The best gifts don’t always come wrapped in pretty packages. These ideas will make memories your kids will never forget.
Venture to an Indoor Water Park
Make reservations for Christmas break at Camelback’s Aquatopia, Kalahari or Great Wolf Lodge or plan a day trip to Island Waterpark, DreamWorks Water Park or Big Kahuna’s. These resorts have the perfect water temperature year-round and the kids will love breaking out their swimsuits in the winter.
See a Broadway Musical
Get tickets for Wicked, which is even more wildly popular now thanks to the movie releases, or The Lion King, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Hamilton or & Juliet. It’s a great choice for families with children who are neurodivergent.
Have an Animal Encounter
Aside from walking across the Shark Bridge and petting sting rays in the Touch Tank at Adventure Aquarium, you can ask about how you can snorkel with sharks (for real!). Sea Life Aquarium at American Dream has an Underwater Ocean Tunnel where you can watch thousands of tropical fish, sharks and rays. Popcorn Park Animal Refuge lets you feed some of its animals in rehabilitation. At Rocking Horse Ranch Resort in Highland, NY, the whole family can go horseback riding and spend time at the indoor water park.
Make a Scientific Discovery
Liberty Science Center has a 40-foot-long, 13-foot-high T. Rex on display, the world’s most complete Tyrannosaurus skeleton. Admission to the massive complex includes the planetarium, the Touch Tunnel, the Infinity Climber, and a 3D theater. Down south, Edelman Fossil Park & Museum has indoor and outdoor explorations, from a real rock quarry where you can dig for fossils, to life-like dino and marine mammal dioramas inside.
Buy a Season Pass to an Amusement Park
Instead of a day trip to ride the coasters, get a discounted season pass they’ll enjoy in all seasons (many parks extend their opening days through the winter holidays). Try Dorney Park or Six Flags Great Adventure Resort for the thrill seekers in the family, or Sesame Place for little ones.
Plan an Overnight Experience
The American Museum of Natural History, Intrepid Museum, Adventure Aquarium, and Battleship New Jersey all offer out-of-this-world sleepovers. Find the one that suits them best and plan ahead (these events sell out way ahead of time!).
Take Them to a Concert or Play
There are many theaters in New Jersey where you can see shows like Blippi, Kidz Bop, Sesame Street Live! and Disney on Ice. Wrestling matches are fun, too, whether you get tickets to a WWE show, or head to a local, amateur match. And it’s not too early to snag tickets for Barefoot Country Music Festival, which brings stars like Post Malone, Kelsea Ballerini, Shaboozey and Miranda Lambert to The Wildwoods in June.
Spend the Day at American Dream
What can’t you do at this gigantic mall complex in East Rutherford? Kids can go indoor snowboarding at Big SNOW, play mini golf, ride rollercoasters at Nickelodeon Universe, ice skate on the rink, or enjoy some water fun at the Dream Works Water Park. The Sesame Street Play & Learn Center caters to young fans of Elmo and Big Bird, while teens and adults will love checking out the popular grocery chain H Mart and its huge food hall. Visit TiLT Museum and Paradox Museum for exhibits that guarantee awesome pics. Test your competition skills at Ninja Kidz! Action Park, The Great Big Game Show, Bam Kazam or The Gameroom Powered by Hasbro.
Catch a Game
Maybe the most coveted sports gift this season is tickets to the FIFA World Cup, coming to NJ next June. During the winter, check the schedule for our own New Jersey Devils, or for the New York Sirens women’s pro hockey team, which both call Prudential Center home. Come spring, Minor League Baseball kicks off. Or, spring for a VIP meet-and-greet package, like at Woodbridge Brewing Co.
Tap Into Their Adventurous Side
For active youth, head to Big SNOW at American Dream, where you can ski down the slopes year-round. They can go tubing or ride a Sno-Go Bike. To up the ante, buy them a package of ski lessons. Kids under 18 who want to skydive but aren’t old enough can visit iFly in Paramus or Edison, which simulates the experience in a controlled environment. Or let them test their speed skills at RPM Raceway in Jersey City, where they can virtually race against the pros. Drive out to Pennsylvania for Skirmish Paintball, which often offers discounts and free days on holidays.
Plan a VIP Camping Experience
If your kids like to camp, elevate their experience by going glamping at Six Flags Great Adventure Resort. You’ll stay in a private suite, but the highlight is seeing the animals in the safari up close, feeding the giraffes and spending time at Great Adventure and Hurricane Harbor. You can also rent a cabin, instead of a tent, at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in the Pine Barrens, where you can enjoy swimming, water inflatables, arts and crafts, game nights and more cartoon-themed fun.
Head to The City (Either One) For Fun
Treat the kids to a day in NYC at the Museum of Ice Cream, with its 14 interactive art installations and a large indoor sprinkle slide. Color Factory has a confetti-filled park, major ball pit and lots of NY scenes to play in. They can get their hands dirty at The Sloomoo Institute, where they not only make their own slime but play with it and in it. The Children’s Museum of Manhattan offers a full slate of family-friendly activities on the daily.
Or travel over the other bridge (Ben Franklin, that is) for time in Philadelphia, where you can visit the Liberty Bell (for free!), learn about America’s history at the Museum of the American Revolution, get a glimpse of the Universal Studios theme parks at the Franklin Institute, see a play at the Arden Children’s Theatre, take a bus tour of the city, and of course try a Philly cheesesteak.
Treat Your Teens (and Yourself) to Relaxation
Plan a visit with your teen to SoJo Spa Club in Edgewater, where you can spend the day swimming in indoor and outdoor hot tubs, sweating in the saunas, relaxing during a treatment (like a massage or the volcanic sand bath) or napping on a hot stone bed.
Let Them Choose Their Own Adventure
What do the kids really want? More quality time with you! Take a day off from work when they’re off from school and let them plan their perfect day. It might mean eating cupcakes for lunch and dinner, but you’ll love it as much as they do.
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