Bronx
Brooklyn
Manhattan
Queens
Staten Island

Central Park Carousel
Central Park, midpark at 64th St., 212-879-0244
It only costs $2 for a three-and-a-half-minute, fun-filled ride on one of the largest merry-go-rounds in the entire country. [All ages]

New York City Downtown Boathouse
Pier 40, at Houston St. and the Hudson River, 646-613-0375
Pier 96, at Clinton Cove at 56th St. and the Hudson River, 646-613-0375
Walkway at 72nd St. and Riverside Park, 646-613-0375
As long as you and your kid both know how to swim, sign up for a free 20-minute kayak rental at one of these locations and head out for some fun on the water. The walk-up program is available on weekends and holidays from mid May to mid October, and also on many weekday evenings. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+years]

Henry Luce Nature Observatory
Central Park, midpark at 79th St., 212-772-0210
Located in the funkily designed Belvedere Castle, the Observatory offers your kids a chance to see some of the park's natural history artifacts (including skeletons), as well as learn how to use their microscopes and telescopes. They'll also lend your family a field pack, which includes maps, notepaper, binoculars, and reference materials, which all help to make your exploration of the nearby Turtle Pond even more fun. [All ages]

North Meadow Recreation Center
Central Park, midpark at 97th St., 212-348-4867
After your kid has scaled one of the climbing walls, you can borrow a well stocked Field Day Kit that'll provide enough entertainment to last the whole day. Simply leave a photo I.D., and you get an assortment of sports balls, bats, Frisbees, hula hoops, and jump ropes. [All ages]

Charles A. Dana Discovery Center
Central Park, at 110th St. and Lenox Ave., 212-860-1370
You and your little one can be "gone fishing" at the pond in the newly stocked Harlem Meer at the north end of Central Park. Fishing poles are provided for free from April through October. The only catch: If something bites, you've got to throw it back. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

Juilliard School
Broadway and West 65th St., 212-799-5000
Want to enjoy some live jazz or maybe even hear a full symphony performance for no cost at all? Then try to catch one of the many free performances given by the students of this famed training ground for the next generation of dancers, singers, and musicians. [5-8 years; 9+ years]

Studio Museum of Harlem
144 West 125th St., 212-864-4500
Your kids can watch art materialize right in front of their eyes, as this museum showcases contemporary artists hard at work on their latest masterpieces. Children under 12 are admitted for free, while the suggested donation for adults is $7. Everyone is admitted for free, though, on the first Saturday of every month. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

Hispanic Society of America
Audubon Terrace, Broadway, between 155th St. and 156th St., 212-926-2234
Learn all about the arts and cultures of Spain, Portugal, and Latin America at this free museum and reference library. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

El Museo del Barrio
1230 Fifth Avenue, at 104th St., 212-831-7272
Hailed as New York's leading Latino cultural institution, this is the only museum in the city that specializes in representing the diversity of art and culture in all of Latin America and the Caribbean. There's no admission fee for children under 12, and the suggested donation for adults is $6. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

New York City Fire Museum
278 Spring St., between Varick and Hudson, 212-691-1303, ext. 11
The museum is housed in a renovated 1904 firehouse and boasts one of the nation's finest collections of fire-related art and artifacts, dating from the 18th Century to the present. Be sure to check out the pre Civil War hand-pumped fire engines and the permanent September 11th memorial and exhibit. Suggested donations for admission are $5 for adults, and $1 for children under 12. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

National Museum of the American Indian
One Bowling Green, 212-514-3700
Learn all about Native American history and culture at the home of the world's most extensive collection on the topic. In addition to some spectacular art, there are regular storybook readings for the kids, plus exciting native dance performances. Admission is always free to all. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

Cathedral of St. John the Divine
112th St. and Amsterdam Avenue, 212-316-7540
Travel to Morningside Heights and soak up the beauty of the largest cathedral in the world and its adjoining biblical gardens, complete with roaming peacocks! [All ages]

Riverside Skate Park
108th Street and Riverside Drive, lower level
Give your kids their daily dose of extreme sports. Children under 18 need a guardian's signature on an onsite waiver, which you should download and fill out ahead of time. Helmets, knee pads, and elbow pads are also required for those utilizing the facility. [5-8 years; 9+ years]

