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Park Family GuideA Monmouth County Park System Monthly Publication
April 2015
www.monmouthcountyparks.com
Spring Craft ShowSaturday, April 25, 9:00 AM-2:00 PM
Tatum Park Red Hill Activity Center, MiddletownJust in time for Mother’s Day!
Find a unique, hand-crafted gift for yourself or a special person in your life.
This year’s event features hand-crafted items such as jewelry, greeting cards, herbal products, tutus and fairy wands, doll
clothing, macrame and much more!
FREE ADMISSION • FREE PARKING
Interested in selling your crafts at this event? Please call 732-542-1642, ext. 31, or email
Great Spring Perennial Plant SwapSaturday, April 25, 8:00 AM-2:00 PM (see schedule below)
Deep Cut Gardens, Middletown
It’s fun, free, easy. Bring plants in one-quart, one-gallon or two-gallon containers and take home the same size and
number of plants. Please label all plants. Herb and vegetable seedlings may also be exchanged. Invasive plants will not
be accepted; a list of such plants and further information is available at www.njisst.org.
Please Note: To allow for plant inspection as per N.J. Department of Agriculture regulations, plant intake will be
from 8:00-10:00 AM, with no plants accepted after 10:00 AM. Plants may be selected and taken from 10:00 AM-2:00 PM.
For more information, please call 732-671-6050.
2015 Craft Quest Go Green! EditionFort Monmouth Recreation Center, Tinton Falls
Let’s go green and teach kids the idea of repurposing discarded materials into craft supplies.
Each month will be a different craft using recycled items such as cardboard tubes, tissue boxes and bottle caps.
Visit the Recreation Center to discover the Craft Quest Box. Upon pre-registration or dropping in (pay at the door), you will receive a secret code to access the box to collect your
craft kit and passport. Once your project is complete, email a picture of it to Rachel.
[email protected] and you’ll receive a sticker to place in your passport.
Collect 12 stickers to receive a Park System drawstring pouch and a certificate of achievement.
Cost: $10.00 Per Family(cash or check only on site)
April - Tissue BoxesProgram #AA952A
For more information, contact Rachel Cohen at 732-524-1642, ext. 29.
Book Swap Drop-In(all ages, under 18 with adult)
Fort Monmouth Recreation Center, Tinton FallsEnjoy reading? Looking for something different to read? Stop
by the park and bring unwanted book(s) and swap them for something new! Don’t have a book to swap? That’s okay,
there’s a stash for you to peruse and select from!
Adult fiction, young adult fiction and children’s books are accepted. Encyclopedias, Reader’s Digest and reference
books will not be accepted.
Dates & Times:Thursday, April 16, 6:00-8:00 PM
Sunday, April 26, 1:00-3:00 PMCost: FREE!
Spring has Sprung!Check out what’s happening in nature during the month of April.
Here are some things to look and listen for during the month: • Hummingbirds arrive and songbirds begin to nest. Walk through Huber Woods Park, Middletown, and see if you can spot them carrying grass, twigs or feathers. • Listen for the downy and hairy woodpeckers making nest cavities in trees in Hartshorne Woods Park, Middletown. • Migrating shorebirds arrive at Bayshore Waterfront Park, Port Monmouth. • Piping plovers return to potential nesting beaches including Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park, Long Branch. Be sure to watch them from a distance. • Hibernating butterflies start to emerge. Look for them at Deep Cut Gardens, Middletown. • Dogwood, elm, adler, birch and maple trees start to bloom. Visit Holmdel Park Arboretum, Holmdel, for a feast for the senses. • Look for garter snakes sunning themselves on warm days. • Ospreys begin to nest. In the past, pairs have nested at the Manasquan Reservoir, Howell. • Wild ginger is flowering. • Listen for spring peepers chorus in the evening. The females are laying eggs – more than 1,200 eggs will be deposited on each submerged twig or pond weed.
This month: • Green frogs, fowler toads and American toads begin breeding season. • Red fox and coyote pups are born. • Alewife, blueback herring and American shad enter rivers and streams, in the annual spawning runs. After laying eggs in freshwater, the adults return to the seas and the newly-hatched young stay in rivers until fall.
Now that spring has sprung, it’s time to head outdoors and soak up its beauty. See the first leaves open, the buttercups and dandelions bloom, and watch the dragonflies emerge from the wetlands.
For updates on nature happenings in your Monmouth County Parks, visit the Nature Now section of our website under the “Natural Resources” tab.
www.monmouthcountyparks.com
Family Fun in the ParksThere’s no better place to enjoy time together than in your beautiful County parks.
