50 best things to do this summer with NYC Kids

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  Coney Island Sand Sculpture Contest

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  Astoria Pool

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  Sony Wonder Technology Lab

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  Intrepid Summer Movies

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  Staten Island Ferry

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Coney Island Sand Sculpture Contest

1. Enter a sand-sculpting contest Take your artistic talents to Coney Island (Sat Aug 6) or Rockaway Beach (Sun Jul 31), where your family can craft their own grainy masterpieces for a chance to win a prize.

2. Take a dip in a city pool Nothing says summer like a refreshing dip in cool, blue chlorinated waters. Let your tots doggie-paddle around Astoria Park's oasis (the city’s largest) or take a dip in Sal Goldman's baby pool.

3. Keep cool indoors If your kids can't stand the heat, duck into one of our favorite icy indoor locales: Chelsea Market, Chelsea Piers and Grand Central Terminal. Or head to the free Sony Wonder Technology Lab—the midtown spot recently opened a new exhibit for mini music fans.

4. Attend an outdoor movie Catch one of the city's many free alfresco flicks. While Bryant Park and the Central Park Conservancy Film Festival offer more-mature movies, other series, such as , cater to the G and PG sets.

5. Explore St. George Terminal Take a free cruise aboard the Staten Island Ferry and spend the day soaking up the SI nabe's food and cultural offerings. Don't forget to bring the camera: You can snap some great photos of your kids on the ferry with the Statue of Liberty as the backdrop.