50 Free Things To Do In New Jersey With Kids This May That You & Your Kids Will Love!
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 this May 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 NJ With Kids This May
1. Stone Harbor Spring Tide Festival
May 6 2017 | 11:00am – 5:00pm
Celebrating life on the water at the Stone Harbor Spring Tide Festival! The day will be filled with free sea-faring family activities, live music, and more!
2. Eco Fair at Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center
May 6 2017 | 10:00am – 5:00pm
Enjoy free nature walks, hands-on family crafts and activities, studio demonstrations, admission to Wheaton Arts exhibits, and exhibits showcasing home-grown native plants, herbs, and berries as well as a variety of handmade items from New Jersey artists and craftspeople.
3. Trail Hike Along Paulinskill Valley Trail
May 6 2017 | 10:00am
Hike a scenic and tranquil rail-trail while learning about the history of the railroads that used to transport passengers, agricultural products, and iron ore through Sussex and Warren County. Hike begins at Washington and Green Streets in Columbia, NJ.
4. Seashore Scientist at Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park
May 6 2017 | 11:00am – 12:00pm
Come out to Seven Presidents’ Activity Center and learn all about the ocean and its incredible properties! We’ll explore different aspects of oceanography through interactive discussions and hands-on experiments.
5. Secaucus Green Festival
May 6 2017 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
Get your green on at the Secaucus Green Festival! Enjoy eco arts and crafts, receive certified organic seedlings to plant in your garden, do some rock climbing, see the raptor and butterfly exhibits, go on a pony ride, take a ride on a pontoon boat, enjoy live music, and much more!
6. Discovery Hike at Kittatinny Valley State Park
May 6 2017 | 11:00am – 12:00pm
Explore the trails and observe the plants and animals of Kittatinny Valley State Park on a 2-mile naturalist-guided hike. Pre-registration required (973-786-6445).
7. People’s Choice Antique Car & Vehicle Display
May 6 2017 | 10:00am – 3:00pm.
See fabulous antique cars and other vehicles at the Poricy Park People’s Choice Antique Car & Vehicle Display! Vote for your favorite car! New car dealers will also have new cars on display.
8. Celebrate Free Comic Book Day!
May 6 2017
On National Free Comic Book Day, over 50 participating New Jersey comic book stores will give out free comic books!
9. Hike the Delaware & Raritan Canal Towpath
May 6 2017 | 10:00am
Enjoy a casual 3.2-mile walk on the Delaware & Raritan towpath between Lock 11 in South Bound Brook and Demott Lane. Meet at Lock 11 parking lot in South Bound Brook. We will enjoy conversation in English and Spanish as we identify various wildlife and vegetation. Wear sturdy shoes, dress appropriately, and bring water. Please RSVP.
10. Kids Kite Day at Princeton Battlefield State Park
May 6 2017 | 10:00am – 3:30pm
Come on out to the Clarke House at Princeton Battlefield for Kids Kite Day! Ben Franklin will be on hand to explain kites in 18th century America. The first 200 children, ages 8 to 12 will receive a free kite to fly.
11. Smithville Renaissance Faire
May 6 & 7 2017 | 10:00am – 6:00pm
Free admission
Enjoy fun for the whole family including comedy, tragedy, sword fighting, song and dance, knights, jesters and so much more at the Smithville Renaissance Faire.
12. NBC 4 / Telemundo 47 Health & Fitness Expo
May 6 & 7 2017 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
Meet New York Giants Justin Pugh and Matt Herzlich, as well as NBC 4 New York and Telemundo 47 news personalities! Visitors will have an opportunity to get the full Giants Experience, meaning they can walk onto the real field where Giants play, kick a field goal, catch a touchdown pass, go into the locker room, and meet some of their favorite Giants players! Step in front of the News 4 green screen to give your own weather report! Enjoy zip lining and rock climbing! Get health sceenings, participate in large scale fitness classes, watch and learn from celebrity chefs as they demonstrate healthy cooking, and participate in the Zen in the Zone mega-yoga event in which hundreds of yogis takeover the field !
