New Fall Kids Programs at the Morris County Library

Another great lineup from the Morris County, library!

Infant and Toddler Storytime-Birth to 2 years
Fridays, September 6 and 27, October 11, November 1 and 22, December 6 and 20
10:00 AM
No registration required

Preschool Story Time Ages-2-5
Tuesdays, September 24 - October 29, 10:00 AM Or Thursdays, September 26 - October 31, 10:00 AM
Registration required.

Music with Mr. Darren Ages-2-5
Tuesdays, September 24- October 29
10:30 AM-11:00 AM
Registration required.

Preschool Afternoon Stories-Ages 2-5
Tuesdays, September 10, October 8, November 12, December 10
2:00-2:30 PM
No registration required

Family Story Time-All Ages
Saturdays, September 7 & 28, October 12 & 26, November 9, December 7
2:30-3:00 PM
Registration required.

Family Story Crafts- Ages 3 and Up
Saturdays, September 7 & 28, October 12 & 26, November 9, December 7 3:00-3:30 PM
Registration required.

Craft Nights-Ages 5 and up 
Tuesdays, September 17, October 15, November 19, December 17, 7:00-7:30 PM
Registration required.

Night Time Rhyme Time-All Ages
Mondays, September 16 & 30, October 7 & 21, November 4 & 18, December 9 6:30-7:00 PM
Registration required.

Paws For Reading-Grades 1-7
Mondays, September 23, October 28, November 25, December 16 7:00 - 8:00 PM
Registration required.

Writing Workshop- Grades 4-6
Saturdays, September 21, October 5 and 19, November 2 and 16, December 14 10:00 AM- 11:00 AM
Registration required.

Here is the full flyer from the Morris County Library.

Some free Halloween crafts online:

My 4-year-old has been begging to make masks. Here's one you can print, cut and color from Chuck E. Cheese's: Mouse Mask.

Spooky Halloween cutouts to decorate with, from Country Living Mazazine.

Here is a really fun pasta skeleton idea from Martha Stewart!

And, finally some cute egg carton bats from Enchanted Learning.

Roundup: Halloween 2012 Events in Morris County

I will update cancellations due to hurricane Sandy as I hear about them. Please ensure you call and check before attending any events, as the weather is both unprecedented and unpredictable.

If you're looking for Halloween fun for kids, here's what's going on in and around Morris County:

Friday, 10/26

• Halloween Happenings (County College of Morris Student Center, Randolph). 4pm-6pm. T
• rick-or-treating, stories and song. Free. Suitable for grammar school students.
• Boo Zoo (Van Saun Park, River Edge). 6pm-9:30pm. Trick-or-Treating, storytelling, train ride. $5pp ages 2 & up.
• ImagineThat's Spookatacular (Florham Park), 5pm-8pm. Food, pumpkins, crafts, games, outdoor maze and prizes. Costumes encouraged. Children $13.99. Adults $10.99. Pay at the door, seats are not guaranteed. Pricing is $14.99/child and $11.99/adult. 
• Kid-Netic's Funtastic Halloween Party (Montville), 5pm-8pm.  Games, crafts, dinner and a Halloween costume parade. $18 for one child $15 for Siblings. Adults free.
• Too Cute to Spook @ NJ Children's Museum (Paramus), starts at 5pm. Trick-or-Treating, pumpkin decorating, hand and face painting and a costume contest. People can sign up for pizza dinner sessions starting at 5:30 pm, 6 pm, 6:30 pm & 7 pm. Purchase tickets online for $17.99 per person.
• Halloween Bash (Mennen Arena). 8pm-10pm. 
• Music, lights and games.P
• rizes such as lava lamps, t-shirts and more! Come dressed in costume and increase your chances to win a prize. 
• $7pp/
• Skate Rentals $3.50.

