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Top 6 Knott’s Spooky Farm Activities For Kids

Posted on October 4, 2019 | Filed Under: Field Trips in Orange County | 2 Comments

Last Saturday, my family had a not-so-spooky day at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California! We attended their annual Halloween family-friendly celebration called Knott’s Spooky Farm. This daytime event is a non-scary celebration of cheer rather than fear with shows and activities geared for kids ages 3-11. The fall daytime Seasons of Fun event is included with regular park admission or your 2019 Knott’s Berry Farm Season Pass.

Families are invited to participate and join in the Halloween fun at several key areas within the park – Ghost Town, Calico Park, Fiesta Village and Camp Snoopy. This special limited-time event serves up live entertainment, trick-or-treating, a costume contest and exclusive festivities tailored just for little ones.

Top 6 Not-To-Miss Knott’s Spooky Farm Activities

Ghost Town Treat Stops

We attend Knott’s Spooky Farm every year and like to bring along our good friends to enjoy it with us. First, my children and their friends go trick or treating through Ghost Town. Since Knott’s has expanded the trick-or-treating path to six stations, my little ghouls are able to interact with even more spooky, but friendly shopkeepers, than in years past. Children are encouraged to wear their costumes while trick-or-treating, while parents can pick up a treat bag for their kids at the main entrance. The treat bags that contain event maps and other goodies are distributed from opening until 4:30pm.

Check Out The Best Halloween Costumes For Kids!

Morph Alien Pick Me Up Inflatable Blow Up Costume Disney Fairies Tinker Bell The Pirate Fairy Girls’ Costume Marvel Spider-Man Toddler Costume Disney Mary Poppins 2 Pc. Girls Costume, with Hat Size: Med Star Wars: The Force Awakens Child’s Stormtrooper Costume, Medium

While walking around Calico, the friendly ghosts hand out treats to the children, tell funny ghost stories from the school house steps, take spooky pictures with visitors and do personal coffin fittings. If your lucky enough, the ghosts might even show up in one of your pictures!

This year’s trick of treat stations are located at the Dress Shop, Post Office, Calico Bank, Gun Shop Peak In, Undertaker and Town Hall. I highly recommend that you arrive early in costume to go trick or treating at Knott’s Berry Farm. Since the lines can get fairly long, the earlier you go, the better. Also, as it gets closer to Halloween, the park can fill to capacity.

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Kids Free San Diego in October

Posted on October 1, 2019 | Filed Under: Field Trips in San Diego | 5 Comments

This post contains affiliate links.

Every October the San Diego Tourism Authority invites families to experience Kids Free San Diego. During the entire month of October, kids ages 12 and under get to eat, stay and play for free (with paid adult admission) in this beautiful part of California! Enjoy more than 100 partner offers—as well as warm fall weather without the summer crowds.

For example, normally a child’s admission price to such places as SeaWorld San Diego costs $91 and $95 for LEGOLAND California. But with Kids Free San Diego families can take advantage of discounted deals at more than 100 participating partners and plan an ultimate family getaway. There’s big fun waiting for kids, with savings that parents will love. Explore below and plan your perfect trip to San Diego this October!

Kids Free San Diego Restaurants

Numerous San Diego restaurants are participating in Kids Free San Diego! For example, get one free kid’s meal at Don Chido with the purchase of an regularly priced menu item or receive one free kids meal from Pacific Beach Ale House’s Children’s Menu, with the purchase of two regularly priced entrees from their regular lunch/dinner menu.

Kids Free San Diego Activities

Hundreds of local entertainment venues are offering outstanding kid deals during the month of October too. Here’s just a small sample of what I found online.

