Southern California Attractions for Kids

Who says learning takes place only in the classroom? Southern California offers many opportunities for exploring history, science and the arts through handling fossils, using nature trails or looking at a Picasso masterpiece up close. Sample a range of local learning experiences through direct links on the Times Launch Point Web site:

https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint

Level 1

San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park: Animals at Large: Did you know that Siberian tigers like to play in water, and that the white rhinoceros is not really white? Get acquainted with many mammals, birds and reptiles through this special online tour.

https://www.sandiegozoo.org/apps/animals/index.html

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Spanish Missions of California: Travel back in time through California history by exploring the rooms and gardens of Mission San Juan Capistrano. Find out why the missions were built, who lived there and what types of work they did there, such as making their own soap and candles.

https://tqd.advanced.org/3615/

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Los Angeles Natural History Museum--Stuff for Kids: Journey to Africa, try some microbe word games or discover what Egyptians thought about cats through this assortment of special exhibits.

https://www.lam.mus.ca.us/index/Stuff_for_Kids

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Level 2

California National Parks: California’s national parks range from islands to deserts to mountain areas. Find out the facts behind natural wonders like Death Valley, the Mojave Desert and the Channel Islands through this handy online guide.

https://www.nps.gov/parklists/ca.html

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Sea World--Animal Information Database: Whether you’re interested in bottlenose dolphins or birds of prey, you can learn a lot about animals by visiting this site, which includes a Penguin cam, an aquatic safari and the chance to get your animal questions answered by Shamu.

https://www.seaworld.org/infobook.html

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San Diego Aerospace Museum: Learn about the history of flight from its beginnings with hot air balloons and the Wright brother’s airplane to innovations of the jet age and space exploration. Find out about such pioneers in aviation as the Montgolfier brothers, Charles Lindbergh, Harriet Quimby and Valentina Tereshkova.

https://www.aerospacemuseum.org/Exhibit.HTML

Level 3

Norton Simon Museum: French artist Henri Rousseau sometimes became so afraid of the wild landscapes he was painting that he would rush out of the room to get some fresh air. Read interesting tales about some of the artworks in this collection that ranges from Renaissance, rococo and Impressionist works to South Asian sculptures from India, Nepal and Cambodia.

https://www.nortonsimon.org/index.html

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The Museum of Television & Radio: Whether you’re interested in Bob Dylan or Laurence Olivier, Alfred Hitchcock or Monty Python, learn the stories behind television shows and radio broadcasts, including an important exhibit called “Witness to History,” which talks about the media’s role in reporting and interpreting historic events.

https://www.mtr.org/

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@LA Museums and Galleries in Southern California: Use this comprehensive guide to find local educational opportunities ranging from museums and sculpture gardens to zoos, parks and libraries.

https://www.at-la.com/@la-muse.htm

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EXPLORER’S QUEST: What mythical creature does the Arabian oryx resemble when seen in profile?

CLUE: See San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park: Animals at Large

Find What You Need to Know: Have a project on California history? Need help doing a math problem? Launch Point now covers more than 50 topics for getting your schoolwork done. Go to https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint/ for the full list of subjects and direct links to the best Internet sites.

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Answer to last week’s Quest: 1) The business is poorly managed due to the owner’s lack of skills. 2) The owner underestimates how much money it will take to start the business.

Launch Point is produced by the UC Irvine department of education, which reviews each site for a ppropriateness and quality. Even so, parents should supervise their children’s use of the Internet. This column was designed by Anna Manring.