Outdoors

Beach berm play is a joy of the winter beach. Berms can be man-made, but in California they occur naturally during the winter months. We made repeat visits to a …

“What do my readers need today?” It’s the question I ask myself when I schedule out my blog posts. It’s an exercise in making assumptions. For instance, I’m assuming that …

Outdoor play activities can be challenging when it’s chilly. Cold weather in California isn’t really that cold. Still, it’s tough to convince my friends with kids to get outside and …

Building our first fairy house nature craft (or mouse house, if you prefer) was a highlight of our weekend. This is not a new idea at all. Do an online …

Mission Viejo parks come in all shapes and sizes. We literally stumbled upon Seville Park as our family hiked along Los Alisos Boulevard meandering around and through the Wilderness Glen …

The California State Parks Foundation membership gifts are a great way to support our state park system and give the gift of outdoors. It used to be that $125 got …

Coming up with Thankgiving play ideas might not have made your “To Do” list this week. I reached back into my play memory vault and came up with a few …

When my big kid was little, we lived in Colorado. We spent many winter days dressed for the cold. Now that we’re back in Orange County, I revel in the …

Aldrich Park is the natural centerpiece of UC Irvine, but most outsiders don’t even know it exists. University students use it to shortcut to classroom buildings set on a ring …

Blue Gum Park in Irvine is one of those great “insider” recommendations. We were playing at Tustin Sports Park with its massive red shade cover, when one of the moms …