giveaways – The Next Kid Thing

A Day Out With Thomas Makes a Stop in Phillipsburg, NJ + Giveaway

June 26, 2018June 26, 2018 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Thomas and Friends are making a stop in Phillipsburg, NJ at Delaware River Railroad Excursions once again. The boys and love making the trip to check out A Day Out with Thomas and Friends. This fun outing is perfect for Thomas Fans and train afficianados alike.

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In celebration of this year’s theme, Day Out With Thomas: Big Adventures Tour 2018 will feature an array of friendship-inspired activities. Attendees will be able to participate in events that encourage and celebrate friendship including photo opportunities, and a fun activity that invites kids to collect passport stamps throughout the day to receive a Day Out With Thomas Foam Ball. The 2018 tour theme is in line with this year’s Thomas & Friends global brand campaign, ‘Set Friendship in Motion’ – a campaign that ties together content, social integrations, and event activations across the entire Thomas & Friends franchise to highlight the importance of first friendships and the development of key friendship skills in toddlers.

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A Day Out with Thomas is a whole day affair with train rides and activities galore—perfect for those who love Thomas and trains in general. The best part of this fun day is that there’s something for everyone. From the Thomas-themed story time to the mini petting area to the train play area to the arts and crafts area, the fun is endless at A Day Out with Thomas.

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My sons and I have had the opportunity to visit A Day Out with Thomas several times over the years. And as major fans of Thomas, this is one of our favorite summer day trips; it’s so fun to get our fill of train fun.

Beyond the fun ride aboard the train itself, we love meeting the conductors and engineers who are always so cordial with all of the kids. My boys love all the fun activities, especially the bouncy rides and toy trains and demos. We have such a great time exploring the grounds of the Railways, which is about an hour away from us.

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A couple of things to note for those in Northern NJ like me, Phillipsburg is about an hour drive. July is typically super hot and there isn’t AC on the trains, so bring plenty of water to drink and to stay cool! Definitely plan to arrive early to enjoy all of the activities as it does get crowded for certain times AND to figure out parking. I found parking to be somewhat tricky. It’s cheaper to park further away, but there are shuttles available. Be sure to take all of these things into consideration.

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And of course, don’t forget to wear your Thomas shirts and conductor’s hats if you have them. There are lots of photo opps and the kids love being in character with their favorite Thomas friends.

Heading to Phillipsburg

A Day Out with Thomas will make stops in Phillipsburg, New Jersey on June 29, 30, July 1, 6, 7, 8 2018. Thomas the Tank Engine rides depart every 60 minutes, rain or shine. Departure times begin at 10:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. each day of the event. Tickets for Day Out with Thomas are $21 for adults and children ages 3 through 12. Children 2 and under are admitted free.Tickets are on sale now! To buy your tickets or for more information, call The Delaware River Railroad Excursions at 877-train-ride or visit 877trainride.com

Win it!

We are giving away a four pack of tickets for the July 1 at 3pm excursion. This is a quick turnaround for the giveaway. Before entering, please ensure that you can make the July 1 excursion in Phillipsburg, NJ. If you’d like to win the 4-pack of tickets, please enter below:

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Full disclosure: We received tickets to review and share about A Day Out With Thomas. As always, opinions on The Next Kid Thing are my own.

New York Baby Show Set for May 19 & 20 + Ticket Giveaway

April 1, 2018 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Happy Spring, friends! It’s that wonderful time of year that’s filled with renewals and rebirth. And when you cover baby and kid goodies, it also means lots of fun baby shows in NYC! For the past few years, I’ve enjoyed attending and covering the New York Baby Show highlighting the latest and greatest new baby gear and goodies. This year, we’re headed there once again!

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2018 New York Baby Show, on May 19 & 20 at Pier 94 will once again be the largest show for new and expectant parents in the country. Now in its 8th year, no other event provides a better experience for thousands of expectant and new families from New York and neighboring counties, seeking a family-friendly jamboree of top brands, great speakers and seminars, big giveaways, and lots of learning, support, bonding, and fun as you make your way into parenthood. We are giving away tickets for you and your family to experience the show. Normal ticket price is $30 per family (for 2 adults and up to 4 children), and $20 per individual.

