ML Interest Tag: extended-care

5 Things to do with Kids on Inauguration Weekend

by writerredtri

Regardless of where you stand politically, it’s always exciting to be in D.C. during the Inauguration (Jan. 20). Whether you decide to brave the cold and the crowds by going to one of the many official Inaugural events or you opt for a more low key indoor activity, we’ve got a number of options for you.

Photo: Adam Fagen via Flickr

Swearing-In Ceremony and Inaugural Parade
Join thousands for the Swearing-In Ceremony at the West front of the U.S. Capitol Building on Friday, January 20th. Musical performances are scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m, and guest speakers are scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are required for sections near the event but you don’t need tickets to view from the National Mall area. Following the Swearing-In, the Inaugural Parade will make its way down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House. The parade will include high school and college bands; motorcycle and cavalry units; veterans and active members of the military; and even the Boy Scouts of America. Ticket required for special viewing areas but not for general public viewing areas.

Online: 58pic2017.org

Inauguration Weekend at Mount Vernon
Skip the Mall and go to Mount Vernon over Inauguration weekend as they honor our first president, George Washington, with a scavenger hunt, exhibits, and other unique activities. Learn more about Washington’s presidency by listening for clues and solving puzzles throughout Mt. Vernon. You can even test your photographic skills in the Education Center lobby and #PoseLikeThePrez.

Online: mountvernon.org

Photo: Anny Photography

Visit President Lincoln’s Cottage
Want to do something Presidential but not quite up for Inaugural events? Take this opportunity to visit one of D.C.’s must-see landmarks, President Abraham Lincoln’s Cottage. Tucked away in Petworth, this is where the Great Emancipator drafted the Emancipation Proclamation as well as where he spent lots of his time during the Civil War. Tour this significant marvel near Rock Creek Park.

Online: lincolncottage.org

Out of Many Festival: A Winter Multicultural Presentation of Music and Dance
Head over to the National Museum of the American Indian and enjoy their multi-cultural Out of Many Festival. The two-day celebration highlights Native performers from across the U.S. as well as local DMV musical groups in every genre. Event Details

Online: nmai.si.edu/calendar

Photo: Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens

Four Seasons
Pay a visit to the beautiful Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens and view Philip Haas’s magnificent Four Seasons art in the garden installation. Haas’s fifteen-foot high sculptures are inspired by the series, The Seasons, by Italian Renaissance painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo and represents each season in botanical materials such as flowers, fruits, vegetables, and branches. Your kids will love running through the Hillwood gardens and seeing these gargantuan figures.

Online: hillwoodmuseum.org

Tea With Mrs. B Day Camp
Want to check out some Inaugural events but prefer to leave the littles behind? Take them to Tea With Mrs. B Day Camp! Open to kids ages 4-12, Mrs. B will keep them entertained all day love with fun activities like crafts and games, dress-up and of course, high tea! Camp runs from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. with extended care before and after.  

Online: teawithmrsb.com

What are your Inauguration weekend plans? Tell us in the comments below. 

–Guiomar Ochoa
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Down on the Farm: Where to Find Barnyard Friends

by Anna Doogan

You already spend enough time singing about Old MacDonald’s farm during the morning preschool commute, so why not check out the real thing? Kids and animals are natural BFFs, and summer is a great time to check out local farms. Read on for 4 spots where kids can get nose to nose (or snout!) with their favorite barnyard pals.

                                                                    Photo by Anna Doogan

The Oregon Zoo
The zoo is the obvious choice for tigers and lions, but at The Oregon Zoo you can meet some sweet and cuddly pals of a tamer variety if you know where to look. Visit the Great Northwest section of the zoo, where you can find the Trillium Creek Family Farm exhibit. In this area of the zoo, visitors can get up close and personal with goats and chickens. The Trillium Creek Family Farm is also part of the School to Work teens and ZooTeens programs, which allow teenagers to volunteer for the zoo learning hands-on animal care. The Family Farm is currently only open on weekends, but opens during the week beginning mid-summer.

