Before you get lost in a sea of green the weekend before St. Paddy’s, just know that there is a host of fun, non-Irish related events to fill your weekend plans. Spend time with your little ones this weekend celebrating NJ Makers Day at Smash: Steam Trains! at New Jersey State Museum, getting up close with life-like dinosaur puppets at Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live in Englewood, partying with a Nickelodeon celeb at Kidabaloo in Atlantic City, plus so many more kid-friendly things to do around New Jersey this weekend.

Be sure to tag #NJMOM and @njmom and your little cuties could be featured in our next photo round-up.

Here are 14 Things to Do in NJ This Weekend:

1. Splendid Spring Strolls
Friday, March 9, 2018 | 3:30PM to 5:00PM
Say hello to spring with a leisurely (or brisk, if that’s how you like it) walk around the Manasquan Reservoir. The trail walk is led by a Park Naturalist, so be sure to pick their brain all about nature and keep your eyes peeled for the blossoming of trees and animals that are returning from migration. Meet at the Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center parking lot.
Manasquan Reservoir
311 Windeler Rd., Howell, NJ 07731
Cost: Free

Image may contain: 4 people, people sitting, shoes and child — Wetlands Institute. Via

2. Seasonal Science Activities and Crafts
Saturday, March 10, 2018 | 10:00AM to 4:00PM
Science lovers will geek out over the weekend activities offered by The Wetlands Institute. Each week, they offer a new self-guided science activity or craft related to seasonal changes in nature – and we think the transition to spring will be a fun one! Supplies are provided, you create the learning! Some of the topics include migration, geology, simple science experiments, nature crafts, and outdoor exploration.
The Wetlands Institute
1075 Stone Harbor Blvd., Stone Harbor, NJ 08247
Cost: Free with admission

3. Work Horse Rides
Saturday, March 10, 2018 | 10:00AM to 4:00PM
No pain, no gain. The Work Horse Ride program at Howell Living History Farm will give children a taste of early 20th-century farm life. In order to get a ride, children must first do their farm chores! From helping farmers sweep out horse stalls and cleaning harnesses to filling water troughs and making repairs to pasture fences, the farm life list will have your kids breaking a sweat. Rides will be offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information please call (609) 737-3299.
Howell Living History Farm
70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township, NJ 08530
Cost: Free

4. Smash: Steam Trains!
Saturday, March 10, 2018 | 11:00AM to 3:00PM
All aboard – we’re going full steam ahead to celebrate NJ Makers Day at New Jersey State Museum this weekend by doing train-related STEM activities. You can build and engineer a train; explore the role of trains in our state’s history; discover rocks that made trains roll like coal and sleeper stones; create train art.
New Jersey State Museum
205 West State Rd., Trenton, NJ 08625
Cost: Free

5. Mad Hatter Tea Party and Live Butterfly Experience
Saturday, March 10, 2018 | 11:00AM to 2:00PM
Dance with Alice, meet the Easter Bunny and more this Saturday at the Moorestown Mall. A sing-a-long and mall-wide photo scavenger hunt for ages 12 and under will keep your day rolling. There will also be a live butterfly experience when you visit the Easter Bunny (keepsake photos are available for purchase). Sign up for PREIT Perks and get specially created balloon art and access to a Mad Hatter Hat Creation Station! Reserve your free tickets here.
Moorestown Mall – Lord & Taylor Court
400 New Jersey 38, Moorestown, NJ 08057
Cost: Free

Image may contain: 1 person, smiling, text — Boardwalk Hall. Via

6. Kidabaloo
Saturday, March 10, 2018 | 12:00PM to 4:00PM
Catch Lizzy Greene, who plays Dawn on Nickelodeon’s “Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn,” headlining at Kidabaloo on Saturday. Your favorite superheroes and princesses will also be a part of all the family fun, which includes moon bounces, magic shows, pony rides, and face painting. Live musical performances from country music star Jessie Chris will guarantee your kids have a grand ol’ time.
Boardwalk Hall
2301 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Cost: $15 General Admission Standard ticket; $75 General Admission VIP Ticket

7. Schoolhouse Rock Live!
Saturday, March 10, 2018 | 2:00PM
Schoolhouse Rock Live! is coming to Point Pleasant! This pop culture phenomenon is now a musical based on the 1970s cartoon series that taught history, grammar, and math through clever songs. Schoolhouse Rock Live! is about Tom, a teacher who is nervous about his first day of teaching. Parents can reminisce about songs like “Just a Bill,” “Lolly, Lolly, Lolly,” and “Conjunction Junction” while their kids hear them for the first time. Call 732-295-1555 to reserve your spot.
Point Pleasant Borough Branch | Ocean County Library
834 Beaver Dam Rd., Point Pleasant, NJ 08742
Cost: Free

