B of A Museums on Us Program Extended

I mentioned Bank of America's "Museums on Us" program while writing about Discovery Science Center. http://minniemommy.blogspot.com/2009/02/discovery-science-center-free.html It is a program where you get free admission to certain museums on the first weekend of the month if you have a valid B of A card. On that posting I mentioned that the program is until April 2009.

Well, it looks like they extended the program till the end of the year. There are some changes to the program, though.

1. Laguna Art Museum is no longer part of the program
2. Muzeo in Anaheim is included in the program. (whoppee! I'm going to try out this museum some day on a free weekend!)
3. San Diego Children's Museum is also added. (this is another one of those museums that I plan on going some day...)

The program dates are still first weekend of the month. (For Science Discovery Center, the program works only on first Saturday and NOT SUNDAY)

For program details, please go to http://museums.bankofamerica.com/

Kidsguide Magazine - full of kids events!

So recently I went to Irvine Heritage Library and picked up a Kidsguide Magazine. The magazine is full of great kids events in southern california. Unfortunately for me, most of these are in LA or northern OC. As you know from my profile, I'm a wimp when it comes to driving. I usually stay within south OC. Any ways, I highly recommend you pick up one of these if you are always looking for events to go to.

These are free and they are usually distributed at

• Public libraries
• Children’s Orchard
• YMCA
• Boys and Girls Club
• Girl/Boy Scout offices
• Mothers Market
• My Gym
• Your local kid-friendly retailer

If you want to know exactly where you can pick one up in your area, please write to liz@kidsguidemagazine.com

Also if you sign up for their newsletter, they send you event updates to your email which is GREAT!

To sign up, go to http://www.kidsguidemagazine.com/

I'll still continue to update my Event Calendar with these events and more!

Picture the Park - this Saturday

Well, as part of Imagination Celebration events, OC Great Park is having "Picture the Park" event this Saturday 4/25 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM.

They will have various hands-on activities, including 3-D art, Model Building Lab, sidewalk chalk drawings, and agricultural art.

This sounds like lots of fun!

Thomas and Friends Playdate

Thomas & friends fans! There will be a playdate at local Toysrus Store this Saturday 4/25 from 11AM to 1PM. They will have storytime every half hour, Thomas & Friends wooden railway play table time, and coloring.

To find nearest Toysrus Store please go to http://www.toysrus.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=2274251

Don't forget to call them confirm before you go.

Mother's Day Gifts - free workshops

Mother’s Day – free gifts

Dads, bring your children to the following FREE craft events so they can make a fabulous gift for mommies! For all listings, download the Event Calendar!

Lakeshore Learning
Sat 5/9 11AM – 3PM Mother’s Day Purse

This delightful decorated purse is the perfect way to show mom how special she is!

Lowe’s
Free Kids Workshop – You need to sign up
Planter
https://www.lowesbuildandgrow.com/

Michael’s (please call your local store and confirm)

Sat 5/2 10AM

Keepsake Plate

Sun 5/3 1PM

T-shirt (need to purchase shirt)

Mon 5/4 6PM

Corsage

Tue 5/5 6PM

Paper Flowers Bouquet

Wed 5/6 6PM

Personalized Coupon Book

Thurs 5/7 6PM

Cardmaking

Fri 5/8 6PM

Wooden Frame (need to purchase $1 wooden frame)

Well, mommies and grandmas, enjoy a craft activity with your children.

Michael's (please call your local store and confirm)

Sat 5/9 1PM

Make it for Mom Bead Event

Sun 5/10 1PM
Decorate a Cookie with Mom

Free Parenting Classes

For Ages 3-5

CUIDAR (CHOC-UCI Initiative for the Development of Attention and Readiness) program offers free 10 week parenting classes called Community Parent Education (COPE)

“The COPE approach to teaching parenting skills uses active, small-group discussions among parents to help them identify their goals and their approaches to parenting. Group leaders foster discussions that help participants develop, practice, and strengthen the skills that will allow them to achieve their own individual goals for parenting their children.

By the end of the series of sessions, parents should have the tools they need to help their preschoolers prepare for their school-aged years. It is time well-invested as the skills parents learn can greatly enhance their effectiveness.”