After you’ve made a few new friends, make a pit stop for burgers and salad at the Cascade Grill, or snag one of the zoo’s famous Elephant Ears for a sweet treat before heading home!

4001 SW Canyon Rd.
503-226-1561
Online: oregonzoo.org

                                                                    Photo by Paty E. via Yelp

Lee Farms
This family farm in Tualatin has been around for seven generations, and loves to celebrate the bounty of the seasons. You can catch the Strawberry Festival in June, the Corn and Peach Festival at the end of summer or the ever-popular Pumpkin Patch and Fall Harvest Festival around Halloween. Drop by the farm store to pick up local jams in 17 flavors, pies or a beautiful hanging basket of flowers.

Little animal lovers can be on the lookout for lambs, horses, bunnies, turkeys, chickens and a few resident farm dogs. If your kids can’t get enough of their time at the farm, check out Lee Farms’ Summer Camp! 1st -5th grade kids can enjoy crafts, snacks and activities while learning all about animal care and life on the farm. Lee Farms Summer Camp runs from July 25-29 from 9 a.m. – noon. ($150/child).

21975 SW 65th Ave.
Tualatin, Or
503-638-1869
Online: leefarmsoregon.com
Daily, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Bi-Zi Farms
Bi-Zi Farms is well-known for their wildly fun annual Harvest Festival each year, with plenty of pumpkins, mazes and endless family fall activities. But in the spring and summer, this Zimmerman family farm comes to life in a different way with fresh flowers, plant starts, berries and veggies.

This year, it’s an extra dose of adorable with the arrival of Bi-Zi Farms’ new baby goats. Drop by and let your future farmers catch a glimpse of the little cuties and say hello. You might also see sheep, chickens, ducks or a donkey. Before you head home (and after the kids ask when they can get their own pet goat) load up your basket with fresh goodies like cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers and corn for a delicious dinner at home. An outing to this friendly farm is sure to become a new family tradition.

9504 NE 119th St.
Vancouver, Wa
360-574-9119
Online: bizifarms.com
Mon. – Sat., 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sun., 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

                                                                          Photo by Smit J. via Yelp

Krugers Farm
This farm staple on Sauvie Island delights families every summer. Make a trip out for their strawberry u-pick, and let your little ones fill buckets and baskets with sweet berries to take home. Then cruise through the farm store to load up on fresh produce, and swing around to the back pen where the lovable Matilda the Pig has been charming visitors for years.

Summer at Kruger’s is magical, with the annual Farm Tunes concert series, and weekend Farm to Plate dinners in July and August, complete with hayrides and a talk by Farmer Jon. (Reservations required.) Farm-loving kids can explore homesteading and life on the farm with a summer full of week-long camps, with themes ranging from Barnyard Palooza to Enchanted Outdoors. ($220/child, registration required. Extended care available.)

17100 NW Sauvie Island Rd.
503-621-3489
Online: krugersfarmmarket.com

Which farms do your kids love to visit? Let us know in the comments below!

—Anna Doogan

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Surf & Sand: Summer Camps By the Sea

by Meghan Rose

We don’t have to wish our kids all could be California Girls or Beach Boys. They already are! And our beach babies all want to spend the summer by the sea, surfing, building sand castles and playing. Meanwhile, you want them to learn water safety and ocean awareness. Here are 4 super spots by the shore where tots to teens can do just that.

photo: Fitness by the Sea Kid’s Camp

Fitness by the Sea
Fitness by the Sea Kid’s Camp puts the emphasis on safety, and will teach kids with even no prior swimming experience all about swimming, surfing, boogie boarding and skim boarding. But that’s not all they offer, with over 80 other activities that range from team sports in the sand to individual sports as varied as fencing and cheerleading, and creative activities like yoga, puppet shows and magic. So, being by the beach doesn’t mean missing the traditional camp experience. Camp starts with a minimum of 5 days, but they can be scheduled whenever you like throughout the summer. From there, add as many days as you like, and change your schedule as often as you need to, with only 24 hours notice. Camp is from 9:15 a.m.–3:15 p.m., and extended care is available. New in 2016, camp is offering transportation to and from camp for $25/day.  With 14 stops around town, there’s bound to be one near you!

