Gymboree Play & Music in Thousand Oaks (CLOSED)

Sign in window June 2022

Gymboree Play & Music has been fostering creativity and confidence in children ages 0-5 for over 30 years. Today there are over 550 locations in 30 countries, making Gymboree the global leader in early childhood development programs.

Designed by experts, Gymboree's age-appropriate activities help develop the cognitive, physical and social skills of children as they play. Our programs are also recognized for their unique approach to parent involvement—which encourages participation in and understanding of each child’s development. Visit www.gymboreeclasses.com for more information.

The sole Ventura County area Gymboree Play & Music location as of summer 2021 is at The Oaks Mall in Thousand Oaks, on the lower level of the outdoor shops.. CLICK HERE for their site. (805.357.3711)

Gymboree Play & Music in the outdoor shops section of The Oaks mall

Vita Art Center in Ventura

Vita Art Center is an educational non-profit that provides high-quality enrichment experiences in the visual arts for children, teens, and adults. Classes are taught by professional artists and instructors who design fun, challenging and educational projects and a variety of media and subject-matter is offered, with plenty of classes to choose from. Enrollment is limited to 10 students per course. Registration is conducted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Vita Art Center is located at the Bell Arts Factory 432 N. Ventura Avenue, Studio 30, Ventura. Visit www.vitaartcenter.com or call 805-644-9214 to learn more.

Conejo Valley United Soccer Club

Conejo Valley United Soccer Club serves boys and girls ages five to 19 in the Conejo Valley and surrounding areas with high level soccer development, games, tournaments and more.

Visit www.cvusc.com for more information. 

Simi Valley Aquatics

Simi Valley Aquatics opened the first indoor swim school in Simi Valley in July 2016. The facility offers year-round swim lessons with two 90 degree pools for all ages, baby to adult. Offering group lessons, private lessons, semi-private lessons, "Baby & Me" classes and private parties. Located at 1263 Simi Town Center Way. Visit www.SVaquatics.com or call 805.443.SWIM for more information.

CReATE STUDIO Mobile Art Studio

CReATE STUDIO is a mobile art studio geared toward creative exploration using a varied array of recycled, artistic and crafty materials. All ages can create treasured masterpieces using many interesting and everyday household materials to build, tape, glue, paint and invent! No two creations are alike. Stop in and enjoy the fun! To learn more about CReATE visit www.createstudiofun.com or call 818.575.9566.

All American Twirlers in Camarillo

All American Twirlers provides your child the opportunity to learn how to twirl and perform in parades, exhibitions and other performances, including special events. Class locations in Camarillo and Santa Barbara.

Visit allamericantwirlers.com for more information.

Conejo Youth Basketball Association

Conejo Youth Basketball Association (CYBA) is a non-profit organization located in Thousand Oaks serving kids in the Thousand Oaks/Westlake Village area.

About 1,000 boys and girls in 1st through 8th grades play in the CYBA intramural winter league (December thru March). There are over 100 teams in eight divisions. In addition, there are travel teams made up of more skilled players that compete against other local communities in the Ventura County Youth Basketball Conference (VCYBC).

CYBA offers winter, spring and blacktop leagues.

Visit www.cyba.org for more information.

Camarillo Academy of Performing Arts

The Camarillo Academy of Performing Arts (located at 2520-A Los Posas Road) has brought the performing arts to students since 1999. The Academy features a state-of-the-art facility featuring over 10,000 square feet of learning space and a professional faculty with vast teaching and performing experience. Ages three through adult. Classes offered in ballet, tap, pointe, acrobatics/tumbling, lyrical/contemporary, aerial, modern, hop hop and voice. All boys dances classes too!

For more information, visit www.camarilloacademy.com or call 805.383.6446.

Over 4 Dozen Community Parks in the Conejo Valley

The Conejo Recreation and Park District maintains over 4 dozen parks in the Conejo Valley. These parks contain over 20 tennis courts, close to 30 basketball courts, dozens of softball/soccer fields, nearly 150 swing sets, around 100 slides, dozens and dozens of play structures and jungle gym equipment and countless other fun things for the kids.

Most parks are open to the public from 7am to 10am, with the exception of Conejo Community Park and Lynn Oaks Park (7am-6pm Oct-Mar, 7am-8pm Apr-Sep), Conejo Creek North Park (7am-6pm Nov-Feb, 7am-7pm Mar & Oct, 7am-8pm Apr-Sep) and Conejo Creek Dog Park (7am-8:30pm).

CRPD maintains a list of parks it maintains at crpd.org/parkfac/parks/default.asp. Some additional observations below.

Pepper Tree Playfields has multiple playing fields for soccer, baseball, etc. and is a popular spot for local team sports.  The park is equipped with a decent sized play area and smaller kids' play area that was updated in 2008. There's also a .8 mile fitness trail course that runs around the perimeter of the park.