Adventures of the Real Winnie-the-Pooh at the New York Public Library
Fifth Ave. at 42nd St., 212-621-0626
This ongoing exhibit about the popular kids' books is great for the little ones. When you're done checking the exhibit out, get lost in the Library's endless bookcases and view the rest of the building's breathtaking art. Be sure to browse the Library's online calendar for a list of fun and free events at other Manhattan branches that'll wow the kids, from toe-tapping musical performances to classes on how to draw comic book characters to even diving into the world of sharks. [All ages]

New York City Police Museum
100 Old Slip, between Water St. and South St., 212-480-3100
Your kids get to experience a day in the life of one of New York's finest through a computer simulation program. They can also test out a police siren, take each other's mug shots, and even explore a real city jail cell. Admission is a suggested donation of $7 for adults, $5 for children 6 to 18; free for kids under 6. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture
515 Malcolm X Blvd. at 135th St., 212-491-2200
African-American culture comes alive at the Harlem division of the New York Public Library, which houses inspiring photographs, films, art, readings, film screenings, and performances. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

Children's Museum of the Arts
182 Lafayette Street, between Broome and Grand, 212-274-0986
One of the oldest of its kind in the world, this kids' museum promotes self-expression and self-esteem through the visual and performing arts. If you drop in on a Thursday between 4 and 6 p.m., it's pay-as-you-wish for its workshops and creative play. [All ages]

Union Square: Crossroads of New York Walking Tour
Meets at the Abraham Lincoln statue at the 16th St. transverse, 212-517-1826
Step right up to this free tour, given every Saturday at 2 p.m. by the Union Square Partnership. Some points of interest along the tour's route are stops at the city's first film studios, opera houses, grand theaters, and nickelodeons. [5-8 years; 9+ years]

American Folk Art Museum
45 West 53rd St., between 5th and 6th Avenues, 212-265-1040
Families can enjoy live music performances in the atrium, or take part in the complimentary lectures and regularly scheduled programs. Adults visit for free on Fridays after 5:30 p.m., though admission is always free for children under the age of 12. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

Jewish Museum
1109 Fifth Ave., at 92nd St., 212-423-3200
As you're immersing yourself in 4,000 years of Jewish art and culture, make sure you leave time to watch the Sesame Street and Rugrats videos in the museum's broadcasting archives. Admission to the exhibits is free for everyone on Saturdays, although there's never a charge for kids under 12. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

Gracie Mansion
180 East End Ave., at 88th St., dial 311 for reservations
Take a tour of the home of the Mayor, which is open to the public on Wednesdays at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m. Kids are free; adults are $7. After your guided tour, take a family walk, have a picnic, or explore the parks surrounding the historic mansion. [5-8 years; 9+ years]

Arsenal Gallery
64th St. at 5th Ave., inside Central Park, 212-360-8163
Take a break from the park and catch a glimpse of this continuously changing collection of art and cultural installations. The gallery is free to the public and it's open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

Department of Parks and Recreation Computer Resource Centers
Improve your family's computer literacy at one of the many centers located throughout the five boroughs. Free computer access and instruction for New Yorkers of every age is available, so both you and your child can learn all about internet researching, desktop publishing, web design, word processing, and more. [5-8 years; 9+ years]

Sony Wonder Technology Lab
56th St., between 5th Ave. and Madison Ave., 212-833-8100
Located in the heart of midtown, this free, hands-on technology and entertainment museum is sure to stimulate all of your child's senses. The high-energy exhibits feature lights, art, music, electronics, games, and movement. Be sure to get there early, as tickets are given out on a first-come, first-served basis, and they go fast! Since the Lab is under partial renovations through July 2008, be sure to call for current hours. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

Roosevelt Island Tram
59th St. at 2nd Ave., 212-832-4543, ext. 1
Show your kid a part of movie history and take the scenic trip to Roosevelt Island via the tram, which plays a key role in the climactic ending of Spider-Man . All the trip costs is a swipe of your MTA Metrocard. Enjoy the aerial views of the city and the feeling of flying through midtown's skyscrapers. Once there, pop into the visitor center and then cruise around the island to see its interesting old buildings, former prisons, and hospitals. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

Ellis Island Immigration Museum
Statue Cruises, Battery Park, 877-523-9849
Travel back in time and spend the day researching your family's ancestry at the gateway to America. Admission to the museum and to the American Family Immigration History Center is free, but the ferry service runs $12 per adult and $5 per child, ages 4 to 12. [5-8 years; 9+ years]