Ticket Giveaway

We have 10 free tickets (family or single) to giveaway. Head to this link to grab your tickets!

Once the free tickets are gone, we have unlimited ticket discounts to the New York Baby Show.

Enjoy 50% off any tickets (family or single)
Get 50% off tickets to the New York Baby Show here

Full disclosure: This is a sponsored post. As always, opinions on NKT are my own. Thanks for supporting NKT.

New York Baby Show Free Ticket Giveaway

April 3, 2017April 3, 2017 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

As Spring starts to roll in, so do more fun events in the City and around town. Always on the hunt for new and innovative baby and kid products, I’m thrilled that the New York Baby Show is once again docking on the West Side at Pier 94 in NYC. This great event showcases many of the coolest gear and gadgets for babies and kids. I love bringing the whole family to the show to scout out new gear for babes and the site.

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Dr. Harvey Karp, one of my favorite parenting experts and famed pediatrician, will be one of the speakers at the New York Baby Show. There’s a long list of great exhibitors, including 4moms, Tula, Britax, Clek, Cybex, among other favorite baby and family brands.

Are you expecting or have a little and looking for the best baby gear, I definitely recommend heading to the New York Baby Show taking place May 20-21. Tickets are $30 per family or $20 for individuals.

And because we’re such fans of the New York Baby Show, I’m so excited to give away some free tickets to the show. I have 10 tickets to giveaway, and you can grab them here. These free tickets are first come first serve.

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Once the free tickets are gone, I’m happy to share 50% off tickets to the New York Baby Show. To grab this discount, please head here.

Curious George: Let’s Get Curious Exhibit at Liberty Science Center

September 24, 2016September 24, 2016 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been a Curious George fan. I can still remember my librarian in elementary school reading to us from a well-loved hard back copy of Curious George. Curious George and his many adventures have grown with me, and I’m so happy to see that he’s grown with my boys as well.

Lucky us, the Curious George exhibit is back at Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, and it’s fantastic. The Curious George: Let’s Get Curious! exhibit features everyone’s favorite curious monkey and the The Man in the Yellow Hat.

The exhibit, which is at LSC for a four month engagement, celebrates the 75th anniversary of George’s debut. The exhibit embraces several educational concepts in science, math and engineering and geared to the preschool and grade school contingent.

What to See and Do

Upon entering the exhibit, you’re greeted by a picturesque cityscape background reminiscent of the iconic Curious George books. At the Apartment Building, kids can operate wheels and pulleys and the climb up the fire escape and then experiment with color, light and shadow.

The Space Rocket welcomes the littlest space explorers for an Outer Space Adventure. The slide down is a favorite feature, and one that we found ourselves doing the most.

The Sidewalk Produce Stand reminded us of a little street vendor or bodega. The kids had fun playing cashier and shopper and taking turns (somewhat) and interacting with other children. The produce stand gives kids a chance to explore shape, sorting, weighing and counting with fruits and veggies.

The kids visited a little farm to pretend play with small animals and explore wind power, windsocks and whirligigs. My little guy had fun opening and closing the little chicken coop and making the piggies smooch each other!

The golf area was a fun way for the kids to learn cause and effect with physics, and engineering, while exploring with pipes, ramps and funnels.

The Construction Site was another fun station where kids enjoyed climbing into the trailer and exploring different building materials. Both guys had a fun time operating the conveyor belt and sorting bricks and trying to work together. This spot got pretty hectic at times, but it worked well when all the kids were taking turns.

My Little guy stopped in his tracks when he spotted a full-size Curious George in the City Park. He planted a big smooch and hug on George before running off to check out the Park’s busywall activities.

My personal favorite of the entire exhibit was the Museum Within the Museum. There were many historical posters and literature on display, including the manuscript’s escape from Europe during WWII.