Some of the Spring sessions already started but you can still try calling them and get on the wait list. By the way, while these sessions are happening, the kids get to mingle together. They provide childcare.

Children’s Hospital Orange County, Orange 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Tuesdays, April 7th to June 9th

Mercy Housing, Anaheim 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Tuesdays, April 14th to June 16th

Danbrook Elementary, Anaheim 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Wednesdays, April 1st to June 10th

UC Irvine, Child Development Center 6:30 to 8:30 pm
Thursdays, April 16th to June 18th

Call Shahrzad at (949) 824-2462 for information on classes and to enroll. If they are full you can get on their waiting list for the next sessions.

http://www.cuidar.net/PDF/AllEngishClassesYear7Qtr4_english.pdf


For age 0-3

Free 8 – session parenting skills course
http://www.choc.org/services/services_detail.cfm?id=46


Crittenton Family Services (100 E. Valley View Dr., Fullerton, CA 92832): 3:15 PM – 5:00 PM
Thursdays, May 21st to July 8th

South Orange County Family Resource Center (23832 Rockfiled Blvd., Ste. 270, Lake Forest, CA 92630) : 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Tuesdays, April 7th to May 26th (Childcare provided)

Please call Laura Ramirez at 714-614-7733

Bubblefest

Bubblefest

Last weekend we went to Bubblefest at the Discovery Science Center. I wasn’t really keen on taking Maddie to the Bubblefest. However, email from Goldstar offering discounted tickets lured me. (even though they say it's 50% off, with their service fee added, the ticket price is about $4-$5 cheaper than regular tickets. You need to sign up for Goldstar if you want to buy tickets)

The show was fun. It had lots of bubbles, huge bubbles, long bubbles, smoky ones and so forth. Kids have lots of chance to pop various bubbles. To be honest, I kept on waiting for that “unbelievable act” that never really came.

I do think the show is a bit over priced. If you can get a discounted ticket it is worth going. The ticket price includes the admission to the museum so plan to enjoy the Discovery Science Center after/before the show.

My Tips
- The seats were benches. By the end of the show (45 minutes), my bottom was aching.
- There is a “Kid Zone” right in front of the stage for kids. Kids can pop the bubbles and see the show close. However, adults are not allowed so if you plan on sitting there with your toddler, it is not going to work. Also because the bubbles are big when children pops them it’s practically spraying their hairs with bubble water. Some kids end of looking like they just took a shower.
- The entrance to the show is through the Discovery Science Center.
- At the end of the show they blow gazillion bubbles. You might want to bring a hat and sunglasses.

Powell’s Sweet Shoppe

Powell’s Sweet Shoppe

One of my favorite books that I read as a child was “Charlie & the Chocolate Factory” by Roald Dahl. I remember imagining the chocolate factory every time I read the book. Yes, the book has its flaws but I still enjoy it. Roald Dahl’s children’s books are known for UNSENTIMENTAL & DARK humor. Exactly my kind of book. (By the way, I’m one of those annoying people who think the original books are always better than their movie version.)

Any ways, I would like to introduce you to this cute little candy shop that reminds me so much of “Charlie & the Chocolate Factory.”

Yes, I’m a mommy and I’m not supposed to mention CANDY. It is the “THING-That-Must-Not-Be-Named” for all mommies. But this store is so adorable I have to tell you about it.

This shop has every candy imaginable from the past, the present and probably the future. To be honest, it's more fun for the parents than the kids.....

http://www.powellsss.com/go/index.cfm/locations/california/laguna-niguel/contact-hours/

Their party room is really cute. They have candy castle murals and life size candy land games. They have birthday packages where kids can do a candy scavenger hunt.

Birthday Party Brochure http://www.powellsss.com/tasks/sites/go/assets/File/Powells_Broc_BIRTHDAYS_REV_8-1_LO.pdf

Birthday party flier for Laguna Niguel
http://www.powellsss.com/go/index.cfm?LinkServID=D6FC5F2C-F31D-4C81-F3BAD1CA3DCF4092&showMeta=0

My tips

- Don’t bring a stroller. There is not enough space to move it around.
- The prices are high.
- Check out the party room.

**Don't blame me for your dentist bills.

Pretend City Children’s Museum

Pretend City Children’s Museum opening in mid 2009

Did you know that the Pretend City Children’s Museum is being built in Irvine? It is a children’s museum scheduled to open in mid 2009! I’m so excited!! A children’s museum in Irvine, yipeee!!!!

