“I just moved here from Texas. The scooters there don’t light up.” —Matthew Negron, 10
Razor Spark 2.0 scooter with motion-sensor LED wheels
$81 at J&R Electronics, jr.com.
Wipeout Dry-Erase Helmet with stencils and markers
$30 at Area Kids, 55 W. 14th St., nr. Sixth Ave., 212-229-1700.
“I tried to play basketball with this, but it’s too big to shoot. Then I tried soccer—still too big.” —Aoibhe McNamara, 6
Y’All Ball 40-inch inflatable bouncy ball
$60 at Dinosaur Hill, 306 E. 9th St., nr. Second Ave.; 212-473-5850.
“The bubbles are so colorful! But Mom would scream if pink and purple got on one of my fancy white dresses.” —Aoibhe
Crayola outdoor colored bubbles with jumbo blow-wand
$8 for two at Target, 517 E. 117th St., nr. FDR Dr.; 212-835-0860.
“Now I know how I can get back at my friend Raymond for always stealing my hat: Squirt freezing-cold water at him from my skateboard and wreck his life!” —Devin Irizarry, 13
“If I bring this to sleepaway camp in Brazil, I won’t fill it with ice cubes. Our summer is their winter—I’ll use warm water instead.” —Luiza Chevres, 9
Nerf Super Soaker Arctic Shock water blaster with ice-cube vessel
$30 at Mary Arnold Toys, 1010 Lexington Ave., nr. 72nd St.; 212-744-8510.
“This is harder than jump rope, but easier than tennis. I like how it turns different colors.” —Savannah Renee Ashley, 6
Twister Rave light-up Skip-It
$20 at Mary Arnold Toys.
“I would only be able to use this outside if I tried not to hit anybody in the face. That’s why video games are better: They can’t accidentally hit someone in the face. Unless you’re playing a Wii sword game.” —Josiah Negron, 13
Sky Ripperz slingshot
$22 for three at Toys ’R’ Us, 35-40 48th St., nr. Northern Blvd., Long Island City; 718-937-8697.
“I feel like Hawkeye from The Avengers. He shoots bomb arrows. This toy is my favorite because it’s shaped like wings, and my dream is to fly.” —Joshua Luce, 8
Air Huntress Z-Curve Bow with three foam arrows
$24 at Toys ’R’ Us, 1513 Broadway, nr. 44th St.; 646-366-8800.
“I would read in here. I like historical fiction that takes place during the Civil War.” —Ciara McNamara, 7
VW camper pop-up play tent with “spare-wheel” carrying case
$50 at bedbathandbeyond.com.
“As soon as you put on the glasses, your drawings pop up like in a 3-D movie. It’s really cool!” —Ciara
Crayola Kaleidoscope 3-D chalk with glasses
$14 at crayolastore.com.
Other Ideas for Entertaining Your Brood
Pet a Dinosaur
Travel back to prehistoric times on Dinosaur Safari, the Bronx Zoo’s new guided immersive ride, starring twenty life-size animatronic dinosaurs. Post-trip, would-be paleontologists hit up a mock fossil dig. Kids entry is from $17.95, adults from $22.95. 2300 Southern Blvd., nr. Bronx Park S., the Bronx; 718-367-1010.
Build an Empire
Lego obsessives learn tricks from “master builders” at the just-opened Legoland Discovery Center, located in the Westchester’s Ridge Hill shopping complex. Two rides, kids’ karaoke, and a firefighter- and construction-themed playground suit ages 3 to 10. Kids entry is $18, adults $22. 39 Fitzgerald St., Yonkers; 866-243-0770.
Bounce off Walls
Bushwick’s months-old parkour gym, Bklyn Beast, has kids as young as 4 running, jumping, swinging, and scaling a city-inspired obstacle course. Classes cover parkour, break-dancing, and Capoeira. Day passes from $18. 230 Bogart St., nr. Ten Eyck St., Bushwick; 347-457-6290.
Play Marco Polo
Asphalt Green, the Upper East Side complex where Olympic swimmer Lia Neal trained, opens its Battery Park City outpost on June 15. The 52,000-square-foot rec center offers a range of athletics and arts programs; if a family dip in the six-lane indoor pool is what you’re after, day passes are $10 for kids and $35 for adults. 212 North End Ave., nr. Warren St.; 212-298-2900.
Make a Piece of Art
Drop by Oliloli Arts & Crafts Studio to paint pottery, play with wood, and even fuse glass for jewelry. The loftlike space, opened in January, offers projects for all ages starting at $16. 103-23 Metropolitan Ave., nr. 71st Ave., Forest Hills; 718-261-1238.
—Raven Snook