There's still plenty of fun and inexpensive holiday stuff to do with the kids

It's easy for kids to get bored while waiting for Santa to arrive, so here are some suggestions for inexpensive to free events in the Orange County area that the whole family can enjoy.

A holiday classic.

Presented at Golden West College in Huntington Beach by Huntington Beach's Ballet Repertory Theatre, this is a great (and affordable) opportunity to enjoy an acclaimed production of The Nutcracker Ballet. Performances run through December 24, 2011. Check their website for details or to purchase tickets ($14 for children under 12 and $18 for adults with discounts for students, groups and seniors).

Not just flour and water.

You and your kids will be absolutely amazed at the award-winning Gingerbread Competition entries on display at the Science of Gingerbread exhibit at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana. Houses? That hardly describes these edible edifices that are so creative and unique, you'll want to try your hand at making your own. Learn about kitchen science, participate in hands-on activities (including creating a cookie car to enter into the Gingerbread Derby) and even have your picture taken with Santa. This exhibit runs through January 1, 2012. Admission to the center is $12.95 for children (3 to 14) and seniors (62 and up) and $14.95 for adults.

Also showing through April 15, 2012 is Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination where you can build a robot, ride a hovercraft, see costumes and props from the movies and more. Cost for this special exhibit is $10 in addition to the general admission price ($8 if you buy your tickets online). For $5 more you can experience a virtual ride through space in a life-sized replica of the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon.

Ride the rails

Southern California is rich in railroad history so there are plenty of fascinating places to take your kids to experience trains and their culture.

The Holiday Festival of Trains at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda features model and miniature toy trains and runs through January 2, 2012. Included in this extensive exhibit is a LEGO train metropolis “built with over one million blocks” and miniatures of the Polar Express and Thomas the Tank Engine as well as numerous famous Old West favorites. Admission to the Nixon Library is free for children 6 and under, $4.75 for children 7 to 11, $6.95 for students and active military, $8.50 for seniors and $11.95 for adults.

Santa will be at the Irvine Train Park nightly through December 23, 2011. Take a ride on the rails from the festive train station, through historic Irvine Regional Park all the way to the North Pole. Train ride tickets are $10 per person (children 2 and under are free) and there are additional activities for $4 per ticket. Some important information: It's highly recommended that you purchase your tickets online beforehand (there is a fee for this) if you want to ride at a specific time, as getting your tickets when you arrive there does not guarantee you a seat. Also, come early, dress warm and bring your camera.

There are numerous other train museums in our area. The Lomita Railroad Museum in L.A. County is relatively small and very inexpensive ($2 for children and $4 for adults), but fascinating nonetheless.

The Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris, however, is 97 acres and contains the largest collection of trains, streetcars and interurban electric cars in the West. Admission and parking is free and open every day of the year (except Thanksgiving and Christmas) from 9 to 5. On the weekends you can buy an all-day pass to ride the trains for $8 for children 5 to 11 and $12 for adults. Dress for the weather, wear comfortable walking shoes, bring your camera and expect to spend the whole day exploring this fascinating portal into the past.