Ruben H. Fleet Science Center

What: Ruben H. Fleet Science Center

Where: Balboa Park (a.k.a Family Heaven) in sunny San Diego

Why: We finally convinced my son he didn’t need to go to the San Diego Model Railroad Museum for a third visit.

My Kid’s Picks: He forgot all about the Railroad Museum and got his science geek on. My son tend to gravitate towards anything that has gears, balls, and maze-like construction. Luckily, there was plenty of that to be found in the exhibits. He spent the most time in the main gallery, trying out all the hands-on mechanical experiments. The hit of the technology-based exhibits was the one where he got to pose in front of the psychedelic screen. He tried out some of the games in the Origins in Space exhibit, but I don’t think he understood much of the science behind it yet.

Mom’s Verdict: Worth the price of admission, even more so, if you have a Balboa Park Passport. We went soon after it opened on a Sunday, and found the place blissfully uncrowded. That’s a nice change of pace from most kids’ museums. We only spent about an hour at the museum, but that’s mostly because I was rushing things along before lunch.

Useful Tidbits: There is a (thankfully) small gift shop, an Imax theatre, and a cafe. The museum is right across from the San Diego Natural History Museum, so it’s easy to combine both museums in one morning’s visit.

Today’s Tip: California Academy of Sciences

Once upon a December, I tried to go to the California Academy of Sciences the week after Christmas. That story didn’t have a a fairytale ending: we didn’t get in, the scene outside the Academy was wicked, so we headed to some quieter places in Golden Gate Park. But I was determined to take my son for a visit, so we made a second attempt this last summer. This time, we came prepared with my plan of attack, and we had a great time. With only one trip under my sleeve, I am not an expert, but I did gain a few insights that I can pass on to you.

1. Buy your tickets online. On very crowded days, the Academy will stop selling tickets soon after it opens. Pre-purchase tickets to save yourself from the disappointment of being turned away or the possibility of standing in another line to purchase them there.

2. Queue up early. I don’t need to tell you that the early bird gets the worm. There will be a line at the entrance before the museum opens. You need to be in that line, so that you can be one of the first groups to get inside and enjoy some of the exhibits before it gets unbearably crowded.

3. Get your tickets for the shows as soon as you walk in. From the entrance, go left to the planetarium and snatch your tickets. You can choose which show time you prefer, so you don’t necessarily have to go to the first show. You will want to see the aquarium or the rainforest exhibit early, so opt for a later showtime. We were not able to see the 3-D Bug Show, but they do sell out of those tickets early as well.

4. The fishes don’t mind the crowds, but you might. After you get your tickets, head directly to the Steinhart aquarium. It is dark in that section and the design makes the crowds seem even more unbearable. This is the section where you want to especially hold on to your toddlers so that they don’t get lost. I know you want to enjoy some quality time with the jellyfish and not the museum security, so go to the aquarium early.

5. Ready, set, go: Rainforest. The rainforest exhibit opens an hour after the museum, and although museum employees discourage people from queueing up too early, people do anyway. For us, this was the highlight of the museum, so I don’t recommend you skip this. The butterflies are the main attraction, and they are more plentiful in the higher levels of the dome. They will land on you, so don’t go if you get queasy about insects. My son stood there for about ten minutes, waiting for the butterflies to land on him. One finally did.

6. Bring your own lunch and seat. The meals are pricey and the dining areas are small. It’s common to see families eating their lunch on the floor of the Academy Cafe. We bought a snack, and had a bigger meal outside the museum afterwards.

7. The penguins are as crowded as the people gawking at them. After you hit the three main areas, head over to Africa Hall for a stroll through a very quiet African savannah. This is the retro part of the museum and the home of the penguins. They are cute, even I’ll admit it.

8. Take a breath on the Living Roof. If you need a break, go up to the trademark plant-covered roof. It is a lesson in green design and offers some good views of the plaza.

Family Travel Tips
San Francisco

The Monarchs Are Back

The trees are not resplendent with as many fall colors here in California, but that’s because our foliage turns another kind of orange: the fluttery, migrating kind. See Exhibit A: a cluster of Monarch butterflies hanging from their winter home in the eucalyptus grove of Natural Bridges State Park in Santa Cruz.

