Native Butterfly Garden Maintenance Day at Griffith Park

Get your hands dirty and feel good about it while helping to maintain the Native Butterfly Garden Installation along Griffith Park’s Fern Canyon Trail with the Children’s Nature Institute on Saturday, March 27, 2010. This project is a part of The Children’s Nature Institute’s continuing efforts to create thriving environmental-science resources for the children of Los Angeles county. Bring your hat, sunscreen and water to mulch, gather rocks and mark plants – the flittering native butterflies will thank you for it.

You will need closed toe shoes, long pants, hat, sunscreen and water.  This event is great for students, families and people who want to get their hands dirty in the garden!

Native Butterfly Garden Maintenance Day at Griffith Park

Fern Canyon Trail
SEE Directions for exact location
Saturday, March 27, 2010
9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Ages: All
Cost: FREE (to register email shermin@cni-kids.org)
Website

DIRECTIONS:  From L.A.: Take Los Feliz Blvd east to Riverside. Turn left into Griffith Park. Riverside turns into Griffith Park Dr/Crystal Springs. Continue past railroad to the 2nd stop sign at Park Headquarters. Turn left, follow sign to merry-go-round. Park in first merry-go-round parking lot. From the 5 fwy: Take the exit marked “Griffith Park”. Turn right on Crystal Springs Dr. Turn left at stop sign at Park Headquarters, follow sign to merry-go-round. Park in first merry-go-round parking lot.

Photo by Biiilyboy

Caterpillar Adoption and Butterfly Release at Kidspace Children’s Museum

A hands on experience for the kids, the Caterpillar Adoption Program is once again happening at Kidspace Children’s Museum in Pasadena.   Butterfly adoptions begin on March 17, 2010.  For $5 your child can adopt a caterpillar at the Busy Bee Learning Store.  You’ll receive the caterpillar in a container with food and instructions on how to care for it.  In one short month, the caterpillar will turn into a beautiful butterfly and your child can release it into the Kidspace Garden during the Butterfly Release ceremony on April 17.  The day will include performances in the Kidspace amphitheatre and other special programming.  

Caterpillar Adoption and Butterfly Release

Kidspace Children’s Museum
480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena, 91103
Adoptions begin Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Butterfly Release on Saturday, April 17, 2010
Hours: September through May: Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; June, July and August: Open 7 days a week! Monday – Friday, 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Ages: All
Cost: No Admission necessary to purchase caterpillar. Admission for Butterfly Release is $10 per person; Children ages 12 months and under FREE.
Website

Storybook Theatre’s The Emperor’s New Clothes opens at Theatre West

The acclaimed Storybook Theatre will open a four-month run of The Emperor’s New Clothes at Theatre West, 333 Cahuenga Boulevard, beginning Saturday, March 4, 2010. An audience participation musical for children and their families, there’s plenty of adventure, laughs, songs and interactive fun in cheering on the princess, laughing at the inept robbers as they make invisible clothes, marching in the fashion parade, and in warning the emperor that he’s not wearing anything except his funny underwear! Free parking is available across the street.

Book and lyrics by Lloyd J. Schwartz and David Wechter. Music by Phil Orem. Directed by Elliot Kevin Schwartz. Produced by Barbara Mallory Schwartz. A Storybook Theatre production. Theatre West executive director: John Gallogly.

The Emperor’s New Clothes

Theatre West in Association with Storybook Theatre
3333 Cahuenga Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90068; (323) 851-7977
Saturdays, March 4 – July 10, 2010
1 p.m.
Ages: All
Cost: Adult $12; Children $10
Website

Gold Rush!

Museum of the American West at Griffith Park
4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, 90027; (323) 667-2000
Saturday & Sunday, March 13 & 14, 2010
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Ages: All
Cost: Museum Admission ($9.00 for Adults; $5.00 for students (13-18) and seniors (60+); $5.00 Adult Students (18 and over with ID); $3.00 for children (3-12); FREE for children under 3)
Website

Eureka! Discover the myths and realties of the California Gold Rush and try your hand at panning for gold at an outdoor recreation of a miner’s panning station.

