Every child eventually out grows the books that they have, even their most favorite of books! But not to worry, Pretend City is here to help you stay green and reuse these books to turn “One man’s trash into another man’s treasure”! Bring your gently loved books to Pretend City’s own featured family. The Peczon-Rodriguez family has donated a public library to Pampanga Elementary, Mexico. It is their hope that they can encourage more children to discover the wonderful world of fantasy, adventure and culture that can be discovered in between the pages of books.
“Our family’s dream is that if we can stimulate the mind of even one underprivileged child to reach for the stars and become as successful in whatever field they choose – then the Peczon-Rodriguez’s will have made a difference.”
Grown-up Tip: The holidays are an opportunity to give back to our community and start building a foundation for children to join in. Charitable involvement helps to raise self-esteem, develop social skills, foster an introduction to a sense of community and encourage children to appreciate their own lifestyle.
Calendar of Events
January 30, 2012
Featured Family Book Drive
Daily Member Moments
A full year of Pretend City, what a great way to start the New Year! Pretend City memberships not only provide your family with special benefits and unlimited opportunities to learn through purposeful play, but they also come with added bonuses! During this personalized Member Moments activity time with our Membership Associate, your membership becomes personalized and tailored to you and your child!
Grown-up Tip: These personalized and intentional activities strengthen your child’s development including social, communication and listening skills!
February 1, 2012
Daily “Good To Go” Activities
There are opportunities all over Pretend City to learn about the body and how it works! During our “Good To Go” activities, you and your child will be guided through an activity from our Way to Play Adventure Guide to learn how pretend is so much more than play. Play is the most fun way to ensure your child is on the right track to be Good To Go From Head To Toe! You can look forward to activities like:
- Pretend your child is the doctor and you are the patient. Pretend to be sick, nervous or afraid. Let the “doctor” reassure you and explain everything they are doing during the examination. Be sure to encourage naming body parts through the examination!
Grown-up Tip: So many milestones, so little time! During the first 5 years, your child is continuously reaching new developmental milestones through exploration and play. Ensure that your little one is developing on track by completing an Ages & Stages Questionnaire!* They’re FREE, fast and easy!
*Valid for Orange County residents only.
February 4, 2012
Pretend City Goes Green – Earth Awareness Mad Science Class
Time: 10:00 – 11:00a.m.
Specifically for: Kindergarten (5-6 years), School Ages (6 years and up)
The earth is our home and we should all do our part to protect it. Today is your chance to learn about the different factors affecting our earth. Not only is this class a great way to help understand the importance of going green, but it also helps your child learn to distinguish fantasy from reality. This emerging skill will help make the connections to the importance of the classes’ activities:
- Discover how you can clean up some dirty water to learn how to keep pollutants from our oceans!
- Explore how we can make a lake in a bottle to simulate one of nature’s habitats!
- As an added bonus, you will get to make and take home your very own recycled paper.
Play Partner: Mad Science of Orange County
Grown-up Tip: The activities provided in this class will help your children learn about cause and effect, shapes, colors and textures. Environmental exploration through play strengthens your children’s cognitive skills and teaches concepts that will help them with future math and reading skills.
RSVP: Please register below.
*Class subject to cancelation if class minimum is not met.
Fee: Included with museum admission
February 6, 2012
Daily Member Moments
Looking for that special Valentine’s Day gift to show your family your love? What better gift than the gift of a Pretend City Membership that will show your love all year long! Pretend City Memberships provide your family with special benefits and unlimited opportunities to learn through purposeful play along with added bonuses!
Grown-up Tip: During this unique activity time with our Membership Associate, your membership becomes personalized and tailored to you and your child! New activities everyday will strengthen your child’s development including social, communication and listening skills!
Manage Behaviors in the Classroom
Time: 6:00-8:30p.m.
Specifically for: Preschool teachers or adults working with or caring for preschool aged children. Professional growth hour certificates provided.
Join us to learn about the latest techniques for nurturing happy, successful students. The behavioral patterns children develop today will affect their opportunities to learn for the rest of their lives. To provide children the best advantages possible, it’s important to identify possible attention and behavior problems before children enter elementary school; the sooner, the better. Take-home tips from this seminar will include:
• Managing teacher frustrations and anger
• Recognizing triggers that may cause challenging behaviors
• Using healthy relationships to manage behavior
• Establishing positive reinforcement systems
Play Partner: Brett L. Patterson, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist, CHOC
Grown-up Tip:) During the first 5 years, children are continuously reaching new developmental milestones through exploration and play. Pretend City offers a FREE developmental screening tool to ensure that the little ones in your care are developing on track. Encourage your families to complete an online Ages & Stages Questionnaire!* – they’re FREE, fast and easy!
