Or, so I thought. Then I learned about sacsplash.org. This organization offers interactive experiences for kids centered around appreciating the outdoors. Currently SacSplash is offering tours of local vernal pools which, when we went, also had surprise appearances by local frogs, raptors, and a small gardner snake.

This is a top notch program, in my opinion. When we first arrived, one of the biologists led a short discussion at Sacsplash Center on the differences between frogs and toads. This included games such as Name That Croacker, where we heard different sounds and had to guess which of the pictured frogs/toads has that voice. They have a critter room that we enjoyed exploring during the break, and then it was off to the vernal pools. We carpooled to a location where, after parking, we walked a short distance across a field to some vernal pools. The class was divided into smaller groups, each getting a knowledgable biologist assigned to it. David, our guide, gave us each a cup to scoop up some water and  then helped us identify some of the critters that we found in our water. Though most of the kids were older, even my five-year-old was thrilled to continually scoop and find different swimmers in his cup. Our guide was fantastic at talking about some of the other animals that live near and depend on these vernal pools, and the ways you can spot their presence. This was a few hours well-spent. I highly recommend checking them out, but go online to make reservations for the class, as they tend to book up quickly. A $10 donation is requested for each participant.

Photo credit: David Rosen/wildsidephotography.com

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The celebration itself gets mixed reviews from me. It’s great that small towns can get some attention and visitors for a festival, but they are often too small to accommodate the onslaught of people ready to help them celebrate. Traffic along the only main road in each town was often congested and parking was hard to find. Because of all the traffic, we blew through the biggest of the participating towns, Esparto, in the hopes of finding something mellow elsewhere and then returning when the crowds died down. The only other town that had kid-friendly activities was Guinda, where there was the petting zoo and pony rides. By the time we returned to Esparto many of the kid activities (balloon-making clown, arts and crafts, bounce house, pit-o-walnuts) had already wrapped up. If I were to make this trek again, I’d get to Esparto earlier (as in before 11am) and explore around there first.

My disappointment at the lack of almond-centered food was made up for by presence of other food I didn’t expect. For example, at Guinda was a oyster bbq with freshly shucked oysters and shrimp on the kabob. It smelled fantastic, though the long line prevented me from picking some up for sampling. What I didn’t miss was a lady making peeled mango on a stick. She sprayed it with a little lemon juice and salt. It was, hands down, the best mango I have ever had. Too bad she sold out before I could go back for seconds. I’m frankly not sure if I’ll come back again for the “almond” festival, but start up a mango festival with these mangos-on-a-stick and I’ll come running in an instant. My apologies to the almond farmers, I do realize we are nowhere near the tropics, but I’m guessing there were at least more mangos there than nuts.

Celebrate Photo Friday by stopping by Delicious Baby and finding more travel photos.

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Now scroll down to see the wide shot….

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Keep scrolling….

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Do you have something pictured in your mind?

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Voila. Not as big as you may think.  Thanks to Debbie at Delicious Baby for hosting Photo Friday. Be sure to visit there to check out more travel photos.

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There are three floors at the present time. The new addition will open October 10th of 2010. The kids, no surprise, took as much interest in the leveler blinds as they did in the paintings on the wall. However, the paintings and sculptures did open up conversation for us to talk about what people used to wear in different periods, what occupations were held long ago that you don’t see nowadays, and how art differs in other cultures. In addition to the typical hanging art and sculptures along the hallways, one room held clothing from I’d guess about a hundred years ago: dresses, hats, shoes, and parasols. Another room was dedicated to Asian art.  Another had beautifully painted plates, which the kids got a kick out of. Our favorite place was a well-lit foyer area where there was an exhibit that you could walk through. It had many walls with small mirrors on them, the kids really enjoyed the effect the light and mirrors created. I have some photos that I am holding for the upcoming Photo Friday so check back again!

Though our trip didn’t happen to fall on an event day, there are several activities that Crocker Art Gallery hosts specifically for youth and families. Once a month there is a day called ”Wee Wednesday” where art projects are available for the little ones. Also there are story-and-art hours, and drawing classes for teens. This Saturday is Free Museum day, so you may find it worthwhile to go and check out for yourselves. Their online calendar  makes it easy to plan for special events. By the way, from noon until 3pm on the second Saturday of each month are kid-based activities that follow different themes. This month, Feb. 13th, the teme is “Drawing from Still Life”. Regularly, adults are only $6 and kids six and under are free, so regardless of which day you plan your trip, it won’t break the bank. Metered parking is directly in front of the museum, so bring your quarters. For us, one hour was just about right.