Pick this camp if: You’re at all nervous about having your kids by the water when you’re not there. The Chief of LA County Lifeguards said, “Fitness By The Sea is the safest beach camp I have ever seen.” And they lower the camper to counselor ratio to 3:1 for surfing and 2:1 for paddling. Nervous Nellie’s (both parents and kids) are well taken care of here.

Ages: 4-14
Cost: $70-$85/day
Location: Santa Monica & Pacific Palisades
Phone: 310-459-2425
Online: fitnessbythesea.com

photo: Aloha Beach Camp via facebook

Aloha Beach Camp
If your kids love the beach, Aloha Beach Camp provides the perfect setting for enjoying sand, surf and sun. The goal of the program is to help young children feel comfortable and safe in the ocean. Campers take surf and boogie board lessons, participate in group sand games and enjoy many other aquatic activities—over 200 choices, depending on the age of the kids. (Kids are grouped into Keiki Camp for the little guys ages 4-7, Kahuna Camp for big kids and tweens and then High Action Camp for the 12-15 year-olds.) In addition to the plethora of every day activities, there are special days like Ocean Kayaking Day, an Ocean Carnival, Pier Fishing Derby and Overnight Campouts. Your little one will not want to say aloha to this camp when summer comes to a close. Camp is from 9:35 a.m.-2:35 p.m. (though pickup begins at 8 a.m. and drop off takes place between 4 p.m.- 5 p.m.). Pick as many or as few days as you like, all summer long.

Pick this camp if: You can’t picture driving to the beach every day. One of our favorite perks they offer is a pick up and drop off service. They have over 20 locations where their buses stop, so you’ll never have to brave beach traffic! Check the transportation schedule online to find the meeting spot nearest you.

Ages: 4-15
Cost: $115/day (early bird, multiple day, sibling and group discounts available)
Location: Paradise Cove
Phone: 888-932-4600
Online: alohabeachcamp.com

 

photo: Learn To Surf LA via facebook

Learn to Surf LA
Young sun worshipers will love the opportunity to catch a wave at this specialty beach camp. Safe surfing instruction is emphasized, with foam surfboards, body boards and wetsuits included in the daily rate. You can check the daily schedule online; we love that it includes scheduled time for sunscreen application at regular intervals. Groups meet from 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m., with half day options available for either morning (9:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.) or afternoon (12:45 p.m.-3:30 p.m.). Extended care is available, too. They’re super flexible about dates; pick as many days or weeks as you like and change them if you need to. They’ll also work with you— if your school has a different summer break schedule, they’ll extend their dates for you.

Pick this camp if: Your kids are all about surfing! They’ll end the summer hanging ten, for sure.

Ages: 5-17
Cost: $295/half days, $395/full days per week; $59-$110 per day
Location: Santa Monica/Venice Beach and Manhattan Beach
Phone: 310-663-2479
Online: learntosurfla.com

photo: Perfect Day Beach and Surf Camp via facebook

Perfect Day Beach and Surf Camp
The name of the game here is “convenient,” which as busy parents, we adore. It’s convenient if you’ve got little ones of multiple ages, since they have Beach Camp for the 4-7 crowd, and Surf Camp for big kids (8-17) right at the same drop off location. It’s convenient because of the flex scheduling, which lets you pick individual days or weeks, and let’s you change those dates anytime (up until a week before the day of class). And mostly it’s convenient because you don’t spend any time convincing kids to go—they’re begging to hop out of the car and build sand castles, body surf, wave jump and boogie board.  Even the 4 year-olds start to learn about the waves and how to catch them, and big kids spend most of their time in the water, but take breaks for volleyball, prisoner, soccer, capture the flag, dodge-ball and ocean safety. Choose from morning (9 a.m.-noon), afternoon (noon-3 p.m.) and all day, with optional extended hours.

