The month of August is a great time to spend quality time with your children. Most kids are not in camp full time so here are some fun things recommended by other L.A. Parents.
Book Stores and Story times:
Americana 11-1 Tuesdays
Barnes and Noble Book Stores
Borders
Children’s Book World
Diesel Book Stores
Every Picture Tells A Story
The Grove, 11-1 Thursdays by the fountain (either puppet show, story time or concert)
Public Libraries (Beverly Hills requires advance sign-up)
Spanish Story time, Ocean Park Public Library
Storyopolis
Farms:
Oak Glen Farms, berry and apple picking (909) 797-6833 http://www.oakglen.net
Underwood Farm, (also known now as Underwood Family farm) Moorpark, pick berries, pumpkins, vegetables, petting zoo (805) 529-3690 http://www.underwoodfamilyfarms.com
Green Meadows Farm, Pasadena
Tanaka Farms, Irvine
Parks:
Aiden’s Playground
Airport Park
Balboa Park, Encino
Barrington Park
Beeman Park, Studio City
Briarwood Park
Cheviot Hills Park
Child’s Play, indoor playground,(310) 470-4997
Coldwater Park
Cloverfield Park
Crestwood Park, Brentwood
Cross Creek Park
Douglas Park, duck pond
Genesta Park
Griffith Park, Zoo, Travel Towns, Merry Go Round
Holmby Park
Irving Schachter Park (on Beverlywood)
Lindberg Park (Culver City)
Los Encinos State Park, Encino (duck pond)
Mar Vista Park
Michael Landon Park, Malibu
Ocean Park and the beach park
Ozone Park, Venice
Pacific Palisades Park, August movie nights too
Pan Pacific Park
Playa Vista Park
Playsource, indoor playground in Woodland Hills
Playa Vista Parks
Rancho Park
Reseda and Victory
Reeves Park, Wilshire and Beverly Dr
Roxbury Park
Rustic Canyon Park
Serania
Shane’s Inspiration, Griffith Park (Like Aiden’s Place)
Stoner Park
Under the Sea on Beverly
Viriginia Park
W. Hollywood Park (shady play area)
Will Rogers Park, Sunset Blvd
Woodbridge Park, North Hollywood
Music and Art:
Art Play, Culver City
Chicos and Chicas
Creative Kids, Culver City
Creative Space, WLA
Electronic Lodge
Fundamentals, WLA
Getty, summer children’s concerts
Geffen Theater Children’s Program
Greystone Mansion, summer children’s concerts,(310) 550-4654, http://www.beverlyhills.org
Gymboree
Hollywood Bowl Kids Summer Music Program, http://www.hollywoodbowl.org
Kinder Music (Encino)
Lolipop Dream, Studio City
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra children’s Program, Alex Theater
Los Angeles Philharmonic Children’s program at Disney Hall
Kinder Music, Encino
Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach concert series
McCabe’s Guitar Shop, Santa Monica (children’s concerts)
Melissa Green, private group classes
Moo Moo Musica
Music and Me
Music Stars and Masters
Music Rhapsody
Music Together, Santa Monica, Palisades
The Paint Lab, Santa Monica
Parks dept. Classes
Remo Drum Circle, North Hollywood
Roxbury Park Art class for toddlers
Santa Monica Department of Music
Skirball Center Children’s Programs
Studio Experience, Tarzana
Super Kids,(Dan the Man)
Toddler Tunes
YMCA
Museums:
Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach (562) 590-3100,
http://www.aquariumofpacific.org
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium9,(310) 548-7562, http://www.cabrilloaq.org
Children’s Museum of Los Angeles, (213) 687-8800 x131, re-opens 2007
Discovery Science Center, (714) 542-2832, http://www.discoverycube.org, Anaheim
Getty Museum, Family Room
Kidspace, Pasadena, (626) 449-9143, http://www.kidspacemuseum.org
La Brea Tar Pits
LACMA Kids Museum ,Gen X free membership
Los Angeles Fire Museum, Hollywood
Museum of Natural History, Discovery Room, Critter Club
Natural History Museum
Petersen Auto Museum
Science Center
Noah’s Ark, Skirball Museum
Star Eco Station, (310) 842-8060, http://www.theecostation.org
Heal the Bay Ocean Discovery, under Santa Monica Pier
Zimmer Museum (now open on Tues mornings too)(323) 761-8989,
http://www.zimmermuseum.org
Walks:
Arboretum, Arcadia
Any Beach
Corral canyon, Malibu
Children’s Nature Institute, nature walks for toddlers in 60 locations,(310) 364-3591.www.childrensnatureinstitute.org
Desconso Gardens
Franklin canyon
Huntington Gardens, San Marino
Franklin Canyon
Lake Balboa
Lake Hollywood
Lake Shrine , Pacific Palisades (Self- Realization Center)
Palisades, Santa Monica
Santa Monica Pier
Temescal Canyon
Venice Duck Park
The Strand, Manhattan Beach
Third Street Promenade
The Tree People
UCLA Sculpture Garden
Will Rodgers Park
Other Ideas:
Adventure City, Young Children’s Amusement Park,Anaheim
Annenberg Community Beach House
Beverly Hills Fire Department welcomes visitors
Bubblegum Playhouse, Sat AM, Sherman Oaks
Calabasas Commons
Century City Food Court Family Room
Chef makers, cooking classes
Creative Kids,classes and daycare, WLA
Dance for Kids, Brentwood
The Farm, petting Zoo and pony rides, Tampa Ave, Northridge
(818) 885-6321
Farmers’ Markets
Fo Fo Figli
Home depot, free children’s classes
Indoor play areas; Fashion Square, Westside pavilion
Jag Gym
Kidsnaseum, Santa Monica
Kids Concepts,(indoor playground) Torrance
Lakeshore, free craft classes
Live Steamers, Griffith Park
Malibu Country Mart
Mulligan’s, miniature golf, go-carts for toddlers
Polo matches, Will Rodgers Park on Sundays
Treehouse Social Club, spa and childcare
Open Air Malls
Play in the snow in Frazier Park
Play dates with friends
Pretend City, Irvine
Puppetolio, Santa Monica
Santa Barbara Zoo
Santa Monica Airport viewing platform
Santa Monica Pier (the park at the base of pier with a dragon and the prow of a ship)
Santa Monica Playhouse, children’s theater on Sat and Sun afternoons
Surfa’s cooking classes
Topanga Plaza Carousel and play area
Train rides and pony rides, Travel Town, Griffith Park
Train Ride, Century City Mall
Trolley Car, The Grove
Water Whisperer, swim lessons
Young Chefs, Encino
UCLA Sculpture Garden, weekends are best
Under the sea, indoor playground