NEW look is live on the blog + 5 things!
Play Trip: NEW accessible playground + 2 more playgrounds + a croissant
The stressful-for-me-part of the blog change is done and the new look is live! I keep describing it as a “good haircut” — like, it’s not a super-obvious change, but something about it looks and works better. [And then in some weird the-universe-is-listening-moments — the checker at Petco complimented me on my bangs and OCMomWalks on Instagram entered me in a giveaway for a haircut!]
Now I just get to tinker and fix it up to make it even better for you. I hope you are really going to like it! I think it works so much better on mobile and the category pages are going to be amazing once I can build them out! I can’t wait to get them going to their full potential.
On Desktop
On Mobile
I’ll give you a little tour below! And I’m also going to share a fun play trip if you are wanting to visit a new accessible playground!
In play,
Michele
As a friendly reminder, make sure you ALWAYS check official sources when you are heading out to any of the locations I share. These are merely suggestions. Only you know what works for your family. Plus, your experience may not be the same as mine — and there can be changes to the hours or unforeseen circumstances or conditions at the suggested locations.
Fun Question of the Week
The poll function worked last week! I hope you are having fun with it.
LAST WEEK’S QUESTION: Think about your child and their play time per day (in minutes & hours). Where do they get MOST of their play time over a week?
This was so cool to explore and I hope it takes the pressure to go places and do things OFF your shoulders. Remember, the way I asked the question was to think of where the MOST play is happening in your child’s life in terms of total time in a day + added up per week. So think of the answers that way.
36% of you answered “Home-Inside” with another 9% answering “Home-Outside.” So that means PLAY is mostly happening at home for 45% of you and mostly inside. Hurray for play at home!
Also, remember? We were talking about third places last week with 1st and 2nd places = Home/Work for adults or Home/Possibly School for kids? One place is NOT better than another. Play is play! We’re just thinking about it in terms of 1st, 2nd, and “Third Places.”
So it makes sense that play is mostly happening at school for 24% of you. Once the kids hit school age and since the school hours are so long - the majority of that play time is happening there. Home time might be more for rest and meals and extracurriculars. Or maybe you’re homeschooling so your outside time IS school. Hurray for play at school — whatever school looks like for your family!
Third places like parks and playgrounds have even more play time on our little poll than school. This could be that a lot of you don’t have kids in school yet? And it’s a bit self-selecting because: Duh, you’re subscribed to this newsletter about parks and playgrounds! But the number came out to be 30% of you have the MOST play time happening at parks and playgrounds. Hurray for play at parks and playgrounds!
Third places like: “Church, library, classes, playdates” got 0%. Understandable again, because even if play is happening there that’s not where MOST of your weekly play is occurring when you add it all together. You might be there, but you are home or school or parks for MORE time.
Thanks for playing along!
Play Trip: Try a new accessible playground in a Newport Beach neighborhood
I got to visit the new San Miguel Accessible Park in Newport Beach and update my existing blog post. This is actually the 3rd renovation I’ve witnessed over the years at this park. As with each one, there are changes I like and changes I don’t! I love the accessibility, but miss the boulders. You’ll have to let me know what YOU think!
Read the blog post to see photos and there’s even a photo archive at the end of the post with a nod to past park designs.
While in the neighborhood, don’t skip Chaupain Bakery at 2622 San Miguel Drive
Newport Beach CA. It’s open 7am-6pm. It’s in a shopping area with a Pavilions. I have been to the locations in Laguna Hills and Laguna Niguel (not San Clemente yet) but this one has the most seating, I think.
If you like almond croissants, this may be the best one around. I think it is! Or try a hunk of their massive quiche slices. You can eat there (where you’ll find outside seating) or take your treats to the park for a picnic!
Here is ONE park with 2 separate playgrounds nearby:
I love them both. The one closest to the bakery is for 5-12 year olds, but there are swings for littles and picnic tables. Or the younger kid 2-5 year old version is super mellow except for the loud crack of pickleball being played near the playground.
All the parks and playgrounds on this Play Trip have restrooms.
PLAY: 5 Things to Notice on the NEW Blog
This is the section of the newsletter where we talk about PLAY or connecting to nature each week. I might share a video, an article, a book, or something inspiring. Just trying to help keep you empowered to prioritize play to benefit development and preserve childhood!
Reminder of WHY it needed to change — the old theme stopped being supported so I had to change to a new one that is. Not my choice on timing but is it ever? So I rolled with it and struggled with it and came out the other side with the new look and functionality.
Here are 5 Things to Notice (Right Now) on the NEW Blog!
Go to FunOrangeCountyParks.com — or you can even use OCPlayParks.com to get to the blog!
You can get to everything still on the home page whether on the desktop or on mobile. Scroll to the bottom of the page to pass through some of the most relevant and up-to-date content on the blog!
On mobile, the menu at the top left of the page is collapsed into those 3 bars that they call a “hamburger menu.” The main categories of the blog are reachable from that menu. Namely: Park Map, Accessible Playgrounds, South OC Playgrounds, Central OC Playgrounds, North OC Playgrounds, and the 10 Best Playgrounds in OC.
The Accessible Playgrounds + those 3 category pages (South, Central, North) are new & improved! Each of those pages have:
Playgrounds by city - and links to categories by city
Regional parks in that area
City park links to the official city websites
Related content
The SEARCH function is in TWO PLACES at the top right of the mobile screen and ALSO on the home page above the “Explore by Area” section. Which is another place you can reach the main category pages!
The end of each blog post now has more posts from that category (for instance, the end of the San Miguel Accessible Park post has more parks in Newport Beach/Corona del Mar at the end of that post!). So you will get rewarded when you scroll down all the way to the end of the post.
That’s just 5 Things for now! Each week for the next few weeks, I’ll have more to share. For instance, I got a BRILLIANT suggestion for an easy way for you to submit parks I should cover. I have ideas that I will put into action.
Thank you and let me know what you think!
Play News - National Parks and Public Lands
Remember my call to action from last week? Here it is again . . . as a reminder. We have until May 19th.
Call to action you can do TODAY!
There’s a proposed change (link to NPR article) to the Endangered Species Act that would redefine “harm” to only mean literally killing a species – NOT affecting / destroying its habitat. This is a blatant attempt to strip protections from threatened species. Habitat is essential to survival. We have until May 19th to comment on this proposed change (link to Federal Register with proposed rule)!
To submit a comment, just use the SUBMIT A COMMENT green button at the top of that page on the Federal Register.
THIS IS A BIG ONE!
I always appreciate knowing WHY these things count. There is a really detailed rundown of the WHY in this write-up from
— even if the unthinkable happens, there will be court cases and our plentiful and relevant comments will be useful in the endeavor to show public opinion at the start and also to make a case after the fact.Here are a few posts on this specific public comment opportunity from DevonTheNatureGuy on Instagram, too:
Finally, to no one’s surprise and the horror & dismay of many, there are more staff cuts on the horizon — please follow these sources to learn what other actions you can take to support these park and public lands staff who are truly being subjected to a cruel and unfair process.
Resistance Rangers on Instagram - here is their call to action for park staff
Summer Camps
Play-Filled Extras are waiting below this paywall each week for all paid subscribers. Thanks for your support!