949.428.3900 29 Hubble, Irvine CA 92618 | Mon & Tues Closed | Wed – Sun 10am – 4pm
Sunday, December 26 - Friday, December 31 Join us as we celebrate Kwanzaa at Pretend City! Each day we will light a candle on the Kinara and celebrate a new principle through a variety of activities. Sunday, December 26 Art Studio Sessions (Times Vary): Join us for an exploration of Kwanzaa Kufi! Wednesday, December 29 […]
Monday, December 27: 10 AM - 12NOON & 1 PM - 4 PM BUY TICKETS HERE Tuesday, December 28: 10 AM - 12NOON & 1 PM - 4 PM BUY TICKETS HERE Wednesday, December 29: 10 AM - 12NOON & 1 PM - 4 PM BUY TICKETS HERE Thursday, December 30: 10 AM - 12NOON […]
Too much screen time during the holidays? Looking for a fun half-day camp during winter break? Pretend City and Child Creativity Lab have the answer! We've partnered with Child Creativity Lab to present live, in-person hands-on STEAM + Creativity workshops this winter break. Each 3-hour class is designed to offer an engaging, hands-on learning experience while also teaching key STEM concepts. Kids tap […]
Friday, December 31 5..4..3..2..1..HAPPY NOON YEAR! Join us for our annual New Year’s Celebration in the middle of the day! We will celebrate the new year at different times throughout the day as the sun travels across the different time zones! There will be a confetti countdown at 4 different times to celebrate the new year in Bangladesh, […]
As we bid farewell to 2021 we want to take a moment of pause to refresh, restore, and revitalize, and therefore will be closed from Saturday, January 1 through Wednesday, January 5, reopening on Thursday, January 6. In order to refresh, we are asking our staff to take some time away from The City and […]
Saturday, January 8 Splish Splash! It’s Bubble Bath Day at Pretend City! Stop by and play with cool, colorful bubbles while your family engages in immersive scientific fun! Purpose Behind the Play: Language development, cause and effect, concept development through bewilderment and curiosity, STEAM experiences, Critical thinking, and health and safety education. BubblePOP (11 AM - 11:50 AM): BubblePOP is coming […]
Sunday, January 9 Happy New Year to the trees! Join us as we learn about the Jewish holiday, Tu B’Shevat, which focuses on the connection between humans and the earth, specifically our trees! Purpose Behind the Play: Social and emotional development, number concepts, cultural diversity, language and concept development, knowledge. of the Earth and […]
Sunday, January 9 | 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM Come and embark upon a sensory, eatable exploration with us! This morning will be filled with textures, colors, and smells from […]
Thursday, January 13 Join us as we celebrate Korean American culture, provide activities that create connection to our Korean community members, and share more on the dishes enjoyed by our Korean friends! Purpose Behind the Play: Fine motor development, appreciation of cultural diversity, social and emotional learning Smart Art (Times Vary): Flag Exploration- Today […]
Friday, January 14 | 10 AM – 3 PM | 2nd Friday of the Month Our Way to Play Day this month is focusing on fine motor skills. Join us as our guides highlight how to make playtime in the museum more educational! Purpose Behind the Play: Imagination, concept development, demonstrate curiosity, language development, recognize and/or name colors, […]
Saturday, January 15 It's time to put on your Patiala or Kurta Payjama as we celebrate Lohri, the Festival of Harvest! In honor of the holiday, we'll be lighting up (pretend) bonfires throughout The City! This celebration of togetherness and gratitude will surely warm your heart as special guests tell us all about their traditions from the Punjab region of India! […]
Monday, January 17 On this special day at Pretend City, we want to have an open discussion with your child about similarities, differences, and equality. Purpose Behind the Play: Concept development, prosocial and emotional awareness, and language development. Smart Art (on-going): Skin Tone Exploration> Everyone has a unique skin tone to them. Using paint, we […]
Wednesday, January 19 Join us for the cuddliest holiday around as we celebrate one of the most famous bears of all time, Winnie the Pooh! You won’t want to miss these Pooh-riffic activities as we venture to the hundred-acre woods! Purpose Behind the Play: Exploration of shapes and patterns with art, sensory experiences, number concepts, language, and […]
