10 Tips for Taking Kids to a Broadway Show

There’s no better place to watch theater than Broadway!  Some people think it is an activity that’s only for adults, but I couldn’t disagree more! There are so many great family shows and kids will never forget their first one.  However, family + Broadway = $$$ so you might want to plan ahead! Here are 10 tips for taking your kids to a Broadway show:

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New York City…Armchair Escape

We continue to believe that in the future the borders will be open, airplanes will cross oceans, people will fill restaurants, and we will all get out our passports.

As for now, take a peek at these pictures to inspire your next big adventure!

Today’s Armchair Escape is NEW YORK CITY…

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Touristy NYC Restaurants You Should Go To

 

There are more restaurants in NYC than one could ever dream of and if you are craving it then there is a restaurant for you.  The hardest part is choosing the right one.  The restaurants listed here could easily be considered tourist traps, but that is exactly what we were…a mom with two little girls looking for a restaurant that is both fun and delicious.  Had joined my husband on a work trip and the girls were ages 3 & 5.  These restaurants are more than just a meal, they are an experience. They were also places we went during the day for breakfast and lunch.  Since my husband would be working all day, for dinner we would meet up with him and go to places that did not involve fairy wings or ice cream as a main dish.

ALICE’S TEA CUP

If you have young kids that love both fairies and tea parties, this is a MUST-DO when in NYC.  When your children walk into the restaurant, they are given a pair of fairy wings and are sprinkled with fairy dust.  Seriously…what kid wouldn’t love that? The breakfast menu consists of pancakes, eggs, scones, omelets, and crepes. We chose to do an early afternoon tea.  Although there is a variety of soups, salads, and sandwiches, we opted for the Mad Hatter, which is served on a three-tiered stand and included scones, tea sandwiches, cakes, tarts, and cookies.  For a beverage I had a lovely pot of Indian chai tea and the girls had apple juice in their pots.  We had such a nice lunch and had a ton of food left over. 

Tips:

There are 3 locations: 102 West 73rd Street at Columbus Ave, 156 East 64th Street, and 220 East 81st Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue.

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NYC Itinerary

NYC skyline

As a born and raised New Yorker, NYC holds my heart! It is the perfect destination for families because there is something fun for everyone and you’ll never run out of things to do. I didn’t put any recommendations for dinners because I usually like to eat near whatever hotel we’re staying at so we can walk there with the kids.

Here is our itinerary for 5 full days in paradise:

Where do you fly in?

The best place to fly in is Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) 12 miles away, LaGuardia Airport (LGA) 5 minutes away, and John F. Kennedy Intl. Airport (JFK) 13 miles away

CLICK HERE TO FIND AN AMAZING FLIGHT

DAY 1

Today is all about Central Park.  In the morning, take a carriage ride to get a feel for the park.  On your trip you are likely to pass the zoo, Wollman Rink, the Dairy, the Carousel, the Pond, and the Dakota.  The drivers are knowledgeable about the park but also entertaining and my kids always liked hearing all the facts.

Location: Central Park between 5th and 6th street.

carriage ride in central park

Have lunch at Alice’s Tea Cup. As soon as your children walk into the restaurant they are given a pair of fairy wings and are sprinkled with fairy dust.  Seriously…what kid wouldn’t love that? Have the Mad Hatter so you get a taste of everything.

There are 3 locations: 102 West 73rd Street at Columbus Ave, 156 East 64th Street, and 220 East 81st Street between 2nd & 3rd Avenue.

Alice’s Tea Cup

Spend the afternoon at the Central Park Zoo.   It is such a quaint zoo that lets you have a fun zoo experience without having to do an entire day of staring at animals.  This is a great place to watch adorable animals such as penguins, snow leopards, grizzly bears, polar bears, monkeys, and sea lions.  There is a beautiful rain forest section that lets you forget you are in the middle of a busy city.  Don’t forget to do a 4-D movie while you’re there. 

Location: 64th Street and 5th Avenue

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Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour NYC

 

NYC is filled with endless possibilities of family attractions.  So many, that it can seem overwhelming to plan how to get to and from all of them.  One solution to consider is a Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour.  There are many options for passes and you can choose one that best fits your family’s needs.  The tour I took was the Grey Line bus tour and it had four options: downtown, uptown, Brooklyn/Bronx, and a night tour.  With this type of tour you can set your own itinerary at your own pace. 

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Lion King NYC

Lion King NYC mytravelingkids.com

 

OVERVIEW:  Lion King in NYC was by far the best play we have ever taken the girls to.  We’ve seen some local theater with them but nothing compared to Broadway and this Tony award winning show.  As most of you know, Lion King is a play about a young lion, Simba, who is to succeed his father as king.  He is convinced he is to blame for a horrible death and he flees into exile.  He meets some inspiring friends, falls in love, and returns to claim the kingdom that is rightfully his.  Pretty deep stuff huh?  Well, Disney has a way of creating cute, talking animals as characters and adding some catchy music so it suddenly becomes kid-friendly.  The play is actually based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Kids and adults will be singing the soundtrack, containing music by Elton John, for weeks to come. 

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Why the Creator of American Girl Dolls Should Be President

American Girl Doll Store mytravelingkids.com

If anyone deserves to be the leader of this country, it should be the creator of American Girl Dolls because that person is an absolute genius! If you have young girls I’m sure you know all about these dolls because they are a cult for young girls in the US. I am not quite sure what makes this doll so special but they seem to have a magical power over the female gender that convinces you a doll needs a multitude of outfits and accessories. And if you think the company is just about the dolls, you haven’t hit the tip of the iceberg.

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