This post is brought to you by Code Ninjas®and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own.

For those of you who have children and were hoping to find a summer camp for them to attend, then may I suggest Code Ninjas! At Code Ninjas camps, kids get to learn how to code and have fun while building their own video games. They gain problem solving, critical thinking, and STEM skills in a fun, safe, and inspiring environment, and most of all, have FUN!  You can find week long Code Ninjas camps being hosted right here in Orange County (and at over 250 across the US for that matter), starting now and throughout the summer. 

(psst! Make sure to read to the bottom of this post to see how you can win a free workshop from Code Ninjas®)

About Code Ninjas Camps

Code Ninjas has a variety of camps available to kids ages 5 -14. You can choose from week-long, full & half day, and virtual options. It’s a fun learning experience for kids to explore topics such as game building, STEM, and robotics, and can build something awesome. Whether it’s their own video game, a flashy robot, a cool website, or a flying drone. Camps include their drop-in CREATE program, their completely visual and hands-on JR program for younger learners, camps in a variety of engaging topics like robotics and game building, At-Home Coding for creative and productive screen time, and more!

During the classes, each kids gets to work on their own computer station. They receive support from talented Code Senseis™. Since Code Ninjas is themed to martial arts, some classes allow you to earn and receive rankings with a martial arts-inspired colored belt system.

My son is so excited to attend Code Ninjas next week. He decided to join the Roblox Royale camp where he will be building his own battle royale game in Roblox. Even though he may be playing one of his favorite video games, he will also be learning skills he can take with him in the future, so it’s a win win for parents and kids.

What Steps is Code Ninjas taking to Prevent the spread of germs?

In response to COVID-19, Code Ninjas is taking many safety precautions to keep families safe, including enhanced cleaning and social distancing. Kids are required to wear a mask, all instructors will be wearing masks, and desks are spread out in the classroom 6 feet apart. Siblings are welcome to sit together. I visited the Code Ninjas Tustin location, and felt totally safe. The facility was clean and set up well for social distancing, and the staff was very professional and following protocal.

If you still feel uncomfortable taking your child to an in-person camp, many locations are offering virtual camp options.

How Can Coding Help your Child?

Coding has been called “the literacy of the 21st century”. Just like math, science, and literature, coding is a key aspect of understanding our technologically-advanced world. There’s a huge need for a generation that not only understands technology, but how it works. Code Ninjas believes that there’s never been a more exciting time to advance our culture – starting with our youngest ones.

Every kid deserves the chance to unlock their innate, unlimited capacity to learn. Whether or not they pursue coding as a career, we want to provide kids with skills that will help them pursue their dreams. Computer science majors earn 40% more than the college average, so the time is now to get our children interested in the educational part of computers.

Kids have fun, parents see results®.

How to Register for Code Ninjas

To find a Code Ninja’s camp near you or to register, head over to the Code Ninja’s website. Right now they are offering a special 10% discount off all camps for a limited time! Woo hoo.

Code Ninjas Camp Giveaway

Now is your chance to win a free Code Ninjas summer camp for your child. This summer, Code Ninjas is hosting an amazing giveaway for their Code Ninjas Camps – you can enter to win one of 100 FREE Code Ninjas Camps (in-person or virtual)!  Head over here to enter: https://bit.ly/3eaBY00

Code Ninjas is proud to support families nationwide by sharing the joy of coding through this giveaway. It’s their way of giving back to deserving families, including first responders, essential workers – everyone doing their best to cope with recent events.

If you are looking for a scenic, family friendly nature experience, then the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Laguna Niguel is a great place to check out. The Niguel Botanical Preserve is 18.2-acre of beauty, situated above the amphitheater within Crown Valley Community Park (which is a great park I might add). It displays garden-worthy plants appropriate to the Southern California region. All of these plants have been collected from five areas of the world with similar Mediterranean climates. I believe that this is one of the best botanical gardens in Orange County.

Information about the Niguel Botanical Preserve

Admission to the Niguel Botanical Preserve is FREE to the public and 365 days a year from sunrise to sunset. Our family went just before sunset and it was so nice. The weather had cooled down and there was still plenty of light to see the different varieties of plants and flowers.

