Building Kindness!
categories: Take Action/Serving Your Community
Tag: free
Raspberry Jam at Discovery Cube
categories: STEM/STEAM
Discovery Cube Orange County invites families and educators to join in the fun of learning about coding!
A Raspberry Jam brings together people of all ages to experience coding with the Raspberry Pi™, the powerful bite-sized computer the size of a credit card. Created by Broadcom Engineer, Eben Upton, Raspberry Pi is all the rage with students, teachers, coding clubs and families because it is a user-friendly and super affordable way to experience the power of coding.
At the same time, the Raspberry Pi Foundation is holding its Picademy in Orange County. Raspberry Pi enthusiasts affiliated with the Raspberry Pi Foundation will be on hand to jam along with you! Plus, bring your own Raspberry Pi project to jam and win a COOKIES N’ πCUBED giveaway every 15 minutes from our partners.
The event takes place on Wednesday, June 21, 2017 from 5:30 – 8:00 pm. Discovery Cube Orange County is located at 2500 N. Main Street, Santa Ana, CA 92705.
This event is FREE to registered guests – sign up ASAP! Space is limited.
Register Now
Museum Day Live!
categories: Explore
Musuem Day Live! is an annual celebration of free admission to over 1,100 museum and cultural institutions nationwide. This fantastic event is hosted by Smithsonian magazine. provide entry to anyone presenting a Museum Day Live! ticket.
The Museum Day Live! ticket provides free entry to anyone presenting a Museum Day Live! ticket on September 24, 2016. Each ticket provides admission for two people, per email address. My husband and I will both be signing up in order to get our family of four in.
- STEP 1: To find a participating museum, click here.
- STEP 2: To download a ticket, click here.
Where will your curiosity lead you on Museum Day Live!? Tag your visit on social media with @MuseumDay #BoundlessCuriosity #MuseumDayLive
Free Kids Meal
categories: Budget/Bargains/Deals
When your out and about it’s hard to find healthy meals – especially for kids. The choices always come down to a very processed chicken nugget or a burger. I forget that Chipotle offers healthy, quick, cost effective meals for the entire family.
Since I’m always looking for good deals – this FREEBIE from Chipolte will help remind me to visit Chipotle when we’re on the go (and maybe some Sunday’s when I just don’t want to cook).
Every Sunday in September, kids can eat for FREE with the purchase of a burrito, bowl, order of tacos, or salad. The Free kid’s meal offer is valid only for kids 12 and under through the month of September
To find a location near you click here.
Offer must be redeemed simultaneously in a single visit and is subject to availability. Not valid for catering orders. May not be combined with other offers; additional restrictions may apply.
Hikes & Bikes
categories: Explore
If for some reason you can’t make it out to visit one of our National Parks this weekend to celebrate our National Park’s 100th birthday, here’s a few local hikes and a intermediate bike ride you can take part in.
These guided hikes and the bike ride are all courtesy of our Orange County Parks and are all FREE – just cover the parking!
Saturday, August 27, 2106
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Sunday, August 28, 2016
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Happy 100th Birthday National Park Service
categories: Explore
Today marks the 100th birthday of our National Park Service and they are inviting everyone to celebrate with special events and FREE admission to all of the 412 National Parks from today through Sunday, August 28th.
Our National Park Service is encouraging everyone to #FindYourPark and attend one of the special events they have planned.
We’ve been pretty busy this summer with our summer exploring trips. We’ve visited Sequoia and Kings Canyon as well as two trips to Yosemite. One of which included camping inside Yosemite National Park. The parks are all surrounded with beauty and wonder at every turn.
In Yosemite, we were able to go to sleep to the sound of Yosemite Falls in the background and wake up to look up at Half Dome. There is always so much to see and do in our National Parks and never enough time to finish exploring.
In addition to their special centennial programs offered through out the country this weekend, the NPS offers their Junior Ranger Program everyday as well as the special Girl Scout Ranger Program and the Scout Ranger Program for Boy Scouts.
If you have other plans this weekend – break them and go FindYourPark (EncuentraTuParque).
Don’t forget if you have a 4th grader – your entire family gets into the park for free for a full year with the Every Kid in a Park program.
VBS
categories: Summer Series, Take Action/Serving Your Community
I know it’s late tonight but are you looking for something for the kids to do tomorrow? Why not send them to VBS for a couple of days. Calvary Church in Santa Ana offers FREE Vacation Bible School for kids through Friday, July 29, 2016 and they would love it if you brought your kids. This years theme is “The Cave”. (I love the theme this year).
They are always happy to accept kids, even if it’s just for a day! These are some of the things I LOVE about this VBS:
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It’s FREE
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They never turn a child away
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They help local children without transportation get to and from VBS
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They are very organized and loving with the children
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They teach children about giving back
Every morning starts out by meeting in the main church, there’s a group of people who get the kids ready for their high energy day, with by games,, skits, singing, and praying together then the kids head to their classes where they have a bible based curriculum and then circulate in the campus and do crafts, play games, have a snack and then meet back up in the main church and end their day by another entertaining skit, singing and praying together. It feels like a rock concert in there and the kids love it!