I don’t consider myself very artistic, but I like the idea of  bringing my kids somewhere that supplies the materials and the inspiration. I think they will get much more appreciation of art that way than by relying on me. So for the years that it has taken me to get here (even though it’s practically in my backyard), I’m glad we went. I hope to go back on a day with planned kids’ activities. Maybe it will help me tap into the inner-painter I wish I could be.

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One of the stops was an old schoolhouse. I have often seen this school from the outside, but it happened to be open as we went around on our scavenger’s hunt. This was a one room building heated by a pot-bellied stove in the middle.  Some of the desks had mini chalkboards on them, really giving the feel for learning without backpacks or binders. The classroom, which served up to eighth grade, was divided into readers and non-readers. Just one teacher attended to all of the students. The photo didn’t really fit into Wednesday’s post, though I found it to be one of the most interesting stations we had to visit. I thought it was worth adding to the collection of travel photos for Photo Friday. To see more travel photos, be sure to check out Delicious Baby.

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I grew up in Sacramento and have been through Old Sac. countless times. Some of the stores have changed, but mostly the cobblestone street, statues, storefronts, and wooden-plank walkways have remained the same for as long as I have seen them. Using the scavenger hunt sheet as a guide, I actually looked at things I have walked by hundreds of times and just today learned how far back they really go. To take this journey, you can either download from their website the ten riddles that take you around Old Sac. or there are plenty of sheets available inside the Trailmix store on I Street. The sheet also includes a map that makes it easy to find each station where you hunt for the clue to answer the riddle. Think your child will not be able to make it through ten separate locations around Old Sac? Also on this sheet is an alternate (or supplementary) eye spy game.  Three free museums are listed and under each is a short list of items to locate in that building.  The hunt took us between one and a half to two hours, but it was a highly distractable group. The clues are all within plain site, you could complete the scavenger hunt regardless of  whether any specific location is open or closed. I won’t give much else away by talking about where we went, but I will mention it sure opened my eyes as to how much history has always been right there, if I just looked beyond the stores.

Another score for me was found once we reached the final destination, the Trailmix store. This is an outdoor activity store MADE for families. Aside from being a store, there is a room with tables that get filled with kids on school field trips or with families coming out to some of the weekend workshops. (Workshops include seed planting, bird counting, using a microscope, plus more.) If the tables are empty, you are welcome to drop in, grab some snacks, or buy and assemble one of the many activity kits offered. (Examples include building a birdhouse, making a fossil necklace, etc. ) Truthfully, I’m not a big shopper. But give me an activity I can enjoy with the kids and you’ve got yourself a fan. Guess that’s why I’m enthusiastic about this store becoming another part of  Old Sac’s history.

top photo credit: Joanne Coughlin

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Sutters Fort

According to the California State Parks website, in 1839 a Swiss immigrant named John Sutter received a land grant in the Sacramento Valley from the Mexican government. He used the land to create a flourishing agricultural empire and named it New Helvetia (New Switzerland.) This empire established Sacramento’s earliest settlement and the first non-Indian settlement in California’s Central Valley. Less than a decade after they were established, Sutter’s properties were overrun by gold seekers and the fort is all that remains of New Helvetia. It has been restored to its former state based on an 1847 map published in Germany and is open daily for tours.

Tours are self-guided. You purchase an electronic device which narrates interesting bits of history as you pass from room to room. This is a great opportunity for school-aged kids to learn and see what life was like in the middle eighteen hundreds. Metered parking is available around the Fort. Admission and hours are available on their website.

Indian Museum

About a block from Sutter’s Fort is the State Indian Museum. This is a small museum that contains interesting history, pictures and art. It will not take long to see all the items, but worthwhile for the minimal admission cost.

Artbeast

A few blocks from the Indian Museum is a great Victorian house that has been converted into an all-you-can-create art studio. From the Indian museum just walk down K street about 3-4 blocks. Parking is available on the street, but be aware that it may vary from buy-a-ticket-at-the-machine on one block to 2 hrs. free on the other side of the street.

Once you enter the Artbeast, one room downstairs sparks the imagination with a pretend rocket ship, musical instruments and costumes (and more!). Upstairs you can grab some clay at a table or step up to the easels that always have a fresh sheet of paper and paint ready. Head upstairs once more for a baby play room, dance floor, and more places kids will love to explore. For more details on the Artbeast see my earlier post on our visit.

