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Re: What to do with toddlers in Jersey City?
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Home away from home
 
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2005/6/8 3:24 Last Login : 2022/11/28 0:04 From New Urbanist Area
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Quote:
Since this thread has been brought back up.... The Lafayette Aquatic Center is great and free. We've started going this summer and it's a blast. There are two pools, including a kid's pool. It gets crowded in the late afternoon, but otherwise it's very manageable.
Posted on: 2012/7/16 19:45
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Re: What to do with toddlers in Jersey City?
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Newbie
 
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There's actually an interactive puppet show coming to JC that's great for toddlers. It started in Hoboken 6 years ago and is still really popular there. It's called Puppetonia.
Full disclosure: I'm one of the puppeteers. I love what I do though, and think anyone with children ages 1-5 will love what we do too! We're going to have a free open house and show this Wed the 18th from 12:00pm to 1:00pm at the Grassroots Community Space (54 Coles St). And we'll be continuing every Wednesday (to start). Here's a video to get a good sense for what the show's like.
Posted on: 2012/7/16 19:30
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Re: What to do with toddlers in Jersey City?
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Home away from home
Joined:
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Most of my suggestions have been already picked up. But I can add my perspective.
1. Love the Liberty Science Center. The one year old may be a bit young but generally they will just be going along for the ride with the older one anyway. It has been a great standby especially during colder months or inclement weather and my older daughter never gets tired of it. We have a family membership which has more than paid for itself. 2. When it's nice out, the downtown playgrounds are fine. Van Vorst Park is the closest for us, and we sometimes go to Hamilton Park for the water sprinklers or just a change of pace. I have heard good reviews about the Newport Green as well. 3. Gymboree has open play sessions. If you sign up a kid for any class you can also take them to any open play. 4. As someone mentioned below, Zeppelin Hall is actually very family friendly during the day. This is not a destination you would take the kids to for their sake, but if you want to socialize with friends or family you can go there with the kids. 5. Umpalumpa (the people who do the Face Painting at Groove on Grove and many other events downtown) has just started up a Kids Club at Grassroots Community Space for 2-5 year olds, right now from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. $20 for drop in, or unlimited visits for a $80.00 membership. I have no experience with this but Umpalumpa always puts on a good party and event, so it may be worth checking out.
Posted on: 2012/5/23 22:33
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Re: What to do with toddlers in Jersey City?
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Newbie
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A few more suggestions for free activities:
-Playground/water park at Enos Jones Park -the Pavonia Branch of the JC Public Library has a nice reading area with board books -story time at the main branch of the library And a few that cost money: -Zepplin Beer Garden - they welcome families and have a room in the back, so your kids can run without bothering anyone -Grace Church has a Toddler Drop Off program IMO, I think the renovated Liberty Science Center is great for toddlers. They have a room designed just for toddlers. I also think there other exhibits have good interactive features for entertaining toddlers.
Posted on: 2012/5/23 19:53
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Re: What to do with toddlers in Jersey City?
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Home away from home
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It's fine. You need to grow a thicker skin and also teach your child to not talk about people's appearance. It's totally normal...he's only 3 and I'm sure not many people will be offended by a toddler. Or just give him a lollipop, snack, or other distraction if you think he's going to start to say something offensive. It's a phase, they are curious at that age and it's no reason to shutter yourself from the rest of the world.
Posted on: 2012/5/23 17:15
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Re: What to do with toddlers in Jersey City?
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Home away from home
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Try taking the ferry from Paulus Hook across the river to Battery Park. It's a really nice ride in the summer (only downside is that it's more expensive than the PATH). It's a more open environment, so perhaps the kids can be entertained by looking at the view rather than the people
 I think the Yellow Taxi ferry leaves from 15 Warren also goes to Battery park, but I think that one's even more expensive? Not sure... We also took the lightrail to the hoboken parks last year many times (and now the newport park) - and that was entertaining for the kids too because they were distracted by the view. On a side note: I WISH there's a nice (kid-friendly in all aspects!) public pool that's accessible in the area!!!!! Quote:
Posted on: 2012/5/23 15:23
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Re: What to do with toddlers in Jersey City?
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Home away from home
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Just dont bring them to bars.
Posted on: 2012/5/23 14:28
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Re: What to do with toddlers in Jersey City?
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Newbie
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I wanted to buy a bicycle with a trailer to pull my kids in but while reading the biking thread, realized I couldn't use it on the sidewalk. I haven't used a bike in years and didn't know there were rules so moving on to the next idea.
