Banish “I’m Bored!” With These
50 Free Things To Do In NJ With Kids In August!
Looking for things to do in New Jersey with kids that won’t bust your budget? Look no further – we’ve come up with FIFTY free things to do in New Jersey with kids in August that your kids – and you – will LOVE!
Do you know of other fun and free things to do with kids in New Jersey this month? Comment below and let us know about it!
50 Free Things To Do In New Jersey With Kids In August
1. Enjoy A Night of Music Under The Stars!
Enjoy a free family-friendly outdoor concerts at one of the many free summer concert events happening around New Jersey in August! Check out our listing here.
2. Family Fun Nights on the Beach
Sunday nights through July | 6:30pm – dusk
Come on out to the beach in Seaside Heights for a fun night of tug-of-war, long jump, hula hoops, hurdles, Frisbee golf, and a huge inflatable obstacle course!
3. Go Bowling!
It’s summertime and that means another year of fun, family-friendly fun at New Jersey bowling alleys courtesy of Kids Bowl Free! Sign up here.
4. Seine the Bay at Bayshore Waterfront Park
Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays through August 25
11:00am – 12:00pm
Find out what kinds of fish, crabs, and other sea creatures live and swim in Sandy Hook Bay as you help pull a long seine net along the edge of the bay. Meet on the beach near the park entrance. Closed toe shoes are required.
5. See A Free Movie!
There are free summer movies happening all over New Jersey this month! Check out our listing of free summer movies in the park and on the beach to find a free movie in your NJ community.
6 . Go Roller Skating!
Sign up for free weekly roller skating passes at Kids Skate Free and enjoy family friendly fun at New Jersey skating rinks!
7. Mad Science “Summer Camp”
Wednesdays and Saturdays through August | 11:00am – 12:00pm
Mad Science “Summer Camp” will take place at the Garden State Plaza every Wednesday and Saturday this month and will feature high energy demonstrations of fun, educational, and spectacular science experiments! Free admission but registration is requested.
8. Swallowtails and Monarch at Cattus Island County Park
Wednesdays in July | 2:30pm – 3:30pm
Enjoy the beauty of the butterfly garden at the Cooper Environmental Center in Toms River! Learn all about the life cycle of butterflies, their host plants, and their unique characteristics. You will also learn how to develop your own butterfly garden in your backyard. Meet in front of the Cooper Environmental Center at Cattus Island County Park.
9. Hit the Beach!
Family time at the Jersey shore doesn’t have to cost a fortune! Check out our Ultimate Guide to Free Beaches in New Jersey here!
10. Visit a museum!
New Jersey is home to dozens of free museums! Find a listing of them HERE, or find out how you can score free admission to NJ museums, nature centers, state parks, and more with your library card HERE!
11. Thrilling Thursdays In Margate
Thursdays throughout the summer
Enjoy Thrilling Thursdays in Margate! Thrilling Thursdays include free beach access, a local farmers market, sidewalk sales, and a family movie under the stars.
12. Nature Walks at Cape May Point State Park
Saturdays in August | 9:00am & 2:00pm
Enjoy a guided nature walk in beautiful Cape May Point State Park!
13. Science On the Fly at Jakes Branch County Park
Saturdays in August | 1:00pm – 3:30pm
Drop by Jakes Branch County Park in Beachwood for a free (and fun!) “come and go” science-based program. A make and take craft will follow a brief lesson.
14. Guided Nature Walks at Cooper Environmental Center
Saturdays and Sundays in August | 2:00pm – 3:00pm
Head on out to the Cooper Environmental Center in Toms River and enjoy a guided nature walk with one of the Center’s naturalists every Saturday and Sunday in August. Themes include Hummingbirds at Home, Osprey Watch, Butterfly and Bog Garden Stroll, and Mosquito Ditch Adventures.
15. Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary Tour
Saturdays and Sundays in August | 10:00am – 11:00am
Join an educator from The Wetlands Institute and take a guided tour of the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary. Learn about the history of the sanctuary, the latest restoration efforts and the local flora and fauna – especially birds! Tours depart from Egret Espy trail, 2nd Avenue Entrance in Stone Harbor.
