PRACTICAL GUIDE: NYC Toddler Activities Under $22

Welcome to my Practical Guide! This is basically me sharing what's working in my mom life: the budgets, the recommendations, the products, all the little things that actually help. Hope you find something useful here.

Here’s exactly how we spent our $22 budget and where you can replicate it.

• Alamo Drafthouse tickets: $9 (baby day screening)

  • toddlers under 2 are free

• MTA bus fare: $6 round trip

  • $36 a week & then free

• Too Good To Go: $4.99 + tax

• Splash pad: Free

Alamo Drafthouse ($9): The baby day screenings before 1 PM mean zero judgment. Toddlers under 2 are free, and they also have summer programming with discounted rates. I love that they rotate which movies they show for families, so you're not stuck watching only kids' movies if you want to keep up with what's actually out there. Check their website for showtimes and what's playing.

MTA Bus ($6): It’s slower than the train, however; it’s cleaner, safer with a stroller, and way less stressful. Once you hit $36 a week, unlimited rides are free for the rest of the week. (This applies to both bus and train)

Too Good To Go ($4.99): This app connects you with restaurants throwing out perfectly good food at the end of the day. We grabbed an assortment from a local bakery and received fresh croissants and pastries. Download the app and set notifications for your favorite spots.

Splash Pad (Free): Here’s a list of playgrounds that offer splash pads, divided by neighborhood.

Other NYC activities under $22 with a toddler:

• [Prospect Park Zoo |$10.95 adults| $7.95 3-12]

• [Trial Art Class, Low Cost lunch date |Free + $10-$15 ]

• [Jane’s Carousel, +Main Street Playground |$4 + Free]

Free activities with Culture Pass:

If you have a library card from the Brooklyn Public Library, Queens Public Library, or New York Public Library, you can reserve free passes to 100+ cultural institutions across NYC.

Our favorite Culture Pass institutions:

• Brooklyn Botanical Garden- The discovery garden has multiple interactive stations for toddlers to run around and explore nature. AJ loved the digging station, and I love that we get to be in nature in a controlled environment.

• NY Hall Of Sciences- There's enough interactive stuff to keep your little one entertained for hours, and I actually learned something too. The outdoor play area is huge, and they have hands-on exhibits that don't feel boring for parents.

• Brooklyn Children’s Museum- Free every Thursday afternoon for those without the Culture pass. They often have kid workshops, movies, and other interactive attractions.

  

  [End of practical guide]