Tag: kids

Beautiful butterfly arrives at San Diego Museum of Art!

A large, very beautiful butterfly has fluttered into the San Diego Museum of Art’s library. It has spread its welcoming wings on the floor, inviting children to take a seat during the SDMA’s monthly Storytime in the Library!

This sculptural multi-piece rug, if I can call it that, arrived at the museum a couple weeks ago. It made its official debut today. I just happened to see a sign pointing the way!

The interdisciplinary Chicana artist artist who created this amazing fabric artwork is Katie Ruiz. Ring a bell? She’s the artist behind the Pompom Project. I blogged about one of her installations at Civic Center Plaza back in 2023. You can see those photographs by clicking here.

This new many-colored butterfly is a cozy place for kids to sit while listening to readings of fun art-inspired children’s books. It sort of feels like sitting in a (p)lush, flowery garden. You can see a video of its creation on the San Diego Museum of Art’s Instagram by clicking here.

Do you have children who’d like to enjoy Storytime in the Library. It’s free, every second Thursday of each month. Readings are at 10:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

The San Diego Museum of Art’s library can be found by walking through the museum’s sculpture court and Panama 66. Look around–you will find it! You’ll also find the big, beautiful butterfly that now makes the art library home!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Thank you for sharing!

Unhoused students write Odes to Common Things.

Unhoused students at Monarch School in Barrio Logan have written powerful words concerning their life experiences. Their many compositions (each an ode to a common thing) are collected in a series of published books. Several volumes of Odes to Common Things are available at the San Diego Public Library.

Today I noticed that the big video screen near the Central Library’s entrance was cycling through some of these thought-provoking odes. I stood there reading, and lifting my camera to take a few photographs.

The Monarch School serves homeless youth–unhoused kids who live in shelters, motels, single room occupancy housing, double- or tripled-up with other families, at camp sites, in cars, or on the streets. Monarch School is the only comprehensive K-12 school in the U.S. developed specifically to serve unhoused students and their families.

Would you like to read words that might move you–words written from the heart by youth who hope to lead a secure and happy life? Yes? See the availability of the Ode to Common Things books at the San Diego Public Library by clicking here.

Ode to Memories, by Derek. …I carry memories of my life–in my head, my brain, my heart. They can be beautiful. They can be scary…
Ode to Cats, by Fabian. …My cats make me feel happy, comfortable…Cats go to heaven…
Ode to Basketball, by Deveyon. …It makes me better able to work with new people, to make new friends…basketball is what I have.
Ode to Ice Cream, by Jaylen. …What’s good is its coldness, its sweetness, its flavor. It’s as sweet as a championship and as joyful as a party.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Thank you for sharing!

A fun bronze leapfrog in Carlsbad!

I love this super fun Leapfrog bronze statue. It stands by the front entrance of the Army and Navy Academy Recreation Hall in Carlsbad. Two kids are at play, one leaping over the other with exuberant joy!

I was walking up Ocean Street north of the academy’s chapel when I spotted the sculpture. I took a couple photos!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Thank you for sharing!

San Diego Library’s new book bicycles!

Two very unique bicycle-driven libraries debuted in San Diego this weekend!

The San Diego Public Library was demonstrating their new “libraries on wheels” for the first time at the San Diego Lunar New Year Festival in City Heights!

Is ice cream in there? No, something better! Books!

I learned these bikes that transport books will be utilized for increased community engagement. All those cool books will also encourage people to sign up for a free library card.

This “Access in Motion” project has been supported by the California State Library, and their statewide Stronger Together: Improving Library Access program.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Thank you for sharing!

Two wonderful murals in Carlsbad about childhood!

These two wonderful murals in Carlsbad are a bit hidden. They can be found in a parking lot behind 2801 Roosevelt Street. Both concern dreams, and play, and the joys of childhood.

I found these two murals by sheer chance as I wandered about Carlsbad this morning. Going off the beaten path is often rewarding.

