Bubblefest is here!

It's here!  Have you made you plans to attend Bubblefest XV at the Discovery Science Museum in Santa Ana?  It's here April 2- 24, 2011.  Records will be set, bubble shows will happen daily and unique bubble experiences will be everywhere.  Learn about the tension, elasticity, air pressure, geometry of a bubble.  Get you very own picture in a bubble (extra charge for this).

There will be daily bubble shows performed by the Yang Family at 11 am, 12:30 pm, 2:00 pm and 3:30 pm for a small additional fee.

Don't forget to take a ride in your very own bubble in the water pool!

This is surely a Bubblefest not to miss!  For more information you can go here.

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Sesame Street at the Discovery Cube and GIVEAWAY

Elmo is back!  

Sesame Street Presents: The Body Exhibit is returning to the Discovery Science Center January 29th to May 1st, 2011.  If you didn't have the chance to check it out last year, be sure to stop by and explore the Body exhibit where you and your child can learn about activities that promote a healthy lifestyle.

1. How You Work – Whether you are exercising, playing, dancing or even sleeping, your body is always hard at work. In “How You Work,” kids can learn how the heart and different muscles work as they pump, row or run in “Rosita’s Locomotion” and boogie along with Grover in “Grover’s Dance Party,” a groovy disco.

2. Your Insides – “Your Insides” is an exploration of what goes on inside the body. Activities include the “Count’s Organ Organ,” which musically teaches kids about their internal organs’ locations and functions; “Digestion with Oscar,” a display that shows kids what happens to food when they eat it; and “Oscar’s Sneeze Machine,” where children pull a lever to irritate a big nose that actually sneezes on them!

3. Your Outsides – Children learn to identify different body parts, learn what they do, and explore the many ways they can put them to use. Exhibits include “Your Wonderful Hands,” featuring puzzles, sign language games, shadow puppets and more; “Your Legs and Feet,” an interactive exhibit that shows what happens when you put your legs in motion; and “Use Your Head”, a play-along question and answer game show about the parts of the head.

4. Staying Healthy – Learn how eating healthy foods, staying clean, and getting plenty of physical activity as well as sleep can help the body stay healthy. Ernie and Rubber Ducky get kids started in “Rub-A-Dub Tub,” a silly game that shows them just how much fun staying clean can be. Then it’s on to “Mr. Hooper’s Store,” where children scan groceries and learn specific messages about how different healthy meals are good for their bodies, and “Baby Bear’s Mini Mart,” a toddler-sized activity area where children can stock up on a variety of healthy foods.

Step into Elmo’s colorful world where Dorothy the goldfish, Mr. Noodle and the red, lovable Muppet live, learn and play. Elmo’s crayon-scribbled world contains kid-sized furniture and colorful manipulative games. The video screen window is where Elmo and Mr. Noodle are thinking all about the body and the things it needs to stay healthy like rest, exercise and good food. Photo: Chris Haston, 2005 Sesame Workshop

Best part?  Two lucky of my lucky readers will win VIP passes to attend Elmo's Birthday party on February 3rd!  It is a private event and will feature Elmo's birthday cake from Sensitive Sweets (gluten-free, soy-free and allergy free).  The event will be from 6-8pm at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana.  Ready to enter?

The giveaway will go until January 20th at 11:59pm and is only open to residents of the contiguous U.S.  When leaving comments, be sure I have a way to contact you, I reserve the right to pick another winner if I am not able to contact the winners in a reasonable amount of time.  I will need to get your information before January 21, 2011.  The two winners will be picked using Random.org.

Mandatory first entry: Post a comment below.

  Other ways to enter:

• Subscribe to email feed or other feed subscription for OCMomActivities.com (or if you already are, just say that in a comment) 
• Become a Fan of Discovery Science Museum or OCMomActivities on Facebook (say so if you already are)
• Follow Discovery Cube or OCMomActivities on Twitter (1 extra entry each)
• Mention/link this giveaway in a blog post or tweet about it (1 extra entry each allowed once per day until the giveaway ends) 
• Go comment on another post on OCMomActivities.com then come back and comment on this one saying you did it (this is an unlimited number of extra entries as long as you do the extra commenting!) 

