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Things to DO This Weekend: December 16 + 17
Just 11 days ’til Christmas! This weekend enjoy a cookie walk for charity, a free showing of The Hungry Caterpillar Show, Storytime with Mrs. Claus, loads of FREE crafts classes and The biggest Chanukah celebration in Hudson County!
Saturday December 16th 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM (METUCHEN 35 mins from Hoboken + JC) Cookies for a cause! If you need sweets for a holiday gathering or for a gift consider a Cookie Walk! The Metuchen Cookie Walk is an annual fundraiser for the Fuccile Foundation, which provides financial assistance to local families impacted by tragedy. Cookie Walk attendees purchase a small ($10) or large ($20) box(es) to fill with homemade cookies. In 2015, over 5,500 homemade cookies were donated and sold. In 2016, the event grew to over 15,000 cookies and raised over $7,500 for the Fuccile Foundation and local families in need.
Saturday December 16th 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (JERSEY CITY) Join the folks at Liberty State Park for a hands-on workshop and learn about the history of creating orange and clove pomanders- aholiday tradition. You can create your own beautiful fruit pomander to take home! Space is limited. The program will take place at the CRRNJ Terminal building located at 1 Audrey Zapp Drive. For more information or to register, please call 201-915-3400 x202 or email LSPNatureCenter@dep.nj.gov. FREE Recommended for children 10 and older with caregiver.
Saturday December 16th 11:00 AM-12:00 PM (NYC) Magnificent puppet versions of Eric Carle’s classic children’s book characters from The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See are coming to Barnes and Noble in Union Square for a free public event. While the puppets normally star in The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show (playing at the DR2 Theater), here they’ll be putting on a special shorter performance. While you’re there also get your face painted and enjoy storytime. FREE All ages.
Saturday December 16th 11:00 AM (NYC) Introduce children to design fields including fashion design and product design at this free family program at the Cooper Hewitt Museum. The FREE program is first-come, first-served and includes free museum admission for the day so kids can continue gathering inspiration for their own projects. Ages 5–12.
Saturday December 16th 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Back by popular demand at Garden State Plaza, Mad Science of Northeast NJ will a high energy holiday demonstrations of fun, education, and spectacular science experiments. This exclusive Mad Science show will create Holiday Spirit with the help of the audience and Santa himself.Admission is free for children of all ages. Following each 45 minute performance, children who have purchased the VIP package will make a craft themed around the show. VIP packages are available for $10 and include: • one Make-and-Take Craft supervised by Santa • one LED fidget Spinner • one Complimentary Kids Meal at Chick-Fil-A • one Complimentary AMC Theatres children ticket. All proceeds of the VIP package proceeds go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Open for the Season December 16th 11:00 AM-9:00 PM (Jersey City) Newport Skates the only outdoor ice skating rink in Jersey City is open for the 2017/2018 season. Skating lovers can once again enjoy beautiful views of the New York City skyline while zooming around the rink at 95 River Drive South. Tickets to skate cost $7 (Newport residents get half price admissions with their residential ID cards), and skate rental is $6. Season passes and group rates are also available. Call ahead to make sure rink is open.
Saturday December 16th & Sunday December 17th 11:00 AM-6:00 PM (NYC) Little ones will learn all about Hanukkah as they create their own spinning top called a “dreidel” at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan Then they’ll learn how to play the game with their new handmade toy. Sign-up is required and will take place in the lobby one hour before the event. Ages 6 and older Free with museum admission.
Saturday December 16th & Sunday December 17th 12:00 PM- 8:00 PM (NYC) Taste of Home brings its Gingerbread Boulevard to New York City’s Madison Square Park for the fourth holiday season.The event features a life-size, interactive Gingerbread House that will take visitors on a fully immersive, one-of-a-kind holiday wonderland experience. Built with ginger “bricks” and topped with a “frosting”-covered roof, the Taste of Home Gingerbread House’s exterior will be adorned with decorative peppermint sticks, gum drops and other colorful candy-like trimmings. Upon entering the house, visitors will embark on a journey of sight, sound and motion as they gaze out into a virtual candy land universe. FREE All Ages
Saturday December 16th -Sunday December 17th 7:00 PM-8:00 AM (NYC- adjacent to NY Waterways ferry terminal where kids ride FREE in December!) Give your child a once in a lifetime night with a sleepover on the USS Intrepid Museum. Get exclusive access to the ship and Space Shuttle Pavilion and sleep among the aircraft as the enlisted sailors once did. The evening includes educational activities, flashlight guided tours and exploratory talk, unlimited rides in a flight simulator, Pop-up planetarium shows and meals (snacks and breakfast). Recommended for children 6-17 and their caregivers $120pp.
Sunday December 17th 12:00 PM-4:00 PM (Jersey City) Visit Hudson County Community College for a day of great gift buys from local businesses and family fun, including a magician, puppet show, face painting, balloon animals, holiday book readings, kids’ crafts, Selfies with Santa and more! Parents shop while your kids enjoy the festivities. FREE
Sunday December 17th 1:00 PM-4:00 PM ‘Tis the season of giving at The Rubin Art Museum for their December Family Sundays. Make a holiday card for your loved ones out of recycled and natural materials and explore the paintings and sculptures of the Rubin’s permanent collection with a scavenger hunt. FREE All Ages
Sunday December 17th 5:00 PM- 7:00 PM (Hoboken) Enjoy a children’s Chanukah Party and Menorah lighting at Hoboken City Hall. Children of all ages will enjoy a puppet show with The Small World Puppet Theatre live music & dancing, holiday arts & crafts, take a selfie with Judah the Maccabi & take your photo with him as well as delicious donuts, latkes, menorah kits, dreidels, and Chanukah gelt and THEN The Annual Grand Menorah Lighting !