Special Events in April @PretendCity | Easter, Pet Day, Autism, Olympics, Earth Day, Superhero Day

Pretend City Children's Museum located in Irvine is one of our favorite places to meet for play dates in Orange County. With real-life jobs in mind like being a fireman, policeman, fisherman, doctor, dentist, grocer, postal worker, farmer, construction worker, performer, lifeguard, and more, their little minds will run wild around The City! 

Save these dates because there is so much to see and do this month! Celebrate Easter (1 day before), Pet Day, Olympics, Superheros Day, and learn more about friends that have Autism for Autism Awareness Month! April 2nd is World Autism Awareness Day. This month, Pretend City will Light It Up Blue to support Autism Speaks. The center will have specially designed activities to support the cause in hopes to shine a light on Autism Awareness.

Programs this month includes:Activities included with museum admission.

• Partner in Play (10:00 am – 1:00 pm): Footprints Behavior Interventions presents “A Walk In My Shoes”. These series of activities will give children the opportunity to experience vision impairments, sensory issues, etc, to support the child's learning and understanding of what it is like to have a disability.
• Sensational Story Time (3:30 pm): Children will engage in activities that allow them to share their own differences and commonalities. My Friend Has Autism encourages children to be mindful and patient of the differences that exist and to also appreciate the positive contribution that a child with autism can make to the group.
• Smart Art (All day): Art It up Blue! All day in the art studio your child will participate in blue themed activities! 

For more information about their programs this month, please visit their website at pretendcity.org/event/light-it-up-blue-autism/. If you would like to support Pretend City Children’s Museum FREE Family Autism Events, please donate $1.00 at the front desk!





Other Specially Themed-Days this month include:


Kindness Club: Social Skills Program
Fridays, April 3 – May 8
Class Days: Weekly every Friday
Time: 12:30 – 1:15p.m.
Specifically for children 4 – 6 years of age. Grown-up supervision is required.
Cost: $60 per child for the 6-week class series (includes museum admission for 1 adult and 1 child on day of the class).

This 6-week class series will help children explore self-awareness, kindness, compassion, and self-control. Each class will include either an art activity or a mindfulness exercise designed to encourage positive behavior. Children will also practice identifying feelings, effective communication and problem solving, as they recognize the benefits that kindness can bring to their lives. Registration is required.

Saturday, April 4: Celebrate Easter!

Live bunnies and egg-citing Easter themed-activities! Activities included with museum admission.

• Sweatpea Foundation Rabbit Rescue (11:00a.m.): This rabbit rescue will be celebrating Easter with us as they share bunny knowledge and facts to guests. They're bringing special furry friends for children to meet and greet. Animals can provide great opportunities for entertainment and learning.
• Meet N’ Greet: Make sure to capture the magic of the holiday by taking a photo with Mr. Bunny! He will be hopping in throughout the day to meet and greet little ones. Make sure to say hello to receive a special Easter treat!
• Growing Up Great Games: Help them solve the riddles and find the (paper) Easter eggs hidden throughout the city. Turn in your completed egg hunt for an Easter surprise.
• Music & Movement: Do the Easter Bunny Hop. It will get your little ones' rabbit feet dancing!
• Smart Art: Easter eggs are a symbol of the season. Decorate your very own egg utilizing a variety of colorful mediums and materials.

Saturday, April 11: Celebrate National Pet Day!

Pets are a great addition to the family. There is also research on the benefits of children having pets at home. Pet ownership can teach children a range of important life lessons on responsibility, compassion, empathy, kindness, friendship, and patience (to name just a few skills and attributes). Special guests will be at Pretend City for Pet Day to educate families about responsible pet ownership and share community resources. Activities included with museum admission.

• Sweatpea Foundation (11:00a.m.) who will have live rabbits for petting and information regarding their rabbit rescue
• OC Animal Care will present interactive activities to show children how to be responsible pet owners and understand animal behavior
• The Little Red Dog, Inc. (10:00a.m. – 3:00p.m.) will be onsite helping share information about pet adoptions, becoming a shelter volunteer, and becoming a foster.

Monday, April 13: Baby Steps through Pretend City

Time: 2:00-3:30p.m.