Central Park Zoo
Central Park, at 5th Ave. and 64th St., 212-439-6500
Take a walk on the wild side by visiting the resident snakes, sea lions, monkeys, and many other creatures that can be found right in the middle of Central Park. Admission is $8 for adults, and $3 for children between the ages of 3 and 12. Those under 3 get in for free. The exhibits are open 365 days a year and include a steamy indoor rain forest and an Arctic penguin habitat, among many others. [All ages]

Whitney Museum of American Art
945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street, 800-944-8639
On Fridays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., admission is free, with just a donation requested. It's a great way to see some of the most influential 20th Century pieces of art in the nation. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

Guggenheim Museum
1071 Fifth Avenue, at 89th Street, 212-423-3500
You can view this eclectic collection of internationally acclaimed art for a pay-what-you-wish donation each Friday, from 5:45 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

Bryant Park
Sixth Avenue, between 40th and 42nd Streets, 212-768-4242
This midtown retreat is a great place to just relax, people watch, or even to catch a free outdoor movie during their popular summer series. There's also a free outdoor reading room where the public can check out books and magazines—no library card needed! And don't forget to pay a visit to Le Carrousel, the park's merry-go-round that costs just $2 per ride. [All ages]

Shakespeare in the Park
Delacorte Theatre, midpark at 80th Street, 212-539-8662
Wherefore art thou, free performances? At the Delacorte Theatre! Free tickets are given each day during the Public Theater's summer season (May through August) of Shakespearean classics in Central Park. Be warned, though: Lines are long and it's tough to nab seats. But if you're looking for a true New York experience at no cost, it's worth it. [9+ years]

The Museum of Modern Art
11 West 53rd St., between 5th and 6th Avenues, 212-708-9400
MOMA houses the foremost collection of modern art in the world, and admission is free on Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m. Its collections include a wide range of paintings, sculptures, films, photos, and illustrated books, all of which are sure to get young minds thinking. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

The Ultimate Playground Tour
Test your kid's endurance by trying to hit as many of the 21 playgrounds in Central Park as possible. Some highlights: the Diana Ross Playground, at West 81st Street, at one time voted the city's best by New York magazine; the Wild West Playground at West 93rd Street, an all wood park offering a frontier feel right in the heart of the big city; the Ancient Playground, at East 84th St., with its Egyptian-themed pyramids; the Billy Johnson/Rustic Playground, at East 67th St., featuring a beautiful stone bridge and spraying fountains; Safari Playground, at West 91st St., created with an African adventure theme, complete with tree houses, majestic hippos, and cooling water sprays; and Bendheim Playground, at East 100th St., which is the only playground in the Park that accommodates disabled children. It also has a refreshing corkscrew walk-through shower that's perfect for cooling down in the summertime. [All ages]

Historic House Trust of New York City
Explore one of the Trust's 22 historic sites across the five boroughs and you'll be taking a virtual walk through time. Step foot inside everything from a modest farmer's cottage to a luxurious, grand mansion, all while getting a taste for what life was like in the city a hundred or so years ago. Among the Trust's highlights in Manhattan are the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater, the home of a traveling puppet theater, and the Little Red Lighthouse, the only remaining lighthouse on the island. Most sites are free to tour; some ask for a suggested donation. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

Indoor Recreation Centers
Get your game on by investing in your neighborhood's center, where you can open up a world of low-cost activities for you and your family. Run by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, there are conveniently located sites in all five boroughs. Memberships are just $50 a year ($75 if the center has a pool) for adults, with no charge at all for kids under 18. So for less than $7 a month, you can tap into your local center's pool, gym, dance studios, art studios, game rooms, basketball courts, and more. [All ages]

Street Fairs and Festivals
Hit the pavement and scope out some of the low (or no) cost street fairs, festivals, and performances that go on all year around the city, such as the Association of Jazz Festival on July 27th and the Manhattan Youth Fair on August 1, for example. [All ages]

Toys "R" Us Ferris Wheel
44th St. and Broadway
You can catch a ride aboard the indoor 60-foot tall Ferris Wheel for $4 per person. Then head off to test your video game skills in the "R" Zone's 5,500-square-feet of electronic games that you can play on huge plasma screens. [All ages]

NBA Store
666 Fifth Avenue, at 52nd Street, 212-515-6221
Live out some hoop dreams at midtown's mecca of the hardwood. You can play a variety of interactive video games in the high-energy facility, as well as shoot some baskets on the authentic half-court shooting area. And you never know which NBA or WNBA star might be dropping in for a visit while you're there! [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]