Pretend City - The Children's Museum

Pretend City is a children's museum in Irvine, California. The museum is one of a kind and is a miniature version of a city children can experience and play in. Children have whole body learning experiences and engage in dramatic play among the 15 different exhibits. The exhibits include a gas station, amphitheater, art studio, farm, grocery store, bank, beach, café, health center, city all, construction site, marina, post office, home, Orange plaza and an emergency services set-up. For the child that likes to play "dress up" and engage in pretend play, this museum is a dream come true. Pretend City is based on an educational practice that puts theory into action. The museum helps children understand how the world works and how they can interact with it. It also helps them develop a positive self-concept, engage in curious exploratory play, develop a sense of master and accomplishment, appreciate their social world and diverse cultures, engage in movement during play, build critical thinking skills and learn problem solving skills, learn and practice communication and build relationships. All of these lessons are typically part of dramatic play, but the museum is the first of its kind to create such a large, detailed learning environment. Pretend City is also a great place to host a children's party.