# Things to do with kids in Union County, NJ

> 13 upcoming family events and 0 places and ongoing programs in Union County, NJ, in the New York–Newark–Jersey City area. Listings whose address ZIP code is in this county (Census Bureau ZIP-to-county file). Dates and times are Eastern Time. Today is Sat, Oct 24.

Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Oct 24, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about
Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-10-24), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/new-york/counties/union-county-nj

## Events ahead

- [Fall Discovery Weekends at Reeves-Reed Arboretum](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/activities/fall-discovery-weekends-at-reeves-reed-arboretum--listing-f400fbb90d9d1bb91fc43015) — Sat, Oct 24 (+5 more dates) · 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM · Reeves-Reed Arboretum — Stackhouse Education Center, Summit · Ages 3+ · checked Oct 14. A self-guided weekend nature program for families with children ages 3 and up. Drop by the Stackhouse Education Center on Saturdays and Sundays anytime between 9 am and 3 pm…
- [Summit Halloween Parade and Costume Contest](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/activities/summit-halloween-parade-and-costume-contest--listing-889eaea5d9b2211a0ff3b831) — Sat, Oct 24 · 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM · Village Green, Summit (parade from 25 Deforest Ave) · All ages · checked Oct 20. The City of Summit's Department of Community Programs and the Summit Police Athletic League host the town's annual Halloween parade. Marchers line up in costume at 25 Deforest…
- [Kids Can Cook! — Trick or Treat](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/activities/kids-can-cook-trick-or-treat--listing-cbf846f0d38dd4f72f30eafe) — Wed, Oct 28 · 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM · Reeves-Reed Arboretum, Summit · Ages 5–10 · From $50 · sold out when last checked · checked Oct 24. A Halloween cooking class for kids ages 5-10 at Reeves-Reed Arboretum in Summit, where children whip up ghoulish treats just for fun.
- [Great Pumpkin Sail at Echo Lake Park](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/activities/great-pumpkin-sail-at-echo-lake-park--listing-e497074bf4359e377a26f7be) — Sun, Nov 1 · 5:15 PM – 9:30 PM · Echo Lake Park, Mountainside · All ages · From $12 · checked Oct 24. Union County's Great Pumpkin Sail is a family evening at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside: each family brings one pre-carved Jack-o-Lantern (with its lid, no more than eight pounds…
- [NJEA Mini Camp: Take a Walk on the Creative Side — Reeves-Reed Arboretum](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/activities/njea-mini-camp-take-a-walk-on-the-creative-side-reeves-reed-arboretum--listing-658494d364e4c6b7b5cf1f08) — Thu, Nov 5 · 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM · Reeves-Reed Arboretum, Summit · Ages 5–10 · From $65 · checked Oct 16. On Thursday, November 5, while New Jersey schools close for the NJEA convention, Reeves-Reed Arboretum runs a morning mini camp for children ages 5–10. Campers hike the…
- [Homeschool Adventures: Adaptations — Reeves-Reed Arboretum](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/activities/homeschool-adventures-adaptations-reeves-reed-arboretum--listing-4864f86d5677f67b7cb17bd2) — Fri, Nov 20 · 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM · Reeves-Reed Arboretum, Summit · Ages 5–12 · From $30 · checked Oct 16. An outdoor science class for homeschooled children ages 5–12 at Reeves-Reed Arboretum in Summit, led by experienced environmental educators. This November session looks at…
- [The Nutcracker Sensory-Friendly Performance — New Jersey Ballet at UCPAC, Rahway](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/activities/the-nutcracker-sensory-friendly-performance-new-jersey-ballet-at-ucpac--listing-ef8ace2190200b96cfddf0cf) — Sun, Nov 29 · 2:00 PM · Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC), Rahway · From $8 · checked Oct 16. New Jersey Ballet opens its holiday season with a sensory-friendly performance of The Nutcracker at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway on Sunday, November 29, at…
