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

Weekend Warrior: Whale Watching

by Susan Choi

August 06, 2009

With the weather becoming more mild over the next few days, I hope you get a chance to go out and enjoy the weekend!

The Skirball Cultural Center is hosting Rhythm Child on Saturday at 12 noon and 2 pm. Rhythm Child leads families in an interactive drumming experience that my kids love! On Sunday at 12 noon and 2 pm, Sunshine Storyteller, Ina Buckner-Barnette, is a masterful performer. She weaving together humor, songs, and games in her retelling of international folktales and poems.

Family Saturdays at the Ford Theatre has begun this month at 10 am and runs through the end of August. This year's theme is Big!World!Fun! DreamDance will be performing Dancing in the Rain. This Chinese dance troupe mixes ancient elements with contemporary styles to create of show bursting with lights, colors, and sounds. Children are free but reservations must be made for them. Adults are $5. This week's preshow activity is Junior Scientist Workshop--"Earth: Fossils." Explore and sketch Ammonite fossils. Each participant gets their own Junior Scientist Journal. Workshop begins at 9 am before the show, so get there early!

There is a lot of activities occurring at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro. The Research Library is turning four! There will be stories, crafts and other activities to celebrate on Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. The aquarium is also hosting a blue and humpback whale watching expedition on Saturday from 9 am to 12 noon. The boat leaves from San Pedro and travels through the Catalina Channel. Registration is required.

The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium is hosting Shark Sundays. At 3:30 pm, they will feed the hungry sharks and make a short presentation. Short films are shown at scheduled intervals throughout the afternoon.

The Zimmer Museum is hosting Family fun day on Sunday from 2 pm to 4 pm. Today's craft will be designing your own Persian-style rug to make a magic carpet.

Levitt Pavilion at MacArthur Park is hosting a free summer concert series. It is a casual, open-lawn venue where you can pack a picnic dinner and enjoy an outdoor concert that is family friendly and free! Target is hosting the Children's Night concert series on Sunday evenings at 6:30 pm. This Sunday, it is Aaron Nigel Smith and the FUNdamentals band. Mr Smith and his band brings upbeat sounds and fun dance moves to the stage in a program that the whole family will enjoy.

 Read more...

Weekend Warrior: The First Weekend of August and a Starbucks Giftcard Giveaway!

by Susan Choi

July 30, 2009

Can you believe August is here? My family will be car shopping this weekend. Would a spoiler and gold kit on a minivan look totally pathetic? Yeah, I thought so...


The Skirball Cultural Center is hosting Bali and Beyond on Saturday at 12 noon and 2 pm. Enjoy the enchanting sounds of the Gamelan, an Indonesian ensemble of instruments built and tuned to play together. On Sunday at 12 noon and 2 pm,  Melissa Green shares her folk pop songs that children love.

Marina Del Rey is hosting free concerts at Burton Chace Park. This Saturday at 7 pm, the oldies singers Four Aces will perform. So bring a picnic dinner, gather together with friends, and enjoy the wonderful scenery of the marina. Be sure to bring blankets or chairs for sitting.

Family Saturdays at the Ford Theatre continues this Saturday at 10 am and runs through the end of August. This year's theme is Big!World!Fun! J.U.i.C.E (Justice by Uniting Creative Energy). and the Hip Hop Handbook present a Hurricane of Hip Hop. The basic elements of Hip hop come together in a perfect storm of street art channeled for peaceful expression. Children are free but reservations must be made for them. Adults are $5. This week's preshow activity is to be announced. Workshop begins at 9 am before the show, so get there early!

On Saturday from 12:30 pm to 5 pm, Cirque du Soleil celebrates its 25th anniversary by performing for families at the Grove. Special presentations from each of its six resident shows will be performed. Additionally, there will be face painting, jugglers and other circus activities for children.

The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium is hosting Shark Sundays. At 3:30 pm, they will feed the hungry sharks and make a short presentation. Short films are shown at scheduled intervals throughout the afternoon.

