Fun With Kids

For more than 260 years, the Jersey Devil, believed to have the wings of a bird, horns of a demon, glowing red eyes and cloven hooves, has scared the dickens out of those who dared enter the Pine Barrens. But if you dare, join the Pineland Preservation Alliance (PPA) for their twice-monthly Friday evening "Jersey Devil Hunts" that include campfires, music, and an eerie one and one-half-mile trek into Wharton State Forest to search for the infamous monster. Entertainingly scary for the older kids, it might be a bit intense for the under 10-set.

If your crew would rather root for a team than rough it in the woods, South Jersey's sports teams will give them lots to cheer about. The Trenton Thunder, the Yankees AA club and the AA Atlantic League's Camden Riversharks minor league baseball clubs offer major fun at family-friendly prices. Or get your game on with the Trenton Titans professional hockey team, one of the ECHL's top teams.

For city slickers looking for a change of pace, South Jersey is home to dozens of farms where families can get in the act and pick their own fruits and veggies. Some offer kid-friendly activities, such as hay rides, walk-through mazes and other activities. And for a flash back to the past, the Howell Living History Farm in Titusville takes you back to the turn of last century when horses and buggies ruled the road and 19th century farming was even harder work than it is today. Also reflecting New Jersey's "Garden State" heritage is historic Barclay Farmstead. The 32-acre farm in Cherry Hill captures rural life in 1816 with a working blacksmith shop, spring house, tool shed and garden.

Meanwhile, families can learn about life on a modern day working dairy farm at Creamy Acres where they can come face-to-face with goats, bunnies, ducks and chickens and even "milk" Bessie, a wooden cow. Seasonal activities, such as hay rides, cornfield mazes and the Cow Train, made to look like baby cows, could turn even the most citified folks into farmer wanna-be's.

There's nothing like an invigorating day in the great outdoors to burn up calories, get those muscles moving -- and tire the little darlings out! South Jersey's location between the Delaware River and Bay means that water is never more than a few minutes away. And that means lots of opportunities for fishing, boating and swimming. The region also has millions of acres of forests, park lands and preserves, and thousands of miles of trails where you can hike, bike, walk, camp, play, picnic, and just enjoy nature.

And that's just for starters. There are dozens of family-friendly attractions, festivals and events that will appeal to everyone from wide-eyed toddlers and hard-to-please teens to budget-conscious Moms and Dads.

Pictured: Jersey Devil Hunt, Wharton State Forest
Courtesy South Jersey Tourism Corporation