Talk about an adventure off the beaten path…STAR ECO Station, an Environmental Childrens Museum, is a hidden treasure tucked away in Rocklin.  I had no idea what was in store for us when we visited with our whole family, Grandma included.  The plan was to go on an outing the kids would enjoy but the grown-ups loved this place just as much!  We experienced hands-on lessons of ecology and environmentalism as we encountered beautiful tropical birds, exotic reptiles, and ocean life in a tropical jungle setting.

STAR ECO Station is an internationally award-winning  non-profit environmental education and exotic wildlife rescue center, dedicated to the mission of Preservation Through Education.  STAR ECO Station provides a last chance for illegal or abandoned at-risk exotic wildlife, as well as environmental education outreach programs.

What makes the STAR ECO Station such a great experience is the fact that a knowledgeable tour guide offers information about all the wildlife you see.  Your guide takes you through the reptile room, the bird room, and the ocean life room, telling interesting facts about each animal.   Our guide, Jamie, not only educated us but was able to answer all of the questions we had throughout our visit.  We were continually surprised by fun facts she shared with us.  We never knew that the Bearded Dragon only shows his beard when he feels threatened and that Parrots bond and mate for life.  We all loved that we were able to get so close to the wildlife and even touch a couple of the reptiles.

I am a fan of places that offer fun and education wrapped up in one and STAR ECO Station does just that!  Each one of the kids was fascinated by all that they saw and learned and, well, we grown-ups were too!

Click here to learn more about the STAR ECO Station and to see their upcoming events.  They also offer great birthday parties.

Hours:
Friday 1pm-5pm, Saturday 10am- 4pm, Sunday 12pm-4pm
Tours start every hour on the hour.  Last tour starts one hour before closing.

Admission:
$6.00 for Kids, $5.00 for Kids under 16, 2 years and under are Free

STAR ECO Station
4465 Granite Drive, Suite 700
Rocklin, CA 95677
(916) 632-5437

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[April Chavez is the lucky winner of the 4-pack of tickets!  Congratulations!  Thank you to everyone who entered to win.  Stay tuned for more great giveaways in the future.]

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is roaring into town September 9th - 12th with Barnum’s FUNundrum!, a new jumbosized, un‐miss‐able event celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of legendary P.T. Barnum, the Greatest Showman on Earth!  From the moment that you arrive, the momentum explodes as The Greatest Show On Earth comes to life in a way that can only be inspired by the greatest showman who ever lived.  Featuring 130 performers from six continents, almost 100,000 pounds of performing pachyderms, cowboys, pirates, and mermaids, it is a super-sized spectacle so massive you just can’t miss it!

An All Access Pre-Show begins 1 hour before show time on the arena floor.  It is a wonderful opportunity for you and your family to interact with performers, try on costumes, and see some of the famous Ringling animals up close!

Our family considers it a special treat to go to the circus each year.  The kids look forward to it with great anticipation and are just mesmerized throughout the show!  For a look at what you can expect this year, click here.

To make it more affordable, here’s a discount offer:  4‐for‐$44 when you use the code MOM
Enter the promo code when purchasing tickets on Ticketmaster or mention it at the box office!
(No double discounts, valid on all $23, $17, and $14 tickets)
3 Ways to Purchase Tickets:
1. Visit www.ticketmaster.com and enter Promo Code MOM
2. Visit ARCO Arena Box Office and mention Promo Code MOM
3. Call (800) 745-3000 and use Promo Code MOM

We have a 4-Pack of Tickets for The Greatest Show on Earth to giveaway to one lucky Sacramento Sidetracks reader!

To enter to WIN, all you need to do is the following 2 things:

1. Click here and “Like” Sacramento Sidetracks on Facebook.
2. Leave a comment on this post letting me know that you want to win the tickets.

The giveaway will close Sunday, August 29th at midnight and the winner will be announced Monday, August 30th.  The winner will be selected at random using Random.org.  Good Luck!

Target is sponsoring Free-Admission Days at the Sacramento Zoo!  If your kids have not gone back to school, then head over there for the whole day.  If they’ve already started back, then surprise them for an after-school outing!  Please consider bringing a new, unwrapped item to donate for their Back-to-School Supply Drive to help kids in our community.

