Snow Day at the Village, Saturday, December 12

Snow Day December 12, 2009


Experience the magic of the holiday season with Shoreline Village this year! In honor of the Rainbow Harbor Holidays celebration, this quaint waterfront destination will be transformed into a wintry wonderland of snow and good cheer.
Kids aged 12 and under can frolic in 15 tons of real snow between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. or jump for joy in one of the two inflatable bounce houses for a small admission fee.
There will be a trackless train motoring around Shoreline Village. The rides begin at noon and are free for all ages. Before or after frolicing in the snow or your train ride enjoy free hot chocolate and coffee. And of course there will be holiday music.If there is rain the event will be cancelled.
To learn about other events happeneing during the month of December at Rainbow Harbor visit www.rainbowharborholidays.com.

$2.70 RubyBurger, One Day Only - Take your kids out to eat CHEAP!

$2.70 RubyBurger, One Day Only - Take your kids out to eat CHEAP!
Ruby's is celebrating 27 years of Ruby Magic & you and your kids can enjoy a $2.70 RubyBurger and Fries on Monday, 12/7/09, 11:30am - close of business.

http://rubys.fbmta.com/members/ViewMailing.aspx?MailingID=40802193004

Give a Day, Get a Disney Day (FREE Disneyland Ticket)

Last year, our family took advantage of the FREE Disneyland ticket on your birthday promotion. This year, Disney has mixed it up a bit and announce their Give a Day, Get a Disney Day promotion. It's great, give a day volunteering and get a FREE Disneyland Ticket!

Details here: http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/disneyparks/en_US/WhatWillYouCelebrate/index?name=Give-A-Day-Get-A-Disney-Day-Terms-Conditions-FAQs

Decorate the house for Christmas with the kids

One of our favorite things to with our kids is decorate the house for Christmas, er, the Holidays. Of course there is the Christmas tree to put up and decorate, but don't stop there. Look for online Arts & Crafts activities to decorarting fun for you and the kids, not a chore.

Art & Crafts activities with kids

And one of our favorite's, Window painting. You can pickup a Window Painting Pattern for only $0.99 on ebay. It super easy, you get a PDF file, print it out, tape it up and paint, following the pattern. You will look like the most talented Artist in your neighborhood.

Please feel free to leave a post of your favorite holiday decorating ideas with kids.

Maclaren Strollers Recalled :: One MILLION Strollers!

This week, the Maclaren Stroller company agreed to a "voluntary recall" of all its models sold as far back as 1999, conceding that the fingers of 12 children were severed by the stroller's hinges when they were opened or closed.

Parents with concerns over the safety of Maclaren pushchairs can ask for new safety kits after concerns were raised about injuries to children.

If you own a Maclaren Baby Stroller, get your repair kit today, for your child's safety:
www.maclarenbaby.com

Pretend City in Irvine :: Top of list for fun things to do with kids in Orange County

Pretend City Children’s Museum - Children at Play
http://pretendcity.org/

Children will have the opportunity to experience many professions as part of the Pretend City community. The opportunity for dress-up and role-playing are key components of education and fun at Pretend City!

When I grow up, I want to be…

There is an art place, where your child can do an art project. There is a garden to grow vegetables and harvest. There's a grocery store, a fire station, a gas station, a police station, a health station where you can pretend to be a doctor.

There is even an "ocean" where you can float boats and catch some fish. There is also a beach area to show how trash from the city can be get emptied out into the ocean. A little environmental lesson with your fun.

There is also a stage area where your child can either run the light-board or be in the show, mainly dress up and musical instrument play.

Your child can do various jobs and get stamps on a "timecard." You then go to an ATM machine and get money. Kids go to the ATM to get and spend money. Lots of little cars to drive around too.

It's a ton of fun, for kids and adults. It's on the top of our list for fun things to do with kids in Orange County. Check it out today: http://pretendcity.org/

Keep Kids From Eating Too Much Candy After Halloween

Keep Kids From Eating Too Much Candy After Halloween

While I love the cute costumes and the neighborly aspect of trick-or-treating, I sure don't love the giant sacks of candy that result from it. How do you keep your kids from eating too much candy, whether they've accumulated their loot on Halloween, Valentine's Day, Easter, or some other occasion?

