It’s peak winter (cue the cold temps) but with a bunch of kid-friendly things to do this weekend, there’s plenty of fun to keep you warm. Watch 12,000-pound monster trucks backflip and race at the hands of trained world-class athletes at Monster Jam in Newark, get ready for the ultimate cheat day filled with endless sweets, vendors, a DJ, and face painting at Dessertopia in Morristown, or learn how to tap a tree and make maple syrup at the Maple Sugaring Demonstrations at The Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center in Chatham. And for more family-friendly fun, find one of the free things to do near you. (featured photo: taken by NJMOM at Monster Jam)
(Note: It’s always best to check ahead for in-person events.)
Winnie the Pooh At UCPAC’s Hamilton Stage
January 23 at 7 PM
Come have fun and make memories your family will cherish at Popcorn & Pajamas! This January, UCPAC is featuring 2011’s “Winnie the Pooh,” starring everyone’s favorite willy nilly silly ole bear and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood. The gang goes on an adventure searching for Eeyore’s lost tail and trying to rescue Christopher Robin from a mysterious creature known as the Backson.
Cost: Ticket prices vary
Union County Performing Arts Center, 1601 Irving Street, Rahway, NJ 07065
WinterFest Ice Skating
January 23-25
Is there anything better than lacing up some skates and gliding on the ice with the family? Bundle up for the cold winter weather and spend the day on skates.
Cost: Skate rentals and rink admission prices vary
Copper River Park, Cuthbert Boulevard and Park Avenue, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
Winter Wonderland Skating
January 23-25
Grab your ice skates and head to this brand-new outdoor skating rink. This winter wonderland includes ice skating, igloo rentals, and fire pits to warm up to with the whole family.
Cost: $20 per adult and $15 per kid, additional fees for skate rentals, igloo rentals, and fire pit rentals
Middletown Sports Complex, 214 Harmony Road, Middletown, NJ 07748
Monster Jam
January 23-25
Where else can you see 12,000-pound monster trucks backflip and race at the hands of trained world-class athletes? If thrills and awe-inspiring trucks get your kid revved up, then the family-friendly Monster Jam® will be the event you won’t want to miss.
Cost: Ticket prices vary
Prudential Center, 25 Lafayette Street, Newark, NJ 07102
Jurassic Bark Live!
January 24 at 2 PM
Get Ready to Step Back in Time for a PREHISTORIC Good Time! Take a trip back in time with REAL DINOSAURS while witnessing Freestyle Dancing Dogs, Agility Dogs, Frisbee Dogs, High Jumping Dogs, Hilarious Canine Costumes, and even HOT DOGS! What is bigger than the dogs? Our 14-foot velociraptor “Velma”! Jurassic Bark Live! is a unique combination of LARGER THAN LIFE animatronic dinosaurs and stellar stunt dog entertainment in collaboration with the producer of the global touring phenomenon of Puppy Pals Live, as seen on America’s Got Talent!
Cost: Ticket prices vary
The Levoy Theatre, 130 N. High Street, Millville, NJ 08332
Dessertopia
January 24 at 11 AM
Get ready for the ultimate cheat day filled with endless sweets, an adult beverage bar, specialty dessert beverages, vendors, a DJ, and face painting. Sample cupcakes, cookies, waffles, ice cream, pastries, pies, puddings, and chocolate with the family.
Morristown Armory, 430 Western Avenue, Morristown, NJ 07960
Click, Clack, Moo
January 24 at 11 AM
Will Farmer Brown give in to the animals’ demands? Will Jenny get her computer back? Find out in a hilariously moving musical about negotiation and compromise, based on the Caldecott Honor Book by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin.
Cost: Ticket prices vary
Wilkins Theatre, 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083
Maple Sugaring Demonstrations at Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center
January 25 at 2:30 PM
At this event, you’ll identify and tap maple trees, collect sap, and make real maple syrup over a wood-fired evaporator. The syrup will be available for purchase while supplies last.
Cost: $7 per person; Pre-registration is required for ages 6 and up.
Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center, 247 Southern Boulevard, Chatham, NJ 07928
Sap to Syrup at Tenafly Nature Center
January 25
Make a day of it at this popular nature center during their annual Sap to Syrup seasonal event, where you can learn how to identify a maple tree, hear about the history of maple sugaring, and get to try it yourself with real tapping tools.
Cost: Children under 2 are free; members are $8; non-members are $12. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required.
313 Hudson Avenue, Tenafly, NJ 07670
Winter Market by Grow It Green Morristown
January 25 at 9:30 AM
This Sunday morning market is a partnership with Grow It Green Morristown. Each week, you’ll find a revolving list of local vendors who offer a great assortment of cheeses, produce, prepared foods, and baked goods.
Convent Train Station, Convent Road, Morris Township, NJ 07960
Asbury FRESH Winter Farmers Market
January 25 at 10 AM
This indoor market in the atrium offers a variety of treats. Also, don’t miss the non-food offerings from wellness practitioners, crafters, and artists.
66 South Main Street, Ocean Grove, NJ 07756
Winter FRESH
January 25
This indoor food and farm market is perfect for shopping with all your favorite Asbury FRESH food vendors.
Cost: Free
66 South Main Street, Ocean Grove, NJ 07756
Gabby’s Dollhouse Live
January 25
Have a little one who loves Gabby’s Dollhouse? In this a-MEOW-zing musical show, Gabby unboxes a special acorn that needs the magical touch of a rainbow to grow. But when CatRat causes a color cat-astrophe and breaks the rainbow, Gabby and the Gabby Cats must find the colors again to set things right. Gabby, Pandy Paws, and friends travel to the Cat-O-Sphere, Mermaid-Lantis and some favorite Dollhouse locations in search of the colors that will make rebuilding the rainbow, possible.
Cost: Ticket prices vary
State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Ropework on the Farm
January 25 at 12:30 PM
Ever wondered how to tie a knot or how farmers making a loop on the end of a rope? Head to this free event where you will have the chance to learn how to do these and more before taking a turn yourself to try it out.
Cost: Free
Longstreet Farm, 44 Longstreet Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733
Want the inside scoop? Sign up for the NJMOM bi-weekly newsletter to get the lowdown on everything for your family in NJ (think of it as the ultimate cheat sheet for NJ Moms). And don’t forget to tag your photos #NJMOM and @njmom for a chance to be featured.
