Our visit to Pretend City

I had the opportunity to preview Pretend City Children’s Museum in Irvine a couple of weeks before it officialy opened their doors. I was very impressed and could not wait to take my children. Things have been busy around our home and we finally were  able to make that visit  with the fabulous Kara-Noel from Eli’s Lids  and her two very cute kiddos last week. If you have kiddos that are 2-7, this is the place for your family. Your little ones will love it! My son has sensory processing disorder and requires occupational therapy to deal with his wiggles and sensory seeking behavior. This place was perfect for him! I think I almost cried watching my son be entertained for 3 full hours with no meltdowns. This was a huge milestone for us!  If any of you have children in the Autism Spectrum, I definitely recommend Pretend City.

  My 4 year old daughter was in wonderland. She loved being able to have a “job”, make money, and live/work/play in Pretend City. She could have spent hours playing in the farm(where the kids can play with real fruit/vegetables) or  at the grocery store. I love that the kiddos can imagine and play with everything from water tables to picking up balls . There is also an arts and craft room when they are ready to unwind a bit and  participate in a quieter activity. The best part is that the craft/art projects are offered everyday and at no extra charge.

It’s a perfect place to spend half the day. Bring your lunch and enjoy watching your kiddos have the time of their lives. There are tables and even microwaves to heat up your lunch. We visited on a Wednesday afternoon and it was a perfect time. It was not too crowded and the kiddos were able to play with everything they wanted. I talked to some of the employees and they said weekday mornings or early afternoon are the best time to head out and play. They also mentioned that weekends are extremely busy, so plan accordingly.

We loved Pretend City so much that we bought a membership. It was a little pricey ($200) BUT watching my kiddos have such a fun time and my son emerge calm and happy after his play session was priceless!  I also loved that members are able to enter the museum an hour  before the general public. To learn more head here.

You can receive $2 off admission from now until November 30th if you bring canned food items and will benefit the Families Forward foundation.

Pretend City
29 Hubble
Irvine

Monday 10:00a.m. – 1:00p.m.
Tuesday – Sunday 10:00a.m. – 5:00p.m. daily

Member Hours: 9:00a.m.-10:00a.m. daily

Pretend City- A New Children’s Museum in Irvine






I had the opportunity to take a sneak peek at Pretend City, a new and AMAZING Children’s Museum that will be opening to the public on August 30. Pretend City is a place where Imagination and Education come to Play! Your kiddos are going to love everything about Pretend City.

Pretend City Children’s Museum is an interconnected city designed for children ranging from infant to eight years old and their families. The city is comprised of a grocery store, farm, doctor’s offices, art studio, amphitheater, beach, marina, construction site, cafe and much much more. Children will learn through role-play based on real world exhibits as they dress up as a police officer, deliver the mail, create art or put out a fire.

What I love about the museum is that all of the exhibits are connected and every exhibit is hands on. Pretend City is a unique museum and I have seen nothing quite like it. Your kids are going to love it! I can’t rave about this place enough! I can guarantee that your kiddos will have an incredible time at Pretend City. For additional information head over here. I’m planning on buying a membership and trying to make a visit at least once a week. I hope you can all go out and enjoy this amazing place with your family.

Pretend City
29 Hubble
Irvine, CA 92618

Admission

Infant to 12 months $2
Child $10
Adult $10
Military and Family Members $8

Hours

Monday 10am -1pm
Tue-Sun 10am -5pm
Everyday 9am-10am Members only

Kidspace Children’s Museum- Pasadena

We had the opportunity to visit the Kidspace Children’s Museum last week and I can’t wait to head back in the next couple of weeks for another visit. We were only there for two hours and easily could have stayed for another two. My children loved everything about this museum.

The Kidspace Children’s Museum is located in Pasadena and is adjacent to the Rose Bowl. You will park in Rose Bowl Parking Lot I and walk through Brookside Park to find a fun land of
exploration. I love museums that incorporate indoor and outdoor exhibit areas and Kidspace is able to do both.

We had the opportunity to explore the Early Childhood Learning Center, which is geared for children ages four and under. My son Mikey, who is a two and a half, was in tot fantasyland. He loved everything about the exhibit, especially the stuck together area, where the tots can interact with Velcro walls to create designs with large foam blocks. We had to coax him out of the area with a promise(aka “bribe”) of an Popsicle.

My daughter Lauren’s favorite exhibit was the Digging Deeper Gallery. She loves make believe and had a great time serving up patrons in Bugsy’s Diner. The Diner will teach your kiddos about the feeding habits of insects. Another favorite of my kiddos was “The Dig” and “The Shake Zone”. They are both interactive experiences that will not only educate your children but also provide them with hands on fun! I could not get either one to budge from this area. I had to tear them away in order to discover the other exhibits and areas.

After some inside play, we headed to the outdoor exhibits. The kids had a fun and very wet time playing in Kirby’s Kids Corner. It is an area that is designed for the four and under crowd and boy did they have a great time. They were completely drenched by the end of the night but also grinning from ear to ear.The kids also had a great time playing in the Splash Dance Fountain. If you are heading in the summer, make sure to pack a towel and extra clothes! I’m glad I packed some clothes because let me tell you -the kiddos were wet!!

We didn’t have the opportunity to explore the Gardens, Kids Basin (another wet area) and the climbing area. I can’t wait to head back and discover the areas that we missed.

Make sure to take advantage of their Free Family Nights- which are held on the first Tuesday of the month. Admission is free!! Pack a picnic and be prepared for a great time!!

Hours
September through May-.
Tuesday through Friday, 9:30am to 5pm
Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 5pm
June, July and August-Open 7 days a week!
Monday – Friday, 9:30am – 5pm
Saturday and Sunday, 10am – 5pm
I was able to visit on their Free Family Nights which are held the first Tuesday of the month from 4pm to 8pm.
Admission on any other day is
Children.$10.00
Adults$10.00
Infants (under 12 months)Free

Kidspace Children’s Museum

480 N Arroyo Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91103
For additional information head on over here.