Mostly Free & Fun Things To Do With NJ Kids This Weekend March 22-23: Dinosaur Storytime, Ringling Bros, Book Fair & More!

3/19/14 - By Sasha Muzzarelli

No matter what you're looking to do, there's something for everyone in Jersey this weekend! If you’ve got a little Dino lover in the house, check out the Dinosaurs Return exhibit at the NJ Children’s Museum or Dinosaur Storytime & Craft at the NJ State Museum. Feel like sitting back and taking in a show? There’s plenty of options for that too! Sing along to The Music Man at NJPAC, laugh along with the family-friendly Junie B. Jones at Papermill Playhouse or for big entertainment, get tickets to see Ringling Bros. LEGENDS at the IZOD Center. And of course, with spring just around the corner, you can get your fill of fresh air at the Reeves-Reed Arboretum’s Discovery Saturday or an End-of-Winter Tree Walk at NJ Botanical Gardens. And remember, you can find a full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.

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The Music Man (Newark, NJ)
Featuring an all African-American cast, one of Broadway's most beloved musicals is revived in an exciting concert version, including such hits as "Seventy-six Trombones", "Goodnight, My Someone" and "Till There was You." NJPAC and Two Rivers Theater Company co-present this concert version of The Music Man about big brass bands and small-town spirit.

Dinosaurs Return (Paramus, NJ)
Calling all Junior Paleontologists! Head to New Jersey Children’s Museum and explore the Dinosaur exhibit room and awesome fossil tables. Search for hidden dinosaurs during a fossil hunt, listen to favorite Dino tales during story time and even participate in a special play “The Three Little Dinosaurs and the Big Bad T-Rex.”

Ringling Bros. LEGENDS (East Rutherford, NJ)
If you're looking for a big-ticket item, there's really nothing like this circus of circuses--especially since in this incarnation, they promise to produce a unicorn, a Pegasus and a wooly mammoth. Ticket holders are also invited to come early to meet the performers, try on costumes and even learn some circus skills!

Saturday, March 22nd

Discovery Saturdays (Summit, NJ)
Make a discovery at the Reeves-Reed Arboretum and enjoy a unique family experience.  Drop by the Carriage House Education Center on Saturday mornings in spring for an interactive exploration of nature.  Each week discover a new plant, animal or environmental topic through experiments, stories, games and crafts. This weekend’s theme will be all about Robins - a sure sign warmer weather is on the way!

Children’s Book Fair (Manalapan, NJ)
Combine "reading", "fair" and "free", and you've got yourself a fun family event. Ride on over to the MCL Ranch in Manalapan and wrangle yourself a good time with author Tara Lazar ("The Monstore"), pony pole racing, lassoing, Presley & Melody’s Pony Trot concert, Rattlenake Jack’s Snakes-N-Scales show and movies, crafts and a read-a-thon!

Junie B. Jones (Millburn, NJ)
Junie B. Jones is finally ready for first grade, at last! But getting used to the whole new group of friends, a new teacher and new glasses is challenging, even for irrepressible Junie B. Follow her adventures in a lively production at Paper Mill Playhouse as she writes everything down in her "top-secret personal beeswax" journal.

Yoga Storytime (Montclair, NJ)
Head to the Watchung Booksellers community bookstore this weekend to exercise both your mind and body. Kids can join in on a special story time followed by a family-friendly yoga session with expert Kanan Kapila from Jaipure Yoga in Montclair. Afterwards, poke around their warm and cozy blue room, full of children’s books and toys.

Dinosaur Storytime (Trenton, NJ)
NJ State Museum offers a great monthly story and craft activity for grade-schoolers. Check out this Saturday’s story ‘How the Dinosaur Got to the Museum’ – a charming tale about how many people come together to prepare for a Dino exhibit. Then make a dinosaur craft to take home!

Sunday, March 23rd

Family Fun Fest (Scotch Plains, NJ)
The JCC of Central Jersey is holding their 6th annual Family Fun Fest and it’s brimming with kid-friendly activities. Check out live snakes and reptiles, catch the magic show or keep busy at the arts & crafts table. If you’ve still got energy left to burn, take a bounce on one of the giant inflatables or join in the dance party. 

End-of-Winter Tree Walk (Ringwood, NJ)
It’s still chilly out, but signs of spring are everywhere if you look! Join the head landscaper at NJ Botanical Gardens for an educational and invigorating walk this Sunday. You'll learn about dozens of beautiful trees and learn how to identify them from their structure, branching, and budding patterns before the leaves once again appear.

Check out our GO NJ List, with our top picks of awesome things to do for kids in the upcoming month; GO MARCH is full of family fun!

And don't forget: We have additional activity listings in our Event Calendar. And if you are heading into NYC for the weekend make sure you visit the New York City Mommy Poppins events calendar to get the latest on all the fun to be had NYC-style.

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