Who’s ready for the weekend? Let’s make it a fun one! We’ve rounded up plenty of things to do to help you spend your time. Check out these family-friendly happenings.
NJPAC (1 Center Street, Newark) will present “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” on Friday at 7:30 PM. Featuring a soundtrack that blends symphonic orchestral music with hip-hop, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Live in Concert pairs a screening of the Academy Award®-winning animated film with live musicians and turntables featuring a DJ scratcher live on stage. Emmy® winner Daniel Pemberton composed a sprawling score of boundary-pushing original music that is complimented with song contributions by Post Malone, Lil Wayne, Jaden Smith, and Nicki Minaj. The hip-hop-based score results in a sonic universe that is woven throughout the fabric of the film, supporting its themes of resilience and universal heroism. Tickets are $29-$69.
Bloomfield Center Alliance will present Bloomfield HarvestFest on Saturday Sunday, (Due to the weather, HarvestFest is moved to Oct. 8) from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM at Glenwood Avenue and Washington Street. Get ready for a day packed with delicious food, live music, and amazing activities for the whole family. From carnival games to food truck delights, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to celebrate the fall season and our wonderful community at the Bloomfield Harvest Festival! Free entry all day long.
Morgan’s Farm and Museum (903 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove) will host a Pumpkin & Apple Sale from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday. In addition to pumpkins and apples, you can also buy cider, donuts, mums, and gourds. Face painting will be available both days, with a petting zoo and balloon animals available on Sunday.
Montclair Public Library (185 Bellevue Avenue, Montclair) will host Puppet Time! A Halloween Puppet Show for All Ages on Saturday from 2:30 PM to 3:00 PM. Join Cordelia and the cast of Puppet Time for a Halloween-themed show at the Bellevue Avenue Branch Kid’s Place! Registration is required.
Frelinghuysen Arboretum (353 East Hanover Avenue, Morristown) will host Scarecrows in the Garden throughout the month of October from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Take a stroll through the gardens to see dozens of ghoulish, historic, and colorful scarecrows, including Gary the Gardener and the Lampshade Sisters tasting tea. This activity is free and is suitable for all ages.
Field Station: Dinosaurs is back for another season at Overpeck Park (3 Overpeck Driveway, Leonia). The attraction is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM through November 12. Field Station: Dinosaurs is a world-class family attraction that combines cutting-edge science with the creative minds of great artists to create a one-of-a-kind experience that’s thrilling, educational, and fun. Explore scenic trails featuring over 30 moving and roaring life-size animatronic dinosaurs! Discover the story and science of Dinosaurs with live shows, games, and activities every day. Laugh with the fearless dinosaur wranglers and come face to face with The Mighty T-Rex. This Saturday is Scout Day. Meet the experts in topics ranging from camping to lizards to paleontology. Try out hands-on activities that are appliable to Brownie and Girl Scout badges, Cub Scout belt loops, and Boy Scout merit badges. All scouts in uniform will earn a commemorative Field Station patch. This activity is free with day pass admission.
Reeves-Reed Arboretum (165 Hobart Avenue, Summit) brings back Discovery Weekends on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Explore the Arboretum’s gardens and grounds as autumn brings amazing changes! Drop by the Stackhouse Education Center on Saturdays and Sundays for this self-guided program for families and children 3 and older. Borrow a magnifying glass (please remember to return it once you’re done), grab an interactive activity guide, and head out to see what wonders big and small await. There may be a surprise, a clue to follow, a mystery to solve, a chance to create, and always an engaging nature activity. Each weekend is a new discovery!
Glen Ridge Public Library (240 Ridgewood Avenue, Glen Ridge) will host Play Group on Saturday from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. This drop-in playgroup encourages socialization among children up to 4 years old. The library will provide age-appropriate toys and books to play with while there. Caregivers are required to stay with their children while participating in the group. No registration is required. This activity is open to everyone.
Newark Museum of Art (49 Washington Street, Newark) will host Family First Saturday on Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Enjoy a day of fun science activities for the whole family at The Newark Museum of Art. The day will include a MakerSPACE, planetarium shows, Creative Play: World of Colors, Science Drop-In: 3,2,1 Blast Off!, Family Drop-In: Collage and Assemblage, and Dinosaurs Rock. Visit the website for full descriptions and start times for each activity. This event is free with general admission.