I loved learning about the historical timeline behind this beloved character. I also got a big kick out of all the little kids playing with the retro landline phone on the desk—perhaps something they don’t see enough in the time of iPhones and smart phones.

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My preschooler and third grader had a wonderful time exploring; we quite honestly could’ve stayed there all day. There are enough features in this exhibit to entertain the kids for an hour or two. While a majority of the activities are geared to toddlers and preschoolers, my older son had fun interacting with the conveyor belt and helping his brother with certain aspects.

LSC remains one of our family’s favorite NJ museums, and Let’s Get Curious exhibit is a complement to the 12 museum exhibition halls, live animal collection, aquariums, 3D theater and their huge IMAX Dome Theater. Whether you’re in NYC, NJ or elsewhere, Liberty Science Center is worth the drive for a fun day of science and exploration.

Curious George: Let’s Get Curious! will be at the Liberty Science Center form September 17, 2016 until January 8, 2017. This super fun exhibit is included in general admission tickets ($21.75 for adults and $17.75 for children 2-12)

Giveaway

And in partnership with Liberty Science Center, we are giving away a 4 pack of tickets for you and your family to enjoy. Enter below for a chance to win!

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Full disclosure: In partnership with Jersey Moms Media, my family was hosted at LSC to facilitate this review. I received a stipend for transportation, but as always, opinions on NKT are my own.

Enter to Win #FlippforMom SpaFinder Gift Card

May 19, 2016May 21, 2016 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

As someone who is constantly losing things and digging through my bag for store discount cards and such, I’m so glad to know there’s an app for that. The free app, Flipp, is a very cool shopping all-in-one list, coupon and store card hub. The app allows users to save and look up store circulars, discount cards and other information that streamlines shopping and saving.

Because it’s location-based, it pinpoints your favorite stores’ locations so you can personalize the deals you save. I love that the shopping list shows what deals are out there, every time you add an item to your list. As a deal hunter, this app is so helpful and super convenient.

Because Flipp is all about making moms’ life easier by connecting stores and specials and lists in one place, they’re celebrating moms throughout the month of May. Flip has kicked off a special #FlippforMom campaign. Throughout May, on their official Facebook and Twitter accounts, Flipp will be hosting a different giveaway for every week. Be sure to check out Flipp’s Facebook page for more details.

And because we’re all about awesome apps that help make our lives as parents easier, Flipp is offering a very generous $100 SpaFinder gift card to one of you! Please enter below:
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Full disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions on NKT are my own. Thank you for supporting Nextkidthing.com

What to See and Do at Play Fair in NYC + ticket giveaway

February 10, 2016February 10, 2016 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

For the first time ever, kids will be heading to Javits Center in NYC for Play Fair on Saturday and Sunday, February 13-14. Presented by Nickelodeon and Lego, Play Fair will allow kids and families to experience the latest and greatest toys, as well as meet fun characters and YouTube personalities.

Play Fair, hosted by Toy Industry Association and Leftfield Media, will be taking place alongside of the International Toy Fair, the annual trade show for industry professionals. Because it is a trade show, kids are not allowed to walk the showroom of Toy Fair. Play Fair, however, was designed for kids and families to experience new toys and then some. Hasbro, Mattel, Marvel, Cartoon Network, Crayola, Bandai, Toys R Us and Warner Bros will be onhand at Play Fair showcasing the coolest toys.

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My family will be onsite with me on Sunday to check out all the goodies! Though we get to check out cool new toys regularly, fun experiences like this excite my guys to no end. My 8 year old will likely be in amazement of his favorite YouTubers. While my 4 year old will most likely go nuts over the entire thing! As for me, I can’t wait to let loose and check out the fun. Toy Fair is work for me, so I’m taking videos, tons of photos and taking notes. Play Fair with kids and families will most certainly add a totally different perspective to Toy Fair itself!

