Lions, Tigers & Bears
Kathleen Reeder
Get Your Kids Into Cooking
Flap Your Jacks
Cook for our kids? In this inflation? If you’re old enough to say the food, you’re old enough to cook it, my little friend. With griddles at every table and a multitude of flavored batters brought out in squeeze bottles, Flap Your Jacks is basically the Turf Club for tykes. Now we just need them to open a Stir Your Risotto or a Confit Your Duck and really see what these kids can do for us.
Playground Where You Can Also Comfortably Pee
Civita Park
We could go into the reasons why so many center-city playgrounds don’t have bathrooms: a misguided desire to discourage unhoused people from congregating, lack of resources for upkeep, etc. Instead, we’re just going to appreciate the fact that Civita Park not only has clean, respectable bathrooms, but a dual-level playground for all ages, a splash pad, and tons of shade. Best of all, nobody has to pee behind a bush.
Family-Friendly Volunteer Opportunity
Produce Good
Families with toddlers (or even older children) love spending Saturdays in a North County backyard or small farm picking citrus from overloaded trees. The fruit is donated to 26 local nonprofits for distribution to the community through food pantries and innovative programs like One Kitchen Collaborative that divert food waste.
Inclusive Activity
Sesame Place San Diego
Chula Vista’s new Sesame Place theme park is the only Certified Autism Center in San Diego County. Specially trained team members, designated sensory areas, and ride accessibility guides—it all means that parents with autistic kids can enjoy the park knowing parent company Sea World considered their child’s comfort and safety ahead of time. Bravo!
Best Place to See Rescued Big Cats & Bears
Lions, Tigers & Bears
When it comes to big cat (and bear) rescues, Lions, Tigers & Bears is legit— accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries and the American Sanctuary Association. It’s home to more than 60 animals, including Louie the lion and Meatball, a California black bear. It’s a great family-friendly experience, and, for those visitors 18 and up, they can upgrade their experience to help feed one of the rescued animals.
Jogging Stroller That’s Actually User-Friendly
Guava Roam Crossover Stroller
Strollers are bulky. Even the ones that claim to be aerodynamic turn out to be aeroproblematic. But Carlsbad-based company Guava created the Roam Crossover, which is 50 percent smaller than traditional jogging strollers when folded and can be pushed and collapsed using only one hand. Perfect for parents whose hands are full because, well, parenthood.