Saturday 10/27

• Kidgits Club Monster Mash (Willowbrook Mall, Wayne), 11am-2pm. Activities, games, music and a children’s costume contest with prizes. Free.
• Giggles (Rockaway, NJ). 4pm-8pm. Games, face painting, trick or treat with characters, ride ticket and a goodie bag. Come in costume. $10.95/child.
• No Tricks, Just Treats (Morris Museum, Morristown),  10am-2pm. Kids in costume will be able to trick-or-treat through the galleries, paint a pumpkin or make a boo-tiful bracelet and other Halloween crafts. $7/child and $10/adult. Museum members free.
• Trail Trails (Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center, Chatham Township). Begins 5:30pm. Silly, slightly spooky, nature-themed and Native American storytelling, designed to by enjoyed by everyone! Walk is for ages 4 and up. $5 per person. Call 973-635-6629; must register.
• Haunted Hallo-Wharton. (Hugh Force Canal Park, 180 West Central Ave, Wharton)4pm-10pm. Costume parade and contest for people and pets. Trick-or-treating, arts and crafts, a haunted house, jack-o-lantern float, and more. Scarecrows displayed on Main Street during and after the festival. Free.
• A Miller's Halloween (Cooper Gristmill, Chester). 1pm-3pm. Storytelling; children create corn husk dolls, color pumpkins, and play old time games. Be alert for spooks, spiders, skeletons, and surprises! Free, but donations appreciated.
• Museum of Early Trades and Crafts (Madison), 1pm-3pm. Halloween games and crafts. $5 for adults, $3 for kids 6 and up. kids under 6 free. 
• Liberty Science Center (Jersey City), 12pm-1pm. Costume contest and parade. The grand prize is a free birthday party at the museum. For kids up to age 12. Details here. $13 adults, $11 children.
• The Monsters' Monster, (Barnes & Noble, Livingston). 11am-12pm. Storytime for kids featuring scary monster stories. Includes small craft. Free.
• Haunted Denville Tours, (Denville Museum). Begins at 7pm. Ages 16 and older only. October 28th will be reserved as a rain date but the tour will begin at 6:00 pm from the Denville Museum. Check message at 973-625-1165 by 2 pm day of the tour for update in case of bad weather. $5/person; $3/65 and older OR under 21 years-old.

Sunday 10/28

• Pumpkin Illumination (Vail Mansion reflecting pool, 110 South St., Morristown). Bring carved pumpkin. Storytelling, professional pumpkin carving, contest and much more. Check my calendar page for more details. Free.
• Funplex (East Hanover). Begins at 1pm. Come dressed in your costume to enter into a costume contest, Raffle and receive 20% off you wristband (must be in costume). Pricing here.
• Point Pleasant Halloween Parade (Pt. Pleasant, NJ). Line up starts at 11, Parade begins at noon. All ages, Pets, Groups, Motorized Floats, Pull Floats, Judging takes place at noon, trophies and participation ribbons for all.2nd largest parade in New Jersey. Free.
• RadioTheatre in "Ghost Stories!" (MPAC, Morristown). Begins at 7pm. Classic tales of ghostly fiction from W.W. Jacobs, Edgar Allen Poe, H.R. Wakefield and F. Marion Crawford, adapted by the award-winning, critically acclaimed RadioTheatre. Tickets $12-20 via MayoArts.
• Morris K9 Campus Fall Festival.(Morris K9Campus, Randolph). 12pm-4pm. Participate in canine costume parade, interactive doggie demos, shopping, adoptions, caricatures, refreshments and more! Please bring donation of dog or cat food for shelters. Free.
• Historic Halloween Fun (Fosterfields Farm, Morris Township) 1pm-3:30pm. Revisit how Halloween was once celebrated in the 20th century. Decorate Halloween cookies, play games, and enjoy a scavenger hunt around the farm. Adults, $6; seniors, $5; children 4 - 16, $4; children 2 - 3, $2; children under 2, free.
• Historic Haunting (Historic Speedwell, 333 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown). 12pm-4pm.  Listen to ghost stories and participate inHalloween fun and games. Prizes awarded to winners. Children come in costume and participate in costume contest. $10 Adults, $8 Seniors, $6 Children (4-16 years-old).

