fun Archives - SoCal with Kids

Aquatica San Diego, SeaWorld’s Waterpark™, Splashes Into SoCal!

June 3, 2013 By socalwithkids Leave a Comment

Aquatica San Diego, SeaWorld’s Waterpark™, is now OPEN! We visited Aquatica for a media preview day prior to opening, and had an amazing time! It’s an incredible addition to Southern California!

Aquatica San Diego Has The SeaWorld Vibe!

From the moment you walk up to the front gate of Aquatica San Diego you feel the SeaWorld vibe! Just like SeaWorld, Aquatica San Diego has lush landscaping and beautiful flowers, fun and colorful buildings and signage, and music playing throughout the Park. We LOVE the South-Seas theme of this 32 acre Waterpark!
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Filed Under: Aquatica San Diego Tagged With: amusement park, aquatica, california, chula vista, family, fun, kids, san diego, seaworld, socal, theme park, water park, waterpark

Mingei Family Sunday Offers Animalistic Fun!

May 13, 2013 By socalwithkids

Family Sunday at Mingei International Museum

Mingei International Museum, located within Balboa Park, in San Diego, hosts a fun Family Sunday the 3rd Sunday of each month. Mingei’s Family Sunday offers discount admission of only $5 per family, or just $3 for individual attendees. Visitors can explore the museum’s colorful exhibitions of folk art, craft and design, win a prize for completing a treasure hunt, as well as participate in other activities such as storytelling and hands-on projects!

Animalistic Fun!

This month the Family Sunday focus will be Animals! The San Diego Zoo will be bringing two different animals to present to attendees for a special animal encounter at 1pm! (So cool!) Aside from the animal presentations, Aunt Li-Anne, a storyteller whose created original stories inspired by the new Mingei Museum animal exhibit, Menagerie – Artful Animals from the Permanent Collection, will be telling stories aloud at both 2:30pm and 3:15pm. The Mingei never leaves out a fun hands-on project on Family Sunday, so you can expect to be creative by making an original animal-inspired art project with artist Lisa Alvarez throughout the afternoon!

Save The Date!

Family Sunday will take place from Noon-4pm on Sunday, May 19th, 2013. We’ve truly enjoyed the ones we’ve attended, and you can’t beat the price! It’s a great deal, and they always have fun activities for the little ones. This month sounds exceptionally fun, and just what our kids are into: Animals, Storytime, & Hands-On Art Projects! Perhaps we’ll see you there!

Website: Family Sunday at Mingei
Twitter: @MingeiMuseum
Facebook: Mingei on Facebook

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This is not a sponsored post. We’ve enjoyed attending Family Sunday at Mingei International Museum, and believe many of our readers would enjoy this event as well. We’re happy to share this information with our followers. Our opinions are our own.

Filed Under: Animalist Fun at Mingei Tagged With: animals, balboa park, discount, fun, kids, mingei family sunday, museum, san diego zoo

Cool Off This Summer At Knott’s Soak City OC!

May 9, 2013 By socalwithkids

There’s lots of things to do in southern california with kids! One thing we’re most looking forward to this summer is checking out Knott’s Soak City OC! Surprisingly, we have yet to visit this Water Park, but have been invited to visit it as part of a media event on opening weekend 2013. We can’t wait!

Knott’s Soak City OC Water Slides and Splashable Attractions

Knott’s Soak City OC Water Park has something for everyone! Since we’ll be visiting with our baby, we look forward to splashing and playing at Gremmie Lagoon, a play area for kids 54″ and below. I know our 8 year old daughter is looking forward to floating down Sunset River, a 1/3 mile long lazy river! Some of the other features of the 13 acre Water Park are as follows:
• Banzai Falls
• Laguna Storm Water Tower
• Malibu Run
• Old Man Falls
• Pacific Spin
• Tidal Wave Bay
• Toyota Beach House
• Toyota Beach House Slides

As mentioned above, this will be our first visit to Knott’s Soak City OC. We look forward to sharing pics from our visit, as well as insider tips in a separate post once we experience it ourselves. Visit this LINK for further details about the attractions within Knott’s Soak City OC.

