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Field of Dreams Playground debuted in Toms River bringing with it a spectacular playground that accommodates kids of all abilities.

New Places to Play Outside in New Jersey

1. Field of Dreams Playground – Toms River

The Toms River Field of Dreams is 3 1/2-acre complex with a beautiful playground designed for kids of all abilities. There are tons of things to do and see that go beyond lower slides and harness swings. We're talking an accessible zip line, a small moon trampoline, and a picture communication board. The complex also has basketball and bocce courts, a short walking path decorated with art murals, a nine-hole miniature-golf course, community gardens, a baseball field, a temperature-controlled pavilion with wheelchair chargers, and a quiet corner for those with sensory needs. Note that the playground is open to the public, but certain hours are for members only. Learn how special needs families can get a FREE membership.

2. Pop-ups! – Statewide

We had so much fun at the many, many pop-up family events that came to New Jersey in 2022 like Flip Circus, Bounce the Mall, and Haunt O'Ween. We've got our fingers crossed that they make a return trip in 2023! We also loved the nearby Harry Potter Forbidden Forest Experience that's open through January in New York's Hudson Valley.

RELATED: Top Kid-friendly Openings in NYC in 2022

Baby Lucy the Elephant isn't as imposing as her namesake neighbor, but she might be more fun.

3. Baby Lucy the Elephant – Margate City

If you've explored Atlantic City with kids, chances are you've met Lucy the Elephant, a six-story elephant structure. Now, families can visit the brand-new Baby Lucy the Elephant playground complete with a slide and climbing structure inspired by the real thing. Head to Jerome Avenue Park to say hi to Baby Lucy.

Family Fun Openings in New Jersey in 2022

4. Dream Wheel at American Dream – East Rutherford

This enormous Ferris wheel located at American Dream Mall gives visitors spectacular, panoramic views of the Manhattan skyline. A full trip around the wheel takes about 30 minutes and soars 300 feet in the air. Each gondola fits 16 passengers.

5. Live Character Shows on Stage – Multiple Locations

Live character performances with familiar faces give many kids a thrill, and we were so happy that Disney Princesses, Paw Patrol, Baby Shark, and many others visited the Garden State in 2022 to entertain us. We can't wait to see everything that's in store for 2023, but we know Winnie the Pooh, Madagascar, and Bluey are slated to have live shows in or near NJ next year.

6. Supercharged Entertainment – Edison

Supercharged is revving up the fun since its mid-December grand opening, and it's bound to bring family fun to a whole new level. The site is said to house the world's largest indoor, multi-level karting track (ages 15 and up). All told, it has over a 1/4-mile long track with 10 elevation changes. There are also axe-throwing lanes (ages 10 and up), bumper cars (ages 5 and 42-inches and up), an arcade, virtual reality rides, and a free-fall tower that twists and turns down two stories (ages 4 and 42-inches and up). When it's time for a break, head over to Burgers & Brews for upscale American dining that includes burgers, fries, and mug shakes.

RELATED: 100 Things To Do in New Jersey With Kids Before They Grow Up

Catch Air Hasbrouck has a fun outer space theme and plenty of ways for kids to work out their wiggles.

New Indoor Playgrounds Open in New Jersey in 2022

7. Catch Air – Hasbrouck Heights

Catch Air opened a fantastic new indoor location in Hasbrouck Heights with an adorable outer space theme. Whiz down enormous slides, test your strength rope climbing up the rocketship, and shoot Nerf balls at the flying aliens. Kids ages 3-10 will be entertained for hours.

8. Fun City Adventure Park – Blackwood

Ready. Set. Bounce! Fun City Adventure Park is a 40,000-square-foot facility that's home to a bunch of interesting attractions like a huge airbag for practicing safe falls and tricks, an arcade, trampoline courts, a ninja course, dodgeball arena, a ropes course, a basketball court, a playground, a battle beam, a foam pit, bumper ball, parkour, and more.

RELATED: Top Attractions in New Jersey: Best Things To See and Do With Kids

Fundaes Arcade combines two classic kid-pleasers: ice cream and arcade games.

9. Fundaes Arcade – Chesterfield Heights

This venue just squeaked in a 2022 launch with a December 16 grand opening. Fundaes is an ice cream shop and interactive arcade hybrid. Expect to find classic video games, crane games, virtual reality games, and more. Earn tickets to win prizes. Then head over to the ice cream side for some fantastic sundaes. We've planned an outing and can't wait to share more details once we've experienced it ourselves!

10. Rock 'N Air – East Brunswick

At Rock 'N Air, you can bounce, climb, and soar through 70,000 square feet of immersive activities! Scale the brightly colored modern climbing walls, try the tramp courts, get lost in a virtual reality game, jump on the trampolines, pick one of four physical challenges in the adventure zone obstacle courses, and grab a treat at the candy shop. There's also a separate bounce area for toddlers.

RELATED: Holiday Break in New Jersey: 25+ Things To Do Between Christmas and New Year's Eve

Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Experience is an out-of-this-world family-friendly hotel.

More Cool Kid-Friendly Openings in 2022

11. Mommy Poppins Launched in San Francisco and Miami

Our little family grew this year as we added San Francisco and Miami to the world of Mommy Poppins. Our two new sites join NYC, Long Island, New Jersey, Westchester, Connecticut, DC, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Houston, Orlando, and Atlanta. Also expanding: the cool things you can do on our site. We recently redesigned our search pages with a cleaner, easier-to-use design and new functionality. You can now find camps and classes on your local calendar of events and even buy tickets directly from our website—if an event has a red "Book It" tag, you can purchase tickets immediately, with no added fees. Oh yeah, in our spare time, we also created a new Earth Kids Guide and newsletter. Since the environment is one of the most critical issues facing our children’s futures, we wanted to think and talk about new meaningful and fun activities to engage children and families with sustainability each month.

12. Sesame Place – San Diego, California

One of our LA writers visited the park before it opened and got the inside story on what kids love about the country's newest theme park. There's a water park element to the place, too, which is open year-round, and it's definitely one of the best amusement parks in the US for kids under 5.

13. Dig World TX – Houston, Texas

This construction-themed adventure park opened this year near Houston. Here kids can operate the equipment instead of just watching: drive skid steers, dig dirt with excavators, and more. (Now our own Diggerland isn't the only construction-themed amusement park!)

14. Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex – Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, Florida

This new, 50,000-square-foot, multi-level attraction at Kennedy Space Center opened in March. It gives space fanatics of all ages first-hand views of modern-day spacecraft such as a SpaceX Falcon 9 booster and Orion Crew vehicle. The main concourse features a 4D motion theater offering four different journeys. It's as close to outer space as you can get without paying for a ride on a tech billionaire's rocket.

15. Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser Experience – Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando, Florida

At this one-of-a-kind hotel experience, guests stay aboard a starship for a two-night adventure. The journey begins on a launchpad with a simulated blast off into space. The launch paddocks land at the Halcyon starcruiser, where guests have their own passenger cabin complete with bunk beds and a galactic view. Young Jedis can get a sneak peek of the inner workings of the ship, encounter stormtroopers in the ship's atrium, wield a lightsaber, and navigate the ship with the crew's help. Cheap? No. An incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience? Yep.

16. The Dr. Seuss Experience – Traveling show

This traveling show is one our Houston editor caught when it was there, and she said it’s as if the books have come to life. The show moved to Colorado and will continue touring the US from there. The experience gives kids a chance to see, hear, feel, and experience their favorite settings from nine of Dr. Seuss’ stories as they go from room to room to interact with each installation.

Did we miss any of your favorite new openings? Let us know on Facebook!