16. Romero Britto – Brilliant World of Color
August 4-8 2017 | 10:00am – 10:00pm
With an iconic style that the New York Times described “…exudes warmth, optimism and love,” Romero Britto is an international artist that uses vibrant, bold and colorful patterns to reflect his optimistic view of the world around him. His playful themes and hard‐edged compositions, combined with his unique talent, unshakable resolve, and belief in his art, have granted him worldwide recognition, with galleries and museum exhibitions in over 100 countries and counting. Kids will love his colorful, playful works so be sure to catch his exhibition at Ocean Galleries in Stone Harbor! Guests will have the opportunity to meet the enthusiastic and optimistic Romero Britto at special gallery receptions taking place 7:00pm to 10:00pm on Saturday, August 5 and 1:00pm to 4:00pm on Sunday, August 6th.
17. 23rd Annual Highlands Clam Fest
August 5 & 6 2017
Enjoy family-friendly fun at the 23rd Annual Highlands Clam Fest! This free admission NJ event features a 120-foot seafood court serving the freshest seafood from many of Highlands’ famous restaurants (as well as a land lubbers menu), a beer and wine garden, specialty vendors and crafters, live music, games and thrill rides, a clam-shucking competition, an all-you-can-eat clam contest, and more! Free admission & free parking!
18. Mill Demonstrations at Historic Walnford
Every Saturday & Sunday in August | 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Explore the grounds of Historic Walnford in Upper Freehold Township and see the 19th century gristmill in action! Village opens at 8:00am.
19. Free Tours of Reeves-Reed Arboretum
Every Saturday in August | 10:30pm & 1:30pm
Enjoy free, family-friendly guided tours of the Arboretum every Saturday. Tours begin at the Visitors Center. No reservations are required; and tours are on a first-come, first-served basis with a limit of 15 people per tour. Tours last approximately 30-45 minutes.
- Discover 1800’s Village Life at Millbrook Village
Every Saturday and Sunday in August | 10:00am – 4:00pm
Stroll at your leisure through Millbrook Village. Several buildings are open and staffed with rangers and volunteers demonstrating traditional skills and reminiscing about 1800’s life in the village. By 1875, Millbrook had reached a peak of 75 inhabitants and about nineteen major buildings. Today’s Millbrook Village does not replicate the Millbrook of 1832 or 1900. Rather, it evokes the feeling of countryside hamlets where most of the nation’s people lived until the end of the 19th century. Take a step back in time and see how things have (or haven’t) changed! https://www.nps.gov/dewa/planyourvisit/event-details.htm?event=D62E4C31-1DD8-B71B-0B28F75DA19875FD
- Nature & Wildlife Show at Cape May Convention Hall
Every Sunday in August | 7:30pm
Enjoy a free nature show for children with Steve Serwatka. Steve Serwatka is a self-supporting animal rehabilitation for the state of New Jersey. http://www.discovercapemaynj.com/events-tickets/calendar
- Picnic Day at the Tuplehaking Nature Center
August 6 2017 | 12:00pm – 03:00pm
Dust off those picnic baskets, pack a lunch, and enjoy a fun day of activities at the Tulpehaking Nature Center! Includes educational activities, family games, arts and crafts, and free Rita’s water ice (one per person)! Register at 609-888-3218.
