Sid the Science Kid & Pretend Cty Giveaway

Big News for all your little ones! Sid the Science Kid will be at Pretend City this Friday, June 11th from 10am - 2pm for a very special Way to Play Day. During this fun celebrity visit Sid will be inviting all attendees to join in the various activities during the day including Special photos with Sid the Science Kid, VIP Viewings of a Brand New Sid the Science Kid episode titled "No School Singalong Special" which won't air until June 21st, a sing along parade with Sid featuring "I'm looking for my friends" (my daughter's fav), and of course prize giveaways from Sid the Science Kid and Pretend City Museum. This is a day you won't want to miss.

Giveaway time: One Lucky reader of OC Fun Guide's Blog will win two ( 2) tickets to this Friday's Way to Play Day with Sid the Science Kid at Pretend City AND their very own special "Sid the Science Kid, Gotta Know" microphone. Just leave a comment here telling us why your child would love to win! My daughter absolutely loves Sid the Science Kid and cannot wait to see him live! Getting a chance to interact and play with Sid will be a highlight and an awesome memory for years to come. Be sure to bring your camera for all the photo ops. This is a short giveaway and will run until Thursday, June 10th at 12noon. The winner will be announced at 1pm.

We also have a special coupon for you for this day! A 2 for 1 admission for this Friday's Way to Play Day at Pretend City Museum. The Way to Play Day with Sid the Science Kid is a partnership between KCET and Pretend City's Good to Go From Head to Toe. On this special Way to Play Day with Sid, activities will focus on the importance of exercise, discovering healthy foods and more.

Can't wait to see you all there!

Happy Pretending!

Winner must be a Southern California Resident or able to attend Way to Play Day on Friday June 11th. Prize will be redeemed at Pretend City along with a special goodie bag for your little one.

OC Fun Guide received complimentary tickets to museum and a Sid the Science Kid Gotta Know Microphone as compensation for this post.

Fun Things to do this weekend!

Friday, March 19th






FREE Shark Lagoon Nights at Aquarium of the Pacific

Experience The Shark Lagoon Night (tonight) Friday at The Aquarium of the Pacific from 6-9pm. This is a great opportunity to get up close and personal. You will be able to touch Bamboo Sharks and see large sharks such as sand tigers as well as rays. This is a fun evening for the family and best off all it's FREE. For more information on The Aquarium of the Pacific visit their website. There is so much to do in Long Beach in this area and a ton of restaurants and fun at Rainbow Harbor to enjoy before or after your visit to the Aquarium.

Saturday, March 20th







Easter Eggstravaganza at Irvine Park Railroad

The Easter Eggstravaganza is finally here! The first egg hunt for ages 2-4 will begin at 10am. Be sure to arrive very early because last year the park was full by 8:30am. There will be face painting, games, bounce houses, pictures with the Easter Bunny and of course train rides. Tickets are $4 each. I have heard this called by many people the greatest Easter Egg Hunt in Orange County so bring your kiddies out for some fun! For more information on the Easter Eggstravaganza and schedules for the Egg Hunts be sure to visit Irvine Park Railroad's website.

Sunday, March 21st




FREE Rockin' Recorders Beginning Lessons at Pretend City

Pretend City is offering FREE beginning recorder lessons from 10:15-10:45am for ages 6-8 (parents must remain on premises) every Sunday in March in honor of "Music in our Museum" Month. This class teaches basis of music with simple rhythms, time signatures, note reading along with breath control and finger coordination. Wow! That sounds like so much fun! For more information on this class and many more just like it, you can visit Pretend City's website.

Fore more fun activities in Orange County visit OC Fun Guide . Be sure to sign up for our monthly email activity calendar for FREE and Low Cost events in Orange County. Don't miss out on a great event and hear about it after.

Happy Spring!

Pretend City! Children's Museum

What an amazing place Pretend City is. Upon arrival we were given a map to the city where each child can choose to visit, work and play. There was a doctor's office, Post office, Fire Station, Police Station, Gas Station, a cafe, a working farm, a theater, and many many more pint size buildings/offices inside this museum. It is definitley not your typical "look but don't touch" museum that we are all used to.

This imagination emporium stimulates creativity through pretend play using props right down to the pedal cars, street lights and stop signs.

My daughter gassed up her car, which was a pink cadillac, on the way to her pretend jobs at the cafe and the doctor's office. At the cafe, she took my order, made me an amazing pizza and served it right to my table. At the doctor's office she reviewed x-rays and tended to patients, giving them their shots and taking their vital signs. There was even a volunteer doctor on hand to help along with this pretend office.

After she worked at each job site she clocked out with her time card given to us upon our arrival. She was then able to take her time card to the ATM and received her pretend cash where she indulged herself shopping at the pretend Ralph's grocery store buying pretend eggs, milk and produce.

She was then ready for a little playtime at the beach equipped with sand, toys to build sand castles, beach chairs and umbrellas. After her exciting day at work and playing at the beach, she drove home along pretend streets stopping for pedestrians and all. Once she arrived to the pretend house fully equipped with a living room, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom she played house for quite some time.

Each station is set up with a telephone that can be used to call the other stations. My daughter called the cafe from the doctor's office to let them know that she would see them tomorrow when she returned to work.

There was a theater stage with lights and music. The backstage area was full of costumes ranging from butterfly wings to wedding dresses where your child can be the star they always wanted to be.

Pretend City is such a great experience because there are so many stations that appeal to different interest and age levels. We saw infants on up to older school aged children that were stimulated by what this place has to offer each child on their own learning and absorbtion level.

We will definitley be returning to this museum many times in the future. The regular admission price is $10 for adults and children. If you visit after 4pm the price is only $5 per person but that only allows an hour of play time which from my experience is not enough. They do have memberships ranging in price from $90 and up.

For more information about Pretend City click here.

Can't wait for our next trip to Pretend City!

Happy Pretending!