The Zimmer Museum is hosting Family fun day on Sunday from 2 pm to 4 pm. Today's theme will be Russian Matryoska nesting dolls.

Levitt Pavilion at MacArthur Park is hosting a free summer concert series. It is a casual, open-lawn venue where you can pack a picnic dinner and enjoy an outdoor concert that is family friendly and free! Target is hosting the Children's Night concert series on Sunday evenings at 6:30 pm. This Sunday, it is Silk and Thunder--traditional dances from Korea, Japan and China.

Finally, Starbucks. Ahhh! So we all love their coffee, right? Now there is more reason to indulge in a pastry. All their food is now free of artificial flavors, dyes, trans fats, and high fructose corn syrup. Now you can feel a little less guilty when you share a cookie with your kid. To celebrate, Starbucks has generously offered me two $5 gift cards to share with two lucky Savvy readers. Please leave a comment below and share your favorite pastry indulgence. Be sure to include your email address! Two winners will be randomly chosen next Thursday at 12 midnight PST. Good luck! 

Five Things to Know about the Aquarium of the Pacific

by Susan Choi

July 14, 2009

My family went to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach the other day and had a blast! We are members so we go frequently. (Okay, I am going to admit something. I am deathly afraid of fish so I don't go frequently, but my husband takes our kids all the time. We ended up going together as a family since my older daughter was begging us to go. So we stayed outside away from the actual fish the whole time. So this is more of a "five things to know about the aquarium if you are deathly afraid of fish" tour.)

While there are a plethora of lovely, colorful fish to see inside, there is a lot to do outside too!

1) On the second level, there is an interactive tide pool display where your children can touch (gently with two fingers) sea stars, sea anemone, and sea cucumbers. It is down at their level so it is a lot of fun for the kids. There is also a display showing how sea stars eat which my kids found utterly cool. You can also see sea lions swimming around too (in a different exhibit, of course).

2) Want to pet a sting ray or a shark? I promise they won't bite, or sting your kids. On the lower level at the Shark Lagoon, these creatures are swimming around in shallow pools that are low enough for your kids to reach over and pet them.  If you go later in the afternoon during the weekday, it is a lot less crowded, and the rays and sharks more willing to "play" with you. Just watch your little ones--my toddler son tried to dive into the pool. On the second level, there are bigger rays for you to touch.

3) There is a 3200 square feet Lorikeet Forest outdoor bird aviary that allows you to interact with the creatures of the air. You can feed them and even have them land on your hand or head!

4) Bring a change of clothes and lather on the sunscreen. There is a fun outdoor water play area that can keep the kids occupied for a good hour. It isn't very big and can get crowded but the kids have a blast.

5) There are a lot of restaurant options in the surrounding area. If you want to keep things low-budget, pack a picnic lunch and eat on the grass around the aquarium grounds. There is also a mall across the street (the Pike) with a sizeable ferris wheel and a Borders bookstore if you want to make a whole day of it

The best thing about the aquarium is it is a non-profit organization and the money for the tickets are used both to upkeep the facility but to educate people on the ocean and all the amazing creatures that call it home.

For more information on what to do when in the area, check out Savvy Source Long Beach!

Summertime in Our City

by Susan Choi

June 30, 2009

Yesterday I talked about finding adventure in another country. Today's post is about finding adventure in our own city. If you want to avoid traveling too far this summer, well, you are in luck. There is more than enough to do around town to keep you busy all summer long. Here is a look back at last summer's posts by Nina Moon that are great options for fun this year too!

Want to visit an aquarium? Well, the three local aquariums in the area each have their own personality. The post also includes information on a tide pool in the Palos Verdes area. If you want to go a little north instead of south to visit a tide pool, consider heading to Leo Carillo State Park or Point Dume.