Let the kids climb, swing and slide on one of our amazing playgrounds.
Spend a night under the stars. The campground at Turkey Swamp Park, Freehold, opens for the season on April 1.
Stroll the picturesque gardens of Deep Cut Gardens, Middletown. The tulips are often in full bloom toward the end of the month.
Take a pottery piece and make it your own during Open Ceramics at the Creative Arts Center on April 12. See page 7 for more information.
Drop a line and see what you will catch while fishing at one of our Park System lakes or on the shores of one of our beaches. (Note: Fishing license required for ages 16-69 for freshwater fishing.)
Take a leisurely stroll or bring the bikes out for a spin down the trails. The Park System currently has over 130 miles of trails throughout the parks!
Stop by the Fort Monmouth Recreation Center, Tinton Falls, for one of their many drop-in programs, such as Craft Quest (see page 2), Open Gym, and more! For a full list of drop-ins, visit us online.
Assist the farmhands at Historic Longstreet Farm, Holmdel, with some of their chores during Parent/Child Morning Chores on Saturday, April 4 from 8-9 a.m. (Cost is $15 per child/parent pair; $5 per additional participant. Cash or check only.)
Celebrate Earth Day in the parks on Sunday, April 26 with activities in various County parks (see page 8).
Tee off on one of our gorgeous Monmouth County Park System golf courses!
Don’t let the warmth of spring pass you by! Get out in the parks with your family this April! Check out these top 10
things to do in the parks this month.
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For more ideas on fun you can have in the parks, visit us online.www.monmouthcountyparks.com
Saturday, April 1810:00 AM-4:00 PMManasquan Reservoir Environmental Center, Howell
Theme: Freshwater: Every Drop Counts
Program #IPB52X
Ages 12 and up
Free event t-shirt will be provided to the first 100 students!
The Environmental Summit is for students and teachers from county-wide high school and middle school environmental clubs to come together to share and learn new ideas towards local action, such as creating a school water testing program, managing freshwater resources, restoring habitat, and creating a blueprint for a sustainable school system.
The theme of this year’s event is “Freshwater: Every Drop Counts.” The event will feature hands-on workshops, and opportunities for student involvement through non-profit environmental organizations to help create a better, greener, and more sustainable environment.
A light breakfast and lunch will be served. There will also be give-a-ways for a free boat ride on the Manasquan Reservoir, a free beach campfire at Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park, and a free seining event at Bayshore Waterfront Park along Sandy Hook Bay.
We welcome your participation and input at our event.
Cost: $15.00 per person or $75.00 per group of 5-10 people (students plus teacher/advisor). The cost of admission includes a light breakfast and lunch.
To register, please contact Sue Provost at 732-751-9453.
The Park System’s Spring Program Directory is filled to the brim with amazing classes for
the entire family! From arts & crafts to outdoor adventures, sports & fitness to culinary arts,
there’s something for everyone!
Check out these great family and parent/child program starting this month!
Characters with Good CharacterDiscover Bats!
Eggpril EggstravaganzaFamily Archery
Family Spring Break HikeGeraldine’s Tea Party
Hiking Adventures - A Toddler’s PerspectiveKeyboard Beginnings Music
Knights & Princesses Tea PartyLiteracy for Littles
Messes & MasterpiecesMorning PlaytimeMother’s Day Plate
Mussel Socks in the WaterParent & Child Saltwater Fishing Clinic
Party Time!Sharing at the Seashore
Snake!!!Spring Gardening Together
Spring PeepersSunset Wetland Walk: Mummichogs and Marsh Critters
Trees of Thompson ParkWee Can Cook
Wolves in Tatum Park
There is still space available in other terrific Monmouth County Park System programs for all ages! Check out a full listing of what’s available by
visiting www.monmouthcountyparks.com.
Hiking Adventures - A Toddler’s Perspective
Spring Gardening Together
Spring Peepers
HISTORIC LONGSTREET FARM, HOLMDEL
Knitting DemonstrationVisit Longstreet Farm and get inspired as we demonstrate the art of knitting.Saturday, April 11, 1:00-3:00 PM
Felting DemonstrationLearn the process of felting wool that can be used in garments.Saturday, April 18, 1:00-3:00 PM
Wool Days/Sheep ShearingThis weekend our sheep will be sheared. Gene Sheninger will return with his collies to show their herding skills. The Monmouth County Historical Association’s Holmes Hendrickson house staff will demonstrate the way wool was used in Colonial America with spinning and weaving activities. Longstreet Farm will provide wagon rides between the two living history sites. Saturday & Sunday, April 25 & 26, 12:00-3:00 PM
HISTORIC WALNFORD, UPPER FREEHOLD
Clack, Rumble and Whoosh! the Mill Comes AliveMilling demonstrations begin “God willing and the creek don’t rise” on weekends and holiday afternoons April through November from 1:00-4:00 PM. Watch, listen, and feel the mill come alive as corn is ground in to cornmeal in Walnford’s beautiful blue 19th c. gristmill.
