Why I Love Shipley

In my last post about Shipley Nature Center I talked mostly about the new children's program and offered a general overview of the grounds. But I really think this nature center has a lot to offer and I wanted to mention a few more of the things I love about Shipley.

 

 

 I took my daughter with me to take a few photos for a post I was writing for dandelionmoms.com, also about the new children's program (you can read that post here). We said hello to Barbara, one of the staff members, and she offered us a Critter Count checklist to keep track of the wildlife that we spotted while we were out on the trails. My daughter LOVED keeping track, and I was amazed by the number of animals we encountered. When we checked back in, Mandy helped us record our observations so the next time we visit we can compare our animal observations. We had a grand total of 2 bunnies, 9 lizards, 9 butterflies, 7 birds, 2 hummingbirds, and 3 squirrels.

Shipley also participates in the Get Outdoors! OC program and they provide Nature Scene Investigator Guidebooks for kids to learn more about some of the natural environments and historic locations in Orange County. With the NSI Guidebook, you are directed to various locations to explore and follow clues that lead you to keys or rubbing plates to help you complete your mission.

In addition to the new children's program, Shipley seems to be adding new things all the time. They now have a spot outside where kids can make footprints of local wildlife. At the first children's program event, they made binoculars, then went out to look for animals on the trail. So stop in on Wednesday's at 11:00 and participate in a fun, nature related craft and story time. It's such a great experience for the little ones.

Shipley will also be hosting their annual Spring Festival on Saturday, April 26 from 10:00 to 2:00. There will be face painting, a Maypole dance, storytelling, and much more.

For more information about Shipley Nature Center visit http://shipleynature.org/.

Shipley Nature Center Begins New Children's Program

One of my favorite places to take my kiddos to explore is Shipley Nature Center in Huntington Beach. The 18-acre center features trails that wander through California native habitat. The center displays eight habitats here including an oak woodlands habitat, meadow habitat, redwood grove habitat, Blackbird pond habitat, coastal sage scrub, riparian woodland habitat, Torrey Pine habitat, and Southern Oak Woodland Habitat. You'll find a special area that provides food and shelter for Monarch butterflies, a replica of a Native American reed hut, and an observation platform to look out over Blackbird pond.

 

Shipley also has a great interpretive center. Head in to the building and make your way to the back room. They have puzzles, puppets and other fun things for the kids to play with before or after your walk.

I'm super excited because Shipley is now offering a children's program on Wednesday mornings at 11:00. They'll be doing story time, a craft, and of course you'll have access to a nature walk. The cost is $3 per adult.

 

 

For more information check out their website at http://shipleynature.org/. Have fun exploring!

They Might Love A Dance Party!

You might know them from one of their adult albums or from the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme song - either way, They Might Be Giants will get you moving. They've released more than ten albums, four of them for children. Their first family-friendly album was No! and was mostly recorded to provide music for Malcolm in the Middle. Since then they've released the Grammy winning Here Come the 123s, Here Come the ABCs, and the Grammy nominated CD/DVD set Here Comes Science. Their tunes are educational and super fun to listen to.

As the weather cools down and gets a little soggy (or icy, depending on where you live), us parents start looking for indoor activities that keep kids entertained and provide some physical fitness. Have a dance party to get kids moving, and with tunes like Photosynthesis, Fake Believe, and The Secret Life of Six, they'll also be learning about letters, numbers, science and more.

Playing with your kids doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. Just turn on the music and have fun together!

 

 

100 Years of Natural History

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles opened its doors 100 years ago. On June 9th, they'll reopen their doors for their Centennial Celebration showcasing updated favorite exhibits and new and exciting features both indoors and out. The 63-foot fin whale skeleton now hangs mid dive from the glass cube housing the new Otis Booth Pavilion, complete with a sound system that sends out whale calls at different frequencies and thousands of programmable LED lights to simulate waves, shadows and other undersea images. Three and a half acres of the Museum lawn have been transformed into walking paths and nature gardens for learning and interactivity. Listen to water move through tree cells at the Listening Tree, explore soil, compost and roots in the Get Dirty Zone and see plant and bug life in action at the Living Wall. The dioramas and many other popular exhibits are still intact, but thanks to generous time and money, nearly 60% of the museum has benefited from the renovations. In 1913, the Natural History Museum was a very different place than it is today. The inclusion of updated technology and new exhibits that explore the growth and evolution of the city of Los Angeles make this Centennial Celebration a milestone not to be missed. The Museum will be closed on June 8th in preparation for Sunday's celebration.

For more information follow the link below to visit the Natural History Museum's website.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007
Phone: (213) 763-DINO

The Front Lawn, pre-renovation.