Looking for somewhere to cool down the kids on a hot day now that the weather is finally warming up?  Check out this post for more information on Seaside Lagoon, water play areas in nearby parks, and Stoner Park pool. You may also want to consider Mother's Beach in Marina Del Rey. It is a great little area where the waves are tranquil and the sand abundant. There is also a nearby playground so you can easily make a day out of it.

What summer would be complete without watching a live baseball game? Check out this post for enjoying an Angel's game. And for you true blue Dodgers' fans out there, be sure to check out these special deals for tickets and all-inclusive packs (yum yum Dodger dogs!).

Want an inexpensive stay along the beach? Consider beach camping at Jalama Beach. And if the thought of lugging all that camping gear doesn't sound appealing to you, consider camping in your backyard or in your living room! Set up sleeping bags on the floor of your living room and pretend to be on vacation. Roast marshmallows in your fireplace, tell stories by firelight, and then fall sleep together as a family (with a soundtrack of the great outdoors playing on your iPod for greater effect).

Whatever you choose to do, enjoy the summers with your kids. Someone once told me that we only have 18 short summers with our kids and then they leave us. So enjoy each one to the fullest!




 Read more...

Weekend Warrior: Earth Day Edition and a Chance to Win $5,000!

by Susan Choi

April 16, 2009

Earth Day is April 21st. One thing I love about this city is how green it is, and I am not talking about our giant palm trees and perfectly manicured lawns. Did you know that we have one of the lowest rates of daily water use per person in the country? The city also provides recycling bins for its residents, and I believe environmental awareness in our community is generally greater than in many other communities. Way to go! I wanted to highlight local programs that are celebrating Earth Day this weekend. It is supposed to be warm and wonderful this weekend, so go out, enjoy, and honor our planet!

On Saturday and Sunday, the Los Angeles Zoo is hosting its annual Earth Day Expo. From 10 am to 5 pm, the zoo will highlight special California wildlife, such as harbor seals and California condors, as well as have special activities such as recycled materials art.

Kidspace Museum in Pasadena is hosting two cool events this weekend. On Saturday, witness the release of hundreds of butterflies at 2 pm. There will be games and activities preceding the 13th annual butterfly release. On Sunday at 11 am, 1 pm and 2 pm, kids can learn how to create organic tie-dye and see the difference between natural and artificial colors while dying a bandanna. $5 per child. Register in advance by clicking on this link.
 
Celebrate Earth Day with Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro on Saturday from 8 am to 5 pm. Begin with a volunteer beach cleanup and then head back to the aquarium to take part in environmental activities and create projects you can take home. Information booths of local environmental organizations will distribute helpful information and materials.

Want to support a different but equally important cause? Check out The Wonder of Reading's Explore-A-Story: Celebration of Books on Sunday from 11 am to 3 pm at the Hollywood ArcLight Cinemas. This event features celebrity readers: Shia LaBeouf, Jesse McCartney, Jane Kaczmarek, Madison Pettis and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. There will also be readings and book signings by authors, a California Pizza Kitchen lunch, and a goody bag to take home with DVDs. There will be crafts and music performances as well. $75 per person or $200 for a family of four (partially tax deductable).

Finally, want to win $5,000 and free paint? Then enter a contest called My House Stinks. Submit a picture and description of your stinky room. The contest is sponsored by Dutch Boy that just released a new line of paints called Refresh. It is specially formulated to help fight common household smells like pet odors and is GreenGuard and Green Cert certified for its zero VOC.
 Read more...

Weekend Warrior: The First Weekend of April and a Starbucks Giveaway!

by Susan Choi

April 02, 2009

There are a lot of activities around town this weekend but I'm going to focus on the outdoor ones in our area and a little beyond since the weather has been nothing short of perfection these days.

LA County Arboretum in Arcadia is hosting a family adventure themed "the Dinosaur Forest" on Saturday from 10 am to 12 noon. Stroll back in time with a short talk, a walk to a special part of The Arboretum, and a take-home nature craft activity. Pre-registration is required and can be done by calling the education department at 626-821-4623.

