I've always been curious, and as a kid, that led to exploratory adventures. My family and I would travel to Newark to see the cherry blossoms; to Washington, DC to visit my cousins and statues of presidents; down the shore to swim in the ocean; and to Florida to hang out with Mickey and Minnie.
But try as I might, my parents never took me back in time. (They probably cited a minor detail of impossibility or something.) Lo and behold, though, if your kids are begging you to travel to the past, you won't have a problem! Take them to Paramus and visit the Medieval Castle, a permanent exhibition at the NJ Children's Museum.
Here are five reasons to have some "medieval times":
- There's a six-foot-tall knight, a stuffed dragon, and an area for little kids to perform their own fantasy puppet shows!
- Costumes galore! Kids can dress up as princesses, fairies, kings, and knights. I expect that parents can dress up, too—if they really want to.
- Forget Castle Park (in Chatham, NJ), kids get to wander through a real (fake) live castle! There are all sorts of special doors for little kids to walk through.
- Kids can raise their pinkies and have their own coronation ceremony in the throne room, set for high tea.
- Kids can pretend to ride off into the sunset on large toy horses. There's no such thing as "all dressed up and nowhere to go" in this castle!
Have fun!
The New Jersey Children's Museum
599 Valley Health Plaza
Paramus, NJ 07652
201/262-5151
Cassie Title is a freelance writer and blogger who grew up in New Jersey.
