New York with a 4 year old…ridiculous?

Clare0783 · 2025-02-12T22:42:26+00:00

I would really love to take my 4 year old boy (only turned 4 in Jan) to New York next month (March) but my other half isn’t so keen. Am I being completely ridiculous?! We’ve both been before pre-kid and the trip involved lots of eating, drinking and about 20k steps a day, my 4 year old will obviously not want to partake in any of the above! Just wondered if anyone had any good experiences? TIA

AllyDally · 12/02/2025 22:56

I imagine there are places more suitable for a 4 yo but if you plan what you want to do then it'll be fine if you desperately want to go, it wont really be for him though. My DC came to Vegas younger than that with us, there was loads to do and we just made sure we planned it properly.

SwingTheMonkey · 13/02/2025 06:36

There’s loads of things for kids to do in New York. We’ve been there with our kids at all different ages and had a great time. Use the hop on/hop off sight seeing buses to get around to save on a bit of the walking.

WonderingWanda · 13/02/2025 06:41

It will be fine. New York is full of lovely parks and play areas. Great museums. You might just need to take things at a slower pace and add in kid friendly activities, with less steps.

Hazeby · 13/02/2025 06:45

Have you taken him on a city break before? I personally didn’t take mine on that kind of trip until they were old enough to walk a reasonable distance and get the point of sightseeing.

SchoolDilemma17 · 13/02/2025 06:45

I mean it’s a trip for you. It sounds stressful to me, I would not take my nearly 4 year old on a city trip especially not long haul and w jet lag. Can’t imagine he would love being dragged around NY, nice restaurants, walking 20k steps etc. he would be tired, grumpy and jet lagged.
leave him with grandparents or wait a few years. Or be prepared to change your schedule to accommodate him.

menopausalmare · 13/02/2025 06:48

Nothing like a small child to ruin a good day out. Any chance you can palm him off onto someone and go alone? I can't see much to appeal to a 4 year old apart from Central Park but New York is a long way to go to find some swings.

Ilovelowry · 13/02/2025 06:49

We had two holidays in long Island (sag harbor) when DC were 3&5 and then 6&8 and then at the end of both holidays we went into NYC for one night and then two nights respectively.

My children adored NYC. On the first trip we just did a big cinema Dh&DS and me and DD did a Broadway show.

Second trip they were older and we went to the natural history museum, some cool diners and had dinner in bed from the massive deli under the hotel (to be fair that's what they still talk about as teens!)

My son struggled with so much walking at age 6 though and we could have only done one full day of walking and museum.

Long Island is amazing for children though if you want to split a trip. There's a fab jnteractive play museum 'museum of the East end', beaches, the lighthouse at Montauk. But appreciate you want cocktails and NYC vibes!

Bertielong3 · 13/02/2025 06:50

This reply has been withdrawn

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

Theolittle · 13/02/2025 06:51

What’s the point in going so far so your 4yo can go on different play parks he’s not going to appreciate it!

Chasingsquirrels · 13/02/2025 06:51

We took my ds at 2 and had a fantastic time, but we were staying with friends so the 'tourist' bit was fairly low key.

InTheRainOnATrain · 13/02/2025 06:57

4 is a really awkward age tbh. I’d do it with a baby up to about age 2, in fact I have done several times as we had family in NY when DD was a toddler, because they still have the stroller so you can move at a quicker pace and you get 2 hours every afternoon whilst they sleep in it to do a museum they’d find boring. But 4 is walking yet can’t walk far, not napping but still gets tired, is involved enough to want things to be to their interests but still has a really short attention span. And it’s just a lot of money and effort to hang around playgrounds, do minimal cultural stuff and have to rush through dinner because they’re tired due to the time difference. I’d put a pin in it and revisit when DC is 6- that’s a great age for city breaks!

Loveduppenguin · 13/02/2025 06:58

If a four-year-old can live there then a four-year-old can go on a holiday there. But it’s not going to be the eating and drinking holiday that you experienced the first time round. It’s going to be let’s go find a park, let’s go find something to do that’s more kid friendly, let’s go for a walk while he has a nap in the buggy, etc, etc I took one to New York when they were 10 and eight and they had an absolute blast.

Jiggedy · 13/02/2025 07:34

We took our dd when she was two (she's 20 now) and she was beyond miserable the whole time.

It's a longstanding family joke that she hates New York. I've got two hundred photos of the three of us and she's wailing in all of them. She hated central park and she hated everywhere we ate because she wanted milk and they kept bringing strawberry or chocolate milk. Happy memories.

TheyAreNotAngelsTheyDontCareAtAll · 13/02/2025 07:37

Well the 4 yr old won't be making any NY Memories, and it's doubtful it would want to be attempting 20k steps a day. Your DH is sensible.

JimHalpertsWife · 13/02/2025 07:37

What sort of thing do you think your 4yo would enjoy in NYC? Also won't it be really cold?

SpanThatWorld · 13/02/2025 10:57

It's hard to see why you want to go there.

Fancy a city break? Paris and Amsterdam both have lots of stuff for kids, as do London, Edinburgh or plenty of other cities that are much easier to get to assuming that you're in the UK.

Long flight, jet lag and you don't mention anything you actually want to do, just stuff you've done before and know won't be suitable.

We loved city breaks with our kids but I wouldn't say NY was our favourite.

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 13/02/2025 11:05

I’m not sure of the point really - he’s a bit young to appreciate much, and it could be very cold or snowy in March which could limit outdoor stuff. I’m really not sure I would enjoy NYC with such a young child either.

I took DS when he was around 11, he enjoyed it, but was also shattered early every evening. We did a lot of city breaks when he was younger but closer to home, shorter flights, better weather.

salemcooper · 13/02/2025 11:16

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.

MangshorJhol · 13/02/2025 11:18

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.

polinkhausive · 13/02/2025 11:20

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

Ineedpeaceandquiet · 13/02/2025 11:24

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

HowDoYouSolveAProblemLikeMyRear · 13/02/2025 11:25

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!

Porcuporpoise · 13/02/2025 11:27

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.

Mademetoxic · 13/02/2025 11:34

salemcooper · 13/02/2025 11:16

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.

In about 10 years she will not remember it.

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

eqpi4t2hbsnktd · 13/02/2025 11:37

Nope.