The 45th anniversary of Earth Day is right around the corner on April 22nd and New Jersey is celebrating this weekend with celebrations all over the state. Looking to take the kids outside and explore nature, kick off National Park Week with free admission to our state parks or see our state’s largest collection of Daffodils at Reeves-Reed Arboretum.
photo via Ticketmaster
Chuggington: The Great Rescue Adventure LIVE! (Featured Event)
Sunday April 19th 2:00pm & 5:00pm
Join Wilson, Koko, Brewster and the Chuggers on the most traintastic day ever! When Koko finds herself in trouble at Rocky Ridge Mine, do her friends and fellow trainees have what it takes to put their newly learned skills of courage, speed and determination into practice to rescue her? This delightful theatrical production is based on the popular Disney Junior TV show.
Mayo Performing Arts Center 100 South Street Morristown, NJ
Cost: $19-49/ticket
1) Jersey Strong Moms East Windsor Kick Off!
Friday April 17th 9:30am
NJ Mom approved fitness classes, Jersey Strong Moms, are kicking off their second location in East Windsor this Friday morning! Get to class a little early to meet everyone and don’t forget a towel or mat and some hand weights! Free classes are April 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, & 29.
Jersey Strong Moms East Windsor Etra Lake Park Disbrow Hill Road, East Windsor
Cost: FREE
photo via US National Park Service
2) Opening Weekend of National Park Week
Saturday April 18th and Sunday April 19th
Kick off National Park Weekend with free admission into every U.S. National Park this weekend. On Saturday, the parks will be swearing in children visiting the parks as Junior Rangers to explore, protect and learn about the national parks! U.S. National Parks in New Jersey:
- Appalachian Trail,
- Delaware Water Gap,
- Gateway Recreation Area,
- Ellis Island,
- Greater Egg Harbor River,
- Lower Delaware River,
- Morristown Historical Park,
- New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route,
- New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve,
- Paterson Great Falls Historical Park,
- Thomas Edison Historical Park, and
- Washington-Rochambeau Historic Trail
Cost: FREE
photo via Essex County Parks
3) Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival
Saturday April 18th and Sunday April 19th 10:00am-5:00pm
The Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival is one of Essex County’s most long awaited for events! Start the day with a 1K family fun run and walk and then enjoy Family Fun Day on Saturday. On Sunday, celebrate Bloomfest. Guided historic park tours will take place all weekend long.
Brand Brook Part Park Avenue and Lake Street, Newark, NJ
Cost: FREE
4) Junior Chef Class
Saturday April 18th 10:00am
Head to your local Williams & Sonoma store on Saturday morning where the kids can become Junior Chefs. This week chefs will be making fresh fruit and vegetable drinks. Learn how make delicious smoothies, juices, fruit slushies and more! This class is perfect for ages 5-13!
Your local Williams & Sonoma store in: Princeton, Bridgewater, Shrewsbury, Sea Girt, Westfield, Short Hills, Upper Montclair, Cherry Hill, Hackensack and Woodcliff Lake
Cost: FREE
5) Dino Day
Saturday April 18th 11:00am-4:00pm
Did you know that dinosaurs used to roam throughout New Jersey? It’s true! Morris Museum is going back in time on Saturday for Dino Day. Create dino themed crafts, go on a dinosaur-inspired scavenger hunt, see real fossils and even meet a live dinosaur! Performances of Jim West’s Dinosaurs will be in the theater throughout the day.
Morris Museum 6 Normandy Heights Road Morristown, NJ
Cost: $7/child and $10/adult
6) Earth Day at Cattus Island
Saturday April 18th 12:30-3:00pm
To celebrate the 45th anniversary of Earth Day, Cattus Island is inviting families to make crafts, take nature walks, play games, geocache, seining on the beach and go on a photo scavenger hunt.
Cattus Island 1170 Cattus Island Blvd. Toms River, NJ
Cost: FREE
7) Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles
Saturday April 18th and Sunday April 19th 11:00am-3:00pm
The Garden State Discovery Museum is celebrating the first National Math Festival! Come take a look at the geometry of bubbles and take part in some fun experiments!