When: Monday, August 23 & Monday, August 30; 9 am to 4 pm

Where: Sacramento Zoo, 3930 West Land Park Drive

More info: Call (916) 508-5888 or www.saczoo.com

This is the place for hands-on science discovery!  The Explorit Science Center in Davis features interactive exhibits, a Discovery Room, and a Wet Lab.  Their mission is to “engage people in science experiments that touch all our lives.”

Whether your kids are already interested in science or you want to get them interested, there is no better place to explore.  My kids are still young and haven’t had any experience with science yet.  We walked in the door and they were instantly in engaged.  They wanted to check out every single fossil in the Discovery Room and know exactly what they were.

We moved on to the interactive exhibits and I was amazed at how Explorit has come up with such fun ways to teach important principles of science.  We learned things like:

What happens to the energy of a moving object.
Which objects fly best.
What happens to your body when you exercise.
How gears work.

To get the most out of it, be prepared to be hands-on right along with your kids.  Each experiment has step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow.  Kids that are over eight may be able to figure them out on their own, but younger kids need help understanding the how and why.  There was a friendly, knowledgeable staff on hand that helped us out when we were a little unsure of how to do something.

Upstairs, we conducted little experiments in the Wet Lab.  My four-year-old loved sending scents through a large tube with a fan and weighing the liquids.  Even as I am writing this post, he is looking at the picture and recalling that he learned “which one was heavier”!  My seven-year-old was in love with the craft room that was filled with recycled materials that she could be creative with.  My two-year-old’s favorite spot was the booth he could sit at and play with plastic molecules.  There was definitely something for everyone!

Check this place out and be prepared for a wonderful combination of fun and learning!

Hours:
Saturdays & Sundays: 11 am - 5 pm (both floors)
Tuesdays: 10 am - 5 pm (first floor only 10-2:00; both floors 2-5:00)

Admission:
General Admission $4.00, Kids 3 and under FREE
*FREE Admission Day is the 3rd Tuesday of each month!
*Admission is FREE on the first weekend of each month to individuals with Bank of America credit or debit cards through the bank’s “Museums on Us” program.

Explorit Science Center
2801 2nd Street
Davis, CA 95618
(530) 756-0191

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Sat, July 10th - Sun, July 11th

1. Learn about the Maidu Indians at MAIDU MUSEUM’S FAMILY FUN DAY.
2. Admire wildfowl artworks at the WILDFOWL ART FESTIVAL.
3. Enjoy MONKEY KING: BOLLYWOOD SUPERSTAR at Fairytale Town.
4. Construct a paper TRICERATOPS PILLOW at the Discovery Museum.
5. See PIRATES OF PENZANCE at Civic Theatre West.
6. Make a NATIVE AMERICAN CRAFT and learn about the Nisenan Maidu at TrailMix.Net.
7. Giggle at the FROGGY’S BIG SPLASH puppet show in the Rancho Cordova Library.
8. Watch A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM at The Shakespeare Festival.
9. SING ALONG with wild & wacky Mr. Candee in the Courtland Library.
10.Enjoy songs and stories of CYRUS THE UNSINKABLE SEA SERPENT with Francie Dillon.

Ready to have a blast with the family on INDEPENDENCE DAY?  Looking for a Parade, a Picnic, Fireworks?  Here’s a list of celebrations happening all over Sacramento.  With all of these choices, it just might be hard to decide!   Happy 4th of July!

Sacramento Independence Day Celebration

Before the fireworks, the celebration begins with Mick Martin and the Blues Rockers performing at 6:30 p.m.  Poppy, the State Fair Mascot, will also be on hand to entertain and delight both young and old. The elaborate Sacramento Independence Day Celebration will include musical entertainment and fireworks.
When: Sunday, July 4, 2010; Starts at 6:30 p.m.; Fireworks 9:30 p.m.
Where: Cal Expo; guests should use the East Gate, located at the intersection of Exposition Blvd. and Challenge Way, as the main entrance to the event. Enter through the D Lot parking area.
Cost: General admission to the July 4th celebration is free, but parking is $10 per vehicle.
What to know: Arrive early and bring lawn chairs and blankets.   Fireworks, cans, glass bottles and alcoholic beverages are prohibited. Bags and ice chests will be searched at the gate. The grass infield will be open on the north side with a section for persons with disabilities set up on the apron by the Winner’s Circle.
More info: Click here or call (916) 263-3000

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If you are looking for a new and interesting ways to keep your kids busy during the summer, The California Museum’s state symbols program is a rewarding experience. Every Wednesday, a different state symbol is featured through craft projects and complemented with a scavenger hunt through the Museum that kids of all ages can enjoy.