To get to Niguel Botanical Preserve, you will want to park at Crown Valley Community Park. You can enter the preserve at multiple entrances. The easiest one to find is just above the Amphitheater. There is also an entrance at the west end, and the east end. Here is a map of the different areas of the preserve. I expect that you will find something you didn’t see before each time that you go.

While you are in the preserve, you can walk the trails and explore the different greenery. Most of the plants have markers to let you know what they are. There are also some informational boards throughout the reserve. I suggest you have the map handy, as there are no maps displayed within the preserve.

How to Enjoy the Niguel Botanical Preserve with Your Family

Here are some photos from our visit to the Niguel Botanical Preserve. There are so many trails and areas to explore that I might as well show you in pictures. There are also places with seating available to sit a relax along the way.

There are some areas of the garden that the kids enjoyed the most. This Garden Labyrinth was fun to learn about. We never knew that labyrinths are not meant to be tricky mazes, but as a way to meditate and find peace. Our whole family followed the labyrinth to the end!

Attached to the Garden Labyrinth, there is an area with this pretty gazebo. It’s located at the back of the preserve at the top of the hill. It looks like the perfect place to have a wedding although they don’t hold weddings at the Niguel Botanical Preserve at this time.

There is also a Children’s Garden at the Niguel Botanical Preserve which the kids had the most fun at. It’s located on the west side of the preserve at the bottom of the hill. It’s next to a beautiful rose garden that smells heavenly, and is flanked with royal blue arbors and topiaries. There is also a small little garden maze and butterfly artwork.

Wow! We spent almost two hours exploring. You could easily spend more, or less. There’s no amount of time that you must spend inside. It could be a short trip or a long trip depending on your schedule. We also isn’t see many people at all on our visit, so we felt like we had the whole place to ourselves.

I highly recommend a visit to Niguel Botanical Preserve! It makes a great adventure for all ages. The trails are very accessible, you can easily bring a stroller, and there are plenty of shade areas. If you want to bring a picnic, you can eat within the preserve or right outside in the park. As I mentioned before, the preserve is located next to the Crown Valley Community Park that has a terrific playground, splash pad, amphitheater, bike trails and sport areas. You could easily make a day out of your visit. Happy trails!

Centennial Farm is located in the OC Fair & Event Center in the city of Costa Mesa in Orange County. If you have been to the OC Fair, then most likely you have also visited Centennial Farm. The big red barn marks it’s location!

Did you know that you can visit Centennial Farm for FREE?!!! It’s open to the public almost every day of the week, unless there is a special event or if the OC Fair is open, which in that case you can still visit if you have a Fair ticket! You can stroll to gardens and say hi to all the animals which is especially fun for small children.

If you want an extra fun experience at Centennial Farm, then I suggest visiting during one of their Discovery Days.

Discovery Days at Centennial Farm are set up for school field trips, but you are welcome to visit on your own alongside the groups. They have volunteers onsite with demonstrations and hands on activities for kids to learn about gardening and farm life. Did I mention that there is NO CHARGE for you to visit on your own! We took Dani last week and had such a great time.

When you arrive, make sure to check in at the tables located at the entrance to the farm. They give you a map and explain what is happening inside the farm. They also give each kid a coloring book and a packet of seeds. Then you will head inside the Centennial Farm for your self guided tour.

We started out heading over to the garden to check out all the vegetable being grown. WOW! They have a little bit of everything growing out in the fields. There a signs in front of each fruit or vegetable with details and info about the plant and how to grow it. If you have older children, you can have them read the plaques, and with younger children

They also have a touch table set up with lots of different fruits and vegetables for the kids to hold, touch, and smell. A volunteer is there to help the kids explore and learn about what they are touching.

The volunteers are also available to talk to you and are so excited to answer questions and show the children different areas of the garden.

Next we headed over to check out a rather large bull. He was very sweet, and we were allowed to carefully brush him under strict supervision of course. There were volunteers telling us all sorts of facts and stories about him, and also answering any questions we had.

