- Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena
- "Kidspace Campout" happens from June 30 through Sept. 5, 2022
- The outdoor series celebrates "the most iconic moments of summer"
Watching the ripples on a lake, turning a bright green leaf over (and over and over) in your palm, getting down on the ground to take a closer peep at some peculiar tracks, the sort of paw prints that could have been left by a rabbit or a skunk.
These are some of the nostalgic nature-based pleasures of summertime, those sweet moments of connection that help humans to understand their place in the wider and wilder world and, more importantly, how that world so wonderfully works.
If you don't have a national park visit on your summer calendar, but are seeking local ways to find that fresh-of-air, big-of-vision spirit, look to Pasadena, and Kidspace's Children's Museum, where a new "Campout" will set down stakes on June 30.
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The nine-week series is all about connecting kids with trees, animals, and the outdoors through an engaging series of activities, including learning about animal tracks, enjoying campfire songs, and taking a damp splash in a "mountain stream."
That stream, of course, is located at Brookside Park, near Rose Bowl Stadium, giving families a chance to experience mountain-style merriment closer to home.
Nature walks (for sure, there's a definite "multisensory" component to these sunny strolls), chances to try your hand at tug-of-war, and other get-outside, get-moving pursuits are on the calendar.
It all wraps on Sept. 5, which is Labor Day, but you'll want to reserve your ticket in advance.
The Kidspace campus is a spacious 3.5 acres, which isn't as large as a national park but is quite a bit bigger than most places where we play. Adding to the atmosphere? Mature trees, water features, and other alfresco areas that have been created for kids to engage with the outdoors in a host of educationally awesome ways.