2013 Season Pass Offer

Knott’s Soak City OC is offering a 2013 Season Pass Special Offer which includes members only benefits and unlimited visits throughout the season. One such benefit is that Season Passholders may bring a friend between June 3-6th, 2013 for just $25 for the day! Passes start as low as just six payments of $9.49 for a Junior/Senior Pass, but this Special Offer is only valid until May 27th, 2013. Season Pass details can be found HERE.

Knott’s Soak City OC is adjacent to Knott’s Berry Farm Theme Park, located in the Buena Park area of Orange County. Opening day is May 18th, 2013. Perhaps we’ll see you there!

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We will be provided with tickets to experience Knott’s Soak City OC as part of a media event. We believe many of our readers would be interested in learning more about the Water Park, and we look forward to sharing our experience with them. Our opinions are our own. GigaSavvy contributed to this post.

Filed Under: Knott's Soak City OC Tagged With: family, fun, knott's soak city, oc, orange county, water park

Have A Ball This Summer With KIDS BOWL FREE!

May 8, 2013 By socalwithkids

Our kids LOVE bowling, and we plan to have a ball this summer with the Kids Bowl Free program! We went to our local bowling center a couple of weeks ago and saw a postcard reminding us about the program. We signed up for it last year, and thought it was great! We’re excited that we’ve recently collaborated with the Kids Bowl Free program to share details on how it works. As compensation, we’ve received a Family Pass, and will share how you can purchase one of your own.

KIDS BOWL FREE!

How It Works
Signing up for the Kids Bowl Free program is easy! Head over to KidsBowlFree.com, and click on the area of the map where you want to register your child(ren) for the program. A list of bowling centers will pop up. Click the bowling center of your choice. (There are a ton participating in Southern California!) The location you choose for the Kids Bowl Free program will then have a registration form for you to fill out for your child(ren). A list of dates and times available for the program should appear on the right side of the page as well. Fill out the registration, and you’ll start receiving e-mails on Sunday mornings once the program starts. The weekly coupons are good for two free games per day for your kids all summer long. Print the weekly Kids Bowl Free coupons and take them to the bowling center you chose at registration. It’s a great deal, and a good way to get the kids out and doing something active!

The Family Pass
Want to bowl with your kids or grandchildren? If so, the Family Pass is a great way to get each of you having a ball! The Family Pass pricing begins at $24.95, and includes 2 games per person listed on the pass each day! You may include up to 4 adults on the Family Pass. The Family Pass may be purchased online at the time you register your kids for the Kids Bowl Free program, or at any time during the length of the program.

More Program Details
• Kids age 15 & under may participate.
• Standard shoe rental rates apply. Contact the alley of your choice for pricing.
• You must register each session in which you participate. If you signed up last year, you must register again this year to receive your free weekly coupons.
• You may sign up at more than one bowling alley, but you’ll need to use a different e-mail address for each location.
• You may sign up as many as 6 kids in your household. If you have more than 6 kids age 15 or under, you may register them by signing up with a second e-mail address, as stated in the info above.
• Each bowling alley determines when the program starts and ends at their establishment, as well as the times available to participate in the program. Some start and end earlier than others, and some have more hours available for participating.

We’ve registered our kids for the program, and signed up for our Family Pass as well. The kids are already asking to go to our local bowling center to make use of their coupons! Perhaps we’ll see you there!

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We received a Family Pass from the Kids Bowl Free program for sharing information about the program with our readers. We believe many of our followers would enjoy the program, and our opinions are our own.

Filed Under: Kids Bowl Free Tagged With: bowl, bowling, family, free, fun, kids, pass, summer

Gain A New Perspective At The Torrey Pines Gliderport!

May 1, 2013 By socalwithkids

We recently took a trip to the Torrey Pines Gliderport, located across from UCSD, just next to the Pacific Ocean, in La Jolla, California. It had been a long time since our daughter and I had been there, and realized that my husband and our sons had never visited it prior.

