Ambush Paintball and Airsoft Park in Moorpark

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Ambush Paintball and Airsoft Park opened in April 2013 at 8643 Shekell Road in Moorpark, off of Grimes Canyon Road. There is a turfed arena field and six scenario fields. Full rental gear available. Open for walk-in play, private parties, corporate teambuilding events and birthday parties. Great for beginners through seasoned veterans. Airsoft currently available on Sundays.

Learn more at www.ambushairsoftpark.com and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Ambushpaintballpark.

The Ambush property used to be the 200+ acre Egg City, which at its peak housed 3.5 million chickens that layed 2 million eggs a day! Egg City closed in 1996 and the structures on the site were burned down in a fire in 2006.

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Kids Fun Zone and Outdoor Play Area at Janss Marketplace

Janss Marketplace announces the themes for the 2023 FREE Kids Fun Zone, held from 12 – 2 p.m. on the last Saturday of each month from March through October. Each month children, ages 12 and younger, who are accompanied by an adult, are invited to enjoy free shows, crafts, music and dance at the Kids Fun Zone at Janss Marketplace, located at 275 North Moorpark Road East in Thousand Oaks, just off the 101 Freeway at Moorpark Road and Hillcrest Drive. Register NOW for one, or all Kids Fun Zone events at eventbrite.com.  

The first 2023 Kids Fun Zone on Saturday, March 25 from 12 – 2 p.m. will be held near the Main Fountain and Buca di Beppo at Janss Marketplace. Kids will enjoy “Bunnies in Spring” themed activities including Small Furry Animals Show and Meet & Greet, interaction with real bunnies, Bunny Craft activity, Balloon Art, Zumba class and Gymnastics for young children. A professional photographer will take free take-home photos of children enjoying the “Bunnies in Spring” activities. Register for the March “Bunnies in Spring” Kids Fun Zone at https://MarchKFZ.eventbrite.com.

Kids Fun Zone continues through October with fun and educational seasonal themes and activities:

Saturday, April 29 “Mother’s Day Magic”

The April Kids Fun Zone in the Janss Marketplace Food Court features complimentary flowers to first 100 children to give their mothers, Wacko Magic Show, Photo Frame Mother’s Day Craft, Zumba class and take-home professional photo to give Mom for Mother’s Day. Register for the April Kids Fun Zone at https://AprilKFZ.eventbrite.com.

Saturday, May 27 Friendly Frogs & Cheerful Bugs”

The May Kids Fun Zone near the Main Fountain and Buca di Beppo at Janss Marketplace features Bugs & Frogs Show and Meet & Greet, Bugs and Frogs Balloon Twisting, Bug and Frog themed Face Painting, Zumba Class, take-home professional photo, plus Gymnastics for young children. Register for the May Kids Fun Zone at https://MayKFZ.eventbrite.com.

Saturday, June 24 “Totally Turtles & Tortoises”

The June Kids Fun Zone in the Janss Marketplace Food Court features Turtle & Tortoise Show and Meet & Greet, Live Turtles, Turtle Craft, Zumba Class and take-home professional photo. Register for the June Kids Fun Zone at https://JuneKFZ.eventbrite.com.

Saturday, July 29 “Bubbles, Bunnies & Balloons”

The July Kids Fun Zone near the Main Fountain and Buca di Beppo at Janss Marketplace features the Best Bubble Show, interaction with live bunnies, Balloon Twisting, Decorate your Balloons Craft, Zumba Class, take-home professional photo and Gymnastics for young children. Register for the July Kids Fun Zone at https://JulyKFZ.eventbrite.com.

Saturday, August 26 “Summer Music Jam”

The August Kids Fun Zone in the Janss Marketplace Food Court features The Beatbuds Live Music, Music Class with Bob Harrison, Balloon Twisting, take-home professional photo and Zumba Class. Register for the August Kids Fun Zone at https://AugustKFZ.eventbrite.com.

Saturday, September 30 “Character Dress-up Fun”

The September Kids Fun Zone near the Main Fountain and Buca di Beppo at Janss Marketplace features Princess Show and Superhero Show, Face Painting, Zumba class and Gymnastics for young children. Kids are invited to wear their favorite character costume to the September Kids Fun Zone to get a free take-home picture taken by professional photographer. Register for the September Kids Fun Zone at https://SeptemberKFZ.eventbrite.com

Saturday, October 28 Halloween Party

 The October 28 Kids Fun Zone “Halloween Party” in the Janss Marketplace Food Court is the finale of the 2023 Kids Fun Zone activities. Children will enjoy Joe’s Halloween Marionette Show, Snooknuk and the Robot Halloween Musical, and Zumba Class. Children are invites to wear their Halloween costumes to pose for a free take-home professional photo. Register for the October Kids Fun Zone at https://OctoberKFZ.eventbrite.com

Visit janssmarketplace.com for more information about the monthly Kids Fun Zone and other free community events.

The playground area at Janss Marketplace.

The playground area at Janss Marketplace.

Kids' Adventure Garden in Thousand Oaks

The Kids' Adventure Garden (KAG) at the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden is open every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  The KAG is a fun place for children to learn about nature and gardening.  The garden features a tree house, pirate's cave, zoo garden, hydroponic pod and much more. Free admission (though donations are welcome). Enter at W. Gainsborough Road at Jeaunine Drive. between Lynn Road and Moorpark Road in Thousand Oaks.

