Finding a home and a neighborhood when single, or just with your partner is one thing. You think about the proximity to work, maybe some leisure facilities, bars, and clubs. But, if you have a family and you are moving with your kids, things are a bit different. This time, you need to think about schools, parks, sports facilities, safety levels, etc. If you live in a big city, with a variety of choices, you may find it difficult to decide. Don’t worry! Here is the guide to the best Brooklyn neighborhoods for families. So before you hire your furniture movers in Brooklyn, read this informative article and pick a perfect place for your new home!
Before you choose
Depending on how big your family is, and what are its needs, there are some things to consider. Even though there are different family-friendly neighborhoods in Brooklyn, you need to set your priorities and choose the one that is perfect for you. Here are some things to consider when choosing a home and a neighborhood for your family:
- Proximity to schools – this depends on the age of your kids. If your kids are elementary school students, they probably don’t go to school alone. Think about a neighborhood and a home close to the school your kids go to. This way, you will not spend a lot of time driving them to school, or they will not have to use public transport if they commute by themselves.
- Is there a park? It would be great if there is a place you can hang out with your family on weekends. This includes parks, sports facilities, and playgrounds. A family-friendly neighborhood should have all of these. This way you can take your kids out, and enjoy outside playing with other kids and their parents.
- Which schools are the best? if your kids still don’t go to school, think ahead and plan that as well. Choosing a neighborhood that has a great public school is always a bonus. You can check all the information about Brooklyn schools here.
- Is it safe? when looking through Brooklyn neighborhoods for families, and choose some of them, take some time to visit it and check if it looks safe to you. Also, the proximity to some negative factors like jails, busy streets and some wild clubs is not a great option. Go through the neighborhood, and ask people you meet about the life there or some friends and family who already live in the neighborhood.
Williamsburg
This one may be a surprise, but Williamsburg is a family-friendly neighborhood. The star of this area is McCarren Park, a popular place for outdoor activities. With many playgrounds around the area, it is perfect for small kids. An interesting spot to spend a weekend evening is the Brooklyn Bowl where a family bowl section offers a lot of fun. Furthermore, Williamsburg is the host of a popular event called Smorgasburg – the largest open-air food market in America – a perfect family outing!
Cobble Hill
Cobble Hill is one of the favorite Brooklyn neighborhoods for families. Situated south of Brooklyn downtown, this small neighborhood has the perfect location. It is away from the noise of the center, but still close to some favorite Brooklyn spots and attractions. Talking shopping, Trader Joe’s is the star of this area. Talking dining – Cobble Hill offers a lot of restaurants for families when they want to eat out.
Park Slope
The neighborhood of Park Slope is also one of the favorite family-friendly areas of Brooklyn. It is packed with great schools and amazing restaurants – perfect for families with kids. When they need some fun there are playspots like JJ Byrne, Brooklyn game lab, and others. The Prospect Park is probably the favorite spot in Park Slope. You can visit the zoo, participate in many summer events or have a barbecue.
Bay Ridge
This is a place which gives Brooklyn its true identity. The reason for that is rich history, families that live here for many generations, etc. One of the most important things is of financial nature – rents and house prices are a lot lower than in other NYC neighborhoods. Bay bridge’s another positive side are many successful schools, perfect for families with young children. Again parks are important for families – in Bay Bridge, you can go to Owl’s Head Park, but also visit the Shore Parkway and learn how to ride a bike, or play sports on Fort Hamilton Athletic Field.
Windsor Terrace
This place is a small residential area in Brooklyn. With only 30 minutes commute to midtown, it is in a great location. This neighborhood is situated between Prospect Park and GerrnWood Cemetery, and it has lots of green spaces for kids to play and enjoy outdoor activities. For children, the most popular place here is definitely the Greenwood Playground – a big park in the center of the neighborhood.
Other things to consider when finding perfect Brooklyn neighborhoods for families
These would be some of the top picks in Brooklyn neighborhoods for families. But you need to think about your own needs, and of course, needs of your family members. The best way to choose a neighborhood is to visit it. Take a walk, go through its streets, feel it. It has to feel like home for you and your family. There are some signs that can show you that it is a perfect family-friendly neighborhood. Here are some of them :
- children playing – take a walk around the area and see if kids are playing in the street or in the playgrounds. This is the perfect sign that it is a good family area.
- nice neighbors – try to talk to people you meet, they can help you a lot with your search. Furthermore, you can meet some of your future neighbors, who can give you more details on the area.
- safety – a good family-friendly neighborhood needs to be safe. This means that streets are well-lit during the night and that there are safe parking lots around the buildings. Busy streets, noisy bars are something you should avoid as well.
Finding a perfect location for your home is not the easiest thing in the world, but this guide should help you find it. The next step would be finding a home and moving, using the right Brooklyn moving services. Among many Brooklyn neighborhoods for families that we offered, you need to choose the one that suits your needs, and after that choose the best Brooklyn movers, to help you land to your perfect new home.