Keep Your Eyes Peeled

My little girl had a Halloween Sleepover last year. Even though I took all her and her friends candy away and made them play lots of fun games, they still managed to get all hyper on there camp out. Before they went to bed I gave them each 5 peices of candy and took the rest away. Little did I know, her and her friends had bags in they had hidden plastic bags in there pockets and other bits of candy in there pockets. And one of her friends who lived next door had to go home, so I let her take her sweets home. What she done was went home through her back gate and threw her candy over the fence. When she came back with what she needed to get, she had got all the other girls to colect the candy. Now they had loads of candy in there tent. Some of the other girls Mothers had sent them with tubs of sweets to eat. So I had calls from the neighbours all night because they were really loud and hyper. My advice to parents is to take away the candy and check your child (and friends) for candy!!

Here's some tips from our readers;


Make 'em over eat

I remember this one time I over ate on candy right after halloween. This echoes a few of the posts here. I got sick right after a binge on candy. To this day, I never eat candy, and I can't stand the sight of candy and junk food.


Don't ration it!

I have to disagree with the advice to give a few pieces every night. The research on sweets and children shows that when you restrict a food, children view it as more desirable. So when you make candy a special treat and only give a little at a time you actually make it more appealing. I let my kids eat as much candy as they want on Halloween night and I also encourage them to give the rest away. Usually they're so sick after all that candy they are happy to part with it. :)


Teddy Bear Party

When my son was very young, I'd take him trick-or-treating with his friends, but afterwards, we'd have a "party" with his teddy bears. They "ate" the candy, and then we just threw it out when the "party" was over! My son grew up without a sweet tooth because that's really an acquired taste...so he was never very big on tons of candy. Whenever I had a party for him, we'd offer delicious but healthy food, and several mothers commented that they'd never seen kids behave so well. I'm sure it had to do with them not getting a sugar rush.


Ration It

After we went trick or treating my mom always made us dump all of our candy on the floor and went through it. She was looking for any candy that might have broken wrappers or look suspicious. Then she gave us a reasonable amount and stashed the rest in her room. We got a decent ration every day until it was all gone. There were no stipulations on whether we got it or not (I mean where's the fun in that?), but it did ensure that we weren't engorging ourselves on nothing but sugar all day.


Share with Adults

A co-worker brought in her daughter's Halloween stash and left in our break room. She simply asked her daughter if she would be willing to share some of her candy with her adult friends at work who didn't have kids of their own to share any candy with them. She gave her daughter a snack bowl to fill, allowing her to pick what candy to keep and what to share. I must say this little girl was very generous.

HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS FOR TRICK OR TREATING

HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS FOR TRICK OR TREATING

Trick or Treating should be one of the great adventures of Halloween for kids! They can get dressed in scary costumes and go door to door, begging "Tricks or Treats!" from neighbors or at the local mall. Lots of towns have a Harvest Festival so kids can Trick-or-Treat safely. But going door to door is the stuff of childhood memories! It should be a fun time, without trouble and pain, so following some easy tips can keep your child safe every Halloween.


* Children should go out during daylight hours only unless accompanied by a responsible adult.

* Plan a safe route so parents know where their older kids will be at all times. Set a time for their return home. Make sure that your child is old enough and responsible enough to go out by themselves.

* Let your children know not to cut through back alleys and fields. Make sure they know to stay in populated places and don't go off the beaten track. Stay in well lighted areas.
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Stop only at familiar houses in your own neighborhood unless they are accompanied by an adult.

* Small children should never be allowed to go out alone on Halloween. Make sure an older sibling or adult is with them.

* Instruct your children not to eat any treats until they bring them home to be examined by you.

* Instruct your child to never go into the home of a stranger or get into their car.

* Make sure your child carries a flashlight, glow stick or has reflective tape on their costume to make them more visible to cars.

* Let them know that they should stay together as a group if going out to Trick or Treat without an adult.

free pumpkin carving patterns | easy paper pattern for children Halloween pumpkin carving

We love carving pumpkins at home with the kids, something free to do with your kids. We'll free after you pay for the pumpkins. Trader Joes has pumpkins for $3.49 each - the best price around. Even Walmart sells them for $4.99.