They arrive sometime in October and hang out until February, unless a rare California storm evicts them a bit earlier. We go visit our fluttery friends at least once a year, because their grove happens to be at one of my favorite California beaches. We never tire of our visits. The truth is that the butterflies are just so darn mesmerizing. We lay on the wooden deck and look up.

We sit still, breathe, and watch the monarchs fill the sky above with beauty. Those moments are rare and make our frequent trips to the grove oh-so-worth-it. And anything that can get my kid to sit still and meditate quietly, even if it’s only for 5 minutes, can truly be called awe inspiring.

I’m sharing these photos at Delicious Baby’s Photo Friday. Go there to check out all the other inspiring photos.

 

Things To Do
Santa Cruz

Today’s Tip: Making Video Lemonade

Every year we take a day trip to visit the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Santa Cruz, California. I have been making that same trip since I was a kid, so I have it down to a science. I remember to pack a picnic, check that the weather will be warm enough to see the fluttery, little buggers, and to bring the binoculars.

On a particular trip last year, I wanted to capture my son and the butterflies on video. I made all sorts of plans for my first video blogging production. So, of course, I forgot the video camera. I got mad-and said a few choice words-when I remembered that I had forgotten the one piece of equipment I didn’t want to forget that day. But, I was determined. I decided to get some video footage with the seldom used video button on my point and shoot camera. I was trying to teach my son that when the going gets tough, the tough makes lame attempts. It’s a lesson I have taught him well. Sigh.

I couldn’t let the idea for a butterfly video production die, so I edited last year’s crappy attempt into this week’s video. I should title it: Our Trip to Visit the Butterflies, A Comedy of Errors. But, that’s just too long.

The butterflies are back to their winter homes all along the California Coast in October. If you’re planning your own visit to the sanctuary in Natural Bridges State Park, then read my tips post. Just add one more tip, don’t forget the video camera.

Today’s Tip: Vacation Rhymes With Education

School is almost out, but that doesn’t mean that your kids have to stop learning. Today I’m giving you an excuse to hit the road or board the plane: it’s for your kids’ education. 

It’s a well-known fact that traveling equals learning. Anytime you travel with your kids, you’re giving them experiences that will help them better understand the world they live in. Are you planning on taking a family vacation this summer? Then, you’re already guaranteed to give your kids a bit of summer education. But there are some of you that are overachievers and will want to know how to squeeze as much learning into your vacations as humanly possible. Don’t worry, I’m here to help. Here are some ideas on how you (I’m talking to the mommies in the front row taking notes) can make education the focus of your vacations.

1. Get acquainted with what your child will be studying in her next few years of school. You can consult with your child’s teacher, your educational parenting books, or you can Google it. For example, if you’re a California parent just type in these search words: California content standards.  This will lead you to the California Education Department website page listing all the different subject standards for kindergarten through 12th grade. Don’t be alarmed by the sheer wordiness of these documents, you can easily interpret their meaning. Just don’t read them too late at night, I can’t guarantee they won’t put you to sleep. Pay particular attention to the social studies and science standards, these are naturally the easiest subjects to learn while on a vacation.
2. Pick at least one standard that your child will find interesting and will be learning about the next school year. So if you child digs all things dinosaurs, you can work on second grade earth science standard 3d: “Students know that fossils provide evidence about the plants and animals that lived long ago and that scientists learn about the past history of Earth by studying fossils”. He doesn’t have to know that you’re secretly teaching him something so wordy, all he has to know is that fossils are real and not some figment of his teacher’s imagination. Last summer I purposely planned a stop at the La Brea tar pits while we on our southern California vacation because I knew that my son would study all about fossils in second grade. I’m sneaky like that.
3. Make it seem effortless. The trick for making education the focus of a trip, is to make it fun. If your kids hate museums, don’t force them to march through historical exhibits. Maybe, they’ll be more excited about finding the constellations-while gazing at the sky with bellies full of s’mores-on your next camping trip. 

Just remember that summer is supposed to be more about relaxing than completing tasks. There will be plenty of homework to do come fall.

