Here are 85 things to do indoors around the state to keep your brood cool through this heatwave!

1. Instead of climbing the walls at home, get them in a harness and have them do some rock climbing. Climb Zone in Howell has dozens of themed walls to scale, plus a soft play area and arcade games. Gravity Vault has tons of vertical challenges.

2. Enjoy the comforts of an indoor water park. Island Waterpark at Showboat Atlantic City is open year-round. Big Kahuna’s in West Berlin has lots of water slides inside and out. American Dream’s DreamWorks park is movie-themed. Or, if you want a more lowkey place to swim, Envy Sports Club at the Sheraton in Parsippany opens its hotel pool to the public with a day pass.

3. Try an indoor golf simulator where you can work on your swing and accuracy, but some centers have other screen-based games like dodgeball, baseball and football. Try a place like 1776 by David Burke that has dinner offerings, too.

4. Get your skate on at one of these great roller rinks. Most will let you choose between in-line or four-wheel skates. Or learn to skate or show off your triple lutz at an ice skating rink.

5. Go stargazing at one of NJ’s many planetariums and observatories.

6. Travel back in time to the Cretaceous Era at the newly opened Edelman Fossil Park & Museum in Mantua Twp. There are lifelike exhibits of dinosaurs, marine reptiles and birds whose fossils have been found in New Jersey and along the East Coast. There are interactive activities, a touch tank, a virtual reality game and a playroom for kids. If you do head outside, check out the dino-themed playground and a quarry where you can dig for real fossils.

7. Don’t let the weather strike you out: go bowling!

8. Let the kids try for a hole in one at glow-in-the-dark mini golf. Don’t forget to dress them in whites or neons so they can get the full effect.

9. Paintball isn’t an option for really little kids, but they can get some target practice by playing laser tag or by trying your hand at axe throwing (if the kids are old enough).

10. Climb, jump, run and have a blast at any of these indoor play places. Playgrounds like Kids Empire (which has several locations in NJ) and Go Playland in the Freehold Raceway Mall are designed so that parents can climb along with their kids. We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym in Tinton Falls is perfect for your little one with sensitivities or special needs.

11. Go “underwater” at Adventure Aquarium. The kids will love feeding stingrays, touching starfish and walking through the shark tunnel. The newest expansion is Kaleidoscope Cove, which focuses on bioluminescent sea creatures. Jenkinson’s Aquarium in Pt. Pleasant is known for their friendly penguins – and their Junior Keepers program where your kids can get up close and personal with the sea creatures. The Atlantic City Aquarium reopened this year, with cownose stingrays, 100 varieties of fish, a bearded dragon and a touch tank.

12. Spend the day at American Dream, where you and the kids can go indoor snowboarding at Big SNOW, play mini golf, ride rollercoasters at Nickelodeon Universe, ice skate on their rink or enjoy some water fun at the Dream Works Water Park. The Sesame Street Play & Learn Center caters to young fans of Elmo and Big Bird, while teens and adults will love checking out the popular grocery chain H Mart and its huge food hall. Visit TiLT Museum and Paradox Museum for exhibits that guarantee awesome pics.

13. Combine learning and fun at a Jersey museum. Learn about the prehistoric history of NJ at the Rutgers Geology Museum, or our overall past at the New Jersey State Museum.  Plan a day trip to the Newark Museum of Art in Newark, or Imagine That!!! in Florham Park. Many of our best museums offer free admission. Looking for something new? Visit these off-the-beaten-path museums.

14. Spice up your culinary skills at a cooking class. Learn sweet and savory, cooking and baking techniques. Natirar Cooking School at Pendry Natirar offers a farm-to-table series for adults, but for families, too.

15. Or get into the kitchen at home with your kids. Get some pepperoni and cheese for your own charcuterie board, or make a candy version with ingredients for s’mores and milkshakes. Put on an apron, wash your hands and start signing “That’s Amore” as you make your own personal pizza pies.

16. Yoga and meditation are super beneficial for kids, so look into taking a mommy and me yoga class at your local YMCA.

17. Catch a flick at an indoor movie theater, or go more upscale at a dine-in. The Clairidge in Montclair offers special sensory-friendly and has BYOB days – bring your own baby, that is, for mothers of young children.

18. Head to your local library, where you can sit in on storytime, read to a therapy dog, play board games or rent something to take home. Or visit one of our charming indie bookstores throughout the state.

