[UPDATED: July 26, 2012]
Since Mommy Poppins started four years ago, we've tried to write about neighborhoods all over the city and not just well known family-friendly areas. What we've found is that any NYC community can be fun for kids—all you need to do is explore. So beginning this month, we're going to highlight one neighborhood a month. October's pick is Chinatown, and this is the first in a series of posts about some of the cool things your family can see and do there.
One of New York City's busiest and most colorful districts, Chinatown hosts popular annual events like the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival and the Lunar New Year Parade and Festival, as well as joint celebrations with its neighbors like the East Meets West Christmas Parade (with Little Italy) and the Egg Rolls and Egg Creams Festival (with the Lower East Side).
But there's no reason to wait for one of those special festivities to visit. Chinatown's got great places for kids to eat, play, look and learn a bit about Chinese culture all year round. One of our writers and her three-year-old son played tourist in Chinatown for a day. Here's what they discovered.
If the only part of Chinatown you know is Canal Street, you may think all the nabe has to offer are crowds, blaring traffic and fake purses. But go beyond this main artery and you'll find all kinds of wonderful places and things to do. My three-year-old had never been, so I decided to plan an all-day itinerary for us. I started by printing out a kid-friendly map I found on ExploreChinatown.com. Made "for kids by kids," it lists spots of interest, each with a cute child's illustration.
We began at a store that, though not on the map, seemed to be a good starting place: Pearl River Mart, which is technically located in Soho but used to be a Chinatown staple. My son and I enjoyed browsing the aisles, which are all jam-packed with Chinese wares like lanterns, parasols, teas, snacks, toys, traditional clothing and robes. He particularly loved the giant Chinese dragons hanging from the ceiling and the two-story water fountain by the stairs. We picked up a bag of kiwi-flavored gummy candies and headed downtown.
Our second stop was Fay Da Bakery on Mott Street, where we sampled Chinese cakes and cookies, and steamed buns filled with coconut cream, sweet roast pork and egg custard. My son, a picky eater, only ate the outside of the steamed buns. I think they reminded him of his favorite meal: hot dog rolls.
We stopped by Columbus Park, one of the city's first major urban parks. My son ran through the Asian-themed garden and we briefly watched people playing Chinese chess, but he was more excited about the playground. Since it was a lovely day, I expected a large crowd of kids but he was the only one there. He still managed to have a blast running from one side of the playground to the other.
After about a half hour, we wandered over to the Yunhong Chopsticks Shop, where hundreds of chopsticks are displayed on the walls. The store is very tiny and I seriously felt like a bull in a china shop, so we quickly picked out a pair of training chopsticks for my son and moved on.
On our way to eat at Nom Wah Tea Parlor, my son spotted the Aji Ichiban candy shop. It wasn't worth fighting, so we went in. The store overflows with snacks and goodies like green tea candies, flavored jerky and preserved fruits. Since my son's not that adventurous, I bought him a lollipop and gummy candies, and promised them as after-lunch treats.
First opened in 1920 on Doyers Street, the retro Nom Wah Tea Parlor serves traditional dim sum, Chinese pastries, tea and almond cookies. The walls are covered in autographed pictures of celebrities who've (presumably) eaten here, Woody Allen and Tobey Maguire among them. It's definitely good for families: The staff was helpful and there were highchairs. My son got the chance to test out his training chopsticks, and he felt like a "big kid" when I gave him his very own tea cup—filled with apple juice. Nom Wah is just one of many kid-friendly restaurants in Chinatown. Check out our favorite dim sum spots in the area.
There's a reason "try all the flavors at Chinatown Ice Cream Factory" is on our list of 100 Things to Do With Kids In NYC. There are so many, from the familiar to the exotic. We taste tested green tea, red bean and lychee, but my son ended up going with a simple scoop of vanilla while I got black sesame and green tea. The family-run shop has been in business since the '80s and is really is a must-try when visiting Chinatown—even in the dead of winter.
As we ate our ice cream, we strolled past the Mahayana Buddhist Temple. The elaborate structure overlooks the Manhattan Bridge. We were awestruck by its giant, golden Buddha, which is purportedly the largest in the city. Kids can pick a fortune from a basket in the lobby with a $1 donation.
My son's favorite stop was definitely the recently renovated Hester Street Playground, which is part of Sara D. Roosevelt Park. It's smartly divided into two sections for children of different ages. The under-six part features a sand pit, small slides, swings and playhouses, while the big-kid area has bridges, a corkscrew slide, tire swings, sprinklers and a climbing rope. There’s also a synthetic turf soccer field. Don’t miss the chimes by the entrance. My son could have played here for hours.
Our last stop was Quickly for a drink. It was difficult to maneuver around the small shop with a stroller, but I was determined to buy a watermelon milk shake for my son. Quickly's signature bubble teas can be made with or without tapioca bubbles, and cups are vacuum-sealed with a plastic lid, so your kids can't make a mess (unless they're really committed to doing so).
Vivi Bubble Tea is another great bubble tea spot. But we just wanted to stop by to take a picture of the life-size Homer Simpson sitting outside.
This is the first in a series of posts we're doing on Chinatown this month. Come back soon for profiles of the Museum of Chinese in American, a closer look at the Hester Street Playground and more.
Teaser photo by Shutterstock.