Oh my goodness, it is getting WARM (dare I say, hot?!)! Especially in the afternoon when I pick my kiddos up from school. I thought it would be fun to gather activity ideas to keep kids cool and entertained in Orange County (and you too, moms!) – warm weather, cool activities = happy kids and moms.
Here are five of my personal favorites around town…what are yours?
The Irvine Spectrum Splash Pad and Shaded Playground
Have you checked this out recently? There’s fairly new shaded playground right outside of Target, Carter’s and Happy Nails at the Irvine Spectrum…and just a hop, skip and a jump away is a fun splash pad. Grab an iced Starbucks from Target first, then head over and let the kids run around. Perfect for playtime and cooling off. Plus, you can nab lunch at a number of fun places or even ride a few rides.
Ruby’s Shake Shack
My kids are obsessed with Ruby’s Shake Shake in Crystal Cove – if you haven’t been, you HAVE to go! It’s this adorable little “shack” on the side of PCH with all outdoor seating. You stand in line at an outdoor counter, order your shakes (or burgers or hot dogs), and sit under an umbrella, overlooking the gorgeous ocean. It’s a slice of heaven! Note: Parking is very limited, so try to avoid typical lunch hours – the lines to park can get long.
The Car Ferry and Balboa Island
The Balboa Island Car Ferry is such a cool experience – it’s like being a tourist in your own backyard! The ferry goes between Balboa Island and the Balboa Peninsula – you literally drive onto the ferry, put your car in park, and get out of the car to enjoy the ride and views. Here’s the directions – check it out! We take the ferry over to the Balboa Fun Zone and make an afternoon out of it. Love it!
The Mission Viejo Library
This is an awesome library with a fabulous kid’s section. A small play area for the small kiddies (toys, puzzles, learning games and books), coloring tables, and an impressive selection of books for all ages, DVDs, CDs…you name it. Plus, they have great kid’s programs throughout the year, like Toddler Early Literacy classes – just check their site for specific times and dates.
Bounce, Bounce, Bounce
I love taking my kids to any place they can be in a safe, enclosed (air conditioned!) kid’s bounce house….and bounce, bounce, bounce their energy out! Here are some Orange County bouncing options
Jump ‘N Jammin (Mission Viejo)
Pump it Up (Lake Forest, Irvine)
Scooter’s Jungle (Aliso Viejo)
Big Air Trampoline Park (Laguna Hills)
Frogg’s Bounce House (Fountain Valley)
Jump Sky High (Costa Mesa)
What do you do to stay cool? Let’s all share below and get a great list of ideas going…
Great list! We are also fans of going to the movies on hot days! On Tuesdays and Wednesdays at Triangle Square movie tickets are $4 all day long.
Siegler Park Splash pad in Westminster is open to the public on weekends from 12-5. I hosted my son’s birthday party there for just a $50 deposit (you get the whole pad to yourselves), it’s gated and you don’t have to worry about non-swimming kids. It was awesome!
Jen- awesome, thanks for sharing! Both of my kids are at the age where they love going to the movies.
Anah, that splash pad sounds so cool! We LOVE playing in splash pads, so we’ll have to check it out 🙂