local

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.

North County Low Cost Food Resource- More Than Apples

Abby H.

I learned about More Than Apples from TikToker Becky O. She lives in Northern San Diego County and her videos came up on my FYP a few months ago. After doing some internet sleuthing I discovered her Food Mystery Boxes as she calls them come from More Than Apples.

From their website: “Every Thursday, More Than Apples collects food that would otherwise go to waste and distributes it to families in North County San Diego. Each week, our Abundance Boxes are unique and filled with a variety of packaged goods, baked items, cold items, and fresh produce.”

If you live in North County, I suggest you check out Becky’s videos linked above and see if the mystery food box is something you’d like to take advantage of!

More Than Apples has gone Viral thanks to social media coverage, and their boxes sell out quickly. There are a few other food rescues in San Diego County, including my favorite Porchlight Community Services in Clairemont. You can read about them here.

San Diego Regional Center’s 2nd Annual Family-Vendor Resource Fair!

Abby H.

If your child is a client of San Diego Regional Center this event is a great opportunity for you to learn about how SDRC can assist your child and family.

On 9/28/2024 at the Town and Country Hotel, SDRC is presenting its second annual Family-Vendor Resource Fait.

For more information, or to sign up, Family-Vendor Resource Fair.

Need Help with Back to School Supplies?

Abby H.

The Larry Himmel Neighborhood Foundation is here to help!

For the past eight years, they have been hosting our annual Back-To-School Haircut Drive, where kids aged 18 and under can enjoy:
Free haircuts
Free school supplies
Free food
Tickets to local attractions throughout San Diego County

Event Details:
Date: Saturday, August 10
Time: 9am – 1pm (Last haircut starts at 12:30pm)
Location: Skyline Church (11330 Campo Rd, La Mesa, CA 91941)

For more information, check out their Facebook Page. 

SMOAC is hosting a FREE BACKPACK GIVEAWAY on 8/3/2024. More info can be found here.

Free School Supplies is a website with listings by state of charities and non-profits that provide free and low-cost school supplies.

If you are a military family, check out Operation Homefront. They have Back-to-School Brigade events all over the country.

 

SeaWorld: Free Tickets for U.S. Military Veterans!

Abby H.

This deal is back, but only through July 31st! To show their appreciation for those who have served our country, SeaWorld San Diego is offering FREE tickets to SeaWorld San Diego for U.S. Military Veterans and up to three friends or family members. You can also purchase up to six additional tickets at 50% off.

Get your tickets by verifying your military status through GovX.com here. All tickets must be used by July 31, 2024.

If you live near another SeaWorld, check their website for a similar deal.

Looking for Swim Lessons for the Kids- 2023 Edition

Abby H.2 Comments

Summer is here, or will be soon. The kids need to brush up on their skills-I can’t be the only parent looking for information on swim lessons and getting kids’ water ready.

My usual go-to is the swim lessons held at our local high school district, Grossmont Unified High School District. They have lessons for kids ages 3 and up. Schedules and pricing can be seen here.

The City of San Diego has private, semi-private, and group swim lessons at several of its pools. The prices are pretty decent. The prices and more info can be found here.

If you live in El Cajon, you’ve got some really excellent swim lesson options. Visit the Rec Center online here and take a look at all of the classes. Anyone can take classes, but El Cajon residents (of the incorporated city) can get killer discounts.

The Kroc Center offers swim lessons. Information can be found here.

The YMCA offers swim lessons at many of its facilities. Currently, they are offering private/semi-private lessons only. You do not need to be a YMCA member to take lessons there, however, the rate is cheaper if you are. The list of San Diego, CA area YMCAs that offer swim lessons can be found here.

I also did some digging for parents of kids on the Autism Spectrum. Aqua Pros offers classes specially designed for kids on the spectrum! More information and class prices can be found on their website.