Reeves-Reed Arboretum (165 Hobart Avenue, Summit) will host Let’s Get Growing: Garden Stepping Stones on Saturday from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM for children ages 5-10. Out of stones, glass beads, shells, and other natural materials, participants will create a one-of-a-kind, lasting piece of art to place in your garden at home.
Morristown Festival of Books will be held this weekend in Downtown Morristown. KidFest is a day-long activity-filled event for kids of all ages and their grown-ups. 50+ authors and illustrators will be in attendance from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday. Visit the website for all the details and the full schedule.
Fosterfields Living Historical Farm (73 Kahdena Road, Morristown) will present Fall Farm Fun on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Fall festivities have begun at Fosterfields! Experience the Autumn season the old-fashioned way! Watch apples being pressed into cider, take a wagon ride, and pick your own pumpkins! Pumpkin guaranteed with pre-registration only. The cost is $15 per person. Children 2 and under are free.
Museum of Early Trades & Crafts (23 Main Street, Madison) will host Makerspace on Saturday from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Whether you are looking for a kid-friendly project or for something creative to do after spending time at the Museum, drop by Makerspace for hands-on activities in our new collaborative workspace geared towards kids ages 5 to 12! Kids will build with Legos, paint, make jewelry, experiment with engineering and coding robots, and more! Children must be accompanied by guardians at all times. Registration is not required. This activity is free.
Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center (247 Southern Boulevard, Chatham Township) will host Lenape Day on Saturday from 12 p.m.–4 p.m. The GSOEC annual Lenape Day is back. Join members of the Ramapough Lenape Tribe to learn all about Lenape history, experience ceremonial dances and drumming, touch real Lenape artifacts from thousands of years ago, make crafts, and more. Pre-registration is not required, and this activity is suitable for all ages. The cost is $5 per person ages 3 and up.
Turtleback Zoo (560 Northfield Avenue, West Orange) will host Wonders of the Wild on Saturday from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Turtle Back Zoo is an amazing classroom! The Wonders of the Wild program offers students an opportunity to participate in supplementary science and nature-themed programs and projects that facilitate scientific literacy and life-long environmental stewardship. This week’s theme is Amazing Arachnids. This activity is for children ages 6-12. The cost is $30 per person.
Frelinghuysen Arboretum (353 East Hanover Avenue, Morristown) will host BSA Plant Science Workshop on Saturday from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. The crazy and amazing world of plants comes alive in this BSA Plant Science Merit Badge workshop. Explore the gardens of The Frelinghuysen Arboretum, practice several different ways to propagate plants both outdoor and indoor, find and identify 10 native and 10 non-native plants, and discover what kind of plants thrive when planted in fall. Prerequisites will be sent and should be completed prior to the workshop. This activity is for BSA Scouts ages 11 and up. The cost is $25 per scout.
Montclair Public Library (185 Bellevue Avenue, Montclair) will host Masks of the Americas: Workshop for Kids on Saturday from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Learn about masks used in Latin American celebrations, ceremonies and rituals. Kids will see examples from the Americas and decorate their own with paint, beads, feathers, and paper. They’ll incorporate them with favorite Latin American elements like animals, flowers, and carnival characters. Monica Chavarria leads this workshop, highlighting the importance of cultural preservation and celebrating diversity through art. From Medellin, Colombia (the city of “Eternal Spring”), Chavarria has been teaching art for 23 years and creates works expressing memories of her homeland. View her art at monicachavarriaart.com. Registration is required.
Freeman Gardens (644 Hawthorne Avenue, Glen Ridge) will host two events on Sunday. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., enjoy kid-friendly games and activities as the gardens become a pumpkin patch for the day. Then from 6:30–8 p.m., catch a screening of “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” Pumpkins, cider donuts, and drinks will be available for purchase
Newark Museum of Art (49 Washington Street, Newark) will host October Family Sunday on Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Enjoy a fun day of science activities for the whole family, including MakerSPACE and Family Drop-In: Collage and Assemblage. Visit the website for more details and a schedule. This activity is free with general admission.