Wednesday 10/31

• Kidgits® Halloween Party with Radio Disney (Livingston Mall), 3pm-5pm. Wear costumes. Bounce house, craft, spin wheel prizes, and more.Trick-or-Treat Bag. Free.

More details can be found on the calendar page!

I'm back....Trick Or Treating at NJ Malls

I'm back, after a very long break! There are so many fun Halloween events coming up that I couldn't resist and have been busy updating the calendar page.

For those who prefer the comfort of indoor trick-or-treating, I noticed NJ101.5 radio posted a nice page about what's going on at local malls.

Here's a quick rundown of Morris County malls:

• Livingston: 10/31 from 10am-9pm at participating stores. Details here.
• Rockaway: 10/31 from 4pm-until supplies last.
• Willowbrook: No trick-or-treating, but they are having a Monster Dance Party for little kids on 10/27 from 11am-2pm. Details here.

More details and a full list of NJ malls can be found on NJ101.5's website here.

Holiday Happenings in Morris County for This Week

Monday/Tuesday: Check out the free holiday lights music show (every 20 minutes from 6pm-9pm) at the Papermill Playhouse in Millburn. See my blog post for more info, including a video. Also enjoy a craft show, free photos with Santa, free music concerts and hot cocoa and warm cider.

Wednesday: 10am-8pm visit the Birchwood Manor in Whippany to see over 100 exhibitors displaying holiday arts and crafts for your Christmas shopping pleasure. Admission $3.

Thursday: It's not too late to buy tickets to see Jingle Bell Rock with Eddie Money, Lou Gramm and Mickey Thomas perform at the Mayo Arts Center in Morristown. Tickets start at $47 and you can buy them here.

Friday: The free holiday light show at the Turtleback Zoo is up and running between 5 and 9 pm. Over 100,000 bulbs to make the zoo merry and bright.

Always check out Morris County Mom's Kids' Calendar to see what's going on and stay tuned for a new blog post towards the end of the week with the weekend's holiday happening lineup.

Free Kids Christmas Train Ride Around the Morristown Green

For a complete list of Morris County Christmas Events don't miss my calendar page *click here*!

Tonight around 6 pm, we headed out shopping, but first I decided to take a quick detour to the Morristown Green.

I will post pictures when I can, but rest assured that the Green was all glammed up, with lights, ornaments and a huge tree with large glistening poinsettia ornaments. My toddlers had fun skipping along the many paths around the green and running in the open grassy areas.

There are a number of scheduled activities that you can read about here, among which are ice sculpting, whcih we enjoyed checking out.

The train is a small, electric train that parents can also hop on with the kids. It's totally free and runs on the weekends through Dec. 18. You get two laps around the Green per ride. Both my little ones loved it.

Next to the train stop is Santa's house, where you can visit Santa and have a photo taken ($10) and receive a free goody bag.

For all times and schedules, check out my calendar page!

Free Holiday Lights Spectacular at Papermill Playhouse in Millburn

This looks really cool. I'm thinking that some night after dinner when it's a little boring, we could take a ride and go check out the light show.





Holiday lights run every 20 minutes between 6pm and 9 pm from now through Dec. 24 (closing day). 


From Wed-Sun each week they are having the play Irving Berlin's White Christmas, therefore, parking is restricted to patrons on those days. If you're just going to check out the lights, the days to go are Monday & Tuesday.


In addition to the lights on Mondays and Tuesdays, you will discover:

• A holiday shopping bazaars in the lobby/art gallery from 6pm-9pm
• FREE photos with Santa in the FM Kirby Carriage House
• A variety of different performers performing free holiday concerts at 6 pm and sometimes at 7:30pm. To see the actual performers go here.
• In addition, they have a restaurant, the Carriage House onsite, which offers guests free hot cocoa and warm apple cider on Mondays/Tuesdays.

Christmas Is In the Air!