*Valid for Orange County residents only.
RSVP: Please register below
Fee: FREE
February 7, 2012
Our Home Exhibit – Welcome the Meyers Family!
Time: A.M. activities: Sensational Story Time, Smart Art (morning times may vary)
P.M. activities: Sensational Story Time, Let’s Move! (afternoon times may vary)
Specifically for: Children of all ages, Grown-ups
Join us today as we welcome the Meyers family! Visit the newly decorated Home Exhibit to learn about their special customs and social practices. Guests will also have the opportunity to learn about the Meyer’s family beliefs and celebrations around being a culturally blended family. Throughout the day, your child will have the chance to participate in special activities that highlight our featured family:
• Smart Art: Camping Art- The Meyer’s family loves to go camping and are active in the Boy Scouts of America. Create a fish print painting or add something special to our artistic depiction of a campsite.
• Let’s Move!: Simon Says… Dance! – Do you have a good memory? What about remembering a catchy tune or dance steps? We are going to play musical, “Simon Says”! Come learn some new moves while playing this fun interactive game!
• Sensational Story Times: Join us for readings of a few special books that share unique stories on adoption, special needs and scouting including: I Wished for You: an Adoption Story and Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale.
Play Partner: The Meyers Family: Michael, Angela, Christopher, Nathanael, Ammon, Emmalene
Grown-up Tip: By exploring the different ways families live in a fun and engaging manner, grown-ups can begin conversations about various traditions and provoke interests in new cultures, places and people. This appreciation for diversity will benefit your children as they begin school with children from all walks of life.
RSVP: Not required
Fee: Included with museum admission
February 8, 2012
Member’s Go Green – Love Bug
Time: 9:40a.m. (Play Partners, Lively Learners, and Engaged Explorers Member’s Only)
Specifically for: Children of all ages; Grown-ups
When you recycle, reduce and reuse items you are reducing waste and therefore improving the world your child lives in. Today, show your little love bug how much you care by making recyclable love bugs with them at Pretend City. This little bug will leave your heart fluttering as we pair it with a bug love story.
Play Partner: Pretendgineers and BrainBuilders; our experienced stage staff of trained early childhood and development educators.
Grown-up Tip: As you continue teaching your child about the meaning of going green, venture beyond reducing, reusing and recycling to redefining and repurposing. Shy away from an “if it’s broken, throw it away” mentality to “what else can we use this for?” A love bug, perhaps!
RSVP: Not required
Fee: Included with certain Pretend City Memberships to learn more visit here.
February 10, 2012
Way to Play Day, A Package of Learning!
Time: 10:00a.m. – 3:00p.m.; Way to Play Days occur on the 2nd Friday of every month
Specifically for: Infants (birth -12 months), Young Toddlers (12-24 months), Toddlers (2-4 years), Preschoolers (4-5 years), Grown-ups
Prepare your child for play groups, preschool and even kindergarten! Learn to understand your children’s developmental progress and successfully prepare them for the world.
• Developmental Check-ups from 10:00a.m. to 12:00p.m.: Assesses speech, motor, cognitive and social areas (first come, first served; limited spaces available)
• Story times, tips for learning at home and a chance to spin the wheel for a take home prize!
Play Partner: Help Me Grow, Orange County, Irvine/ Laguna Beach School Readiness Nurses, Grown-ups
Grown-up Tip: So many milestones, so little time! During these first crucial years, children are continuously reaching new developmental milestones through exploration and play. Can’t make the checkup today? You can still ensure that your little one is developing on track by completing an online Ages & Stages Questionnaire!* They’re FREE, fast and easy!
RSVP: Not required
Fee: Check-ups and activities are included with museum admission
February 11, 2012
Volunteer Training
Time: 10:00-11:30a.m.
Specifically for: Grown-ups and youth (12 years and older), Youth 11 years and younger must be accompanied by a grown-up
Doesn’t it feel good to volunteer? By volunteering at Pretend City, you’ll have the opportunity to help children learn life skills through exhibit exploration, support staff with birthday celebrations, or assist with administrative tasks…just to name a few! Any time spent volunteering is a valuable contribution to helping Pretend City reach its goals. We couldn’t do it without you, so let’s join forces to help educate young children and the grown-ups who care for them. Volunteer today!
Play Partner: Our experienced and knowledgeable Volunteer Coordinator
Grown-up Tip: At Pretend City, we encourage families to save, spend and give, and it doesn’t always mean the money you earn in the city! Giving your time is just as precious of a gift. From our big Pretend City heart, we thank you!
RSVP: Please register below.
Fee: Free; museum admission neither required nor included