- Ice Cream: Edible History! – Historic Walnford
August 6 2017 | 3:00pm
Work together in the shade of Historic Walnford’s ice house to crank and freeze several batches of this cold sweet treat. Indulge in history as you sample ice cream flavors made from historic recipes that still taste great today. https://www.monmouthcountyparks.com/page.aspx?ID=2541#activities
- National Lighthouse Day Celebration at Cape May Lighthouse
August 7 2017 | 9:00am – 2:00pm
Celebrate National Lighthouse Day at the Cape May Lighthouse! Make your own crafts, listen to songs of the sea, meet the lighthouse keepers, shop for nautical merchandise and more, all on the grounds of the Cape May Lighthouse. Free admission to the activities, separate admission to climb the lighthouse. Free admission to the grounds and activities; cost to climb lighthouse $8 adults, $5 children (ages 3-12). https://www.capemaymac.org/lighthouse-activities
- Salem County 4-H Fair
August 8-11 2017
Head on down to the Salem County 4-H Fair in Woodstown for some good old-fashioned family-friendly fun! Highlights of the fair include 4-H animal shows and exhibits, pig races, barrel racing, tractor pulls, an ice cream making contest, antique farm machinery exhibits, cattle sorting, the ladies’ skillet throw competition, a children’s pedal tractor pull, live musical entertainment, and fireworks! Free Admission / $10 for Parking (good all 4 days). http://www.thingstodonewjersey.com/event/salem-county-fair-nj–jersey/
- Somerset County 4-H Fair
August 9-11 2017 | 10:00am – 10:00pm
Head on out to the Somerset County 4-H Fair for good old free family fun! Live entertainment, wide variety of exhibits and animal shows, prizes, food for purchase and hands-on activities for kids! http://www.somersetcounty4h.org/fair/
- 41st Annual Ocean Township Italian Festival
August 9-13 2017
The 41st Annual Ocean Township Italian Festival features great food (including Italian delights such as sausage & peppers and zeppolis), rides, games, live music, a petting zoo, food-eating contests, Friday night fireworks, and more! Wednesday is discount ride night. Free admission. http://www.thingstodonewjersey.com/event/ocean-township-italian-festival-nj-new-jersey/?instance_id=35
- World Lion Day at the Cape May Zoo
August 10 2017 | Celebrate World Lion Day with lion-related activities and keeper talks at the Cape May Zoo. http://www.thingstodonewjersey.com/things-to-do-in-new-jersey-cape-may-zoo/
- Atlantic County 4-H Fair
August 10-12 2017
Looking for free family-friendly fun in Atlantic County NJ? Look no further! The 2017 Atlantic County 4-H Fair takes place this mont!. Bring the entire family to the fair to visit the horses, cows, goats, pigs, and poultry, as well as fun pets like rabbits, guinea pigs, snakes, reptiles, and other more exotic creatures! Take in the photography, model railroad, robotics, fine arts, and other home arts displays, and don’t miss the tractor exhibits! Other fun things to do at the Atlantic County Fair include rides, games, eating delicious fair food, and enjoying the awesome entertainment. Free Admission / $3.00 Parking.
- West End Cruise Night & Classic Car Show in Long Branch
August 12 2017 | 6:00pm – 10:00pm
Check out amazing classic cars and awesome live music by Good Vibrations and Ragdoll at the West End Park Band Shell in Long Branch! The Beach Boys & Frankie Valli Tributes will be together on stage for one night! Two super tributes…one Band! Rain or Shine! http://www.visitlongbranch.com/summer-concert-schedule
- Burlington City Festival of Lights
August 12 2017 | 3:00pm – 10:00pm
The Annual Burlington City Festival of Lights takes place on August 12th. Festivities begin with great food and merchandise vendors on the Promenade, as well as live music. Decorated and lighted boat parade on the Delaware River begin at 8 pm and the fun continues with fireworks at 9:30pm! Registration for the boat parade is free. Rain date: August 13th. http://www.thingstodonewjersey.com/event/burlington-city-festival-of-lights-nj-new-jersey-boat-parade/?instance_id=57
- Colonial Games at Morristown National Historical Park
August 12 2017 | 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Come on out to Morristown National Historical Park’s Wick House and have some old-fashioned fun as you take on the same games that the soldiers and the Wick Family played. Try your hand at nine-pins, quoits, trap-ball, nine-man morris, fox & geese, and other 18th century games.