Here is a link to free pumpkin carving patterns | easy paper pattern for children Halloween pumpkin carving:

http://paperpumpkins.com/patterns.htm

Happy Halloween!

Cirque du Soleil™: Kooza at Orange County Great Park

Cirque du Soleil™: Kooza at Orange County Great Park IN IRVINE
Tickets On Sale Now!

Opens on January 08, 2010
Under the Grand Chapiteau at Orange County Great Park


http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/kooza/tickets/irvine.aspx?d=41

Kidsfaire This Weekend - OC Fairgrounds

Tickets $5.00 for kids 2-12 and $8.00 for adults

» DISCOUNT TICKETS «
Click here to download discount tickets,
benefitting Ronald McDonald House of Orange County

http://www.thekidsfaire.com/pub/costamesa_tickets.htm

ClownTown
Join us at the ClownTown big top and enjoy the zany antics of juggling, slapstick comedy, magic and lots of family fun.
Character Central Features the World's Most Popular
Children's Television and Movie Stars!
Meet SpongeBob, Dora, the Care Bears, Junie B. Jones, Curious George, Scooby Doo, Super Why and tons more special VIP guests! Don't forget to bring your camera for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Visit Character Central and shake hands with the world's most popular kids tv and movie stars at Character Central.
Doggies of the Wild West!
It's a full cast of “Pooches from the Prairie starring multi-talented comedic canines, including Barks Brooks,' America's newest country music singing sensation; 'Miss Prissy,' the world's only pup to balance on one paw; 'Precious,' famous for her jump roping skills; the head balancing antics of 'Pistol Peanuts;' 'Peppy', the paw-scootin', dancin'est doggie in the West and the star of the show, Hollywood High Diving Champion, 'Paco'!
QUBO TV Village
Step inside the QUBO TV village and meet all the stars from QUBO TV, the NBC-TV children's television line up, including stars of VeggieTales, Turbo Dogs, Maisy, Babar and lots more fun!
Tiki Tiki Hut
It's a Polynesian paradise, right in the middle of Kidsfaire! The Tiki Tiki Hut is the ultimate destination for hula girls and boys, as they learn special hula dances, along with the music from Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa and Tonga. It's a special place, located at the center of Kidsfaire, where kids can create their own hula skirts, lei's and hula craft projects while celebrating in our very own version of the Aloha Spirit!
Turbo Dogs Roar into Kidsfaire
For the first-time ever, the Turbo Dogs are wagging their way to Kidsfaire to celebrate with all their fans. Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get up close and personal with stars of the hit television program, "Turbo Dogs".


Amazing Family Entertainment!
Kidsfaire brings together the most talented family entertainers you'll see anywhere!
Check out our just a few of our special stage shows:

The Jumpitz Jump into Kidsfaire
Get ready to sing and dance along with the Jumpitz, as they perform their hit songs from their latest CD and television show at the center of Kidsfaire!
Debi Derryberry "The Voice of Jimmy Neutron" Live in Concert
Winner of the iParenting Media Award, Best New Artist and CD of the Year, here's your chance to enjoy Debi's fantastic fun-filled show at Kidsfaire.
Warner Music Group's "Twinkle Time" Concert
A high-energy pop family musical. Twinkle and her colorful cast of friends will get your family movin' and groovin'

The Raymies Rock Kidsfaire
Music sensation "The Raymies" are five girls ranging in age from 14-16 years old that are heading for superstardom.

Kids Imagination Nation
Celebrate with the Kids Imagination Show and the Imagination Treehouse in this fast paced show with lots of music, dancing and magic.


Ronald McDonald Show
Join Ronald McDonald in his special Kidsfaire show, featuring lots of music, dancing, magic and fun for the whole family!