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The Science of Gingerbread is Here!

© Discovery Science Center

The Science of Gingerbread is here at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana!

Be sure to stop in to see some of the very special gingerbread houses decorated by some of your favorite bloggers (including me!).  There are a number of great events and activities for kids of all ages to participate in including:

Hands-On Kitchen Science Activities: Daily through Jan 2 Find out all about kitchen tools, recipe science and more!

"A Matter of Taste" Stage Show: 11a,1p,3p,4p; Sat/Sun through Jan 2How are taste and smell different? Find out for yourself!

Award Winning Gingerbread Displays: Daily through Jan 2See Gingerbread Competition entries throughout the Center!

Photos w/Santa Claus: 11am-3pm; Dec 4&5,11&12,18-24Don't miss your chance to take a photo & visit with Santa!

Cookie Decorating: 11:30a, 1:30p, 3:30p; Dec 4&5,11&12,18-30Decorate holiday cookies and eat them too!

Train Modeling Demonstrations: Dec 4,7,9,12,14,16,18,21,23,26,28,30, Jan1 Check out exclusive demos by Toy Train Engineers of the Southern California.

All activities and demonstrations are free after admission. Dates and activites are subject to change.

© Discovery Science Center

Have you been there yet this year?  What are your favorite Gingerbread houses?

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Bug Invasion at Discovery Science Museum

Being a Mom of two bug loving little boys, I've been pretty lucky to not have more of them end up in the house!

We recently had the chance to head over to a special preview at the Bug Invasion exhibit at the Discovery Science Museum in Santa Ana to continue the trend of keeping the bugs on the other side of my front door!  The boys could have explored for hours because there are surprises around every corner.

From hands on exhibits with real live bugs that kids can hold (on the weekends)...

to giant displays that really make you feel like you've been shrunk...

to robotic bugs you can control...

to a 3D maze...

then be sure to check out the extensive collection of butterflies and other insects!

On October 30th and 31st the Discovery Science Museum will be hosting fun special events including pumpkin painting, costume parades and trick or treating at the exhibits.  These are included with the your admission and as a bonus you'll receive a free ride coupon for The Pumpkin Factory located next door a the Main Place Mall in Santa Ana. 
For more information head on over here.

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Bug Invasion at Discovery Science Museum - Coupon!

We had an amazing time checking out the Bug Invasion Exhibit the Discovery Science Museum the other day (watch for a post about the exhibit later this week) and I'm so excited to share this coupon for admission with everyone (just copy, paste and print it out next time you go). I'm also going to be starting a giveaway for tickets to the Discovery Science Museum and the Pumpkin Factory (next door in the Main Place Mall parking lot) later today on Facebook only, so be sure you're a fan of OCMomActivities!

Also, the more fans and participation we have, the more giveaways I'll run... so tell everyone you know!

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Best Halloween Events for Families in Southern Callifornia

We are now entering in to my favorite time of year - Halloween and Christmas!  It's easy to get overwhelmed with the number of family fun Halloween events we have in Southern California, so here's a quick list of fun events to help you not miss out on some of the biggest ones. 

Brick-or-Treat at Legoland California

• Brick-or-Treat at Legoland California (in Carlsbad).  Runs weekends in October.  Admission is included in admission to the park (but the event runs from 5-9pm).  There are treat stations as well as fun Halloween themed events throughout the park. You can go here for more information.

Halloween Spooktacular at SeaWorld San Diego

• Halloween Spooktacular at SeaWorld San Diego.  We attended this one last year and love it (check out the post here).  Admission is included with entrance to the park.  There are trick or treat stations (with fun not just your normal candy handouts), activity stations, and several of the shows have Halloween spin to them. You can go here for more information on it.