Pick this camp if: You’re got a big range of kids ages. The littlest tyke can get started on boogie boards, while even visiting big cousins from out of state can spend a day or two dropping in and leaning to surf.

Ages: 4-17
Cost: $32-$50/half day, $64-$100/full day (depends on age and # of days), discounts for early registration and siblings
Location: Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, Redondo
Phone: 310-985-1458
Online: perfectdaysurfcamp.com

If you’re still looking for more camp options, you clearly haven’t visited our Summer Camp Central, where you can find a camp for any kid, of any age, with any interest!

What summer camps by the sea have you tried? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section!

—Meghan Rose

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10 Boredom Busting Winter Break Camps for Kids

by Christina Montoya Fiedler

Winter Break has kids jumping up and down with excitement, but sometimes you need a break from the “break.” Keep your kids happy in a winter camp while you get back to work or just grab a few quiet hours to yourself where the kiddos aren’t bouncing off the walls at home. From dance to horseback riding, we have 10 awesome camps to help you keep your cool when there’s no school.

photo credit: ABC’s of Dance

For Your Tiny Dancer
If your “Frozen” fan didn’t get her fix dressing as Elsa for Halloween, let her dance her heart out in this Frozen/Winter Wonderland themed dance camp. It’s a full week of dancing fun, and each week ends in a performance for family and friends.
Bonus We Love: Healthy lunches and snacks are provided daily from The Corner Bakery, so your little ballerina has healthy food to fuel those twirls.

ABC’s of Dance
8505 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood
Ages: 4–8
When: Session 1 starts December 29, session 2 starts on January 5
Cost: $245 per week
Online: abcsofdanceweho.com

For the Animal Obsessed
Who hasn’t wanted to live at the Zoo at one time or another? If you’ve got a kid who loves all creatures great and small, send them to Zoo Camp, where they will go ape over meeting the Zoo’s hundreds of animals behind the scenes. It’s as close as you can get to moving into the Zoo, without admitting you belong in the monkey house.

Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
5333 Zoo Dr., Griffith Park, Los Angeles
Ages: 4-5 & 6-12
Cost: $65/day for non-members and $60/day for members. Extended care available for an additional fee.
When: December 29-January 2 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Online: lazoo.org

photo credit: Tumbleweed Camp’s website

For Your Little Naturalist
Summer camp goes winter. Set against the stunning background of the Santa Monica Mountains, Tumbleweed offers campers horseback riding, archery, ropes courses, and more all while communing with nature.
Bonus We Love: If you’re a tad traffic phobic (and what Angeleno isn’t?), no problem.  Tumbleweed offers transportation to and from the site, at meeting places conveniently located throughout Los Angeles.

Tumbleweed Camp
1024 Hanley Ave., Los Angeles
Ages:  Pre- K through 8th grade
Cost: $128 per day
When: December 22-January 2 (hours vary)
Online: tumbleweedcamp.com

photo credit: School of Rock’s website

For Kids Who Love to Rock
Tiny rock stars will love this week-long camp, which provides hands on individual and small group instruction in how to rock out. Your kiddo will take part in drum, guitar and/or vocal workshops, with a performance at the end of the week. It’s all about learning music, playing music, and band bonding.
Bonus We Love: Get the iphones ready to record that end of the week rock star performance. It’s an extra gift for the grandparents.

School of Rock
7801 Beverly Blvd., Mid-City LA
Ages: 7 & up
Cost: $525 per week
Dates: Dates have yet to be announced.  Check website.
Online: schoolofrock.com

photo credit: Page Museum’s website

For Kids Who Love Prehistoric Rocks
Is your kiddo interested in learning about creatures that used to roam the Earth? Kids will learn about saber tooth cats, dire wolves, woolly mammoths, giant sloths and more through hands-on activities that mix science, dirt and art.
Bonus We Love: Your kids have always loved getting dirty at the pits. Now they can go behind the scenes and see what really happens behind the gates where the scientists are at work, pulling bones out of the tar.

Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits
5801 Wilshire Blvd., Miracle Mile LA
Ages: K through 4th Grade
Cost: $270 a week for museum members, $300 a week for non members
Dates: January 5-9 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. (with extended care available)
Online: tarpits.org

photo credit: Studio LOL

For The Short Stuff Stand-Up
Does your mini comic love making everyone laugh? Campers here will learn short and long form improv, sketch comedy, comedic character work, and more. The week ends with a performance for family and friends. No arts and crafts here, just good old fashioned LOLs. (And perhaps the first step toward the sit com deal that will pay for college.)
Bonus We Love: This gets them ready for the school talent show in the spring.

Studio LOL
12434 Moorpark St., Studio City
Ages: 8 – 12
Cost: 240-$300/week
Dates: 3 weeks of camp offered, from December 22-January 9 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Online: studiolol.com

photo credit: LACMA

For the Budding Basquiat
Spend an exciting week with paint, clay, found objects and more at LACMA’s Winter Art Camp. Campers have adventurous experiences looking at, talking about, and making art with a team of fun and creative museum educators and artists.
Bonus We Love: You’re at LACMA; after pickup, you can wander the galleries with your kids.

LACMA
5900 Wilshire Blvd, Miracle Mile LA
Ages: 6-8 and 9-11
Cost: $350 (Or $325 with your NexGen membership, which you have right? Because it’s free!)
Dates: 2 sessions begin on Dec 22 or Dec 29 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Online: lacma.org

photo credit: Got Game Camp

For Your Mini All-Star
Sitting all day at school is not for your lil’ athlete. So treat them to camp that lets them move – with sports like basketball, soccer, hockey, flag football, baseball, volleyball and lacrosse, while mixing in some arts arts ranging from dance, theatre, music, arts & crafts and computer technology. Throw in karate, chess, dodgeball, kickball and there’s literally something for every active little one.
Bonus We Love: The extended hours go from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., so if you’re not getting much of a work vacation, they’ve got you covered. The kids are so active and having so much fun, they won’t mind the long day.

Got Game Camp
408 S. Fairfax Ave., Miracle Mile LA
Ages: 4-14
Cost: $265
Dates: Weekly sessions begin December 22 and run through January 9 from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Online: gotgamecamp.com

For Those Who Can Make It Work
Fashion Design Camp gives kids the full experience that will ready them for the style biz. They start by generating a vision board, designing a collection, picking designer fabrics, sewing and finishing a series of clothes. Kids will learn how to use a sewing machine, cut fabric from patterns, and construct hand-made garments from scratch.  Then they can sew the buttons back on their own clothes.
Bonus We Love: Camp culminates in a fashion show that friends and family are invited to.

Unincorporated Life
1150 N Western Ave., Hollywood
Ages: 6-12 & 13-18
Cost: $400-$600
Dates: Weeklong sessions begin December 15, 22, & 29 and January 5
Online: theunincorporatedlife.com

photo credit: Santa Monica Playhouse’s website

And Finally, The Pint-Sized Drama Queen
Hey kids, let’s put on a play! No, seriously, in one week kids at the Santa Monica Playhouse Camp will use text, music, movement, costumes and make-up to have fun making new friends and creating and performing a new and original play – all in just five days.
Bonus We Love: If you have different vacation dates, just round up a group of 5 friends and they’ll custom create a class for you.

Santa Monica Playhouse Theatre
1211 4th St, Santa Monica
Ages: 6 to 12 & 13 to 17
Cost: $395 per session
Dates: Session 1starts Dec 26, Session 2 starts Jan 5 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. daily
Online: santamonicaplayhouse.com

Got any other hot tips on great winter break camps?  Let us know in the comments!

-Christina Fiedler & Elena Fenegan

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