January is a month of planning for me. I like to start off the year with a new planner and a clean calendar. Pretend City is a place we LOVE too visit throughout the year, especially on school holidays. Check out their January calendar of events.
- FREE Developmental Check-ups (available from 10:00a.m. to 12:00p.m.): Assess speech, motor, cognitive and social areas
- FREE Tips to transfer the learning in our city to home
- Recognizing the learning that is happening through your child’s play
Friday, January 10 – Truck Touch – Fire Friends 11:00am – 2:00pm Meet firefighter friends from Orange County Fire Authority’s Station 51 and feel the adrenaline! Children will feel as though they are riding the big red fire engines as they hear the “clang, clang” of the bells. This first-hand experience with a fire engine will transport young children to the scene where they’ll see how brave firemen connect the hoses and save the day.
Monday, January 13 – Baby Steps Through Pretend City 2:00pm – 3:30pm Specifically for infants (0-18 months). Bring your little ones to Pretend City for this exclusive infant-and-young toddler-onlytime. With the combined experience and knowledge of our play partners and trained staff you are sure to learn something new about your child’s development and developmentally appropriate activities during each monthly event. Orange County residents can advantage of theAges & Stages Questionnaire to ensure their little ones are developing on track. They’re FREE, fast and easy! For the comfort of our infant guests, no older siblings please.
Thursday, January 16 – Celebrate Tu B’Shevat at Pretend City! 10:00am – 3:00pm Tu B’Shevat is a Jewish holiday known as “New Year for Trees” or “Birthday of the Trees,” a day that celebrates trees and taking care of our environment. Pretend City will celebrate this holiday with hands-on activities that will delight the senses. Kids will mark this special day by tasting some yummy tree snacks, particularly fruits you would find in Israel like olives, dates grapes, figs and pomegranates. Tasty Tu B’Shevat recipe cards will give your family some great cooking ideas to do together. Additional activities are planned throughout the day!
Monday, January 20 – Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day at Pretend City! 10:00am – 3:00pm This American Civil Rights hero led millions of people in the fight for racial equity. Take this perfect opportunity to visit Pretend City Children’s Museum to open discussion with your children about fairness, equality, friendship and peace. Children will create their self portrait, they will engage in discussions that show them that even though we are different in many ways (skin color, hair color, eye color, age, etc.) – everyone is special and we have many of the same hopes, dreams and feelings on the inside. In the afternoon, children will work together and play in peace as they cooperatively match fun, oversized peace puzzle pieces together. Additional activities are planned throughout the day!
Friday, January 24 – Truck Touch – Cool CHOC 11:00am – 12:00pm Emergency service workers and care providers take care of far more than just immediate emergencies, they also care for those in need of intensive care. Visit Pretend City Children’s Museum as we partner with CHOC Children’s Hospital as they share the CHOC Children’s Hospital Mobile Intensive Care Unit (ambulance) with children. Children will get a hands-on experience with the vehicle and learn about the dedicated team of nurses, respiratory therapists and other medical staff who provide lifesaving care needed by these little patients who are moved to CHOC. Friday, January 24 – Celebrate Chinese New Year at Pretend City! 10:00am – 4:00pm Children have never had so many reasons to learn some traditions associated with ringing in the new Chinese New Year. Understanding a variety of cultures and values becomes ever more essential to our next generation. Children will create their own edible fortune cookie, listen to story times, and even do some kung fu! Additional activities are planned throughout the day!
About Pretend City Children’s Museum:
Pretend City Children’s Museum is the first educational facility of its kind in the western United States representing a small, interconnected city designed to “build better brains” through purposeful play, hands-on learning experiences, role playing, and educational programming. As a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, it depends on community-based funding and guest support. Through 17 interactive exhibits and activities guided by a highly trained professional staff, children learn foundational math, reading and science skills, while fostering curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, organization, teamwork, self-confidence and socialization. The museum is a unique community resource where families, educators and community agencies come together to ensure that each child gains the experiences needed for a productive and fulfilling future. Pretend City Children’s Museum is located at 29 Hubble, Irvine, CA 92618. For more information, please visit www.pretendcity.org.
