All Weekend

Chocolate & Vanilla Family Festival (Camden, NJ)
Head to Camden Children’s Garden for a delicious summer event dedicated to two of nature’s most flavorful plants. Vote for your favorite ice cream flavor and take a tropical smell test. Keep the kiddos entertained all afternoon with crafts, educational activities and of course, chocolate and vanilla treats from the well-stocked concession stand.

Dinosaur Train (Phillipsburg, NJ)
If you have a dino lover in the family, what could be better than a ride back to the Jurassic Period on the Dinosaur Train? Patterned after the hit PBS Television cartoon series, families take an adventurous ride to the Nature Trackers Activity Area where they explore, play and learn about life science, natural history and dinosaurs. Guests will meet their favorite T-rex, Buddy, find real fossils and dig for dinosaur bones.

Saturday, August 23rd

Canal Day Music & Craft Festival (Wharton, NJ)
Celebrate New Jersey’s Morris Canal at this country family fair featuring live music, regional crafts and tasty food. Take a trip down the canal on a mule-drawn boat ride or check out the exotic animals at Wallaby Tales Traveling Zoo. The festival will wind down with a Fireworks Display in Robert St. Park at 7pm.

Long Branch Jazz & Blues Festival (Long Branch, NJ)
Join the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation for live performances by talented jazz and blues musicians, scrumptious eats, craft exhibits and activities for the whole gang – not to mention an awesome fireworks display. A great way to close out summer down the shore!

Sensory Sensitive Movie Night (Allendale, NJ)
Call and reserve a spot at the Brain Balance Achievement Center for one of their great sensory-sensitive movie nights. In addition to watching a family-friendly flick, kids can munch on yummy (and healthy!) snacks and participate in all kinds of fun games.

Willy Wonka, Jr. (Beach Haven, NJ)
If you’re down the shore for these last few weeks of summer and looking for a little entertainment, get tickets to see this kid-friendly version of Willa Wonka at the popular Surflight Theatre. The scrumdidilyumptious musical is guaranteed to delight everyone's sweet tooth as you’re transported into the land of pure imagination. A perfect first theater experience for preschoolers.

Sunday, August 24th

Bats for Beginners (Tenafly, NJ)
Curious about bats? Check out Bats for Beginners at Tenafly Nature Center and learn how these creatures of the night use echolocation to play a vital ecological role and more. Then walk along one of the trails using a sonar detector to search for signs of bat life.

NJ Botanical Garden Tours (Ringwood, NJ)
If you’re looking for a late summer outing that’s laid back, educational and that the whole family will enjoy, lace up your sneakers and take a guided tour of the beautiful New Jersey Botanical Gardens. Your nature guide will lead the group on a relaxed hike through gardens and trails, pointing out what’s in bloom during the month of August. Don’t forget to pack a picnic lunch!

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