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**

 

 

The Children's Museum at La Habra

There’s something about a good children’s museum that puts a child-like spark in the heart of every playful parent. The Children’s Museum at La Habra is able to do that before you even step foot inside. From the parking lot, you pass the historic train-depot-turned-theatre building that looks mostly abandoned, a few old train cars including a caboose from 1942 and giant dinosaur topiaries along the entry path.

Once you get inside, the bright colors and stimulating patterns beckon you to run, touch and play with everything you can get your hands on. The Museum has 14 hands on activities with 7 galleries including one rotating exhibit. Little ones can dig for dinosaur bones, pump gas, ride a miniature carousel, “drive” a bus, put their hand in a lion’s mouth and build a castle out of giant blocks.

Of all the exhibits, it seems the most popular is the market where kids can load up their shopping carts with pretend food and cash out at the register. Watching the imagination and interpersonal communication pour out of the kids in this relaxed kid-friendly environment is inspiring.

Keep an ear out for the announcements alerting visitors to participate in daily events like caboose tours and animal meet and greets. And don’t forget to give your little superstar the opportunity to show their talent on stage! Visit the Theatre Gallery where kids can dress up, read scripts, or sing their favorite songs.

If animals are your thing, head to the far end of the Museum to the Nature Walk Gallery and get up close and personal with animals from all over the world. Stand next to towering bears, a leaping lion, and a small exhibit of live animals.

At $8 per person (kids under 2 are free) this Museum is a steal by providing magical family memories and hours of fun.

The Children’s Museum at La Habra is located at 301 South Euclid Street, La Habra, CA 90631. For hours and additional information, visit their website at http://www.lahabracity.com/custom.cfm?name=cmlh.cfm.

*Reprinted from my page on Yahoo! Voices*

Christmas Lights in Orange County

Looking at Christmas lights with the family is a great way to feel the holiday spirit and spend some quality family time together. Staying in the car? Let the kids put on their PJ's and bundle up with blankets. Planning to walk a few neighborhoods? Wear comfortable shoes and warm clothes with heavy coats. And however you are going, don't forget the hot chocolate!

 Here are a few spots to see the twinkling lights here in Orange County:

Northwestern Way, Westminster, CA 92683 - Located one block north of Westminster Blvd. off
Bolsa Chica Rd. This Cul de sac is a winter wonderland of lights with flying reindeer, giant Santas, and lots of penguins.

Old Towne Orange: Glassell and Chapman, Orange, CA  92866 - A one-mile square section of the city surronding Plaza Park is decorated with lights and large wreaths hanging overhead. Get the small town Christmas feel while window shopping this quaint and popular downtown locale. I've heard that there are a few streets nearby, Palm Avenue and Pine Street, that are also well lit, though I have not been personally to confirm that.


Want to see Christmas lights from the water? Climb on board for a boat ride on the Cruise of Lights in Huntington Harbor. This annual event raises funds to support Youth Music Education Programs and is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year! The 45-minute boat ride tours the beautifully lit homes of Huntington Harbor. Tickets can be purchased online, by phone or in person. Visit the Cruise of Lights website for more information. Tonight, December 20, 2012 is Value Night and adults get $2 off their ticket price. Bundle up if you're going. It gets cold on the water!

Know of another neighborhood or street that is decorated for the holidays? I'd love to know about it! Please share your favorite location with me here or on twitter @kidsworklife.

Enjoy the lights and have a happy holiday!

Christmas lights on the boats and houses in Huntington Harbor.



PlaySpaces: 20 of OC's Best Places to Play and Explore with Kids

It's official! The first PlaySpaces Guide has been released and is now available at amazon.com. The guide features locations around Orange County that are unique and exciting, from an especially cool neighborhood park like Harry M. Dotson in Stanton to a multiuse regional park like Ralph B. Clark in Buena Park. You'll find places to meet farm animals, cast your line and catch some fish, and get your own workout post-playdate on stroller friendly walking paths.

The PlaySpaces Guides are a busy parents' best friend. It frees you up from web searches and online reviews, giving you the best parks in great locations with a variety of features. Want to play and educate at the same time? Try Centennial Farm, Turtle Rock, or Peter and Mary Muth.

As a special introductory promotion, PlaySpaces: 20 of OC's Best Places to Play and Explore with Kids, will be available for free from December 9, 2012 through December 11, 2012. Get your copy and spend some time exploring Orange County with your little ones. Have fun!



Marina Park, Seal Beach

I met a friend and her little ones at Marina Park in Seal Beach the other day. It was my first time there and I really enjoyed the location. The kids had a blast, too, so it will be on our list of parks worthy of return visits. Marina Park is located at 151 Marina Drive in Seal Beach, on the corner of Marina and 1st Street. There are about 20 parking spots on the side of the park facing Caravel Way.

There is a community center on site with restrooms, classrooms, and rental space. The community center was closed when we arrived around lunch time so the restrooms were not available, but they opened for a class around 2:30. Don't count on the restrooms being available at all times at this location, but even without access it's a fun place to play.

The playground area is mostly sand with a few rubber mats. The structure has a balance beam, climbing elements, slides, a pre-schooler accessible set of mokey bars, and a playhouse area underneath. The structure provided a nice shady area in the middle where the kids dumped their sand toys and spent about an hour digging and sifting for seashells. There are two bucket seats at this location but no big kid swings.

There is one covered picnic structure with one table. It looks like there are supposed to be two tables but one has mysteriously vanished. There is a large grass area, tennis courts, basketball courts and raquetball courts. Parts of this park are reservable for parties and events.