@SarahL I'll check out that meetup. thanks! @CapnJon. Liberty state is definitely on the to go list. I looked in to the Zoos, specifically Turtle Back zoo and its TWO hours each way as we'd need to take the train and 2 buses. @Greenvillechick and @SRhia I'm scared of venturing into the city, my 3 yr old is very interested in gender and weight at this time and has frequently embarrassed me by inquiring loudly on the gender of different people and have gotten my fair share of dirty looks. Another time he point blank asked, "Mami, why is that lady so big?" AS the lady was passing us by. During our walks he asked if a very tall man with dreadlocks to his shoulders was a man, the man heard it and answered with yes, I am a man. My toddler replied, are you sure? So I have to grow thicker skin or somehow get my toddler to ask questions quietly. Maybe I should try the light rail and get my toddler acclimated with it first before I take a path train or he'll have a ton of questions aimed at random strangers.
Posted on: 2012/5/23 5:13
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Re: What to do with toddlers in Jersey City?
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@Bobblehead. We only have one car and it goes to work with my husband. So my options are public transportation or anything within walking range. My 3 yr old is currently OBSESSED with trains, so that's something we can do. :)
Posted on: 2012/5/23 4:50
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Re: What to do with toddlers in Jersey City?
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JC Moms - great group that you (or your better half) can join through meetup.com - just about any given day of the week there are activities for toddlers. some activities are moms only, but a lot are for dads/moms/caregivers, etc. and most activities are free or low cost. I joined when my son was six months old (he is 16 mos now) and it has been a life-saver.
other things - wild at play (indoor play space in newport, but I believe a day pass costs $20) story time at the library (free, check web for schedules) - I live near the pavonia branch and story time is every thurs at 10.30am great playgrounds - hamilton park, van vorst park, new newport playground edgewater has baby pictures - never gone, but here is a link:http://www.showcasecinemas.com/progra ... nd-families/baby-pictures hamilton health and fitness - $20 for a day pass to the pool carol lester has $10 music classes - we haven't been, but heard good things Other classes around town: A Sound Start - baby music classes Preschool of Rock Music for Aardvarks and probably a lot more that I don't know about of course, all of that stuff costs $... hope this info helps!
Posted on: 2012/5/23 1:48
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Re: What to do with toddlers in Jersey City?
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Home away from home
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The brooklyn childrens museum is great for kids of all ages even the little ones, I have been here more then once and it is even worth it for the yearly membership
http://www.brooklynkids.org/
Posted on: 2012/5/22 21:45
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Re: What to do with toddlers in Jersey City?
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Home away from home
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Great ideas. It has been a while since my kids were toddlers, but for me, Liberty Science Center was a waste of $$$ on anyone under 5. Does the OP have a car? Just over the Bayonne Bridge in Staten Island is the Staten Island Children's Museum. http://statenislandkids.org/ There is also a nice children's zoo in Staten Island, with an awesome reptile collection. Several of the city parks have water features that are turned on in the summer. My kids loved train rides. A light rail trip is a fun way to spend an hour or so. Also, they don't charge for kids that age on the ferries, so you could take a ferry to Manhattan. And yes, I would definitely check out the JC Reservoir schedule.
Posted on: 2012/5/22 21:34
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"Someday a book will be written on how this city can be broke in the midst of all this development." ---Brewster
Oh, wait, there is one: The Jersey Sting. |
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Re: What to do with toddlers in Jersey City?
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Home away from home
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The trek to Battery Park is not as bad as you think - just one PATH ride away. Once you're there, you can play in any of the many parks in battery park!!! We had a lot of good memories there last summer
Also, I heard the new pool at Johnson Ave (got that right? You know - the one that opened last year) is nice too, in the mornings.
Posted on: 2012/5/22 20:39
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Re: What to do with toddlers in Jersey City?
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Home away from home
Joined:
2005/9/21 13:53 Last Login : 2015/8/5 3:20 From Jersey City Heights
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Liberty Science Center is great.
there's great Zoos nearby in Bergen County and Essex County (each about 30 minutes away). Lots of fun parks - Hamilton Park and Washington Park have great playgrounds and mini water parks for kids. You can join somewhere like Gymboree. Liberty State Park has lots of fun room to run. Hoboken has nice waterfront to walk or bike along.....
Posted on: 2012/5/22 19:36
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Re: What to do with toddlers in Jersey City?
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Home away from home
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The Federal govt. ordered the city located reservoirs be taken out of service back in the 1980's. JC now gets its water primarily from a reservoir out in Boonton.
This is well outside of JC, but might be good if you feel like taking a road trip. http://www.njmt.org/ One of my tenants has a kid (I think he is about 4) who is really into trains, so I recommended this place to her (I used to go there as a kid).
Posted on: 2012/5/22 18:48
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What to do with toddlers in Jersey City?
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I move to JC for college a few years back and decided to stay. Browsing through this forum I learned A LOT didn't realize we could Kayak in JC! Although that's not an activity I can do with hyperactive 3 and 1 yr olds.
Any ideas? So far I've walked with them to various parks within a one mile radius from Monticello. Just found out that Reservoir #3 has some activities going on which surprised me since I thought that was another cities drinking water but I must have been mistaken. What else?
Posted on: 2012/5/22 18:15
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