So, here’s what you’ll get to see and do at Play Fair:

• Check out the new Batmobile from Warner Bros. Pictures’ Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, in theaters March 25, 2016

• Slide down the exclusive PAW Patrol slide, snap photos with PAW Patrol costume characters Chase, Marshall, Skye and Rubble, and get an exclusive look at the newest PAW Patrol pup, Tracker, who will join the series this fall

• Join Hasbro for the ultimate lightsaber training session! With the help of the Empire Saber Guild, get a hands-on learning experience about lightsaber forms and techniques

• Build a LEGO car and race it down a ramp against other LEGO builders

• Explore the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle tunnels and mimic their favorite Turtle moves with Magic Mirror technology

• Gross out with an epic booger battle, experience the slimy, gross play of Booger Balls for the first time by picking and flicking them at Booger Ball targets

• Enjoy the interactive Thomas & Friends experience by Mattel

• Create their own toy review videos and have chances to win Toys“R”Us gift cards

• Test out the latest from NERF in the NERF arena

• Test out the newest Razor rides, like Jetts, the new sparking Heel Wheels, and other awesome Razor rides like the Power Core E90, Crazy Cart and RipSurf

• Purchase exclusive collectible toys

• And every attendee will receive a gift bag with toys and fun goodies from event sponsors

Play Fair’s live performances and appearances include:

• Meet and take photos with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Shimmer and Shine, SpongeBob SquarePants, the Miraculous Ladybug and Cat Noir, Chase and Marshall from PAW Patrol, Dora, Saban’s Power Rangers Dino Super Charge, Peppa Pig, PJ Masks, and more

• The cast of Nickelodeon’s hit show Game Shakers – Cree Cicchino (Babe), Madisyn Shipman (Kenzie), Thomas Kuc (Hudson), Benjamin Flores Jr. (Triple G), and Kel Mitchell (Double G) – will host a panel on Saturday to debut their new app, Nasty Goats

• Jon Scieszka, best-selling author behind The Stinky Cheese Man and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, will read from his Frank Einstein science book series

• All-ages comic creators Art Baltazar, Franco Aureliani, Abby Denson, Dave Roman, Matt Loux, and Misako Rocks! will sketch and sign their books for fans

• Meet Toys“R”Us mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe, enjoy story time and participate in fun birthday-themed activities

• Take in episodes of Ultimate Spider-Man: Web-Warriors, We Bare Bears, and Teen Titans Go! on a massive movie screen

• Take photos with Shopkins mascot characters, including Strawberry Kiss and Lippy Lips, and color your favorite Shopkins characters

• LEGO Master Builder Erik Varszegi presents insider tips on creating LEGO masterpieces

• The girls of Make it Pop will reveal their new fashion doll series on February 14. Join them on the Toys“R”Us stage at 11:30 a.m. for an exclusive interview, live performance and a chance to meet the cast

• YouTube personalities including DisneyCarToys, Mommy and Gracie Show, and KittiesMama will meet with fans and host toy unboxings live on the Toys“R”Us stage

Buy Tickets

Tickets start at $30 and can be purchased at PlayFairNY.com/tickets Family packs with a small discount are available online as well. Morning sessions run from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and afternoon sessions are open from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Giveaway

And thanks to my friends at KidzVuz, I have a family four pack of tickets for Play Fair to giveaway! Make sure you visit my awesome friends at KidzVuz at booth #156 at Play Fair!

Enter below! Good luck! This giveaway will end on Friday night 2/12 so the winner can be notified.

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Be sure to follow my coverage of Toy Fair from Saturday February 13 to Monday February 15! I’m @jenrab on Twitter, Periscope and Instagram. I’ll have photo and vids up on the Next Kid Thing Facebook page, and I will snap some Snapchat photos too! I’m jen_rab on Snapchat

Disney Fantasia: Live in Concert at NJPAC on2/19 + Giveaway

February 4, 2016February 4, 2016 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

We truly can’t get enough of Disney in our house. Combine Disney with the symphony, now we’re talking. We have great accessibility to wonderful performances and shows in our area, including those at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC).