Around the corner, there was another variety of cow! How fun to see a dairy cow up close…she was so beautiful. And inside the big red barn, they have milking demonstrations. Make sure to grab a seat early, as it gets quite full inside.

Kids also get to learn about seeds and have the chance to plant their own radish seeds to take home. Radish seeds have a 21 day growth cycle, so kids can see the progress of their plants pretty quickly.

One of the most exciting parts of this day, was seeing the baby pigs that were born less than 24 hours before our visit. There are always pregnant pigs at Centennial Farm, and there is always a batch of new piglets to enjoy and observe.

We got to not only see the newborn piglets, but also a set of 7 week old piggies. Oh my goodness…they were all so cute!

And besides the pigs, there are many other animals to see and learn about. Here are some photos of our animal encounters.

There is so much to see and do at Discovery Days. There was a welder demonstrating different techniques, and doing demonstrations on bending metal for farm and garden accessories.

If you plan on spending a good amount of time at Centennial Fam Discovery Days, you can bring a picnic lunch. There is a nice sitting area where you can sit and relax when you need a break. Honestly, the views of the garden here are so beautiful, and it’s the perfect spot to enjoy the OC Fairgrounds.

Before you leave, stop by the community garden box and grab a bunch of fresh veggies. It’s donation only, and gives kids the opportunity to experience eating something that they can also see growing right before their eyes. We had a choice of different varieties of lettuce, radishes, and swiss chard!

We had such a great time enjoying Discovery Days at Centennial Farm. It’s one of the best truly free activities available to the public in Orange County. It brings some of the best parts of California to our fingertips…our rich agricultural, farming and fabulous Oc volunteers. I hope that you and your family can experience Centennial Farm Discovery Days on day!

For us, this time of year is all about Monster Jam! The boys look forward to going to Monster Jam all year long. And the wait is finally over. Monster Jam is coming to Angels Stadium in Anaheim on January 11th & 25th, and February 8th & 22-23rd. We go as an entire family – mom, dad, boys and girl. even grandma and grandpa usually go with us. Monster Jam is great for the whole family…and I would love to share some of my BEST TIPS for Family Fun at Monster Jam.

Best Tips for Going to Monster Jam

Tip #1 – Make a day of it. We always have the most fun when we do the whole experience. Pit Party, Tailgating and then heading to official Monster Jam show.

Tip #2 – Plan ahead and don’t run late. Angels Stadium is big and there will be a lot of people trying to get into the venue. Whether you are going to the Pit Party or just the main Monster Jam show, plan on getting there about an hour early. Lines can be long getting through security and you don’t want to miss the show.

The Pit Party

The Pit Party, happens a few hours before the Monster Jam show. It’s a separate ticketed event and these tickets sell out quick. Tickets are $15 per person. The Pit Party is where you can get up close to actual monster trucks and even meet the drivers. There are also booths with hands-on activities, game booths and food vendors. this year, the lines to get into the pit party were extra long due to security, so we only got to enjoy it for a short time.

Tip #3 – get to the pit party when it opens. This is one of the best parts of Monster Jam in my opinion.

Tip #4 – Bring something to get signed by the drivers. It’s really fun to wear a Monster Jam shirt or bring a Monster Jam poster to get signed by the drivers during the Pit Party. I have also seen people bring toy Monster Jam trucks and also notebooks to get signed.

Here are some of the photos from our visit to one of the Monster Jam Pit Parties.

I really like to get Dani’s photo with girl drivers so that she can see driving monster trucks is not just for boys. This is Brianna Mahon’s monster truck, Whiplash. She was the only female driver of the evening when we went. Unfortunately, we got to the truck a little late and Brianna had to run out. But we still got Dani’s photo with Whiplash!

We all really enjoyed the Pit Party, and so did our grandparents!  Then we headed back to our car for a tailgate dinner….because that is what you do at Monster Jam.