For more information about Marina Park visit the City of Seal Beach website.



Gone Fishin'

Fishing can be fun for the whole family. My husband is a fishing fanatic and so, it turns out, my son is too. We often go together to local parks with stocked lakes. The boys throw in a line or two while I do laps with the baby in the stroller. The kids can even get some exercise on the playground while Dad enjoys some time alone by the waters' edge.

Lately, my husband has been taking our son to fishing derby's and other youth activities sponsered by local prominent fishermen like Phil Friedman and Dan Hernandez. A few weeks ago they went to the Dan Hernandez event at El Dorado Park in Long Beach, Ca and reeled in seven catfish! Yes, they brought them home. And yes, we ate them.

Children under 16 don't need a fishing license to fish, but adults do. You can get day passes or annual passes at local sporting goods stores. There are a variety of license types available and there are free fishing days offered by the California Deparment of Fish and Game. Check the Fish and Game website for license information and fees and for additonal information about fishing.

Another good source of information about fishing in Southern California is ADOutdoors.com. This fishing blog talks about local events and activities in the area. You can also find out what kind of fishing gear or tackle you will need for different fishing spots.

Remember to practice safety when fishing. The hooks can be dangerous - and painful! Also, smaller kids need smaller poles. Junior size poles are available at Target and sporting goods stores. Our son had a small pole that had a little rubber fish attached where the hook should be and since he was so young, we didn't feel comfortable arming him with fish hooks. So we left the fish on and he loved practicing his cast and reeling in the little fish. Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. Need a change? Take off the fish and tie on one of those fancy shiny rubber fishing lures (hook-free of course).

Want to give it a try? Here are a few parks in the L.A. and Orange County area:

Free Parking:

Huntington Beach Central Park
For the best lake access parking look for a spot in the lot at Edwards Street and Inlet Drive, or head down Inlet Drive and park right next to the lake. Walking paths, restrooms, and playground equipment also available.

Carr Park
Carr Park is on the corner of Heil and Springdale in Huntington Beach. Only street parking is available. Play equipment is available here but there are no restrooms. And there are lots of geese at this location.

TeWinkle Park
970 Arlington Avenue, Costa Mesa. There is a large lot for parking or you can park on the street. Restrooms, play equipment, and walking paths available. It's ok to feed the ducks here, but remember that bread, crackers, and cereal are not healthy food items. Take frozen vegetables or bird seed instead.

Cerritos Regional County Park
19800 Bloomfield Avenue, Cerritos. Free parking lot. Play equipment, paths, and restrooms available.


Pay to Park:

El Dorado Park
7550 E. Spring Street, Long Beach. $5 Monday-Friday; $7 Saturday-Sunday. Restrooms, playgrounds, and walking paths available. Nature Center across Spring Street (Closed Mondays).

Ralph B. Clark Park
8800 Rosecrans, Buena Park. $3 Monday-Friday; $5 Saturday-Sunday. Restrooms, playgrounds, and walking paths available. Interpretive center with fossils (Closed Mondays).

Mile Square Park
16801 Euclid, Fountain Valley. Multiple entrances. $3 Monday-Friday; $5 Saturday-Sunday. Restrooms, playgrounds, and walking paths available. Nature trail also on site.

Have fun fishing, and drop me a line if you find a favorite fishing hole!

One of the two lakes at Mile Square Park

When PlaySpaces Attack!

Yesterday I took my kids to the Environmental Nature Center (ENC) in Newport Beach. It's a great location that I will be featuring in my upcoming PlaySpaces e-book, and I wanted to get a few more pictures and let the kids explore. We headed out towards the butterfly house, which is closed for the season, but quickly got sidetracked when my 16-month old, Isabel, grabbed the red fruit of a prickly pear cactus that loomed much too close to the hand rail of the steps. I intercepted as soon as I saw what was happening and tried to carefully remove the tiny hairlike spines that were stuck to the palm of her hand.

A staff member conveniently walked by and I asked for assistance. She took me to the administrative office where she pulled out their bag of cactus spine removal tricks. First we tried using duct tape. On a larger surface it might have been effective but on tiny moving hands it just wasn't working. Then we tried flicking the spines with a credit card. Again, could have worked on a stable surface. Finally, we got the tweezers which work every time. After a few stressful minutes Isabel was finally free of the cactus spines. I found one or two more later that day but overall we did a good job of getting them out there in the office.

What could have been a horrible experience was made much more pleasant with the help of the attentive ENC staff and I thank them for their assistance. Isabel was surprisingly calm about the cactus spines. It was only her fear of strangers that caused her tears. Still, while one kind staff member helped me with Isabel, another entertained my son, Dennis by looking for spiders.

Once again, we made our way out to the trail - this time being extra careful to avoid the cacti.

I was reminded that accidents can happen on any adventure and it is important to always be prepared. So here are a few reminders to keep you and your little explorers safe and healthy when you're out and about.

• Keep a small first aid kit in your car for on-the-road emergencies.
• Keep a change of clothes in the car for each child and a blanket or a few light jackets for each family member. You never know when someone will get wet, muddy, or when the weather might shift.
• If you aren't sure how to address an injury, ask for help.
• Stay away from cacti or other thorny and spiny plant species.
• Know what poison oak and poison ivy look like and keep your distance.
• Keep an extra gallon jug of water in the back of your car to be used for drinking, cleaning, or flushing.
• Follow all safety warnings posted on-site.

Enjoy your next family outing, and stay safe out there!

Prickly pear cactus looming near the handrail at ENC.