These are just a few of the options available. There are of course private swim instructors and private companies that offer private or small group lessons. The ones listed above are for more of the price-conscious in mind.

Talk Back: If you or your kids have had great swim lessons, leave a comment and let us know where! The more options, the better!

2022 San Diego Halloween Events!

Abby H.

It’s that time of year: Spooky Season! We’ve got our Halloween decor up, and I’ve started the kid’s costumes. They love wearing their costumes as much as possible, so we’re always looking for fun Halloween events.

Here are just a few that are big hits with my little ghouls:

As more events pop up I will add to this post, and post on Social Media as well.

Talk Back- If you know of any free Halloween events in San Diego, please leave a comment!

 

 

 

Sea World-Free Tickets for U.S. Veterans!

Abby H.

Did you know that veterans can receive up to four free passes to Sea World? It’s true!

Screen Shot 2017-07-06 at 7.19.30 PM.pngThe response to this opportunity earlier this year was so overwhelming that Sea World decided to offer it to you again! To show their appreciation for those who have served our country, they are offering U.S. military veterans FREE SeaWorld San Diego tickets for themselves and up to three friends or family members.

This limited-time offer is only available online through July 31. Get your tickets by verifying your military status through ID.me at the link below and use them by July 31!

This isn’t available at the park, so you’ll have to sign up here and fill out all the forms before you go.

Parking isn’t included in this offer and starts at $17, depending on which level of parking you select.

 

Comic Con 2022 is Coming!

Abby H.

San Diego Comic-Con will be back in town July 21-24 at the convention center downtown. If you haven’t bought or won tickets (most radio stations give away tickets in the weeks leading up to the event) don’t fret, there are tons of free and cheap events and fun to be had outside Comic-Con in the general Gaslamp area.

There is usually an area between the New Children’s Museum and the Trolley Tracks that is chock full of fun events and demos, and behind the convention center there has been movie and cartoon screenings on the grassy area.

Here are a few events that have caught my attention:

Outside Comic Con has great info on offsite events.

If you want to wear a costume, here are my tips for doing it on the cheap.  We’re not going this year, it’s very hard to navigate with inattentive kids, and really, I don’t feel safe being in crowds that size.

Regardless of your costume status, my recommendation is to wear comfy shoes, ’cause you will be walking a lot! And bring a refillable water bottle. And a snack (protein bars are great!). And a camera (or really, just your phone these days!).

7/14/2022 Kung Fu Panda Day at the San Diego Zoo!

Abby H.

To Celebrate the new Kung Fu Panda Series coming to Netflix, head on down to check out the fun at the San Diego Zoo on July 14, 2022.

Celebrate with:

  • face painting
  • photo booth
  • giveaways and more!

And once you get home from the fun, check out the new series on Netflix, launching the same day!

Kung Fu Panda: Dragon Knight

SYNOPSIS: Jack Black returns to KUNG FU PANDA in the new series KUNG FU PANDA: THE DRAGON KNIGHT. When a mysterious pair of weasels set their sights on a collection of four powerful weapons, Po must leave his home to embark on a globe-trotting quest for redemption and justice that finds him partnered up with a no-nonsense English knight named Wandering Blade. Together, these two mismatched warriors set out on an epic adventure to find the magical weapons first and save the world from destruction — and they may even learn a thing or two from each other along the way.

Notable Voice Cast:  Jack Black as Po, Rita Ora as Wandering Blade, James Hong as Mr. Ping, Chris Geere as Klaus Dumont, Della Saba as Veruca Dumont, Rahnuma Panthaky as Rukhmini, Ed Weeks as Colin and Amy Hill as Pei Pei

Executive Producer: Peter Hastings (Captain Underpants TV; Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness) and Shaunt Nigoghossian (Blood of Zeus)

Co-Executive Producers: Chris Amick and Ben Mekler (Kipo)

Animation Studio: DreamWorks Animation

Based on: The popular Kung Fu Panda Film Series