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Kids love running around the KAG and exploring the nearby trails and stream.  Additionally, Conejo Community Park is next to the garden, with a nice playground area, expansive grass and picnic areas.

Visit www.conejovalleybotanicgarden.com/collections for more information and pictures. Additionally, a Native Plant Nursery is open at this location on Sundays.

Alameda Park in Santa Barbara

Ranking high up on the list of parks with cool play areas around town is Alameda Park, located at the corner of Garden Street and E. Micheltorena Street in Santa Barbara. Alameda Park has an 8,000 sq ft mostly wooden play structure that was built by local residents.

Your kids will fall in love with the nooks, crannies, steps, bridges and places to hide in this play structure. There are also swings and things to climb on. The park itself is 2 blocks long and one of the oldest parks in Santa Barbara. It is next door to the beautiful Alice Keck Park Memorial Garden. Plenty of grass, spectacular, large shade trees and much more make this a perfect picnic lunch stop when you're in town.

More information at www.santabarbaraca.gov/gov/depts/parksrec/parks/features/horticulture/alameda.asp.

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Free Airplane Rides for Kids in Camarillo and Santa Paula

Each month, Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 723 offers free flights to youth ages 8 through 17, weather permitting.

The EAA Young Eagles program was launched in 1992 to give young people the opportunity to fly in a general aviation airplane. EAA volunteers will explain what you will see and do pre-flight, then take you on a 15 to 20 minute flight. After the flight, your pilot will present you with your own Young Eagles logbook, along with an entry for the flight.

In Camarillo, flights take place from the EAA Hangar Area at 501 Aviation Drive at the Camarillo Airport on the first Saturday of the month. Look for signs; it is next to Commemorative Air Force, CAF Museum, and near the Animal Shelter. Please park on the street, Aviation Way. DO NOT PARK in the CAF Parking Lot.

In Santa Paula, flights are from Santa Paula Airport and take place on the first Sunday of each month. Look for signs.

Visit chapters.eaa.org/eaa723/young-eagles/eagles-flights for more information.

Chase Palm Park in Santa Barbara

Chase Palm Park in Santa Barbara is a huge park that sandwiches East Cabrillo Boulevard.  On the ocean side of Cabrillo the park consists of a palm-lined, narrow strip of park adjacent to East Beach with an oceanfront bike path and walkway from Stearns Wharf to East Beach.  This side of the park is host to Sunday/holiday arts and crafts shows.  The 14,600 square foot Skater's Point skate park is also located on this side of the park.

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Call 805.564.5418 for more information or visit www.santabarbaraca.gov/gov/depts/parksrec/parks/features/playgrounds/chase.asp.

On the other side of Cabrillo is a huge 10 acre parcel that features fountains, creeks, a lagoon, carousel, snack bar and a shipwreck playground modeled after an ocean schooner from the turn of the century.

The park is walking distance to Stearns Wharf, the beach, bike rentals, State Street, etc.

From 1999 to 2017, the park was home to a vintage 1916 40 foot in diamater carousel, The carousel was relocated to Fort Hood, Oregon to a museum.

Bob Kildee Community Park in Camarillo

Bob Kildee Community Park is located at 1030 Temple Avenue (at Ponderosa) in Camarillo. This 13 acre park has newer play equipment and restrooms, 6 lighted tennis courts, pickleball courts, handball courts, horseshoe pits, soccer fields, picnic shelters and BBQ pits, 3 lighted baseball fields, the Pleasant Valley Skate Park, and Pleasant Valley Aquatic Center. More information at www.pvrpd.org/bob-kildee-community-park.

The park is named after the Pleasant Valley Recreation & Park District's first Chairman of the Board from 1962-1966 and again in 1968.

As you can see from the photos below, the play area has some pretty cool and unique equipment!

Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena

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Kidspace Children's Museum is an interactive, must see children's museum next to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, located on four acres inside Brookside Park (480 N. Arroyo Boulevard).

Kidspace has over 40 hands-on exhibits, in addition to gardens, arroyo streams, and frequent daily/weekly activities. Designed for kids between 12 months and 12 years old, Kidspace provides children the opportunity to explore the physical, natural and environmental sciences while having a lot of fun. While at Kidspace they can dig for fossils, climb 40 foot towers, see a real bee hive or even start an earthquake.

Visit www.kidspacemuseum.org or call 626.449.9144 for more information. During the months of September through May, the museum is open Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 am to 5 pm and weekends 10 am to 5 pm. Open Mondays from mid-March to early September.

General admission (as of January 2022) is $14.95 for ages one an up. Seniors (62+) are $12.95.

While making the trek to Pasadena with two young kids can be a haul, it is definitely worth it. There are so many things to see and do both inside the museum and in the large outdoor area, your kids will have fun for several hours...climbing, crawling, playing, feeling, discovering, tinkering, etc. The cafeteria has a decent selection of food too and the museum store has a large assortment of neat learning items. And on your way back home in Ventura County, stop by Griffith Park for some kiddie train rides!

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