Gingerbread Lane is in my Ears and in my Eyes

City-Kid Interview:

What did you like about the Science Center this time?
I saw the new thing, the thing on Mars (aka the Rover). I got to do stuff.
What did you like about Gingerbread Lane? I
loved it. I loved the wheelchairs. We won.
What else did you do?
I loved the sea-boarding.
The surf-boarding?
Yeah, the surf-boarding. And the houses were cool.

NYSCI is always, always great, no matter the weather. However, they have tons to do in the winter, especially at Holiday time.

Under-fives have a special pre-school play area which is tons of fun. On our first visit, we spent most of our time there and only at the end of that trip did we discover the Great Hall, and the additional hall space upstairs. The latter is where Gingerbread Lane is located.

This is not an interactive experience unless you make it one. I asked City-Kid who might live in each house, and used it to create a world and a story. The detail is extraordinary. They do have a set up where you can take pictures with your child. City-Kid loved the interactive activities behind the temporary Gingerbread Lane wall, particularly the surfing and the wheelchair races.

NYSCi have regular gingerbread building workshops and the eating event – where you get to take some of that wonderful lane home – is coming up on January 16th. Highly recommend for a full day’s adventure.

Gingerbread Lane is open until January 15th. Here is the link for more information.

Need to Knows:

New York Hall of Science is located in Corona, Queens.

Location: 47-01 111th St, Corona, NY 11368

Public transportation: You can get there on the 7 train, at 111th Street. Walk South on 111th street (past 41st-44th Avenues, under the train tracks and you will see it on the right)

NYSCi is open every day except Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Mon-Fri: 9.30am -4.45pm/W-end: 10.00am-5.45pm

Tickets start at $15 for an adult and $12 for a child(2-17). More information here.

(Gingerbread Lane House giveaway is January 16th, 3-5pm)

Top-Tip

You can get in free with an NYC-ID card. – This has been updated – in 2017, it seems to have been removed from the NYC-ID list. Hopefully, it will be reinstated in 2018.

Your NYC-ID card makes you eligible for a discount for membership packages. I got a big discount on the family premium package. This is part of a reciprocal program which gives free admission to many science museums and discounts for some children’s museums. I have definitely made my investment back.

I recommend making other plans for lunch – bring sandwiches or plan to go somewhere else.  The cafeteria is small and limited so you may wait a while for mediocre offerings. The staff are very friendly, though.

Have you visited Gingerbread Lane at the New York Hall of Science? What did your City Kid think? Please share your thoughts and experiences with all of us, below.

Did you find this page after the activity ended? I’ll be writing again about NYSCi again, particularly when the weather warms up. In the meantime, feel free to sign up, below, to receive adventure information, as soon as it is posted.