Want to teach your children about volunteering and caring for the earth? Join the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro on their Native Garden Workday/Beach Cleanup day from 8 am to 10 am on Saturday. You and your kids will work with the staff and other volunteers to help maintain the Cabrillo Coastal Native Plant Garden as well as help clean up the beach. Registration is required by today (Thursday). Can't make it this Saturday? Join them any first Saturday of the month.

Also at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro on Saturday at 11:30 am and Sunday at 12 noon is the free Weekend Tide Pool Walk. Expose your kids to sea anemones, sea stars, crabs and tide pool fishes. Just be sure to wear shoes with good traction and bring a light jacket.

The Children's Nature Institute is hosting a family walk on Saturday from 10 am to 12 noon at Hopkins Wilderness Park in Redondo Beach. The suggested donation is $10 for this guided hike. Most strollers are okay for this trail.

Bubblefest is back at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana. Guinness Book World Record Holder Fan Yang returns from Saturday through April 19th to share his bubbly gift. We attended last year and the show is a little Vegas but a lot of fun! Free with admission.

Lastly, I have a Starbucks gift card to giveaway! Use the credit to try out their new perfect pairings for breakfast for just $3.95. A coffee and a delicious artisan sandwich, or latte with perfect oatmeal. "Perfect" for those days when you didn't have time to get in a proper breakfast and want a little indulgence (hmmm...that would be everyday). Just submit a comment with your favorite indulgence (Starbucks or otherwise). Be sure to include your email address. The giveaway is open until Thursday April 9, 12 midnight PST. Good luck!

99 Things to Do with Your Preschooler

by Susan Choi

February 24, 2009

We are very fortunate that here in LA, there are probably a gabazillion things to do (my daughters are into making up numbers to one up each other and it is rubbing off on me).  There will never be a shortage of activities thanks to beautiful weather year-round, great playgrounds, innovative businesses that cater to kids, and awesome nature just a few steps or short car drive away.  Of course we are paying an enormously high cost of living to be here, but the perks make up for it, right?  Believe it or not, I really had to limit myself to 99.  Maybe one day, I will post 999 things to do...you know...when I have all this extra time on my hands.   

I included hyperlinks for each activity/location for addresses, directions, and more information.

Here are just 99 things to do, in no particular order, broken down by categories:

Neighborhood Parks--These are my kids' favorites and each are unique in their own way. (9)
Douglas Park in Santa Monica
Aidan's Place in West LA
Holmby Park in Westwood
Virginia Avenue Park in Santa Monica
Burton Chace Park in Marina Del Rey
Griffith Park in Los Feliz
Veteran's Park in Culver City
Roxbury Park in Beverly Hills
Stoner Park Pool in West LA

Hiking Trails--We've hiked most of these trails with the kids, some with a stroller. (6)
Solstice Canyon in Malibu
Franklin Canyon Park in Beverly Hills
Point Dume in Malibu
Temescal Canyon Gateway Park in Pacific Palisades
Coldwater Canyon Park in Beverly Hills
Will Rogers State Park in Pacific Palisades 

Amusement Parks--Do I need to say more? (6)
Disneyland in Anaheim
Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park
Adventure City in Anaheim
Knott's Soak City in Buena Park
Universal Studios in Universal City
Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia

Indoor Play Area--These are our favorites and all of them can be rented out for birthday parties. (6)
Under the Sea (many locations)
Giggles n Hugs in West LA
Treehouse Social Club in Los Angeles (Robertson Blvd)
Adventure Plex in Manhattan Beach
Child's Play in Westwood
Play in Mid-Wilshire
Naya's Garden in Silverlake

Beaches--I included the beaches that were more kid-friendly (bathrooms, nearby food vendors in the summer). (10)
Santa Monica Beach
Malibu Lagoon State Beach
Zuma Beach in Malibu
Venice Beach
Leo Carillo State Beach in Malibu (tidepools)
Redondo Beach
Seaside Lagoon in Redondo Beach
Paradise Beach in Malibu
Jalama Beach in Lompoc (beach camping)
Marina "Mother's" Beach in Marina Del Rey

