We reviewed all the family plans in NYC for that week — all five boroughs, Halloween and beyond — and ranked them for families with kids ages 0 to 10, with our own family in mind: a 6-year-old and a 10-month-old baby in Manhattan. The ranking comes first; below it, the full inventory with prices, times and sources.
CONFIRMED 2026
Verified on the official page of the organizer or in a 2026 press release.
CONFIRMED IN GUIDES
Two 2026 listings match, but the official page could not be opened or did not turn up.
FREE
Free entry. When a plan is paid, the exact price is on the card, as published by the source.
Everything we found for the week, with the exact price according to the source. Each day opens with its best plan, marked with a star, followed by alternatives.
CMOM, Brooklyn Children's Museum and NYBG are closed on Mondays. These are the real plans.
⭐ BEST OF THE DAY · FREE · CONFIRMED 2026
11:30am–12:30pm · New York Public Library (NYPL)
The week's flagship event for babies: songs, books and gentle movement for pre-walkers ages 0 to 18 months, designed for anyone who “prefers a gentle, slow-paced program.” NYPL Lapsit sessions are usually first come, first served; this listing does not state capacity.
⚠️ Unconfirmed: the venue name was not shown on the event page — open the link and verify the branch before publishing.
Source: NYPL — Baby Lapsit Storytime
CONFIRMED 2026
4–10pm (weekday hours) · LeFrak Center at Lakeside
Prospect Park, Brooklyn · Season: Oct 8 – Nov 30
Monday's only real after-school option: pumpkin patch, corn maze and carnival games; prices vary by activity.
⚠️ The festival's “Haunted Hotel” attraction is 13+ only — skip it with this audience.
Source: Prospect Park — Halloween in Prospect Park
FREE ENTRY · CONFIRMED IN GUIDES
1–5pm on weekdays · 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy
Floral Park, Queens · Every day through Oct 31
Free entry; pumpkins are priced by size. A daytime plan with a caregiver — from Manhattan it is a long trip for a Monday.
Source: 2026 listings for Queens County Farm Museum (via seasonal guides)
⭐ CMOM day — and watch out for a fake plan (see below).
⭐ BEST OF THE DAY · CONFIRMED 2026
2:45–3:45pm · PlayWorks, Children's Museum of Manhattan
212 W 83rd St, Upper West Side, Manhattan
Kids decorate their own trick-or-treat bag. An ideal post-nap / after-school time, and the museum is designed for ages 0–6: baby and older sibling both in their element. Repeats Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at the same time, and twice on Saturday the 31st.
Included with admission: $17 online / $18 in person (adults and kids 1–18); seniors $14 online.
Source: CMOM — Halloween at CMOM · Tickets: cmom.org/plan-your-visit
FREE · CONFIRMED 2026
From 11am · Multiple locations
Family Storytime — Allerton Library (Bronx), 11–11:30am, up to age 5, first come, first served. Little Movers — multiple locations, 11:30am–12pm, toddlers / new walkers. Virtual Family Storytime — 11–11:30am, up to age 5, online registration required ([email protected]).
Logistics note: one Little Movers location warns that stroller space is limited — the only explicit mention of strollers in the NYPL listings.
Source: NYPL — Events
NO SESSION ON TUESDAY
58 Park Ave, Murray Hill, Manhattan · Ages 1–5, costumes welcome
⚠️ The event is listed “Oct 27–30,” but there is no session on Tuesday: the real sessions are Wednesday and Friday (workshops 10:45am and 3:15pm) and Thursday (sing-along 10:45am + workshop 3:15pm). Reservations strongly recommended.
Price: UNCONFIRMED — the page refers to a ticket link without showing the price.
Source: Scandinavia House — Halloween Extravaganza
⭐ The big weekday: car-free streets + a free garden for residents.
⭐ BEST OF THE DAY · FREE · CONFIRMED 2026
3–7pm · Canal St between Orchard and Essex
Lower East Side / Chinatown, Manhattan
Car-free trick-or-treating and activities at Manhattan's flagship site of the NYC DOT program. Includes a free guided MAS tour, “Tales from the Urban Forest” (advance registration required). Partner sites the same day: 29th St Plaza (Queens, 2–6pm) and Flatiron Plaza (Manhattan, 3–7pm).
