Play in a Safe Place at the La Habra Children’s Museum

The first Children’s Museum to open west of the Rocky Mountains in December 1977, The La Habra Children’s Museum knows just how important play is to learning. Children can ride a kid-size carousel, take a walk in T-Rex’s footprints, pet an Arctic fox, pump gas, drive a bus, dress up and perform, and dig for fossils all in one afternoon! Located in a historic 1923 Train Depot, it features 7 galleries and 14 different hands on exihibit and an exhibit which changes 4 times a year.

Don’t miss the current exhibit Farm Animal Friends showing until June 30, 2010. Join your kids and learn amazing facts and explore life on the farm. Watch chicks hatch from eggs! Pat our placid sheep and laugh at playful goats. Sit on a pig! Fry up bacon and eggs in a farm house kitchen. ‘Milk’ our Holstein cow “Abigail” and then follow the journey that pail of milk takes as it is processed, packaged and delivered to the grocery store.

La Habra Children’s Museum

301 South Euclid Street, La Habra, 90631; (562) 905-9793
Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fridays open at 9 a.m. for Members
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed Mondays and all Major Holidays
Ages: All
Cost: $7.00 per person; $6.00 La Habra residents; Children under 2 are FREE.
Website

Discover California’s Past at
The California Heritage Museum

Located in a historic 1894 house, the California Heritage Museum presents innovative exhibitions on diverse aspects of the State’s cultural riches. The history of the house is not forgotten, with an exhibit on the home’s first owner, Roy Jones, and his family’s role in the founding of Santa Monica.

Don’t miss the last few weeks of the exhibit “SKATEBOARD: Evolution and Art in California.” The show continues through Sunday, May 30, 2010. The exhibition traces the evolution of boards from pre-1950 to the present showcasing the riders, designers, artists, and manufacturers that created the California phenomenon known as the skateboard.

The Museum’s permanent collection of fine and decorative arts is housed on the first floor. It includes Monterey Furniture, California Rainbow Pottery, a wide variety of California tile, and many other period collectible pieces representing California’s rich history.

California Heritage Museum

2612 Main Street, Santa Monica, 90405; (310) 392-8537
Hours: Wednesdays – Sundays 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Ages: All
Cost: General Admission $8; Seniors, Students $5; Members, Children under twelve FREE
Website

Third Annual National Train Day Chugs into Town on May 8, 2010 with Free Event at Historic Union Station

The third annual National Train Day will be chugging into town at historic Union Sation with fun events and activities for the entire family on Saturday, May 8, 2010. National Train Day will commemorate the 141st anniversary of the development of the first transcontinental railroad‘s by bringing to life the rich history of how trains transformed America. Live entertainment, interactive and educational exhibits, kid‘s entertainment, food demonstrations, model train displays, and a tour of notable private railroad cars, Amtrak equipment, freight, and commuter trains will be part of the celebration from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. on National Train Day. The event and all activities are free.

The Union Station event will feature model trains, train equipment displays and much more including:
The Railroad Braceros Exhibit
Train Equipment Displays
Model Train Displays
AmtraKids Depot Go-Green Express: Eco Exhibit
National Park Service Trails & Rails Exhibit
Snapshot Station
Trains Move our Economy Exhibit
Amtrak: Dining the Rail Way exhibit and culinary emonstrations, featuring Chef Marcel Lagnaz
Live performances by the USC Trojan Marching Band and Playhouse Disney’s Choo-Choo Soul with Genevieve!
Appearance by California Gold’s Huell Howser

National Train Day Celebration

Union Station
800 N. Alameda Street, Los Angeles, 90012
Saturday, May 8, 2010
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Ages: All
Cost: FREE ($6 Parking is available at E. Cesar Chavez and N. Vignes St in the MTA Lot)
Website

The Getty Center and Getty Villa Today Announced a Summer Full of
Free Family Fun and Activities

The whole family can enjoy an artistic summer at the Getty, with stepped-up schedules of free family-focused activities from mid-June to September.  Read highlights below then look for details here on L.A. Kid Stuff as the dates approach!  Be sure to check the calendar listings regularly for reminders of these and other great L.A. kid and family-friendly activities!

Getty Center
At the Getty Center, start the summer early with a Family Festival celebrating Leonardo DaVinci on Saturday, June 5, 2010 from 10am-6pm.  Enter the world of Leonardo da Vinci and Renaissance Italy in this full‐day celebration with music, dance, storytelling and interactive workshops.

Throughout the summer, join Family Art Stops and get up close and personal with a single work of art in a half-hour gallery experience geared for families with children ages 5 and up.  All summer long, Family Art Stops will be offered Tuesday-Sunday at 2 p.m. and again at 2:30 p.m..  Sign up at the Museum Information Desk 30 minutes before the program begins.  Art Adventures for Families is a one-hour, fun- and activity-filled gallery experience geared for families with children ages 5 and up, offered Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.  Sign up at the Museum Information Desk at 1:30pm.   The Center also offers Family Art Lab every weekend from 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m., a drop-in art workshop designed to exercise the imagination.  Don’t miss the Family Room, open all day long for drop-in hands-on activities highlighting the Getty Center’s collection.

