UPDATE: See Destination: Indoor Spaces for Families and Kids in NJ for more options!
It's a furnace outside, right? Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with these 5 ideas for indoor activities in Summit Short Hills SoMa with kids:
Plane Spotting at IKEA
Location: IKEA Elizabeth, 1000 Ikea Drive, Elizabeth, NJ
Cost: FREE
Hours: 2 hours
Head to the cafeteria for incredible views of planes at Newark Liberty Airport. It's a full afternoon when you add in checking out all the Ikea rooms and possibly a Swedish snack! Add on a monorail trip and whiz through the terminals on the AirTrain, which is free within the airport. Hop on the monorail at P4 - the airport daily parking garage. If you make it into the actual airport, try and ride a people mover/magic carpet!
Ride the Escalators @ The Mall
Location: Short Hills Mall, Livingston Mall
Cost: FREE
Hours: 1+ hours
Escalators and elevators are easy winners for the young set. Short Hills Mall has multiple escalator banks and a super cool elevator with glass walls. Remember to throw a penny into the fountain for good luck! My kids loves the water flowing through the sphere and down the infinity ledge. Livingston Mall also sports multiple escalator banks AND a small indoor playground. Both malls have a bookstore, Yay!
The "Zoo" @ the Pet Store
Location: Petco, Essex Green Town Center, West Orange
Cost: FREE
Hours: 1 hour
Choose your nearby pet superstore. Our pick is the Petco at Essex Green Town Center. They always have on display a wallfull of fish, reptiles, birds, ferrets and more! Cats and dogs for adoption may be there, or you can stop by the grooming station and watch a poodle get a blow-out. After immersing yourself in the animal kingdom, you will find a Panera and an art supply store only steps away.
Home Depot In-Store Kids Workshop
Location: Home Depot - Union, Vauxhall, East Hanover
Cost: FREE
Hours: 1+ hours
Every month, Home Depot hosts kids and families to complete a project right there in the store! The August 2022 project is the adorable Summer Camper. All tools and materials to complete your own project are provided and associates are on hand for assistance. This is a Drop-In event, not a Drop-Off! Can't make the it on the first Saturday of the month? Order your kit online for $5.
Apple Camp: Art Lab - Family Comic Book Adventure
Location: Apple Store, Short Hills Mall
Cost: FREE (Advance Registration Required)
Hours: 2 hours
An Apple Camp offering for 8-12 year olds. Meet at the store to pick-up your device and learn how to create a digital comic book. Then Apple sets you loose in the mall to create images to complete that comic book vision. Kids will get a Camp T-shirt and certificate. Parent or guardian participation is required.