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On February 19, NJPAC will be featuring Disney Fantasia: Live in Concert. Disney Fantasia is a live performance that combines classical music with two beloved Disney movies. This performance will feature the Czech National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ted Sperling, which accompanies scenes from the animated feature films, Fantasia and Fantasia 2000.

To accompany the symphony, clips from Disney’s iconic films will be shown ion the big screen, such as Mickey Mouse as he dabbles in magic in Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and the mythical unicorns and winged horses that accompany Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 (“Pastoral”).

Bergen County’s Elisabeth Morrow School Orchestra Students will be the opening performers, where students ranging from 11- 14 years old will perform Vivaldi, Beethoven and more as the opening act. Biggie and Littles would, for sure, enjoy the magic of this show, especially seeing student musicians perform as the openers.

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Check out tickets at NJPAC for this fantastic show. And because we love wonderful shows like these, we’re giving away a pair of tickets to Disney Fantasia: Live in Concert!

NJPAC
Prudential Hall?One Center Street?Newark, NJ ?Friday, February 19, 2016 8:00 PM
Tickets $39.50 – $79.50

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Dora and Diego—Let’s Explore at Liberty Science Center + giveaway

January 12, 2016January 12, 2016 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Just before all the holiday chaos started, we were invited to explore the Dora and Diego exhibit at Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, NJ.

There’s so much we love about LSC, but the educational and interactive exhibits rank pretty high up on our list.

At our most recent trip to LSC we had the chance to explore the Dora and Diego—Let’s Explore! exhibit. If there was ever an exhibit that adequately examines the curious nature of toddlers and preschoolers, Dora and Diego—Let’s Explore is it. The exhibit features Nickelodeon favorites, Dora and Diego, along with their buddies, Boots, Map, Backpack, Isa, Tico and Swiper.

This exhibit was created by The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis in partnership with Nickelodeon and will be at LSC until January 24th.

Like the popular Nickelodeon shows from which this exhibit is based, Dora and Diego—Let’s Explore is an exhibit that encourages adventure, curiosity and how to solve problems while engaging Spanish speaking skills for preschoolers.

Highlights from the exhibit include:

The Purple Planet – Kids can climb inside and slide down on the surface of the whimsical Purple Planet

Rocket Ship – Dora and friends need a ride to the Purple Planet. At the Rocket Ship, kids can suit up, pilot the ship and play memory with planets.

Constellations – Kids can learn about stars and identify the patterns made out of stars by inserting star shapes to light-up a constellation

Isa’s Flowery Garden – At the Flowery Garden, Dora’s friend Isa the Iguana helps kids learn the beauty of flowers, plants, and animals. At Isa’s Garden, kids can pick flowers, interact with bird, butterflie, and insect puppets

Tico’s Tree and Car – Tico the squirrel needs help picking nuts from the tree for a family picnic. Kids can play along with Swiper to swipe the nuts and watch as they shoot up and over to fill Tico’s basket. Kids can help Tico fill up his car with nuts so he can begin his journey.

Pirate Ship – In the Pirate Ship, kids can band together with Pirate Piggies crew and dress like a pirate and sail the ship and share the treasure treasure.

Animal Rescue Center – Kids get a hands-on opportunity to care and help (stuffed) rainforest animals in Diego’s Animal Rescue Center. Kids can be an animal rescuer like Diego, as well as diagnose and help treat critters with the Scanner bed, First-Aid Station and fluff their fur at the Care Station.

Rainforest Maze – At the rainforest, kids can locate rainforest animals and swing across the Bobo Brothers’ monkey bars, crawl through a fallen tree, climb across Jaguar Mountain, and jump or hop across the River Rocks.

Though the exhibit is geared to the younger set, both my preschooler and grade schooler enjoyed Dora and Diego—Let’s Explore. The many interactive features, games and activities kept my kids engaged for well over an hour and a half.

