Travel with Preschoolers in Southern California

The Los Angeles County Natural History Museum is an awesome place to go with preschoolers and on the first Tuesday of every month you can go for free.

Head straight to the discovery center where kids can touch the exhibits including fossils, gems and rocks, hear stories, do crafts and more. Make sure to find the "Discovery Boxes" that hold toys and games. There are storytimes daily as well as live animal presentations.

Upstairs from the discovery center (elevators are available for strollers) is the Insect Zoo. There are thousands of creepy crawlies to view up close. Hissing cockroaches, millipedes and more! They also have feeding times when you can watch them eat!

The other favorite exhibit for the little ones is the Dinosaur hall located right outside the discovery center. There is a beautiful Tyrannosaurus Rex skull, and models and paintings of other amazing dinosaurs.

While you are at Exposition Park, you can have a picnic lunch at the Rose Garden, or the playground across the street.

The California Science Center (next door) is always free, and accepts donations for admission.

For more information check out their website at www.nhm.org

Nicole

The International Center Theatre group is holding free performances in local Long Beach parks for the rest of the summer. This summer's performance will be a musical called Pollution Solution. This show will run until August 17th

Pollution Solution! is a fun musical by Diane Doyle that entertains kids as it teaches them about caring for our earth - keeping it green and keeping it clean from litter and urban run off. Supporting Long Beach's litter-free campaign, this show offers lessons for litterbugs to promote the three Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Keep our oceans clean from litter and urban run off! Filled with fun songs and important information abour protecting our planet, this show is great for the entire family. Each of us is a Pollution Solution!

For more information, please contact Sheila Lee at 562.495.4595, extension 10, or email her at ict@ictlongbeach.org.

They also do a free Saturday series for children. Keep your eyes open for that to start up agian!

Nicole