“it noah’s turn”

In thinking about my recent trips with Noah, 2 things came to mind:

1. He is so flexible and accommodating – this kid is game for just about anything.

2. There was a preponderance of activities that were decidedly “adult”.

One of Noah’s favorite expressions of late is “it Noah’s turn”. And I realized, yes, it Noah’s turn….

So while I’m all for sensory deprivation tanks and headless horses, I figured it was probably time for a few child-oriented trips. You know,  places with maybe some water play and ball pits? Just to change things up a bit.

We spent the next two weeks at two adorable kiddie spots in Manhattan.

The first stop was City Treehouse, an indoor play space in Chelsea.

Noah made a beeline to the large water station, where there were loads of animals, balls and boats, as well as levers, sprays and water wheels.

Noah, in typical fashion, tried just about  everything.

He eventually ventured over to the treehouse – a thoughtfully designed structure with a hideout below:

stairs winding up to the top:

and a skylight for looking down into the hideout:

Hi Mom!

And of course, a slide to get you back down.

Is it okay to admit that his favorite part was the hand dryer?

He did some water painting “graffiti”, a little balancing in the ball room, and we called it a day.

Well, after a stop at Doughnut Plant – Noah loved all of the circles and squares.

And I was loving on my creme brulee doughnut.

The following week Chelsea was home and joined us on our trip to Moomah Cafe in Tribeca.

Moomah is just the kind of place I always wish would open up in Westchester. Part cafe, part art space, part “funky forest” (more on that below), Moomah is a kid-friendly spot that manages to appeal to parents as well. The space is well designed, the food is locally sourced and delicious and it has a great, sophisticated vibe. However, it is first and foremost a space for children to play, create, and have fun.

Noah loved the long wall of cubbies filled with all kinds of animals, plants and trees – set up at just his height and perfect for pretend play.

There were several tables set up with crayons and paper, and loads of supplies to create any number of projects.

Noah is not overly interested in arts and crafts, so we brought him over to the “funky forest” - a large room filled with projected images on the floor and walls. Children can pretend they are in a magical “forest”, where they can control the flow of the river and the growth of the trees around them. Noah had so much fun running up to the still “river” and stepping on it to make it flow:

We had a great lunch served by the nicest staff – I loved this place and so did Noah!

We once again ended our day on a sweet note – this time at Billy’s Bakery, just a few blocks away.

Taking turns is a good thing!

http://www.citytreehouse.com/

http://www.doughnutplant.com/

http://moomah.com/

http://www.billysbakerynyc.com/