Hey parents and fellow adventure-seekers! Navigating the world of family outings with a pint-sized companion? Here are some of the coolest spots tailor-made for your energetic two-year-old.
Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park: Camp Snoopy within Knott’s is the perfect place to take your 2-year-old. Lines are much smaller than Disneyland, and you can see your child more closely on the rides. It’s also easier to access from the parking lot than Disneyland and a bit cheaper.
Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana: Have your child experience what an earthquake would feel like, build a car, and watch it drive around a giant toy track. Go outside in a giant makeshift spaceship and hit the buttons to make a little spaceship shoot up. Aside from other cool things, your child can pull him or herself while in a chair and let go slowly, free-falling down. It’s a very interactive place with fun things to do and look at.
Pretend City in Irvine: Remember the kids’ Trader Joe’s carts? Well, if you can’t find them in stores, find them at Pretend City in Irvine, CA. Your child will be able to shop at Trader Joe’s, pretend to check out, and even wear Trader Joe’s Hawaiian shirts. Your child can also “drive” a little car around the town using their legs, pretend to be a mechanic or a UPS driver.
The Children’s Museum at La Habra: They have a full-size short bus in the museum! It’s so cool! Your child can sit in the driver’s seat and turn the steering wheel. You can also pretend to milk a cow, pick crops, flush a toilet, and see full-size stuffed real animals.
Zoomers in San Juan: Play with guinea pigs, feed the animals, play in a kid-sized excavator, and they have a playground!
Tanaka Farms in Irvine: Your child can pick real vegetables at Tanaka Farms and get pulled around in a tractor. It’s a great place to take the kids during the fall to pick out a pumpkin, see the animals, and run around in the corn maze.
