WINTRY FAMILY FUN

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Happy Halloween from Pretend City!

  

We love Pretend City for the way they understand children.
Their loves, their fears, and the things that make them truly happy.

Here are some tips from Pretend City Children’s Museum’s 
Senior Director of Education, Linda Hunter to Help Put Little Minds at Ease


EXPLAINING “SPOOKY” TO CHILDREN BEFORE HITTING 
THE TRICK-OR-TREAT NEIGHBORHOOD TRAIL

We’re in the midst of the spookiest month of the year with ghosts, ghouls, goblins and more.  
Have you ever wondered what your young child is thinking, feeling and internalizing 
as they witness all of the flair from the Halloween holiday around them?  

The concepts of spooky and scary are handled differently in distinct stages of a young child’s development. 
To provide some quick background, dealing with a 3- or 4-year-old trick-or-treater 
will be different than trick-or-treating with your 2-year-old. 
  
A 2-year-old reacts with a fairly limited frame of reference. 
They are also very concrete: what they see or feel is their reality.  
Wrapping their minds around the fact that a haunted house or a monster is not real 
is beyond what you should expect of your child at that age. 

At about age 5 children are developing their abstract thinking 
and understand more fully about pretend vs. real.  
Their kindergarten year is a more appropriate age 
to begin to introduce the more scary aspects of Halloween fun.  

Here are a few tips about how to explain “spooky” to young children 
before heading out the door for the night’s trick-or-treat excursion.

0-2-year-olds: Keep your young toddler close to you 
and physically comfort and reassure them that they are safe 
if they seem scared.  Also, consistently remind your youngster
 that what they see, hear or experience is “just PRETEND.”
  Children at a young age, even at 2-years-old, 
know this term even if they can’t fully comprehend it.
  Reassure your child that you are there 
and will make sure that nothing will hurt them.

3-, 4- and 5-year-olds: At these ages, prepare children
 before they go out to trick-or-treat by talking about 
what is expected and what they may see 
(e.g., fake blood, spider webs, monsters, etc.). 
Discuss the difference between real and pretend.

Get them talking when they return.  
Ask your child what was the most fun part of the night 
and maybe the scariest part of the night.  
The open dialogue will get them to share their experiences 
and can allow you to reassure them 
that it was “just pretend” if something bothered them.

Plan ahead.  
Figure out a plan with your child for the next time things are scary.  
This will reassure children and help them 
to have a sense of control over managing their scary feelings.

Last, but not least: remember that spooky doesn't have to be scary.  
There is a difference between the two; spooky is non-threatening and scary feels threatening.  
While spooky may encourage a child to be inquisitive and wonder what’s up, 
scary provokes the fear of being hurt.  
This is good to remember as you consider the level of exposure to “Halloween Happenings” 
that you want for your child, before hitting the trick-or-treat neighborhood trail.

Linda Hunter, MA, LMFT
Senior Education Director and Chief Operations Officer, Pretend City Children’s Museum
Linda earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Human Development and Master's Degree 
in Marriage, Family, and Child Therapy from the prestigious Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena. 
Linda joined Pretend City in 2002 prior to its opening and has over 40 years of experience 
working with children and families in both the fields of early childhood education and family therapy.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Wow Me Wednesday #120


Welcome to the party!!
It's my favorite day of the week,
and I'm so excited to see all your fun projects!!
Grab the WOW button,
check out other entries that catch your eye,
and leave a little crafty comment love along the way!!
Ready, set, GO!!

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Cupcake Friday!



This sweet little cupcake maker lives by me...
Kelly with Cupcake Friday!
Every Friday you can pick up a different order of deliciousness!


Kelly whipped up these fun red, white and blue cupcakes 
for my daughter's birthday party this year!
(Pinwheel toppers by Earth Cookie Creations)


The frosting is my main priority, and as you can see, 
this girl has got you covered!


And bonus, Kelly's cupcakes are not only delicious, 
they're also dang cute!


Oh Joy...Almond Joy that is!!
I can't wait for the next time she makes these!