Source: NYC DOT — Trick-or-Streets
FREE ON WEDNESDAYS* · CONFIRMED 2026
All day · New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd
Bronx · Season: Oct 3 – Nov 2
Community ofrenda and alebrije trail in the Everett Children's Adventure Garden, with appearances by La Catrina. *On Wednesdays, Grounds admission is free all day for NYC residents.
Otherwise: Grounds $15 adult / $4 kids 2–12 (under 2 free; sold on site only; does not include the Conservatory or special exhibitions). Weekday All-Garden Pass $35 adult / $15 child; weekend $39 / $17.
⚠️ Papel picado and silk flower workshops run on select dates only: this week, just Sat Oct 31 (and Nov 2), 1–5pm — not Wednesday.
Source: NYBG — nybg.org/visit/admission
FREE · CONFIRMED 2026
Wednesday at noon · Bryant Park, Midtown, Manhattan
The Winter Village holiday shops open at noon: a festive, stroller-paced stroll that pairs with any Midtown plan. (Secondary guides disagree on whether the rink season starts the 23rd or the 28th; the park's page gives the 28th for the shops.)
Source: Bryant Park — bryantpark.org/activities/holiday-shops
CONFIRMED 2026
10:45am and 3:15pm · 58 Park Ave, Murray Hill
The Halloween plan for ages 1–5, par excellence: morning and afternoon sessions. Costumes welcome; reservations strongly recommended. Price: UNCONFIRMED.
Source: Scandinavia House
FREE · CONFIRMED 2026
Morning: babies · 4–4:45pm: tweens
Baby Lapsit 10:30–11am (pre-walkers/crawlers; capacity 10 babies, tickets at the children's desk from 10am). Little Movers at various times and locations (some cap at 15–20 families). Tween Titans — Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library, 4–4:45pm, ages 8–12: the Oct 28 theme is a Pac-Man ghost game. All first come, first served.
Source: NYPL — Events
FREE · CONFIRMED IN GUIDES
7pm · Sadie's, Seaport, Manhattan
Halloween Movie Night with Hocus Pocus, free. An evening plan — best for ages 6 and up.
Source: NYC Ferry blog (secondary source)
Also on Wednesday: CMOM Trick-or-Treat Tote Bags, 2:45–3:45pm (see Tuesday).
⭐ The free museum day in Brooklyn.
⭐ BEST OF THE DAY · FREE · CONFIRMED 2026
2–5pm · 145 Brooklyn Ave, Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Falls within the free window of Community Access Thursdays (Thursdays 2–5pm free, with online or same-day reservation; regular general admission is $15/person). Kids campaign and vote for an animal candidate, make campaign buttons and hear the winner announced. Exhibits cover ages 6 months to 10 years.
Extra at the museum: the rooftop skating rink (Oct 1, 2026 – Apr 11, 2027; Wed–Fri 2–5pm), $15 admission + $10 skate rental ($8 with your own skates; members $8/$6), ages 3 and up.
Sources: BCM Fall Season Release — brooklynkids.org · KidsOutAndAbout (Thu Oct 29 listing, 2–5pm)
CONFIRMED 2026
Thu Oct 29 – Sun Nov 1 · 12–5pm · Prospect Park, Brooklyn
The park's “haunted” carousel, all of the second half of the week. Free with an Alliance Family Supporter membership.
$3 per ride · $13 for a 5-ride book
Source: Prospect Park — Halloween
FREE · CONFIRMED 2026
10:30–11:30am · Sedgwick Library, Bronx
“Scary, but not too scary” stories for ages 1–5. Costumes welcome.
Source: NYPL — Spooky Storytime
FREE · CONFIRMED 2026
4:30–5:30pm · Parkchester Library, Bronx
A Halloween craft at a true after-school hour, for ages 6–12.