13. World War One Living History Weekend
at Fort Mott State Park
May 6 & 7 2017 | 10:00am – 5:00pm
Step back in time to World War 1 (1914-1918) and “meet” the men and women who lived through it courtesy of uniformed re-enactors, displays, demonstrations and special tours of the fortifications. See many impressions of soldiers, sailors, home front and aid groups from the Great War era.
14. Explore History at “A Weekend In Old Monmouth”
May 6 & 7, 2017 | 10:00pm – 5:00pm
Explore up to 48 historic sites throughout Monmouth County free of charge during the annual “Weekend In Old Monmouth” celebration. Visitors can see the tour sites in any order and pick up the tour book and map at their first stop.
15. “Welcome Spring” at Hopper-Goetschius House
May 7 2017 | 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Children are invited to join in the Maypole Dance and make crafts in the barn. A Civil War re-enactor will set up a tent and display Civil War items. The museum will be open for tours. Demonstrations will include lace making and spinning on the Great Wheel, the large wheel used for wool. Try your hand at carding wool.
16. Ramsey Street Fair
May 7 2017 | 10:00am – 5:00pm
The very first Ramsey Street Fair will feature all kinds of fun things to do for all ages including kiddie rides, pony rides, petting zoo, trackless train ride, clowns, face painting, sand art, temporary tattoos, Gaga games, free video game play, delicious food from local eateries and food trucks, shopping with over 100 exhibitors and local merchants, live music, and much more!
17. Victorian Times at Smithville Park
May 7 2017 | 12:00pm – 4:00pm
Travel back in time and join the Friends of the Mansion at Smithville for an afternoon of Victorian activities in the park. Experience and play a variety of games that Hezekiah B. Smith and his wife Agnes Gilkerson Smith may have enjoyed while residing at Smithville in the 1800s along with enjoying live music and festivities from the Victorian Era. Enjoy games and crafts, horse and carriage rides, strolling performers, and more!
18. 19th Century Baseball Game at Ringwood State Park
May 7 2017 | 11:00am
Come on out to Ringwood State Park (Lot B) and watch the Flemington Neshanocks and the Hoboken Nine baseball clubs play according to rules from 1873 using period equipment and wearing period uniforms. Bring your lawn chair and a picnic lunch and spend the day cheering on your favorite teams. A fun event for the whole family!
19. Celebrate National Public Gardens Day
May 12 2017
Enjoy the beauty of the garden at one of the many public gardens in New Jersey!
20. Hoboken Irish Festival
May 13 2017 | 12:00pm – 6:00pm
The Hoboken Irish Festival features Irish music & step dancing, food, crafts, rides, games, petting zoo, pony rides, face painting, a beer garden, hurling games & demos, an Irish Soda Bread Contest and more. Musical performances by: Gold N’ Brown, McClean Ave. Band, Colin Nisbet, Garden St. Irish Step Dancers & Emerald Fire, Aherne Sheehan School of Irish Dance, Kerri Smith Academy of Irish Dance and more.
21. Smithville Children’s Festival
May 13 2017
Gather the family and head to Historic Smithville Village for a day full of family fun and activities for all ages! The Atlantic City Aquarium will be at the Village with a touch tank. There will be lots of fun things to do for the kids including puppet shows, games, princess meet and greets, presentations by the Academy of Natural Science, storytelling, music, dance, yoga activities, face painting, train rides, and much more!
22. 19th Annual Buffalo Watch Fundraiser Open House
May 13 2017 | 9:00am – 5:00pm
Buffalo still roam the range at the Readington River Buffalo Farm, an historic, maintained working farm preserve! Get a rare up close and personal view of bison and their newborn calves at the 19th Annual Buffalo Watch Fundraiser Open House! Enjoy farm tours, two live bands, displays and reenactments, blacksmith demonstration, live wild west cowboy shows, native American Indian and civil war encampments, pony rides, antiquers and crafters, face painters, hay wagon rides, and more.
