It’s no secret that Jersey families love to make the most of our state’s beautiful summers. Sunny days at the beach, pool, and park as well as balmy evenings grilling outside with family and friends make for a pretty awesome season. But sometimes, we all need a break from the great outdoors, when the weather’s super hot or rainy and muggy. In these cases, we need some indoor fun!
Luckily, New Jersey offers no shortage of family-friendly venues that are perfect for indoor fun.
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A Time to Kiln
Location: 50 Broad Street, Red Bank
Price: Varies by project
Details: Unleash your inner artist at this Red Bank studio where kids (and adults too) can drop in to paint pottery. Open studio hours are available every day of the week and no appointment is necessary. Choose from a wide array of ceramic pieces to paint, including platters, kid’s items and seasonal favorites. Mosaic making, canvas painting, critter stuffing and glass fusing are also offered.
More info: Visit the website or you can give them a call.
Adventure Aquarium
Location: 1 Riverside Drive, Camden
Price: $28 per adult, $21 per child 2-12, free for kids under 2
Details: Perched along the Camden Waterfront next to the Delaware River, Adventure Aquarium offers something for every age group. Stop by the new Piranha Falls exhibit, check out the Shark Realm and don’t miss the hippos playing and splashing in Hippo Haven. Little ones can visit the KidZone area, filled with climbing structures and low-placed tanks just for them.
More info: Visit the website or you can give them a call.
Northlandz
Location: 495 U.S. 202, Flemington
Price: $13.75 per adult, $9.75 per child 2-12, free for kids under 2
Details: If you’ve got little train lovers in the family, this is the perfect spot for indoor fun! Northlandz is a model railroad museum with 100 trains meandering through 8 miles of tracks, buildings, villages and bridges. Spend the afternoon exploring these trains in a variety of settings. Be sure and check out their doll museum too–they’ve got over 200 hundred dolls and a 94-room dollhouse.
More info: Visit the website or you can give them a call.
Just Bead Yourself
Location: 113 Central Avenue, Westfield
Price: Varies by project
Details: A great outing for mom & daughter or a group of girlfriends, Just Bead Yourself offers an array of activities. Jewelry workshops let you create your own bracelet, necklace and earrings; meanwhile, they have “My Doll & Me” afternoon tea events or Emoji workshops for kids. Various events happen throughout the summer months.
More info: Visit the website or you can give them a call.
Liberty Science Center
Location: 222 Jersey City Boulevard, Jersey City
Price: $21.75 per adult, $17.75 per child 2-12, free for kids under 2
Details: No list of indoor venues in NJ would be complete without mentioning the awesome Liberty Science Center. Four floors of hands-on learning for all ages makes for the perfect outing when the weather is too hot, rainy or cold. Check out the Touch Tunnel, Skyscraper and Wildlife Challenge Exhibits and don’t forget to take little guys 5 & under to the iExplore area just for them.
More info: Visit the website or you can give them a call.
Kidz Village
Location: Kenilworth and Woodbridge
Price: $11.99 per child 2 & up, $9.99 per child under 2, free for infants and adults
Details: Kidz Village is one part indoor playground, one part play center and one part arcade where young children can be active while playing in an educational environment. After climbing on the huge indoor play structure, they’ll wander through the many themed rooms and use their imagination as they work in a hair salon, grocery store and 60s-style diner. Finish out the afternoon with a few rounds of arcade games and a bite to eat at Perky’s Pizza.
More info: Visit the website or call individual locations.
Pump It Up
Location: Multiple New Jersey locations
Price: Varies by location
Details: When the kids need to burn off some serious steam but it’s just too hot for the playground, check out Pump It Up, with seven locations around Jersey full of indoor fun. In addition to daily camps, they also feature open play where children can climb, jump and slide on the inflatables till they’re all out of energy! Some locations even have weekly themed events, such as Wild Wednesday Glow Jump and Candy Craze Jump.
More info: Visit the website or call individual locations.
Morris Museum Children’s Theatre
Location: 6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown
Price: $10 for members, $12 for non-members
Details: Morris Museum’s Bickford Theatre offers a robust lineup of summer shows for children, perfect for a rainy afternoon. Upcoming performances include Squirrel Stole My Underpants, a silly adventure tale with a spunky heroine, and The Magic Jim Show, featuring puppets, laughter and audience participation. All shows are recommended for children ages 3 to 9.
More info: Visit the website or you can give them a call.
Bogota Golf & Sports Center
Location: 30 Cross Street, Bogota
Price: Varies by activity
Details: Bogota Golf Center lets sports enthusiasts frolick indoors on too hot or rainy days. Play a family-friendly round of mini golf, take a swing at the indoor batting cages or try out the PGA simulator. They’ve also got indoor basketball courts, a pro shop and a Sports Cafe to grab a bite before you hit the road.
More info: Visit the website or you can give them a call.
iPlay America
Location: 110 Schanck Road, Freehold
Price: Varies by activity
Details: As far as arcades go, iPlay America has it all: a high ropes course, laser tag, go karts and a huge game room. Younger kiddos can get in on the action with a kids ropes course, mini bowling, a carousel and special rides just for them. There’s also no shortage of food choices either. Stop into Game Time Bar & Grill for a bite or visit Broadway Sweets, one of the largest candy stores in NJ.
More info: Visit the website or you can give them a call.
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