PlanJam!From your screen to the scene

Balboa Park, the gem of San Diego, is not only an incredibly beautiful place to stroll through gardens and enjoy lovely architecture and views of the city, it is also a place to take pleasure in entertaining and educational museums. When taking a child to Balboa Park, there are enough activities to fill several days, so pace yourself. Here are some of the must-see and must-do activities in Balboa Park:

Balboa Park is home to a large variety of museums that will appeal to many different interests. Among the most kid-friendly are the San Diego Model Railroad Museum, the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, and the Natural History Museum.

The Model Railroad Museum is like a train-loving boy’s vision of heaven. The whole building is filled with elaborate displays of towns and countrysides with working model trains running through them. The details are impressive, from the teeny-tiny towns complete with stores and houses, to the itty-bitty people, cars, and trees. My kids especially love the train display with the ‘50s theme in the back room, mostly because they can press buttons to make different trains move.

Whether your child is interested in trains or not, he’ll enjoy a ride on the Balboa Park Miniature Railroad, driven by a friendly conductor. The short and sweet ride takes you on a ½ mile loop through 4 acres of the park.

The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is a popular spot for field trips and playgroups for good reason. This interactive museum features hands-on activities for kids of all ages on topics from space exploration to the creation of sound. There is even a toddler area called Kid City, where younger children can build, create, and dress up. If you have time, check out a huge-screen movie or a planetarium show in the IMAX theater.

The Natural History Museum is another kid favorite, especially when there is a dinosaur exhibit. Consider attending on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 11 a.m. for Nature, Mommy, and Me, when you’ll get a tour of the museum along with story time for your little one.

Be sure to visit the lily pond in front of the botanical gardens. My kids love to run alongside the pond watching the large koi swim. Adults will enjoy the view of the Botanical Building, the most-photographed building in the park. Step inside to show the kids the carnivorous plants eating insects and steal a few moments for yourself to check out the extensive collection of more than 2,100 plants and flowers.

The World Beat Center features African Drumming and Dancing classes for infants to adults, which are popular with playgroups. Nearby is the most popular playground at Balboa Park, Pepper Grove Playground, which has plenty of slides, swing sets, and climbing equipment, as well as picnic tables and shade trees.
Other popular attractions for kids are the Balboa Park Carousel, the Butterfly Garden, the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater, the San Diego Air and Space Museum, the San Diego Automotive Museum, and the San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum.

Be sure to take advantage of Free Tuesdays at the Balboa Park museums. For a complete listing of dates, visit http://www.balboapark.org/calendar/detail.php?EventID=370. Note that some free museum admissions are offered only to San Diego residents. See website for details.