 

Kids Love The Getty Museum of Art

There are only two reasons my son will get into the car for the six-hour drive to Los Angeles: 1. Disneyland, 2. The Getty Museum of Art. That’s right, my son loves an art museum as much as he does Mickey-shaped ice cream. So maybe he’s not your typical kid, but I think his love of the Getty has a lot to do with how this art museum gives families the red-carpet treatment. 

 

Here’s why your kids may grow to love The Getty as well:

1. There is a ride. To get up to the museum, you can choose to walk or ride the Getty Tram. I’m guessing that most kids (and tired parents) will prefer to ride up. Plus, you can convince your kids it’s almost like Disneyland.
2. There is a room just for them. The Family Room is housed in it’s own small building, and is obviously the most kid-friendly place in the museum. This room looks more like a discovery museum than an art gallery. It has at least five hands-on activity areas, where kids can make a mask, play with mirrors, look through “art” peep holes, and decorate an illuminated wall with their own manuscript designs. My son’s favorite area was the tube sculpture cove. He spent almost half an hour trying to make the perfect sculpture, but realized he had to share his sculpting space with other kids who didn’t necessarily share his vision. In the end, he did get a bit of uninterrupted play time to finish his sculpture. Because this room has limited capacity, we had to wait about 15 minutes to get inside. It was definitely worth the wait though.
3. They will find engaging art galleries. The summer we went, they had a special exhibit about science and women, with paintings of flowers and insects. Inside the special exhibit, there was an area for kids to color their own flower prints. There was also Art Detective cards available, with clues that kids had to look for in the paintings. These cards are great because they provide kids with a way to actively engage with the art, and parents don’t have to come up with the activities themselves. You can use  Art Detective cards for other areas of the museum-pick one up outside the Family Room.
4. They can roam the gardens. Art can be appreciated outdoors as well. Kids like to check out the garden paths and the sculptures of the Central Garden. Parents will appreciate that they won’t have to keep tiny hands away from any valuable art. Oh, and did I mention you can catch some of the best views of Los Angeles? The grounds, architecture, and scenic location of this museum are what make it such an unique experience.
5. So many activities, so little time. There’s so much for families to do at the Getty, that we didn’t get a chance to try it all out. I would have liked to try the Family Art Stop to get a “hands-on gallery experience with a single work of art”. The workshop is free, but you do have to sign-up at the Information Center. Check their website for days and times, depending on the season you’re visiting. If you like to do the audio tours, there is one available just for families. You can rent the GettyGuide audio player at the museum’s entrance hall for five dollars. 

I love the The Getty Museum of Art for all of these reasons and for the fact that admission is free. You will need to pay $10 dollars to park your car. The cafe has plenty of kid-approved food, and a beautiful outdoor eating area to enjoy some of that southern California sun. You are allowed to bring your own picnic to eat on the lawn next to the Central Garden, or any of the public seating areas.

Family Travel Tips
Los Angeles

Dinosaur Hunting in Berkeley

I wanted to take my son to see some dinosaur fossils, since he’s studying all about them at school this month. But were? The new California Academy of sciences has a section devoted to dinosaurs and fossils, but I wasn’t ready to brave the crowds.

 

So I found the perfect alternative for our day trip: the University of California Museum of Paleontology in Berkeley. This museum is housed in the Life Sciences building on the university campus. It’s not a typical museum, as the exhibits are spread out in the halls of this building of research and study. We spent about half an hour and saw all of the displays. 

These are some of the fossils we enjoyed viewing the most:

• There is a freestanding mount of T-rex in the atrium, and a Pteranodon hanging over his head. Next to the big guy, is a computer exhibit where kids can find out more about the life and times of the Tyrannosaurus. 
• Climb the stairwell past the T-rex and head through the doors of the natural sciences library to find where the Triceratops hang out. There you can view the smallest Triceratops skull ever found, and plenty of studious college kids. My son was just as much in awe of the big kids at the library, as he was of the fossil displays.
• Among some of the other fossils you’ll find on the second floor, is the Archaeopteryx, the world’s earliest known feathered bird.

Useful tidbits: The UCMP website has details on what fossils you will find on display, as well as some cool links on other dino-related information. You can view the displays as long as the Natural Sciences building and library is open. The museum is free of charge. 

The university has plenty of other museums and areas to explore after your visit. I would definitely add a visit to the Lawrence Hall of Science.

Things To Do
Berkeley