Laurie R

Laurie Rein is thrilled to have made a career of digging up activities (especially free ones!) for her twin daughters. Prior to working with Mommy Poppins NJ, Laurie wore many hats in the television industry including gigs as an NBC page, NBC copywriter, affiliate liaison for The Rosie O'Donnell Show and research manager for CBS. She is currently the Events Editor for Mommy Poppins NJ and can be reached at njevents@mommypoppins.com

Latest posts by Laurie

March GoList: The Best Things To Do with NJ Kids This Month

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Sun, 02/23/2020 - 6:00am

March comes in like a lion with an abundance of celebrations in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday, St. Patrick's Day, and NJ Makers Day. We've rounded up more than a dozen things we're most looking forward to this month in NJ, from springtime celebrations to a huge selection of kids' shows.

Make Dr. Seuss' 115th birthday a festive one at Morris Museum and Liberty Hall. Get your green on at St. Paddy's parades throughout the state. And put those thinking caps on at Makers Day events, including one at Museum of Early Trades & Crafts.

This month is packed with performances: Finding Neverland, Dinosaur World Live, Disney on Ice, and much more. And get a taste of early spring at outdoor events like Maple Sugaring at Washington Crossing State Park and Diggerland's Season Opening.

Read on to see all of our top picks for March awesomeness. And for a complete list of this month's happenings, be sure to check out our Event Calendar. Happy (almost) spring!

Things To Do in NJ this Weekend: Very Hungry Caterpillar, Kids Expo, Maple Sugaring

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Tue, 02/18/2020 - 11:30am

The Very Hungry Caterpillar comes to SOPAC on Sunday. Photo courtesy of SOPAC

It's time to party on this last full weekend of February. Enjoy carnival games and inflatables at the Free Kids Expo, get dolled up for a Queen Elsa Tea Party, and honor Washington's Birthday at Historic New Bridge Landing. Plus, celebrate favorite literary characters at a production of The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Other Eric Carle Favourites and at a Green Eggs & Ham storytime event .

Nature activities are in the spotlight this weekend, with Maple Sugaring Demonstrations, Read & Explore: Fur, Feathers & Fluff, and Who's Been Here.

Find even more weekend options in our Winter Guide, including 30+ Drop-In Play Spaces for NJ Kids That Cost $15 or Less. And look to our February GoList and event calendar for a complete listing of happenings this weekend and beyond.

Things To Do in NJ this Weekend: Chocolate Festival, Valentine's Events, mr. RAY

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Tue, 02/04/2020 - 1:00pm

Head to the Morris Museum Saturday for Chocolate Family Fun Day. Photo by Laurie Rein

Love is in the air this pre-Valentine's Day weekend in New Jersey. Celebrate with a craft at the New Jersey State Museum, a family night out at Jenkinson's, cookie decorating at a hotel, and a scrumptious Chocolate Family Fun Day at the Morris Museum.

If you love animals, have fur-friendly fun at the Super Pet Expo or learn about winter animals at Read & Explore: Animal Tracks. Treat your Valentines to the theater this weekend with mr. RAY, Dino-Light, and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert. And there's more cause for celebration at Newark Museum's Black History Month.

Find even more weekend options in our Winter Guide, including Family-Friendly Skiing and Snowboarding Spots Around NJ. And look to our February GoList and event calendar for a complete listing of happenings this weekend and beyond.

20+ Things To Do on February Break with NJ School Kids

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Sun, 02/02/2020 - 9:41am

Climb and explore at Liberty Science Center. Photo courtesy of LSC

Sandwiched between the bustling holiday break and the itching-for-warm-weather spring break falls New Jersey's mid-winter February break. This year, Presidents Day falls on Monday, February 15—and depending on the district, NJ schoolchildren will have a three-, four-, or even five-day weekend, making it the perfect time for a family outing or day trip, or two.

Whether you choose to hang indoors at popular play spaces, or embrace the winter weather with snowtubing and other places to play outside, there's plenty to keep everyone busy on the long weekend.

Read on for the best February break activities for NJ kids, and don't miss our Events Calendar for even more ideas.

Things To Do in NJ this Weekend: Free Museum Day, Lunar New Year, Groundhog Day

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Tue, 01/28/2020 - 1:00pm

Bank of America card holders get one free admission to State Discovery Museum and a host of other NJ museums on Saturday. Photo courtesy of the museum

How much longer will this winter weather last? Find out when Watershed Wally the Woodchuck hosts a Groundhog Day Celebration on this first weekend of February. That's just one of many winter events happening this weekend in New Jersey.

Honor the upcoming Year of the Rat at Lunar New Year Celebration and Livingston Chinese Culture Day. Make the weekend even sweeter with maple sugaring demonstrations at Great Swamp OEC and Tenafly Nature Center. And bundle up for some outdoor time at A Winter's Day at the Farm and Family Nature Walk Series.

Find even more weekend options in our Winter Guide, including the Best Kid-Friendly Museums in Northern New Jersey. And look to our February GoList and event calendar for a complete listing of happenings this weekend and beyond.

February GoList: The Best Things To Do With NJ Kids This Month

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Sun, 01/26/2020 - 10:00am

There's so much to love about February, and we've rounded up the best things to do with kids in New Jersey throughout the month! There's Valentine's Day, of course, as well as the Chinese New Year and Presidents Day (this month marks George Washington's 288th!).

Got a sweet tooth? Check out Morris Museum's Chocolate Family Day or Great Swamp's Migrating Birds and Chocolate, or go maple sugaring at one of several spots around the state.

There are tons of kid-friendly performances this month, including mr. RAY, The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Other Eric Carle Favourites, and Dino-Light. And there are plenty of ways to celebrate Valentine's Day, including Family Date Night at Jenkinson's and a My Little Man and Me party at Liberty Hall Museum.

For a full list of happenings, don't forget to check out our Event Calendar. And find more fun things to do in February in our Winter Fun & Activity Guide for NJ Families. Happy February, NJ!

Things To Do in NJ This Weekend: Winter Festival, Maple Sugaring, Monster Jam

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Tue, 01/21/2020 - 10:15am

The Lambertville-New Hope Winter Festival continues this weekend! Photo courtesy of the event

Find lots of winter fun this weekend in New Jersey, including the start of maple sugaring season at Reeves-Reed Arboretum and Great Swamp. For more sweet fun, raise a glass of hot apple cider at Wassailing the Apple Trees, and decorate cookies at Read & Explore: Gingerbread Man.

Stay warm at free in-store events like IndigoKids Presents: Elbow Grease vs. Motozilla at Indigo Short Hills, and Learn to Draw Mickey & Minnie at The Disney Store. Plus, Monster truck and comic book enthusiasts have a lot to look forward to this weekend.

Find even more weekend options in our Winter Fun Guide, including Top 10 Indoor Play Spaces for Kids Across New Jersey. And look to our event calendar and January GoList for a complete listing of happenings this weekend and beyond.

Stores that Offer Free and Cheap Classes for NJ Kids

Submitted by Laurie Rein on Thu, 01/09/2020 - 1:25pm

Home Depot hosts free Kid Workshops on the first Saturday of every month.

Extracurricular activities create enriching experiences for kids, but they can also take a toll on your wallet. The good news is that several stores throughout New Jersey offer free—and nearly free—kids' classes that allow you to save money while developing your family’s interests. These low- or no-cost classes, crafts, storytimes, and other activities are great ways to fill in schedule gaps without busting your budget.