19. If you feel like playing detective, seeing larger-than-life artwork or learning about history, an immersive experience is for you! Different rooms are transformed into scenes from your favorite artist, superhero or TV show so you feel like you’re in the middle of the action.

20. Lucy the Elephant is open for tours, so you can see this 90-ton historic landmark in Margate while you’re at the Jersey Shore.

21. Enjoy a few blissfully quiet minutes of pampering (along with a nice foot massage) by taking your kid with you. Or, give them their own mini spa day. Mosaic Wellness and Beauty in Tinton Falls and Woodbridge offer a kid’s facial for little ones ages 7 to 12, or a teen facial. Glitter & Glam Spa has multiple locations to get a mani-pedi, mini makeup session or hairstyling. You can host your own spa party right at home, too.

22. Show off your artistic side by painting a winter scene on canvas. You can go to Pinot’s Palette or Around the Corner Art Center; or sign up for a virtual class, where you get the supplies to paint at home via video instruction.

23. Escape Earth (and the weather) at Liberty Science Center, and don’t miss the awesome suspended-in-midair infinity climber. The Touch Tunnel is open, plus there’s a new exhibit for fans of farts and burps – its Grossology exhibit explains the functions of the human body.

24. Hit up an all-inclusive play center. DiDonato’s Family Fun Center in Hammonton recently added a full-scale to its already popular 26-lane bowling alley. You can bat, bowl, play arcade games and eat at Humdingers in Paramus. Paramus also has Pinstripes at the Garden State Plaza mall, named for its bowling alley but is also popular for bocce, huge flat screen TVs, a bistro, an event center and an outdoor patio. Rock N Air in East Brunswick lets you jump, climb, challenge yourself in the Adventure Zone, test your balance and stamina in the Stunt Zone and try out virtual attractions. The FunPlex in East Hanover and Mount Laurel draws in kids for its arcade games, indoor rides and attractions, bowling – and also an outdoor water park. Adventure Crossing has a sports and entertainment center, arcade games, virtual reality, an indoor driving range, and neon nighttime golf on Fridays.
25. Check your local YMCA or gym for open swim hours.
26. Bell Works in Holmdel has everything in its metroburb: food, ice cream, a bar area, shopping, boutiques, virtual reality, golf simulators, arts and crafts, plus a basketball court, play area for kids, and event space that holds markets.
27. Get your coins ready for use at an awesome NJ arcade. Morristown Game Vault has retro arcade games and pinball. Dave & Buster’s is fun for kids and adults alike.
28. Play some pinball at an awesome NJ arcade, like the Silverball Museum in Asbury Park, or Yestercades, which has locations around the state.

29. If your kid loves boats, don’t miss the Intrepid Museum in NYC or Battleship NJ in Camden where they will learn about wartime sailing along the high seas.

30. See some impressive horse stunts, a full-on joust and falconry at Medieval Times. Aside from cheering for their favorite horseback riders, kids love to eat fried chicken with their hands.

31. Hit an indoor amusement park. Head to iPlay America in Freehold Twp., which is complete with an indoor boardwalk inspired by the Jersey Shore. The Lucky Snake Arcade at the Showboat in Atlantic City has lots of attractions for kids, too.

32. Learn some self-defense and be on your way to becoming a black belt at a karate class.

33. Practice your swing at Topgolf in Edison or Mount Laurel.

34. The brand-new Albatross landed in Edison, offering luxury mini golf where each hole is designed like a movie scene, plus 24 lanes of interactive bowling.

35. Do some glassblowing down the shore to Hot Sand Asbury Park or make glass crafts in Morristown at Glassworks Studio.

36. Got antsy kids? Take them to Insectropolis!, NJ’s Only Bugseum.

37. Teach the kids the importance of giving by volunteering at a local shelter together.

38. Got a kid who wants to be a fireman? Head to the New York City Fire Museum.

39. They’ll feel like a secret agent when they try cracking codes and solving puzzles in an NJ escape room.

40. Head to NYC for tons of kid-friendly fun like the High Line, Times Square, Sugar Factory or the Gazillion Bubble Show.

41. Let them bang on some real drums instead of pots and pans at a music class close to home. Jammin Jenn Music Therapy makes connections through music.