Mickey's Trick or Treat at Disneyland

• Mickey's Trick or Treat at Disneyland.  There's little doubt that Disneyland knows how to go all out for holidays and Halloween is no exception.  With ride theme overlays on Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion and more, you're sure to have an amazing time trick or treating through the park. This is a special event and special tickets must be purchased (even passholders must purchase).  It runs most Tuesdays & Fridays throughout October. Read my post about it here or go here to buy tickets.

Knotts Halloween Haunt


• Halloween Haunt at Knott's "Scary" Farm (in Buena Park). Running on select nights starting at the end of September through the end of October, you can find everything from mazes and other spooks to get your Halloween thrills.  (Note this is not an event recommended for kids under 13). You need to purchase a separate event ticket for this and you can go here to learn more.




Snoopy's Costume Party


• Snoopy's Costume Party at Knott's Berry Farm. Running weekends in October and it's included with park admission.  There are special shows, trick or treating, dance parties and more.  You can go here for more information about it.



© Discovery Science Center

• Spooky Science - Bug Invasion at the Discovery Science Center (Santa Ana). Running through October, you can find giant bugs (animatronics), remote controlled bugs, learning stations and more.  This is included with the price of admission.  Go here for more information.

• Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood.  Running now through the end of October there is the Terror Tram, ScareZones, mazes and other spooks throughout the park.  This is not included with regular admission to the park but is also not recommended for kids under 13.  Go here for more information.



Spooky Sleepover at the San Diego Zoo

• Spooky Sleepovers at the San Diego Zoo. Running special Saturday Nights at the Zoo you can purchase tickets to sleep over at the zoo where you will have the chance to trick or treat, have a costume parade, sit around the campfire and take special adventures throughout the Zoo.  You'll even get a special goodbag on your way home the next day.  This is not included with admission to the park.  You can go here for more information.




San Diego Safari Park Pumpkin Parties


• Roar & Snoar Pumpkin Parties at the Safari Park (formerly known as the San Diego Wild Animal Park).  They have a number of family Halloween sleepovers scheduled throughout the month go here for more information about the evenings.  The Safari Park is also hosting a creepy crawly festival on select days throughout October. The sleepovers are not included in regular admission.  You can go here for more information.

 (If I've missed your favorite or you you know of one you want added to this list, send me an email OCMomActivities [at] gmail [dot] com).

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Mars Rover Exhibit is Now at the Discovery Science Museum!

Do you have a budding astronaut in your house?  If you answered yes to that question, you need to run, not walk to over to the Discovery Science Museum in Santa Ana!  

A replica model of the Mars Rover, Curiosity is now on display there.  Built by JPL, the Curiosity is the next vehicle to be exploring Mars.  The new exhibit at the Discovery Science Museum, NASA Explores the Universe actually has the replica of Curiosity rotating in front of a mural of Mars.

There are four interactive stations for your little astronaut to explore where they can learn about parts, tools, wheels of Curiosity.  Kids can also look at sample Mars rocks through telescopes and much more.

Fun facts about curiosity:
Curiosity is the next Mars rover, scheduled to launch in the fall of 2011. When completed, the Curiosity will have a length of 9 feet (2.7 m) and weigh 1,984 pounds (900 kg) including 176 pounds (80 kg) of scientific instruments. It will be the same size as a Mini Cooper automobile. This compares to the Mars Exploration Rovers which have a length of 5 feet 2 inches (1.57 m) and weigh 384 pounds (174 kg) including 15 pounds (6.8 kg) of scientific instruments.

(above is the actual image from the Discovery Science Center and also the sketches from NASA/JPL)

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New Years Eve Mid-Day Fun at Discovery Science Center

Still looking for something to do to celebrate New Year's Eve with the kids in OC?  Head on over to the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana.  At 12 noon and 2:00pm they will have a balloon drop.  Kids will be able to make seltzer rockets, party poppers, participate in Karaoke and investigate the time zones as each celebrates the New Year.

This event is perfect if you have young ones who wouldn't actually stay up till midnight.

The event is included with admission to the Discovery Cube and you can find more information here.

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