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Staten Island

Clay Pit Ponds State Park
83 Nielsen Avenue, 718-967-1976
Enjoy a breath of fresh air by the shore at this 260-acre nature preserve that features a variety of unique habitats, including wetlands, sand barrens, ponds, and woodlands. You can explore artifacts left by the Leni Lenape Indians, or learn about local ecology on one of the park's nature walks. [All ages]

Staten Island Botanical Garden
1000 Richmond Terrace, 718-273-8200
Garden grounds are open from dawn until dusk at no charge, though the noteworthy Chinese Scholars Garden, complete with reflecting ponds and scenic courtyards, requires a $5 admission fee for adults and $4 per child. [All ages]

Staten Island Ferry
In Manhattan: 1 Whitehall Street at South Street
In Staten Island: 1 Bay Street, Richmond Terrace
Take in the sights of New York Harbor and the lower Manhattan skyline as you ride this iconic New York institution for free. Don't forget to stop by the big and colorful kid-friendly fish tanks at the St. George Terminal. [All ages]

Staten Island Children's Museum
1000 Richmond Terrace, 718-273-2060
Coax out the explorer in your child with the museum's pirate ship, play firehouses, and igloos. There's also plenty of bugs, fish, guinea pigs, and birds for them to examine, along with kid-sized ant hills they can crawl through. Admission is $5 per person, but check their website for coporate-sponsored days on which you might be able to visit for free. [All ages]

Staten Island Museum
75 Stuyvesant Place, 718-727-1135
In addition to some great art, this museum also boasts a bunch of other exhibits that'll stimulate young minds, like the Wet Collection, which consists of about 1,300 specimens of mostly amphibians and reptiles, as well as small mammals and birds. Recommended admission is only $2 per adult and $1 for children 12 and older. Kids under 12 are free. [All ages]

Historic Richmond Town
441 Clarke Avenue, 718-351-1611
See what life was like on the island during colonial times at this living history village and museum complex. Among the exhibits are a centuries-old schoolhouse and a look at toys and how they've changed from the 1840s through today. Admission is $5 per adult, and $3.50 for kids 5-17 years old. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

Benjamin Soto Skate Park
Midland Beach Playground, off of Father Capodanno Boulevard
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]

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 Staten Island are the Conference House, famous for the September 11, 1776 peace conference held there in an effort to bring an end to the Revolutionary War, and the Alice Austen House Museum, home to one of America's first female photographers, known for her turn-of-the-century photos of immigrants fresh off the boats at Ellis Island. [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]

New York Public Library
Be sure to check out the Library's online calendar for a list of free programs at the Staten Island branches that'll wow your kids, from read-aloud story times to arts and crafts lessons. [2-4 years; 5-8 years; 9+ years]

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]