If, at this point, you are up to grabbing a bite to eat there are a few places within walking distance from the Artbeast. One is Hot Rod’s Burgers at 2007 K Street.  The food is tasty and they have very friendly and quick service. If you are continuing to McKinley Park, there aren’t any cafes or eateries directly surrounding the park.

McKinley Park

This is a great park for kids of all ages. If you have left your car at Sutter’s Fort, this may be the time to pick it up. The distance between Sutter’s Fort and McKinley Park is not great, but you do have to travel under the freeway. To get to McKinley Park, take J street until Alhambra and turn left. The park is 2-3 blocks away. 

The playground is made from wood and is designed by a community collaboration. Looking much like a castle, it has bridges and tons of nooks and crannies to explore. It is large enough to accommodate many kids without feeling too crowded. One of the areas is designed for the younger crowd, but it’s located right next to the main play area. For more details you can check out my earlier post on our trip to this park.

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Thanks to Debbie at Delicious Baby for the opportunity to share this photo. Be sure to check out the other travel photos at her website: www.deliciousbaby.com.

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What would the “best park” contain, you ask? This one really lives up to its reputation. There is a library, a local pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, a beautiful rose garden, tons of big, shady trees, lots of picnic tables, a small lake (or is it a big pond?) with an amazing variety of ducks and geese. All I was really interested in, though, was a decent playground. Here again, there was no disappointment.  Created by a community collaborative, this playground is castle-like with enough long raised walkways, bridges, and ladders to entertain any school-aged kid who has been house-bound by cold weather. It is made mostly of wood, which blends in with the park quite nicely. The amount of thought and detail behind it is obvious.  For example, since much of the structure includes play areas above ground, one space below it is used for a small tire swing. A play area for smaller tots is attached and yet in a separate area. Two beautiful sea lions (the head of a lion and the body of a fish) mark the entrance into the playground, which adds fanciful art that is also climbable.  

My thanks to the voters at the Sacramento News and Review. I can’t believe having grown up in Sacramento I hadn’t found this park earlier.  My hat’s off too to the scores of community volunteers who built this beautiful playground. Just shows that when a community comes together, you get nothing but the best.

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Here’s the way it works: for a small fee ($7 for kids, $9 for adults) you can pick out an unpainted piece of pottery which has been fired once already (called bisque), paint it, and pick it up later when it has been glazed and fired for a second time. The bisque is an additional fee, but you have access to as much paint as you need, brushes, and other materials to help you make a unique creation. When you are done the staff collect your artwork. After the pieces are completely dry they get dipped into clear glaze and fired a second time, to become the final product. Your items are ready to be picked up again usually within three days.

Here’s what happened: I took the kids into the bisque area, trying to head them toward a nice plate, mug, or ornanment. Of course, they passed these by completely in favor of a tractor piggy-bank, cat figurine, and a motorcycle. What grandmother wouldn’t be the proud owner of a small green and yellow cat? But okay, its from the kids so they get to choose.  At the painting table an employee explained that to get something a solid color, it should be painted, allowed to sit for a while for the paint to dry, then repainted again. Ideally, three times. With only one coat, you often see the brush strokes and the color does not appear strongly. Getting the kids to go back and apply a second coat was nearly impossible. My two-year old didn’t mind me “helping” him put paint on, but there would be no way to try to sneak a second coat on any of the other kids’ items.  Then the third thing I hadn’t considered… the cost of the bisque items. Many of the items were upward of $7. My kids are at the age where painting means slapping some color onto something and moving on to the next item. This can add up quickly.

What I might do differently: After relaying our day’s events to my husband, he suggested that if I am looking for gift items, just let the kids dip their hands in the paint and create their handprint on a plate. Afterwards let the kids each pick out one special thing for themselves. Wish I had thought of that earlier. Certainly having a discussion beforehand about how many items we can pick out might have alleviated me from drawing the “only two” line from within the store. If you are a planner you might find items and their prices listed online, and can make some decisions before walking around shelves of tempting pieces.  

All in all, we had a really great time. The kids can’t wait to pick up their art and I’m sure will not want to part with it.  Grandma, you have been  spared the lime green tractor bank this year. But a gift certificate to spend a few hours together at a local ceramics store may be under your tree. May we all have such a colorful Christmas.

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