Of all the states in the USA, California is a great place to raise a child. There are many reasons that California is so good for growing kids, and I will try to hit the high points in this short article. One of the most important parts of being a parent is trying to foster the development and learning of your child without smothering or being overprotective. We all want to help a child do what they want, and one of the most critical ways that we do that is by finding great activities which stimulate our kids’ minds. California is wonderful in that this journey of learning can reliably start in the public school system. The schools will be able to expose your child to a variety of ideas and subjects, but there are some things which may not be covered in class. Never fear, there are great afterschool programs and camps in California to further your child’s learning and career in areas that school might miss. CodeRev Kids is one of my favorite examples of these programs. They do a great job of making learning about computers and coding fun for kids in both after school and camp programs. If someone had put Minecraft in front of me when I was young, I might have learned to code too!

The outdoors are a great place too. No matter where you live there are a number of great outdoor activities for you child from the mountains to the oceans. If you child shows a significant amount of athletic talent, California boasts an amazing density of national and state parks and locations, as well as world class museums. The Exploratorium is one of my favorites in San Francisco. There are even great trade and craft programs all over the state. Take advantage of the great the state school and community college systems in California as they often offer great programs for your younger kids which might spark interest in them early in life.