workshops and unicycle basketball in Jackson Heights.
34th Avenue Open Street, Jackson Heights, QueensThe original uploader was Jleon at English Wikipedia . · CC BY 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons34th Avenue closes for two days of races, workshops and unicycle basketball in Jackson Heights.
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NYPL Harlem Library, Harlem, ManhattanEpicgenius · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsThe Studio Museum in Harlem brings art-making for under-fives and their grown-ups to the Harlem Library on 124th Street, free.
NYPL Harlem Library, Harlem, ManhattanEpicgenius · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsThe Studio Museum in Harlem brings art-making for under-fives and their grown-ups to the Harlem Library on 124th Street, free.
Add to calendarBig weekends coming up — save them now, plan later.