You can pick up Kelly's cupcakes in batches of 4 or more, 
all packaged pretty and ready for your next party, or just you!
I personally don't want to share, now that I've tasted them.

You can find Kelly and her cupcakes 
at the Queen Bee Market this coming weekend!
Be sure to stop by early, because she always sells out!

Check out Kelly on Facebook and Instagram for weekly cupcake updates!
Your tummy will thank me.

Friday, October 25, 2013

GIVEAWAY: Jumpstart presents School of Dragons!



This summer Jumpstart launched its newest educational online game,
School of Dragons!


Based on DreamWorks Animation’s How To Train Your Dragon franchise, 
it is one of the first massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) 
to incorporate basic science educational features in its gameplay!


School of Dragons prepares players to become 
fierce Viking adventurers and skilled dragon trainers. 
Not only do players get to forge a lasting and meaningful bond with their dragon, 
but they will also learn basic scientific method concepts 
through engaging activities such as farming, fishing, and more.


As players train their own dragons 
and become fierce Viking adventurers in the game, 
they will learn key concepts in the scientific method 
through activities based on earth, life, and physical sciences.


School of Dragons blends together three fields 
— film, online games, and television 
— to create an immersive online gaming experience for youth, 
allowing players to interact, play, and learn with familiar faces from the hit animated film, 
such as Hiccup and his dragon Toothless. 


Vivid and interactive gameplay 
— coupled with the wildly popular How To Train Your Dragon franchise 
— makes School of Dragons a game you will not want to miss out on.

Check out some of the action in this video clip:


My son is a huge fan of How to Train Your Dragon and science,
so this game was a perfect fit for him.
In fact, he is dressing up as one of the dragons for Halloween!

And this is a great time to try out School of Dragons!
Check out this great membership sale!


For more information about School of Dragons and the latest news: 

·       Visit us:  www.SchoolofDragons.com
·       Like us:  Facebook
·       +1:  Google+ 
·       Follow us:  Twitter
·       Subscribe:  YouTube
·       Connect:  LinkedIn

And now for the BEST PART!!

You can win a 1-month subscription for your own children to try out School of Dragons!
They're going to love it!

GOOD LUCK!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Spooky Bug Fun at Pretend City for Halloween!



This month we went to Pretend City for some kid-sized spooky Halloween fun!
The Bug Bog Scavenger Hunt was great for both my kids ages 5 and 10!


 Dr. Strangebug gave us bug buckets and sent us on our way!


Along the way we read the clues and collected the bugs hidden at each station.


We found butterflies, spiders, scorpions and more!


We turned in our bugs for a set of collectible Bug Bog trading cards!


There were even some REAL bugs to learn about.


Everywhere you looked, you could see more bugs!
There were bugs to play with, bug skeletons to investigate,
bug books, bug puzzles and bugs in glass!


There were even bug crafts!

Come check all the BUG fun at Pretend City through Halloween!

The Bug Bog experience is $3 for the first child, $2 for the second child,

and $1 for the third child with paid Pretend City admission.  

Children ages three and younger are free to experience the Bug Bog Scavenger Haunt.

Pretend City

29 Hubble
Irvine CA 92618
949-428-3900

Hours:
Monday: 10AM - 1PM
Tuesday - Sunday 10AM - 5PM

Adults & Children: $12.50
Infant to 12 months: FREE


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Wow Me Wednesday #119


Welcome to the party!!
It's my favorite day of the week,
and I'm so excited to see all your fun projects!!
Grab the WOW button,
check out other entries that catch your eye,
and leave a little crafty comment love along the way!!
Ready, set, GO!!

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Initials, Inc. Launch Party!



Do you wish your handbag was more unique? 
Something one-of-a-kind? 
Initials, Inc., a fashion handbag and home organization company 
offering bright, bold and personalized products 
through in-home parties, is here to help.


Initials, Inc. is a beautiful line of handbags and accessories
for women, men and children
brought to you by the talented sister team Britney Vickery & Ivy Hall.


