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New Sampling Opportunities from Tryazon!

Abby H.

I’ve been a fan of Tryazon for about 7 years. It’s an amazing company that works with manufacturers of toys, games, food, and recreational/sporting goods. Manufacturers supply their goods to consumers to try out and review for free.

The kids and I have received toys, games, craft kits, and art supplies to test and have fun with.

Right now, Tryazon has five different opportunities to which you can apply.

Applying to host a party is quick and easy. If you want to learn more about Tryazon, their website has tons of information about all of the cool campaigns, parties, and past events.

 

2025 San Diego Festival of Science & Engineering is Coming 3/1/25!

Abby H.


It’s back! This event is super fun, and FREE! We’ve gone in the past and my kids have loved it!
The annual San Diego Festival of Science & Engineering’s signature event returns to Petco Park and will be held on Saturday, March 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Festival will be a full day of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) fun provided by hundreds of San Diego area businesses, schools, libraries, and museums. Admission is free and open to the public, no registration is required. A clear bag policy will also be in effect.

This year’s event is presented by Illumina Corporate Foundation and will feature more than 100 booths. New to the event this year:

  • Construction Corner: From interactive building challenges to demonstrations of cutting-edge technology, this space highlights sustainable building, structural design and the latest construction materials.
  • Cybersecurity Zone: An interactive space to dive into the fundamentals of online safety, ethical hacking, encryption, and cyber defense. Also includes demonstrations on how to protect personal data and digital landscapes.
  • ‘All Hands’: The Navy’s virtual reality experience gives attendees the chance to step aboard an aircraft carrier.
  • Algae Foundation: Explore sustainable solutions for the planet.

“The San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering aims to make learning exciting and accessible for all ages by immersing kids and adults in STEAM education,” says Sara Pagano, Managing Director, San Diego Festival of Science & Engineering. “The event also highlights San Diego’s leadership in the science industry, breaking down even the most complex topics to make them clear and engaging for everyone.”

There will be dozens of returning hands-on learning experiences, interactive activities, and experiments to inspire kids (and kids at heart!) to engage in all things STEAM including:

  • DNA fun and genomics education with Illumina Corporate Foundation
  • The pre-K zone is filled with engaging activities for little learners
  • Virtual reality experiences
  • Ecovivarium, and Parks & Rec
  • Rockets and explosions with General Atomics
  • Make slime, learn about underwater sea life, play with robots and more!
  • Art Pavilion infuses the STEM experience with live artists
  • College and Career Connections allow students to consider career pathway options

All EXPO DAY ‘Know Before You Go’ tips and updates are listed at: lovestemsd.org.

Tryazon: Cake-N-Bake Game Night!

Abby H.

We’ve been participating in Tryazon events for three+ years. We’ve gotten to try all sorts of fun toys, games, and food.  You can learn more about Tryazon here.

Introducing Cake-N-Bake Challenge a brand new game in this new Tryazon Featured Party opportunity, sponsored by Hey Buddy Hey Pal! Bring the excitement of baking shows into the game room with a fast-paced, color-matching, cake-building game!  With 3 different ways to play, the fun keeps going. Perfect for ages 4+ so it’s great for family and friend game nights.

Tryazon has 100 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those selected get to receive a party pack with the brand new title Cake-N-Bake Challenge, and other fun extras to share with friends and family! Learn more and apply here: https://www.tryazon.com/cake-n-bake-game-night-party/

California Residents: Free Behavioral Health Coaching for Kids 0-12

Abby H.

Brightlife is a great, free resource for California families. They offer free behavior coaching for parents of children ages 0-12 years.

Kids ages 0–12 get free, expert coaching for sleep issues, worry, social skills, and more. Live, 1:1 video sessions, secure chat, on-demand content, and more.

Brightlife Kids is fully paid for by the State of California. Together, we are working to ensure all California families can find the behavioral health support they need when they need it. You qualify if you have a California zip code and a child ages 0–12.

Check out their website for more information and to see if Brightlife is a good fit for your family.

Free Fun at JCPenney’s Kid Zone (8/10/2024 & 9/14/2024)

Abby H.1 Comment

Y’all know I love JCP. They have great sales, an incredible loyalty program, and the Kids Zone!

The Kids Zone is an in-store program where kids can make and take a free craft in-store once a month.

Parents receive a 10% off in-store coupon. The best part is that the 10% off coupon can be stacked with other JCP coupons.

August’s craft is a cute pencil pouch and notebook!

Find your closest JCP location here.

And if you are a teacher, JCP is offering a 35% off coupon. You can learn more and sign up here. 

 

Tryazon: Crazy Aaron’s Putty is Back with New Products!

Abby H.

We’ve been participating in Tryazon events for three+ years. We’ve gotten to try all sorts of fun toys, games, and food.  You can learn more about Tryazon here.

Crazy Aaron’s has brand new products for fall! Be one the first to get to experience the new lineup in this Tryazon Featured Party opportunity, sponsored by Crazy Aaron’s! Explore brand new SCENTsory Putties, the first ever Mega Tin Sunshine Moon thinking Putty that changes color in the sun and glows in the dark and new Slime Charmers! The Slime Charmers features three different kinds of slime for various textures and playing experiences.

