Families we offered an ocean-themed adventure as the Under the Sea Summer Storytime transformed CALM into a day of hands-on learning, imaginative play, and community resources. Hosted Friday by Community Connection for Child Care, Kern Early Stars, and the Kern County Children’s Dental Health Network, the event invited young children and their families to explore a variety of interactive activities designed to support early childhood development. Children went fishing at water tables, “walked the plank” in a cloud of bubbles, created coral displays out of Play-Doh and colorful pasta, and tested their aim with a shark-themed bean bag toss.
“Having this event at CALM was a perfect marriage because of the California Coast Room,” said Shirelle Perez, Program Manager for Community Connection for Child Care.
The activities were designed to engage children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development, while giving families and child care providers ideas they could recreate at home or in their own programs.
The event culminated in the amphitheater with a desert tortoise meet-and-greet, English and Spanish readings of The Rainbow Fish, and fish-themed dances led by Kern County Superintendent of Schools staff.
In addition to play-based learning, the event provided families with a critical health service: free dental assessments for Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten students. Early dental assessments can help identify concerns before they become more serious, and they are also required for all students entering their first year of school, organizers said.
For parent Selena Alvarez-Tristan, the event offered a chance for her 2-year-old daughter Amelia to interact with other children and experience new activities in a familiar environment.
“We usually come to CALM because it’s nice to get out of the house, explore, exercise, and see something different. She loves the California Coast Room and all the animals. It’s fun to get out and meet other kids and other parents,” Alvarez-Tristan shared.
It was a perfect summer day filled with animal habitats, playgrounds, train rides, story time, health resources, and community connections.
2-year-old Amelia engages with sea life inside CALM Zoo’s California Coast Room.
By Natalie Hernandez
Natalie Hernandez joined the Kern County Superintendent of Schools as a Communications Specialist in 2026. She previously worked in Bay Area public relations, supporting education, government, health care, and nonprofit organizations. Hernandez is passionate about using storytelling to inform and engage the public.