6/30 - Pan for gold
7/7 - Create a dragon
7/14 - Find fossils
7/21 - Design a state seal
7/28 - Quail cuties!
8/4 - Create a bear flag
8/11 - Build a log cabin
8/18 - Plant a redwood

When: Wednesdays, June 30th through August 18th; 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Where: The California Museum, 1020 O Street, Sacramento, CA
Cost: Program FREE with admission (Adults $8.50, Kids 6-13 $6.00, Kids 5 and under FREE)
More info: Call (916) 653-7524 or click here

If you haven’t been there yet, here are some of our photos from a couple different visits to the museum.  My kids and their friends have found the exhibits very interesting and had a great time!

Fri, June 11th - Sun, June 13th

1. Enjoy a movie under the stars at Gibson Ranch’s OUTDOOR MOVIE NIGHT tonight.
2. See YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN! at Civic Theatre West.
3. Build a picture frame at Lowe’s BUILD AND GROW CLINIC for kids.
4. Talk to scientists and learn about BOHART’S BUGS at the Trailmix.net store.
5. Play games and win prizes at Funderland’s SUMMER FUN & GAMES.
6. Laugh at the LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD puppet show in Fairytale Town.
7. Picnic at the POPS IN THE PARK concert in Glen Hall Park.
8. GET CRAFTING, eat and win doorprizes at the Central Library
9. Learn about ANCIENT OCEANS at the Discovery Museum.
10. Hear stories and learn about the Maidu Indians at Maidu Museum’s FAMILY FUN DAY.

It’s time to kick off the summer and spend some quality time with the family.  If you find yourself searching for things to do in between the BBQ’s, there are plenty of things going on in Sacramento!  Due to the variety of weather it looks like we’ll be having, I’ve included both indoor and outdoor activities.  Most of these ideas are FREE or very affordable.

1.  See animals, shows and eat treats at the SACRAMENTO COUNTY FAIR.
2.  Dance to the music and get your face painted at the SACRAMENTO JAZZ FESTIVAL .
3.  While in Old Sac for the Jazz Festival, create an art project at the TRAILMIX.NET STORE.
4.  Splash and play in the water while picnicing at a SPRAYGROUND.
5.  Learn about agriculture in a fun way at the FARMS, FRIENDS, AND FAIRYTALES event at Fairytale Town.
6.  Laugh it up at SHREK FOREVER AFTER IN 3D at the IMAX.
7.  Hike at the COSUMNES RIVER PRESERVE or the EFFIE YEAW NATURE CENTER.
8.  Create a T-rex craft and learn about them at the DISCOVERY MUSEUM.
9.  Visit the animals and be entertained at FOLSOM ZOO’S FREE FAMILY DAY.
10. Enjoy creative performances from different cultures at the INTERNATIONAL KID’S FESTIVAL in William Land Park.

Have a GREAT weekend!

Sat, May 22nd & Sun, May 23rd

1. BOUNCE together at Bounce Spot’s Family Night tonight.
2. Create a DINO DIORAMA at the Discovery Museum.
3. Enjoy STORYTIME at Barnes & Noble book store.
4. Attend the theatre for Runaway Stage Production’s KING ARTHUR.
5. Spend a DAY ON THE FARM at the American River Ranch.
6. See THE PRINCESS AND THE PAUPER at the Chautaqua Playhouse.
7. Giggle at THE THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF Puppet Show at Fairytale Town.
8. Ride a pony at Elk Grove’s SPRING FESTIVAL and Chili Cook-off.
9. Meet ANIMALS from 5 continents at the Rancho Cordova Library.
10.Celebrate the Asian Pacific Island culture with food and entertainment at the PACIFIC RIM STREET FESTIVAL.