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Stockton, CA > fun things for young teens
Find fun things for your young teens at John’s Incredible Pizza in Stockton:
John’s Incredible Pizza
4555 N. Pershing Ave.
Stockton, CA 95207
(209) 954-1111
Parents are always looking for ways to better themselves and help their children through each important 
developmental stage. New parents are especially diligent about reading up on what to expect from pregnancy, infancy and toddlerhood. However, it seems as the kids get older, we read less and less about where they’re at developmentally. When children reach the teen years, it’s crucial to be in touch with their needs and to be there for them.
I have young children right now, but I remember being a teenager. I also know that I need to be prepared when my kids reach that milestone. I need to be able to adapt to their changing needs and realize that just because they’re getting older doesn’t mean they need me any less, just differently. So, I went looking online for tips on how to raise healthy, happy and successful teens. This great article came up discussing twelve principles for parenting teens. After reading the suggestions, I realized it’s not very different from parenting young children. Basically, we have to be creative, set boundaries and expectations, realize that teens are very sensitive and emotional (probably all of the hormones coursing through their bodies - as a woman who has been pregnant twice, I can relate), and to stay involved in their lives.
Here’s a quick outline of the 12 principles:
• Allow for some loss of control.
• Control what you can (money, home, car, etc.).
• Respect them (even if not reciprocated).
• Set limits.
• Praise them.
• Set clear expectations.
• Give constructive criticism.
• Set a good example.
• Listen.
• Be more like a guide and allow teen to make decisions.
• Exit arguments quickly.
• Stay involved, know friends, and give some space.
Since peer pressure is such an issue at this age, and many parents of teens worry about their kids turning to 
inappropriate behaviors, the kids your child spends time with make a difference. The article says that you should get to know your children’s friends and families. Make an effort and show interest in the friends your teen chooses. I think it’s important to have family time set aside so the kids can count on spending time together. That way, they will be more open to spending time with you around their friends. Establish that relationship, nurture trust, and keep a sense of humor!
Teenagers assert their need for independence. They need to feel more independent, while at the same time having the security that you are still there for them (even if it’s more of a sideline position). While having parents hanging out with them and their friends may not be the cool thing to do, if you offer some breathing room it could be the perfect situation. It sure beats a group of teens hanging out at the mall getting into trouble. Instead, set a consistent time aside to spend with your teenager and their friends (and maybe their families, too, if that works).
A fun thing to do would be getting everyone together at John’s Incredible Pizza Co. There’s plenty of space so the kids can all hang out together and do their thing, but it’s all under one roof so there are boundaries and certain limitations. As parents, go with the flow. Don’t be offended if the kids want to be in their own room watching music videos or extreme sports. That gives you some time to eat and relax in one of the quieter rooms John’s has to offer. The great thing about John’s Pizza is that it appeals to a wide range of ages. For teens, all of the games and rides are exciting enough to keep them entertained.
Talk to your teen, find out what they’re interested in doing. Offer up your ideas, too. You’ll find that your teen will look forward to these outings and your relationship with her/him will flourish as well. Just think, in a few years your teenager will be an adult. Help prepare them to become successful, confident adults and you will have some peace of mind when they leave the nest and carve out a future of their own.
Find fun things for your young teens at John’s Incredible Pizza in Stockton:
John’s Incredible Pizza
4555 N. Pershing Ave.
Stockton, CA 95207
(209) 954-1111
Indoor activities for kids > hot day fun things to do > Stockton CA
Community Pick: Things to do on a hot day for kids in Stockton, CA
John’s Incredible Pizza Co.
4555 N. Pershing Ave.
Stockton, CA 92507
(209) 954-1111
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I love summer. School is out and the days are longer. We swim a lot and go on evening walks. The kids are participating in the summer reading program through the city public library and we’ve signed up for various kids activities in Stockton to keep the kids engaged throughout the summer. Still, it’s difficult to get outside during peak hours of the day when the sun is high and the temperature is unbearable. Especially with another 100+ degree heat wave coming. The kids need to get out, and to be honest, I get a serious case of cabin fever some days too.
I’m always on the lookout for fun things to do with the kids in Stockton. Staying fairly close to home is important to me because of ever-increasing gas prices. And since we’re not planning a vacation this year, we want to make sure the kids don’t get bored and have some good experiences and create some lasting memories to share when school starts.
The city of Stockton offers a wide variety of family activities, such as day camps, Summer Discovery Camp, Children’s Museum and more. Be sure to check out their website for more information and dates.
Even with all of these great and some free activities, we need to get out of the heat and find something fun to do indoors where it is cool. With another heat wave coming, we’re looking for an indoor retreat from the heat. When the kids were younger we loved taking them to Chuck E Cheese. That would be more fun for our youngest, but the 7 and 6 year olds need something more geared to their age group. Scandia and Boomers are also fun places to go, but many of their rides and activities are outside in all that heat.
We have found a place that has something to suit each age group and all of it is indoors. John’s Incredible Pizza Co. is a welcome alternative and has everything you need for a fun day out. You can even make a daycation out of it. Pretty much all you’ll need to bring are the kids. John’s has a wide variety of food to eat and activities that will engage kids of all ages (Moms and Dads, too). Even their amusement park style rides are indoors! Some of the rides are geared toward smaller children, so your toddler can be included.