23. “Hooray for May!” at Center for Contemporary Art
May 13 2017 | 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Enjoy a fun and interactive day of making art as a family at the Center for Contemporary Art in Bedminster NJ. A variety of hands-on art activities for kids of all ages and parents alike will take place in The Center’s three art studios and in the outdoor pavilion, and include a variety of creative projects to keep or give on Mother’s Day. Rounding out the afternoon will be family-friendly guided gallery tours of The Center’s current exhibitions, a community art project, and much more! Light refreshments will be available. A “swag bag” with a limited edition t-shirt will be given out to the first fifty children in the door!
24. Family Fun Day at Irvington Park
May 13 2017 | 11:00am – 4:00pm
Head out to Irvington Park and enjoy a free, family-friendly day of arts and crafts, a petting farm, entertainment, a fishing derby, music DJ, gospel choirs, live performances, Irvington public schools performance, free raffles/prizes, kiddie train rides, healthcare information, health screenings and much more!
25. Spirit of the Jerseys State History Fair
May 13 2017 | 11:00am – 5:00pm
The Spirit of the Jerseys State History Fair is a FREE (and super FUN!), award-winning festival that allows visitors to experience five centuries of New Jersey’s history all in one place and features fun, interactive activities for visitors of all ages. Come on out to Monmouth Battlefield State Park and “meet” Benjamin Franklin, Harriet Tubman, Walt Whitman, Woodrow Wilson, Alice Paul, Molly Pitcher, and many other famous Americans. Many favorite activities will return including 19th century baseball, plowing demonstrations, period music, and historical figures from NJ’s past. Free admission; Suggested parking donation of $10 per vehicle.
26. Enjoy the Lilac Garden Splendor
at Ringwood State Park
May 13 & 14 2017 | 12:00pm – 4:00pm
The New Jersey Botanical Garden’s Lilac Garden is a large collection of these sweet-scented and prolific spring beauties, in the peak of bloom this time of year. Members of NJBG’s Lilac team will be in this part of the Garden to answer any questions you might have.
27. Walking Tour at Monmouth Battlefield State Park
May 14 2017 | 1:30pm
Come on out to Monmouth Battlefield State Park for a guided walking tour where you’ll learn about “The Fight at the Point of Woods.” Meet at the Visitor Center.
28. Stream Stomp at Washington Crossing State Park
May 14 2017 | 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Take a wet hike through the park’s Steele Run in search of salamanders, frogs, fish and a variety of aquatic invertebrates. Wear old sneakers or water shoes and be prepared to get wet at least up to the knees! Meet at the Nature Center.
29. Climb Time at Dorbrook Recreation Area
May 14 2017 | 12:00pm – 4:00pm
Try out the Monmouth County Park System’s 25’ portable climbing wall at Dorbrook Recreation Area in Colts Neck! This is a great opportunity to experience the sport of rock climbing close to home. Climbers must be 42” or taller and age 8 or older (under 18 with adult).
30. Spring Festival at Allaire State Park
May 20 2017 | 11:00am – 4:00pm
Celebrate Spring at the Historic Village at Allaire State Park! For this one day a year, the Beehive Baking Oven is busy baking bread and pies. The Bog Iron Boys will be playing 1836 and 1864 style baseball. No glove and much more fun! There will be historic craft demonstrations including hearth cooking, blacksmithing, carpentry, and much more!
31. New Jersey Armed Forces Day Festival
May 20 2017
Head out to Liberty State Park and enjoy a spectacular view of Lady Liberty and the Hudson River skylinewhile honoring those who serve in the Armed Forces. Along with military displays and demonstrations represented by every branch of our nation’s armed forces, there will be music, food, and vendors. The festival will include displays of helicopters, a V-22 Osprey, and armored vehicles, as well as military demonstrations by every branch of the armed forces and performances by the 63rd Army Band and The United States Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon and Drum and Bugle Corps. Prior to the start of the festival, the Special Forces Association Parachute Team will present our nation’s colors.
