Things to Do With Kids
in Central New JerseyA Somerset County parent's guide — indoor, outdoor, free and paid

A big indoor recreation centre — turf fields, basketball courts, a four-floor laser tag arena, an arcade and a multi-level indoor playground.

SuitsWide range, but the laser tag and the climbing playground land best from about 5 up.

A large indoor sports complex with a ninja course, climbing areas, a play-climb zone and a redemption arcade alongside the courts.

SuitsBetter from about 6 upward — most of it rewards kids who can already climb and chase.

Trampoline park with a foam pit, dodgeball courts and freestyle jump time.

SuitsAbout 5 and up. Most locations run a quieter toddler session — worth asking.

A retro arcade packed with cabinets and consoles from several decades, plus skee ball.

SuitsRoughly 6 and up, and a reliable hit with the parents too.

An indoor mall, which on a February morning is a legitimate answer: somewhere warm and flat to walk a restless toddler for an hour without paying for the privilege.

SuitsAny age. Nobody's idea of an outing, but it works.

2,700 acres of meadow, woodland and water with paved trails running through it. Free to visit. Saturday parking passes are reserved in advance from April to October, so check before a weekend trip.

SuitsAny age. The paved loops take a stroller without a fight, which is rarer than it should be.

Free county nature centre on the edge of the Great Swamp, with about nine miles of trail outside and the Great Swamp Experience exhibit inside — including a beaver lodge small children can crawl into.

SuitsToddlers upward. The indoor exhibit means a wet day is not a wasted trip.

685 acres with a large playground, a rose garden, paddle boats and a putting course, fronting the D&R Canal and the Millstone River. The park is free; the paddle boats and putting course are paid and seasonal.

SuitsEveryone. The playground is the draw for under-5s; the paths suit a stroller.

A walkable main street with outdoor film screenings, a summer concert series and classic-car cruise nights through the warmer months. Most of the programming is free.

SuitsBest with kids old enough to enjoy an evening out — though a stroller handles it fine.

Pick-your-own berries and flowers through the growing season.

SuitsToddlers upward — picking things and putting them in a container is close to a perfect toddler activity.

A lavender farm that also runs alpaca walks.

SuitsSmall children who like animals, which is most of them.

New Jersey's big science museum, with a planetarium and several floors of hands-on exhibits. Around an hour from Hillsborough.

SuitsWorks from about 3, but you get most out of it from 6 up. A whole day, not an afternoon.

Minor-league baseball with the between-innings games, mascot races and fireworks nights that make the actual sport optional.

SuitsAny age that will sit for a while. Cheaper and far more forgiving than a major-league trip.

Branches in Hillsborough, Bridgewater, Somerville, Manville, Skillman, North Plainfield, Peapack, Warren and Watchung, running story times for babies and toddlers alongside the shelves.

SuitsBabies and toddlers especially. Free, warm, indoors, and it fills a morning.