One of our favorite things to do in NYC is going on a hunt for carousels. Seeing your children’s faces light up once you get to the carousel is priceless!
As speech therapists, we’ve even taken some of our younger kiddos on carousels during their sessions. We work on social skills such as waiting, and language skills such as prepositions: “on”, “off”, and “around”, commenting (e.g., – “Wow! That’s a big bug!), action words “stop” and “go”, and lots more! We’ve visited most of them and wanted to share the 7 top carousels in New York City so that you can enjoy them!
1. Prospect Park Carousel
95 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn, NY
For only $2 per ride, you can ride the carousel at Prospect Park. The carousel was created by Charles Carmel over 100 years ago and restored by the park’s alliance. You and your little one can ride on one of the 53 amazing horses alongside a deer, a lion, a giraffe and two dragon-pulled chariots.
2. Pier 62 Carousel
Pier 62, Chelsea Piers, New York, NY
You can’t beat the view of the Hudson River. Located at Pier 62 on the west side of Manhattan (23rd Street), this carousel has a green roof with LED lights! How cool? There are a variety of animals too (e.g., – deer, bear, horse, etc.). Only $2 per ride.
3. Bug Carousel
What’s cooler than a carousel with bugs? We saw ladybugs, grasshoppers, and much more at the Bug Carousel in the Bronx Zoo. It is $5 per ride (does not include admission to the park). Children under 2 are free.
4. Central Park Carousel
You may be wandering around Central Park in Manhattan and come across a beautiful carousel! It is one of the largest carousels in the United States. Rides cost $3.
5. Jane’s Carousel
This might be our favorite Brooklyn carouse all because of the view of Manhattan! It’s enclosed in glass and the horses are absolutely gorgeous. Each ride costs $2 (children under 3 are free).
6. Le Carrousel
You can find this French-style carousel in Bryant Park. It was created in Brooklyn and actually plays French cabaret music. It’s the perfect venue for birthdays as well! Rides are $3.
7. SeaGlass Carousel
This carousel is set to open in late August and we cannot wait! It will be located in Battery Park City. We had to include it because children will be able to ride in beautifully designed luminescent sea creatures. They will be housed inside a giant shell. Check their website for upcoming details!
Debbie Shiwbalak, M.A., CCC-SLP, has a Baccalaureate of Arts in Speech Pathology and is a graduate of Long Island University-CW Post Campus, where she received a Master of Arts in Speech Pathology in 2001. She holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) and is licensed by the state of New York to practice speech-language pathology. Debbie has 13 years experience as a speech pathologist in the New York City area. She co-authored a chapter of “Cutting Edge Therapies for Autism” and presents at parent and professional workshops all over New York City.
Alpin Rezvani, M.A., CCC-SLP, graduated from New York University with a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. She holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association (ASHA) and has New York licensure in Speech-Language Pathology. She has 7 years of experience as a speech pathologist in the New York City area and was an adjunct instructor at New York University. She co-authored three chapters of “Cutting Edge Therapies for Autism” and presents at parent and professional workshops all over New York City.