Specifically for: Infant (0-18 months), grownups. For the comfort of our infant guests, no older siblings please. Cost: Free for infants 0-18 months; Adults are $10. (Free for Pretend City Members)

Do you have questions about feeding, napping, crawling, or just want to enjoy an event where you and your baby can come and play? If so, Baby Steps through Pretend City is the event for you! This monthly event is a great opportunity to ask questions, meet other parents, and engage your baby in developmentally appropriate activities and exhibits. Pretend City was designed with your infant in mind, but with so many excited, older children playing in the museum, it may be hard for your little one to get around. This monthly event allows you to take advantage of an exclusive, infant only times by engaging in age-appropriate facilitated activities which will teach you about your baby’s developmental milestones.

Friday, April 17: The City Olympics

Time: 6:00 – 8:30p.m.
RSVP: Register online. Registration required.
Fee: $10 per person

The ultimate family night is happening at Pretend City’s City Olympics! Join other families in the community for an evening of physical fitness, family and play. Participate in the Olympic events in each of our exhibits, including "Quick Dress" in the Fire Station, an Obstacle Course in the Theater, Olympic Trivia in the Marina and more! You can even decorate your medal and pose for a photo op on the Olympic pedestal! Other activities include and opening & closing ceremony, an athlete’s dinner & an opportunity drawing with a ton of great prizes. This is one family night you won't want to miss out on!

Wednesday, April 22: Celebrate Earth Day!

Celebrate Earth Day. Introduce recycling as well as reduce and reuse waste through diverse activities. Children will experience the outcomes of wasteful actions and make the learning connection that their actions can have a dramatic impact on the environment. Activities included with museum admission.

• Sensational Story Time (Morning): Compost Stew will introduce children to the idea of composting. They will work on science skills as they sort items to create their own composting bin and math skills as they put the composting steps in order. 
• Get your hands earthy making seed balls with Earthroots Field School from 11:30 am - 3:00 pm!  Fun and easy for all ages, seed balls are marble sized mixtures of native seeds, clay and compost used to replant habitat. Seed balls protect the ungerminated seeds from being eaten by birds or other critters and keep them in place until the right amount of rain falls to wash away the clay leaving the seeds surrounded by a moist bed of compost, ready to grow. Take them with you and toss them into empty landscapes to plant a habitat. www.earthrootsfieldschool.org
• Let’s Move (Afternoon): Recycle Relay! Children will see just how much trash we can cut down on going into the landfill by recycling.
• Smart Art: This handmade Planet Earth will serve as inspiration for your child to be green every day.

Monday, April 27: Family Autism Event
Time: 5:00 pm – 7:30  pm, Pretend City will be closed to the general public. 
RSVP: Registration required. Please register online.
FREE for families with children on the autism spectrum. Pretend City’s Family Autism Events take place on the last Monday of the month (except in May and December). 

Did you know about FREE Family Autism Day at Pretend City? Once a month, families with a child with Autism (along with their therapists), can play at Pretend City in an autism-friendly environment. They dim the lights and turn down the music. It's a calmer environment and gives the family a chance to enjoy the amazing center.  Registration is required.  Please check their monthly calendar for exact dates. Community partners, who specialize in supporting children on the autism spectrum, will be on-hand to enrich your family’s play experience with welcoming smiles and practical support.

Tuesday, April 28: Imagination Conquers the City! (Superhero Day)
Activities included with museum admission. DISCOUNT: Children who come dressed up as their favorite superhero will receive FREE admission! 
Fun activities will inspire them to do good and be the best they can be! This event is part of the Arts Orange County’s Imagination Celebration arts festival.

• Smart Art: Make your very own superhero threads in the art studio. Cuffs, capes and masks will be the style of the day!
• Let’s Move: Visit the Superhero Training Course to build your skills! See if your child has what it takes to make it through the obstacle course, take down walls, hit the target, and build super strength.
• Café Creations: Super Snacks are necessary for any super hero to keep their energy up to power through the day. Learn about healthy eating and how it relates to your physical energy. A tasty super snack will inspire your children to continue to eat healthy!

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