Universal Studios

I haven't been to Universal Studios since I was a kid myself. But with the Harry Potter area, I have been itching to go. With the kids getting a three week winter break, we decided to go to Universal Studios during the third week. On their website, it said it was a middle level of busy (there are three levels) and I was pleasantly surprised with how mild the crowds were. 

We started out in the Harry Potter area and it did not disappoint. Though, I must say that the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride was quite scary for kids. But, I would say that was the case with most of the rides at Universal. It's definitely a place for older children, rather than younger. However, we went into Ollivanders Wand Shop and that experience was just amazing! Connor and Isla were chosen to be fitted for wands. It took about five minutes and was so fun. After they let the crowd out of the room, they called us forward and offered for Callum to be fitted as well, but he was hesitant, so we said no. I thought it was cool that they offered to do it to him too, so he wouldn't feel left out. We ended up buying the interactive wands and that was a cool experience. Making fire come from a chimney, a door unlock, tea pour, etc. Definitely a highlight. Makes me want to go to Florida where there is an entire park dedicated to Harry Potter. 

Some of the other highlights were the "real" dinosaurs in the Jurassic Park area. You could interact with them and they would respond to you. The kids really liked that. There was also a play area down there that was a big hit with the kids. We did the studio tour. It is longer than I expected, just over an hour. But it was highly entertaining. There are some scary parts and Isla definitely wasn't a fan. There is also a play area and a couple smaller kid rides in the Despicable Me section, so we spent a fair bit of time over there. Callum really just likes playing anywhere there are kids! 

Given the ages of our children and that Universal and Disneyland are basically the same price, I would do Disneyland over Universal. Though, that hurts my heart a little because the (small) Harry Potter area was so cool! Also, the parking situation at Universal was better, there was Starbucks IN the park...along with other chains like Panda Express. And, their characters did an amazing job at interacting with the kids. Frankenstein playing peek-a-boo with Willa was a highlight. But Disneyland is significantly bigger, so yeah.

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Los Angeles

Ian had to go out of town last week for work, so I decided to take the kids down to Los Angeles and visit my parents. I always love how there is just so much to see and do constantly there. We took the kids to the Santa Monica Pier one day, in which Callum had his first experience at riding carnival rides and was totally into it. He was NOT into leaving though, and was sure to let us know.  Technically Callum was 1 inch too short to ride unattended on the rides and I thought I was going to have to bite the bullet and go round and round and round some more all day, but somehow the workers were fine with Connor or Isla being his "adult". Yes, the sign clearly said adult, but I did not complain, at the decision was in my stomach's favor. Connor rode the big roller coaster 14 times by himself...well, the worker convinced my dad to go on with him,  for free, on the last ride.

No trip to LA is complete without my mom and I dragging the kids to a couple thrift stores. We also fed the turtles in Echo Park lake, where we also managed to let the older two have popsicles without Callum knowing. We made them stay behind the stroller the whole time and it actually worked. Which, this decision too was in my favor, as I didn't want to deal with a sticky mess of a toddler and a destroyed stroller. 

Let us not forget our trip to Ikea...hello free childcare! Or playing at Travel Town, a train museum. Here is where I discovered Connor's love of trains is still there, and his imagination is still active as ever. We also went and had dinner with my aunt and uncle, which is always nice. 

It was a good trip. Being with people I love, who will also help with the kids, is always much nicer than a week home alone, going at it alone. 

^^ Their first time on the planes Callum sat in front of the controls and they basically stayed on the ground the whole time, only bouncing up and down a little.

^^ With Isla at the controls 

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Discovery Cube LA

My parents were going to take the kids to Knotts Berry Farm for one of their christmas presents. As luck would have it, it was pouring down rain on the days we could go. So we decided to do something indoors instead. The kids had so much fun at the discovery cube last year and always ask to go back when we are in LA. So, I told my parents they would love it. As a HUGE bonus, all the schools were back from christmas break in LA, so we literally had the place to ourselves. 

Last year when we were there, they had a lego exhibit going on. This time it was doc mcstuffin. It did not disappoint. It was set up like a hospital and their attention to detail was amazing. Not to mention it was well manned and people made sure there were dolls on all the beds, babies in all the basinets and all the tools were replaced constantly. Isla had so much fun following the directions and treating the patients. Callum had fun playing with the balls that were in the veterinarian section. 

Like a cool person, I kept playing this trash sorting game they had and winning. Callum was enthralled with the helicopter tour, in fact probably the most still I have ever seen him awake. And Connor loved the house you go through and the LA Kings interactive exhibit. 

I wish there was cool stuff like this for kids nearer to where we live. We have to drive like an hour and a half in any direction to get to something of such. Sigh. 

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Discovery Cube LA

^^ This earth hologram was so neat. Isla ran circles around it for a few minutes. 

^^ They had the coolest interactive grocery store. The carts had a game on them and you went and found certain products. There were two different games to play and two different age levels for the games.

^^ Connor practicing his hockey goalie skills

Going back a couple weeks...the first week of the month, we went to LA for a few days. There is always a plethora of things to do down there, so I started looking into things we have never done before and decided that Discovery Cube looked pretty neat.

I have to say, I was pretty blown away by this place. It definitely isn't set up for little kids like Callum, but around age 4, I would say this place is amazing. There are so many interactive and random things to do. The entire hockey section was so cool. Then there was the grocery store, the garbage sorting game, the helicopter tours, etc, etc. This place really was amazing.

I've been to many children's museums in many different places. And though I wouldn't classify this as a true children's museum, since there really was no play areas for little kids (just that one picture of Callum was really the only time he was allowed down to play), it really is a cool place. It was super clean and there were just so many unique things to do. Both Connor and Isla really liked it.

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California Science Center

Last week, the kids and I headed down to LA to hang out with my parents during spring break. One of the things we did was spend a day over at the California Science Center. Having never been there before, I didn't know what to expect. But, let me tell you, I will be singing this place praises from now on. First off, it's FREE. I love me something free. Now, we did pay for the Journey to Space exhibit, but everything else there is free. And the space exhibit was totally worth paying for…at least if you have a little space junkie like I do.

I was nervous that the museum was going to be totally packed, given it was spring break. I was happy (and somewhat surprised) that I was wrong about that. We got there not long after it opened and practically had the space exhibit to ourselves. We spent about five hours at the museum and didn't even see everything there. It is a very large museum with a lot of fun things to see and do. The kids got to pet starfish, play like they were on tv and watch a vulture stalk its lunch.

^^ In the Journey to Space exhibit, there was a space station simulator. Let's just say, I had to run out and stare at a wall because I literally thought I was going to fall over. I never knew I could get motion sick so quick.

^^ There was a space station with astronaut dolls for the kids to play with. Both Connor and Isla totally loved it and spent lots of time at it.

 

^^ While I thought we were going to get to go in the Endeavor (boo…), it still was fun to see a space shuttle up close. The coolest part was actually watching the video of them transporting the space shuttle to the museum through the streets of LA. They had to move power lines, take down traffic signals, etc. 

 

^^ What's more fascinating than watching yourself on tv?! 

On our way out, we took the kids into the museum store. Isla had been looking forward to this from the time we entered the museum. She picked out a stuffed animal to take home. Connor, on the other hand, got the space suit of his dreams. He was so excited about it. It was really stinking cute. So, we made a little photo of him looking like a real astronaut.

I definitely plan on going back here again…because, well, it's FREE and there is so much to see and do. Did I mention there are areas that are only for under the age of 7?! Yeah, it's a pretty awesome place.

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