In August, the Getty Center’s Central Garden fills with music every weekend from 4-5 p.m., with the Garden Concerts for Kids, free performances by some of the best children’s music performers around.

Getty Villa
At the Getty Villa, embark on an Art Odyssey for Families Thursdays and Fridays at 12 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.. The Art Odyssey is a 45-minute activity-filled journey through the galleries for families with children ages 5 and older.  Sign up at the Tour Meeting Place 15 minutes before the tour begins.  The Art Odyssey is also offered in Spanish.

The Villa also offers ArtQuest!, a family drop-in program, weekends from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Parents and children can play the Mysteries of Ancient Art game in the galleries and do fun art-making activities in the Outer Peristyle, such as mosaic-making and painting in the style of fresco. The Family Forum is also open all day for drop-in hands-on play and engagement for young and old.

Admission to the Getty Center and Getty Villa is always FREE.  Parking is $15.  Advance, timed tickets are required for the Getty Villa.  For tickets, and for more information about free family activities at the Getty this summer call (310) 440-7300 or visit the Getty website HERE.

Free Admission to 392 National Parks During National Parks Week

Appreciate our country’s National Parks by visiting them this week for free! April 17-25, 2010 is National Parks Week, and all 392 National Parks nationwide will offer free admission. If you can’t make it across the country this week, some of the local national parks you can enjoy with your family include Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Channel Islands National Park, Joshua Tree National Park and Cabrillo National Monument. For more information on National Parks Week, go to the National Park Website.

Meet and ride a life-sized Thomas the Tank Engine at A Day Out With Thomas

How excited will your crazy-for-choo-choos child be when you take him to a real life, giant, running Thomas the Tank Engine at the Day Out With Thomas™ event at Fillmore Central Park and Fillmore & Western Railway?  Thomas the Tank Engine has traveled all the way from the island of Sodor for this event, and he’s brought none other than Sir Topham Hatt himself to meet and greet guests and participate  in the festivities! 

A ticket for Day Out With Thomas includes a 25 minute train ride on Thomas the Tank Engine, as well as a variety of Thomas & Friends themed entertainment, including Storytelling and Video Viewing, Temporary Tattoos of Island of Sodor friends, and an Imagination Station with Arts & Crafts and more. Guests will also have the opportunity to meet Sir Topham Hatt, the Controller of the Railway on the Island of Sodor.

Group discounts are available for parties of 20 or more.  If you’ll be going with a group, make sure to arrive together to secure seating in the same area of the train.  And don’t forget your camera for the many guaranteed memory-making photo ops throughout the event!

(If you’re child is crazy for choo-choos, check out a list of other train rides and train related activities in Los Angeles HERE)

A Day Out with Thomas

Fillmore & Western Railway, Fillmore Central Park
250 Central Avenue, Fillmore, 93015
Fridays-Sundays, April 16 – 18 and April 23 – 25, 2010
Fridays 9:50 a.m. through 2:40 p.m. (trains depart every 50 minutes)
Saturdays and Sundays 9:50 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. (trains depart every 50 minutes)
Ages: All
Cost: $18 per person, FREE for children under 24 months that sit on lap(Purchase tickets HERE or call (866) 468-7630
Website

Lake Hollywood Park/Lookout Point

At first glance this park nestled at the foot of the Hollywood Hills will make you do a double take and wonder if it’s a green screen projecting the Hollywood Sign so perfectly behind it. The park is one of the best places offering both an unobstructed view of the sign and a setting in which to enjoy it for an extended period of time. Lake Hollywood Park is an L.A. City public park that is clearly marked “Not a dog park,” though expect to see the canine loving population of the area frequenting it with their furry friends. It’s family friendly too, with a fenced playground for the little ones.

If you go around the park to the top of the street above it, there’s a viewpoint where you can park and get a photo of the sign from a higher point. But the park is clearly the place to be.

Lake Hollywood Park
3160 Canyon Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 666-5046
Website

While you’re there: Stop at the recently reopened east portion of the nearby Lake Hollywood reservoir, where you can take a leisurely stroll that’s flat and easy for the entire family and strollers. Look for turtles and ducks along the scenic walk. Joggers and hikers can enjoy deer, coyotes, rabbits, squirrels, turtles, hawks, ducks, California quails, woodpeckers, hummingbirds and numerous blue jays.

More information on location HERE.

