12 Fun Things to Do in Albany with Kids: Family Activities
Albany, one of the oldest settlements in America, was formerly part of the Dutch colony, Beverwyck.
Twenty-two years after a new administration took control of the province in 1664, the city of Albany was established there.
Albany’s parks, museums, and galleries provide entertainment for people of all ages and showcase the city’s rich cultural heritage.
As such, Albany should be your next destination if you’re looking for a place that has mysteries to reveal dating back centuries.
Avoid wasting time scouring the web for kid-friendly things to do in Albany; we’ve rounded together some of the top options and put them all in one convenient place.
- New York State Museum
The New York State Museum, just south of the Empire State Plaza, is the granddaddy of museums everywhere.
Since its inception in 1836, the museum has amassed a collection of about 17 million artifacts and specimens from various fields of study.
Why Your Family Should Go
When you go to the museum, you can see the Cohoes Mastodon and other artifacts from the museum’s extensive collection.
Need more ideas for family fun in Albany?
The New York State Museum is where the whole family can experience unforgettable while gaining valuable knowledge.
What to Do with Kids
Many different collections can be seen across the museum’s many halls.
Bring the kids and check it out.
Please bring plenty of energy, as it will be difficult to see all the galleries in a day.
Recommended Ages
Visitors of any age can enjoy the museum’s exhibits.
- Landis Arboretum
Situated on a hill overlooking the Schoharie Valley is a museum dedicated to trees.
Summit Meadows is a learning center on trees and a park.
The nursery has grown from a barren 95-acre farm into a 548-acre landmark.
Why Your Family Should Go
When guests arrive, they will be greeted with a plethora of plants.
Among these are many exotic plants and shrubs and most of New York’s native flora.
What to Do with Kids
Among the best things to do in Albany with kids is a visit to this greenhouse, which features a bog garden, a woodland walk, and two old-growth forests.
Recommended Ages
All ages can enjoy the tranquility and beauty of nature at Landis Arboretum.
- Billy Beez Crossgates
There are 22,000 square feet of indoor playground space at Billy Beez Crossgates.
The kid-friendly setting includes trampolines, slides, and ball blasters.
Why Your Family Should Go
Fun, adrenaline-pumping attractions abound in Billy Beez, including colorful slides, an obstacle course, and arcade games.
Accordingly, bringing young children here is undeniably one of the most remarkable things in Albany.
What to Do with Kids
Have fun discovering Mini Beez with your kids.
It’s possible to attempt the obstacle course with them, too.
Recommended Ages
The entertaining equipment here is suitable for children of all ages.
- FunPlex Fun Park
The Albany suburb of East Greenbush is home to FunPlex.
There are 14 different activities to partake in. Its go-karts and rock climbing wall are unrivaled.
Why Your Family Should Go
The many exciting pursuits available at this amusement park are ball games, water sports, and many others.
What to Do with Kids
Compete with and hopefully defeat your relatives at a go-kart race.
You might also try rock climbing and show off your talents.
Try this one out if you are looking for a family-friendly activity in Albany but are unsure where to go.
Recommended Ages
Go-karts, the bungee trampoline, bumper boats, spider mountain, and space ball are just a few attractions with age, height, and weight requirements.
Besides that, visitors of any age are welcome to partake in the festivities.
Your only task is to zero in on the perfect pastime.
- Albany’s Indoor Rock Gym
Located conveniently close to Central Avenue, Albany’s Indoor Rock Gym has welcomed novice and expert climbers since 1994.
This facility features not only climbing walls but also a cave system and a 60-foot zipline!
Why Your Family Should Go
Do you have the nerve to scale walls with overhangs and fissures from floor to ceiling?
Or maybe you’re just interested in stepping up your bouldering and leading the climbing game.
Assuming you responded “yes” to each of the abovementioned questions, you might want to consider visiting this location.
What to Do with Kids
You can explore a cave network inside the building.
And if scurrying through the shadows isn’t exciting enough for you, perhaps a quick trip down the line will do the trick.
What do you think of that as a list of things to do in Albany with the kids?
Recommended Ages
Children under the age of ten need an adult’s permission to participate.
- VIA Aquarium
More than two thousand marine animals are on display at VIA Aquarium.
It features exhibits of sharks, stingrays, and other marine life across its 25,000 square feet of space.
Why Your Family Should Go
Only here in Albany can you get so close to the marine life we share the planet with.
You’ll feel like swimming underwater with the aquatic animals you love as they float above you in the Aquarium’s realistic water tanks.
What to Do with Kids
Regular stingrays are fed twice a day.
