Family events in Ocean County, NJ

Bring your little one for open play and a socialization hour designed for babies and toddlers, along with their caregivers. It’s geared for ages 0 to 4 and offers a casual time to connect while the kids explore and play together.

Step back in time at the Havens Homestead Museum for a Civil War encampment hosted by the Brick Township Historical Society. You’ll be able to watch soldiers from the 61st NY Volunteer Regiment march and demonstrate gun firing, along with explanations of what camp life was like. Museum society members will also be grilling and selling burgers and frankfurters with soft drinks, and there will be a homemade bake sale.

Pitties & Pals Rescue hosts a meet and greet adoption event at Lowe’s Home Improvement, offering a chance to meet adoptable dogs and learn more about the rescue. Attendees can find information about the adoption process, explore foster opportunities, and discover ways to volunteer. It is a friendly setting to ask questions or simply say hello to the dogs. Sharing details about the event can help more dogs connect with loving homes.

Stop by Veterans Community Park for a classic summer social with lawn games, live music, and a delicious BBQ. There will also be sweet ice cream served by the Town Council as the community comes together to celebrate and honor our community and country.

Led by a live presenter, this dome experience introduces school-age children to the sun, moon, weather, constellations, and the planets currently visible overhead. Stories and songs are woven throughout, and at one point a rain shower rolls by, keeping the experience lively for children and their families. The program is best for elementary learners, especially grades 1 through 4, and runs about 50 to 60 minutes. A Sky Talk is included.

Barnegat 2026 Summer Concerts continues with Jukebox Legends performing live at the dock concert series. All concerts start at 6:30 PM, so come ready for an evening of music by the water.

A live planetarium presenter leads an in-depth look at the current night sky over New Jersey. Expect a tour of this season’s constellations, bright stars, visible planets, notable deep sky objects, and other celestial highlights, with constellation lore and recent astronomical happenings woven throughout. The atmosphere is relaxed and interactive, with time for questions. Recommended for grades 6 and up. The program runs approximately 60 minutes.

The annual Leisure Village Farmers Market features fresh vegetables, baked goods, and a variety of vendors. More details will be shared as the event approaches. Vendor registration is not open yet, and any outreach claiming to be accepting vendors should be ignored.

Attendees can view cars from every year, make, and model while live music fills the parking lot. After exploring the lineup, the crowd can move into the Field of Dreams for BBQ and time on the playground. The event is free and open to the public, and trophies will be awarded to cars. Live entertainment features the Lou Panico Band.

Join an outdoor survival camp for ages 9 to 14, where kids will learn practical basics for spending time in the wild. Activities include building a debris shelter, tracking animals, finding water, using a compass, and learning how to forage safely. Campers will also make a fishing pole and go fishing, create a hiking stick, learn how to build a campfire, and more. Offsite parent drop-off and pick-up happen at varying locations each day, with the addresses provided after registration. The program is supervised by Lorrimer Sanctuary naturalists.

Rock 101 Camp is a beginner-friendly, five-day music camp for young rockers ages 7-13. Students learn the basics of playing instruments and building confidence through musical games, hands-on instruction, rehearsals, and rock-themed activities. Each day runs during the camp’s scheduled hours, and the week ends with a live performance where campers show off what they learned.

Children can immerse themselves in island-themed creativity during a four day summer art camp inspired by sandy shores, surf days, tropical flavor, and vivid wildlife. Projects lean into bold colors and an easygoing summer mood while using a range of mediums such as kiln-fired clay and ceramics, acrylic paint, wood, canvas, and watercolor. Each participant receives a T-shirt to customize with tie-dye. The camp follows a drop-off format for children only and is open to those entering grades one through five in the 2026 to 2027 school year. Discounts are available for siblings who live in the same household.

Designed for ages 6 to 10, this five-day cooking camp celebrates foods from around the world. Returning due to popular demand, it keeps the same fun with more dishes and no repeats. Each day spotlights a different country, with Monday focused on France, Tuesday on Germany, Wednesday on Poland, Thursday on Greece, and Friday on Japan. Pricing options include $225 for the full week or $50 per day. A recipe book is included on the final day. Drop off is encouraged.

Kids ages 4 to 12 are invited to join Insectropolis for a fun, hands-on learning session about insects. The program covers how these tiny animals are structured, what makes them unique, and what they need to survive. With supervision, participants will have the chance to view and touch at least one animal. Please note there are potential allergens, and registration is required.

Strictly 60s returns to Seaside Park for an outdoor concert on the Boro Hall lawn. Bring blankets and beach chairs for comfortable seating.

Playtime Pals is a drop-in play session for kids ages 0-3 with a caregiver. Meet other parents and caregivers while your little one enjoys free play time, along with board books and light music. No registration is required.

Join for Bikes & Ice Cream, a fun evening from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM featuring live music, ice cream, and more. All cars, trucks, bikes, autocycle, and quadricycles are welcome.

Get ready for a high-energy magic show at the pier featuring Eric Wilzig, with jaw-dropping illusions, daring stunts, and mind-bending tricks. Expect plenty of audience-participation moments and classic magic plus extreme feats that are fun for families and thrill-seekers. The Extreme Magic show is free, with performances at 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM on the Pier Stage by the Ferris Wheel.

Join Ocean Partnership for Children’s Youth Empowerment Program for a hands-on fishing and crabbing adventure geared toward skill-building, mindfulness, and positive time outdoors. This workshop is for youth ages 14-18, running from late morning through early afternoon.

A community resource day at the Housing Center brings together several agencies to support attendees. Representatives from AHA (Affordable Housing Alliance), Ocean County Social Services, Family Promise, the Mental Health Association of NJ, LivWell Healthcare, and VNA Harm Reduction, along with additional organizations, will be on site to serve folks. Meals, snacks, and blessing bags will be available for those in need. Walk-ins are welcome. For questions, call 848-223-7284.

Showman The Great Schiaparelli invites audiences into his remarkable Observatorium for a high stakes voyage through space and time. Travel from Mercury’s blistering surface to Pluto’s frozen reaches and beyond, encountering both danger and wonder across the Solar System while gaining a renewed appreciation for Earth. The Observatorium is no mere display... it carries viewers into the heart of some of the most perilous locations in our celestial neighborhood, and deft piloting is required to return safely. Presented as a fulldome experience, it is appropriate for grade 1 and above and runs 25 minutes.

Bring dinosaur curiosity to the library with Dinoman! This program is geared toward kids ages 5-12 and includes fun, hands-on, and kid-friendly experiences connected to the Mesozoic era, dinosaur tracks, and fossils. Registration is required.

Kids ages 6 to 12 can practice their reading skills with gentle therapy dogs at this special Paws for Reading program. The session includes multiple short 15-minute reading slots, with one slot per family. Registration is required.

The library sets the books aside to highlight the music of the 1960s with a program dedicated to the era’s sound.

Head to Sunset Park in Harvey Cedars for the next stop in the 2026 Summer Concert series. On August 12, the performance features Dread Pilot Roberts at 6:30 PM. Enjoy live music outdoors in a park setting.

Bring the kids for a free summer show series at John C. Bartlett Jr. County Park at Berkeley Island. On August 13, the featured performance is Pirate Vince, part of the weekly Kids Summer Spectacular events held on Thursdays at 1:00 PM.

A car meet returns to Barnegat, presented by Jersey Shore Car Shows. Admission is free, all vehicles are welcome, and the gathering includes food, music, special offers, and more.