Children are encouraged to give back by contributing through the “Penny Project”. The kids bring in their “pennies” to fund a project to benefit the work of a missionary family. The kids will learn all about this family and what their pennies will help build or provide.
VBS not only helps our children discover and grow closer to Christ, they also make friends and have memories and values to last a lifetime.
If you want to bring the kids tomorrow just show up at Calvary Church located at 1010 N Tustin Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92705, between 4th St. & Irvine Blvd.
The program begins at 9:00 am and is over at 12:30 pm and runs through Friday. You can show up around 8:30 -8:45 within a few minutes they’ll be signed up, assigned to a crew and ready to go! You can feel self assured in leaving your kids as everyone that is serving on the volunteer team has been full background screened.
They are looking forward to see your kids there tomorrow!
Find answers to common questions – VBS FAQ
National Hot Dog Day
categories: Budget/Bargains/Deals
So, tomorrow 7/14/16 is National Hot Dog Day. I know…contain yourself. Although I’m not really a fan of hot dogs, this FREE hot dog giveaway caught my attention because they serve Turkey AND Veggie dogs, who knew!
Hot Dog On A Stick will celebrate this glorious day by giving away 1 FREE Turkey Dog or 1 FREE Veggie dog per person. Great for a quick-lunch and I’m curious about the Veggie Dog. The last time I tried Veggie dogs was about 15 years ago and it was so bad, my dog didn’t even want it (true story) BUT I hear there have been major changes to veggie dogs since then. I’m willing to give it a shot.
To get your free corn dog – find a location near you by clicking here
Rockin’ Family Fun Night!
categories: Budget/Bargains/Deals, Family fun
Join Rockin’ Jump as they host their first ever Rockin’ Family Fun Fair, tonight, Thursday, April 28th from 4:00pm-8:00pm.
The Event is FREE to attend! Bring your family and friends and enjoy a memorable night together at Rockin’ Jump.
Meet local, family-friendly vendors who will spoil you with products and services. They’ll be raffling off a Family 4-pack of jump time and the chance to win some FREE SWAG from the follow companies:
Newport Landing Sportfishing & Whale Watching
CodeRev Kids
Front Porch Pops
K1 Speed
Chick-fil-A Bristol and MacArthur
School of Rock Tustin
OC Animal Care
The Arts & Learning Conservatory
American Martial Arts Academy
Silver Stirrup Riding Academy
Australian Swim School
Sender One Climbing
Brain Builders Educational Programs
The first 25 attendees will receive VIP SWAG BAGS with free jump time and other discounts from our vendors! Don’t miss our Family Night deal – 4 jumpers for 1 hour, 1 large pizza, & 1 pitcher of soda for just $30!
- When: Tonght, Thursday, April 28, 2016 from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
- Where: Rockin’ Jump, 1411 Village Way, Santa Ana, CA
- Cost: FREE
Free Cone Day!
categories: Budget/Bargains/Deals
Today is FREE Cone Day!!! It’s no secret that Ice Cream is one my weaknesses and today it’s FREE! Ben & Jerry’s invites everyone to enjoy a FREE cone. They even encourage you to get back in line for another!
Did you know that Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavors contain 100% non-GMO ingredients? For maximum effect on Free Cone Day 2016, try one of their fruit-infused flavors, like Strawberry Cheesecake or Cherry Garcia, yum!!!
Since 1979, Free Cone Day is Ben & Jerry’s way of thanking their fans for being awesome! The FREE cone’s start being served at noon today through 8:00 pm – So start thinking about which flavor (or flavor’s) you’re going to get.
Click here to find your local Ben & Jerry’s
National Park Week
categories: Explore
National Park Week is coming up! Find your Park for FREE April 16 to 24, 2016. Explore trails, open spaces, at one of your national parks!
The National Park Service is once again partnering with the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, to present National Park Week, a presidentially proclaimed celebration of our national heritage.
Here are some highlights during National Park Week:
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April 16–24: Visit for free!
Throughout National Park Week in 2016, every national park will give you free admission!
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April 16: National Junior Ranger Day
Explore, Learn, Protect! Kids can take part in fun programs and earn a junior ranger badge or become a Centennial Junior Ranger.
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April 22: Earth Day
On Earth Day, if you want to roll up your sleeves and pitch in with a project, look for a park where you can help out.
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April 23: National Park Instameet
Join an InstaMeet in a park. Gather in a designated place at a specific time to take photos and short videos to post on Instagram (and other social media) with the same hashtag: #FindYourParkInstaMeet, #FindYourPark, #EncuentraTuParque, #NPS100
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April 24: Park Rx Day
Parks will host fun recreational activities that encourage healthy lifestyles and promote physical and mental well being. (Looking to host your own event? Download A Guide to Planning Your Own National Park Rx Day Celebration [561KB PDF]).