- Passaic County Fair
August 17-20 2017
Come on out to the Passaic County Fair at Garret Mountain Reservation and enjoy the amusement rides, a car show, games, fireworks, crafters, live music, great food, a 5k race, pony rides, a beer/wine garden, county 4-H exhibits, health screenings, a boxing exhibition, chess tournament finals & more! Free admission; $5 parking fee. http://www.thingstodonewjersey.com/event/passaic-county-fair/
- Spend an Afternoon at the Bogs of Cloverdale Farm Park
August 18 & 25 2017 | 2:00pm – 3:00pm
Spend an afternoon exploring the cranberry bogs at Cloverdale Farm Park in Barnegat! Wear waterproof boots. Free, but pre-registration is required. http://www.co.ocean.nj.us//WebContentFiles//e2d2be16-beb3-4efc-98e2-51e07b306460.pdf
- Canal Day Music and Craft Festival
August 19 2017 | 10:00am – 5:00pm
Canal Day Music and Craft Festival in Wharton NJ is an old time country fair that celebrates the Morris Canal. The free, family-friendly festival features a craft show, great food, live music on two stages, guided Morris Canal walking tours, free kayaking and boat rides on the canal, the Wallaby Tails Traveling Zoo, blacksmith demonstrations, a Civil War encampment, pony and hay rides, fireworks, and much more! Free admission! Off-street parking available for $5. http://www.thingstodonewjersey.com/event/canal-day-music-and-craft-festival-wharton-nj/?instance_id=62
- Collingswood Crafts and Fine Arts Festival
August 19 & 2017 | 10:00am – 5:00pm
The Collingswood Crafts and Fine Arts Festival will present more than 160 crafters and fine artists as well as fun family art activities, delicious food, and fantastic live music. Free admission! http://www.thingstodonewjersey.com/event/collingswood-crafts-and-fine-arts-festival-nj-new-jersey/
- Newark Kids Rock Festival
August 20 2017 | 9:00am – 10:00pm
The Newark Kids Rock Festival is a free community festival which acknowledges and illustrates the creative efforts of the awesome youth of Newark NJ. The vision of Newark Kids Rock is to bring youth together and bring peace to the entire city of Newark. Not only will this event provide fun and safe recreation, but will cultivate a spirit of excitement in the city of Newark. Newark Kids Rock will take place in Lincoln Park and will feature a variety of carnival style games, contests, food, and entertainment. http://www.thingstodonewjersey.com/event/newark-kids-rock-festival-nj-new-jersey/?instance_id=65
- 37th Annual Glasstown Antique Fire Brigade Muster & Fire Fighter’s Family Day
August 20 2017 | 10:00am 4:00pm
WheatonArts and the Glasstown Antique Fire Brigade will host the 37th Annual Glasstown Antique Fire Brigade Muster & Fire Fighter’s Family Day at WheatonArts on August 20th. Over 80 antique fire trucks from the Mid-Atlantic States will be on display on the grounds. Highlights of the Fire Muster include a firefighter competition to show how firefighters use their training and skills to battle fires, a water barrel fights, and fighter-fighting demonstrations.
- Solar Eclipse Viewing Party at Sandy Hook
August 21 2017 | 1:00pm – 5:00pm
A solar eclipse happens when the moon completely blocks out the sun’s outer atmosphere called the corona. This is a rare event – the last solar eclipse visible in the continental United States was 1979 and the next will take place in 2024. Come on out to celebrate at Gateway National Recreation Area’s Sandy Hook History House No. 1 at Fort Hancock where park rangers and astronomers will show you how to safely enjoy the solar eclipse.
- Hunterdon County 4-H Fair
August 23-27 2017 | 10:00am – 10:00pm
The 2017 Hunterdon County 4-H Fair will features tons of fun things to do and see including antique tractor exhibits, livestock and pet exhibits and shows, live music and other live entertainment, tractor pulls, amusement rides, 4-H exhibits, free ice cream sundaes on Friday afternoon, fireworks, and lots more! Free Admission / $10 Parking. http://www.thingstodonewjersey.com/event/hunterdon-county-4-h-fair/?instance_id=100
- 15th Annual Atlantic City Air Show – Thunder Over the Boardwalk
August 23 2017 | 11:00am – 4:00pm
The 15th Annual Atlantic City Air Show – Thunder Over the Boardwalk is the largest free event on Atlantic City’s summer calendar, and the largest air show of its kind! This year’s spectacular show features the US Air Force Thunderbirds, the US Army Golden Knights elite parachute jump team, a US Customs & Border Patrol HH-60 & Fast Boat Demonstration, the GEICO Skytypers, US Navy and New Jersey State Police fly-bys, and some of the best aerobatic pilots in the country! http://www.thingstodonewjersey.com/event/atlantic-city-air-show-thunder-over-the-boardwalk/
- FoodStock Rahway
August 24, 2017 | 7:30pm – 9:30pm
FoodStock is an awesome night of fabulous music for a great cause – restocking the Rahway Food For Friends food pantry! The FoodStock Rahway Concert features Sugar Ray this year! It’s a fun and easy way to give back and combat hunger! This year’s goal is to collect 2500 pounds of food for Rahway Food For Friends. Please bring non-perishable and canned goods to the FoodStock collection booth. https://www.facebook.com/events/120856528538382/?acontext=%7B%22source%22%3A5%2C%22page_id_source%22%3A83583694593%2C%22action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22page%22%2C%22mechanism%22%3A%22main_list%22%2C%22extra_data%22%3A%22%7B%5C%22page_id%5C%22%3A83583694593%2C%5C%22tour_id%5C%22%3Anull%7D%22%7D]%2C%22has_source%22%3Atrue%7D
- Celebrate the Birthday of the National Parks Service with Free Admission!
