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24 Awesome and Free Things To Do in New Jersey in January with Kids

The Cotsen Children's Library offers free storytimes throughout the week. Photo by Lisa Warden
The Cotsen Children's Library offers free storytimes throughout the week. Photo by Lisa Warden
1/5/24 - By Laurie Rein

Looking for FREE January events in New Jersey? Read on for dozens of great options. 

January is the perfect time to keep little ones warm and busy on a post-holiday budget with FREE and fun cold-weather festivals, including Mount Holly Fire and Ice Festival, complete with ice sculptures and chili tasting and Wassailing the Apple Trees, with music, wagon rides, and a bonfire. Plus, find plenty of admission-free weekly activities for families like Live Animal Talks at Jake Branch County Park.

Mark your calendars with these great no-cost holiday events that take place nearly every day of the season. For more winter fun, check out our Event Calendar and Winter Activities Guide.

 

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Ongoing Free Things To Do in January 2025

Barnes & Noble Storytime in Bridgewater

Bridgewater
Every Monday
Bring the little ones to Barnes & Noble in Bridgewater every Monday morning for stories and fun. READ MORE

Preschool Storytime at Bridgewater Library

Bridgewater
Every Monday
Swing by the library on Mondays with the little ones for books, songs, and activities. READ MORE

Barnes & Noble Storytime in Livingston

Livingston
Every Tuesday and Thursday
Enjoy childhood classics and new favorites at Barnes & Noble in Livingston on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.  READ MORE

Tales & Tunes: A Family Storytime at Verona Public Library

Verona
Every Tuesday
Verona Public Library welcomes families for an afternoon of fun, with interactive stories, music, movement, and early literacy skills. READ MORE

Bookscape Babies at Cotsen Children's Library

Princeton
Every Tuesday
Cotsen’s youngest patrons get active, social, and build their vocabularies in a special play space in the Bookscape gallery. Soft ramps, tunnels, and plush alphabet letters await. READ MORE

Barnes & Noble Storytime in Brick

Brick
Every Wednesday
Head over to Barnes & Noble every Wednesday for children's stories and fun. READ MORE

Tiger Tales at Cotsen Children's Library

Princeton
Every Friday
Join the staff at Cotsen Library for a special interactive weekly storytime. Tiger Tales begins with a story and ends with a hands-on project to take home. READ MORE

Drop in and Discover

Beechwood
Every Saturday
Stop by Jakes Branch Nature Center on Saturdays for nature lessons and crafts. A new topic is explored each session. READ MORE

Live Animal Talks at Jake Branch County Park

Beechwood
Every Saturday and Sunday
Head over to Jakes Branch County Park Nature Center every Sunday for an up-close look at the park's inhabitants. Visitors learn about the various species that call the Nature Center home. Talks last about 20 minutes. READ MORE

Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards

Princeton
Every Saturday and Sunday
Join Terhune for cheer in the winery with live music and time with family and friends. Enjoy indoor seating in the wine barn among the wine tanks and outdoor seating with fire pits. Taste hot mulled wine, tasting flights of Terhune favorite wines, and wine by the glass.  READ MORE

Free Things To Do in New Jersey in January 2025

Kids Workshops at Lowes

Various Locations
Saturdays, January 4 and 18, 2025
Kids can get creative and learn to build at Lowes' mini-DIYers workshops. Reserve a spot online. Some walk-ins may be permitted. READ MORE

A Twelfth Night Celebration

Hancocks Bridge
Saturday, January 4, 2025
Experience the last peaceful holiday season before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War at this historical celebration. Enjoy live music, games, and refreshments. Feel free to come dressed in your 18th-century finest. READ MORE

Kids Workshops at Home Depot

Various Locations
Saturday, January 4, 2025
Kids can get creative at these monthly Home Depot in-store DIY events. Projects take place the first Saturday of each month at participating stores.  READ MORE

Maker Mondays Kids Craft Hour at Jake Branch County Park Nature Center

Beechwood
Mondays, January 6 and 20, 2025
Drop by the nature center on select Mondays for nature-inspired crafts. Registration is not required. READ MORE

5th Annual Snowfest at Wicoff House Museum

Plainsboro
Saturday, January 11, 2025
Meet Olaf and other winter friends at Wicoff House Museum's annual winter festival. Enjoy hot chocolate, snow cones, and smores, plus take part in crafts and a scavenger hunt. READ MORE

JCPenney Kids Zone

Various locations
Saturday, January 11
Stop by New Jersey JCPenney stores on the second Saturday of every month for free and fun crafts. Children receive a lanyard and collector's pin. Six pins earn a Project Master Medallion. READ MORE

Parlor Games for Wintry Weather at Historic Longstreet Farm

Holmdel
Sunday, January 12, 2025
Historic Longstreet Farm invites everyone to come play two long-forgotten 1890s board games: Halma and Basilinda. There are also old-time favorites to play, including backgammon, dominos and checkers. READ MORE

Hot Cocoa at Historic Cedar Bridge

Barnegat
Saturday, January 18
Join a Cedar Bridge Tavern Historic Site docent to learn about the site's history. Enjoy a cup of hot chocolate to warm up while learning about local lore and the history of Ocean County’s Revolutionary War past. READ MORE

Scotch Plains Fanwood Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

Scotch Plains
Monday, January 20
Join the Scotch Plains Fanwood community for its annual day of service in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Service projects include volunteer opportunities like card-making and food and clothing drives. READ MORE

Free Entrance Days in the National Parks

Various Locations
Monday, January 20, 2025
On select days throughout the year, all national parks are open to the public with no admission fee.  READ MORE

Mount Holly Fire and Ice Festival

Mount Holly
Saturday, January 25, 2025
Guests can expect to view beautiful ice sculptures carved right before their eyes. Keep warm with a bowl of hot chili while strolling High Street and enjoying live music. READ MORE

Lunar New Year Celebration at Vizzio's Institute of Martial Arts

Fairfield
Saturday, January 25, 2025
This family-friendly event features good luck Lion Dance performances for businesses around Pio Costa, a parade open to children, and kung-fu demonstrations by the skilled students and instructors of Vizzio's. READ MORE

Rutgers Geological Museum Annual Open House

New Brunswick
Saturday, January 25, 2025
Head over to Rutgers Geological Museum for its 57th Annual Open House, featuring  crafts, activities and a mineral sale. This year's theme is New Jersey Geology.  READ MORE

Wassailing the Apple Trees

Princeton
Sunday, January 26, 2025
Terhune Orchards hosts this annual tradition to protect the farm's apple orchards to insure a successful crop for the next season. Activities include dancing, singing, re-enactments of traditional rituals, bonfire with marshmallows for roasting, farm wagon rides, and live music.  READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Cotsen Children's Library at Princeton University Library
Cotsen Library at Princeton University
Jake Branch County Park Nature Center
various Lowes stores
Various Home Depot stores
Jake Branch County Park Nature Center
Cedar Bridge Tavern Historic Site
Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA
National Parks - Multiple Locations