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

Weekend Warrior: Mother's Day

by Susan Choi

May 07, 2009

Mother's Day is here! Or as I like to call it "a day to shirk my daily duties and do stuff for myself." In other words, nothing involving my three lovely children--spa time, a sophisticated meal, and sleep. But I suppose I would be willing to sneak in a few hours of family time to partake in one of the following activities:

The Hidden Garden Floral Designs on Pico Blvd near Sepulveda is hosting a Mother's Day special. Your children (supervised by an adult) can design a beautiful arrangement for Mom for $65 per arrangement. Stop by on Saturday at 11 am, 1 pm, or 3 pm and create a personalized floral arrangement, lovingly made by your children.

All the fire stations in the city of Los Angeles will be hosting open houses on Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. Stop by, take a tour of the station, and say thanks to these brave men and women for their services.

The first of a monthly series called Drum Downtown is starting at the Music Center. Come this Saturday from 10 am to 11:30 am and enjoy this free event (first come, first served). Hand drums, shakers, tambourines, and other percussion instruments will be provided for you and your children to rock out. Bring non-perishable food or personal care items to donate to the Los Angeles Regional Foodbank.

The Japanese American National Museum is sponsoring a free family day on Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm. This month's theme is Hawai'i. All-day craft activities such as making an origami Aloha shirt, creating a lei, "shaved ice" tissue paper artwork and making Mother's Day cards.

Baby Loves Disco is on again this Saturday from 11 am to 2 pm at the Cinespace in Hollywood. $15 in advance, $18 at door.

Love You Forever by Robert N. Munsch is one of our favorite books. He will be at Zimmer Museum to read his book on Saturday from 2 pm to 4 pm. In honor of Mother's day, all women are admitted free to the museum. Children will celebrate Mother's Day at the Museum by making special Mother's day cards.

Critter Club is for three to five years olds at the Natural History Museum . This Sunday at 10:15 am, you can visit the gardens where you can meet and release helpful bug friends. Take home your very own seedling! Free with museum admission.

Our Own Very Hungry Caterpillars: Butterly Pavilion

by Susan Choi

March 16, 2009

My younger daughter received a butterfly pavilion for her birthday last spring. We had gone to the Pavilion of Wings Butterfly exhibit at the Natural History Museum just a couple months before so the thought of growing their own butterflies was quite the adventure for my daughters. We sent away for the caterpillars and when we got them in the mail, it was like we had five new members of our family.

The instructions we received were very informative, so we read about how the caterpillars would eat all day for several days. We read The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle and the girls wondered if our caterpillars would like to eat lollipops and cake too. When I reminded them that the caterpillar in the book got a bad tummy ache from eating so much junk food, the girls asked if they could eat the lollipops and cake for the caterpillar. I told them that they would probably get tummy aches just like the caterpillar in the book. The girls shrugged their shoulders and turned their attention back to our own very hungry caterpillars.

As the caterpillars ate and ate, we could literally see them double in size. It was amazing! It was a little disgusting too because inside of the jar was their ravaged food, excrement, and gobs of caterpillar web. Then one day, just as the instructions said, the caterpillars made their way to the top of the jar and hung upside down. The caterpillars shook as they formed their cocoons. My girls squealed with delight in anticipation of the miracle that was yet to come.

I carefully moved the paper sheet full of chrysalises to the butterfly pavilion. And we waited, and waited, and waited...I thought the anticipation would put my children into shock. "Are they butterflies yet?" "No." "Are they butterflies today?" "No." Two seconds later, "what about now?" "NO!" I pleaded with the cocoons while my kids were in school. "Please? Today?"

Then one day, it happened. I looked inside of the pavilion and there was a butterfly! It had broken free from the cocoon and was panting in exhaustion. Slowly, one by one, all five had morphed into its final beautiful form. I quickly made the nectar and placed it inside what would be their home for a week.

I became nervous that the butterflies would die while under our watch so after a week of enjoying their beauty, we released them into our backyard. The girls begged me not to, but I reminded them that it was not fair to the little creatures to be locked inside a cage. After careful consideration, the girls agreed to give the butterflies their freedom. We opened the top and the butterflies hesitated a little and flew off into the sky...all except one. She seemed to be happy with her sugar water and plastic daisy. So we decided to keep her for an extra day or two. The girls stuck a myriad of plants inside the pavilion in the hopes of keeping the butterfly content. But on the second attempt to release the butterfly, Cinderella (that is what the girls named the butterfly) finally took off, and lived happily ever after.
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5 Gifts that Keeps on Giving

by Susan Choi

December 16, 2008

What do you give to the family that has everything? How can you support local museums and other non-profit family attractions (and get a tax-deduction in the process)? Give the gift of membership this holiday season! Here are some of my favorite museums, where it pays to be a card-carrying member: 1) Natural History Museum --We come here at least a few times a year. My girls love butterfly  Read more...