Tweens & Teens

Time to fire up that grill, kick back and have a welcome summer BBQ!  But if charcoal's not your thing, there's lots of non-food related fun to be had with your NJ kids too. You can check out the new Field Station Dinosaurs, head down to Wildwood for a weekend of excitement or check out a Memorial Day Parade or Paddle just to name some of the great events happening around the state.  Read on for our top picks and remember you can find a listing of all NJ activities for kids in our Event Calendar.

As June approaches with its almost-summer heat, you may be yearning to bust open a fire hydrant, but before you do that – consider a water playground. Spice things up with your NJ kids this summer and check out some of these fun and fantastic water playgrounds in New Jersey. Check with each park individually to see when the city turns the water features on for the summer. It’s usually in June, but with all the warm weather we’ve been having, some cities are turning the water on early!

With Memorial Day weekend around the corner, the countdown to summer is on! NJ is hopping with great family activities around the entire state to keep your crew entertained, educated, and hopefully, exhausted. There's the Great Swamp Scavenger Hunt, Garden Party, Mayfest, Bluegrass and BBQ Festival as well as Free Admission to Morris County Museums just to name a few of the great events.  And you can also find a listing of all NJ activities for kids in our Event Calendar.

The Meadowlands, once a punch line to many NJ jokes, is now a beautifully landscaped, wild ecosystem.  This Northern New Jersey destination has enchanted many visitors as an urban oasis. The transformation of the one-time landfill is a history, environmental and health lesson all rolled into one, a perfect balance of city life and wildlife…with a few highways in between. From hiking a short trail to visiting the outlets, exploring the Meadowlands is the perfect day trip for any local family.

Although I love spending time with my girls, one of the best presents I received on Mother’s Day was two hours of mindless Facebooking, chick-lit reading, and chai latte sipping - thank you, Putt-Putt! My husband took the girls to mini-golf while Mommy got to relax. New Jersey has 53, that’s right, fifty-three courses but since we're pretty sure we're raising the next Michelle Wie, we’ve been exploring the bounty and are highlighting the best miniature golf and kid-friendly driving ranges we’ve found.