Source: NYPL — Spooky Craft
FREE · CONFIRMED IN GUIDES
3–5pm · Austin J. McDonald Playground, Staten Island
A free pumpkin patch at an after-school hour (NYC Parks listing via secondary roundups).
Source: NYC Parks listing (via secondary guides)
Also on Thursday:
Trick-or-Streets, partner sites: Rockwood St (Bronx, 10am–6pm) · Bristol St (Brooklyn, 12–5pm) · Pershing Square Plaza (Manhattan, 3–5pm) · Brooklyn Bridge Arches (6:30–8:30pm). Source: NYC DOT.
CMOM Tote Bags 2:45–3:45pm · Scandinavia House: sing-along 10:45am + workshop 3:15pm.
⭐ The eve: Bryant Park to close out the week, and baby theater in the morning.
⭐ BEST OF THE DAY · FREE · CONFIRMED IN GUIDES
4–6pm · Bryant Park, Midtown, Manhattan
Magic show at 4pm (Chris Capehart, The Deck) and “Crazy Science” at 5pm; face painting and pumpkin decorating from 4pm; crafts at 4:30pm at Le Carrousel; free trick-or-treat bag for the Holiday Shops (first come, first served, while supplies last). Carousel: $5.
⚠️ Confirmed by two matching 2026 sources, but Bryant Park's own calendar did not show the event in the research: re-verify on the park's calendar before printing.
Sources: Mommy Poppins — Tricks and Treats · About & Out — Halloween in NYC 2026
CONFIRMED 2026
10am (Friday's only show) · DR2 Theatre, 103 E 15th St, Manhattan
55 minutes with no intermission, recommended for all ages (“1–99”). A rare and valuable detail: it is one of the few theaters that explicitly prices for babies — infant lap seats: $10 at the box office. Everyone needs a ticket. Also Saturday Oct 31 at 10am and 12pm; season through Nov 8. No shows Mon–Thu this week.
$35 per ticket
Sources: Ticketmaster · Broadway Inbound
FREE · CONFIRMED IN GUIDES
10–11am · McCarren Park, Brooklyn
CityParks' mobile puppet theater, free and outdoors, for all ages.
Source: KidOnTheTown listing
FREE · CONFIRMED 2026
11am–12pm · New York Public Library (NYPL)
For pre-walkers, no registration: first come, first served, with room for 12 families.
⚠️ Unconfirmed: the venue name was not shown on the event page — verify the branch before publishing.
Source: NYPL — Lapsit Storytime
FREE · CONFIRMED IN GUIDES
3:30–6pm · Walker Park, Staten Island
A free family Halloween party at an after-school hour (NYC Parks, via secondary roundups).
Source: NYC Parks listing (via secondary guides)
CONFIRMED 2026
11am–12:15pm · Brooklyn Botanic Garden
A guided tour of the autumn splendor; repeats Saturday Oct 31 at the same time.
Source: Brooklyn Botanic Garden calendar
Also on Friday:
Trick-or-Streets, partner sites: Children's Halloween Parade, W 169 St (Manhattan, 1–3pm) · Allen-Stevenson School, E 78 St (1–8pm) · Johnny Hartman Plaza, Harlem (1–8pm) · Fort Hamilton Pkwy (Brooklyn, 2–5pm) · Beach 21st St Plaza (Queens, 2–5pm) · Gates Ave Plaza (Brooklyn, 2:30–4:30pm) · Morrison Ave Plaza (Bronx, 3–6:30pm) · Wadsworth Ave (Manhattan, 3–5pm) · 109 Ave (Queens, 4–8pm) · Macombs Place, Harlem (5–9pm). Source: NYC DOT.
CMOM Tote Bags 2:45–3:45pm · Scandinavia House workshops 10:45am and 3:15pm.
Halloween movie night at Brooklyn Conservatory of Music (Park Slope, 6–9pm): a single secondary source.
⚠️ Not for this audience: NYPL's “Halloween Hang Out” at St. Agnes Library (Fri Oct 30, 4–5pm) is for ages 12–18.
⭐ The big day: there are more plans than hours. These are the anchors; below, all the parades.
