Moira Ann Smith Playground is a fun stop for the kiddos in Madison Square Park!

The toy soldiers who guard the gate at the Moira Ann Smith Playground, located in Madison Square Park in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, are just the first special touch kids will absolutely love about this play spot! The whimsical designs continue all over the playground structures, including classic children’s toys like sailboats and rocking horses, which will motivate your kids to get outdoors and away from those screens! 

Children will love the bright, bold colors, especially in the water area where the jets spout from bright “toy blocks” and a spinning pinwheel. There are plenty of swings so you won’t need to worry about long lines, including an ever-popular tire swing.

Named for police officer Moira Ann Smith, who gave her life on September 11, the park has a sentimental note, too. The playground is part of an overall initiative within Madison Square Park for “Mad Play” which includes a summer kids concert series and an annual festival of performing arts. So check the calendar and plan your playdate to coincide with one of these events!

If the kids work up an appetite, there is a Shake Shack right across the park where we can’t get enough of the cheese fries and always leave room for a malted shake, of course. Or, if you cross the pedestrian walkway that rims Madison Square Park, you’ll find yourself at the popular Eataly. Come for the grocery aisles lined with fresh pasta and cheeses, Italian candies, and divine pastries; stay for the rooftop restaurant. With a rotating theme, your family might find themselves in a spring greenhouse, a summer beach cabana, or an alpine winter wonderland as you dine. The views across the Flatiron District are unparalleled!