Six things to do in Central Park in the winter

Central Park in the Winter

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  Sledding Hill in Central Park

  Photograph: Virginia Rollison800.ft.centralparksnow02.JPG1992411
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  Swedish Marionette Theater in Central Park

  Photograph: Virginia Rollison800.ft.centralparksnow10.jpg1992472
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  Feeding the goats at the Central Park Zoo

  Photograph: Beth Levendis796.twny.centralparkzoo17.jpg1992393
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  Red Panda at the Central Park Zoo

  Photograph: Cinzia Reale-Castello796.twny.centralparkzoo09.jpg1992374
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  Wollman Rink in Central Park

  Photograph: Andrew Fladeboe73.fw.wollmanrink05.jpg1992355
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  Belvedere Castle in Central Park

  Photograph: Virginia Rollison800.ft.centralparksnow14.jpg1992496
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  Central Park in winter

  Photograph: Virginia Rollison800.ft.centralparksnow03.JPG1992437
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  Central Park in winter

  Photograph: Virginia Rollison800.ft.centralparksnow07.JPG1992458
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  Central Park in winter

  Photograph: Virginia Rollison800.ft.centralparksnow17.jpg1992519
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  Central Park in winter

  Photograph: Courtesy Central Park Conservancy73.fw.CentralParkPondWinter.jpg19923310

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Sledding Hill in Central Park

Photograph: Virginia Rollison

When dreaming up fun things to do in the city when days are at their shortest, New Yorkers aren't likely to put Central Park at the top of their list. But the park is no less lovely in the winter, and the lack of visitors lends it a truly pastoral quality that would make Frederick Law Olmstead proud. Here are six reasons to bundle up your family and head to the city's communal backyard.

Go ice-skating at Wollman Rink or Lasker Rink
Located at the southern end of the park, Wollman is a magical spot in which to practice figure-eights: It's less crowded and cramped than Citi Pond or the Rock Center rink, and its mix of urban and rural views are one-of-a-kind. Families looking to get off the beaten path can head to Lasker, at the park's northern end; it's the least sceney of Manhattan's rinks, and is a great value to boot. Ages 2 and up.

Take in a show at the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre
The curious dark-wood house just down the hill from Belvedere Castle is home to one of the country's few remaining marionette companies that write and mount their own productions. The troupe's latest staging, Little Miss Muffet's Monster-Sitting Service (it opens Jan 17), puts a 21st-century spin on nursery rhyme characters Little Miss Muffet and the spider: Here the little miss is LMM's great-great-great-great granddaughter, and her emergency sitter none other than the original arachnid himself. Through Apr 8. $8, ages 12 and under $5. Ages 3 to 9.

Get crafty with Family Craft Fridays at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center
At 3pm each Friday afternoon, families can drop in to the center—located at the park's northern edge, overlooking Harlem Meer—for 90 minutes of nature-inspired crafts. It's also a great way to warm up from skating at Lasker, just a stone's throw away. Through Mar 31. Ages 2 and up. 

Take a Central Park Conservancy tour
These guide-led walks can be especially appealing to somewhat older kid-explorers, who'll dig the cool fresh air as much as they will seeing and learning about the park they've grown to love in spring, summer and fall. Among the offerings are the View from the Past tour, a history-centered hike; the Art of the Park tour, focused on the park's design; the Cross-Park Promenade, which traverses the green space from Bethesda Fountain to Conservatory Water; the Manhattan Adirondacks tour, which explores the North Woods and its history; the Tavern and its Green tour, making stops at Sheep Meadow, the Children's District and the Mall; and the West Side Stories tour, which takes in highlights along the park's western edge. Ages 8 and up.

Visit the Central Park Zoo
The animals that do remain outdoors—from sea lions and seals to snow monkeys, polar bears and snow leopards—are likely to be far more energetic than they are in warmer months. And since some of the zoo's best exhibits, such as its tropical rain forest house and penguin enclave, are indoors, you won't miss a beat when the gang's in need of warming up. All ages.

Stop by one of the park's visitor centers
Not many New Yorkers know that there are now five of them: Belvedere Castle, where kids can borrow nature kits with which to scope out the park's wintry wildlife; the Chess & Checkers House, where precocious players can get their game on; the Dairy Visitor Center and Gift Shop, stocked with maps, books, T-shirts and a cool section of gifts; the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, with rotating art exhibits and environmentally themed displays; and Tavern on the Green, currently a source of visitor information and a gift shop. All ages.