⭐ BEST OF THE DAY · CONFIRMED 2026
11am–4pm · American Museum of Natural History, Upper West Side
The museum's Halloween celebration, under the whale. Verified on the official page: the activity is included with museum admission — there is no extra charge, as one guide said.
Included with admission · Pay-what-you-wish for NYC residents
Source: AMNH official page (verified in earlier research)
FREE · CONFIRMED 2026
11am–5pm · Seaport, Lower Manhattan
Museum admission free all day; scavenger hunt aboard the 1885 sailing ship Wavertree; Healthful Halloween Fair with Mommy Poppins at Pier 16 (11am–4pm); costume parade at 2pm; trick-or-treating all over the Seaport 3–5pm. Pre-registration recommended; same-day entry subject to space.
Source: South Street Seaport Museum — Halloweekend
CONFIRMED 2026
All day · Bronx Zoo · Only day within the window
Included with admission (date-specific tickets required). Costume parades at Astor Court at 12, 1 and 2pm; free face painting for ages 3+; new Hay Maze & Challenge Course; animal talks; candy trail.
Adults 13+: $28.95 · Seniors: $26.95 · Kids 3–12: $20.95 · Up to age 2: free
The zoo's “Zoo Explorers” bat program on 10/31 is announced on the zoo's social media, but TIME AND PRICE ARE UNCONFIRMED.
Source: WCS — Boo at the Zoo press release (Sep 1, 2026)
FREE · CONFIRMED 2026
From 10am · DUMBO, Brooklyn
Nicktober Hallo-Scream at the Archway, 10am–6pm; March to the Arch at 3pm from Washington St; Archway Party 3:30–6pm; trick-or-treating at 60+ businesses, 3–6pm.
⚠️ Dog costume contest: the organizer says 2pm; Mommy Poppins says 4pm — trust the organizer.
Source: DUMBO — Dumboween (organizer)
CONFIRMED 2026
212 W 83rd St, Upper West Side, Manhattan
Monster Costume Quest, 10:30am–4:15pm; Tote Bags, 11:15am–12:15pm and 2:45–3:45pm. All included with admission; the museum's sweet spot is ages 0–6.
Admission: $17 online
Source: CMOM — Halloween at CMOM
CONFIRMED 2026
Sessions: 10am–12:30pm · 1–3:30pm · 4–6:30pm · Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Halloween × anime with AniTOMO: trick-or-treating, costume runway, manga storytelling with cosplayers, screenings of Okko's Inn and kitsune mask making.
$15 · Members: free
⚠️ The museum page body mistakenly says “Sunday, October 27”: the museum's fall 2026 release and two independent listings confirm Saturday the 31st.
Source: BCM — Halloween at BCM
CONFIRMED 2026
11am–4pm · Coney Island, Brooklyn · Only day within the window
Free with admission. Costume parades at 1, 2 and 3:30pm; face painting for ages 3+; storytelling at 11:30am, 12:30pm, 2 and 3pm; new “Sea of Illusions.”
Adults: $29.95–$32.95 · Seniors: $27.95–$29.95 · Kids 3–12: $25.95–$27.95 · Up to age 2: free
Source: NY Aquarium — Ascarium
FREE* · CONFIRMED 2026
From 10am · Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Creepy Crawly Halloween at the Boathouse, 10am–4pm, free (RSVP): owl pellets and nature-detective activities. Spooktober! at the Prospect Park Zoo, 10am–5:30pm, free with zoo admission. Haunted Carousel, 12–5pm, $3.
Source: Prospect Park — Halloween
CONFIRMED 2026
Workshops 1–5pm · New York Botanical Garden, Bronx
The only day this week with the hands-on papel picado and silk flower workshops (also Nov 2). The ofrenda and alebrijes remain in the children's garden.
Weekend All-Garden Pass: $39 adult / $17 child · Grounds: $15 / $4
Source: NYBG — nybg.org/visit/admission
CONFIRMED 2026
12–5pm · 43-50 Main St, Flushing, Queens · Rain or shine
Trick-or-treat trail, art walk and stories of Anansi the Spider, crafts and performances.
