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