It’s a long weekend, and if you’re planning to stick around, there are plenty of ways to keep the good times going with these kid-friendly events. Savor delicious mac and cheese from talented chefs and vote for the winner of the Mac Daddy award at Mac + Cheese Mayhem in Morristown; gaze at the beautiful night sky while enjoying hot chocolate and storytelling at Give Me Some Space – A Night Under the Stars in Cranbury or support a worthy cause by walking together and celebrating at the after party during Mike’s Seafood Walk/Run for Autism in Sea Isle City. And for more ideas, check out our guide to what to do this President’s Day Weekend.
(Note: It’s always best to check ahead for in-person events)
Winters Maker Market
February 18 at 9 AM
Bring the family out to enjoy local artisans of the Jersey Shore as they showcase their work at the Wildwoods Convention Center.
Cost: $1 admission fee. Paid parking lot (limited street parking)
4501 Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ, United States, New Jersey
Outdoor Adventures Family Program: Camouflage Critters
February 18 at 10 AM
Learn about the outdoor world through crafts, scavenger hunts, activity sheets, and displays. The Van Vleck Education team will guide your family through an interactive learning experience, with each program focusing on a specific theme. Registration is required. Designed for children ages 4 -11, but all are welcome.
Cost: $15. Free for members
21 Van Vleck Street, Montclair, 07042
Mac + Cheese Mayhem
February 18 at 11 AM
Get your mac and cheese on at the Morristown Armory. Enjoy local chefs and restaurants as they cook up variations of mac & cheese while competing to determine the best in town. Your family will try tasty selections and cast their vote for the Mac Daddy Award while having fun with hatchet throwing, a petting zoo, face painting, and sand art.
Cost: $7 admission. Advanced purchase tickets are recommended.
Morristown Armory, 430 Western Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960
South Jersey Health and Wellness Expo
February 18 at 11 AM
Learn how to live healthy at the South Jersey Health and Wellness Expo. This event will provide information, resources, and interactive activities for people of all ages. Registration is requested. The first 100 pre-registered attendees will receive a complimentary gift bag.
Cost: Free
2000 NJ-38, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
Book Fair and Pop-Up Shop
February 18 at 12 PM
Celebrate Black History Month with a visit to the Hidden Gems Literary Emporium. Find your new favorite creators of color at the Melanated Lectory — a book fair and pop-up shop.
Cost: Free
55b Morris Street New Brunswick, NJ 08901
2023 Mike’s Seafood Run/Walk for Autism
February 18 at 12 PM
Bring the whole family out for a day of fitness, fun, and activism. There will be a mile walk and a 5K race, and all proceeds will benefit special services schools, autism support groups, families of special needs children, and Autism Speaks. After the Run/Walk, you can head to Excursion Park for music, an awards ceremony, door prizes, magicians, and face painting for the kids. A large buffet will be available there. Register online.
Cost: 5k run: $30. Walking 1 mile: $25
John F. Kennedy Blvd, (On the Promenade), Sea Isle City, NJ US 08243
Winter Beach Blast at the Ocean County Mall
February 18 at 1 PM
Bring your family out for a fun day of crafts, interactive tables, the world’s largest twister game, and your chance to win B985 swag prizes.
Cost: Free
1201 Hooper Ave Toms River, NJ 08753
NJ Audubon: Count the Birds for the Great Backyard Bird Count
February 18 at 1 PM
Bring the fam to New Jersey Audobon’s Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary for the Great Backyard Bird Count—a national program that helps understand and create a real-time snapshot of bird populations. Everyone will count the birds they see at their feeders, participate in a citizen science project, and bring home ideas for their own backyard. Loaner binoculars will be available.
Cost: Free
11 Hardscrabble Road, Bernardsville, NJ 07924
Give Me Some Space! A Night Under the Stars
February 18 at 6:30 PM
Gaze up into the beautiful night sky with your family. This event will feature multiple stations for kids to learn about and observe the night sky. There will be telescopes, hot chocolate, and storytellers.
Cost: Free for Plainsboro residents/ $2 per person Non-residents
80 Scotts Corner Rd, Cranbury, NJ 08512
Monmouth County Park’s Backyard Bird Count
February 18 and 19 at 9 AM
Explore Freneau Woods Park, Aberdeen, in celebration of the Great American Backyard Bird Count, a real-time snapshot of bird populations. Check out what winter birds are at their local feeders. Your family will have fun as you stroll and see what birds you can identify. A limited number of binoculars will be available to borrow if needed.
