ML Interest Tag: afterschool

Stack It Up, Build It, Knock it Down: Where to LEGO

by Mae Respicio

Do you know the extreme pain associated with stepping barefoot on a LEGO brick? Then you must be living with a little LEGO addict! Despite their sharp exteriors, LEGO bricks can offer kids many important skills from fine motor development to creative play skills. These places all over the Bay Area provide lots of LEGO love and ample building time. The best part? Those pesky little bricks stay all over their floors—not yours!

Photo credit: Mae Respicio

San Francisco

Built It! LEGO Club
Books and LEGOs? Could it get any better? The San Francisco Library has drop-in building sessions throughout the year at various branches including Ocean View and North Beach. They provide all the pieces—the kiddos just bring their imaginations.

Ocean View Branch
345 Randolph St.
San Francisco, Ca
415-355-5615

North Beach Branch
North Beach Meeting Room
850 Columbus Ave.
San Francisco, Ca
415-355-5626
Online: sfpl.org

Tech Know How
Sometimes the future engineers of America need just the slightest bit of guidance. Tech Know How provides that, and more. Their summer camps let littles as young as 5 learn about everything LEGO. The older ones (ages 14–18) can even volunteer as summer interns where they train to work in a classroom, have access to software and tech tools, and even receive a letter of completion (for extra brownie points on those college apps!).

Camp locations in San Francisco, the Peninsula, East Bay, and South Bay
Cost: Prices vary
Online: techknowhow.com

Marin

Marin County Free Library
What’s better than LEGOs?  Free LEGOs! The Novato branch library welcomes your engineers-in-training and provides all the parts, which means Duplos through LEGOs for youngsters 4–14.

Novato Branch
1720 Novato Blvd.
Novato, Ca
4–5:30 p.m. every first and third Wednesday of the month. No registration required.
415-897-1141
Online: marinlibrary.org

Play Well Activity Center
Buildings, birthdays, and babysitting—all rolled into one cool place!  Well, not actual babysitting per se, but with the way kids zone out (in a good way) on those plastic pieces, you know what we mean. Be sure to ask about their sibling discount.

216 Greenfield Ave.
San Anselmo, Ca
Summer Hours:10 a.m. to 6 p.m., every day
Drop-In Cost: $10/hour per child
415-460-5210
Online: play-well.org

Photo credit: Mae Respicio

Peninsula/South Bay

Build It Again with Bricks
This store has everything for your crazy little builders to go nuts: drop-ins, parties, camps, buying/selling and even photo mosaics. Yes, you too can turn your little’s school photo into an amazingly detailed LEGO portrait. Simply bring in a photo and their experts do the rest. (How cool is that?!)

398 Main St.
Los Altos, Ca
650-935-2166
Wednesday and Thursday, 12–6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Drop-In Cost: $15/hour
Online: builditagainwithbricks.com

LEGO Stores
Pick-a-Brick buffet?  Why yes, please!  These shops are pay per scoop, so check with each location for exact rates. Go crazy, South Bay residents!  They also offer monthly LEGO Club meetings where participants get to make and take home a mini model ($10/person fee).

341 Hillsdale Mall
San Mateo, Ca
Mon.–Sat., 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m.–7 p.m.
650-571-9020
Online: stores.lego.com

2855 Stevens Creek Blvd.
Santa Clara, Ca
Mon.–Fri., 10 a.m.–9:30 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; Sun 11 a.m.–7 p.m.
408-247-8071
Online: stores.lego.com

BrainVyne
BrainVyne takes unique LEGO fun and combines it with basic programming for kids in their popular spring and summer camps. Their Girl Power Robotics: WeDo program is a girl-only introduction into the LEGO Robotics WeDo program. Kids also love the combination of LEGO and Star Wars in another popular program. BrainVyne even offers LEGO birthday parties in their Palo Alto location (or another public location near you).

