Best of December: 34 Top Things To Do in NYC with Kids

Holiday lights, sights, and celebrations abound in NYC this December. Read on for our top things to do with kids to celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve.

We’re still plowing through the leftover turkey, and suddenly Santa is popping up all over town for family-friendly Christmas tree lightings. Christmas carols are being sung, Nutcrackers are battling mouse kings, toy trains are dazzling young engineers, and Hanukkah gelt and doughnuts are being passed out in abundance. The year 2023 takes its final bow with a spectacular array of kid-friendly things to do.

The month kicks off with top picks like our own Gingerbread House Decorating event and Holiday Hub at City Point. There are awesome seasonal shows ranging from the Met Opera’s The Magic Flute to the New Vic’s circus, White Gold, and even the cacophony of sounds at the participatory Unsilent Night. All that and we’re sending the month, season, and year out with a bang during the New Year’s Eve Fireworks in Prospect Park.

Keep our top picks for holiday must-do’s handy all month long, too, and bookmark our NYC Kids’ Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events for easy access to all the holiday hullabaloo that pops up!