All Weekend

Retro Science: Duct Tape Mania (Jersey City, NJ)
Families will test the limits of duct tape and develop problem-solving skills while designing parachutes and creating duct tape hats this weekend at Liberty Science Center. And for the ultimate challenge, you might even get to suspend a family member on the wall using only duct tape! And while you’re there, check out the center’s other neat exhibits such as Bob the Builder: Project Built It and Eat or Be Eaten.

Maple Sugaring (Chatham, NJ)
Maple syrup is winter’s sugary treasure, and it’s not just found in Vermont. The sap is flowing and the sugaring season is underway at the Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center. Experience all the sweet sights and smells at one of the Maple Sugaring Demos. Discover the process from start to finish by identifying and tapping maple trees, collecting sap and seeing syrup made over a wood-fired evaporator – taste test to follow!

Saturday, January 18th

Milk & Cookies: Big Jeff & the Bouncy People (New Brunswick, NJ)
Milk & Cookies is a lively, interactive and free series featuring storytelling, music, puppetry and more. The monthly events invite young people to discover the joy of watching, listening and interacting with the arts. This Saturday, join Big Jeff & the Bouncy People (nicknamed the "Jammin-est Family Band in the Land!”) as you clap and sing along with their songs while enjoying – you guessed it – milk and cookies!

Read & Explore: Gingerbread Man (Princeton, NJ)
After a busy harvest season in the fall, Terhune Orchards got word that New Jersey kids were missing all the farm fun in the chilly winter months, so they create their weekly Read & Explore program. Visit Terhune this Saturday to hear the classic tale of the Gingerbread Man before decorating a huge gingerbread man cookie to take home – farm-fresh ingredients will be used!

Build a Catapult (Morristown, NJ)
Fire away! Learn to build a LEGO catapult the Morris Museum this Saturday and test your design against other families. How far can you make your pieces fly? A materials list will be provided with registration and the rest is up to you!

Open Shoot Archery (Lincroft, NJ)
In the mood for a little exercise during the dreary month of January? Try your hand at archery during an open shoot at the Thompson Park Activity Barn. All equipment will be provided – a great way for older kids (and adults too!) to burn off some energy.

Bubblemania (Jersey City, NJ)
If you haven't seen this high-energy mix of visual comedy, swing music and amazing soap bubble manipulations from Master Bubble-ologist Casey Carle, you're missing out big time. Back at the Liberty Science Center by popular demand, Carle welcomes volunteers onstage to help him create his remarkable bubble art and even encloses one lucky guest inside a giant bubble.

Sunday, January 19th

A Celebration of the Trees (Edison, NJ)
Have you ever wondered how seeds grow? Head to the Menlo Park Mall to celebrate the trees with some great free activities for the whole family. Kids will get excited about nature by learning about different types of trees, planting seedlings and sampling delicious fruit. Every child will have the chance to decorate a flower pot and take home seeds to plant inside.

Snakes, Turtles & Toads! Oh My! (Howell, NJ)
Why does a snake stick out its tongue? Can turtles crawl out of their shells? Does touching a toad really give you warts? Check out this exciting class with your little reptile lover at the Manasquan Environmental Center and learn all the answers to these questions and more during a live animal show!

Check out our GO NJ List, with our top picks of awesome things to do for kids in the upcoming month; GO JANUARY 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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