Strolling through the charming streets of tree-lined Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, and Boerum Hill -- one of the hearts of family-centric, brownstone Brooklyn -- you will be met with a plethora of excellent family-friendly dining, places to play, and unique experiences like gaming and offbeat museums.
The area is bordered by the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge Park to the west and the charming Brooklyn Heights enclave to the north, while the similarly family-friendly Park Slope and grittier Gowanus neighborhoods surround the south and east.
Local families likely already know about the wonderful ways to stay connected through the super-active BoCoCa Parents Yahoo Group, and keep up on community news at the Carroll Gardens Patch and local blog Pardon Me For Asking. Those sites are also terrific ways for visitors to plan their trips to the BoCoCa (Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, and Carroll Gardens -- a somewhat outdated way of referring to this nook).
We so enjoyed putting together this list of 45 things to do in the area with your family and for your children. Please enjoy and we hope to see you out there!
Delight your little one with an afternoon at the beloved playground in Carroll Park, home to loads of FREE activities, including the annual Carroll Park Fair on May 20.
Your entire family will be impressed with the awesome Atlantic Antic, NYC's largest annual street fair filled with FREE music, yummy food stalls, pony rides and vintage buses courtesy of the New York Transit Museum
You'll find something for everyone at Yesterday's News, a treasure trove of antiques. My son hits the vinyl bins while my daughter loves digging through loose old photographs.
Peruse the Smith Street Stage calendar for a local, family-friendly production.
If you need toys or gear, you'll find what you need at Area Kids.
Or take your kid for a tears-free trim and new shoes at sister store Area Kicks & Cuts.
Curiosity on Court has taken drop-in play to a new level -- your toddler will love you for it.
Kids young and old all love creating and glazing treasures at the Painted Pot (week-long summer camps are also terrific).
This is just out of the neighborhood, but we couldn't resist including Shipwrecked miniature golf, which instantly became a family favorite.
Drop in to analog gaming mecca The Brooklyn Strategist where families can bond over every imaginable board game (and they host awe-inspiring birthday parties).
Between the super sweet Cobble Hill Halloween Parade and lively party at family-run Scotto Funeral Home, you will never love this neighborhood more.
To mark a celebration or to cope with a bad day, look no further than this trifecta of candy stores: Nunu Chocolates, the Sugar Shop and The Chocolate Room.
Children will enjoy many of the imaginative, multimedia exhibits at the Invisible Dog Art Center, just down the street from Van Leeuwen homemade ice cream.
If your young child is interested in art, dance, movement, or music, look no further than the full-service Kidville (try one of their free classes if you need to be convinced).
Geared toward kids 7-16, Pixel Academy offers afterschool programs and camps for kids eager to learn more about digital technology.
Join in a super fun Bastille Day celebration at family-friendly Bar Tabac's annual fete featuring frites, foosball and a pétanque tournament
If you haven't yet had the fortune of stumbling upon Susan Gardner's bejeweled Mosaic House on Wyckoff Street, we hope you'll make a special trip.
Enroll your active kiddos in one of the wonderful afterschool classes at Brooklyn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Pop into the charming Transit Garden before indulging in a scrumptious Compost Cookie at Milk Bar.
Take a breath at Yogasana Center, which hosts lovely Sunday afternoon classes for children.
Peruse the impressive collection of used books at neighborhood favorite Freebird Books, which has sweet backyard when the weather is warm.
Your budding Parkour enthusiast will go bananas over Everyday Athlete, which also offers climbing, skateboarding, and gymnastics classes.
Every New Yorker must be well versed in the art of the class egg cream served up right at the charming Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain, a restored 1920s pharmacy that feels like stepping back in time.
Just South of all the action at Brooklyn Bridge Park is the Van Voorhees Playground, which also boasts shade, lots of space to scooter, and awesome sprinklers in summer.
Among other terrific finds, Union Max is a great place to pick up used children's clothing.
We prefer to catch the latest flick at Cobble Hill Cinemas, which offers $9 admission on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Stock up for the week on the most gorgeous produce at the Carroll Gardens Greenmarket, which is open on Sundays year-round
For over a decade the husband and wife duo behind Jalopy Theatre and School of Music have made music from around the world accessible through children's classes and performances to their thriving community.
Pick up a gift at the charming Pizzazzz Toyz and Kidz and support the local mom owner.
Even though we have already listed a used bookshop, one is never enough and the charming kid's section at the Community Bookstore (no relation to the shop of the same name in Park Slope) made it well worth listing.
Sign your (8+) child up for one of the excellent classes or summer camps at Gotham Archery.
Just down the street, although technically just off our map, are a handful of very cool thrill-seekers delights: Brooklyn Boulders, Homage Skateboard Academy, Brooklyn Fencing which all offer afterschool programs and summer camps.
Boerum Park is everything you would expect from a smaller neighborhood playground. My daughter loves racing through the play structure, which she can do while I sit in the shade.
The equivalent one neighborhood away is the secluded Cobble Hill Park.
If someone needs pancakes, look no further than the Cobble Hill Coffee Shop, where we love to sit at the counter like in the "olden days."
When my son's diorama needed some creative details filled in, we knew Exit9 Gift Emporium would have just what he needed (and we picked up a birthday gift while we were at it). Even better, the owner is as committed to giving back as he is to novelty.
My son loved beading from an early age and there still is no better place to do so than Brooklyn Bead Box.
Indulge your mad scientist with afterschool programs and summer camps at the Cosmic Cove, where they might just share their experience with snakes, box turtles and bearded dragons.
We are crazy about The Bike Truck, where you can find new and used bikes as well as how to responsibly navigate the roads of NYC.
Even though the Carroll Gardens Library isn't the closest one to our place, we love visiting the awesome kid's section. They also have free programs for all ages, starting with babies.
It's incredible to make a discovery right in your own neighborhood as we did with The Toy Museum of New York, which showcases playthings from 1880 through 1980. Check the schedule before as the show does not go on without owner/performer Marlene Hochman.
Pick up an adorable pair of shoes at children's boutique Runnin' Wild Shoes.
If gorgeous, handcrafted wooden toys are your thing, you will be enchanted at Acorn, a Brooklyn Toy Shop.
Gumbo is a sanctuary for new parents, as well as a children's boutique that hosts daily kids' classes.
No visit to this area would be complete without a visit to the expansive and amazingly fun Brooklyn Bridge Park, just a block outside of our featured neighborhood.
Read all of our posts about exploring Cobble Hill Carroll Gardens with kids.