Beachwood Drive in Hollywood

We wonder how many would-be movie stars or struggling actors live along Beachwood Drive, where the street seems to lead right to “Hollywood.” On this road, you’ll see the Hollywood sign staring straight at you in its unimpeded glory. The best view from the street is on Beachwood Drive just north of Cheremoya Avenue. Find a parking spot, watch out for traffic, and vogue away.

Turn north onto Beachwood Drive from Franklin Avenue in Hollywood. Beachwood is between N. Gower Street and N. Bronson Avenue. Map it HERE.

While you’re there: Search for the “Giving Tree” inspired by Shel Silverstein’s children’s book about unconditional given to a boy by a tree.  An easy hike to the “Giving Tree” from the Griffith Park entrance off of Canyon Drive also provides nice views of the Hollywood sign.  Hidden Los Angeles provides detailed directions to this tree where you can reflect, appreciate, then make a wish!  Check out the details and directions HERE.

Griffith Park Observatory

The Griffith Park Observatory is probably the highest point you’ll be able to get a good view of the Hollywood sign. Our sentimental favorite photo-op spot is anywhere along the fence near the old snack shop, but the patio area of the new Café at the End of the World and of course the roof of the Observatory provides nice views as well. (MORE)

While you’re there: Visit the Griffith Observatory, one of the premier public observatories in the world. One of the principal reasons is the presence and regular availability of high-quality public telescopes. Griffith J. Griffith wanted the public to have the opportunity to look through a telescope, which he felt might broaden human perspective. Mounted in the copper-clad domes on either end of the building, the Zeiss and solar telescopes are free to the public every day and night the sky is clear. The free planetarium features interactive exhibits and shows for a small fee. Come during certain times of the month for free Public Star Parties.

Griffith Park Observatory
2800 East Observatory Road
Los Angeles, CA 90027; (213) 473-0800
Website

Wee Lads and Lasses Welcome for Mirth and Imagination at the Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire

For the next seven weekends Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in Irwindale will step back in time and transform into 16th century Elizabethan England with the Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire, “Where Fantasy Rules!” An English port-town faire and marketplace will take place throughout 20 acres of shaded pavilions and thoroughfares. 2,000 brightly costumed characters will delight the audience and celebrate with laughter, savory foods, hearty ales, juices, games of skill and chance, hand powered rides, demonstrations of lost arts, such as glassblowing, by skilled artisans. Seven Parades cross the Faire grounds daily and 12 stages entertain continuously throughout the day.

An incredible list of entertainment and activities are in store this year at the Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire, now in its 48th year and a special School Day program will take place on Friday, April 23, 2010 from 9:30 am until 3:30 pm. School day tickets must be purchased in advance (on the Faire website) as the box office will be closed to the general public that day. School day will open the Faire to more than 10,000 children from local school districts, homeschooled kids and all kids wanting to attend! The Faire format on School Day will be tailored just for kids in an interactive structure.

Check out the website for complete entertainment information for the entire family and some just for the parents! Here’s what you can expect just for the kids:

Kids’ Kingdom 2010
Just for the Wee Lads & Lasses

Build a Fairy House
Join Gammer Fay as she spins tales of the wee folk known as fairies and helps you build homes for them.

Create Your Own Adventure
Your kids will love creating a new and unique version of classic fairytales with our Story teller.

Foolish Fractured Fairy Tales
Every day, children are invited to vie for the fun-filled and mischievous title of the Prince or Princess of Misrule. Presented by the Court of Misrule-so prepare for fun and hi-jinx.

Happily Ever After
The Kids Kingdom Characters gather with your children to discuss the lessons learned throughout the day.

Interactive Crafts
Join the wonderful characters of Kids Kingdom as they show you and your children a new and fun craft-making project everyday! Treasure Maps, Puppets and Paper Flowers are just a taste of the fun.

Knighting Ceremony
Be made a Knight or Lady of the Realm by the hand of Queen Elizabeth herself!

Merlin’s Magic, Mirth, and Imagination
Merlin conjures up wit and wizardry that will delight all Faire goers. This unique potion of comedy, magic, and audience participation will cast a spell of laughter over you.

P’s and Q’s of Hobnobbing with Royalty
Learn how to mind your P’s and Q’s with the Royalty as only the Wicked Step Sisters can show you.

Pied Piper Pageant
A children’s interactive play telling – the story of the Pied Piper of Hamlin. Children will portray both rats and actual children in this retelling of the classic tale.

48th Annual Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire

Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area
15501 E. Arrow Highway, Irwindale, 91706
Saturdays and Sundays, April 10-May 23, 2010
10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Special School Day for Kids
Friday, April 23, 2010 (Tickets must be purchased in advance HERE)
9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Ages: All
Cost:Adult Tickets (normally $25) – $22.00 until 4-23; Child Tickets (normally $15) – $13.50 until 4-23; School Day tickets are $14 + a free adult chaperone ticket for every 10 kids.
Website