Rainy-day activities on Long Island
When the weather cancels the day, Long Island has plenty of indoor answers. We have hand-picked 14 of the best rainy-day spots for kids here: children's museums and a hands-on aquarium, big indoor playgrounds and trampoline parks for burning off energy, ice rinks and rock walls, and calm craft studios for a quieter afternoon.
These are the places we would head to when the forecast turns. Most charge admission or a per-session fee, so tap any spot for the details and a link to the venue's own page before you go. For a free backup, your town library runs story times and kids' programs all year, so check its calendar. And when you want more than our picks, our indoor activities guide carries the full, unedited list.
The Long Island Children's Museum offers 14 interactive exhibits plus live theater, art spaces, and daily activities designed for hands-on discovery. Families can explore exhibits like Bubbles, Building Boom, and Communication Station, enjoy live theater performances, and participate in special events and programs led by trained staff.
Why it's hereFourteen interactive exhibits plus live theater and art spaces built for hands-on discovery, from Bubbles to Building Boom.
Long Island Aquarium offers an interactive and educational experience where families can explore marine life through live exhibits, daily presentations, and hands-on encounters. Visitors can watch sea lions and seals, learn about sharks and stingrays, and participate in special adventures like penguin encounters and shark dives. The facility features multiple habitats including a coral reef, lagoon, and Amazon exhibit with scheduled talks and feeding sessions throughout the day.
Why it's hereSea lions, seals, sharks, and stingrays across multiple habitats, with daily talks, feedings, and hands-on penguin and shark encounters.
Explore Long Island's aerospace heritage with over 75 aircraft and spacecraft. Interactive exhibits, planetarium shows, and a giant screen theater.
Why it's hereOver 75 aircraft and spacecraft with interactive exhibits, planetarium shows, and a giant-screen theater.
Long Island Explorium is a hands-on STEAM discovery space where families can play, create, build and grow together. Through interactive exhibits and workshops, children develop problem-solving skills and confidence by embracing the "fail forward" approach. The museum offers birthday parties, field trips, and seasonal camps designed to spark inventive solutions and foster teamwork.
Why it's hereA hands-on STEAM discovery space in Port Jefferson where kids play, build, and problem-solve through interactive exhibits and workshops.
Once Upon a Treetop is Long Island's magical imaginative playground for children from birth to eight years old, though older children, parents, and grandparents enjoy it too. The venue offers daily open play in their Little City, themed private parties, educational classes, monthly special events, and organized playgroups and field trips. They also feature a curated toy boutique with the latest learning toys and trends.
Why it's hereAn imaginative indoor playground for children from birth to eight, with daily open play in its Little City and monthly special events.
Safari Adventure is an indoor play center featuring a four-level soft play structure, inflatable slides, bouncers, arcade games, and a sensory-friendly calming spa. The facility emphasizes cleanliness and safety while offering unlimited play time for children ages 1-10, making it an ideal destination for birthday parties and rainy-day activities on Long Island.
Why it's hereA four-level soft play structure with inflatable slides and a sensory-friendly calming spa, with unlimited play for ages one to ten.
Empire Adventure Park is Long Island's premier indoor amusement center featuring trampolines, laser tag, ninja obstacle courses, virtual reality experiences, and interactive climbing walls. The park offers walk-in play, birthday parties, and group events with attractions suitable for toddlers through teens, plus an on-site café with food and beverages.
Why it's hereIndoor trampolines, laser tag, ninja courses, VR, and climbing walls, with attractions for toddlers through teens and an on-site cafe.
Sky Zone is an indoor trampoline park featuring a wide variety of attractions designed for families and kids of all ages. With activities like freestyle jumping, dodgeball, foam zones, sky hoops, warrior courses, and a toddler zone, there's something for everyone to enjoy. The facility offers memberships, birthday party packages, and group events for maximum fun and savings.
Why it's hereFreestyle jumping, dodgeball, foam zones, and warrior courses, plus a dedicated toddler zone for the littlest jumpers.
Island Rock is Long Island's premier indoor rock climbing facility offering rope climbing, bouldering, and instruction for all skill levels. Families can hire staff belayers so parents can relax while kids climb, or take belay lessons to learn proper technique. The facility also hosts birthday parties, youth programs, yoga classes, and corporate events.
Why it's hereIndoor rope climbing and bouldering for all levels, with staff belayers you can hire so parents relax while kids climb.
The Rinx is a family recreation destination featuring two full-size indoor ice rinks with a wide range of skating programs including public skating, learn-to-skate classes, hockey leagues, and figure skating instruction. The facility also offers birthday parties, private lessons, and a pro shop, making it an ideal venue for families seeking ice skating activities and celebrations.
Why it's hereTwo full-size indoor ice rinks with year-round public skating and learn-to-skate classes for beginners.
The Whaling Museum & Education Center celebrates Long Island's rich whaling heritage through engaging exhibits, interactive crafts, and hands-on activities for all ages. Families can explore scrimshaw collections, participate in themed workshops, and enjoy special programming throughout the year in this charming Cold Spring Harbor museum.
Why it's hereLong Island's whaling heritage through hands-on crafts, a scrimshaw collection, and themed workshops for all ages.
Plaster Funcraft is a long-established art studio where families can enjoy walk-in pottery painting, take-home craft kits, and creative parties. The studio offers birthday parties, paint nights, summer camps, and special events for all ages, with a focus on making art accessible, therapeutic, and fun for kids and adults alike.
Why it's hereA long-established studio for walk-in pottery painting and take-home craft kits, an easy calm-afternoon stop for all ages.
The Children's Museum of the East End is a hands-on destination where kids engage in playful learning through interactive exhibits and creative programs. With offerings including sensory play, art studios, summer camps, and special events, the museum sparks imagination and fosters development for children of all ages. The intimate, well-organized space is perfect for families looking to spend a few hours or a full day exploring.
Why it's hereHands-on exhibits, sensory play, and art studios for playful learning, an intimate space good for a few hours or a full day.
Fun Time Pottery is a paint-your-own pottery studio where families can select pre-made ceramic pieces and paint them with provided supplies. There is no studio fee, so visitors can spend as much time as they like creating personalized masterpieces. Pieces are glazed and fired in-house, ready for pickup in two weeks, and the studio also offers birthday parties, canvas painting, and clay classes.
Why it's hereA paint-your-own pottery studio with no studio fee, so kids can take their time on a piece that gets glazed and fired in-house.
Common questions
What can you do with kids on a rainy day on Long Island?
Plenty. Long Island has hands-on children's museums, an aquarium, indoor playgrounds and trampoline parks for burning off energy, ice rinks, indoor rock climbing, and pottery and craft studios for a calmer afternoon. This guide is our hand-picked shortlist of the best all-weather spots; the indoor activities guide has the complete list.
What indoor activities are best for toddlers on Long Island?
For the youngest kids, indoor playgrounds and soft-play cafes are the easiest choice, and many run dedicated toddler hours. Children's museums are also built for hands-on play at that age. Each listing is tagged with the ages it fits, so you can skip the ones aimed at older kids.
Do rainy-day activities on Long Island cost money?
Most do. Museums and the aquarium charge admission, and indoor play centers, trampoline parks, and ice rinks usually charge per session, often with kids' rates or family packages. For a free option, your town library runs story times and children's programs all year at no cost. Each spot's listing links out to the venue's own page, so check there for current prices.