32. Ocean Fun Days at Island Beach State Park
May 20 2017 | 11:00am – 3:00pm
Come to the 14th annual Ocean Fun Days and celebrate waves of ocean discovery! Enjoy exhibits, classes, nature tours, and children’s activities all about our coastal environment. You’ll have a great time learning the science of our shorelines and how to care for them for years to come! Activities include seining, coastal crafts, an energy-saving scavenger hunt, youth fishing clinics, face painting, touch tanks, a student science fair competition and the NJSGC’s famous fiddler crab races. Project Terrapin will also release of diamondback terrapins hatchlings, a fun treat for the entire family!
33. Family Garden Party at Presby Memorial Iris Gardens
May 20 2017 | 11:00am – 3:00pm
Enjoy at day in the garden taking in thousands of spectacular iris blooms of the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens! The day will include entertainment, crafts, face painting, booths from local organizations such as the Essex County Environmental Center and Master Gardeners, and various food trucks. A student art exhibit will also be featured. Rain date: May 21.
34. Ladies Slippers & Laurel Pinelands Hike
May 20 2017 | 10:30am
Enjoy a guided hike through scenic Wharton State Forest while enjoying the spring blooms of native Ladies Slippers and Mountain Laurel. Bring water and snacks. Batsto Historic Village. 2 – 4 miles. For information, call (609) 567-4559.
35. Astronomy Presentation and Star Watch
May 20 2017 | 8:00pm – 10:30pm
Come on out to Batsto Village and see the stars while you participate in an Astronomy Presentation and Star Watch led by the Willingboro Astronomical Society. For more information call, (609) 567-4559.
36. Dig Into Art at Salem County’s Arts In Bloom
May 20 & 21 2017
Enjoy a variety of free family art activities including sculpture, painting, mosaics, and more at six different locations throughout Salem County NJ.
37. Point Pleasant Beach Off Shore Grand Prix Festival
May 20 & 21 2017
Enjoy a weekend of fast boats and get a chance to meet the racers at the Point Pleasant Beach Off Shore Grand Prix Festival!
38. Walnford Day
May 21 2017 | 11:00am – 5:00pm
Enjoy a day of historic family fun for everyone at Historic Walnford! Participate in hands-on historical activities, view woodworking & blacksmith demonstrations, see a working gristmill, explore the 1773 Waln House, play fun games, and see a display of antique fire equipment from the New Jersey Fire Museum collection!
39. Ocean Fun Days at Gateway National Recreation Area
May 21 2017 | 11:00am – 3:00pm
Come to the 14th Annual Ocean Fun Days at Gateway National Recreation Area’s Sandy Hook and celebrate waves of ocean discovery! Enjoy exhibits, classes, nature tours, and children’s activities all about our coastal environment. You’ll have a great time learning the science of our shorelines and how to care for them for years to come! Activities include seining, coastal crafts, an energy-saving scavenger hunt, youth fishing clinics, face painting, touch tanks, a student science fair competition and the NJSGC’s famous fiddler crab races. Project Terrapin will also release of diamondback terrapins hatchlings, a fun treat for the entire family!
40. Family Woodland Hike at Ringwood State Park
May 21 2017 | 1:00pm
Join NJBG hike leaders on an easy, child-friendly hike in the New Jersey Botanical Garden’s woodlands. Learn a bit about the plants, animals and geology around you on a hike designed to fit the group. We suggest wearing sturdy shoes, dressing for the weather conditions, and bringing bug spray and sun block, if needed. Meet at the Carriage House. Rain cancels.
41. Walt Whitman Birthday Celebration
May 23 2017 | 5:00pm
Celebrate the Poet’s 198th birthday at the Walt Whitman State Historic Site. The ceremony will include readings from the winners of the Walt Whitman Association’s Annual High School Poetry Contest. Poetry contests theme and guest speaker to be announced.