Conejo Creek Park - North in Thousand Oaks behind the Thousand Oaks Library is easily my kids' favorite park.  It is large, has nicely appointed play areas, plenty of restrooms and parking and two large duck ponds with a 720 foot creek joining them. The playground also has a NEOS, an interactive, electronic game with flashing lights, music and sound effects.

If you are a duck fan, Conejo Creek Park - North will not disappoint you.

Borchard Community Park in Newbury Park (Reino Road and Borchard Road) is another large park with multiple playing fields, restrooms, separate play areas for older and younger kids that are quite interesting and newly updated with a farm motif in Fall 2014, tennis courts and a community center where hundreds of CRPD classes are held each year.

Dos Vientos Community Park in Newbury Park (4801 Borchard Road) is also a large park that has multiple restrooms, numerous playing fields, separate play areas for large and small kids, a large, covered picnic table and BBQ area, lots of parking and is another active community hub with hundreds of CRPD classes taking place each year.

Thousand Oaks Community Park (2525 N. Moorpark Road) is a large park that holds numerous annual CRPD events (such as the extremely popular "Touch-a-Truck" event Father's Day weekend, Halloween events, etc.) and hundreds of CRPD community classes.  Nice playground there too, including the popular "Ant Hill."

Conejo Creek South Playfields at 1300 E. Janss Road in Thousand Oaks is primarily used for team/league sports, both day and night.  However, other events often take place there, such as Conejo Valley Days, Circus Vargas and various CRPD community events like an annual Easter egg hunt. Although there are no playground areas here, the Conejo Creek Bike Path runs through this park to the Thousand Oaks Library, making it a perfect place to take your young ones who are learning how to ride a bike!

The playhouse at the Kids' Adventure Garden at Conejo Community Park.

Conejo Community Park at Dover and Hendrix in Thousand Oaks is a nicely sized park that is well known for the extremely popular CRPD free summer concert series.  In November 2008, a new play area was completed between the community center and the Botanic Garden that includes a rock and rope climbing area along with a separate play area for the younger set.  There's also a creek that runs through the park and the Kids' Adventure Garden adjacent to the park open on Sundays only is a great activity for your younger set.

Rancho Conejo Playfields on North Ventu Park Road in Newbury Park has a large expanse of grass for soccer games and a baseball diamond.  There is a fun kids area there.  A fun place for the kids to run around.  Not a lot of fully grown trees at this park. Plenty of parking.

Old Meadows Park at 1600 Marview Drive in Thousand Oaks is hidden away off of Erbes Road in Thousand Oaks and is where the CRPD Therapeutic Recreation Unit is located.  Kind of a quiet, low key, fairly undeveloped park that is geared towards the local neighborhood and younger children. The park features the Rotary Dreamcatcher Playground geared towards children with special needs with a sensory interactive play area stimulating senses and abilities. But all kids are welcome!

Banyan Park at 3571 Erinlea Ave in Newbury Park is a small neighborhood park with restrooms, small covered picnic area and a small kids playground area.

Lang Ranch Community Park at 3287 Lang Ranch Parkway, Thousand Oaks has a large open space for baseball, soccer, etc., a nice playground, a basketball court, etc.  Right across the street from the Chumash Indian Museum and Oakbrook Regional Park.  Plenty of parking on the street and restrooms are available.

Stagecoach Inn Park at 51 S. Ventu Park Road in Newbury Park is a relatively small park with no restrooms and a small kids play area. There is one basketball court.  It is adjacent to the Stagecoach Inn Museum and parking is fairly limited.

Wildflower Playfield at Avenida de los Arboles at Canna Street, west of Lynn Road in Thousand Oakshas 19 acres, tons of grassy area for soccer and baseball, a nice playground area, 4 tennis courts, a basketball court, restrooms and more.

The 26 acre Del Prado Playfield in the Dos Vientos section of Newbury Park opened in January 2013, with a cool new playground, tennis and pickleball courts, restrooms, plenty of parking, playfields and nearby hiking.

The expansive Sapwi Trails Community Park opened in the fall of 2018. This 145 acre park is located in the open space between Erbes Road (at Scenicpark Street) on the west and Westlake Boulevard east, with Avenida de los Arboles on the north. The park has numerous features, including a disc golf course, trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding, playground, beginners’ bike park, terraced areas with picnic benches and more.

And there's more...click here for a compilation of parks throughout Ventura County.

Pleasant Valley Fields in Camarillo

Pleasant Valley Fields, located at 100 Village at the Park Drive in Camarillo off the Dawson 101 exit is an expansive, flat 55 acre park, with 23 acres of grass fields, including 10 full-size soccer and softball fields. There are 3 restrooms, a small playground area geared towards 5 to 13 year olds and nearly 600 parking spots. The park opened in Spring 2010.

View of Pleasant Valley Fields looking from east to west.

Playground area at Pleasant Valley Fields.

On the east side of Pleasant Valley Fields is an entrance to the Calleguas Creek Bike Path, a roughly 2 mile south/northbound bike path protected from vehicular traffic. Great for a family bike ride!