Cost: Free
360 Monastery Ln, Aberdeen Township, NJ 07747
Ongoing Events
February Family Sundays
Every Sunday at 10 AM
Enjoy fun activities for the whole family at The Newark Museum of Art. The timeline of events includes MakerSpace, an area where kids can tinker and create, and Family Drop-In: Repoussé inspired by Sargent Claude Johnson’s Mask of a Girl.
Cost: Free with general admissions
49 Washington Street, Newark, NJ 07102
Ice Bumper Cars
Now-February 26
Sign up for a 45-minutes of non-stop slippery fun on the ice without skates. Kids and adults will enjoy this bumper-style version of ice skating that requires no-skating skill.
Cost: Starting at $20
Van Saun County Park, 216 Forest Avenue, Paramus, NJ 07652
The Rink at Winter Wonderland: Open Skate
Now – February 26
Take your family to the ice on open skate days at The Rink at Wonderland, where you can glide along the ice while taking in the scenery. And don’t worry if you don’t have skates—your tickets include a skate rental.
Cost: $10
216 Forest Ave, Paramus, NJ 07652
Scavenger Hunt February: Love is in the Air
Now – End of February
Find all the reasons to love the winter garden at Frelinghuysen Arboretum. This scavenger hunt is the perfect family activity to kick off the season of love.
Cost: Registration costs $10 per family or group of 6
353 E Hanover Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960
The New Weis Center
February 18 – March 5
Learn about the process, history, and ecology of maple sap and syrup. Start with a short hike, and they’ll you’ll see how to tap, collect and evaporate the sap. Finish off the day with a syrup taste test.
Cost: $14 per person; free for those under age 5. Under 18 must be accompanied by a registered adult.
150 Snake Den Road, Ringwood, NJ 07456
(973) 835-2160
Texier House Museum: Watchung History Comes Alive
February 19 – March 1
Explore The Texier House Museum and learn about the tales from Watchung’s (nearly) 100-year history. Attendees will investigate each of the 6 rooms independently or together and learn from tour guides.
Cost: Free
10 Mountain Boulevard Watchung, NJ 07069
Tenafly Nature Center
February 19 – March 26
Bring the whole family out to identify a maple tree, hear about the history of maple sugaring and see how the technology has changed.
Cost: Children under 2 are free, members $8, member family (up to 6) $60, nonmembers $12. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required.
313 Hudson Avenue, Tenafly, NJ 07670
(201) 568-6093
Great Swamp Maple Sugaring
Now-March 5
Learn how to make the sweet stuff by identifying and tapping maple trees, collecting sap, and making real maple syrup over a wood-fired evaporator. Then taste the syrup too. This program will be held entirely outdoors, so dress for the weather. The syrup will be available for purchase while supplies last. Pre-registration is required.
Cost: $6 per person
247 Southern Boulevard, Chatham Township, NJ 07928
Night Forms: Infinite Wave at Grounds For Sculpture
Now-April 2
The whole family will love to see the Grounds of Sculpture reimagined after hours, with a multi-sensory light and sound experience designed to engage with the art and horticulture collection. Spend the evening outdoors exploring the lighting, sound, and video projection mapping, and join the interactive exhibits, which will delight kids and adults.
Cost: $22 and up
80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, NJ 08619
Edelman Planetarium Family Show
Sundays until April 30 at 2 PM
Families with younger kids can enjoy the planetarium for shorter family shows with monthly themes. February kicks off “Legends of the Night Sky: Orion.”
Cost: $2 per person
Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, NJ 08028
(856) 256-4000
Hidden Gems Exhibit
Now – May 8
Journey into a fascinating world of rock structures that underscore the wonder of nature. Enjoy freestanding sculptures inspired by rock structures created with multiple parts of the cast, assembled, and carved resin.
Cost: Free
Kean University, 1003 Morris Ave Building 2, Union, NJ 07083
Become an NJMOM Insider! For all the best things to do with your family around New Jersey, sign up for our weekly newsletter delivered right to your inbox each week, and don’t forget to tag your photos #NJMOM and @njmom for a chance to be featured on our social media.