42. Public Skywatch at Belleplain State Forest
May 26 2017 | 7:30pm
Discover the night sky with the experts from the South Jersey Astronomy Club. Meet at the Athletic Field near Lake Nummy. Back up date: May 27th.
43. International Kite Festival in the Wildwoods
May 26 – 29 2017
Bring the family to the Wildwoods and see the largest kite festival in North America featuring kite makers from around the world flying their most incredible colorful creations! Festival kicks off on Friday at 12 noon with the ‘Unlocking of the Ocean’ ceremony on the beach next to the Wildwoods Convention Center. Festivities follow with the opening of the kite sales tent and the illuminated kite fly (Friday at 9pm). Saturday and Sunday include the East Coast Stunt Kite Championships on the beach (begins at 9am), as well as kite workshops and family games. Monday (Memorial Day) will feature the World Indoor Kite Competition inside the Wildwoods Convention Center from 11am until 12:30pm where kite fliers will showcase their impressive ability to fly a kite without wind!
44. Soldier’s Encampment at Princeton Battlefield
May 27 2017 | Noon to 4 p.m.
Join the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment for Living History Programs and Historical Interpretation of the Battle of Princeton. Activities will include Continental musket drills (young patriots ages 6 to 12 will have the opportunity to drill and march as Continental soldiers), demonstration and firing of reproduction colonial era muskets, cannon demonstrations, fire pit cooking and camp life demonstrations, fife and drum music, tours, and historic interpretations of the Battle of Princeton at 1pm and 3pm.
45. Astronomy Presentation & Telescope Viewing at
The Paul Robinson Observatory
May 27 20147 | 8:30pm – 10:30pm
Come on out to the Paul Robinson Observatory at Voorhees State Park for an expert presentation by a member of the New Jersey Astronomical Society, then observe the night sky using the Observatory’s telescopes.
46. The Woods Aren’t Scary –
Round Valley Recreation Area
May 27 2017 | 10:00am – 12:00pm
New to the woods? Start the season with a hike on the Cushetunk Trail. We will learn how to be safe and comfortable in the woods and do a bit of bushwhacking (off trail hiking). Kids will learn what to do to avoid getting lost, and what to do if lost. Program free with park entrance fee ($10 for NJ residents). Pre-registration recommended (908-236-6355). Meet at South Parking Lot.
47. Family Nature Walk at Washington Crossing State Park
May 28 2017 | 1:30pm – 2:30pm
Join a park naturalist for an informal guided trail walk in the state park for all ages. Free with park entrance fee ($5 for NJ residents). Meet at Nature Center.
48. Enjoy Nature Crafts at Belleplain State Forest
Every Saturday and Sunday in May | 1:00pm – 3:30pm
Come on out to Belleplain’s picnic area at Lake Nummy and enjoy family friendly nature crafts.
49. Explore the Natural Beauty of Cape May Point
May 6 2017 @ 2:00pm
May 13 2017 @ 9:00am & 2:00pm
May 20 2017 @ 9:00am & 2:00pm
May 27 2017 @ 9:00am & 2:00pm
May 28 2017 @ 9:00am & 2:00pm
May 29 2017 @ 9:00am
Enjoy a guided nature walk exploring the natural beauty of Cape May Point State Park led by a park naturalist.
50. Tuesday Tykes at Spruce Run Recreation Area
Every Tuesday in May | 10:00am – 11:00am
Get to know Spruce Run Recreation Area while taking a walk in the great outdoors. Each week focuses on a different nature topic. Children will use their five senses to learn about trees, leaves, birds, animal tracks and more. Dress to be outdoors. For children ages 3-6 with an adult. Pre-registration required (908-638-8572); spaces are limited. Meet in Tower lot.
Do you know of a event that we should include in future editions of Free Things To Do In New Jersey With Kids? Contact us and let us know about it!
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