Kids Ride Free with Hornblower Cruises – Kids cruise free on any 1 or 2 hour daily Harbor Cruise in San Diego. Valid with purchase of 1 adult ticket. Each adult ticket allows up to 2 children to cruise free.
Kids Fish Free at H&M Landing – Kids fish for free at H&M Landing with a paid adult.
Kids Go Free to the Birch Aquarium at Scripps – Children 12 and under receive free entry with a paid admission of at least one accompanying adult at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps in La Jolla. Valid for 2 children per paid adult.
Kids Go Free to the Japanese Friendship Garden – Children age 12 and under receive free entry with the paid admission of at least one accompanying adult at the Japanese Friendship Garden. Valid for 2 children per paid adult.

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25 Classic Christmas Crafts For Kids

Posted on September 30, 2019 | Filed Under: Arts & Crafts, Christmas, DIY | 5 Comments

Christmas will be here in no time. So it’s a good idea to start planning ahead and get all your craft supplies put together. Especially during the holidays, when I love crafting with my kids and getting our creative juices flowing, I like to store all my craft supplies in one location and have an ample amount of glue, glitter and colored markers on hand. Then when inspiration hits, we drink hot cocoa together, have some delicious snacks, and make fantastic memories: no television, no tablets, just us and LOTS of fun!

You can’t help but get into the holiday spirit when you make one or more of these fantastic 25 Classic Christmas Crafts For Kids! Plus there’s such a wide variety of crafts to choose from, it’s hard to pick just one. From making Frosty The Snowman decorations of popsicle sticks to creating homemade salt dough handprint ornaments to playing a round of classic Christmas tic tac toe, there’s bound to be at least one activity for your family to enjoy. Many of these crafts are also ideal for large groups including preschool, daycare and early elementary school.

25 Classic Christmas Crafts For Kids

So, let your children use their imaginations, and they will love being creative. Take a peek at these 25 Classic Christmas Crafts For Kids and get in the Christmas spirit! Be sure to share them with your friends and family too.

The Kids DIY Fingerprint Ornament – The Happier Homemaker

Crafts that involve fingerprints always make lovely memories later too. The children will love looking back over the years and seeing what they made.

Christmas Tic Tac Toe Craft – iSave A to Z

Playing tic tac toe is always entertaining. It’s even more fun when you get to play on a game that you created.

Popsicle Stick Christmas Crafts – The Best Ideas For Kids

Aren’t these the cutest popsicle stick ornaments ever? The options are endless, and they turn out fabulous.

Snowman Christmas Countdown Craft – Coffee And Carpool

The countdown to Christmas is such a magical time. Make it even more special with this countdown craft idea.

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Brass Rubbings at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Long Beach

Posted on September 25, 2019 | Filed Under: Field trips in Los Angeles | 9 Comments

Are you a fan of the Middle Ages? Or does your ‘little knight and shining armor’ like to slay dragons, while your ‘little lady in waiting’ prefers playing dress up? If so, then take them to the 33rd Annual Brass Rubbings on October 15 – November 9 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Long Beach.

Brass Rubbings is an educational program that conjures up knights in armor, grand ladies, dragons…and more. In Europe, the Middle Ages (otherwise known as the Medieval period) lasted from the 5th to the 15th century. It began with the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and resulted in the merging of the Renaissance and Age of Discovery periods.

Brass Rubbings at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church

To celebrate the Medieval period, every year, from mid-October to mid-November, the Brass Rubbings Medieval Arts Center resides in the Great Hall of Cassidy Castle at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. The Center provides historical art lessons for schools and residents in the community. Furthermore, the program serves as a fundraiser to augment the general fund of the church and support their many community outreach programs.

The Brass Rubbings program introduces visitors to the historic background and importance of monumental brasses, as well as the colorful people they commemorate. Educators provide an interesting combination of history, folklore and art using one of the largest collections of monumental brass facsimiles in North America.

During your visit, you will be able choose from more than 100 reproduction-engraved plates of brass to do a rubbing. A trained instructor will provide you with a rag paper, metallic waxes, and instructions to create your very own rubbing masterpiece! Hangers will be provided for your finished artwork and picture frame matting is available for an additional fee.