It’s a super fun place to take the family and watch paragliders and hang gliders sail above the rugged bluffs above the beach. The view of the ocean and surrounding area is absolutely spectacular! It’s really relaxing with the coastal breeze and relaxed atmosphere, and makes for a unique and memorable day trip. It’s the type of place that helps you appreciate the natural beauty of life.

We visited on a Sunday afternoon, and it was pretty busy with paragliders coming and going. We found a nice viewing area, and enjoyed watching them take off, fly, and land. There were probably more than twenty paragliders flying in and out, relaxing on the grass, and repeating it all again.

Soon after we arrived we saw a man landing his paraglider with a dog in tow. The kids couldn’t believe it! We were pretty surprised too! The dog didn’t look the least bit nervous, as if it was part of his/her daily routine. We found out that there are actually a lot of “flying dogs” that are regulars at the Gliderport.

There’s no fee to visit or park at the Torrey Pines Gliderport. If you go, be sure to obey the signs, and stay off the grassy area reserved for those permitted to fly. Aside from the hang gliders and paragliders you might see model RC planes (remote control) and Sail Planes as well. There’s an on-site restaurant, and lots of tables with benches for seating. They sometimes host special events, such as car shows, and according their website they have live music every Saturday afternoon from 1pm-4pm.

Although our kids don’t have the interest (yet!), according to their website, tandem flights are available for “any age”. We viewed images of kids as young as age 3 flying! Pretty amazing!

We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes, bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen when visiting the Gliderport. If you have the interest, there are some nice hiking trails with easy access from the same area. If you go hiking, be cautious of snakes.

A few weeks after we visited the Gliderport a handful of my friends took their first paragliding flights there. I loved watching their videos, getting the perspective of someone in the air. Here are links to a few of their adventures:

• Dariela Dives Into The World of Hang Gliding
• LaLa’s High Flying Adventure
• Becky Soars Above The Pacific

Here’s a LINK to the Torrey Pines Gliderport website, where you can find more info about tandem flights and more. As mentioned, it’s a beautiful location, and lots of fun to visit with the family. Perhaps we’ll see you there!

Filed Under: Torrey Pines Gliderport Tagged With: fun, gliderport, hang gliding, la jolla, pacific ocean, san diego, scenic, torrey pines

Take A Step Back In Time At Historic Old Poway Park!

April 29, 2013 By socalwithkids

When you visit Old Poway Park, it’s like taking a step back in time. Back to a time when horse drawn carriages and steam trains were the main modes of transportation, and artisans handcrafted everything from clothes, to toys, to furniture. We took a trip there this past weekend for the Train Song Festival, and once again I was reminded how much we enjoy this special park as a family.

I originally wrote this post as a printed article for the 2012 Mom’s Guide To San Diego, but am just now sharing it here. I’ve updated the article, and included some new information that wasn’t in the printed format. I hope it inspires you to take a trip there with your family as well.

DAY TRIP TO OLD POWAY PARK!
Living in San Diego, we are so lucky to have an abundance of options for fun day trips. We live in a city where we can visit the mountains, desert, and ocean all in one day! One day trip my family loves is to Old Poway Park.

When you go to Old Poway Park, it feels like you take a step back in time. It’s a beautiful park with mature trees, plentiful grass, nice walking paths, and a cute little creek. It also has a neat and informative Heritage Museum, historic buildings which were brought to the site, working railway, Blacksmith Shop, and a toy train shop inside the Train Depot.

Our kids love trains, and the antique ones which are part of the Poway Midland Railroad, at Old Poway Park, are no exception! They have a steam locomotive, trolley, and a Speeder Car that take turns running most weekends of the year. Train tickets are reasonably priced between $1.50 – $2.50 for adults depending upon the train running, and just .50 cents per child (kids under 2 are free!). It’s fun to take a few spins around the 1/2 mile track.

Old Poway Park is a great place to picnic. You can pack a lunch and enjoy the afternoon on the grass, or at one of the picnic tables. If you like to barbeque, they have barbeques available for use. If you’d rather buy lunch or dinner, The Hamburger Factory, located within the park, has delicious food in a fun atmosphere. Sometimes we go there just for the dessert!

