10 Kid-Friendly Things to Do This Weekend: October 11-13

This weekend watch kites soar over the beach at the LBI Fly International Kite Festival in Long Beach Island, celebrate all things apple at the Annual Apple Festival at Kirby’s Mill in Medford, or have a hands-on learning experience about the deep blue sea at the Aquatic Experience at the Meadowlands in Secaucus.

featured image via @casadefallon

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 10 kid-friendly things to do this weekend around New Jersey:

Holley Day
October 13, 12PM-6PM

Ok, so this one is really for you: Head to the Kendra Scott store at the Short Hills Mall on Sunday for Holley Day in honor of one of Kendra’s friends, Holley Kitchen, who passed away in 2016 of metastatic breast cancer. To help raise awareness and support, Kendra Scott will donate 20% of proceeds back to Inheritance of Hope, an organization with the mission to inspire hope and provide resources to young families that are facing a loss of a parent. Knock some holiday shopping off your list, as well as check out the metastatic breast cancer charm necklace—50% of the proceeds will be donated to research. Here is the link to RSVP.
Kendra Scott, B-179
Short Hills, NJ

Greek Agora Food Festival
October 10 – 13
Get ready to say “Opa!” all night long and dance the night away at the biggest wine and food festival in South Jersey. Your family will enjoy traditional Greek dancing performances, live music, and all the Greek food (did someone say gyros?) and pastries you can imagine.
Saint Thomas Greek Orthodox Church
Cherry Hill, NJ
Cost: free

LBI Fly International Kite Festival
October 11 – 13
Spread your wings and soar over the beach at LBI Fly’s International Kite Festival. The weekend is jam-packed with kite demos and displays, learn-to-fly traction and kite-making workshops for budding enthusiasts, indoor competitions, kid kite-buggy rides, candy drops (think kite pinata) and professional kite stunt shows. Littles will be mesmerized watching the giant 3D display of their favorite animals, shapes, and colors flying high in the sky; then stick around for the night fly—where fliers interact with the crowd at a dazzling show!
Long Beach Island, NJ
Cost: free

Italian Street Festival & Columbus Day Parade
October 11 – 13
Italy comes to the shore this weekend: Enjoy strolling musicians and shows, antique car displays and “made by Nonna” specialties like chicken parm, eggplant parm, and zeppoles. Watch a traditional band, “Gruppo Folklorico Citta di Castrovillari” perform live as you feast. On Monday, the festival culminates with a colorful, vibrant parade featuring floats and local marching bands. You’ll be singing “That’s amore,” all the way home!
Grant Avenue & Ocean Terrace
Seaside Heights, NJ
Cost: free

Aquatic Experience at the Meadowlands
October 12 – 13
If your kids can’t get enough of fish and the ocean, take a quick trip to the Meadowlands to marvel at 6,100 square feet of saltwater and freshwater aquatic exhibits and displays at the Aquatic Experience. While there are plenty of look at that one moments, there’s also lots to learn from one of the many educational programs. Littles can participate in the kid’s aquarium contest, play the win a Betta fish toss and visit the touch tank!
Meadowlands
Secaucus, NJ
Cost: $18, Kids 6-12 $12, Kids 5 and under free

South Jersey Pumpkin Show
October 12 – 13
Grab a PSL and head to this pumpkin-themed fair, where the orange squash is everywhere.Kids will love the amusement rides and Halloween contests, while you shop the fall home show, sample pumpkin desserts and sip on local wines. Also check out the hayrides and pony rides, and don’t miss the Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off (last year’s winner weighed a whopping 1,179 pounds!). On Saturday night the Headless Horseman arrives to tell the kids a spooky story!
Woodstown, NJ
Cost: free

Annual Apple Festival at Kirby’s Mill
October 12, 9AM-4PM
Celebrate all things apple with over 100 craft vendors, apple-centric food specialties, live music and demonstrations of the Kirby’s Mill Water Wheel and Grinding Stone. Bring your kids to the bounce houses before they eat the signature apple cider donuts and watch the corn grinding demonstrations; after, make sure to taste the unique and delish apple ice cream.
275 Church Rd
Medford, NJ
Cost: free

New Brunswick 3rd Annual Oktoberfest
October 12, 12PM-5PM
Dress the fam up in Dirndls (German dress) and Lederhosen (German pants), Oktoberfest is making its way to New Brunswick! Enjoy a variety of local food and traditional German food like sausages and schnitzel, craft brews and German beers in the biergarten. Stick around for live music, kid’s activities like face painting and crafts, and a fun and silly photo booth—don’t forget to say Prost!
George St.
New Brunswick, NJ
Cost: free

Pupstock
October 13, 12PM-8PM
This one is for the dogs: Pupstock is a fun-filled day dedicated to our four-legged friends and their families. Bring the kids and their furry sibling to join in on dog activity zones, like a dog and human yoga class, costume contest, adoptions, art, food trucks, and music—all to benefit Father John’s Animal House. Bonus: Yappy Hour goes on all day in the Biergarten for the grown-ups.
2 Kinney Road
Stanhope, NJ
Cost: $18, kids 10 and under free

The Great Pumpkin Train
October 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, 28
Check out the flaming leaves and sights of the season when you take the kids on a scenic train ride along the Delaware River. Before or after, complete the games in the corn maze and mine for gems at the Ol’ Susquehanna Mine. Since every train stops at the pumpkin patch, you can count on bringing home a pumpkin or two–just in time for Halloween.
Delaware River Railroad Excursions
Philipsburg, NJ
Cost: $18 adult, $12 child