At the Rocket Ship, both kids loved role-playing and pretending to blast off. Tico’s Tree and Car was a fun activity for both kids, especially my preschooler who was excited to pick nuts and fuel up himself. At the Rainforest Maze, my 8 year old enjoyed climbing and helping his little brother jump and swing around. The Animal Rescue Center was another favorite for my boys, where they were able to partner up and play vet together. I loved listening to my older son read the little signs and share interesting information throughout this super fun experience.

Dora and Diego—Let’s Explore is a fantastic interactive exhibit that’s ideal for toddlers and preschoolers, but engaging for the entire family. LSC has been one of my family’s absolute favorite museums in NJ since my older son was an infant. There’s always something for everyone in the family to enjoy. It does get crowded on the weekends and at peak times, but it’s always a lot of fun. And as winter limits family activities, what better way to spend a cold day with family than exploring at LSC.

With that in mind, in conjunction with What’s Down in Town, we’re giving away a family 4-pack of tickets to the Liberty Science Center that includes admission to Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition gallery. This giveaway will end on Friday to give you a chance to enjoy LSC over the long weekend! Please enter below:

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In order to facilitate this review, we received complimentary admission to LSC. Promotional tickets were provided for giveaway. As always, all opinions are my own.

#ParentOn with Tommee Tippee

September 9, 2015 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

The absolute best parenting advice I’ve ever received was from a family member almost 8 years ago. “Always trust your instincts,” they told me. So, whenever I’m second-guessing myself, whether it comes to feeding, disciplining or normal day-to-day parenting, I always think about that tidbit advice.

Our friends at Tommee Tippee are heralding this same advice with their #ParentOn campaign. #ParentOn encourages parents to ignore the unsolicited advice they may receive, trust their instincts and embrace all of the perfectly imperfect parenting moments as their children grow!

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In honor of my bigger guy turning 8 in a few weeks, I thought I’d share a parenting moment that we recently had:

Went to our local ice cream shop to celebrate the first day of school. My 7 year old asked for a cone, told him to get a kiddie cup. Against my better judgement, I got him the cone. And we received a generous small scoop. Told kid to lick it so that it doesn’t fall off. Ice cream fell off. Scolded him quietly, and thought it would be a good teaching moment. Had him look at the numbers to see how long the wait would be. It was about 25 numbers back. I told him there is always a next time.

There was a teenager standing near us who watched our whole ordeal go down. As we were getting ready to leave, she handed us her ticket that was a few numbers away. She felt so bad for my kid and insisted that we have her ticket. I felt obligated to buy my kid a replacement ice cream bc of the gesture. So, I went up to buy a kiddie cup and the person who originally served me our ice cream noticed me and joked, “more ice cream?” I sighed and said, “of course my kid dropped his after a few licks.” The owners would not let me pay for my replacement after I offered several times. Instead, I paid it forward and paid for the young lady who gave us her ticket.

Originally, the teaching moment for my kid was to show him that life isn’t always fair, and that you have to deal with the consequences. But after a series of kind gestures from the young lady and then ice cream shop, the teaching moment underscored generosity and how we live in a fantastic community.

Sometimes, it’s more than just teaching a lesson and letting kids be kids. Mistakes happen and life carries on. I’m so glad I was able to learn and #ParentOn!

Giveaway

In honor of Tommee Tippee’s #ParentOn campaign, we’re giving away a set of Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Bottles. If you could use some new bottles, tell me about a recent #ParentOn moment that you had.

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Enjoy Summer Memories at Jenkinson’s Boardwalk + #JenksMemory Giveaway

August 13, 2015August 15, 2015 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

As far as summer fun goes, we’ve been pretty lucky this year. Between hanging out with friends at our lake all day, playing baseball, rugby, running a triathlon and riding bikes in the neighborhood, we’re so fortunate to have so much to do this summer.

However, with all the fun activities and sports, that’s not to say we don’t love a good road trip. Our summer isn’t complete with a few trips to the beach. When heading down the shore, to Jenkinson’s in Point Pleasant is our go-to beach.
At just a little over an hour away, Jenkinson’s is a family-friendly beach that has an attraction for everyone in the whole family. From games to rides to fun food to mini golf to relaxing on the sandy beaches, for us northerners, Jenkinson’s is the quintessential summer at the shore.

