Rides at Iplay America

Wondering what to do to keep that active toddler or preschooler busy?  Now is a great time to take your preschooler out on an adventure.  Many play places, theatres, and museums all have special offerings to appeal to the younger crowd. Another bonus is they aren’t as crowded because the older kids have all gone back to school.  We’ve compiled a list of 10 places worth the trip.

  1. Visit the Tot Spot, enjoy arts and crafts leaving the mess there, or explore one of the 50 fun exhibits at Imagine That Children’s Museum in Florham Park.
  2. The six-and-under audience will have a magical undersea learning experience playing in Monmouth Museum’s WonderWing located in Lincroft.  Children can explore a pirate ship, perform in a Tiki theater, climb a tree house, experience a kelp forest, slide down a whale slide, and listen to a moving waterfall.
  3. All About Fun in Matawan is filled with different themed rooms where your kids can rock out using drums, guitars and piano mats, tend to sick animals and pretend to be vet, or even join in their Let’s Pretend section with dress up options for both boys and girls.
  4. Head to the theatre for a kid friendly show at Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown.  Sesame Street Live on Sept 22, Clifford the Big Red Dog on Oct 11, and Curious George on Nov 1.
  5. Jenkinson’s Aquarium in Point Pleasant Beach is the perfect size for the smaller crowd.It can easily be done in a couple of hours.  Atlantic sharks, penguins, and seals give you the opportunity to get an up close look at the animals.  Another attraction, the touch tank, allows you to touch live animals ranging from a sea star to a sting ray!
  6. Check out the Meet and Greet Sing Along Adventure show with Thomas & Friends at iPlay America in Freehold.  There are 2 show times on Sept 19.  Don’t miss the opportunity to meet the Really Useful Engine and take a photo with him.  Join Thomas on a fun-filled, sing along adventure.
  7. Explore nature with areas designed for creative and imaginative play at the Camden Children’s Garden.  Admission is only $6.They have a beautiful butterfly house, storybook garden, dinosaur garden, and new spray ground area.  There is also a cute train ride, unique carousel, and spring butterfly ride for $2 each.
  8. Air Trampoline in Cliffwood offers a special one hour Toddler Time Jump Session on Fridays and Saturdays for ages 5 and under.  They can jump for only $10 and 1 parent jumps for free.
  9. Liberty Science Center in Jersey City has a special exhibit designed just for them.In I Explore, children ages 2 to 5 (with their grown-ups) learn about themselves and their world in a safe, stimulating and engaging interactive environment with lots of hands-on activities.  They offer daily We Explore programs from science experiments to story times just for them.  Best time to go is mid-afternoon during the week and early in the morning on the weekends to avoid the crowds.
  10. All Aboard! Founded in 1952, the New Jersey Museum of Transportation, Inc. is one of the oldest operating steam preservation railway exhibits located in Allaire State Park.  Come ride the train, bring a picnic, and stay to see Historic Village at Allaire afterwards.