The park hosts the Poway Farmer’s Market from 8:00am – 11:30am on Saturday mornings. The Boardwalk Craft Market, with arts and crafts made by local artisans, happens on certain Saturdays as well. The park also has special events for the family including a Train Song Festival, Old-Fashioned 4th of July, Halloween festivities, and Christmas in the Park. Oftentimes they have persons dressed in 1800′s attire, and include fun activities such as train robbery reenactments, which are make the experience all that more memorable.

Be sure to set aside a few hours for your first visit. It’s fun to take your time exploring. Also, bring your camera, as it’s a great place to take family photos. As you’ll see when you visit, it’s very popular with professional photographers!

Although there is no playground equipment at Old Poway Park, there is a playground right across the street at Aubrey Park. Parking is free at both Aubrey Park, and in and around Old Poway Park. Restrooms are available at both parks as well.

Old Poway Park is located at 14134 Midland Rd., in Poway. For more information, visit www.poway.org, and search for detailed info about the park using the drop down menu on the left. Perhaps we’ll see you there!

Filed Under: Old Poway Park Tagged With: family, fun, historic, kids, old poway park, san diego, train

Hands-On Fun and Learning For Kids at Build It Workshops!

April 14, 2013 By socalwithkids

Living in Southern California, we’re very lucky to have an abundance of fun and educational places to take kids. From children’s museums, to parks, to indoor play spaces, there are plenty of options. When I heard about a new place called Build It Workshops, located in Carlsbad, it sounded interesting, so I had to investigate!

What Is Build It!?
Build It, “The Kid Workshop”, is specifically geared towards creative hands-on learning. Their premise is based on using science, technology, engineering, and math, in a fun environment. Instead of leading the kids with building instructions, the employees allow them to use their minds creatively, building however they wish. They are officially listed as a “Makerspace”, where as their website states “is a facility where creativity comes together.”

At the time we visited we paid $12 for the 1st child, $10 for the second for Open Build time. I didn’t pay anything for the baby & I, as non-walkers, plus up to 2 adults per child are admitted for free. Be sure to either call or check their website for current pricing. Also, NO adult is admitted without a child, and NO children may be dropped off and left without a parent or guardian. It is not a child care or daycare center.

Inside you’ll find lots of kid-size tables (think train table style) full of different things wooden planks, castle building blocks, and so much more. I counted 15 tables full of different building pieces, PLUS 5 more just full LEGO! Loads of different options for building, and I’m told that they change it up periodically, and trade out certain pieces for others from time to time.

As well as the tables full of building pieces, general admission also includes building and decorating a cardboard box or similar item. They also offer a “Daily Build”, which is an additional $3-$15, depending upon the item being built. When we visited the Daily Build items were a “Brushbot” and “Scibblebot”, and were reasonably priced as extra items. Our 5 year old son made a “Scribblebot”, which was essentially a little robot with ink markers as legs. Super cool!

As well as the tables full of building pieces you’ll find a long track which the kids can race their LEGO or other vehicles that they put together in the Workshop. Our kids LOVED this, and spent a fair amount of time racing against each other. They even took a video, where they placed my camera on the vehicle and raced it down the track. This was hilarious to them!

Build It is geared toward kids age 3+ to 12 years of age. I can see why the minimum suggested age is at least 3, as some of the building pieces as smaller, and both safer and more appropriate for children of that age. Beware that even though your child may be below age 3, you will still pay an entry fee for them once they walk.

The Environment
When we arrived, the kids and I were each told the rules prior to entering the building area. No running, no blocks in your mouth, no throwing, no sick kids, clean up after yourselves, etc… I loved that they were so good at showing each of us the rules, which were mounted on the wall at entry. Safety is their top priority, and make they make it clear that they are not a playground.

There are seats available for people to sit in and relax, as well as counter space for using a laptop, tablet, or reading. They offer free WIFi, and have cubbies for you to place personal items. I loved the music they were playing, which included the likes of Dave Matthews Band, Jack Johnson, and Cold Play, and found it to be a very relaxing and comfortable environment. The Workshop was very clean and organized when we visited as well.