42. After an hour-long bouncing session at a trampoline park full of flips and dodgeball, they’ll be pooped in the best way. Try out Sky Zone in Hamilton or one of the Urban Air Adventure Park locations. Club Air in Warren has 13 different attractions, like augmented reality, obstacle courses, volleyball, traverse rock climbing walls, and sensory-friendly jumps.

43. Snag tix to an awesome show at an NJ theater, like NJPAC, SOPAC, MPAC, bergenPAC, Count Basie Center for the Arts or State Theatre NJ.

44. There are lots of hidden and mysterious caves and caverns in the area, so it’s time to go exploring underground! It’s cool down below, year-round.

45. See an underground rainbow and watch rocks light up under UV lights at the Sterling Hill Mine Museum or go underground at the Franklin Mine Museum.

46. Grab some Betty Crocker mixes, a bunch of decorations (think sprinkles or M&Ms) and invite their friends over for a baking party. Want to avoid the mess? Get one of these over-the-top sweet treats.

47. Are your kids pros at being dramatic? They can try their hand at acting, music or comedy.

48. Little builders will go wild for LEGO-filled projects at the LEGOLAND Discovery Center at American Dream.

49. Take to the skies (or rather, wind-filled tunnels) at iFly in Paramus or Edison. You and the kiddos (ages 3 and up) can suit up and try your hand at indoor skydiving.

50. Celebrate a local sports legends at the Yogi Berra Museum in Little Falls. You’ll learn about America’s favorite pastime, including how the COVID pandemic affected sports.

51. Head to Zimmerli Art Museum in New Brunswick for family activities on the first Sunday of every month.

52. Brighten your day with some animals at a local zoo, like Van Saun Park or Turtle Back Zoo and visit the indoor exhibits.

53. Let older kids channel their inner Jeff Gordon driving go-karts at RPM Raceway, or spend the day at Supercharged where not only can you drive on one of two of the world’s longest indoor karting tracks, but you can go on rides, play in two arcades, throw axes and ride on the bumper cars.

54. Take a trip to the Crayola Experience in Easton, PA, where kids can color, learn history and even create their own crayon.

55. Check out the governor’s mansion at Drumthwacket in Princeton, which is open on select dates for tours.
56. Everyone loves a good old-fashioned bounce house. Bounce U, Pump It Up and Jump On In offer inflatables galore for your kids to hop and slide on all afternoon.

57. Let the battles begin! Pups of War Arena in East Brunswick and Freehold is a Nerf battleground where kids 4+ – and adults – can run around with their dart blasters.
58. Check out a traveling exhibit. Events like Monster Jam, Disney on Ice and Flip Circus come to NJ quite often throughout the year.

58. Northlandz is the world’s largest miniature wonderland, featuring more than 100 model trains running on 8 miles of tracks. Bring the kids for the one-mile self-guided tour. The Ocean County Society of Model Railroaders and the Garden State Model Railway Club open their doors throughout the year so you can view their mini displays, filled with intricate details.

59. At some point you have to eat. Try a cool concept like revolving sushi or hot pot, get yourself a bagel flight, or stay inside and order via the Wonder app. There are lots of places in NJ that offer free kids meals.

60. Spend some quality time reading with your kids. Especially if it’s cold or rainy, it’s the perfect time to snuggle under a blanket for storytime.

61. Visit a lighthouse along the shore and climb your way to the top. You can ask for a passport stamp to see how many you visit in a year.

62. Take the kids – and your furbabies – to a pet-themed cafe. Catfe Montclair, Catsbury Park in Asbury Park and Rahway Kitty Hall let you pet adorable kitties while you sip on some coffee.

63. BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville is the largest Hindu outside of India. You can tour the incredible temple both inside and out. There are statues, shrines, gardens and even an eating area.

64. Hasbro, the maker of many of our favorite childhood games, opened two entertainment centers in New Jersey. Planet Playskool has play areas based on Lite Brite, Spirograph, Play-Doh, Mouse Trap and Tinkertoys, among others, at Westfield Garden State Plaza. Gameroom Powered by Hasbro is open at American Dream, featuring a G.I. Joe laser tag arena, and 9 lanes of games dedicated to faves like Clue, Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly and Battleship. There’s also a Candy Land Shake Bar.

65. Get fancy and visit a tea room inside a Victorian home, where you can have scones, finger sandwiches and petit fours like they do in Britain.