Don’t forget to check out www.nationalparkweek.org. There you can share your national park photos, videos, and tips. While you’re there, learn all about the ways you can help support your national parks all year round.
Try something new this year. Find your park!
Shark Lagoon Nights
categories: Family fun
Shark Lagoon Nights are a FREE event at Aquarium of the Pacific and are held most Friday nights.
The public is invited to get up close with the ocean’s ultimate predators at the Aquarium of the Pacific for FREE during Shark Lagoon Nights. Guests will have the opportunity to touch bamboo sharks and see large sharks such as sandtigers as well as rays in the Aquarium’s Shark Lagoon.
Enjoy Coffee, hot cocoa, beer, wine, desserts, and snacks as they are available for purchase.
| EVENT INFORMATION | |
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| WHEN | FRIDAY, FEB 5, 2016 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM FRIDAY, FEB 19, 2016 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM FRIDAY, FEB 26, 2016 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM FRIDAY, MAR 25, 2016 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM FRIDAY, APR 1, 2016 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM FRIDAY, APR 8, 2016 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM FRIDAY, APR 22, 2016 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM FRIDAY, APR 29, 2016 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM FRIDAY, MAY 6, 2016 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2016 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2016 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM FRIDAY, MAY 27, 2016 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM FRIDAY, JUN 3, 2016 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM FRIDAY, JUN 10, 2016 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM |
| COST | FREE for everyone! |
| Where | Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way Long Beach, CA 90802 |
| INFO | (562) 590-3100, ext. 0 |
Pumpkin Launch
categories: Family fun, STEM/STEAM
On Saturday, November 7, 2014, Join Discovery Cube at Cal State Fullerton for the annual Pumpkin Launch event!
- Participate in hands-on activities and challenges
- Witness flying pumpkins launched by giant trebuchets
- Bring a carved pumpkin for our pumpkin carving contest (must be pre-carved)
- Enjoy food from your favorite gourmet food trucks
Bring your lawn chairs and witness history at this free event as teams compete to see who can launch a pumpkin at targets using giant trebuchets and other devices. Plus, kids can participate in hands-on activities throughout the day. Don’t miss this great family event!
Admission is FREE – Register Now
Saturday, November 7, 2014 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Cal State Fullerton is located at 800 N. State College Blvd., Fullerton, 92831. Parking is free on Saturdays. Campus map and directions are available online.
This event gives engineering enthusiasts can watch various homemade trebuchets launch pumpkins through the air during the competition.
For a more hands-on lesson on projectiles, youngsters are invited to build their own mini catapults with Popsicle sticks and launch marshmallows. Other activities include pop-rocket building and a whiffle ball catapult station. Plus, a medieval showcase will present costumes, weapons, weaving materials and other replicated artifacts from the medieval ages.
FREE Scary Face Pancakes
categories: Budget/Bargains/Deals
Trick or treat, give kids something free to eat this Halloween! On Friday, October 30th, from 7:00AM-10:00PM, all kids 12 and under receive a free Scary Face Pancake! Learn more at IHOP.com
Restrictions apply. One per child. Dine in only. Participation may vary. Contact your local IHOP for more information. To find a location near you click HERE.
FREE Junior Chef Classes
categories: Family fun
Here’s the August schedule for Williams-Sonoma FREE weekly Junior Chef Class. These kid friendly cooking classes are offered most Saturdays and show kids how fun and easy cooking can be. Kids will learn how to make delicious recipes, from main courses to desserts and snacks, with plenty of tasting along the way.
For specific times and more details, find your Local Stores> • Available at all stores; class times vary by store location. • Class size is limited – call your local store to register.
Here’s the August Junior Chef Class line-up:
Saturday, August 1, 2105: Tomatoes are ripe and ready for eating and cooking this summer! Join us and learn to make some delicious dishes that are sure to impress your family. You’ll also learn some fun facts about tomatoes. Suitable for ages 8–13.
Saturday, August 8, 2105: It’s lots of fun to create homemade pasta. We’ll make the dough and roll it out with a hand-cranked machine.
You’ll also watch us make dough in a machine that mixes and extrudes the pasta for you. Then we’ll whip up some basil pesto in a food processor. Finally, we’ll toss the cooked pasta with the pesto and eat. Super-simple and yummy! Suitable for ages 8–13.
Saturday, August 22, 2105: Toasty on the outside with a warm filling inside, pressed Italian sandwiches are always a favorite. Our kid-friendly combos will hit the spot—how about salami and cheese, Nutella and strawberry, or ham, tomato and cheese. Young chefs will have fun making and eating them. Note: Nuts will be served in this class. Suitable for ages 5–13.
Saturday, August 29, 2105: Who doesn’t love pizza! Kids will have a blast rolling out the dough and topping their pizzas as they please. We’ll bake them off and dig in to the best pizza ever! In this class we’ll be featuring Golden Boy Pizza’s San Francilian-style focaccia pizza. Suitable for ages 5–13.
Family Science Sunday
categories: Family fun, STEM/STEAM