Snack-Time!
Build It is a nut-free facility, and does not allow outside food inside the facility. They are more than happy for you to enjoy outside food just outside the entrance, at one of their tables. They sell some packaged snacks and beverages at reasonable prices, which you may enjoy inside (or out).

Classes
If your kids have an interest in LEGO Robotics or Scratch Programming they might be interested in the classes offered at the Workshop. The classes are an additional fee, and are taught over several sessions. They sound both fun and educational!

Birthday Parties
Build It offer scheduled birthday parties. They do not allow do-it-yourself birthday parties during open build hours. Be sure to call and check if they have any scheduled parties at the time you wish to visit, as they may be closed to accommodate a party.

Junior Builder Club
If you find you love it, Build It you might want to have your child become a Junior Builder Club member. Membership includes free general entry, free Daily Builds, discounts on classes, and other members-only perks. Ask them about it, or check their website for details. (Be sure to ask abut details, as the membership details could change.)

The Employees
I spoke with Rudy, the owner for quite a long time when we visited. He’s a father of two himself, and was very friendly and good with the kids that I noticed him interacting with while we were there. His employee, Jeremy, was also very good with the kids, and personable as well. Both commute quite a distance to and from the Workshop, and seem to both love and take pride in what they do!

All in all we loved Build It! Our daughter had just as much fun as our son, and I think many of her girl friends would love it as well. I’m sure we’ll be back again, and again. You can find Build It Workshops online at this LINK. Perhaps we’ll see you there!

Filed Under: Build It Workshops Tagged With: build it, carlsbad, fun, indoor play, kids, learning, lego, san diego, the kid workshop

The LEGOLAND Hotel ~ A Dream Getaway For LEGO Lovers

April 5, 2013 By socalwithkids

The LEGOLAND Hotel, located RIGHT next to LEGOLAND California, in the Carlsbad area of San Diego, is the first of its kind to open in the Nation! We were invited to check out this fabulous hotel prior to opening to the general public, and have lots of info to share with you!

Being the LEGO-loving family that we are, we had been anticipating the opening of this hotel for over a year, and what an INCREDIBLE hotel it is! It’s absolutely fabulous! It’s the most kid-friendly hotel that we’ve experienced, with small details and extras throughout, that make it a child’s dream hotel.

When you arrive, you’re greated by a giant LEGO clock tower with a huge smoke-blowing dragon made of 350,000 LEGO bricks! Inside the hotel lobby, behind Check-In, you’ll see a wall made of 5,000 LEGO Mini Figures, with a bicycle riding LEGO man cycling across it. A large LEGO dragon centerpiece adorns the entry with a LEGO stream that leads up to the incredible LEGO Pirate Ship Play Area filled with more LEGO, a fun chalk board and more.

The Guest Rooms
This fabulous family friendly hotel has 250 guest rooms. Each of the guest rooms include two separate sleeping areas and two TVs! The adults have a Queen size bed in their sleeping area, and the kids have a bunk bed with a pull-out trundle bed in theirs. Each guest room sleeps up to 2 adults and 3 kids and features LEGO models to match the theme of the room.

The beds are comfortable, and each room has a coffee maker, and a safe. We slept well, and didn’t hear any noise from either the hallway or surrounding rooms. Although we co-slept with our baby, Pack-In Plays are available by request, on a first come, first serve basis.

The guest rooms are available in either Pirate, Kingdom, or Adventure theme. Even the bathrooms go along with the room’s theme! Rooms are available in regular or Premium Theme, with the Premium Theme rooms having more decorative LEGO elements. The kids and I had the opportunity for a private tour of each of the styles of rooms, and loved them all. Some of the rooms even have a small patios, and/or a view of the Pacific Ocean, so if this is something that appeals to you, ask about it at the time of booking.

Every room has hidden surprises, including clues that lead to an in-room treasure chest. Follow the clues to find the chest, and inside you’ll find a prize! This is one of the many things our kids were really excited to do!

Even the bathrooms are LEGO theme, from the shower curtain, to the LEGO models on the walls! We love that they provide a stool in the bathroom for the kids, as well as a trainer seat on the toilet, perfect for little bums!

