San Diego’s youngest ocean fans have a weekday afternoon made just for them. Ocean Science Scholars, the hands-on program from Birch Aquarium at Scripps in La Jolla, invites children ages 6 to 10 to explore the aquarium’s vibrant habitats with experienced educators, join hands-on activities with new friends, and head home with fresh scientific knowledge.
The series meets on select Tuesdays in November and December, from 2 to 4 p.m., and each session stands on its own, so families can pick a favorite topic or come back for them all. It opens November 3 with Kelp Forest Quest, a dive into California’s underwater forests, followed November 10 by Amphibian All-Stars, starring mountain yellow-legged frogs and axolotls. On November 17, Fish Tales and Scales asks what makes a fish a fish, and December 1 brings Tide Pool Trekkers, exploring Southern California’s ever-changing tide pools.
The season closes with two sessions full of wonder: Seabird Superstars on December 8, celebrating remarkable birds of the coast and open ocean, and Marine Debris Detectives on December 15, where young scientists learn how everyday materials can affect ocean wildlife — and what families can do to help.
Each session costs $30 per child, and advance registration is required. Sessions meet at Birch Aquarium, the public outreach center of UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. For parents looking for an after-school plan that mixes curiosity, creativity and the sea, this little scholars’ series is a cheerful catch.
Photo: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