As soon as the Thanksgiving plates are cleared, the holiday events kick off in Morris County.

I hope you didn't miss the horsedrawn carriage rides, hot cider, live Christmas carolers and displays in downtown Denville yesterday. Even if you didn't make it, there are plenty of fun activities to get in the spirit this weekend:

Saturday
1 pm: the Boonton holiday parade kicks off at 1 pm. Hang out by Santaland (across the street from GraceLord Park) to enjoy a small petting zoo, free cookies and beverages and pony & train rides. And, a visit from the big guy himself.
5 pm (through 9 pm): Free holiday lights show at the Turtleback Zoo

Sunday
1 pm (through 7 pm): Kids can take a free ride on a small train around the Morristown Green.
1 pm: Free filled Christmas mint making candy demo at AC Moore stores.
1:30 pm: Mooseltoe the musical is on at the Community Theatre in Morristown. It's about a moose that wants to fly with Santa's reindeer. You can buy tickets here.
2 pm: Denville's holiday parade begins at 2 pm. After the parade Santa will resume his rightful position within Santaland the lights will officially go on!
5 pm (through 9 pm): Free holiday lights show at the Turtleback Zoo

For more details, be sure to check out the calendar page on my blog! Happy holiday happening hopping!

Soooo Many Morris County Kid Events This Weekend

These all sound so fun, I don't even know where to begin this weekend. 

Check out the calendar page for the details (click on the event and more info drops down).

Friday

4:30pm-6:30pm Lake Parsippany Halloween party (open to the public)
5pm-8pm Halloween Night at ImagineThat! In Florham Park
6pm-8pm Family Night at KidNetic (not Halloween, but worth mentioning, just because it’s fun), Montville

Saturday

10am – noon Make A Scary T-Shirt @ Michael’s Crafts

1pm-4pm Halloween costume event @ AC Moore Crafts, includes parade and face painting

12:30pm-4:30pm Community Children’s Museum 2^nd Annual Halloween Spooktacular Fun Fest, MCIT Denville

4pm-10pm Haunted HalloWharton Festival, Wharton

Sunday

11:30-3:30pm Pawsitive Experience (dog Halloween party) prizes for best costume, Rockaway

1pm-2:30pm Pumpkin Decorating at Fosterfields, Morristown

Haunted House at the Willowbrook Mall (and Coupon!)

Phantasmal Haunt is located at the Willowbrook Mall, outside the Sears wing, by the Food Court. It's open now through October 31.


Their description states, "Phantasmal Haunt was inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Clive Barker, and Mary Shelly. Its creators are less prone to implement chainsaws for frights, but instead to weave an intricate web of dark delights aimed steal your sleep." 


From the looks of it, I'd say this is not for young kids. I hope to get there one day soon, after which I will post my review.


Here's a $1 off coupon for you!

Wed-Fri 4pm-10pm
Sat-Sun 12pm-10pm


Extended Holiday Hours: Halloween Week-Open Every Day
Mon-Fri 4pm-10pm
Sat-Sun 12pm-10pm
Halloween 12pm-10pm

$13.00 General Admission

Thursday Fun: Ice Skating, Story Time and a Haunted House

The events calendar is updated with lots of great things to do in and around Morris County.

To tantalize you with all of the great things you could be doing today (or any day of the week), here are 3 things that are fun, frightening and even one that's free.

What: Phantasmal Haunted House
Happenings: Billed as “an intricate web of dark delights,” this holiday haunt promises to send chills down your spine.
Where: Willowbrook Mall (outside Sears Wing, by Food Court)
Time: 4pm-10pm
Cost: $13 per person

What: Preschool Story Time
Happenings: Interactive stories that are age appropriate.
Where: Morris County Library (Children’s Wing)
Time: 10am-11am
Cost: Free

What: Ice Skating at Mennen Arena
Happenings: Open skate sessions have begun, time to lace up your skates!
Where: Mennen Arena
Time: 10am-noon or 3:30pm-5:30pm
Cost: $6 for admission, $3.50 for skate rentals

Run/Walk Music Festival in Denville this Weekend

Denville is having a 5K to support its efforts to restore the town after Hurricane Irene this Sunday from 9am-6pm called Denville Up and Running.