Mountain Resorts--Most of these resorts have recreational activities all year long. (7)
Mt Baldy
Mt High
Lake Arrowhead
Big Bear Lake
El Capitan Canyon
Mammoth Mountain
Yosemite National Park

Theatres--El Capitan and Santa Monica Playhouse are geared more for children.  The others occasionally have programs that preschoolers would be interested in.  Check the schedule for upcoming shows. (5)
El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood
Santa Monica Playhouse in Santa Monica
Mark Taper Forum in Downtown LA
Pantages Theatre in Hollywood
Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown LA

Sports Teams--My husband and I are big sports fan.  We've taken the kids to Dodgers games a couple times and they had a great time. (5)
LA Galaxy at Home Depot Center in Carson
Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodgers Stadium in LA
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium in Anaheim
Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center in Downtown LA
Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center in Downtown LA

Gardens--All of these gardens are a bit of a drive but absolutely worth it. (3)
The Huntington in San Marino
Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge
LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcardia

Aquariums--Big and small, all lots of fun! (3)
Santa Monica Pier Aquarium
Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro

Local Attractions--An array of local venues that the kids are sure to love. (11)
The Grove in Mid-Wilshire
Santa Monica Airport
Los Angeles Zoo
Santa Monica Pier/Carousel/Paradise Park
3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica
Griffith Park--Travel town
Star Eco in Culver City
Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana
Culver Ice Arena in Culver City

Museums--All of these museums are kid-friendly and even have programs/exhibits specifically for kids! (11)
Getty Center in Bel Air
LA County Museum of Art in Mid-Wilshire
Museum of Contemporary Art in Downtown LA
Autry National Center of the American West (across from the LA Zoo)
Zimmer Children's Museum in Mid-Wilshire
Page Museum at La Brea Tar Pits in Mid-Wilshire
Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena
Skirball Cultural Center in Bel Air
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County near USC
California Science Center near USC
Petersen Automotive Museum in Mid-Wilshire

Historic LA--Make it a really fun day trip and take the Metro!  You can take a bus to a station, or drive into Koreatown and park at the Denny's off Western. (6)
Olvera Street
Chinatown
Union Station
Grauman's Chinese Theater
Venice Canals
Cathedral of our Lady of the Angels


Farmer's Markets--These are my favorites.  We have a ton in the LA area but these farmer's markets really stand out. (5)
Culver City (Main Street, Tuesdays, 3 pm to 7 pm)
Brentwood (Gretna Green Way, Sundays, 9 am to 2 pm)
Santa Monica (three locations, four days, check schedule)
The Original Farmer's Market at Third Street and Fairfax (adjacent to the Grove, everyday, all day)
Larchmont Village (Larchmont Blvd, Sundays, 10 am to 2 pm)

Farms--Most of these farms have seasonal activities year round. (3)
Underwood Family Farms in Moorpark
Willowbrook Apple Farm in Oak Glen
Greenspot Farms in Mentone

Weekend Excursions--Just an hour or two away by car, a great family vacation awaits! (3)
San Diego

Legoland/Sea Life Park Aquarium
Sea World
San Diego Zoo/Wild Animal Park

Santa Barbara

Consider taking Amtrak Train
Santa Barbara Zoo
Solvang

Catalina Island

Feel free to leave a comment to add to this list!

Aquariums in Los Angeles -- Here Fishy, Fishy, Fishy

by Nina Moon

August 19, 2008

For so long practically everything that moved underwater was a fish to our son. Whale? Fish. Shark? Fish. Dolphin? Fish. Sea otter? Fish. Now, finally, he's starting to differentiate to the point that if we happen to leave off the puffer in pufferfish we are promptly corrected: No, NO! Puffahfish! Puffahfish! It's probably the perfect time to visit an aquarium, no? Nice that we happen to live  Read more...