The Third Thursday of the Month | Thursday, January 20 |10 AM Mix & mingle with other play-loving parents for Coffee & Conversation, plus you’ll hear from our education & leadership team about our monthly educational focus. Educational Conversation: Keira Merkovsky, (clinical social worker, therapist, MSW, & LCSW), will be coming to chat about the day-to-day struggles of being a mom. Join […]
Saturday, January 22 | 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM & Sunday, January 23 | 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM Lydia is a 5-year-old who loves to paint! Lydia discovered her passion for painting during COVID after rejecting the standard crayons and coloring books, since then she has only expanded her artistic techniques! On this weekend, Lydia’s family will join us in the Art Studio – Lydia to showcase her talents, while her parents share their experience about facilitating Lydia’s child-led artistic endeavors with other parents. […]
Saturday, January 22 | 10 AM – 11:30 AM On this day our Youth Leadership Council (YLC) will be hosting a “Career Day” for our City-goers! Introduce your little one to the roles the help our city run through live-action interaction! Fee: Included with admission BUY TICKETS HERE
Saturday, January 22 Come on a magic carpet ride with Paper Magic, a story about what happens when you befriend a lonely book! Paper Magic was written and illustrated by Eileen Chen from age 14-16 to illuminate her love of imagination and storytelling. Purpose Behind the Play: literacy, imagination, friendship Sensational Story Time & Activity (11 AM): Paper Magic > Join us as […]
10 AM | Wednesday, January 26 As we put the final touches into place, we want to take a moment to share all that's to come, our intentions behind the changes, and a heartfelt 'thank you' to all who've supported this evolution. RSVP: Not required Fee: Included with admission BUY TICKETS HERE
Thursday, January 27 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM This special evening is an opportunity for children and their parents/siblings/caretakers to enjoy The City in a sensory-friendly environment, along with other families. Our community partners, who specialize in supporting children on the autism spectrum, will be on-hand to enrich your family’s play experience with welcoming […]
Saturday, January 29 Puzzles and board games strengthen your child’s critical thinking skills. Today we’ll exercise our brains as we problem solve and have fun through these interactive activities. You’re the missing piece…we need you to complete our puzzle! Purpose Behind the Play: Fine motor and dexterity practice, gross motor development, critical thinking, problem-solving Smart […]
Sunday, January 30 Calling all inventors, innovators, and imagineers! Join us in The City for an invention convention celebrating a city full of innovators! Purpose Behind the Play: imagination, innovation, problem-solving, cognitive thinking, fine motor. Smart Art (on-going): Can You Draw a Hat for That? >We're looking to There's a Hat for That for inspiration as […]
Pretend City will be closed on February 2 in order to provide our team with a full day of training. Thank you for your understanding & patience as we foster a moment for our team to connect, recalibrate, and level up as we step into the New Year and work to provide you with the […]
Thursday, February 3 Black History Month is a valuable time to connect to the past and discover context for the present. Placing this emphasis on Black History provides an opportunity to go beyond stories of racism and highlight Black achievement. Smart Art (on-going): Rhythmic Collaboration & Color> Alma Thomas was an African American artist known for […]
Friday, February 4 Basant Panchami is an important Indian festival that celebrates the onset of spring and recognizes Goddess Sarawati, the goddess of education and learning. Revel in the fun as we learn about this unique tradition through interactive activities! Play Purpose: Social-emotional development, self-regulation, fine motor practice, communication, and creativity. Smart Art (on-going): Flower […]
Saturday, February 5 & Sunday, February 6 The Lunar New Year, also referred to as the Spring Festival, has long been celebrated for centuries. Join us as we celebrate and honor this special day with bright colors, music, art, and stories. Play Purpose: Concept development - color recognition and identification, physical development, social-emotional, language […]