Camps located in Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Evergreen, San Carlos, Santa Clara and Milpitas
Online: brainvyne.com

Wizbots Imagineering Programs
Combine LEGO Mindstorms with arts, crafts and low-tech building materials and STEM takes on a new meaning for young innovators (grades 2–8). They have everything from camps to parties to afterschool programs; check their website for individual Peninsula locations and programs. 

233 Highland Ave.
San Carlos, Ca
Online: wizbots.com

Photo credit: Karla Oliveira / Build it Again with Bricks

East Bay

Oakland Public Library Lego Mania Club
It’s brickmania at the Lakeview Branch, where kiddos build and explore with LEGO and Duplo. The littles will love this weekend precursor that takes place every 2nd Friday of the month.

Lakeview Branch
550 El Embarcadero
Oakland, Ca
510-238-7344
Online: oaklandlibrary.org

Play-Well Pleasanton Activity Center
The power of play is at work here with drop-in activity time for even the littlest of builders (starting at age 3 but with Duplo, natch). Activities focus on popular themes like Ninjaneering, Star Wars, and Flight, to name a few.

5737 Valley Ave.
Pleasanton, Ca
925-484-1547
Summer Hours: Mon.–Fri., 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sat. and Sun., 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Drop-In Cost: Weekdays: $9/hour per child (all ages); 5-hour pass: $35
Online: play-well.org

Photo credit: Kate Loweth

Bricks 4 Kidz
Calling all LEGO lovers who also love Angry Birds and Minecraft! This center has not only drop-in hours, classes, camps, afterschool programs and birthday packages but they also have… (wait for it): Kids Night Out! You won’t feel so guilty about date night when you know how much fun they’re having.

3150 Balfour Rd.
Brentwood, Ca
925-684-4082
Drop-ins: Tues., 10 a.m.–noon; Wed., 4–6 p.m.; Thurs., 10 a.m.–noon; Fri 4–6 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.–noon
Cost: $5 per child
Kids Night Out every Friday from 6–10 p.m. ($25/child)
Online: bricks4kidz.com

BrickSpace
The owner of this Benicia gem combined a love of learning with a love of all things LEGO and out came BrickSpace! The littlest LEGO lovers will enjoy the preschool playtime especially their Curious Kids Love Science class which brings together LEGO fun and science experiments! After school and summer camp programs are available, as well as the ever-popular Parents Night Out program that’s offered the first Friday of the month.

946 Tyler St., Suite H
Benicia, Ca
Hours: Monday through Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

621 First St.
Benicia, Ca
Hours: Monday through Thursday 1 – 5 p.m.; Friday 12 – 5 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Online: brickspacebenicia.net

Photo credit: Kate Loweth/Living LEGO-cy

More LEGO Fun

BayLUG
Join up with other Bay Area LEGO fans both young and old and become a member of BayLUG – the Bay Area LEGO Users’ Group. BayLUG has meetings where members can display their projects and the group also participates in various LEGO events around the area including Bricks By the Bay in August.

Little LEGO lovers will love the annual “Living LEGO-cy” show at the Museum of American Heritage in Palo Alto which takes place in December and January. You don’t have to be a member to attend this show (but members do get in free!).

Membership: $10/year for a child (with parent permission) or $20/family for the first year (fees are half after the first year)
Online: baylug.org

Did we leave out any of your favorites?  Where does your family like to go for a little LEGO action?

—Kate Loweth & Mae Respicio

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LA Parents Make Back-To-School Cool

by Meghan Rose

Back to school is a bittersweet time of year. The kids are getting older and bigger and summer is ending, but also you can say buh-bye to expensive summer camps and extra hot weather. You get back to early bedtimes, but you have to pack lunches again. Well, these inventive LA parents have come up with some big new ideas and products that make the start of the school year sweet and simple.