August 25 2017
Celebrate the 101st birthday of the National Park Service with special activities and free admission to every National Park in New Jersey including Morristown National Historical Park, Gateway National Recreation Area, Thomas Edison National Historical Park, and Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park!
- Night of the Stars at Jakes Branch County Park
August 26 2017 | 8:00pm – 10:00pm
Spend the night under the stars with A.S.T.R.A (Astronomical Society of the Toms River Area) at Jakes Branch County Park in Beachwood. If you’re a budding astronomer or a stargazer, this night is for you. Volunteer members of the club will be on-site to share their out-of-this-world knowledge and answer your questions about the great unknown. Following the meeting, you may view the stars, planets and constellations through their telescopes. If you have your own telescope, feel free to bring it along. The club members will be happy to give you pointers on how to locate the planets and constellations. http://www.co.ocean.nj.us//WebContentFiles//e2d2be16-beb3-4efc-98e2-51e07b306460.pdf
- The Long Branch Jazz and Blues Festival
August 26 2017 | 1:00pm – 9:30pm
The Long Branch Jazz and Blues Festival will feature live music from six great jazz and blues bands, crafters, children’s activities, and fireworks. http://www.thingstodonewjersey.com/event/long-branch-jazz-blues-festival/?instance_id=68
- PetraPuppets Wacky Friends Go Back To School
August 26 2017 | Hourly Shows from 10:30am to 1:30pm
Steve Petra is getting his wacky puppet friends ready for school. Join Big Mouth Gus, Pedro the Gargling Piranha Fish, ANToinette, and Krusty the Stale Donut in the Center Court of Bergen Town Center for magic, music and fun. In partnership with BergenPac. http://bergentowncenter.com/Events.aspx
- Touch A Truck at Turkey Brook Park
August 26 2017 | 9:00am – 12:00pm
Head on out to Mount Olive’s Turkey Brook Park for Touch A Truck Day! Turn imagination into real life with a chance for kids to climb into, onto, and take pictures with lots of different kinds of trucks! https://mountoliverecreation.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/2017-touch-a-truck-invite-full-page-flyer.jpg
- Food Trucks and Fireworks in Mount Olive
August 26 2017 | 4:00pm – 10:00pm
Mount Olive’s Food Trucks and Fireworks Festival is a food lovers event featuring 25+ food trucks, live music, a beer garden, bounce houses for the kids, and fireworks at dusk! With a range from lobster bisque to mac n’ cheese and frozen cheesecake to fried oreos, there is sure to be something for everyone! Admission is free; parking is $5. https://rec.mountolivetownship.com/food-trucks-and-fireworks/
- Fort Hancock Bike Tour
August 27 2017 | 9:30am – 11:30am
Join a ranger on a guided bicycle tour of Gateway National Recreation Areas’s Historic Fort Hancok at Sandy Hook! The tour will highlight everything from batteries to beaches! Meet at Sandy Hook – Theater Parking Lot, Fort Hancock Historic Post. Bring helmet with bike. Call 732-872-5970 to make reservations. https://www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisit/event-details.htm?event=2492F0C3-1DD8-B71B-0B9BBD0AB511C812
- William Livingston Day at Liberty Hall Museum
August 31 2017 | 2:00pm – 4:00pm
Celebrate the 241st anniversary of William Livingston becoming New Jersey’s first elected Governor! Join us on the beautiful grounds of Liberty Hall Museum while we celebrate – colonial style! Learn about William Livingston and experience signing your name with a quill pen, colonial dancing & crafts, and much more. Light refreshments will be served. Reservations are required is space is limited, email libertyhall@kean.edu to reserve your spot. http://www.kean.edu/libertyhall/events/william-livingston-day-aug31