Tryazon has 100 hosting spots open for this opportunity! Those selected get to receive a party pack for free with a selection of Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty worth over $280 to share with friends and family! Learn more and apply here: https://www.tryazon.com/crazy-aarons-back-to-school-party/

2024 Summer Fun on A Budget!

Abby H.2 Comments

Today marks the first day of summer break for my kiddos. I am usually a lot more prepared and would have posted this on the blog already, but… Life happens.

I’ve got some stuff planned for summer, but not as much as I have during previous summers. I’m having surgery next week, so a lot of our activities will be more chill.

But we will be including:

If you are looking to beat the heat and need something free, check out the Waterfront Park downtown. They have a great splash pad area for kids, a really fun playground, and a big grassy area for picnics. The only downside- is no shade trees.

If you are looking for free summer lunches, Feeding America has a great list on its website here. 

And beyond that, if you are looking for free and low-cost food resources, check my page here.

Summer Movie Deals for 2024!

Abby H.

One of the kid’s favorite summer activities is to hit up the local theater for a showing of one of their favorite movies.

Big buckets of popcorn, snuck in candy (shhhh), and a drink and they are ready for 2 hours of fun in the Air Conditioning.

In my search for theater chains offering this fun this summer, several of our old friends are not participating as of the writing of this post.

Select Reading Cinemas will have the Reel Kids program, where throughout the summer (June-August) there will be kid-approved movies for the reduced price of $1/ticket!

And perhaps my kids’ favorite,Regal Summer Movie Express is back! Express tickets are just $1 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays featuring summer movies the whole family will enjoy. Availability varies by location. My kids are excited to see Puss in Boots, Across the Spider-verse, and Angry Birds 2.

AMC has nothing planned per their website, but they do offer discounts for students and the elderly.

Cinemark (No locations near us) has 8 weeks of Movie Fun planned. More Details can be found here.

Talk Back: What summer movies are you looking forward to seeing?

2024 Summer Reading Programs!

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Summer break from school means summer reading programs from the local library systems, plus a few other places.

Here are a few of our favorite summer reading programs. I’ve listed the prizes that I could find, but at the time this post was published, not all of the prizes were known.

Unless specifically stated, the programs start June 1st.

Book It has a summer program called Camp Book it, where kids can read, and earn free personal pan pizzas from Pizza Hut! Book It is the FAVORITE reading program in my house. parents can enroll their kids for the summer!

The City of San Diego Library system program has published its prizes this year, and lemme tell you, it’s pretty amazing.

Children (Ages 0- 11)

  • 1 Book
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Natural History Museum (the NAT)
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Model Railroad Museum
  • Pass for 2 for the San Diego Automotive Museum
  • Pass for 4 for The San Diego New Children’s Museum
  • Free 3 oz yogurt from Yogurtland
  • Free kid’s meal from Mendocino Farms
  • Free kid’s meal from Panda Express

Teens (Ages 12-17)

  • 1 Book
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Natural History Museum (the NAT)
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Model Railroad Museum
  • Pass for 2 for the San Diego Automotive Museum
  • Free 3 oz yogurt from Yogurtland

Adults (Ages 18+)

  • Free book at participating Friends of the Library Book Sales and Used Bookstores
  • Pass for 2 for The San Diego Natural History Museum (the NAT)
  • 1 reusable utensil kit

For more information or to sign up, click here. 

The County of San Diego Library summer reading program started June 1st. They have all sorts of prizes for kids and adults.

If you want your family to experience a multicultural world through reading, I  recommend PJ Library.  PJ Library sends free, award-winning books that celebrate Jewish values and culture to families with children from birth through 12 years old.

My kids love learning about faraway places and experiences different from their own. The PJ library books have opened their eyes to new holidays, customs, and ways of life.

Read Conmigo provides free books for kids by mail in Spanish and English to children ages preschool to fifth grade. They are only available to kids in CA, TX, and Florida. We used to receive the books, and they are ok, but my kids aren’t interested in learning Spanish. The books were super useful for me learning to read in Spanish (Beyond what Duolingo teaches).

Barnes and Noble have a summer reading program starting July 1st. More info here.

Dolly Parton has established the Imagination Library, it is available in select regions (sadly not available in San Diego California), and those who live in participating areas can receive one book for their kids every month via mail.

5/22/2024 Full Spectrum Soccer Clinic at Santee Sportsplex!

Abby H.

If you have a friend or family member with social, emotional, of physical special needs ages 5-20, this event looks like a great night out!

Wednesday, May 22, 2024 from 6-8pm at the Santee Sportsplex there is a Full Spectrum Soccer Clinic.

The event is free, however, the Sportsplex does have a $3 per 18+ entrance fee.

For more information, check out the graphic on this post. I found this information via email from my kids’ school. Googling the contact name and phone number didn’t give me any additional information or a website, so I’m unsure which organization sponsors this event.