There will also be:


Live Music & Entertainment
• Denville Merchant Food/Retail Street Festival
• Denville Farmer’s Market
• Zumba
• Children’s Activities
• 50/50 Raffle
• Beer Tent 

Morris County 4H Fair July 21 - 24

The Fair will open Thursday from 5:00pm-9:30pm, Friday and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until 9:30 p.m., and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.


Pony rides, hay rides, a petting zoo, a model airplane demonstration, clown acts, watermelon eating and cake decorating contests, dress-a-pet contest, a children’s pet show and, of course, amusement rides.


The North Jersey Siberian Husky Club is offering AKC Canine Good Citizen testing for any dog on Saturday afternoon for a fee of $10. You can register you dogs at the Dog Tent. Please note that all dogs must be on a 6-foot leash. Retractable leashes are not allowed in the park.


There is no admission fee to the Fair; however a $5 parking donation is requested. After 6 p.m. Saturday, parking for the Fireworks display will be $10, and will include free 3-D Fireworks Glasses.




View Larger Map

July 10th and 17th Ride the Historic Whippany Caboose Trains

Ride the Caboose Trains in July     Buy Advance Tickets Online  The July dates will be the last two rides departing from Whippany until September.

Don't Miss the Train!               Friend of the Whippany Railway Museum: The  Caboose Trains depart  SUNDAYS  July 10 & 17 from the Whippany Railway Museum in Morris County, New Jersey. Spend a relaxing day with  Family and Friends for an old fashioned train ride through Morris & Essex Counties.  Ride in the cupola or sit in the bay window for unique views of the train and the route it travels along the Whippanong Trail. This will be the last day for Caboose Rides until  September 11th & 18th. Not just for kids, the Caboose Train Rides recall a simpler era when trains were the method of travel for millions and it seemed like everyone you knew worked as a Railroader. Trains depart from Whippany at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00 PM Get Your Guaranteed Tickets Ahead Of Time! The trains have been selling out pretty quickly. Buy your tickets on line and don't wait for the day of the rides.  Online Ticket Sales Close at 11:59 PM on THURSDAY Before the Rides

Elmo @ Kid-netic on Friday, May 20

Special Elmo evening at Kidnetic in Montville (2 Changebridge Rd) Activities for Dinner with Elmo: Open Play Music Dinner with Elmo!

Structured Play & Games Decorate an Elmo Cupcake Lots of Fun !!!

Details: 5 pm - 8 pm $20 for first child $16 per sibling Dinner: choice of pizza or hot dog. Food for parents is also available to purchase.

To Reserve a Place Call: 973-331 9001 or Email:reservations@kidneticnj.com

Calendar!!!!

Click the calendar tab above to see lots of kid-friendly happenings in the Morris County area!  I update it regularly.  Click on the actual events for more details - address, cost, etc.

Easter Train

I haven't found a kid in the under five set yet who didn't love trains. My daughter is obsessed with them - she loves to watch Thomas on TV and, while not intellectually stimulating, I don't find it as annoying as a lot of other cartoons.

Anyway, what could be better for the Easter season than the bunny riding on a train? The Whippany Railway Museum runs an Easter train on April 16, 17 and 23 @ 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm and 4 pm. The ride runs about 45 minutes and provides infinite amusements, including the train itself, staring out the windows, peeking over the seats at all the kids around you, being visited by the Bunny himself and having other Easter characters come around and hand you little trinkets.   The ride is free for lap-sitters, $8 for kids under 13 and $13 for those over 13.

Book online here.


Mom2Mom: While this isn't cheap, it's a great photo op, far less annoying than waiting in line to see the Bunny at the mall, because a) you're sitting b) he comes to you c) your kid most likely won't be grouchy because it's an all-around amusing/interesting outing.