February is almost over (amen), so why not make the most of it by clocking in some quality family time before the busy spring season starts. Build a robot at the Robots Rule! Day in Bridgewater, play carnival games at the Cabin Fever Festival in Hoboken or be the fam that pitches in together at the Winding River Park Cleanup in Toms River.
featured image via @meghamn
Psst! Don’t forget to hashtag #NJMOM and tag @njmom and your little cuties could be featured in our next photo round-up.
Here are 7 family-friendly things to do this weekend in New Jersey:
New Jersey Home & Garden Show
February 21 – 23
Looking to spruce up your home? New Jersey’s premier home & garden event features over 200 exhibitors with the area’s top services and products. While you check out the expert presentation and shop around, your kids will be entertained in the activity area or take part in an on-site painting class. Don’t miss the Tiny Home Showcase, where everyone will love taking a tour of a scaled-down house model.
New Jersey Conv. & Expo Center
97 Sunfield Ave Edison, NJ
Cost: $8 – $16, Kids 16 and under are Free
Polar Bear Plunge at Seaside Heights
February 22, 9AM – 1PM
Get freezin‘ for a reason—the annual Polar Bear Plunge at Seaside challenges thousands of brave jumpers from around the state to come out in the cold and support Special Olympics of New Jersey. It’s a great way for everyone—individuals, teams, organizations and businesses—to help raise money towards programming and events for more than 26,000 athletes statewide. Even if you don’t plan on jumping in, consider coming to watch and donate to your favorite team. Participants must register in advance.
Seaside Heights, NJ
Robots Rule!
February 22, 10:30AM – 3PM
Sometimes spending the day with electronics can be a good thing: Kids will get an immersive hands-on experience at this popular annual event that’s sponsored by the Children’s Museum of Somerset County. Your littles will love seeing the cool robotic working hand, participate in a Battle of the Bots, try virtual reality with Google Cardboard, work through a maze and be thrilled trying all the interactive electronic activities.
PeopleCare Center for Nonprofits Inc.
120 Findermine Ave, Bridgewater, NJ
Cost: Suggested donation, $5 per child
Cabin Fever Festival
February 23, 10AM – 2PM
Have fun this weekend and do good: Bring the whole fam to this lively fundraiser sponsored by the Hoboken Family Alliance for the HFA Philanthropy Fund that awards money to local charities (last year, they raised over $10,000). Littles will love the face painters, balloon artists and dance performances as well as playing games and making crafts like spin art. They’ll be plenty of free pizza to go around and lots of raffles and prizes to keep the festivities going.
Brandt School, 215 9th Street, Hoboken, NJ
Cost: $20 per family
South Jersey Nerd Fest/Gamer Fest
February 23, 10AM – 4PM
Have your crew suit up in their favorite gamer costumes and check-out this festival that has fun for the whole fam. Shop the aisles of vendors with old comics, toys, action figures, trading cards, posters, steampunk, crafts and gaming. Kids will love hanging with the guest cartoon artists, making crafts and cheering on the winners in the costume contests.
Holiday Inn Philadelphia South-Swedesboro
1 Pureland Drive, Swedesboro, NJ
Cost: $5, Kids under 12 free
Winding River Park Clean Up
February 23, 11AM – 2PM
Want to help the environment? Get outdoors and bring the kids to the beach, where you can all pitch in and clean it up before the season starts. Volunteers will pick up trash along the coastline to help restore the ecosystem and conserve Barnegat Bay. Bags and gloves will be provided.
1211 Whitesville Rd, Toms River, NJ
Central Jersey Health and Wellness Expo
February 23, 11AM – 3PM
Learn how to make your life healthier at this annual Health and Wellness Expo. You can get information, find resources and try out a new workout (or massage) at one of the interactive exhibits. While you’re getting in tune with your health, kids will stay busy—there will be a caricature artist and Imagination Hypnotherapy sessions.
MarketFair
3545 US Highway 1, Princeton, NJ
Cost: Free, first 100 participants to pre-register receive a gift bag