Here’s what we love about John’s Incredible Pizza:
The Food: We’ll say this is the best food set up for kids and adults anywhere. John’s offers and all-you-can-eat buffet of pizza, pasta, salad and desserts. For each category they offer many toppings, flavors, combinations and choices. The kitchen is constantly bringing out hot pizza while replenishing the salad and pasta bar. Beverages are all-you-can-drink with an additional cost of $1-2.
The Fun: John’s is unique in that it is completely indoors but offers the fun of outdoor style rides and things to do. Our two favorite traditional rides are the tea-cups and the bumper cars. We mix up the ride fun by playing video and other games. The great part is when the kids get hungry from all the play, you just walk back over to the food side and fill up again. This is one reason why John’s is perfect as an all-day activity for the kids.
A Break for the Parents: John’s is a very active environment, but they still offer quiet seating for dining in their multiple themed rooms. The themes range from cartoons to music videos and one with a more log cabin feel, which is intended to be the most quiet of the bunch. They also offer beer and wine with a 2 drink limit.
If you’ve never been to a John’s it’s probably hard to imagine what it looks like inside. You can go here and take a look.
John’s Incredible Pizza has 8 great locations: Bakersfield, Buena Park (coming soon), Fresno, Modesto, Montclair, Riverside, Roseville, and Stockton. You can view maps to each location here.
Community Pick: Things to do on a hot day for kids in Stockton, CA
John’s Incredible Pizza Co.
4555 N. Pershing Ave.
Stockton, CA 92507
(209) 954-1111
Sign up for email club
Virtual Tour Sweepstakes
Stockton CA kids birthday parties and fun party things to do
Citizen Pick: Stockton, CA kids activities, fun things to do and birthday parties
It’s Summertime in California, unofficially marked by the start of Memorial Day weekend.
Summer in California brings difficult weather conditions. HOT sums it up for the most part with some California cities easily reaching temperatures over 100 degrees. Other areas will deal with strong winds and unfortunately, fires.
often times during the Summer the air quality is so poor that it’s not even considered safe to be outside for long periods of time. These restrictions affect all of us including our kids.
Summer also marks the end of school so kids are out and ready to have fun. They don’t care if it’s raining, hot, windy or smoky they still want activities to keep them busy. Many of these activities will need to be indoors. You may think that your options are limited and they may be to a certain extent but it’s really more a product of two things.
First, be prepared for kids activities within your own home.
Children’s arts and crafts are a fantastic place to start. There are hundreds of ideas you can acquire just by searching the internet. Save these arts and craft idea links and refer to them when needed. Be sure to pick up lots of supplies from your local retail box outlet (Target or similar) or visit a specialty store like Lakeshore learning. You’ll find everything you need so stock up and be prepared.
Computer time (within reason) and done with a parent can really be a fantastic opportunity to bond with your children. Recently our kids and all of their friends have taken to the webkinz pet craze. Webkinz pets are stuffed toys you can purchase at a local specialty shop. These toys have a special code that you take and enter in to the webkinz website. The kids interact with their pets, play games and even interact with other kids who are currently logged in to the site. Webkinz for all intents and purposes is really a social network for kids but there is no free-hand communication. This means any comments back and forth between members are “canned” so you have to select from a list of comments and do it that way. Our kids love it and it’s a great way to eat up a little indoor play time.
Buy more board games or dust off the ones you already have. Families aren’t traveling this year due to the economy and high cost of gas so the time at home this Summer is going to be much greater than years past.
Second, have a short list of indoor play locations and keep it on the refrigerator. Kids getting bored at home is guaranteed to happen at some point, typically at the most inopportune time so be ready with a few activity options.
One of the favorites on our short list would best be described as a giant indoor playground for kids, although it’s actually fun for parents too.
We first learned of John’s Incredible Pizza when we were invited to a birthday party there. I’ve never seen a setup like this. John’s has an all you can eat buffet (a really great buffet), particularly if you’re a pizza lover. They have every topping imaginable. If you don’t like pizza they offer a giant pasta and salad bar and even dessert. You won’t leave this place hungry!
You won’t leave thirsty either because they also offer all you can drink beverages. For parents needing to relax they offer beer and wine at an additional charge but there is a two-drink limit.
Another neat part about John’s is the multiple themed rooms, which are big enough to be their own stand-alone restaurant. The themes range from sports to a more quiet cabin feel so whatever mood you’re in, you’ll be accommodated.
But the real attraction of John’s Incredible Pizza is the rides and games plus the fact that they are 100% indoor. We’ve been to several locations and the rides vary a bit but they range from an indoor roller coaster and bumper cars to one called the twister. The twister ride spins you around the center of the playground area while also giving you the opportunity to spin your individual car. If you get dizzy easily, watch your step when getting off this one!
This Summer remember to load up the house with arts and crafts activities and other games. Keep your short list of other indoor activity places on the refrigerator so you are prepared.
At the top of our short list:
John’s Incredible Pizza Company
4555 N. Pershing
Stockton, CA 95207
p. (209) 954-1111
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