66. Pickleball is super popular, and some sports facilities have their courts indoors.

67. Work off some energy at an indoor sports complex. Branchburg Sports Complex has fields and courts for basketball, baseball, flag football and lacrosse, in addition to a laser tag arena, arcade, play maze and batting cages. Multi Sports Kingdom is a new venture that combines Sportika in Manalapan, Central Jersey Basketball in Marlboro and basketball, tennis and pickleball from Monroe Sports Center to provide all types of sports for players of all ages and abilities.

68. Or exercise your kid’s brain with a STEM craft. The Morris Museum has a SparkLab, which is actually part of the Smithsonian, where kids are given open-ended challenges. The Education Annex of the Museum of Early Trades & Crafts in Madison has Makerspace Saturdays (for free!) where kids ages 5-12 can use the 3D printer, build with LEGOs, make jewelry, experiment with the marble run and coding robots, and more.

69. Check out our list of the best fairs and festivals taking place throughout the year for some of the state’s best indoor markets.

70. Leaving on City Cruises from Weehawken or Circle Line from Manhattan, you can board a boat and take in in all the views of the NJ and NY skylines. There is lots of room indoors if the weather isn’t great enough for the outdoor decks.

71. Plan a family game night with Candy Land, Dominoes or Uno. The Plainsboro Preserve has nature-themed game nights once a month.

72. Get your kid’s dolls and GI Joes and put on a puppet show, build a fort between your couches using pillows and blankets, or try some magic tricks.

73. Get your caffeine fix while the kids get out their jitters at a play cafe. Lily + Liam in Englewood has a playground plus music classes. The Village Play Cafe in Chatham has walk-in play for kids 5 and younger, plus Mommy & Me classes. Little Dreamers Play Cafe in Wall Twp. has open play plus weekly programs.

74. Have towels ready for a slime-filled party. The Menlo Park, Quakerbridge and Freehold Raceway malls have centers, or try out Slime University in Brick.

75. Learn about animals, the environment and ecology at a nature center. Tenafly Nature Center, Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center, the Nature Center of Cape May, and Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge hold programs indoors for when you can’t hit the trails.

76. New Jerseyans love their malls, so take your kids to your local shopping center where you can look for LEGOs, sit down at the food court, ride the carousel, race slot cars or ride on a motorized animal.

77. Plan a trip to Crystal Springs Resort, where the Minerals Hotel and Grand Cascades Lodge have lots of indoor workshops and classes, art making, crafts, rock climbing, animal visits, an arcade, and multiple pools.

78. Learn about New Jersey’s history through interactive experiences at the Hall of Fame Entertainment & Learning Center, where you can see memorabilia, pretend to host a talk show, take a “trip” to the moon and sing on stage with your favorite musicians. You can also take a driving tour and visit different sites where NJ celebrities lived, worked and played.

79. Expose your kids to real-life skills at LifeTown Shoppes in Livingston. Here, kids can play in an art room, gym, sand room, movie room and sensory room through a simulated city playground.

80. Newport Centre Mall has Jersey City’s first free play area, where your little ones can climb, explore tunnels, go down slides, challenge their friends to a racing game, and light the tower. There’s a comfortable seating area on the side for parents to relax (and charge their phones).

81. Duke Farms in Hillsborough has 1,000 beautiful acres of natural beauty, but if the weather isn’t suitable for walking the trails, head inside to the Orchid Range that has thousands of subtropical flowers on display.

82. When you don’t mind if your kids get dirty, bring them to PaintGround Arts in Pitman, where they can splash, drip and throw neon paint at a canvas while under a black light. There are guided sensory sessions for kids with sensitivities.

83. Plan a road trip to Lehigh Valley, PA, for a quick getaway. There are over 225 hands-on activities at Crayola Experience. Dive into science at Da Vinci Science Center, especially at the Sharks: The Ultimate Predators exhibit or learning from an “Otter Chat.” The PPL Center is home to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, plus you can see other shows and concerts. The Allentown Art Museum has free admission to explore the art exhibits.

84. Cool off with a sweet treat, like a tropical summer cocktail (or mocktail for the kids) or a scoop (or three!) of ice cream from a local parlor.

85. Keep the kids on the straight and narrow with a tour of a prison cell. Eastern State Penitentiary in nearby Philly offers audio and guided tours that are appropriate for kids 7 and up. Teens will spook themselves during a haunted Halloween tour.

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Read More:
Best Indoor Play Places in New Jersey
60 Things to Do Outdoors in New Jersey

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