$10 non-member adults · $8 kids 4–17 · Members free (+ Fever fees)
Sources: Secret NYC — QBG Halloween 2026 + QBG calendar
CONFIRMED 2026
10am–5pm · 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy, Floral Park, Queens
Nine candy stations, the Amazing Maize Maze, hayrides and ghost stories at the Adriance farm. Advance online tickets required — no gate sales. (The Maize Maze also runs Sat/Sun through Nov 1, 11am–4pm: $17 adult / $10 child 3–11 / under 2 free.)
$15 adults / $25 kids 2–17
⚠️ An old listing shows a flat $20 price: $15/$25 is the figure two 2026 sources agree on.
Sources: Mommy Poppins + DailyBao (two matching 2026 listings)
FREE PARADE · CONFIRMED 2026
Greenpoint, Brooklyn · Rain or shine
Free parade: meet at 155 Milton St, departs ~12:15pm. Ticketed indoor party at St. John's Lutheran Church (155 Milton St), 50-minute sessions at 10am, 11am and 1pm.
Party: $25/child through Oct 30, $30 after · Parent ticket $10 (admits 2 parents)
Source: Town Square — Greenpoint Halloween Parade & Party
FREE · CONFIRMED IN GUIDES
12–5pm · Astoria, Queens · Free / suggested donation, RSVP on Eventbrite
Bat field guide workshop 11am–1pm; pumpkin decorating 12–3pm (first come, first served); costumes made from reused materials; dog costume contest. Queens' best outdoor plan.
Source: Eventbrite — Halloween Harvest Festival
EVENT CONFIRMED · PRICE UNCONFIRMED
11am · Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave, East Harlem / UES
Family art, storytelling, scavenger hunt and candy. The listing does not state a price → price unconfirmed. (The museum's Halloween Bash, 6–10pm, is an adults-only cocktail event — not for this audience.)
Source: MCNY — Special Events
FREE · TIME UNCONFIRMED
Saturday 31 · 30 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn · Ages 2–12
BAM's Halloween festival is real and annual, but 2026 guides contradict each other on the time: 3–6pm (Mommy Poppins), 2–5pm (Prospect Places), 4–7pm (older guides). Do not print a time until you verify BAM's page closer to the date.
Source: conflicting 2026 guides — verify at bam.org
Brooklyn Heights Parade — 10:30am, from the north end of the Promenade heading south, with a bake sale. All ages. (Verified in earlier research.)
Washington Square Children's Halloween Parade — meet at 1pm at the Arch; theme “Under the Sea”; fair on W 3rd St from 1:30pm. CONFIRMED IN GUIDES. ⚠️ The listing metadata says 3–6pm but its own text says 1pm — trust the text and verify before printing. Source: Mommy Poppins — 2026 parade guide.
Hippo Playground Halloween Parade (UWS) — 3:30–5:30pm, Riverside Park at W 89th → Hippo Playground (W 91st). Short route: ideal for toddlers. CONFIRMED IN GUIDES.
Cobble Hill Halloween Parade — music 3:30pm, departs 4pm from Cobble Hill Park (Congress St gate), with Brass Queens. Rain or shine. CONFIRMED 2026 (Brooklyn Bridge Parents guide).
Park Slope Children's Parade — forms at 6pm, departs 6:30pm. Brooklyn's classic to close out the day. (Verified in earlier research.)
Village Halloween Parade — 7pm, Sixth Ave from Canal to 15th. Spectacular but crowded and late for kids under 10: best for the top of the age range. (Verified in earlier research.)
Jackson Heights Halloween Parade (Queens) — 5pm, 37th Ave from 89th St to PS 69; billed as NYC's largest children's Halloween parade; candy bags at the end. CONFIRMED IN GUIDES (one listing says it starts at 86th St — minor conflict).
Forest Hills Halloween Parade (inaugural, Queens) — 12–1:30pm, from 87-23 69 Ave. CONFIRMED IN GUIDES.
