Dear Friends,   For many of us, Memorial Day marks the unofficial start to the summer season - time for backyard barbecues and long weekend beach trips. But the true meaning of this weekend ought not to be forgotten - and we should all take the time to recall the soldiers who died in the service of our country.   Indeed, there are so many ways to celebrate and honor our soldiers and our country this Memorial Day. Here are a few idea.... read more

Summer may not be here yet…. and if you haven't chosen a camp for your child yet, it’s never too late. There are endless possibilities to choose from – and while that may make it seem like a daunting process, luckily, there’s a camp for every kids and every interest. And NJ Kids is here to help!  We’ve researched all the camps around New Jersey and compiled a list of our top picks.  From traditional day camps to sports camps,.... read more

I admit I’m a bit late to the Mr. Men and Little Miss series – sure, I’d seen the faces on t-shirts and vaguely heard about the characters with names like Mr. Fussy and Miss Tiny - but, the truth is, even after receiving a half dozen of these books as a gift for my youngest a couple of years ago, they remained on her bookshelf, unread. Until recently, when my daughter pulled out Mr. Tickle, and together we discovered the wonderful world of Mr. Me.... read more

SYNOPSIS: The crew of the Enterprise must fight an evil force from within Starfleet. With a personal score to settle, Capt. Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction. Reel Rating: 5 out of 5 Reels MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence Released in Theaters: May 16, 2013 (2D, 3D, IMAX) Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Sequel Runtime: 132 minutes Direc.... read more

From time to time, Suburban Mom and NJ Kids like to introduce you to one of our friends – and hopefully together we can learn about some of the great programs offered throughout our state.  Today:  Mary Ann Riel and The Summer Theatre Camp of Montclair.  So many of our youngsters are smitten by the theater, so we thought it’d be a great for you to get to know one of the great women who are working with our kids and helping them lea.... read more

Dear Friends,   Mother's Day has come and gone, and, for most of us, it's back to the real world.   Certainly, we all relished the homemade cards and gifts and enjoyed the breakfast in bed (tackling the kitchen where the breakfast was prepared is another story) but now the 24-hour respite is over and there are school lunches to prepare, laundry to sort, wash, fold and put away, after school chauffeur duties and dinner to cook. &.... read more

SYNOPSIS: Based on the classic novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, "The Great Gatsby" tells the story of a Midwestern war veteran who finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his millionaire neighbor in 1920s Long Island. Reel Rating: 4 out of 5 Reels MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some violent images, sexual content, smoking, partying and brief language.     Released in Theaters: May 10, 2013 (2D, 3D) Genre: Drama, Romance.... read more

I treasure the special bond my children share with their grandparents – although, of course, I always wonder how these people (aka our parents) can be the same ones who engaged such strict rules and held such high expectations and yet now believe that an entire box of Mallomars is an acceptable snack and barely raise an eyebrow when they discover a chocolaty smudge on the wall. Oh well. So they’ve got the kids fooled.  Still, the time they .... read more

It’s been over six months since Hurricane Sandy came crashing into the tri-state area, devastating a large swath of the Jersey Shore.  Many of the beachside towns are still trying to recover – but the summer won’t be a complete washout! Many boardwalks have been repaired and many beaches are targeting to open Memorial Day weekend.  Check out our list of towns open for business – plus some nearby summer fun sites and don’t miss act.... read more

Dear Friends,   I've starting spending an hour or two every month visiting the web pages of my favorite sites around NJ and jotting down a list of upcoming special events. A visit to a museum, arboretum or historical landmark is always a fun outing - but a special event can make it even more exciting. Here are just a few upcoming events in the next month or so I thought you'd like to know about:   Hit the Mine Run dump and dig for .... read more