things to do with kids in orange county

Winter break is coming up and that means there are going to be kiddos(and parents!) at home looking for things to do! Here are a couple of suggestions that will entertain your kiddos and are either free or not very expensive.I posted this list last year for winter break. It’s an oldie but goodie!
1. The California Science Center. I can’t rave enough about this wonderful place. It is at the top of the list in my book for something to do in So Cal that is fun, different and oh did I mention that it is absolutely FREE!(all you have to do is pay for parking). Pack a lunch or splurge a little and enjoy Mcdonald’s on the first floor of the museum.
2. The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium- While it is is not the Aquarium of the Pacific or Scripps, it is a great little aquarium that has the most amazing staff and some fun exhibits.The Aquarium is absolutely FREE and parking is a $1 an hour
3. The Getty Museum and Getty Villa- These two beautiful jewels sit perched on a hill with a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean. Both are FREE to the public and while many of you may be thinking- no way- my kiddos would be bored out of their mind, think again! My kiddos had a blast on our last visit and they have a fun kids area that your kiddos will never want to leave!
4. Enviromental Nature Center– pack a good pair of shoes and enjoy a fun hike on the center’s trail. Also stay a bit to explore the Center. It’s a fun little place your kiddos will enjoy. Did I mention it’s FREE?
5. Zimmer’s Children’s Museum– In my opinion one of the best children’s museums in the area. The theming is out of this world and not very crowded. While the museum is not free, admission prices are reasonable($5 for kids and $8 for adults) It’s a great alternative to the movies.
6. Hit your local dollar theater. We love the dollar theatre. It’s fun, cheap and the kids have a great time. The best part is that our entire family can catch a flick and get some treats for less than $10! You can’t beat that!
7. Travel Town Museum– a family favorite. This little train museum is pretty darn cool and admission is absolutely free. Make a day at Griffith Park by bringing some toys and have some good old fashioned fun playing in one of the many playgrounds or by taking a little hike.

8. Natural History Museum– Los Angeles. Love Night of the Museum? well you will definitely love the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. Your family will fall in love with this amazing museum and the best part is that although it does not offer free admission- admission prices are pretty darn reasonable. Children under 5 are free, kids 6-12 are $2 and adults are $9. For less than 20 bucks you can treat your family to an incredible day and learn a thing or two. I love it!
9. Santa Ana Zoo in the afternoon. Did you know the Santa Ana Zoo offers half price off after 2pm? We love the Santa Ana Zoo and it has one of the best play areas. It’s shaded, there is a snack bar and a play area for the tiny tots and another for the older ones. We love sitting in the aviary and having a few moments of peace and quiet. It’s a fun little place that my family loves!

10. La Habra Children’s Museum– This great little museum is a perfect place to let your kiddos romp around. There are hands on exhibits, a preschool playroom, a train car to explore and much much more. Admission is $7 a person and children 2 and under are free of charge.

Happy Tuesday! Did you all have a wonderful long weekend? We had a great time playing “tourist” and hit Disneyland/DCA and were able to ride the brand new Little Mermaid ride at DCA and also the revamped Star Tours Ride at Disneyland. We also spent an afternoon at Pretend City, hit the beach and finished up on Monday with a quick visit to Seaworld. It was a super fun weekend!

One of my stops on my extremely fun weekend was a visit to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center. I have been wanting to visit the center for quite some time now and I was in Laguna and decided to stop and tour the center with the kiddos. The Pacific Marine Mammal Center was founded in 1971 and is a non profit organization . The Pacific Marine Mammal Center mission is to rescue, treat, rehabilitate marine mammals that are injured or have been stranded and release them back into their natural habitats.

We stopped in for a quick tour and one of the very friendly and informative docents explained about the work at the center and the different sea lions and seals that are currently patients and their injuries. On the day of our visit, there were 31 patients, that were currently under treatment. The kiddos were mesmerized and even learned to differentiate between seals and sea lions (it’s all in the ears or lack thereof) .

We spent about half an hour there and all learned so much. If you can gather a small group(more than 6) you can schedule a field trip to the center. Field trips are for groups of all ages and include a guided tour of the facility, a class room presentation about the different patients and their medical conditions and up close viewing.