Garden State Discovery Museum 2040 Springdale Road Suite 100 Cherry Hill, NJ
Cost: $12.95/adults + children over 12 months
photo via Edel Haus Farm
8) Meet an Alpaca
Saturday April 18th 10:00am-4:00pm
Edel Haus Farm in Wall Township welcomes your family every Saturday to get up close and personal with their Alpacas! Spring is the perfect time to visit and meet the baby animals!
Edel Haus Farm 2660 Allaire Road Wall, NJ
Cost: FREE
photo via Real Mom Media
9) Baby Loves Disco
Sunday April 19th 11:00am-1:00pm
It’s a super hero part at Baby Loves Disco this Sunday morning! Be prepared to come with your dancing shoes because Beat Street Station is being turned into a kid-friendly nightclub! Real Mom Media will be spinning all of the kid-friendly hits and Happy Family will be on hand for snacks!
Beat Street Station The Corner of Cresson & Gay Streets Philadelphia, PA
Cost: $15/person or $50/4-pack, non-walking babies are free Daffodil Day
Sunday April 19th 11:00am-4:00pm
photo via Reeves-Reed Arboretum
10) Daffodil Day
Sunday April 19th 11:00am-4:00pm
Reeves-Reed Arboretum is celebrating Spring by showing off their largest Daffodil collection in all of New Jersey! Have fun with a petting zoo, spring themed crafts and games, farmer’s market, food and refreshments, live entertainment and much more!
Reeves-Reed Arboretum 165 Hobart Avenue Summit, NJ
Cost: $10/person or $25/family
11) Camden Riversharks Fan Fest
Sunday April 19th 11:35am
The Camden Riversharks are kicking off their 2015 season with a free fan fest! Celebrate with discounted concessions, balloon artists, face painting, live music, meet and get autographs from the 2015 team. Stay to watch the baseball game against the Lancaster Barnstormers!
Campbell’s Field 401 N. Delaware Avenue, Camden, NJ
Cost: FREE
photo via iPlay America
12) Meridian Kids Rock
Sunday April 19th 12:00pm-2:00pm
Meridian Pediatric network’s annual Kids Rock Health & Activties Fair will take place this Sunday at iPlay America. Have some rockin’ fun enjoying educational, health-conscious activities all afternoon! Meet Meridian’s Pawsitive Action Team and Danny iPlay from iPlay America.
iPlay America 110 Schnack Road Freehold, NJ
Cost: FREE
13) Fuzzy Lemons Spring Fling Concert
Sunday April 19th 5:00pm
The Fuzzy Lemons are back at Maxwell’s for another rocking good time to get kids and their parents up and dancing!
Maxwell’s 1039 Washington Street Hoboken, NJ
Cost: $10/ticket or $15/at the door
14) New York is Wild
April through August 2015
Head to one of the wonderful Wildlife Conservation Society parks throughout New York City for the New York is Wild scavenger hunt photo contest! Participating parks include The Bronx Zoo, the New York Aquarium, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo and Queens Zoo.
Wildlife Conservation Society parks are throughout New York City, NY
Cost: Various admission costs, (save 20% off on all WCS parks here)
15) Watch the Rodeo
Sunday April 19th 12:00pm
Every Sunday the Cowtown Rodeo opens up it’s practices for spectators!
Cowtown Rodeo 790 Harding Highway Pilesgrove, NJ
Cost: FREE
For Moms & Dads:
photo via Dragonfly Farms
16) Canvas Paint Night
Saturday April 18th 5:00pm-10:00pm
Celebrate the one year anniversary of Paint-a-Treasure at Dragonfly Farms with a Gatsby themed night! Enjoy live music, games, giveaways, a photo booth, pizza, painting, BYO and more!
Dragonfly Farms 966 Kuser Road Hamilton, NJ
Cost: $40/per person
17) Find yourself a babysitter or leave the kids with dad and enjoy a day out and one of our 25 unique ideas of things to do in New Jersey!
18) Take the kids to the park! Use our 275+ Parks and Playgrounds as a guide to find the best one where you live!
19) Enjoy a free breakfast in your pajamas at the Pop Shop on Saturday morning or find some place fun and delicious where kids eat free this weekend!
20) It’s time to pull out the flip flops and bare more skin, which means our skin needs some pampering, right moms? Enjoy a spa day with our NJ Mom approved spas!
In search of more things to do this weekend in New Jersey? Visit NJ Mom’s event calender for more events happening around the state. Remember to use hashtag #NJMom this weekend for your chance to be featured.