- [Holiday Open House with Cookies, Cocoa & Photos with Santa — Reeves-Reed Arboretum](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/activities/holiday-open-house-with-cookies-cocoa-and-photos-with-santa-reeves-ree--listing-fb2c1aeffda46a0f3b31814a) — Sun, Dec 6 · 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM · Reeves-Reed Arboretum, Summit · All ages · With admission · checked Oct 16. Reeves-Reed Arboretum's annual Holiday Open House in Summit fills Sunday, December 6, from 11 am to 4 pm, with something for each member of the family. Children can bundle up for…
- [Two Nutcrackers — New Jersey Youth Symphony at UCPAC, Rahway](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/activities/two-nutcrackers-new-jersey-youth-symphony-at-ucpac-rahway--listing-6464904081fe150ef7f75f08) — Sun, Dec 13 · 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM · Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) Main Stage, Rahway · Paid · checked Oct 24. The New Jersey Youth Symphony's holiday concert Two Nutcrackers pairs two versions of the same score on UCPAC's Main Stage in Rahway: Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite played by the…
- [Santa's Circus — UCPAC, Rahway](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/activities/santa-s-circus-ucpac-rahway--listing-738ac1df5bb4fe203dc3418f) — Fri, Dec 18 · 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM · Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) Main Stage, Rahway · All ages · From $37 · checked Oct 24. Santa's Circus, a new Christmas-themed circus production, plays UCPAC's Main Stage in Rahway on a Friday evening a week before Christmas. The 90-minute show mixes stunts and…
- [Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas — Popcorn & Pajamas at UCPAC Hamilton Stage, Rahway](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/activities/emmet-otter-s-jug-band-christmas-popcorn-and-pajamas-at-ucpac-hamilton--listing-aa3e385252783a2457b42b6c) — Sat, Dec 19 · 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM · UCPAC Hamilton Stage, Rahway · From $10 · checked Oct 24. UCPAC's Popcorn & Pajamas film series for young children screens Jim Henson's 1977 holiday special Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas at the intimate Hamilton Stage in Rahway, with…
- [Holiday Family Afternoon Tea — Reeves-Reed Arboretum](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/activities/holiday-family-afternoon-tea-reeves-reed-arboretum--listing-a7c93b2654ca9dd1c8099d3a) — Sat, Dec 19 · 11:30 AM · Reeves-Reed Arboretum, Summit · Ages 6+ · From $70 · checked Oct 16. The Secret Tea Room serves a holiday afternoon tea for families in historic Wisner House at Reeves-Reed Arboretum on Saturday, December 19. Adults get brewed teas, fresh scones…
- [The Polar Express in 35mm with Holiday Organ Concert — UCPAC, Rahway](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/activities/the-polar-express-in-35mm-with-holiday-organ-concert-ucpac-rahway--listing-835f97cd2c07806d4bc4fef6) — Wed, Dec 23 · 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM · Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) Main Stage, Rahway · From $17 · checked Oct 24. On December 23 the Union County Performing Arts Center's historic Main Stage in Rahway screens The Polar Express on 35mm film as part of its I. Joseph Hyatt Classic Film Series…

## Recently ended

- [Campfire Friends — Night Hike and S'mores](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/activities/campfire-friends-night-hike-and-s-mores--listing-a35adc4cfe6d87abfc5dc562) — ended Thu, Oct 22
- [Celebrate Fall Festival — Reeves-Reed Arboretum](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/activities/celebrate-fall-festival-reeves-reed-arboretum--listing-788b072abab28e283ee1b3ed) — ended Sun, Oct 18

## Nearby

- Towns in Union County, NJ: [Summit, NJ](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/towns/summit-nj) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/new-york/towns/summit-nj.md), [Rahway, NJ](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/towns/rahway-nj) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/new-york/towns/rahway-nj.md)
- [Things to do with kids in New York](https://grassyknees.com/new-york) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/new-york.md)
- [This weekend in New York](https://grassyknees.com/new-york/this-weekend) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/new-york/this-weekend.md)

Town pages are listed once a town has 3 current listings, county pages at 10.