City Island Halloween Parade (Bronx) — 5:30pm, Hawkins Park. CONFIRMED IN GUIDES.
Theater: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show 10am and 12pm (see Friday). Hansel & Gretel at Puppetworks (Park Slope): 12:30 and 2:30pm, $11 kids / $12 adults, ages 3+, reservations by email — ⚠️ verify the listing's address before printing. Source: Mommy Poppins. Alice in Wonderland — The Musical (Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal St): 3 and 7pm, free family workshop at 2pm before the matinee, 70 min — ⚠️ price unconfirmed and the theater is not wheelchair accessible (3 steps, per TDF).
Brooklyn Botanic Garden: Fall Family Discovery Weekends 10:30am–12:30pm (drop-in, all ages) · Fall Family Story Time 11am–12pm · Fall Splendor Tour 11am–12:15pm. CONFIRMED 2026 (BBG calendar).
Staten Island: SI Zoo UA Community Science Day, 11am–2pm, “not-so-scary” native animals, CONFIRMED 2026 · Staten Island Children's Museum: Binx the Reptile Guy 4–4:45pm (included with admission) and Walk-In! Workshop 12–4pm. CONFIRMED IN GUIDES.
Neighborhood festivals: NYSoM Halloween Havoc (East Harlem Tutorial, 2050 2nd Ave, 2–5pm, free, ages 2+ — ⚠️ the 3pm “Terrordome” segment targets older kids/teens) · Bogardus Halloween Spooktacular (Tribeca, 3–7pm, ages 5–12) · Owl's Head Park / NIA Halloween Festival (Bay Ridge, 12–3pm, free, with haunted house) · Pumpkin Palooza (St. Mary's Park, Bronx, 1–4pm, free, NYC Parks) · Boo!KCM at Brooklyn Conservatory of Music (Park Slope, 4–6pm, free) · BKLYN Boo! at Abolitionist Place (Downtown Brooklyn, 2–5pm, free) · Masquerade on Macon (Macon Library, Bed-Stuy, 4:30–8pm, free) · Albemarle Open Streets Parade (Prospect Park South: costume contest 4pm, parade 5:30pm). CONFIRMED IN 2026 NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDES.
Trick-or-Streets, Bronx flagship site: James Baldwin Plaza (Goulden Ave and Mosholu Pkwy), 10am–3pm, free — plus dozens of partner closures across the city on the 31st (e.g., Nassau Ave, Brooklyn, 8am–8pm). Source: NYC DOT.
Chelsea Market does trick-or-treating all day on the 31st (secondary source). Essex Market's “Trick or Streets” (3–6pm) appears in only one guide — DETAILS UNCONFIRMED.
The wildcard: free, no schedule and at stroller pace.
FREE · AREAS CONFIRMED IN GUIDES
Free and self-guided · Best as the sun goes down
Upper West Side: W 69th St (Central Park West–Columbus/Broadway). Upper East Side: E 78th St (“Halloween Row,” Park–Lexington) and E 87th St (York–East End). Brooklyn Heights: Garden Place (Joralemon–State), Grace Court Alley, Joralemon St. Park Slope: 3rd St and 7th St, plus the businesses on 5th/7th Ave. Cobble Hill: Congress St and Clinton St. Queens: Forest Hills Gardens (Greenway North/South).
⚠️ These are recommendations from past years that change every year and have no central organizer: present it as “worth a stroll there,” not as a scheduled event.
Sources: NY Post, cheapskate Halloween guide, Oct 16, 2026 · OurNYCity — Halloween NYC
SECOND TIER · DETAILS UNCONFIRMED
Listed season: Sep 19 – Nov 1
The Halloween programming is reportedly included in the day pass (per Mommy Poppins), but the exact operating days and hours for Oct 26–31 and the price of the wristband could not be confirmed on the park's pages.
Source: Mommy Poppins (secondary)
The Central Park Pumpkin Flotilla is CANCELED in 2026, even though several guides still list it.
Pumpkin Point on Governors Island ran only Oct 24–25: it is not open on the 31st.
The Sunset Park Día de Muertos parade times are not confirmed by an official source.