Philosophie’s New Coconut Butters and Honeys

We’ve been fans of local mom Sophie Jaffe’s line of superfood powder blends for a long time, and her 2 new products are just in time for back to school to make lunch packing a snap. Coming in the same three varieties as the powders (Green, Cacao and Berry) the Malibu made honeys make for a great addition to nutbutter & honey sammies or swirled with some berries into yogurt. The coconut butter makes for a great addition to easy breakfasts like toast or oatmeal, since it contains nutrients like magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, iron, and lauric acid, and is packed with fiber and healthy fats that will keep little brains active and bodies nourished through a long morning at school. And we still adore the original powders that make magnificent morning or lunchtimes smoothies or yogurts. A great lunchbox or afterschool fiber and nutrient filled snack that they’ll gobble is easily made by sprinkling superfood powder on popcorn. You can find tips and recipes for lunch additions (like the popcorn, a superfood berry trail mix, or a green protein bar) on her website.

Available online: thephilosophie.com

photo credit: Philosophie

What are your local Back to School secrets? Let us know in the comment section!

—Meghan Rose

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5 Fun Things to Do After School (That Don’t Involve Staring at a TV Screen)

by Ayren Jackson-Cannady

Whether you’re looking for a structured program or just some unscheduled free time, the D.C. area offers a variety of great after school activities. Kids stay engaged until dinnertime, while keeping their bums off the sofa (it’s a total win-win). We’ve rounded up some of the best post-homework happenings that you may have never heard of.

Mad Science of Washington, D.C.
Science is the new cool in school and if you like hands-on, interactive programs that make it fun to learn the basic principals of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), then look no further than Mad Science. Programs are held at a variety of schools throughout the area and feature seven different eight-week STEM classes. Kids create an indoor storm with thunder and lightening, bend light to see all the colors of the rainbow, and make magic mud and soda pop in order to learn physical and chemical ways to change matter.

12065 Tech Rd. (Silver Spring, Md)
301-593-4777 or 703-536-9897
Online: dc.madscience.org

Art Brains
Little ones spend your afterschool hours enhancing the left side of your brain with Art Brains After School Programs through Make/Believe. Classes are held at area schools and focus on inspiring kids to be as imaginative as possible within the framework of fun. Using themes such as fossils, time travel, animals, music, outer space and more, kids create imaginative new projects each day while exploring a variety of art materials and techniques, including drawing, painting, sculpting and writing. Insider tip: If you’d like to bring an Art Brains program directly to your child’s school, you can score free tuition for the first session.

202-802-0944
Online: makeslashbelieve.com

Frisbee on the National Mall
You don’t necessarily need to open your wallet or follow a particular schedule to engage your kids in a fun and rewarding after school activities. At the National Mall, locals—young and old—love to gather for impromptu games of Frisbee and the like. Bordered by the Smithsonian Institution, the Washington Memorial, and the Capitol Building, the Mall is a space both scenic and large, and perfect for running, walking, picnicking, and playing outdoor games.

900 Ohio Dr., SW (National Mall)

Engineering for Kids
If your young dynamo of creativity needs afterschool inspiration, or you’re simply looking for a way to replace your kid’s smartphone with some smart fun, we can’t get enough of Engineering for Kids where science, technology, engineering and math merge with entertainment and fun. Here you’ll find a haven of ways to inspire your little Einstein through hands-on learning. With multiple area locations and subjects that span the engineering field—civil, chemical, electrical, and environmental—as well as levels that range from junior to apprentice to master, the learning possibilities are endless!

Locations throughout D.C., Md and Va
540-288-1335
Online: engineeringforkids.com

Become a Junior Park Ranger
Yes, this is probably one of the coolest ways to spend your afterschool time, and everything you need to get started is on the National Park Service’s (NPS) website. If you have a nature lover on your hands, this program is an excellent way to get them out of the house and into the woods. The NPS Junior Ranger program is an activity-based program conducted in many area parks that offers young visitors an opportunity to join the National Park Service family. Junior Rangers complete a series of activities during park visits, share their discoveries with a park ranger, and receive an official Junior Ranger patch and Junior Ranger certificate.