8. Cardboard Boat Regatta
Saturday, March 10, 2018 | 2:00PM to 4:00PM
Put all your mad parenting skills in converting empty diaper boxes into forts and trains to good use at the Cardboard Boat Regatta. Head to Wayne YMCA and take the challenge to see if your family can build a boat made entirely out of cardboard and duct tape. The boat must be big enough for one rider to fit inside comfortably and safe enough to paddle from one end of the Y’s pool to the other.
Wayne YMCA
1 Pike Dr., Wayne, NJ 07470
Cost: $10 per team for non-members; Free for Family Facility Members

9. Cranbury Craft Show
Saturday and Sunday, March 10 and 11, 2018 | Saturday 10:00AM to 4:00PM, Sunday 11:00AM to 4:00PM
Spring housecleaning gives you a reason to go spring shopping, that’s a thing, right? The 21st Annual Cranbury Craft Show will feature over 120 juried crafters and artisans showcasing a wide variety of goods ranging from semi-precious and precious jewelry and pottery to handmade doll clothes made to fit your American Girl Doll and unique lampshades. If all that shopping works up your appetite, you can grab coffee, snacks, and lunch from the Craft Show Garden Cafe on site.
Cranbury School
23 North Main St., Cranbury, NJ 08512
Cost: $5 Adults; $3 Seniors; $2 Students and Children under age 17

Image may contain: one or more people and people sitting — World’s Greatest Hobby. Via

10. World’s Greatest Hobby on Tour
Saturday and Sunday, March 10 and 11, 2018 | Saturday 10:00AM to 6:00PM, Sunday 10:00AM to 5:00PM
Train lovers, rejoice! Head to NJ Expo Center and explore over 50,000 square feet of huge operating model railroads, a free riding train for kids, and hundreds of toy trains for kids to play with. The World’s Greatest Hobby on Tour is an event you won’t want to miss – it only returns every five to 10 years, so be sure to check it out this weekend! Branded as the world’s greatest hobby, model railroading brings your family together in activities that teach many skills, including carpentry and artistry to electrical engineering and historical research. Use coupon code W22 for $2 off online tickets.
NJ Expo Center
97 Sunfield Ave., Edison, NJ 08837
Cost: $14.95 General Admission (purchase online); $15 General Admission at the door (cash only); Children are Free

11. Sundays at Monmouth Museum
Sunday, March 11, 2018 | 12:00PM to 5:00PM
Enjoy a day at the Monmouth Museum and take advantage of the children’s programs and exhibitions that make learning fun through hands-on, participatory activities. With the purchase of a general admission ticket, your child can participate in the museum’s kids programs on Sunday. From 12:00PM to 5:00PM, check out the kids Green Arts Studio for all ages, which will provide free art supplies and recycled materials for your kids to get crafty. At 12:30PM, join a fun preschool storytime and craft in the WonderWing. At 1:30PM and 3:00PM, explore the night sky during the day when you watch a StarLab Planetarium Show ($1 with Museum admission).
Monmouth Museum
765 Newman Springs Rd., Lincroft, NJ 07738
Cost: $8 General Admission non-members ticket; Children ages 2 and under are free

12. NJ Makers Day at The Children’s Museum
Sunday, March 11, 2018 | 1:00PM to 4:00PM
Put on your “thinking” and “doing” caps because NJ Makers Day is finally here. This statewide celebration of making and maker culture takes place every March and will take over The Children’s Museum this weekend. If your child loves tinkering and creating, then don’t miss out on a fun day of science, engineering, and crafting.
The Children’s Museum of Somerset County
120 Finderne Ave., Bridgewater, NJ 08807
Cost: $3/child suggested donation

Image may contain: 3 people, people smiling, people sitting — BergenPAC. Via

13. Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live
Sunday, March 11, 2018 | 1:00PM and 4:00PM
Get a breathtaking tour of prehistoric Australia with this theatrical performance presented by Erth Visual and Physical of Sydney, Australia. With help from paleontologists, performers, and puppeteers, your family will meet and interact with incredibly life-like dinosaurs up close on the BergenPAC stage. Your kids’ imaginations will go wild as they witness life as it was 65 million years ago – the creatures are so realistic you may feel the urge to run and hide!
Bergen Performing Arts Center
30 North Van Brut St., Englewood, NJ 07631
Cost: Tickets range from $19 to $39 each

14. Blacksmith Demonstrations
Sunday, March 11, 2018 | 1:00PM to 3:00PM
When you visit Historic Longstreet Farm, make sure to stop by and see a blacksmith demonstration. This 9-acre farm will take you back to the 1890s with every step you take. You will see what goes into making tools used not only on the farm but also in your everyday life.
Historic Longstreet Farm
44 Longstreet Rd., Holmdel, NJ 07733
Cost: Free