New Brunswick, in central New Jersey, has a range of activities for children and families.
New Brunswick is the 12th largest of New Jersey's 329 cities or boroughs, with over 50,000 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimates for 2008. Located in the central part of the state, the city is the county seat for Middlesex. New Brunswick--nicknamed "Hub City"--has a range of activities to keep children busy during all seasons. Does this Spark an idea?
New Brunswick Historic Downtown Walking Tour
Children are usually active and on the go. Use that energy by taking them on a walking tour of historic downtown New Brunswick. There are 37 items on the list of sites featured by the city, and you can choose the ones that are for your child's age group. Items include tours to the site where the Declaration of Independence had its third reading on July 9, 1776; Monument Square, erected in 1893 to honor Civil War veterans; and a handful of historic churches and synagogues. Younger children will enjoy seeing the trains at the New Brunswick Train Station, first on the list. You can add to the fun and make the outing a scavenger hunt, by giving your children a list of the items beforehand and having them check off each site after seeing it.
City of New Brunswick
78 Bayard Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 745-5045
cityofnewbrunswick.org/09site/Community_Bulletin_Board/NBHistoricWalkBrochure.pdf
Rutgers Athletic Games
Rutgers University has 22 intercollegiate sport teams that compete in the NCAA Division 1 Big East conference. Only six sports charge admission to games--football, men's lacrosse, men's and women's basketball, and men's and women's soccer. The 16 other sports offer free admission, so a game can be a cheap afternoon out for the family. Those sports are baseball, field hockey, wrestling, women's lacrosse, volleyball, women's tennis, gymnastics, women's swimming and diving, softball, women's crew, and men's and women's cross-country running, golf, and track and field. You can probably get good seats any time, and afterwards, get autographs from the players--the sports teams are usually fan-friendly. The teams play in New Brunswick and in next door Piscataway.
Rutgers Athletic Department Ticket Office
Louis Brown Athletic Center
83 Rockefeller Road
Piscataway, NJ 08854
scarletknights.com/sports.asp
The State Theatre
The State Theatre has kid-friendly shows--and prices. Children 16 and under can get a free ticket to selected shows with the purchase of a full-price adult ticket. The lineup changes monthly, but shows have included "One-Man Star Wars Trilogy" and "Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra." Additionally, the State Theatre has a free "Milk & Cookies" performance series, with events for children 3 to 8 that include music, puppetry and storytelling. The series is held on six Saturdays a year--three events in the fall and three in the spring. As the name suggests, children get free milk and cookies.
The State Theatre
15 Livingston Avenue
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 246-7469
statetheatrenj.org
Tags: State Theatre, Brunswick 08901, range activities, Rutgers Athletic