Bring a Picnic to Tailgate at Monster Jam

Tip #5 – Bring food to Tailgate. I love to make our Monster Jam extra special, so I buy special picnic foods to enjoy between the Pit Party and Monster Jam show. My yummy picnic includes cold cut sandwiches, deli style chips, dips, pasta salads, homemade cookies, brownies and drinks.

TIP #6 – When Tailgating, bring a folding table for the food, and some beach chairs. You can open your trunk and enjoy your picnic dinner right in the parking lot before the show.

TIP #7 – You can also bring food into the stadium…as long as it is not in bulk. Unopened water, gatorade, juice boxes, empty reusable water bottles are also allowed into the stadium. I like to bring snacks such as peanuts, popcorn, candy and licorice for the kids to enjoy during the show. Because they always beg for food inside no matter how much they’ve already eaten.

After dinner, head into Angels Stadium to get ready for the show to start. It’s very exciting to see it all ready and set-up for a Monster Jam competition. The show is super loud once the trucks get going, so it is really important to protect those kids ears from the noise…even adults need ear plugs. Of course the baby had a really good pair pf headphones to protect her ears.

TIP #8 – Bring Earplugs for everyone, and noise cancelling ear phones for kids and babies. You can usually find them at Walmart, Buy Buy Baby, and Amazon. Vendors usually sell them outside of Angel Stadium for a premium price, and of course they sell them inside the venue.

TIP #9 – Dress for the weather. Monster Jam happens whether is warm or cold, rain or shine, so make sure to dress appropriately. Ponchos are great for rainy weather, and jackets, scarves, hats and gloves are great for cold weather. You can also bring a light blanket.

The Monster Jam competition began with a head to head competition race with trucks racing against each other. then they had a new race, called the “two wheel” competition. where trucks tried to do tricks on jut two wheels. It’s amazing to see what some of these truck can do. There will be a few wrecks…which always makes the crowd go wild!

Tip #10 – Have your cell phone ready with the Monster Jam App. Fans were able to vote for the trucks using their cell phones, so you can get in on the excitement and vote for your favorite drivers. It’s pretty interesting to see the scores the kids give to the drivers, and hearing their explanations on why they deserve each score given. I love that everyone gets to participate, it make the show even more fun.

The last race of the night is a freestyle competition. All of the trucks pretty much wreck themselves by going all out on the tricks and speed. Almost all the trucks ended up without shells, and trucks will even do backflips!!!!! It AMAZING!!! Get ready for the crowd to go wild.

By the end of the night, we have so much fun that the little kids are usually all tuckered out. 

I should also mention that our family feels that Monster Jam gets better and better every year. Last year was the best we had ever been to!  The driving was awesome, the tricks were amazing, the crowd was ecstatic, and the show was very entertaining.  Monster Jam surely didn’t disappoint, I’m so glad that I got to experience it with my boys AND my little girl.

Discount Promo Code for Monster Jam Tickets

Tip #11 – You never know how fast Monster Jam tickets will sell out, so I suggest getting tickets early…especially pit party tickets (those sell out the fastest). This year there are five chances to see Monster Jam in Orange County! Last year there were six, so if you want to go, make sure to get your tickets soon before they sell out.

Tip #12 – Use discount code MJMOM20 for $5 off each ticket.

Lastly,

TIP #13 – If you can only afford seats at the top…it’s okay!  I just wanted to mention that all seats at monster jam are great! You can see everything up there. Some people prefer sitting up high. Seats down low are great for being up close, but you can’t always see everything. So there are benefits up high as well as down low.

Taking my kids to Knott’s Merry Farm is one of my absolute favorite things to do during the holiday season. I LOVE Merry Farm! It just feels like the Christmases I had when I was a child…there’s just something special in the air. And the decorations are so beautiful and rustic, good old fashioned Christmas beauty. I just can’t get enough of it.

There are so many fun things to do at Knott’s Merry Farm with kids that I wanted to make sure to share our favorites so that you too can make sure to do the same with your kids!

