15 Fun Summer Activities for Toddlers in Orange County

My son's summer break is officially starting next week. I'm not a big fan of going out in the heat but staying at home with two toddlers and frying our brains out with television doesn't sound super appealing either. So I've been thinking about all the fun activities we can do this summer, and realized how fortunate we are to live in Orange County where there is tons of stuff to do!

1. Go to the beach and check out the tide pools

We actually checked this one off the list last weekend! I know that going to the beach in Orange County is really obvious, but for some reason the idea of taking the kids to a So Cal beach in the summertime always gave me so much anxiety. Would parking be really difficult to find? How would I lug the kids along with all of our needed things from the car to the sand? What if there were steep stairs? And having to keep a close eye on them on the crowded beach, with neither of them knowing how to swim yet.

My best tip is to go with friends. Plan out what each person is bringing to lighten the load that you have to carry. We went with family members who go often, so it was nice to have extra eyes and hands and people who are already familiar with a particular beach. We went to Little Corona Del Mar and while I was miserable (too much sand and sun), the kids had the time of their lives. My son's an avid ocean lover and I knew he'd love it. It was actually my first time checking out the tidepools as well, as I never had much of an interest in sea life before my son's fascination the past couple of years led me to learn quite a bit the cool creatures that live in our oceans. We saw crabs, anemones, hermit crabs, fish, and even dolphins! Next up, we are planning to check out Crystal Cove State Park. Be sure to check out the low tide forecast before you go.

2. Toddler & Tunes at Irvine Spectrum

Every first Tuesday this summer (until October) Irvine Spectrum puts on a family friendly event from 10am-12pm in front of the Great Wheel! There's games, a dance party, free ferris wheel and carousel rides, and even some special Kids Eat Free deals. Irvine Spectrum also has a basic splash pad by the carousel to add to the fun.

3. Pretend City

Alright...I don't know why I haven't taken my kids here already. I think it's hard for me to get over this Pandemic-era idea that indoor places = germfests. But the danger is not much worse than it always was and I need to get over it. I've taken my niece here before when she was a little older, but my kids are probably the perfect age for it right now at 2 and 4 since they are really starting to get into pretend play.

4. Donuts from J.D. Flannel + Zoomars

J.D. Flannel calls themselves the best donuts in California and I agree with this proclamation with my whole heart. It is our absolute favorite donut shop of all time and we usually visit at least once a month. The blueberry lemon is my all-time favorite, the boysenberry is a standby too. And they have a lot of seasonal flavors with a menu that changes every month. I go bananas whenever they have any banana flavors. My son is gluten-free and dairy-free which is how we discovered this wonderful place to begin with--they have delicious gluten-free vegan options!

To make the trip to San Juan Capistrano even more fun, pair with a trip to Zoomars for the kiddos. It's a little petting zoo in the beautiful Los Rios District and they also have a playground and a couple of other fun activities. I would recommend Heritage Barbecue as well but the wait is pretty long for toddlers.

5. Walk a Goat at Goats + Goods Market

In addition to having Playtime hours where kids can have fun on the little farm, Goods and Goats Market in San Juan Capistrano also offers the opportunity for anyone over the age of 3 to walk a goat! They also host a Family Fun Night on the first Friday of every month where people can come hang out, play games, and chill with the goats!

6. Visit the splash pads

Our favorites are the Sprayground in Laguna Niguel (pair with a visit to the playground and/or the free botanical garden as well) or Central Park Splash Pad in Rancho Santa Margarita (also has a really cool playground).

7. Adventure Playground

California only has three adventure playgrounds, and Orange County is lucky to be home to two of those. There's one in Irvine and one in Huntington Beach, with the Huntington Beach one probably better for older kids. I'm pretty excited because I think my kids are finally old enough to be able to go to the one in Irvine without me feeling like I have to watch them like a hawk due to the potential dangers at every turn.

8. Camp at O'Neill Regional Park or Caspers Regional Park

Earlier in the month we went on a little daytime excursion to O'Neill Regional Park and the kids had a blast just throwing rocks into the creek. They were fascinated by all the campgrounds that were set up and ever since then have been pretending to camp at home. We've yet to attempt camping as a family but we'd really like to soon...maybe this summer will be the summer! Doing a test-run at a campground that's right in our backyard seems like a good idea. If it's a disaster we can always tuck tail and drive back home!

9. Ride the balloon at Great Park in Irvine

Alright, the Great Balloon holds somewhat odd hours but it's completely free to ride, and they recently made the carousel in the park completely free to ride as well! Great Park also has a playground so you can really make a whole half day out of this. We also recently checked out The Layover, which is open on weekends. It features food stands, games, inflatable bouncers and slides, etc. We went for a cover band concert on a Friday Night, unsure if the kids would enjoy themselves, but our kids had a BLAST!

10. Adventure City

Ok it's definitely not Disneyland...but maybe that's what's so great about it?? I feel like, living in Orange County, our kids are sometimes spoiled by having Disneyland right here. Like, if you get the season pass and take your kids to Disneyland all the time, then what else in life are they even going to have to look forward to?? I mean, besides Legoland, Knott's Berry Farm, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, etc. Adventure City is not like any of those. It's like a mini little amusement park, small enough that you probably don't even need to bring a stroller, but with several toddler-friendly rides and attractions and a little petting zoo. Definitely not the most fun the kiddos will ever have but a nice way to pass half a day.

11. OC Zoo + Train ride at Irvine Regional Park

This one is a classic...we've done it several times already. The zoo is such a bargain at $2 and it's just the right size for toddlers to be able to explore on foot. The train ride is a little bit pricier at $6 a ticket. There are also pony rides nearby. To be honest my kids are kinda over this from having done it too many times, but it's definitely something fun to do whenever friends who haven't been before visit. Like I said, it's an Orange County classic!

12. Smoke Queen Barbecue in Garden Grove

Not only is the food delicious and amazing but there is also a play area for kids. I repeat, there is a play area for kids! With two toddlers, dining out can be really difficult at times, so restaurants with attached play areas (thar aren't McDonald's or Chick Fil A) are a gamechanger!

13. Discovery Cube

I can't believe we haven't gone to Discovery Cube yet. My fear is that, because we drive past it on the 5 all the time, once my kids figure out how awesome it is inside they are going to be begging to go every time we pass by. There's an Ocean Encounter running this summer and a fun Dino Quest exhibit too, both things my kids are super into. Lots of cool things going on at the Cube, and a nice way to avoid the summer heat.

14. Taking the ferry from Balboa Island

My husband and I actually did this on one of our first dates ever, so it would feel pretty "full circle" to take the kids this summer. Children under 5 are free to ride the ferry, so this is the last summer we can go without having to pay for my son! Although the fares are really so affordable it doesn't matter much. I'm thinking we can get a frozen banana, take the ferry to the Balboa Fun Zone, walk around and ride the ferris wheel and check out some arcade games, but the ferry is probably the main attraction for us. And then we can talk to our kids about what things were like back in the day when we were young, which in this case is probably just the same.

15. Book a Family Photoshoot

Believe it or not, photo sessions can often be fun for kiddos and summer is a beautiful time in Orange County to have a family photo session! We are very "child-led" over here, and as such, the little ones tend to have a good time. Instead of trying to get kids to stay still with a smile pasted on their face, my philosophy is to let them be themselves, explore their surroundings, and let the magic unfold! Depending on when dinnertime and bedtime are for your family, summer can be a great time to schedule a family photoshoot since the days are so long.

As always, I am so grateful to be considered as your Orange County family photographer!