I'm SOOO looking forward to it! I'll let you know when it opens....

http://www.pretendcity.org/index.php

“When complete, Pretend City will provide a rich learning environment for children aged infant to eight-years old. Embedded in each themed area will be eight powerful brain building objectives developed specifically to help children become highly productive students, adults and successful workforce of tomorrow.

Designed as a small city, with a grocery store, construction site, art studio, house, café, bank, emergency services, health center and farm, Pretend City will be a familiar environment in which children infant through eight-years-old will have joyful opportunities to build problem solving and critical thinking skills , develop creativity and begin a life long love of learning.”

Sleeping Beauty Ballet

Maddie and I went to Sleeping Beauty Ballet this Saturday at Irvine Barclay Theater. Ticket was $20 per person which is a bit more than what I’m willing to pay for a 3 year old. However, since Sleeping Beauty was also MY first ballet that my mom took me to, I just couldn’t resist.

As I mentioned before, there is something about a LIVE performance that kids just LOVE. Maddie was perfect for the first 45 minutes. I did give her a candy after that. (YES, I said CANDY.) The rest, she kind of “wiggled” through it. The performance was great and Maddie loved it. (Duh, all the ballerinas were wearing a TUTU and a TIARA!)

For me, the highlight was when Princess Aurora fell asleep. The 4 princes (there were 5 princes including the “kissing” prince in this ballet) were carrying the sleeping Princess Aurora on their shoulders and a little voice cried out “MOMMY, I CAN SEE HER UNDERWEAR!!” Oh, the things kids say…….

Finally when the prince kissed the princess, a thought occurred to me. At that point, Princess Aurora is 106 years old (16th birthday party + 100 years of sleep) and the prince is probably in his early 20s. So, Princess Aurora (aka Sleeping Beauty) was a COUGAR. She outranked Demi Moore by far!! Very forward thinking story, don’t you think?

My tips
- Bring candy for emergency. This is really useful if your child becomes restless in the middle of the performance. As a matter of fact, you should always have some kind of EMERGENCY candy handy. Sometimes you REALLY need it but don’t abuse it. Oh, make sure that the wrapper is not a noisy kind.

- Arrive close to the show start time so you don’t have to hear “mommy/daddy, why isn’t it starting?” 100 times.

- Bring a light book or activity book to entertain the child while you are waiting for the performance to begin

Easter Events

I haven’t posted anything for a week because I was sick. It is that time of the year!

It is also Easter Egg Hunt season. There are numerous Easter Egg Hunt events in OC this week and next week.

If you are looking for an egg hunt event, please do one of the following.

1. Check out my event calendar (top right corner)

2. Churches – almost all churches have some kind of Easter egg hunt event. Just remember that the BIGGER churches have more CROWDED events.

3. City – some of the cities are hosting Easter related events so check out your local city website. I’ve noticed some of them are “flashlight” egg hunts. It means they start the egg hunt around 5:30 – 6:00 PM. This might be fun to try since it’s something different. Just remember that most of these egg hunts are organized by age groups. So be there on time for your child’s age group egg hunt. (You have to register for Irvine city egg hunt. Drat)

4. Others – There are other Easter egg hunts at places like Irvine Regional Park or OC Market Place (Details are on the Event Calendar).

Also the shopping malls have Easter Bunny and some activities.

South Coast Plaza

Easter Bunny’s Garden Carousel Court, Level 1 - photos and lively conversation with the Easter Bunny. Children will also enjoy designing springtime crafts at the Activity Tables. Photos and crafts are open every day during regular Center hours.

Easter Bunny’s GazeboMacy’s Home Store Wing, Level 1 - The Easter Bunny waits to hold hands and take photos with children in his sunlit gazebo. Photos are available every day until 6:30pm.

Bunny’s CarouselCarousel Court, Level 1 - classic carousel featuring larger-than-life bunnies and floral carriages. March 6 through April 20. Rides are just $1

Happy Easter!

My tips
- Bring a basket for eggs. Make sure it can carry many (plastic) eggs. Don’t pick a very CUTE but unusable basket.

- For “flashlight” egg hunts, bring a flashlight.