Bricks Family Restaurant
Bricks Family Restaurant is located inside the hotel, and serves breakfast and dinner. Outside guests may also dine at the restaurant. Both meals are buffet style, with a child-size buffet area, as well as adult buffet service.

The kids loved being able to walk up to the buffet to serve themselves, and talk about YUM!!! The food was absolutely delicious! We’re not talking greasy buffet, we’re talking fresh fruit and veggies, a large assortment of main course meals, and lots of beverage options. When we dined at dinner they offered items such as roast turkey with stuffing, fish, carne asada with rice and beans, salad, (the most delicious) macaroni and cheese, chicken, and SO much more. Breakfast included omlettes made to order, pancakes, French toast, salmon, scones, and SO MUCH MORE. I didn’t hear a complaint from anyone.

Mini’s Cafe
Mini’s Cafe is located near the large Pirate Ship play area, above Check-In. They offer an assortment of beverages including coffee, water, juice, etc… They also offer delicious cafe-style goodies such as muffins and scones. It’s a great place for a light snack in between meals. I had a cafe mocha, which was delicious.

Skyline Lounge
Skyline Lounge is adjacent from Bricks Family Restaurant. This lounge offers lunch and dinner options, and serves the poolside area. One of the Hotel Concierge tells me “The Carne Asada Fries are the bomb!”. Here you’ll also find a large assortment of adult beverages.

The Pool
The hotel has a heated pool with cabanas, lounge chairs, and poolside restaurant service. It has a super cool incline, perfect for you to easily sit with a tot and cool off, even if he/she isn’t ready for a full swim. The total pool depth is 5ft. Guests may enjoy “Swim Up Movies” poolside on Friday and Saturday nights during peak season.

Entertainment
Live entertainment, including interactive play, and storytime, is available nightly for the kids at the Castle Play Area, near Mini’s Cafe. There was a fun kids dance party with current popular music when we stayed, which really got the kids moving! It was too cute watching them! LEGO character sightings are also common in Bricks Family restaurant, something our 5 year old and baby LOVED!!!

The Extras
The hotel is CHOCK full of fun extras including…
• A Disco Elevator with music and pulsating lights, a mirror ball, and sound effects on each floor.
• An animated Whoopie Cushion on the 1st floor, just outside the elevator. Another fave of the SoCal Kids!
• LEGOS, LEGOS, everywhere!!! More than 3,500 LEGO models throughout the hotel, made out of more than 3 million LEGO bricks!
• Talking mirrors in the 1st floor Guest Restrooms. Turn on the water to wash your hands, and you’re greeted by a fun saying!
• Neat tables inside Mini’s Cafe and Skyline with LEGO pieces under the glass. Hubby and I thought they were neat!
• Entry to the select rides and attractions within the Park before it officially opens!

Hotel Store
A small hotel store is located inside the Lobby, full of things you may have accidentally left behind such as a phone charger, sunscreen, or other such items, as well as souvenirs, cold drinks, and snacks.

Fitness Center
A fitness center is located on the 1st floor.

LEGO Event Room
A LEGO Event Room is located on the 1st floor, which can occupy up to 120 people banquet style.

Reservations
Reservations may be made by calling 877-LEGOLAND, or by visiting www.LEGOLANDHotel.com.

All in all the LEGOLAND Hotel is an incredible hotel and perfect place for a family to stay either when visiting the Parks, or simply for a fun getaway. If you and or your family love LEGO, this is THE place to come and stay. It’s a LEGO lover’s dream, a kid’s paradise, while still completely inviting for the adults as well. Perhaps we’ll see you there!

*******For more images and insider info from our trip the the LEGOLAND Hotel, please check out our Instagram feed. Link at the top right of the page. Thanks!*******

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Many, many thanks to LEGOLAND for inviting us to stay and experience the LEGOLAND Hotel first hand. We believe many of our readers would love to stay and experience the hotel, and we are so happy to have first hand knowledge to share with them. Our opinions are our own.