PlaySpaces eBook: FREE Downloads through April 26th!

PlaySpaces: 20 of OC's Best Places to Play and Explore with Kids is full of fun and educational locations that offer families the opportunity to create great memories together. From hiking the trails at Bolsa Chica to fishing in the lakes at Mile Square and Ralph B. Clark to getting to know the animals at Centennial Farm, you'll find something here.

Each location features all the important know-before-you-go information: parking fees, restrooms, stroller accessibility and more!

 

Are you new to the Southern California area, a new parent looking for someplace to enjoy an afternoon out in the fresh air, or an experienced parent looking to find a new favorite hangout for you and the kids? PlaySpaces has something for everyone.

Download your FREE copy today to your smart phone, Kindle, tablet or PC! Click on the picture below, or the link above for your free download.

 

 

 

 

Sunday at the Mission

Sunday morning I decided to get the kids outside to explore someplace new. Being that it was Sunday, and I don't dare take a 1-year old and a 4-year old to church by myself, I thought we should head south and explore Mission San Juan Capistrano.

The grounds here are beautiful, with lots of paths winding through gardens. And the mission living quarters are open for walk throughs so you can experience how the space was being used when it was occupied. There are several fountains around the grounds, one with lots of koi for the kids to watch. The fish seem to enjoy the company, often coming to the surface to make faces at little ones hovering over the water. Koi feedings are daily at 12:45.

An activity center is set up in one of the rooms for educational purposes. No one was there to discuss the activities that take place there on our visit, but it looks like it offers plenty of educational information about the mission and serves as an area for students to take part in crafts or other mission-related activities while on field trips.

To the left of the entrance they had panning for gold and adobe brick making for kids. They charge $3 for each activity, or you can do both for $5. This was a winner for our group. We each made bricks, which are still outside curing. They said to leave the brick in the sun for two days. And even though we paid for the activity, we feel a little richer having two dixie cups with gold on the bottom sitting on our counter.

On California's central coast, you can visit Mission Santa Cruz. A few miles north is a fantastic place called Wilder Ranch. We visited these locations often when we lived in the area and learned that Wilder Ranch was once a working ranch that supplied the mission with all of the food and resources it needed for the mission occupants. I am interested in finding out how Mission San Juan Capistrano was supplied, and if there is still an existing rancho from which the mission once received its goods. If you have any information about this topic please feel free to contact me by leaving a comment below, or by emailing me directly at heidideal711@gmail.com.

Exploring Mission San Juan Capistrano is a great family activity that offers an educational and historical element not to be missed. Admission is $9 for adults, $6 for kids 4-11 and children 3 and under are free. The Mission is open daily from 9:00 to 5:00. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, and closes at noon on Good Friday and Christmas Eve. Check the Mission Calendar of Events to plan your visit.

Also worth mentioning is the gift shop. They have an amazing selection of beautiful crosses and rosaries here as well as books and other gifts available for purchase.

A Golden Opportunity for Family Fun

I like getting my kids out to the park, but I get tired of going to the same one. And every now and then, it's nice to find a place to go where you get more out of your park trip than just a few minutes of fun on the play equipment. If you live in or near Huntington Beach, California, Golden View Elementary School has just what you need to add a little life to your ordinary playtime.

Located just outside of Golden View Elementary is Golden View Park. It offers a 2-structure playground with sand and a field for playing tag or soccer. But venture on-campus, just past the basketball courts and you’ll find another play structure, a field, and a 2-acre fenced farm, the Student Environmental Learning Facility (SELF). You won’t be able to go inside like a petting zoo, but the magical moment when you and your kids are approached by 20-plus curious bunnies sniffing inquisitively at your fingers through the chain-link fence will definitely give you the giggles. And then you’ll meet a multitude of chickens, musical geese, and the monstrously large turkey you just can’t look away from. Be careful with fingers though. The animals seem friendly thanks to the interaction they get from the kids who attend school there, but they may still nibble and peck which can hurt if you’re not careful! 

The SELF is home to birds, sheep, goats, chickens, pigs, turkeys, ducks, geese, turtles and rabbits and holds a garden bed for each classroom. The teachers include trips to the farm in their curriculum where students get a hands-on opportunity to care for plants and animals and learn about planting and caring for their gardens throughout the seasons.

Golden View Park and Elementary School is a great place to have fun with your family but visit on a weekend or holiday so that you won’t be in the way of the students when class is in session.

Golden View Park and Elementary School are located at 17251 Golden View Lane, Huntington Beach, CA.

 

 

 

 

**Reprinted from Heidi Deal's Yahoo! Voices Contributor Page**