Locations throughout D.C., Md and Va
Online: nps.gov/kids/jrRangers.cfm

Which after school activities do you plan on signing your kid up for? Share in the comments section below. 

—Jamy Bond

Photos courtesy of MadScience via Facebook, Make/Believe via Facebook, Sharon Mollerus via Flickr, Engineering For Kids via Facebook, kaleigh via Flickr

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BEAM Experiences + Bricks4Kidz Provides Hands-On Experimental Learning

by Tina Ly
Partner Content

BEAM Experiences + Bricks4Kidz offers STEAM and STEM based Afterschool Enrichment Classes, Camps, Events, and Parties. BEAM + BRICKS was created in order to provide experimental hands-on learning for children ages 3 years through High School.

BRICKS summer camps integrate collaborative team building activities using LEGO® Model Making, Robotics, Art, and Stop Motion Animation into challenging programs incorporating Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM). Sessions are offered in the morning, afternoon or full day.

Camps offer classes and activities for every creative type from techy to artistic. Can’t decide on a class? No problem! Kids Choice Camps allow your child to choose from three daily events, allowing them to shift their focus as their curiosity and imagination evolves.

Creator Camps, geared for the builder combines robotics (Mindstorm and EV3) and Stop Motion Animation. Coding Camps for the mathematically inclined integrate Mining and Crafting to create expansive buildings and cities.

BEAM + BRICKS
P.O. Box 33276
Seattle, Wa 98133
Phone: 888-516-1233
Online: bricks4kidz.com/greaterseattle or beamexperiences.com

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Taking It All in Stride: Lisa Druxman

by Erin Lem

We’re teaming up with Blue Shield of California to celebrate local San Diego moms who have inspired us to seek healthy, balanced lives.  This week, meet Lisa Druxman, Founder of Stroller Strides.

A noted authority on pre/postnatal fitness, an acclaimed author and CEO Stroller Strides (not to mention one of NBC’s Favorite Moms in America), Lisa helps moms nationwide achieve their ultimate physical and emotional potential, while inspiring them and their kids to make fitness a part of their daily lives.

Red Tricycle: You’re part of a group of moms that are on a serious mission.  What’s yours?
Lisa Druxman:  Our mission at Stroller Strides is to make strides in fitness, motherhood and life.

RT:  Stroller Strides is a national phenomenon! What inspired you to first pursue this passion?
LD:  Becoming a mom gave me the inspiration to blend my passion for fitness with motherhood. I realized the opportunity that I could share with other moms to have a career that was supportive of motherhood, and to raise healthy kids in a healthy world.

RT: For many women, balancing fitness and family is a huge challenge.  How do you involve your kids?
LD:  My kids live the business with me. I do my best to model how to raise healthy kids in a healthy world through my own life. They not only inspired the business but have been a part of it. They are far from stroller age now but they still know the business is very much part of the fabric of our lives.

RT:  I’m sure that throughout the years, they’ve had some funny things to say about how “fit” your family is, right?
LD:  Yes!  Especially when they realized that living healthy is part of my business!  When I wanted to get healthy snacks for Halloween, my kids told me,  “Really, Mom? We don’t want to be THAT family!”

RT:  We’re inspired by your commitment to fitness and your business. For other moms wanting to do something like you, what advice would you give them?
LD:  I think you need to know WHY you want to start. For me, I knew I wanted a career that was supportive of motherhood. I created that for myself. But figure out your top priorities and then delegate the rest. If you try to be a full time entrepreneur and a full time mom, something will suffer.

Be Like Lisa!  Blue Shield of California’s Wellness Challenge:
Lisa lives and relishes the Stroller Strides mission statement every day, by helping moms make strides in fitness, motherhood and life—and you can do the same.  Try something as simple as a daily walk with your kids, swapping afterschool snacks from chips to apples, or forgoing your usual take-out Friday dinner.  Then encourage even just one friend to do the same for their family

Blue Shield of California is an independent member of the Blue Shield Association. 

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