Filed Under: LEGOLAND Hotel Tagged With: carlsbad, family, fun, hotel, kids, lego, legoland, san diego, socal, travel, vacation

San Diego Improv Group Offers Classes For Kids and Teens!

April 3, 2013 By socalwithkids

Many years ago, in my youth, I had the interest in performing, but I wasn’t very comfortable on stage. My parents wanted to support me in my interest in performing, so they enrolled me in an acting class. It was in this class that I was first introduced to improvisation, commonly known as “improv”, and developed the confidence to stand and perform in front of an audience.

My acting instructor has long retired, but I was recently introduced to a local school that teaches improv to kids. National Comedy Theatre (NCT), the same organization that performs live family-friendly improv shows, conducts improv camps, classes, and workshops for kids and teens.

The classes, camps, and workshops through NCT are held in their studio location in the Liberty Station area of San Diego, an area which has become the hub of instruction of the arts for youth in San Diego. Improv classes are currently held from 10am-11:30am Saturday mornings for kids age 8-12 & for teens age 13-17 on Saturday afternoons from 12:30pm-2pm. They also offer camps and workshops throughout the year. A new session is starting soon! Click HERE for more details about youth improv opportunities in San Diego through NCT.

Filed Under: Improv Classes and Camps For Kids Tagged With: camp, children, class, fun, improv, kids, san diego, youth

Springtastic Fun At Knott’s Berry Bloom March 23-April 7th!

March 30, 2013 By socalwithkids

Our family was recently invited to experience the first ever Springtime celebration at Knott’s Berry Farm, Knott’s Berry Bloom! The first thing we noticed when we entered the Park were the beautiful Springtime decorations. Lots of cut-out giant-sized butterflies and flowers, live flowers, and fun photo opportunities.

Upon entry, the kids received a paper to take around the Park to search for the Easter Beagle. Each time they found one, an employee marked it off their paper with a special paper punch. It was a fun scavenger-type hunt, and a great way to explore the Park. Upon finfishing the hunt, the kids took their finished paper to the Redemption Center at Easter Beagle Egg Garden, located in Camp Snoopy.

We also loved the chalk art we saw adorning the walkway. We saw the woman coloring with the chalk, and were amazed at how the art seemed to pop out in a 3 dimensional manner. Beautiful!

After a full day of exploring the Park, we decided to check out the Towering Topiary Tasting Garden, a special wine and food pairing event they were having at the Wilderness Dance Hall. They had a large assortment of wine, but since I’m still nursing the baby I opted to join the kids in sampling the different selection of nonalcoholic lemonade. My favorite was the strawberry, which I found out is sold year-round in the same location as the churros. Hubby tried a few different beer samples, and we each tried some of the delicious food pairings. This is a special event they’re having right now during Berry Bloom. The cost is $15 for 6 samples of your choice. If you go, be sure to take a look at the beautiful centerpieces made of fruit. Gorgeous!

Once we left the Wilderness Dance Hall, the kids asked if they could have a pastel drawing made of their profiles. It sounded fun, and we agreed since we had never done anything like it prior, and it was reasonably priced at $10 per person. The artist did a great job, and now we have a really cool keepsake!

Prior to leaving the Park, we decided to indulge in an ice cream cookie sandwich. It was two giant chocolate chip cookies with soft serve vanilla ice cream between the two, then rolled in mini chocolate chips. It was HUGE, and we each loved every bite of it. It too was reasonably priced at under $6.

All and all we had a Springtastic day! Berry Bloom is happening now through April 7th, 2013. Click HERE For more information on the event. Perhaps we’ll see you there!

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We were received complimentary media tickets to experience Knott’s Berry Bloom. The event was one which we believe our readers would enjoy, and our opinions are our own. Many thanks to Knott’s for inviting us for the day!

Filed Under: Knott's Berry Bloom Tagged With: berry bloom, family, fun, kids, knotts berry farm, orange county, springtime

Aquatica San Diego, SeaWorld’s Waterpark™, Splashes Into SoCal!

Aquatica San Diego Has The SeaWorld Vibe!

Mingei Family Sunday Offers Animalistic Fun!