Prospect Park553

Prospect Park, Brooklyn's biggest, is 585 acres large, including woodlands, a 60-acre lake, and a 90-acre meadow. The winner of our 2008 Parents' Picks quest to find the Best Playground/Park in Brooklyn for Little Kids and Big Kids, it's a wonderful place for children to play, explore nature, ride bikes, and participate in the many activities sponsored by the park.

The Park houses seven playgrounds at various entrances (3rd Street entrance, Garfield Street entrance, 11th Street entrance, Vanderbilt Street entrance, Ocean Avenue entrance, Lincoln Road entrance, and at the Parade Ground) complete with safety surfaces and water play areas to relieve the summer heat, and many areas to picnic.

The Imagination Playground, near the Lincoln Road and Ocean Avenue entrance, is the site for many summer programs, including storytelling, plays, music, and crafts.

Lefferts Historic House is one of the few surviving Dutch Colonial farmhouses in Brooklyn. Built by a prominent 18th-century Flatbush landowner, the house was donated to the City of New York in 1918, and is operated by the Prospect Park Alliance. Programming focuses on the connections between Brooklyn's rural past and its urban present, and each season ushers in a new collection of temporary exhibits, crafts workshops, story telling, and numerous family activities. Lefferts Historic House is located on Flatbush Avenue near Empire Boulevard, between the Zoo and the Carousel, and is open from April through November, Thu-Sun 12n-5pm. In winter, Lefferts is open weekends only, 12n-4pm. Groups of 10 or more require reservations.

The beautiful and historic 1912 Carousel, which is located at the Empire Boulevard and Flatbush Avenue Entrance, is open April through October. Rides cost $2 each (buy a book of five tickets for $9; $100 buys a year of free rides for a family of four). It's available for party rentals, too [718.287.6215].

For horseback riding of the live kind, call Kensington Stables at 718.972.4588.

Late November (through March) is when the Kate Wollman Rink opens for ice skating.

From the first Saturday in May through mid-October, you can rent a pedal boat (718.287.8450) for $15 per hour, plus a $10 refundable deposit; the departure site is at the lakeside by the Wollman Rink. Pedal boating is open May 4 to Memorial Day on weekends and holidays from 12n-5pm. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, pedal boats are open Thursdays to Sundays and holidays from 12n-6pm.

The three islands you might pass, if you're a good pedaler, are called Duck, Three, and West, and you're almost sure to spy fish, frogs, or snapping turtles as you toodle along. Kids 16 and under must ride with an adult (boats seat four).

Or take a ride on the Independence, an electric boat tour that comes complete with a talk about the park's ecosystem. Boats operate Sat-Sun and school holidays, from 12n-4:30pm. Tours last 20 minutes and start every half-hour; the cost is $6 for ages 13 and up; $3 for ages 3-12; children under 3 ride free.718.287.3400.

Dog Beach, at the Pools, off 9th Street (at the foot of the path leading down from the Tennis House), is a great place to bring kids and furrier family members. Dogs can be leash-free before 9am, so early morning is the best time for canines who like to swim.

The Prospect Park Audubon Center offers frequent workshops for families and children. Nature experiments, bird sounds, animal puppets, and an oversized bird's nest are featured in a two-floor exhibit hall. The Center is open from April through November, Thu-Sun 12n-5pm. In winter, the Audubon Center is open weekends only, 12n-4pm.

The Bandshell's summer season includes films, concerts, and tons of family-friendly activities.

Organized baseball and softball leagues play in the park, too. Visit the website, http://ppba.info, for more information. Tennis fans can reserve courts, or take lessons, by calling 718.436.2500.

The Prospect Park Youth Center, for teens, is located at Coney Island and Caton Avenues, at the Parade Ground. The Center is open April through June, Tue-Fri from 11am-7pm and Saturdays 10am-5pm. Call 718.854.4901 for information about programs.

Birthday parties can be held at the carousel, the Audubon Center, the Wollman Rink, on the electric boat, or at Lefferts. Call the park party planner at 718.287.6215 for information or to reserve a date.

And no visit to Prospect Park would be complete without a stop at the Prospect Park Zoo.

See our calendar for Prospect Park event information.