Secrets of Circles at the Discovery Science Center

The newest exhibit at the Discovery Science Center (which opens Saturday, January 16th & runs through Sunday, May 2nd) will have definitely have you seeing circles are everywhere... clocks, wheels, doorknobs, even your dinner plate! That's because this newest exhibit will celebrate "the math, science & beauty of such a simple shape & helps children and adults alike to uncover the secrets of the many circles in the world."

In true Discovery Science Center fashion, this newest exhibit will feature tons of hands-on & interactive activities designed so that both kids & adults can learn about the sophisticated mathematical and engineering concepts of circles, in a very fun & very easy way. At Secrets of Circles, I know you (& most importantly your kids) will love... glow-in-the-dark exhibits, lots of spinning objects, playing with a kaleidoscope, building a round arch bridge, shopping the the pretend market for onions, pulleys & all things circular, plus so much more!

With this newest exhibit coming to town, you definitely want to take the time to visit the Discovery Science Center with your kids. & Make sure you don't miss any of the other fabulous exhibits... the Science of Hockey, the Planetary Research Station, or my boy's personal favorite the Dino Quest, just to name a few. The Discovery Science Center is open daily (except Thanksgiving & Christmas Day) from 10am - 5pm. For The Discovery Science Center ticket prices, location & daily field trip schedule go HERE, or buy tickets online HERE.

xoxo, K

p.s. If you attend opening day, Saturday, January 16th be sure to watch (or even join!) the hula hoop competition. Really confident in your hula hooping ability? Register online for the competition HERE.

Sneak Peak: Pretend City, Part Two

As C mentioned on Monday, we were lucky enough to check out Pretend City before it opens to the public. & Let me tell you, I know what's going to the top of my "wishlist"... a Pretend City Membership for my entire family. I seriously could see myself going EVERY single week - at least for an hour or so. My boys were sooo entertained. The museum totally captivated them & kept them busy for hours. Let's just say, that when it was time to go home, they weren't exactly thrilled. In fact, the question they asked as we left Pretend City (& have asked every 5 minutes since then) is "Mom, when are we going back?"

Pretend City isn't like other children's museums. It's a "hands-on" experience that combines education & recreation. The museum is designed to represent a small city. Inside the city gates children can explore 15 interactive exhibits including an art studio, amphitheater, grocery store, farm, construction site, marina & beach. Children can play dress-up, paint pictures (& you don't have to clean up the mess! what a plus!), pick fruits & veggies, play at the beach & so much more.

For more information on Pretend City go HERE. If you want a sneak peak, then check out our video... but really & truly, it's a whirlwind of a tour. To get the "full" experience, you really need to visit Pretend City for yourself!



Pretend City
29 Hubble
Irvine, CA 92618
For hours & ticket information go HERE.

xoxo, K

Museums for FREE

I don't know about you, but these days I'm especially fond of anything FREE. Granted, living in Orange County provides lots of FREE activities... beaches, regional parks & city parks, just to name a few. But did you know that you can visit several of our local museums for FREE? Yep, yep! This is definitely one of Orange County's best-kept secrets.

7 days a week, 365 days a year (or at least on the days the museum are actually OPEN), the following museums offer FREE admission every day...

Balboa Island Museum
Irvine Museum
Newport Sports Museum

Thanks to Target & their Target Free program which provides FREE admission to select museums, we can all attend several of our favorite museums for FREE, every month...

The First Saturday of every month:
Children's Museum at La Habra

The First Sunday of every month:
Bower's Museum & Kidseum

The Second Sunday of every month:
Orange County Museum of Art

For those of you with a Bank of America check, ATM or credit card in your wallet, you can take advantage of their Museums on Us program, which grants FREE admission to over 70 museums nationwide. Locally, here in the OC, any card from Bank of America will give you FREE admission on...

The first weekend of every month:
Discovery Science Center (Saturdays only)
Muzeo

If you happen to be a resident of Santa Ana (proof of residency is required: driver's license, utility, bill, etc.), then you can attend several of the cities local museums (& even a zoo) for FREE on certain days of the month:

The First Sunday of every month:
The Bowers Museum & Kidseum
Centennial Heritage Museum

The First Monday of every month:
Discovery Science Center

The Second Tuesday of every month:
Santa Ana Zoo

The Third Tuesday of every month:
Bowers Museum & Kidseum

xoxo, K

Orange County Museums

Here it is, "THE" list when it comes to Orange County Museums. Below you will find each & every museum in Orange County, all listed in one convenient location. You'll notice that their are several Children Specific Museums, but many, if not all, of the museums are totally appropriate for children & families. However, those museums with asterisks (*) have activities & exhibits specifically geared towards children. Hope you have a great day at the museum!

Children Specific Museums
The Bowers Kidseum: Santa Ana, CA
Children's Museum of La Habra: La Habra, CA
Discovery Science Center: Santa Ana, CA
Pretend City: Irvine, CA

Art & History MuseumsBalboa Island Museum: Balboa Island, CA, FREE admissionThe Bowers Museum: Santa Ana, CA
Heritage Museum*: Santa Ana, CA
Fullerton Museum Center: Fullerton, CA
Irvine Museum: Irvine, CA, FREE admission
Laguna Art Museum: Laguna Beach, CA
Mission San Juan Capistrano*: San Juan Capistrano, CA
The MUZEO Museum: Anaheim, CA
Orange County Center for Contemporary Art: Santa Ana, CA, FREE admission
Orange County Museum of Art*: Newport Beach, CA
Orange County Natural History Museum*: Laguna Nigeul
Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace*: Yorba Linda, CA
Stanley Ranch Museum: Garden Grove, CA
Susanna Bixby Bryant Ranch House & Museum: Yorba Linda, CA
Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary: Silverado, CA, FREE admission

Other Museums
Aquarium of the Pacific: Long Beach, CA
International Surfing Museum: Huntington Beach, CA

Lyon Air Museum*: Santa Ana, CA
Marconi Automotive Museum: Tustin, CA
Newport Harbor Nautical Museum*: Newport Beach, CA
Newport Sports Museum*: Newport Beach, CA, FREE admission
Ocean Institute*: Dana Point, CA

xoxo, K