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!

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**