Activities for CASAs and Children
Free Movie Passes and Snack Deals
Thanks to the generosity of UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley-Hazard Center, CASAs and their case children can now receive free movie passes. To request passes, please email CASAKids@speakupnow.org. Also, if you show your CASA badge at the snack bar, you can get a kid's snack box for just $5. In addition, UltraStar is hosting a summer series from June 17 to August 8. Open to the general public, UltraStar is offering $1 admission for special 9:30 a.m. showings of its movie of the week, Monday through Thursday. The movies are The Secret Life of Pets (June 17-20), The Grinch (June 24-27), Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (July 1-4), Smallfoot (July 8-11), Trolls (July 15-18), How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (July 22-25), The Lego Movie 2 (July 29-August 1), and Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (August 5-8).
Art Day
Saturday, July 20
11 a.m.-2 p.m.
VFC Chesapeake Office
The San Diego Museum of Art will host its first Art Day at the VFC office. Museum educators will guide case youth through three different activities. Youth will be able to create celestial watercolors using a variety of methods and frame a chosen piece, decorate wooden keepsake boxes with acrylic paints and gold leaf, and experiment on a communal standing loom with precut fibers and textiles. All attending youth will receive goody bags of art supplies from the museum staff. Lunch will be served at 11 a.m. We recommend the event for children 8 and older. Space is limited, so please RSVP as soon as possible to CASAkids@speakupnow.org.
New Childen's Museum
The New Children's Museum offers CASAs and their case children with free admission. For free admission, CASAs just need to show their VFC badge. The museum aims to unlock children's innate creativity by exposing them to art and the creative process. It is full of exhibits where children can play and discover. Visit the museum's website to learn about its activities and exhibits, parking and public transportation information, current hours of operation, etc. Visitors may bring snacks to eat in designated areas on premises or at a nearby park. The museum offers lockers for $1 to store food while visiting exhibits and a café offering healthful but somewhat pricey fare. Please note that some of the exhibits and art activities involve paints and clay, so dress accordingly. The museum is generally open daily until 4 p.m. and opens at 9:30 a.m. every day but Sundays, when it opens at 11 a.m. However, hours can vary so please check the website before you go. The museum is located at 200 W. Island Avenue in San Diego, near the convention center.
Adventure Kids in Egypt Exhibit
In Adventure Kids in Egypt, a children's exhibit at the San Diego Museum of Man, visitors experience what it is like to be a modern archaeologist discovering the remnants of Ancient Egypt and then see real mummies and authentic Egyptian artifacts. Visitors will be able to make finds in the exhibit's dig site and learn about the artifacts and how mummies are made. The exhibit features an interactive computer game to teach users about the right tools for archaeological explorations. Visitors can also dress up in ancient Egyptian garb or as an archaeologist, construct a pyramid of wooden blocks, and more. The museum, located in Balboa Park, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Other current exhibit subjects include monsters, graffiti, and, for ages 13 and up, cannibalism. As a new partner in the Fostering Culture program, the museum offers free admission for CASAs and their case children; just show your CASA badge.
Free Passes to LEGOLAND
Through our special partnership with LEGOLAND California and Merlin's Magic Wand, CASAs and their case children can receive free admission to the amusement park. Each child may visit the park only once through this program. Email CASAkids@speakupnow.org to request your tickets. You must include CASA’s full name, CASA’s zip code, and child’s first name, last initial, and age.
Check Out Red Tricycle SoCal For Outing Ideas
With the spending limit on CASA outings, we're always on the lookout for fun and free activity ideas to share. Red Tricycle SoCal is a great online resource to find fun kid-friendly activities and cool ideas for things to do, eat, and see with children in San Diego County. View its calendar of upcoming events here. Check out its "Top 12 Free (or Cheap) Things to Do in San Diego" article here.
Voices for Children's Fostering Culture Program
Thanks to our Fostering Culture partners, CASA volunteers and their case children receive free admission to any of the museums listed below. Simply show your CASA badge and visit as often as you like!
Click on any of the following partners for more detail on each museum's programs and upcoming events!
Participating Museums:
Barona Cultural Center & Museum
Coronado Historical Association
Flying Leathernecks Aviation Museum
The Lux Art Institute
Mingei International Museum
The Map & Atlas Museum of La Jolla
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
The Museum of Making Music
The Natural History Museum *pass includes 3D movies
The New Children’s Museum
San Diego Air and Space Museum
San Diego Automotive Museum
San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
San Diego Museum of Art
San Diego Museum of Man
The Water Conservation Garden
Tijuana Estuary and Junior Ranger Program