Step back in time at one of our amazing historic locations!
Teen Open Gym Basketball(ages 13-18)
Fort Monmouth Recreation Center, Tinton FallsIf you love the game and want a place to play or practice, drop-in and enjoy our courts.
Wednesdays, April 1-May 27, 3:00-4:30 PMCost: $5 per visit; cash or check only.
Open CeramicsSunday, April 12, 12:30-4:30 PM
Thompson Park Creative Arts Center, LincroftChoose from a large selection of bisque fired pottery pieces to glaze and make your own.
Come for an hour or two - alone or with friends and let your creative juices flow. Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Leave your piece with us and we will have it fired in about a week.
Cost: $6 per hour plus cost of bisque ware; cash or check onlyFor further information, please contact Christina Carlson at 732-842-4000, ext. 4343,
Open House of the Historic Seabrook-Wilson House Sundays, April 26-October 25, 1:00-4:00 PM
Bayshore Waterfront Park, Port Monmouth
The historic Seabrook-Wilson House, informally known as the “Spy House”, will open its doors for self-guided tours. Come inside with your family and friends to visit the Seabrook-Wilson house, which dates back to the early 1700s. The house includes displays on the ecology of the bay and local history including the American Revolution and maritime culture. Enjoy views of New York City and the beauty of the bay while visiting this well-known historic house.
Earth Day Celebration 2015 Drop-In ActivitiesSunday, April 26, 11:00 AM-5:00 PM
Bayshore Waterfront Park Activity Center, Port MonmouthCelebrate the shore as we discover cool coastal animals like whales, sea turtles, fish, crabs, and even tiny plankton during this interactive show and tell program. Tours will also be given of the historic Seabrook-Wilson House, locally known as the “Spy House,” which dates back to the early 1700s.
Deep Cut Gardens, MiddletownBeautiful flowers are back in bloom. Discover this charming park’s floral beauty, hidden places, and native plants. Find out how to become an earth-friendly gardener and ways to compost.
Huber Woods Environmental Center, MiddletownSee snakes & reptiles during a family-oriented show that gives you the chance to see live and exciting animals and nature artifacts found in NJ. There will also be freshwater pond creatures on view and an opportunity to see kid friendly interactive exhibits inside the Environmental Center.
Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center, HowellExplore the woods and wetlands around the Manasquan Reservoir. There will be live animal shows featuring reptiles and amphibians, which are often misunderstood animals, and short naturalist-led walks. Plus enjoy the sights and displays of our beautiful environmental center. Live animal shows take place at 11:30 AM, 1:00 PM, and 3:30 PM; and nature walks at 12:00 PM and 4:00 PM.
Thompson Park Visitor Center, LincroftGreen is the new black. Have fun designing some eco-fashion jewelry and accessories from recycled materials. Need to spruce up an old outfit? Join us as we help people look fabulous this spring with ideas devoted to the future of green, sustainable, and ethical fashion design.
Turkey Swamp Park Shelter Building, Freehold TownshipJoin the Park System’s celebrated Roving Naturalist, as we look for returning birds, wandering wildlife, emergent buds, blooming wildflowers and other fun sights of spring. Wander in the woods and near the water to discover amazing natural activities taking place. Binoculars provided. Tours depart approximately at the start of each hour.
SUMMER C AMP WITH US!
DiD you know?The Monmouth County Park System offers more
than 300 summer camp options each year.
From arts & crafts to sports & fitness, nature & science to living history and more, there’s something to suit the interest of every child.
Don’t miss out on a terrific opportunity to give your child the gift of a summer filled with fun,
friendship and memories!
Check out some of these great summer camps:
Baseball CampBricks 4 Kidz
Camp RhythmicCamp WoofCartooning
dECOrateExploration: New Jersey
Field Hockey CampFine Arts Camp for 4 & 5 Year Olds
Flag FootballI Dig Dinos!Kindercraze
Longhouse Legends and LoreOn My Own
PioneersPixie Hollow CampPowder Puff Sports
Soccer CampSummertime Fun at the Fort
Triple TreasuresVirtual Reality
Wild for Animals!Your Favorite Object
And many more!!!
For a list of additional summer camps being offered this summer, visit us online at www.monmouthcountyparks.com
