FRIDAY, MARCH 12
LSC Junior Days
Where: Liberty Science Center, Jersey City
Every Thursday and Friday is LSC Junior Day at Liberty Science Center, which means ages 6 and under can hit the Science Dance Party twice per day, visit the Wild About Animal exhibition and even explore more shows in the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium.
Barnyard in Winter: Winter Wool Dye
Where: Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, Morris Twp.
Using natural dyes found on the farmland, watching farmer’s dye last year’s wool the old-fashioned way. After the demo, your family can meet the Fosterfields sheep flock. Registration required.
Night Hike for Kids
Where: Schiff Nature Center, Mendham
Visitors ages 6-12 can walk the trails as the sun goes down, letting their eyes adjust to night time to see nature — and its nocturnal animals — after sunset. Registration required.
The Scoop on Sloths
Where: Jenkinson’s Aquarium, Point Pleasant Beach
Take your 5-and-uppers to meet Wally, the two-toed sloth who spends most of his life hanging upside down from trees! Registration required.
SATURDAY, MARCH 13
Kids’ Choice Awards Experience
Where: American Dream, East Rutherford
The first Kids’ Choice Awards Experience is opening at Nickelodeon Universe, which gives visitors exclusive access to SpongeBob and his friends, a “Team Nick” hype host, an orange carpet photo op, socially distanced viewing stations and a surprise treat giveaway. Tickets required.
Mickey Mouse, SpongeBob and Cookie Monster Dancing!
Where: Imagine That!!! Museum, Florham Park
Your kids’ favorite characters from Disney, Nickelodeon and Sesame Street will host an outdoor, socially distanced dance party. Each child will receive a treat and get a chance to snap pictures with the characters, too. Registration required.
First Duck Donuts to Open in Bergen County
Where: Sprout Brook Center, Paramus
In honor of its grand opening (it’s the seventh NJ location!), the first guest in line will receive a special gift basket while the 100th customer will receive a dozen free donuts each month for a year.
Visit From the Horse Doctor and Shoer
Where: Howell Living History Farm, Hopewell Twp.
Meet the farm’s six workhorses and see how the veterinarian and dentist give them shots, worming medicine, dental exams and hoof trims. Your family can listen to the horses’ hearts through a stethoscope and learn about the instruments and techniques used to keep the animals healthy. The barn sheep, chickens and Bushy the farm cat will also see the vet. Registration required.
Back to Nature
Where: Trailside Nature Center, Mountainside
Ages 4 and up can spend time in Union County’s largest park, the Watchung Reservation, for a “Winter Backyard Birds” program where you’ll learn about the winged visitors that frequent your yard. Ends March 20.
Watercolor Spring Birdhouse Painting
Where: Stokes Farm, Old Tappan
Hit the farm’s greenhouse for its mini makers and creative kids activities, where your kids can make their own watercolor paintings of springtime birdhouses. Registration required.
Maple Sugaring Demo
Where: Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center, 247 Southern Blvd., Chatham Twp.
Your family can learn how to identify and tap maple trees, plus collect sap and make syrup over a wood-fired evaporator. This year’s program will be completely outdoors. Registration required.
Treasure Hunt Geocachers
Where: Watershed Institute, Pennington
Ages 9 and up can learn how to use a GPS and compass to find hidden caches, which are small containers hidden at specific coordinates. The treasures inside are typically small items like plastic bugs or dinosaurs. Visitors can explore the reserve to find multiple caches hidden inside. Registration required.
Cattus Island Nature Walks
Where: Cooper Environmental Center, Cattus Island County Park, Toms River
Take your kids on a walk at Cattus Island to learn about the island’s animal habitats from a park naturalist. No registration required. Ends March 28.
St. Patrick’s Day Tours
Where: The Historic Village at Allaire, Wall Twp.
This 90-minute tour of the village will be led by an interpreter, dressed in clothes from the 1800s, through the historic buildings and trade shops where villagers will demonstrate traditional Irish cooking, folklore and music. Tickets required.
Maple Sugaring
Where: New Weis Center for Education, Ringwood
Spend your Saturday learning about the process, history and ecology of maple sap and syrup. Take a short hike and learn how to identify winter trees, the history of tapping and how sap is collected, tasted and transformed into syrup using an evaporator. Registration required.
SUNDAY, MARCH 14
Forest Defenders
Where: Tenafly Nature Center, Tenafly
Burgeoning environmentalists can learn about invasive species and how they harm native plants and soil by learning to identify non-native plants and working with the land manager to find the best removal techniques.
Pinkalicious
Where: Imagine That!!! Museum, Florham Park
Head indoors for this Pinkalicious-themed event, where your kiddos will listen to the story before digging into their own dairy-free cupcake. Kids will also get to paint their own ceramic cupcake bank. Tickets required.
Live Animal Talks
Where: Nature Center, Jakes Branch County Park, Beachwood
Families can get a close look at the animals of Jakes Branch County Park, plus learn about each species. Talks are about 20 minutes and only the first eight people to sign up upon arrival will be served. Sessions are at 12:30 and 1:30 pm.
Maple Sugaring
Where: Tenafly Nature Center, Tenafly
Check out the nature center’s tapped trees and see how the sap is boiled down to make fresh maple syrup, plus learn how to identify a maple tree, the history behind syrup making and how technology has changed the way sap is gathered. Registration required. Ends March 28.
