PC
Pretend City Children's Museum
Hands-on play where kids explore real-life roles through imagination.
4.8
Art Gallery
$$$
Hands-on play where kids explore real-life roles through imagination.
Pretend City Children's Museum in Irvine offers immersive, hands-on exhibits where kids explore real-life roles - from grocery shopping to doctors, firefighters, and delivery workers - without screens. Guests praise the engaging, well-kept spaces and attentive staff, plus a fun water play area. A welcoming destination for imaginative, learning-through-play experiences for families and visitors.
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Explore realistic settings like a grocery store, UPS center, farm, and theater for hands-on pretend play.
Structured activities and workshops that teach practical skills through fun, immersive experiences.
A safe, splash zone for kids to cool off and enjoy sensory water activities.
Engaging events, including a closing parade, to enhance the visit and ease transitions.
Same-day re-entry allowed before 4 PM for extended play and flexibility.
Special packages for birthdays, school trips, and group outings in a vibrant venue.
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Overall rating
David Keith Canete
This place is sooooo awesome!! If this place was close to my home, I'd be here with my daughter at least once a week. That's how much my daughter had The staff, the environment and the vibe were all great
Yash Doshi
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Pretend City Review Overall, a great experience! The pricing is on the higher side, but it’s definitely worth visiting once in a while for the unique learning-through-play opportunities it offers. Pretend City has almost every real-life scenario for kids to explore — from changing a tire, grocery shopping and checkout, farming, and performing in a theater, to working in a mechanic shop, delivering packages at UPS, being a police officer, doctor, or librarian. There’s even a fun water play area to cool off and splash around. It’s a fantastic way for kids to pretend, play, and learn practical skills in a safe and engaging environment. My only wish? That they open a branch in the South Bay Area near San Jose or Fremont — it would be a huge hit here!
Barnum Angelique
Of all the places I’ve ever been with my grandsons, this is by far, my absolute, absolute, absolute favorite! The ingenuity, imagination, touch, ability, accessibility, interaction, there are just not enough words to describe all the types of play that Pretend City encourages and allows! I wish we could duplicate this place in every major city, I saw so many toddlers and young children working and playing together, no screens, no fancy electronic devices, just clean, imaginative, fun! If I could give a suggestion, just one suggestion, have a great place to take your toddler to Southern California families this would be the place I would recommend! Bravo to the amazing builders planners and workers here!!! I hope that other communities have a chance to visit and find a way to replicate this beautiful world in their world!!
Ben Hui
Tip: get there early, because your pass allows you to re-entry for the day before 4pm. Tip: there is a water play section, bring a change of clothes for the kids POV: great place for children to learn and pretend play. But I feel they force the message of diversity a bit. The "Diversity" bridge was a bit much.
Heather M
The most chaotic city I've ever been to. 😂 My kids had a blast exploring all the fun things. They loved the ups truck and trader joes most. They had at least one staff person in each area cleaning and putting stuff back to be played with again. It honestly really surprised me how well kept the place was. I recommend parents wear comfortable shoes because you'll be walking a ton! And bring a snack/water for yourself. They do a parade out to the front door about 15 minutes before closing which makes leaving so much easier. Will go back for sure.
