With so many fun, educational and kid friendly destinations in and around New Jersey you will never be at a loss when looking for a new and exciting adventure. With a wealth of museums and learning centers, New Jersey is located in one of the most culturally dynamic areas in the nation. Within close proximity to New York City, it has access to some of our nation’s most beloved national landmarks and treasures. Embraced by the abundant splendor of the surrounding countryside, New Jersey is replete with a lush and natural beauty. With so much to offer, it is easy to introduce your child to a wide range of fun and exciting activities in this lively and dynamic state.
Liberty Science Center
Located in Liberty State Park, Liberty Science Center features over 250 interactive exhibits. Appropriate for children of all ages, the museum's three stories each have a different theme and are dedicated to the exploration of the world around us through hands-on experimentation.
New York Botanical Gardens
Enter an amazing world of mazes, larger-than-life flowers and hands-on activities at the New York Botanical Garden. Here, your eyes, ears, fingers, and nose are the keys to unlocking the mysteries of the plant world. Each season brings new events and exciting discoveries to be made. In addition to the diverse vegetation there is a Boulder Maze for climbing, a Touch Tank for getting up close with water-loving plants and an indoor laboratory for doing experiments and looking through microscopes.
The Planting Fields Arboretum
The Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park is Long Island’s premier public arboretum and historic site. A former Gold Coast estate, the arboretum is comprised of over 409 acres of greenhouses, rolling lawns, formal gardens, woodland paths, and outstanding plant collections. Original historic estate buildings remain including the 65-room Tudor Revival mansion Coe Hall, which is open for tours spring through fall.
The Henry S. Chatfield Memorial Garden
Every April, The Henry S. Chatfield Memorial Garden in Warinanco Park springs to life as 14,200 tulips imported from Holland reach full bloom. Each bulb is carefully placed in staggered rows that make up the circular garden's 21 beds. As spring fades into summer, the garden is transformed. Over 9,300 annual flowers are planted in early June. Marigolds, Zinnias, Ageratum and Celosia, all create a vibrant pattern of reds blues and yellows bringing thousands of visitors to visually feast upon this beautiful display.
The Trailside Nature and Science Center
Trailside Nature & Science Center is located in the Watchung Reservation, a 2000-acre preserve containing forests, three ponds, swamps, streams, springs, fields and over thirteen miles of color-coded hiking trails. The facility also features New Jersey's first natural history museum built in 1941. A special thrill for youngsters is the Discovery Room that features hands on exhibits and live reptiles.
Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary
There is no better way to acquaint your youngster with the vast and diverse world of nature than by first hand experience. The Cora Hartshorn Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary encompass over 3 miles of trails that reflect one of the state’s greatest concentrations of wildflowers, trees and birds. To enhance your child’s understanding and appreciation of this unique location, the Arboretum offers programs for children from preschool on up which guarantee direct interaction with the outdoor environment.
Montclair Hawk Watch
Nestled atop a 500-foot basalt ledge on a ridge known as the First Watchung Mountain in Montclair, New Jersey, is a well-constructed, stone-filled platform that is the site of the Montclair Hawk Lookout, a sanctuary of the New Jersey Audubon Society. Here you and your family can view one of nature’s most majestic birds while they engage in their yearly migration pattern over the Hudson River Valley.
Diamond Gym
A visit to Diamond Gym is a great way to keep kids busy and engaged during the long hot summer months. Pre-schoolers can make new friends while learning gymnastics, painting a picture or participating in one of the many creative Indoor and Outdoor Games that are organized by the friendly staff. Diamond Gym features Olympic quality equipment including trampolines, a spring tumbling floor and a 37-foot climbing wall.
Kid Friendly Swimming Pools
During the heat of the summer, Union County residents can cool off close to home at one of the Department of Parks and Recreation's two swimming facilities. Both pools, the John Russell Wheeler Memorial Pool, in Linden, and the Walter E. Ulrich Memorial Pool, in Rahway, are open to the public.
My Tot and Me Ice Skating Instruction
The folks at My Tot and Me provide ice skating instruction that you can share with your child. Through interactive learning games and creative play little ones can develop basic ice skating skills with the help of a friendly instructor. For the more adventuresome, My Tot and Me also offers hockey classes and free time skating.
Newark Bears
You are never too young to be taken out to the ball game and the Newark Bears has an enthusiastic and energetic following of locals who are loyal fans of America’s favorite pastime. Family Day is the best time for parents and kids to eat a hotdog, stand on your seat and root, root, root for the home team!
