Need childcare? KiddieCorp is back

28 MAY 2015





Let's just say it: sometimes you want to be a free agent at Comic-Con. You want to go to certain panels so badly that you sit through the two or three panels before them; you want to examine box after box after box of back issues; you want to wait for 3 hours in a Ballroom 20 line; you want to go to the Hyatt bar at 2 p.m. and sit with a stiff drink while you reevaluate all of your nerd choices.

These things can be hard to do when you have a small person clutching your hand. Great as SDCC is for kids - and there is a lot for kids of all ages, from panels to workshops to amazing Exhibit Hall activities - they can be bored out of their minds by some of our panels and activities.  They can whine, fidget, demand to be fed at inconvenient times and so on. Luckily parents can resolve all of that by enlisting the expert help of KiddieCorp.

This is the childcare option that is right on site in the convention center. KiddieCorp offers kids from babies to 12-year-olds a range of activities, snacks and drinks so you can:
 1) go have fun without worried about your child being bored or neglected
2) still be able to get to them quickly if you need to

If you're nervous about leaving your cherished offspring with strangers, KiddieCorp has been doing this at the Con for 29 years - so don't worry they're some fly-by-night operation. I don't have kids but I've only heard positive things about them.

The staff to child ratios are "high enough to ensure every child feels special" and the activities are tailored to a variety of kid moods, whether they're feeling quiet, rambunctious, artistic or adventurous. Legos, an artist's alley, books, and games are all on hand; you may experience KiddieCorp envy after a certain number of hours in the Hall H line. And don't think your kid will miss out on the SDCC experience. Every child is encouraged to come dressed as their favorite comic or sci-fi character.

Here's how it works:

Cost: 10/hour for ages 6 months - 2 years old; after that it's 8/hour for kids 3-12. That's for kids registered online before 19 June; after that prices go up a bit. And the whole program is free to Exhibitors' kids during set-up and tear-down.

Signing up: good news, there is not a highly competitive online sale involved. You can register online or by fax. The deadline is 19 June.

What you'll need to bring: a change of clothes, meals, diapers and formula.


Obviously even first-timers have heard that SDCC lines are lethal and the crowds are overwhelming. However, there's no real way to anticipate the intensity of either until you're there. The whole experience can leave adults feeling overwhelmed, emotional, hungry and exhausted; for kids it can feel even more chaotic. Scheduling some free time for you and a refuge for your children can be a great idea. Just something to take into account while you figure out how to have the most fun Con possible for you and your family.