If you get there in time, you can join in on the feeding fun.
If you’re looking for ways to entertain your children while in Albany, New York, you should check out this facility.
Recommended Ages
Only those over the age of five should participate in stingray feeding activities.
All other pursuits are suitable for participants of varying ages.
- Canvas, Corks & Forks
The establishment’s name gives it away: it’s a gathering spot for creative types, gourmets, and cocktail enthusiasts.
The establishment offers art classes for both young and old.
Why Your Family Should Go
You are invited to CC&F, where delectable dishes enhance art classes.
Want to have some low-priced fun with the family?
Do not bother looking any further.
What to Do with Kids
There’s no better location to bring the budding painters of the family.
Sign up for a class and let your inner creative loose.
Recommended Ages
Students must be 18 or older to participate in evening art classes, which are often held on Fridays and Saturdays.
Conversely, families with children aged six and up can take part in a series of weekly painting sessions during the day.
- Huck Finn’s Playland
Development of Huck Finn’s Playland began that same year, 2015. It has a roller coaster in addition to its other 16 attractions.
The rides at this amusement park are classics from the 1950s and 1960s.
Why Your Family Should Go
Not many amusement parks today maintain their original fleet of rides.
While you still can, take your loved ones to all these places of interest.
Huck Finn’s Playland is a great option if you’re looking for something fun to do with the kids this weekend that won’t break the bank.
What to Do with Kids
Ride the rails beside your kids on the train.
One of the circular vehicle excursions is another excellent way to take it all in.
The entertainment here isn’t just aimed at teenagers.
Also, even if you’re bringing a little child, you can still have a good time.
Recommended Ages
Enjoyable by visitors of all ages, including infants, this amusement park has something for everyone.
- Albany Institute of History & Art
One of the earliest museums in the United States is the Albany Institute of History and Art, which opened its doors in 1791.
Personal items, artwork, and texts are all safely stored there.
Why Your Family Should Go
There are artifacts here dating back more than two centuries.
They include several landscape paintings and sculptures from the 19th century in the United States.
You will also learn about the backstory of the mummies found in Albany.
I am sure you have heard of mummies.
These mummies can also be found in Albany.
What to Do with Kids
Share the beauty of art with your loved ones.
You can increase your children’s interest in the museum’s exhibits by setting up a scavenger hunt around their favorite topics.
This museum is an excellent option if you’re stuck on ideas for things to do with your kids in the area.
Recommended Ages
There is a special exhibit just for kids in addition to the standard exhibits. Therefore, people of all ages will be able to appreciate it.
- The Crossings of Colonie
The Colonie Crossings is well-known for its picturesque landscape and peaceful atmosphere, reflecting nature at its finest.
There are marshes, woodlands, meadows, and an orchard on this park’s 130 acres.
Why Your Family Should Go
Scenic trails, a calm environment, fresh air, and clear waters may be a gift for a weary body.
What to Do with Kids
There are several fun things for youngsters, like playing on the playground and navigating the maze.
Bring the kids over and spend the day reading a book beneath a tree by the pond.
Recommended Ages
You can bring your kids here because it’s an excellent place for them to stay.
A barrier-free playground is available for children aged 5 to 12 to enjoy.
- The Lazy Axe
In 2018, The Lazy Axe was established.
Two people with a love for the sport decided to start it.
Despite first impressions, ax tossing is a great way to release tension and have fun.
Why Your Family Should Go
Axe throwing is becoming increasingly popular as a sport.
Make sure that you and your loved ones are not left behind. Honestly, who can say? One day you could become the best ax thrower in the world.
What to Do with Kids
Make it a family outing and play a friendly game.
It’s okay if your kids beat you.
Just let them know that axes were never considered fair game in your house and were instead reserved for cutting wood.
Recommended Ages
Anyone less than 21 must be accompanied by an adult of at least that age when participating in the sport of ax throwing.
Private ax-throwing instruction is available to anybody over the age of 18.
- The Wild Center
In 2006, the doors to this Center were first opened to the public. Around five thousand people attended the big inauguration ceremony.
Why Your Family Should Go
You can see the natural world around you in a whole new light.
Walk across the treetops and take in the scenery from above.
Additionally, there is a “nest” where you may take a seat and look out over the forest in every direction.
These attractions are the best in Albany for families, but there are plenty of other exciting things to do in the area.
What to Do with Kids
Climb the Spider’s Web and live out your childhood fantasy of being Spider-Man.
It’s a spiderweb-like thread that’s braided above the earth.
Recommended Ages
Visitor age restrictions are not enforced at this institution.