This week, we took our friends to their first ever jaunt down the shore. First stop per the kids’ request: Jenkinson’s Aquariaum to say hello to the penguins, Luseal and Seaquin.

The aquarium, always a hit for rainy days, is super fun to visit mid-day to get a reprieve from the weather and crowds. We enjoyed the aquarium and didn’t have to fight too many crowds on the sunny day when we visited. The sharks, penguins, touch tank and seals are our absolute favorites, but I have to say, the clownfish up front is a runner up.

Weekday visits to Jenkinson’s Boardwalk is such a treat because, not only do you get to enjoy the beach, depending on the time of summer, you get a reprieve from the crowds.

Since we visited later in the summer, vacationer traffic seemed to be dwindling, so we had the restaurants to ourselves. We had lunch at the Pavillion, one of our favorites. What makes this spot so great is that it’s close to the Aquarium and it has a variety of food for everyone. Even better? It’s an enclosed area to beat the heat. As with any destination type of place, food can be pricey for an entire family. The kids always love the lunches served in buckets that double as beach toys. Portions are big here, which is always a plus.

Roof Top Mini Golf is another must-do for our family. Last summer, my husband was toting my toddler around as we played, this year, it was fun to see my little dude go all Happy Gilmore on the putting green. Because this Mini Golf area is on a rooftop, there isn’t much shade.
So if you don’t mind the heat, there aren’t too many other people playing in the middle of the day. It’s a fun and clean course, perfect for friends and family to take on a friendly game of mini golf. Do yourself a favor though, watch out for the slippery puddles after it rains! We had a little accident when we missed a puddle and fell hard onto the concrete. Nevertheless, Roof Top Mini Golf is a blast for everyone.

Perhaps, one of the things that sets Jersey Shore boardwalks aside from other beach towns is the fun amusements! Having grown up in Virginia Beach, we had several amusement rides, but nothing quite as expansive as what you can find at Jenkinson’s.

The kiddie rides are always in great condition with minimal lines during the week. The big kid rides are fast and can’t be missed. I love that my bigger guy and littler guy could still ride rides together. And hey, I enjoyed hopping on a kiddie ride for good measure, too!

The Flitzer, though, is still our absolute favorite ride. For a mini roller coaster, you can’t miss this super fun attraction.
At a little over an hour away, Jenkinson’s is a fantastic option for a day trip, whether it’s on one of these last summer weekends or on a weekday with the kids. With the very cool aquarium, beach access, plenty of restaurants and treats, mini golf, games and rides, Jenkinson’s is fun for the whole family!

Headed to Jenkinson’s later this summer? Be sure to check out Hot Halloween which runs August 25-27th. In September, don’t miss Labor Day Fireworks on the 7th, Grandparent’s Day at the Aquarium, Behind the Scenes Tour at the Aquarium on the 19th and Tea by the Sea at the Aquarium on the 24th. For a full line up of activities, head to Jenkinson’s Events.

In conjunction with NKT, and as part of my participation in the Jenkinson’s Memory Maker program, I’m thrilled to be able to giveaway a weekday VIP voucher to Jenkinson’s Boardwalk that includes wristbands for up to 5 people.
Head to Rafflecopter below or on our Facebook Page to enter. Good luck!

The wristbands include unlimited rides in the amusement area, Rooftop Mini Golf, admission to Jenkinson’s Aquarium, admission to the Fun House, beach access and Jenkinson’s bath house. Not valid for parking. This voucher is valid Monday-Friday only, no weekends or holidays, and expires 12/31/15. This giveaway ends on 8/16/15 at 11:59pm! A random winner will be announced on Monday, 8/17.

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Full disclosure: as a Jenkinson’s Memory Maker, I have been provided with a voucher for my visit. All opinions expressed are my own.