Chuck E. Cheese Pizza Parlor
Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza is a magical place for families to enjoy an evening out. With an array of games and rides for kids of all ages and a stage show starring Chuck E. Cheese and his musical friends, there is never a dull moment at this lively and kid friendly eatery. Chuck E. Cheese also specializes in the world's greatest birthday parties.
Bachagaloops
Where else can you make your own pizza at the table, color while you wait for it and watch cartoons while you eat! Bachagaloop’s family restaurant puts kids first but with 72 different pizzas to choose from, parents are not overlooked. At Bachagaloop’s dining is always a family affair to remember.
The Crayola Factory
The Crayola Crayon Factory is a hands-on discovery center where a child’s creativity is limited only by their imagination. Children are welcome to explore all the new and traditional artistic materials that are happily provided by the friendly staff and parents do not have to be concerned with cleaning up the mess.
The Bronx Zoo
As the flagship of the largest network of metropolitan zoos in the country, the Bronx Zoo is the heart of the Wildlife Conservation Society. With award-winning, cutting-edge exhibits featuring over 4,000 animals, there is no other zoo in the world that offers the diversity, superb viewing, and world-renowned expertise that assures a rewarding experience and the knowledge that visitors can make a difference in the world around them.
Turtle Back Zoo
The small and intimate Turtle Back Zoo was originally opened as a seasonal children’s zoo with fairy tale themes defining each exhibit. Due to its immediate popularity, it very quickly stayed open throughout the year. Named after the turtle shell rock formation that sits behind the zoo, Turtle Zoo is well-designed, easy to cover and always a delight.
Maplewood Memorial Library
The community of Maplewood is deeply committed to the education of their children and the many programs offered by the Maplewood Memorial Library reflects that commitment. A lap-sit program for babies from birth to pre-walking is a weekly affair and gives parents and toddlers an early opportunity to enjoy reading together. Other programs include Nursery Rhyme Time, Toddler Story Time, Pre-School Story Hour and the lively Toddler Story Time Chat N’ Play where tots can listen to a story and socialize afterward to their hearts content.
New Jersey Children’s Museum
Your family will have hours of fun playing and learning together at this interactive and dynamic museum. The New Jersey Children’s Museum has over thirty different exhibits, each designed for specific age groups. Favorites include the special Baby Nook and Housekeeping for two's and toddlers and the Science and Technology center for first graders.
Land of Make Believe
As New Jersey's Premiere Family Amusement & Water Park, the Land of Make Believe features safe and wholesome recreation, entertainment and activities. You'll find exciting rides, shows, attractions, games, picnic areas and a thrilling Water Park for a family day of outdoor fun.
Fantasy Island Amusement Park
Fantasy Island Amusement Park has been created with a Victorian theme that is timeless in its appeal. Z-Brick walkways, oak benches, ornate lampposts, and Tiffany glass chandeliers all come together in a clean, safe family facility that will delight both young and old!
Storybook Land
For 49 years, Storybook Land has been keeping the spirit of childhood alive in a fanciful setting. The timelessness of childhood will ring true as your family literally walks through their most beloved stories and nursery rhymes. Children’s classics are interspersed with exciting new family rides and attractions in a remarkably clean and enjoyable park setting.
Montclair Museum of Art
Built to honor the small but impressive collection of 36 paintings donated by William T. Evans, the Montclair Museum is a tribute to the impressive array of local artists in residence. Today, this pristine group of works by such well known artists as Church, Blakelock and Lawson has been greatly expanded and the resulting collection provides a wonderful introduction to the rich world of art for children of all ages.
Fire It Up! Pottery Studio
Everyone from aspiring Picassos to the artistically challenged are invited to create something special at Fire It Up! Morristown's only "paint your own pottery" studio is the perfect place for parents and children of all ages to explore their own creativity, spend some quality time together and have plenty of fun.
Paintin’ the Plates
Create your own ceramic characters, accent a mosaic mirror or build your own wind chimes. With help from the experienced and friendly staff at Paintin’ the Plates, parents and kids can work together to create their own special artistic projects. For an experience that is a little less challenging, Paintin’ the Plates also provides unpainted items that you can decorate to your heart’s desire. Paintin’ the Plates also offers a lively and stimulating summer camp for little ones who wish to explore their artistic side.
From a walk in the woods to a trip to the zoo to a visit to a fanciful amusement park, there are countless opportunities to spend quality time with your child in the New Jersey area. Whether you wish to open your child’s eyes to a new world of culture or just play a simple game of ball, New Jersey has it all.
- NUMBER1EXPERT™ 
