Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in West LA, CA

The first time my moms group and I tried to have lunch together with our kids, we chose a charming and very grown-up restaurant on Montana Avenue. Not surprisingly (at least in retrospect), we spent nearly the entire time trying to feed, entertain and manage our little ones. Instead of a modified ladies-who-lunch experience, we were left feeling guilty and apologetic for the noise and mess we left in our wake.

But what's a parent to do? When your kids are too young to be expected to eat like little adults, is it possible to have a relaxing meal with your toddler? Is your only option McDonalds' Play Places?

Giggles N' Hugs, a new family-friendly restaurant on Wilshire Boulevard is exactly this place. Not only does their menu offer healthy, mostly organic and surprisingly tasty selections, but a large portion of the restaurant is devoted to a cordoned-off play area.

Although the play space is plentiful and the toys runneth over, at $9 per child (discounted for siblings) plus the price of food (about $10 for an adult portion and $7 for a child-sized dish) plus valet parkingit's not exactly the most affordable family restaurant in the city. And during peak times, they ask that you not use the tables for more than an hour (you are welcome to play with your child in the play area however), which makes a leisurely meal with friends seem slightly rushed.

The place is also a recipe for over-stimulation whether you're three or thirty. They have everything from dress-up clothes to ride-on toys to train sets, which is great, but they also have disco balls, spinning colored lights, a television set and a different mural on every wall (princesses, dinosaurs, Finding Nemo).

Still, it's a good alternative to Chuck E Cheese or McDonalds on a busy work night after picking up the kid from preschool or even for a (albeit expensive) play date. The children will be happy and well-fed and the adults at least don't have to worry if their kids act like kids.