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50+ Family Halloween Events in Southern California

Posted on September 20, 2019 | Filed Under: Field trips in Los Angeles, Field Trips in Orange County, Field Trips in Riverside, Field Trips in San Bernardino, Field Trips in San Diego, Field Trips In Ventura | 11 Comments

This post contains affiliate links.

Here in Southern California, Halloween and fall fun abounds! So let’s get right to it and share with you 40+ family friendly Halloween events and fall festivals taking place across the southland this season. Prices and dates vary. Please visit individual websites for full details. Happy Fall!

Family Halloween Events in Los Angeles

The Nightmare Before Christmas, El Capitan Theatre, Hollywood (9/12 – 9/25)

No October would be complete without settling in with a bag of popcorn to watch Tim Burton’s stop-motion feature film The Nightmare Before Christmas. And there’s only one way to see it that’s worthy of this modern classic: at Hollywood’s historic El Capitan Theatre and in 4-D! Bored with the same old scare-and-scream routine, Pumpkin King Jack Skellington longs to spread the joy of Christmas. But his merry mission puts Santa in jeopardy and creates a nightmare for good little boys and girls everywhere. Jack’s adventures pop off the screen in Disney Digital 3-D, as Halloween Town comes alive with the help of special 4-D sensory effects, including lights, fog and scents, plus more wind and snow than ever before!

Autumn Leaf Crowns, The LA Arboretum, Arcadia (9/21)

Come welcome in autumn with your little ones! Join in celebrating the beginning of the fall season as you use whimsical natural materials to make autumn-inspired leaf crowns while sipping on apple cider. All ages and skill levels are welcome – all you need to bring is your imagination!

Haunted Little Tokyo 2019, Los Angeles (every weekend in October)

Ghouls, ghosts, and goblins of all ages are invited if they dare to experience Little Tokyo like never before for Haunted Little Tokyo 2019! Halloween festivities will be celebrated throughout the whole month of October with pumpkin patches, trick-or-treating, spooky sounds, ghostly games, free Halloween movie screenings, ‘haunted’ walking tours, themed drink specials, and more, ending with a frightfully-fun block party and costume contest on Saturday, October 26.

Halloween Rooftop Movies, The Montalbán, Hollywood! (all month long in October)

The cool night air won’t be the only thing sending a chill down your spine at The Montalbán’s Halloween Rooftop Movie Series. From fun films like Hocus Pocus and Ghostbusters to creepier fare like Get Out and classics like The Mummy, these outdoor movie evenings will make your hair stand on end in the best way.

Halloween events in LA

Fall Harvest Festival, Forneris Farms, Mission Hills (10/1 – 10/31)

An annual pumpkin patch and Harvest Festival. There are gorgeous varieties of pumpkins grown and harvested by the local farmers. Get lost in their 4 acre Super Farmer Corn Maze or take a narrated tracotor tour around the farm.

Boo At The Zoo, Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens, Los Angeles (10/1 – 10/27)

Treat the imagination at Boo at the L.A. Zoo, where you’ll find spooktacular fun every day in October, and entertainment and activities – including live shows, special animal feedings, and themed photo ops – on weekends. Costumes are encouraged. Don’t miss trick-or-treating throughout the zoo on certain days.

Wacky Pumpkin Science, The LA Arboretum, Arcadia (10/5)

Come find your inner mad-scientist! Chemical reactions, cross-linking, non-Newtonian fluids, molecular strands, and states of matter are just a few of the science concepts you will explore in this wacky workshop! While getting messy and having a gooey good time, we will make pumpkin volcanoes, pumpkin slime, and “pumpkin guts” sensory bags. As a bonus, you will leave with supplies and recipes to do one more mystery pumpkin science experiment at home so the learning fun can continue!

Pumpkin Nights, Fairplex, Pomona (10/10 – 11/3)

At Pumpkin Nights, you’ll discover the Forbidden Pumpkin City, a pirate’s cove, and more fantastical lands built using over 3000 hand-carved pumpkins. Tickets required.

