Attending a NJ Devils Kids Day makes it extra fun for families. In addition to catching a high-scoring hockey game (a 4-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks), the first 2,000 youth fans were gifted with a game-day poster to take home. Sweetening the pot a little more, the first 9,000 fans walked away with a bobble head of forward Taylor Hall.

There was never a dull moment at our NJ Devils game. Our seats put us right on top of the action and once we got used to following the tiny puck as it glided around the ice, we were all in. Despite my son's worries that he wouldn't know a thing about what was going on, by the end of the game he was cheering like a veteran fan and seemed to know all the cheers. He learned the ins and outs of power plays and penalty kills quickly.

Played in three 20-minute periods, there isn't a ton of downtime between the game action, but when there was a lull, there was always something going on. My kids battled to try and catch a T-shirt tossed into the crowd by the Devils' mascot, NJ Devil, and watched all the crowd photo ops on the JumboTron. While a dancing usher got lots of cheers, my favorite feature of the afternoon was the "Simba Cam," when parents were encouraged to hold their kids up, á la Rafiki from The Lion King, for everyone to gawk at. There was no shortage of cute, Devils-clad kids and their parents mugging for the camera.

Intermission periods last 20-minutes each, taking place between the first and second and second and third periods. While we spent a bulk of this time waiting in line for bathrooms and snacks, many a wee Devils fan headed to the Little Devils Fan Zone, a kids haven in the concourse complete with bouncy house, face painting, and plenty of other kid-friendly entertainment— all FREE for kids ages 12 & under to enjoy. During the second intermission, NJ Devil even hung out for photo opps with pint-sized fans. On-ice entertainment is provided during each break too.

Other family-friendly amenities include kids meals that make going to a game with a family hurt the wallet a little less. A hot dog or chicken tender meal could be had for less than $10. An in-game promotion offered 40 percent off some of the kids attire at the on-site store, too. There are also family restrooms where mom or dad can take their kids when they need a potty break.

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The Devils call the Prudential Center, smack in the middle of downtown Newark, home. The 10-year-old arena seats about 18,000 raucous fans for hockey games. Its location, just blocks from Newark's Penn Station makes an afternoon at the game easy for families traveling from New York City or greater New Jersey. In fact, most of the walk to the arena takes place via a covered walkway in a neighboring hotel-and-office complex. So, despite attending on a dreary, rainy afternoon, we were mostly dry and comfortable when we walked into the game.

Ticket prices for New Jersey Devils games start at $25 and can be purchased on the New Jersey Devils website or go straight to the Kids Day tickets page. Perhaps the most budget-friendly way to get in the door is to sign your kid up for the Little Devils Fan Club. The All-Star and MVP-level memberships, $29 and $49 respectively, include two or four tickets to a regular-season game, in addition to other fun extras.

The next NJ Devils Kids Day is March 19, 2017 and we're giving away a family 4-pack. Enter below. 

All images courtesy of NJ Devils.