The first mural is somewhat faded. It’s titled Waiting For Dreamland. The artists are Ron Juncal and Phyllis Swanson. The artwork was sponsored by New Village Arts and the Matt McLaughlin Fund of the Carlsbad Charitable Foundation. Sadly, the artist website it refers to is no longer active.

The second mural was painted on another wall by the same parking lot. It was created by Mr. Snyder (@SnyderArt), who teaches art at Valley Middle School in Carlsbad.

He painted this wonderful art in 2014. Two children at the beach pull a wagon and fly a kite…

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Thank you for sharing!

Fourteen colorful, smiling faces in Hillcrest!

I love these electrical boxes in Hillcrest, on First Avenue near the entrance of Florence Elementary School!

Fourteen smiling faces were colorfully painted on the boxes years ago. I’m guessing young students held the brushes.

I finally got around to photographing the happy street art yesterday!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Thank you for sharing!

Holiday Train at the Coronado Public Library!

Those who walk into the children’s section of the Coronado Public Library are in for a treat during the holiday season! A gigantic glass case inside the Children’s Library entrance contains the Holiday Train!

The big O-Scale train layout contains a snowy winter scene filled with characters that kids love, including Mickey Mouse, Snoopy, Sylvester the Cat, Winnie the Pooh and Paddington Bear. And there’s a Santa Claus reading to a gathered audience of small teddy bears, too!

Many of the figures rotate or move about as the Holiday Train rolls merrily around the oval track.

A librarian told me this Holiday Train is a Coronado Public Library tradition that goes back to the 1990s.

If your family visits Coronado during the holidays, swing by the library! They have a beautiful Christmas tree near the front desk, too!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Thank you for sharing!

Photos of 2024 La Jolla Christmas Parade!

The 68th Annual La Jolla Christmas Parade was held today. In 2024, this community holiday parade was bigger and better than ever!

I positioned myself on Prospect Street with my camera and awaited the excitement. I admit I love parades, whatever the occasion. People come together and can’t help being happy. It’s life as it could be… No, it’s life as it should be.

I took almost 700 photographs. I’ve selected my favorite images–those that caught the occasion and the mood best.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Thank you for sharing!

Smiles and fun at the La Jolla Holiday Festival!

Natalie Miragliotta, 2024 California Cinderella Teen, smiles at the La Jolla Holiday Festival!

Before the 68th Annual La Jolla Christmas Parade kicked off today, a Holiday Festival beside the parade route got underway in the late morning. Fun-seekers and families gathered for the colorful event in front of the Athenaeum Music and Arts Library!

A variety of activities could be freely enjoyed, including robotics demonstrations by students, a kids entrepreneur exhibit, face painting, and, of course, the opportunity to take photographs with Santa Claus!

I arrived for the afternoon’s Christmas Parade much too early. To pass the time, I took a long walk around the Village of La Jolla, which included a visit to the Holiday Festival!

I found plenty of smiles and fun!

Look at all the Santa hats!

Photos were snapping at the Kiwanis Santa’s Village. Was that dog naughty or nice?

La Jolla Youth Robotics had a cool demonstration table.

A sophisticated robot created by Overclocked, Team 2485, a FIRST Robotics Competition team from Francis Parker School in San Diego.

Table featuring Young Entrepreneurs Club. I think those tubs contain slime!

The Kumeyaay First Peoples exhibit featured native wildlife images that kids could color.

Friendly guy from The Salvation Army with a red kettle.

My Gym Children’s Fitness provided more fun at the La Jolla Holiday Festival.

A nearby shooting star above the Village of La Jolla.

La Jolla Christmas Parade participants smile for a photo near the Holiday Festival!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Thank you for sharing!

Fun skate mural in Escondido’s Washington Park

While walking through Escondido’s Washington Park this weekend, I noticed a new mural. It depicts kids having fun at the Washington Park Skate Spot.

This mural replaces another that I spotted in the summer of 2023. See that old mural here–it’s the one with a hand reaching for splashes of color.

If you want to see several colorful murals painted on Washington Park’s community center buildings, and learn something about them, click here.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Thank you for sharing!