Turtle Back Zoo (560 Northfield Avenue, West Orange) will host Family Nature Club on Sunday at 10:00 AM. This week’s theme is Salamander Sunday. Family Nature Club (FNC) is all about discovering the world, and playing WITH nature, not just IN nature. Experience the sounds, smells, and sights of the outdoors with FNC as you explore our natural heritage within Essex County’s parks. The cost is $15 per person. This program is for ages 6 and up.
Turtle Back Zoo (560 Northfield Avenue, West Orange) will host Turtle Back Hatchlings on Sunday at 10:00 AM. Learn how to meet and greet some of our small, friendly animals up close in the classroom and learn how to touch animals gently. Your child will also enjoy sensory interactions with feathers, turtle shells, puppets, and more in a lightly structured program. All children must be accompanied by an adult who is prepared to take part in the activities. The cost is $25 per child. This activity is for children ages 12-24 months old with a caregiver.
The Porchistas Kids’ Fest (148 Forest Street, Montclair) will be held on Sunday, beginning at 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Bring your own lawn chairs and blankets for this one-day children’s music festival. Enjoy music from Gigi, The Porchistas, Key Wilde, Michaela McClain, and Michael & the Rockness Monsters. There will be pizza bagels and the local Good Humor truck will stop by. Entry is $10 or $25 for a family of three.
Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center (247 Southern Boulevard, Chatham Township) will host Hoo-Ray for Owls for Littles on Sunday from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Enjoy a fun owl-themed story and a walk on the trails to look for some of our owl neighbors. Discover what makes owls special and learn to imitate their calls too. Pre-registration is required. The cost is $7 per child, and this activity is suitable for children ages 2-5 with an adult.
Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center (247 Southern Boulevard, Chatham Township) will host Fall Fun for Littles on Sunday from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Autumn is here! Have fun learning about the signs of fall as you go outside and admire the changes this season brings. Then make your very own fall-themed placemat to take home. The cost is $7 per child, and this activity is suitable for children ages 2-5 with an adult.
The Aviation Hall of Fame & Museum of New Jersey (400 Fred Wehran Drive, Teterboro) will host Open Cockpit Day on Sunday from 10:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Visitors will have the opportunity to sit in the cockpit of a very rare Lockheed Bushmaster plane, a U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter, and a M*A*S*H Bell 47 Helicopter. There will be various other aircraft and vehicles to see as well. Admission is $20 for adults, $12 for seniors 65+ and children 3-11. Children 2 and under are free.
Turtle Back Zoo (560 Northfield Avenue, West Orange) will host Turtle Back Zoo Tots on Sunday from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM. This program is designed for toddlers and adults to discover the natural world together. We will use the alphabet to explore different animals in our zoo. Each day you will discover a different animal type such as mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects. Stories, projects, and special animal visitors in the classroom enhance your class experience. All children must be accompanied by an adult who is willing to take part in the activities. The cost is $25 per child. This activity is for children ages 2 and 3 years old with a caregiver.
Montclair Art Museum (3 South Mountain Avenue, Montclair) will host Sunday Studio: Game Play with Anna Muniz on Sunday at 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, and 3:00 PM. Join MAM for Indigenous People’s Day! Inspired by the artwork NDN-opoly created by artists Ashely Browning and Michele Tapia Browning (Pojoaque Pueblo and Santa Clara Pueblo), families will create their own game board and playing pieces reflecting the local landscape, with attention to the Lenape People who were displaced from their New Jersey homelands.
The Cooper Gristmill (66 Route 24, Chester) will host Apples in Autumn on Sunday from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Get into the fall spirit with an afternoon of harvest-themed activities at the Cooper Gristmill. Participants can learn how to use an apple press and try fresh apple cider, take a family portrait backed by seasonal decoration, and create corn husk dolls. This activity is suitable for children ages 6-12, and the cost is $8 per person.
Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center (247 Southern Boulevard, Chatham Township) will host Let’s Start a Rock Collection for children ages 6-11 on Sunday from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. Rocks are fascinating and fun to collect! Learn from a geologist where to look for and how to identify common specimens to start your own collection! The cost is $15 per child and pre-registration is required.