This Thursday is your chance to check out their new line
for Fall/Winter 2013-2014 in person
and enter to win FREE products!

Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort
Thursday, October 24th, 
6:30-8:30 PM
21100 Pacific Coast Hwy
Huntington Beach CA 92648

Friday, October 18, 2013

GIVEAWAY: Day Out With Thomas!




Thomas the Tank Engine is getting ready to ride off the pages of the beloved storybooks 
and into the hearts of our little fans. 
Our favorite Number One Engine is set to roll into the Orange Empire Railway Museum 
in Perris, CA on Nov. 9,10,11, 16 and 17, 2013. 


All little girls and boys will have the opportunity to meet Thomas the Tank Engine 
and Friends in person at the 2013 Day Out With Thomas GO GO Tour. 
Little engineers and grownups are invited to take a 25-minute ride 
on a life-size Thomas and have a fun day of Thomas-related activities including:
  • A meet and greet with Sir Topham Hatt, the Superintendent of the Railroad
  • Thomas and Friends storytelling and video viewing
  • A Thomas and Friends Imagination Station (train table play area and arts and crafts)
  • Petting Zoo
  • Jules Live Music 4 Kids 
  • Temporary Tattoos
  • Bounce House
  • Caboose Train and Trolley Rides
Tickets are $21 for ages two and older. 
Reserve your train departure time with your ticket purchase. 
Military and group discounts are available. 
The activities on site at a Day Out With Thomas are for you 
and your children to enjoy for several hours or more. 
Please plan your arrival time accordingly. 
You should arrive no later than one hour prior to your scheduled departure.

Day Out With Thomas promises to engineer miles of smiles for the whole family. 
For more information and to purchase tickets, 
call the Orange Empire Railway Museum office at 951-943-3020 or visit www.oerm.org. 
Tickets may also be purchased online at Ticketweb http://tktwb.tw/19PQtSO

ARE YOU READY??

Today you can win a family 4-pack of tickets to experience this wonderful event with your family!
You pick the day and the Orange Empire Railway Museum will pick your boarding time.
And if you have already purchased tickets and you win here, 
you will receive a refund plus a $10 gift certificate for the Thomas store at the event!


The Orange Empire Railway Museum's mission is an all-volunteer organization that has been preserving Southern California’s railway history since 1956. The museum’s mission is to educate the public on the technology, history, and impact of the rail transportation industry in the West. Over 200 rail cars and locomotives, ranging from Los Angeles street cars to modern diesel locomotives, are preserved at the museum’s 100-acre site in Perris, California, which is open 363 days of the year. 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, October 17, 2013

GIVEAWAY: Strictly Sail Long Beach!



It's just one week until the Progressive Insurance Strictly Sail Long Beach event!

Whether you're in the market for a boat, 
want to try your hand at paddleboarding, kayaking or sailing, 
this is the event for you!

Admission to Strictly Sail Long Beach is $10 for adults; 
youth 15 and younger accompanied by an adult and active military with ID are free. 
Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the box office (cash only).

Show hours: Thursday and Friday 12pm-7pm;
Saturday, 10am-7pm and Sunday, 10am-6pm.
For more information call (714) 633-7581 or visit www.strictlysaillongbeach.com.

And today I have tickets for you to WIN!

GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Wow Me Wednesday #118


Welcome to the party!!
It's my favorite day of the week,
and I'm so excited to see all your fun projects!!
Grab the WOW button,
check out other entries that catch your eye,
and leave a little crafty comment love along the way!!
Ready, set, GO!!

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Pretend City presents Bug Bog Scavenger Hunt!


BEWARE!
The bugs have invaded Pretend City Children's Museum!!


The Bug Bog Scavenger Hunt is Pretend City's newest attraction,
with eight dazzling and busy bug-filled areas that engage children 
in discovering and learning about various insects and bugs that will be on display.  

Each experience includes a collection of bug trading cards for the learning to continue at home. 


The Bug Bog Scavenger Haunt is an interactive scavenger-haunt exhibit 
which will be open now until October 31, 2013.  