ALL WEEKEND
Diggerland Opening Weekend
Where: Diggerland, West Berlin
Your kids’ favorite construction-themed park will reopen its attractions for the season. Kids can operate heavy machinery in the park’s ginormous sand pit and visit the arcade and kids’ zone, too. Tickets required.
Easter EGGspress
Where: DiDonato Family Fun Center, Hammonton
Celebrate springtime with family-friendly outdoor activities like an Easter-themed train ride, a meet and greet with the Easter Bunny, an egg hunt, racing slide and spring hedge maze. Weekends through April 3.
Maple Sugaring
Where: Washington Crossing State Park, Titusville
Families are invited to participate in a demonstration that’ll teach you how to make homemade maple syrup. Registration required.
ONGOING IN-PERSON ACTIVITIES
Westfield Glowing Seesaws
Where: North Avenue Westfield Train Station, Westfield
Hop on one of Westfield’s giant, sound-producing seesaws meant for both kids and adults. Each seesaw can fit up to four people and there’s 15 in total. Your family can hop on them from 9 am-9 pm through March 21.
Family Photo Scavenger Hunt
Where: Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Morris Twp.
Keep your family active with this scavenger hunt through the arboretum. Use your phone to snap photos of hidden clues to win a prize. This month’s hunt is “Popping Up All Over” themed. Registration required.
Big Snow Walk
Where: Thielke Arboretum, Glen Rock
Follow the story of an excited and frustrated boy who watches hopefully as wintry weather slowly develops into a big snow. The story begins at the playground entrance at the pool parking lot. This StoryWalk will be up throughout the winter.
Barnyard Zoo
Where: Abma’s Farm, Wyckoff
On Fridays and Saturdays, head to Abma’s with your little ones for a visit with goats, sheep, alpacas, donkeys, ponies, bunnies, pigs and more. Masks are required.
Elmo’s Furry Fun Fest
Where: The Sesame Place, Langhorne, PA
On weekends through March 21, the Sesame Place will offer new, limited capacity special events that include the park’s rides and characters, plus a scavenger hunt and dance party. This weekend, the park will be decked out for its Big Bird’s Pajama Party. Reservations required.
Winter Market
Where: Morris Museum, 6 Normandy Heights Rd., Morristown
Hit the market for fresh foods like cheese, pie, quiche, seafood, pickles, cobbler, soup and more. A number of full-time vendors will be there every week with other part-time vendors rotating their goods into the market, too.
VIRTUAL FUN FOR THE WEEKEND
Rutgers Geology Museum’s Ask A Geologist: Glacial Landscapes
When: 3/12
Designed for elementary and middle school students, this event will feature Dr. Lucas Zoet, who will discuss glaciers and the awesome landscapes they create, then open the floor to questions. Registration required.
Free Coding Sessions with Code Ninjas
When: 3/12
In honor of Girl Scout Day, Code Ninja locations in Ramsey, Norwood, Midland Park and Saddle Brook will host free, one-hour coding sessions to girls and boys both in-person and remotely. Some locations are offering free sessions throughout the month of March.
Virtual Storytime “Blue, Barry & Pancakes”
When: 3/13
Watchung Booksellers is hosting a spring-themed virtual storytime for ages 4-8 with authors Dan and Jason, who will read their new book, “Blue, Barry, and Pancakes.” The pair will host an activity, plus demonstrate how they collaborate when it comes to writing and drawing. Registration required.
Small Explorers: Ice Age Giants
When: 3/13
Ages 5 and under can learn about fossils through stories, crafts, games, playtime and objects from the New Jersey State Museum with early learning coordinator Miss Kerry. Registration required to receive a free at-home play kit, which must be picked up from the museum.
Zoopalooza
When: 3/13
Join one (or all!) five zoo-themed programs, where kids can see live animals, watch an interactive live improv show, take a dinosaur art lesson and test their knowledge in online trivia. Registration required.
Justin Willman’s: Magic for Humans
When: 3/13
NJPAC invites you to see stunts and illusions from the comfort of home. Justin Willman’s “Magic for Humans” can be seen on Netflix, but for one night he’ll bring his interactive show — filled with comedy and surprises — to Zoom. Tickets required.
The Life of Albert Einstein: For Kids!
When: 3/14
Celebrate Einstein’s birthday — and Pi Day — with the Historical Society of Princeton. Kids ages 6-12 can learn about the genius’s other interests, his family, pets, music and efforts to promote social justice. Registration required.
New York International Children’s Film Festival
When: Now-3/14
North America’s largest film festival for ages 3-18 is headed online for the first time in its 24 year history. Kids can watch short films, feature films and listen to special discussions, plus vote for their favorite films, participate in Q&As and more.
Milk & Cookies
When: Now-5/1
The State Theatre is offering a Milk & Cookie (ages 3-10) virtual event, which can be accessed at any point (even beyond the weekend) with a minimum donation of $10. Join Aaron Nigel Smith to listen to reggae songs with the founder of 1 World Chorus, a non-profit dedicated to promoting peace through music. You can also check out indie rock star and children’s entertainer Ralph Covert will perform silly music off albums like Green Gorilla Monster & Me and The Rhyming Circus.
Check our calendar for more events.
If you have upcoming events you’d like included in our digital calendar or considered for future things to do stories, please submit it here.