Top Ten Things to Do with Kids at Merry Farm

Get a Merry Farm Souvenir Mug. The first thing you want to do when you head into the Park for Merry Farm is to purchase a 2019 Merry Farm Souvenir Mug! This way you can feel extra festive all day sipping on hot cocoa with all the holiday toppings. With a Merry Farm Souvenir Mug, you receive free refills of coffee or hot cocoa on the day of purchase, plus $1 refills on future visits through January 5, 2020…how cool is that! I recommend filling it up at Santa’s Christmas Cabin, because I think they have the BEST hot chocolate there.

And while your at it, why not also get a special holiday treat! This year Knott’s has outdone themselves with cute Christmas Treats. Check out these Winter Mint Macaron Snowmen, and the Egg Nog Christmas Tree Cheesecakes on a Stick!

Snoopy On Ice. Every year we look forward to going to this beloved Christmas show featuring our favorite beagle, Snoopy! It is a mix of your favorite Christmas songs, new and old, plus the Peanuts Gang and of course, some very talented ice skaters. It’s the real deal!

It all takes place in the Charles M. Schulz Theatre on the west side of the Park. You’ll want to get in line early for this popular show as it often reaches capacity. And there are no saving seats, so make sure your entire party gets in line together.

Visit Santa. Head over to Santa’s Christmas Cabin and visit Santa Claus himself! Knott’s Santa Claus is very special and spends the time to talk to your child and get a photo. You can purchase Santa photos, but you are also allowed to use your own camera.

Decorating Cookies. You can decorate Christmas cookies in Mrs. Claus’s Kitchen located next to Santa’s Christmas Cabin. For only $6, you get two cookies, frosting, sprinkles, Hershey’s chocolates and a cute box.

Calico Christmas Tree Lighting. This is a very special tree lighting that takes place every evening in Calico Square. Every night they pick a different family to help light the tree. There is a special way they light the tree…but I don’t want to spoil the surprise, so you need to go to the show a find out for yourselves.

Make Christmas Slime. If your kids are anything like mine, the love slime. But I do NOT like them making it at my house. Way. too. messy! But did you know they can make Christmas Slime at Knott’s? Head over to the Crafters Village where the kids can make their own slime. While the kids are doing their thing, you can gift shop. There are so many great vendors with unique and wonderful gifts at the Christmas Crafts Village.

Home for the Holidays. This is Knott’s Berry Farm’s brand new Christmas show that is simply AMAZING! It takes place on the Calico Mine Stage in the heart of Knott’s. Imagine an old fashioned Christmas with singing and dancing, colorful costumes, Christmas trees and the most beautiful house that opens up on stage right before your eyes! The show will have you filled with Christmas spirit as it ends its’ finale will falling snow!

Snow and Glow. Experiencing the snowfall on the streets of Calico is a magical experience. During Merry Farm, snow falls hourly each evening with and twinkling lighting up the streets. This year it has been better than ever, and even feels like there is more snow! Since this show happens multiple times each night, you can bring your kids to different areas of Ghost Town for each snow fall. Try the areas by the Blacksmith Shop, Birdcage Theater and the Old Schoolhouse. My kids just can’t get enough of the Snow and Glow.

A Peanuts Guide to Christmas. This fun little Christmas show take place at the Camp Snoopy Theatre. It’s great for all ages and features a delightful mash-ups of holiday songs with some of our favorites from the Peanuts gang, and of course Snoopy! I like this show because it has easy seating and accessibility. Kids love it because they Peanuts gang sings a lot of familiar Christmas songs that they know.

Visit Snoopy. You can visit Snoopy and some of the Peanuts Gang at the Peanuts Meet and Greet Area in Camp Snoopy. They are all dressed up for the holidays and ready to give you a big hug and take their photo with you. You can find them there throughout the day and also after each showing of A Peanuts Guide to Christmas.

I hope you get to visit Knott’s Merry Farm with the ones you love this holiday season. I also hope this Top Ten list makes it easier to visit Knott’s Merry Farm with kids. There’s so much to enjoy and hundreds of memories to make – and don’t forget about the rides! You’re going to have so much fun that you will want to get Season Passes for 2020. Did you hear? It’s going to be Knott’s 100 Year Anniversary. You won’t want to miss this next year of fun.

Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year.