Deal Alert: Get 25% off tickets when you use code SOCALFIELDTRIPS25 at check out.

Fall Festival, The Farmer’s Market, Los Angeles, (10/ 12 & 10/13)

Kids can enjoy the wonders of a country fair in the middle of the city. The Original Farmers Market on Fairfax plays host to the Fall Festival, featuring such family-friendly attractions as a pumpkin patch and a petting zoo. Other highlights include a pie-eating contest, old-time artisans, and live performances throughout the weekend.

Creepy Critters, The LA Arboretum, Arcadia (10/12 & 10/19)

Come meet the creepy critters that call the Arboretum home! Just in time for Halloween, they will be introducing you to their resident tarantula, scorpion, millipede, hissing cockroaches, and worms in this fun and education program. You will learn about what makes these critters special, why people fear them, and gain a better understanding of and appreciation for these dynamic creatures we share the planet with. You will even get to touch some of them, with the guidance of our trained animal handler! After getting acquainted with their little friends, you will craft “creepy critters” of your own using natural materials collected from the Arboretum grounds.

A Faery Hunt, The LA Arboretum, Arcadia (10/13)

As children we believed in magic and knew in our hearts there was enchantment all around us, hidden, beautiful, and filled with goodness. If you remember this, you too may have glimpsed Faeryland. Join the faeries from A Faery Hunt in a delightful morning to celebrate the beauty of nature as they create Faeryland at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden. The performers will weave a delightful experience filled with dancing, singing, and stories of faery magic and fun. Come in your favorite fairy, fantasy, or Halloween garb. Groups and parties are encouraged to join in the celebration. With your admission, you may stay the entire day! See the rest of the exquisite gardens, have your lunch at the Peacock Cafe, and enjoy a memorable day with family and friends.

A Fairy Fantastic Halloween Party, Griffith Park, Hollywood (10/19)

A Faery Hunt shows are interactive performances designed for young audiences & families to inspire creativity & fun. On this unique event at Griffith Park, join the faery folke on a fun and gentle quest for the Fairy Royalty with A Faery Hunt interactive, musical performance. Following the show enjoy A Fairy Fun Halloween Party; the Fairies’ gentler alternative to spooky frights, with storytelling, dancing, games, fairy unicorn readings, fairy face painting, one-on-one time with the fairies, food, frolic & fun! Costumes welcome.

Pumpkin Festival, Kidspace Museum, Pasadena (10/19 & 10/20)

For the past 25 years, the Circle of Friends has proudly presented the Pumpkin Festival in Brookside Park, benefiting Kidspace Children’s Museum. Started in 1994 as a safe alternative to trick-or-treating, this festival has grown into a two-day family event attended by nearly 20,000 people each year. Families from all over Los Angeles come to enjoy carnival games, bouncers, a pumpkin patch, and free entertainment.

Calabasas Pumpkin Festival, Calabasas (10/19 & 10/20)

This festival takes place October 19 and 20, 2019. Admission includes Inflatables & Giant Slide, Live Bands & DJ Zone, Contests & Saturday Morning Costume Parade, Reptile, Bugs & Nature shows, Youth Halloween Carnival, Business Expo, Car Show and Exhibits. Pumpkins, pumpkin treats and halloween decorations are an additional price.

Carved, Descanso Gardens, La Canada Flintridge (10/23 – 10/27)

For five nights only, a thousand professionally carved pumpkins – some as large as 100 pounds and all of them real – will line a 1-mile walk through the Camellia Forest and Oak Grove. Carved is a family-friendly event for all ages. Advance tickets required.

Carved promo code descanso gardens

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Top 6 Not-To-Miss Knott’s Spooky Farm Activities

Ghost Town Treat Stops

Check Out The Best Halloween Costumes For Kids!

Kids Free San Diego Restaurants

Kids Free San Diego Activities

25 Classic Christmas Crafts For Kids

Brass Rubbings at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church

Family Halloween Events in Los Angeles

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