Star Wars "The Force Experience Show"
Catch the Star Wars "The Force Experience" Show at Kidsfaire, where you'll witness a Litesaber Fight staring Darth Vader and more Star Wars characters! After the show, shake hands and interact with many of your Star Wars favorites, including Jedi, x-wing pilots and more right at Kidsfaire.
Wild Wild West Stunt Shows
Enjoy Wild West Stunt Shows from our famous cowboy friends, plus panning for gold and lots of fun wild west excitement.
Pirate's Cove Adventure
Ahoy, Matey! Step Inside Pirate's Cove for some fun and frolic with our real pirate friends and get ready of our biggest “Pirate's Treasure Hunt” ever! It's a pirate's life for your right in the middle of Kidsfaire!
Xbox and Nintendo Gaming Zone
Step inside the Gaming Zone and enjoy free Nintendo, Xbox and more interactive fun.
Princess Pavilion
The Princess Pavilion, Presented by My Princess Academy, features crowns to decorate, a mini nail salon, arts and crafts and a special meeting with Princess Skylar!
Plant-It Pavilion
There's water water everywhere as your kids become expert gardeners inside the Plant-It Pavilion. Enjoy free planting as a special souvenir of your day of fun at Kidsfaire.
Elephant and Camel Rides!
You'll feel like you're on a safari adventure as you hop on an elephant or camel for a good time tour of Kidsfaire.
Stargazing
Take a virtual trip through the solar system as you climb aboard the Stargazing exhibit and visit the Moon, Mars, Jupiter, and all of the planets in the solar system and still be home for dinner!
Cartoonists Across America!
Don't miss your last opportunity to catch the world tour of Cartoonists Across America as they complete their 25th anniversary at Kidsfaire. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for your kids to paint alongside some the most talented and world reknown cartoonists as they make their way to the center of Kidsfaire for a super duper mural extravaganza.
Roller Derby Stunt Shows
The world-famous FireBirds are making their first-ever appearance at Kidsfaire with an awe inspiring Roller Derby Show, featuring the most amazing roller derby stars in the country.
Rainforest Adventure
You'll be transported miles away to a exotic rainforest with an amazing array of animals amidst a real-life Rainforest setting!
Animal Exhibit
Here's your chance to get up close and personal with Alligators, rattlesnakes, baby cougar, cubs and bobcats...an amazing array of rescued animals!
The Happy Meal Tent... The Happiest Place at Kidsfaire
Enter the Happy Meal Tent and enjoy lots of fun Arts and Crafts, face Painting, a super special 3D green screen and lots of fun surprises!

Day Trippen newsletter

Lots of great ideas on day trips around Southern California : Day Trippin Newsletter

2nd Annual Angels Fiesta coming to Anaheim Stadium

For something fun, and free to do with your kids, visit Anaheim Stadium for the 2nd Annual Angels Fiesta coming soon: visit this site for more info:

http://www.thekidsfactory.com/

Orange County GREAT PARK :: 17 Hippies at the Great Park

Flights & Sounds of Summer :: 17 Hippies, Berlin’s very own “orchester spezial” will play its whirling, crashing, diving, bobbing and weaving mixture of music that morphs French songs, English ballads and international rhythms into a captivating cocktail of sound.

http://www.ocgp.org/

For information on fun things to do (mostly FREE) with kids in Orange County

http://www.orangecounty.net/html/fun.html

http://www.daytrippen.com/oc.html

http://www.travsite.com/orangecounty/thingstodo.html

http://attractions.uptake.com/california/orange_county/family/587810869.html

http://www.thingstodo.com/states/CA/orange_county.htm

Ready... Go have fun!

A new place for Orange County kids to play, explore

Visit the Orange County Great Park for fun and exciting things to do with your kids. The park is now open to the public and home of the Orange County Great Park Balloon, offering Free Flights, Year Round!

The Great Park Balloon is the Orange County Great Park’s first major attraction. With the ability to hold up to 25 to 30 visitors and soar up to 500 feet above the surrounding landscape, passengers can watch the Great Park’s development unfold as construction activity increases. Best of all, admission on the Great Park Balloon is FREE!

http://www.ocgp.org/visit/balloon/

The Preview Park is being actively programmed with concerts, dances, workshops and other special events. The current event is the Flights & Sounds of Summer
Night Dances & Concerts, with top-talent comedians and bands like Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

Free Admission, $8 Parking

For more information go to: http://www.ocgp.org/

Cookie Magazine: Stylish Parenting Magazine

A staple in our house, every OC Parent must have: Cookie Magazine: Stylish Parenting Magazine