New York with a 4 year old…ridiculous?

It's a long way and a lot of £££ to spend doing something you guys could do on a short flight to Europe or a drive to nearby city.

I'd take mine. He loves city breaks, loves people watching in restaurants and things, and could probably walk twice as far as I can. We spent yesterday exploring a random cathedral he was interested in as we walked around a nearby town.

NY is much easier than London

I took DD to London age 4 and it was pretty hard - yes we could use the underground to get around but the amount of walking just within the underground station tunnels themselves was a lot. She got very tired and needed a lot of regular food because of all the walking - mealtimes became kind of skewed because she was so hungry and tired by say 3.45pm that she needed her evening meal there and then and we had to duck into a lot of Italian restaurants to get her an emergency plate of spaghetti hahah. Then later in the evening we the adults would be ravenous again and would have to eat a cobbled together supper in the Premier Inn room in the dark because she was passed out on the bed and we were all in one room.

Thinking back, we did have a good time, and I see the funny side to it now, but at the time I remember just feeling beholden to her tiredness and hunger, and she had a few emotional meltdowns.

I think with enough planning, maybe a buggy, and a high budget for food / snacks and loads of thermal layers then you might well have a good time.

Its an expensive city though and a lot to spend on a trip that might feel quite stressful.

Why do you want to take him?

If it's because there are specific things you want to see and do and they are compatible with a 4 year old, fine.

If it's that there is something specific your 4 year old would love about NY (e.g. he's obsessed with yellow taxis) and will plan a trip that's aimed at your 4 year old, fine.

Otherwise, yes you could design a trip which works for a 4 year old but it won't be the kind of experience you've had before and it being NY will largely be wasted on a 4yr old, so you're just making it more difficult for yourself for no real gain.

There are other, cheaper, destinations which will be better for a 4 year old.

It’s a wonderful place to be with kids in my opinion. Natural history museum, skyscrapers, etc. I don’t think you have to or should wait to do trips with kids until they’ll remember it - if your family will enjoy it now, why not?!

Do It! I think a 4 year old would really enjoy it. The underground there is easy to use and no where near as busy as London. I found getting around really easy. I would probably buy a preschool sling and keep it in a bag incase needed, you can get some for a pretty good price online. https://lovetobenatural.co.uk/baby-carriers/toddler-carriers.html May find cheaper second hand too.

The indoor Ferris wheel is long gone unfortunately.

We went when DSs were 5 and 8 and had a great time, they both did really well with the jetlag etc. We arrived early afternoon and went straight to Central Park for a play and kept them awake until bedtime. We were up a bit early the next day but fine after that. This was late October and we had beautiful warm weather though.

We got the CityPass so that we could skip a lot of the attraction queues and so that if we needed to leave an attraction after a short time we didn't feel like it had been a waste! Plus that got one day on the hop-on hop-off bus, which we did on the first full day. We also got a subway pass so we could travel around more easily, though there was still a lot of walking.

We managed plenty of museums and sights, as well as skating at the Rockefeller Plaza, a show on broadway etc.

First place my son ever flew to. He was 3.5. Fabulous

Mine would do a lot of very loud objecting to this. It’s a tricky age because they can’t really walk for long and won’t want to walk the way you want to but they don’t want to be in a pushchair. I wouldn’t.

Ours loved it! Boating in Central Park, riding the indoor Ferris wheel in Toys R Us, visiting the museum from Night At The Museum. Lego shop, M&M shop, Staten Island ferry, helping the waiter make guacamole at the table in a big stone bowl at Caliente Cabs… loads that was fun.

We watched a lot of children’s films set in New York before we went, and visited places from that (Stuart Little, Enchanted, there are loads and loads)

@Mademetoxic no, but we will! And we have some fab photos to show her. We plan to travel with her to Japan this year and Korea the next and it was really nice to test the water with a 6 hour flight and smaller time difference. We personally aren't delaying doing these things just because we have young kids. She did love running around the parks in Central Park too. I don't know. I know some parents that get their kids into sports young or into drama or dancing or whatever. We're exposing her to the world of travel and hope she'll also have the travel bug - maybe she won't but at least she'll have experienced plenty of cultures!

Sounds stressful.

Could you afford to go again in a few years? Because it feels like a bit of a waste at 4. I’d personally wait until DC was older and could fully appreciate it and remember it.

They have snow at the moment,so parks and walking everywhere won't be fun 🥶

At this age, absolutely no point. Go for a weekend in London instead. Go to the natural history museum or Shrek on the south bank. Wait until they're older and they can remember.

I can’t see why not?

I live in Central London though so… my life with a child probably looks a bit like being in NYC with a child anyway.

So long as you plan activities they would enjoy, I don’t really see the problem.

I’d probably be doing less shopping / eating / drinking and more child-friendly museums / activities.

So it’s a different trip, but it’s nice to see the city in a different way too right.

Agree with @polinkhausive that Boston could be a good alternative. Good size, less hectic, interesting history and buildings etc.

Nope.

In about 10 years she will not remember it.

She would have loved going to the park as well at that age.

Personally I'd wait a couple of years til they were age 6 or 7 but of course you can do New York with a 4 year old as long as you go at their pace and do the things they will enjoy.

If you can only afford to go to NY once, wait until your child is old enough to make the most of it and remember it, and not so young that your plans just adapt around him.

But could you have fun in NY with a 4yo? Absolutely! You'd need to plan well, allowing for his personality and ability. My 4yo and 2yo love days out in London and would love ten in a row, but I spend a long time planning each one.

I wouldn't do NY because I wouldn't want to inflict my child on others in a long aeroplane journey. They'd behave well but not be quiet enough for that many hours and would need walking up and down the aisle regularly, all of which is annoying to other passengers. Hopefully yours is better at sitting still quietly!

Team DH - you are setting yourself up for a really miserable, expensive trip!

We have done loads of city breaks with our kids.

But I would agree that 4 is a slightly awkward age for it - bit too big for a buggy but won't be able to keep up with the walking

I would go to Boston instead - more compact and has some great museums for kids

I mean would a 4 year old enjoy London or Paris or Barcelona? If yes then why not NYC? My kids have always loved NYC- so much to do and see. And the subway is super convenient. I have done plenty of city breaks with my kids- it’s just different- I am not eating and drinking and we do kid friendly stuff and take breaks.

I took my 2.5 year old to New York a few months ago and it was amazing! She loved it! We went to all the sights, the empire state, the Statue of Liberty, grand station, ground zero and museum, the edge, Times Square, the natural history museum, hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus etc etc. She was at least young enough to be in a stroller (we have a very basic umbrella fold up one) which might help with the steps challenge. Also, we got a bigger room with a fridge and a table and chairs and got our food to take out and ate in the room as 2.5 year olds aren't great in restaurants. Oh and we also got milk and cereal and just at breakfast in the room too, just to make life simpler. The jet lag was absolutely fine, she did amazingly well and adjusted in no time and the flight was a doddle, she just watched the screens like everyone else in the plane. Honestly, do it. You won't regret it.