Toms River Mom

While I was on the website for the Children’s Museum in Cherry Hill, NJ on this rainy sunday, I was looking into Membership info. I found out that if you get the Family and Friends Membership ($149.00 + tax) you get all of this:

Free general admission to the Garden State Discovery Museum for immediate family members for one year (children and their two adults)

A subscription to Discoveries, the Museum’s newsletter with articles of interest to members and a listing of all Museum events

10% discount on workshops, classes, and birthday parties

10% discount in the Discovermore Store

Discount savings on special events, concerts, performances and summer camps

plus free admission to nearly 150 museums around the country!

Free admission for up to four additional guests per visit-perfect for a grandparent or babysitter

A custom tile on the new “Family & Friends” mosaic wall at the Museum

15% discount in the Discovermore Store

Special members event

You can get your membership online here:

https://www.discoverymuseum.com/registration/membership_form.aspx

For full listing of participating museums, please visit the ACM website.

http://www.childrensmuseums.org/visit/reciprocal.htm

This is a FANTASTIC holiday gift for your kids or grandkids! Entry to museums is usually at least $10 per person, kids included. This will pay for itself in less than 3 – 4 visits, plus you can bring another family with you EVERY TIME you go. Or bring a babysitter, grandma, anyone!! There are 2 museums in New Jersey that use this program, but you can use it while visiting cousins, aunts/uncles, grandparents, friends and anyone else!

Please look in the Directory on TomsRiverMom.com for a comprehensive listing of childrens museums in the New Jersey area! If you go, send me pictures or an email and let me know how it was!

Head south to Storybook Land! It’s a theme park with Santa in mind.

Santa and Mrs. Clause arrive on November 14th – December 23rd…then he’s got some work to do!

Family Santa Super Saver Days – 50% off regular $20.95 plus tax Admission.
Tuesday, December 1st; Wednesday, December 2nd; Thursday, December 3rd.

Or head over for the Fantasy of Lights through December 30th!

Check website below for calendar, rates and events.

[mappress]

Looking for something to do with your little ones, but want to do something different! Check out JungleRRRific in Howell!

There’s a gym, toddler area, ride-ons and arcade games just to name a few things to keep your kids busy. They have art and dance classes, as well as birthday parties and summer camp!

And, its Owned and Operated by Comic Book color artist Barry Grossman.

Check the link below for information.

[mappress]

Sesame Place will be open on November 28th and 29th for our 2009 Holiday Party. Enjoy dry rides with your family and friends, character appearances throughout the day, Elmo’s World Live! Shows and more!

The price is $9.95 for anyone over 2 years old. That is a savings of $41!!! The park will be open from 10-4 on these days. They do allow you to bring food into the park as well. If you do, they do have restriction on how big the cooler can be.

I moved here early this Fall and am lucky enough to be a stay at home mom to my two daughters, ages 3 and 1. As I sat home during the first few days, I thought to myself…what on earth am I going to do with these kids every day?! So I asked friends, checked the internet, and went to all the parks I could find. But, now it’s COLD OUTSIDE! AHHH. What now??!!

So my search started again. Do I sign them up for a gym class? Dance? Art? But if I do, what do I do with the other one?? I don’t have a job so I can’t afford all of these classes!

So I checked the library. What a fantastic resource it has become for me. I have gone to craft and storytime at the Island Heights branch; gym, music and storytime at the Manchester branch; and 1-2-3 Grow With Me, storytime and toddler time at the Toms River Branch. So, needless to say, the people who work at the library are getting used to seeing our faces a few times a week, and we’re meeting some great friends.

In addition to this, the playrooms are GREAT in their own ways. Island heights is very small – so if you are not in the mood to chase a toddler … but want him to be able to color or do puzzles, this is the place for you. If you want more open space, with every book or movie around, go to the Toms River branch. And I am very impressed with the Manchester branch. This playroom is pretty secluded and there is a small entryway – which means the kids can’t hide. In the playroom are tons of books, a play kitchen and a good amount of toys, as well as a lot of puzzles and games. Manchester and Toms River have computers with kids games as well. I am still planning on going to the Brick and Beachwood branches to see how they are.

Parking: Manchester is free; Toms River is $.25 per hour upstairs; Island Heights is free.

Check the website for the library and check all of the classes available, you’ll be surprised!

This is the experience of a New Jersey corn maze and it’s a great, old-fashioned way to have family fun!

Corn mazes have been around for a long time, but have become increasingly more complex. Seen from the air, they can appear as anything from the logo of a favorite sports team to a whole fantasy picture. Planning the maze is an art itself, as the farmer has to map out the picture on the ground and choose a strong-stalked variety of corn to make it all come to life. There are companies who will professionally design mazes, too.

New Jersey Farm Mazes:
(Listed in alpabetical order by town name)

Springdale Farms
1638 S. Springdale Rd
Cherry Hill, NJ 8003
856-424-8674

Stony Hill Farm Market
8 Rt 24
Chester, NJ 7930
908-879-2908

Argos Farm
1250 Lacey Road
Forked River, NJ 8731
609-693-3513

Von Thun Farms
519 Ridge Road
Monmouth Junction, NJ 8852
732-329-8656

Wightman Farms
1111 Mt Kemble Ave
Morristown, NJ 7960
973-425-1727

Creamy Acres Farms LLC
448 Lincoln Mill Road
Mullica Hill, NJ 8062
856-223-1669

Delaware River Railroad Excursions Corn Maze
100 Elizabeth Street
Phillipsburg, NJ 8865
908-454-4433

Crazy Train Maze
105 John Ringo Road
Ringoes, NJ 8551
908-782-6622

Horse Sleigh Farm
438 Route 57 West
Washington Township, NJ 7882
908-246-3044

Most farms will give you a map to help you find your way, and there are often extra “puzzles” within. If you plan to go, be sure to allot plenty of time and bring along the following supplies:

*Good walking shoes
*Water
*Bug spray and sunscreen
*A watch [you'll want to know how long it took you!]
*The right kind of clothing [remember, you're walking through a cornfield]
*Some mazes are open at night, in which case you’ll need a flashlight.

So grab the kids and get ready to “lend an ear” [and your feet] – to the nearest corn maze.

10/16 6:30pm

Ocean County Historical Society
26 Hadley Ave, TR

Also tarot card readings; tour free, readings $20; refreshments
732-341-1880

Historic Allaire Village
Route 524; 19th Century games and listen to traditional halloween stories by Maria Larson, noted storyteller; costume parade and contest at 2:30 pm. Prizes for best costume; children may participate in pumpkin painting (400 pumpkins available); $5, ages 5 or under are free.

www.allairevillage.org
732-919-3500