Let’s Make History! Quilt Blocks

Museum of the American West at Griffith Park
4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, 90027; (323) 667-2000
Saturday, March 13, 2010
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Ages: All
Cost: Museum Admission ($9.00 for Adults; $5.00 for students (13-18) and seniors (60+); $5.00 Adult Students (18 and over with ID); $3.00 for children (3-12); FREE for children under 3)
Website

Learn about the long tradition of quilt making while you create a unique quilt block all your own.

Jazz Playground with Putumayo Kids

Kidspace Children’s Museum
480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena, 91103
Saturday, March 20, 2010
11 a.m.
Ages: All
Cost: Museum admission ($10 per person; children under 12 months FREE)
Website

From bebop and swing to Latin and African jazz, this multicultural musical performance celebrates the vibrant diversity and global influence of jazz and will get the whole family grooving. Musician Barbara Morrison will perform as part of a five-date Putumayo Kids Jazz Playground tour of children’s museums nationwide. Free with admission.

Dig It! Archaeological Adventures

Skirball Cultural Center
2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., L.A.
Saturday and Sunday, March 13 & 14, 2010
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Drop in anytime – Weather permitting)
Ages: All (Must be accompanied by adult)
Cost: FREE with museum admission ($10 General; $7 Seniors 65+ and Full-Time Students; $5 Children 2-12;
Free to Children under 2 and Skirball Members)
Website

Experience the history of the ancient Near East hands-on at the Skirball’s outdoor simulated archaeological dig. Participants will learn methods of excavating a site and the importance of preserving archaeological artifacts.

New activities added! And now, there’s much more to see and do at the dig! In the lab, sift and sort through sand to find hidden artifacts; weigh and examine your findings; analyze clues; or sculpt your own own artifact to take home.

Zoo Explorers: Pigs Aplenty

Los Angeles Zoo
5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, 90027; (323) 644-4200
Saturday, March 20, 2010
9:30 a.m.- 11 a.m.  (one class each day)
Ages: 7-10 (child only)
Cost: Members: $18 per child; Nonmembers: $23 per child (For more info and to register call (323) 644-4211. Confirmation letter required for class admission.)
Website

Pigs Aplenty
The Zoo is home to pigs of all shapes, colors and sizes.  Wallow your morning away and root through the Zoo examining peccaries, babirusa, red river hogs and more. Go hog wild with games, stories, art projects, and lots of porcine fun.

For more information, call (323) 644-4211.

These classes are offered every other month.  The next Zoo Explorers class is scheduled for May.

Critters ‘N Kids: Loveable Lemurs

Los Angeles Zoo
5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, 90027; (323) 644-4200
Wednesday – Saturday, March 10-13, 2010
10 a.m. (one class each day)
Ages: 3-4, with an adult (limit one)
Cost: Members: $18 per child/adult pair; Nonmembers: $23 per child/adult pair (For more info and to register call (323) 644-4211. Confirmation letter required for class admission.)
Website

These hour-long interactive programs include live animal encounters, a variety of age-appropriate, fun, hands-on activities such as stories, games and crafts, and adventures on Zoo grounds. (Strollers are not provided.)

Loveable Lemurs

Madagascar is home to more than 40 different species of lemur—from ring-tailed to red- ruffed. Join the L.A. Zoo and investigate the Zoo’s lemur population and gather fun facts about this fascinating furry creature.

The Race (movie)

Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater
631 West 2nd Street, Los Angeles, 90012
Monday, March 1, 2010
6 p.m. Reception
6.30 p.m. Opening Night Screening
Ages: 12 and up
Cost: FREE (RSVP your name and number of guests to shauna@cinemagic.org.uk)
Website

Part of the REDCAT International Children’s Film Festival, the screening of this Irish film is being offered free to the public.  The Race is the story of an 11-year-old girl from a poor rural neighborhood who dreams of becoming a race car driver. It received excellent reviews following its October release in Europe.

RSVP your name and number of guests to shauna@cinemagic.org.uk