The scavenger-haunt brings a ghoulish bug fun experience 
and is designed by We Will Haunt You, 
a driving force behind haunted attractions 
such as the Queen Mary's Dark Harbor, Tustin Haunt, 
Janfusun Theme Park (Taiwan) and more.


The Bug Bog experience is $3 for the first child, $2 for the second child,
and $1 for the third child with paid Pretend City admission.  
Children ages three and younger are free to experience the Bug Bog Scavenger Haunt.

Pretend City
29 Hubble
Irvine CA 92618

949-428-3900

Hours:
Monday: 10AM - 1PM
Tuesday - Sunday 10AM - 5PM

Adults & Children: $12.50
Infant to 12 months: FREE

Friday, October 11, 2013

Discovery Science Center: Spooky Science & The Science of Ripley's!


There's a whole lot of SPOOKY SCIENCE going on at Discovery Science Center!
We went down this week to check it all out and we were amazed!


My little dragon and dinosaur loved all the pumpkins and spooky exhibits.


The Wizard of Ooze was a hit with all the little scientists!
We learned how to make slime, elephant toothpaste, and a color-changing concoction!


Then we got to make our own glow-in-the-dark slime and decorate pumpkins!


The Spooky Scavenger Hunt sent us exploring all around.


And there were some super spooky spider visitors to Discovery Science Center!


We put on 3D glasses and explored the Amazing 3D Maze full of fun facts and colors!
The maze led us into the newest exhibit at Discovery Science Center, 


This exhibit was full of unbelievable but true exhibits.
We crawled through a replica of Titanoboa.
At 50 feet long and 3 feet in diameter, it is the largest snake every known!


Brass neck coils have been worn for centuries by women and girls of the Kayan people in Myanmar.
Kayan girls as young as five begin wearing the coils, beginning with about nine loops.
The length is gradually increased until women are wearing up to 32 loops!


These creepy shrunken heads were not to be missed!


Can you guess what this image of Albert Einsten is made from??
TOAST!


This calf was born with 2 faces, and only lived for a month.
You can see her unusual skeleton on display.


One of our favorite rooms was Jump Into Art, designed by artist/software designer Ed Tannenbaum.
It was so cool to watch our bodies paired with color, moving in slow motion!
We could have stayed in there for hours!

The Science of Ripley's Believe it or Not will be at Discovery Science Center until Jan. 5, 2014.
Don't miss this amazing exhibit filled with with biology, cultural practices, illusions, and the unexpected!

Spooky Science is here through Oct. 31 and is a great event to visit for this Halloween time!

Don’t miss these festive activities on the weekends:
  • Make your own slime to take home
  • Join our costume parade extravaganza
  • See a SPOOKtacular light show
  • Enjoy our new Spooky Science stage shows
  • Trick or treat and take home a goodie bag
In addition, each weekend there will be a different themed presentation!

October 12-13: Unbelievable Magic
You won’t believe your eyes this weekend as we present an astonishing magic show that will have you rethinking the idea that seeing is believing. Come see a live magician perform a fun magic act, and even learn the science behind some classic tricks.

October 19-20: Creepy Crawlers
Join us this special weekend as we highlight our six and eight legged friends through shows and activities that will have you itching all the way home! Come check out presentations with Dr. Sue’s Insect Zoo and an NHM Entomologist where you will learn all about bugs and their habitats and food sources. You can touch them with your own hands, or just sit back and watch them do their creepy-crawly-thing!

October 26-27: Jack-O-Lanterns
Get into the Halloween spirit with this special weekend festival filled with pumpkins and Jack-O-Lanterns. Check out a special display of expertly designed Jack-O-Lanterns and see a giant pumpkin from Tanaka Farms!


Discovery Science Center is open daily 10 am to 5 pm 

except for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.


General Admission
  • Children (ages 3-14): $12.95
  • Adults (ages 15+): $15.95
  • Seniors (ages 62+): $12.95
  • Parking: $4.00

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