Courtesy of Field Station: Dinosaurs Facebook page
Bring your mini maker out of her room for new and exciting STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) events. From 4-H fairs to dino digs, there’s something for lil’ scientists of all sizes to enjoy this month.
Wednesday, August 1
Where: Morris County Library, Whippany
Price: Free
Deets: Grades 1 and up can explore a fun activity every Wednesday that encourages interest in science.
Thursday-Saturday, August 9-11
The 55th Atlantic County 4-H Fair
Where: David C. Wood 4-H Center & Fairgrounds, Mays Landing
Price: Free admission
Deets: This 4-H fair is home to a variety of STEM activities including robotics and model railroads, in addition to classic arts and crafts, baking, preserving and fine arts. Check out projects like small engines and composts for real-life inspiration.
Saturday, August 11
Where: Staten Island Children’s Museum, Staten Island, NY
Price: Included in admission, free/members
Deets: Ages 1-10 can create their own constellation viewers with everyday items. Use them to gaze up at the nighttime sky and find the Big Dipper with your lil’ astronomer.
Friday, August 17 and 24
Where: Planetarium at RVCC, Branchburg
Price: $8
Deets: It’s out there, but we have no idea what it’s made of. Pack the 10-and-uppers into the car for a nighttime exploration of dark matter. Learn how scientists research and perform experiments in space and on Earth (deep underground!). Reservations suggested.
Saturday, August 18
August Small Explorers Program
Where: New Jersey State Museum, Trenton
Price: Free
Deets: Lil’ adventurers ages 6 months to 5 years can learn about shapes and patterns, read a storybook, explore the NJ Original Peoples exhibit and hit the STEAM Center for activities and games. Reservations suggested.
Wednesday, August 22
Science Wednesdays: Fun with Fossils
Where: Morris Museum, Morristown
Price: Included with admission
Deets: It’s true, dinos once ate rocks. The kids can learn other cool prehistoric facts, plus hold fossils, tour a new exhibit and make their own fossil casts to take home. Registration required.
Wednesday-Sunday, August 22-26
Hunterdon County 4-H and Agricultural Fair
Where: Hunterdon County 4-H & Agricultural Fairgrounds, Lambertville
Price: Free
Deets: Aside from the animals, circus acts, magic shows and rides, stop on by to witness a robotics tournament with your mini maker for a dose of inspiration.
Tuesday-Wednesday, August 28-29
Where: Museum of Early Trades and Crafts, Madison
Price: $80/non-members, $68/members
Deets: It’s a blast from the past. Ages 5-10 can learn how people have traveled through the years: whether by carriage, train or boat, they’ll learn about horses, steam power and more.
Ongoing
Where: Liberty Science Center, Jersey City
Price: Included in admission. 201-200-1000.
Deets: Jump into LSC’s exhibit filled with blue blocks, perfect for creating oversized towers, bridges, cities and more. Your lil’ engineers can build and break using their imagination. Ends September 30.
Super Stars of Science at Field Station: Dinosaurs
Where: Field Station: Dinosaurs, Leonia
Price: Included with admission
Deets: Every Saturday, make it your mission to visit the park’s special guests, ranging from puppeteer Chris Palmieri to Mad Science’s “Magnetic Matt,” School of Rock Montclair’s Kevin March and a geologist with the NJ Department of Environmental Protection.
Where: Liberty Science Center, Jersey City
Price: Included with admission
Deets: The little ones can channel their inner paleontologists as they get down and dirty in 35 tons of sand, where more than 60 full-sized dinosaur bones are hidden. Ends September 3.
Where: American Museum of Natural History, NYC
Price: $28/adults, $16.50/kids
Deets: Check out interactive media installations, watch 3D animations of great white sharks, try the magnetic sand table and visit live marine animals while learning about the ocean and the tech used to explore it. Ends January 6.
Where: Liberty Science Center, Jersey City
Price: $5 in addition to admission
Deets: Parents, have no fear: Your kids can be gross here. Kids love the ooey and icky, and this comedic exhibition will answer all their questions. From what’s up their noses to what happens in the bathroom, they’ll learn about their bodies in an approachable way. They’ll even get to play a supersized version of Operation. Ends September 23.
Symbiotic Spheres: The Interlocking Worlds of Glass, Science and Art
Where: Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center, Millville
Price: $10
Deets: Got lil’ STEM lovers at home? Head to this curated exhibit featuring science-inspired work from more than 20 contemporary artists. You’ll want to check out the glass pieces that magnify, distort and illuminate, each creating different perceptions of the world. Ends December 30.
Where: Liberty Science Center, Jersey City
Price: $28.75
Deets: Journey beneath the waves to discover dolphins, coral reefs and other creatures and plants located deep in the planet’s oceans. Ends August 25.
