Sneak peaks, premieres and classics to be screened for all ages at REDCAT International Children’s Film Festival this weekend and next

The REDCAT International Children’s Film Festival 2010 will get underway tomorrow, February 27, 2010 for a two-weekend run at the downtown Los Angeles location in the Walt Disney Concert Hall at 631 West 2nd Street, Los Angeles 90012.

In its fifth year, the REDCAT Film Fest will screen more than 85 animated and live action previews as well as classics for the entire family. Each day of the five-day series centers on a particular theme, and screenings scheduled according to age-appropriate films.

On Sunday, February 28, a special Nickelodeon Family Fun Day will give audiences a sneak peak of Nickelodeon’s highly anticipated series for 2010 as well as episodes from top-rated hit preschool series. Children can also expect to meet and greet costumed characters SpongeBob, Patrick, Dora and Diego and receive giveaways.

For tweens and teens, Monday, March 1st screenings will offer full-length features hosted Northern Ireland’s award-winning Cinemagic International Film & Television Festival for Young People, celebrating its 20th Anniversary. A Shine of Rainbows at 3 p.m. for ages 8 and up and The Race at 6:30 p.m. for ages 12 and up screen at convenient after-school hours.

The series will wrap up on Sunday, March 1 with Animation Brigade, a salute to AB Studios, a group of Latvian animators whose puppet animation films Rescue Team, Munk and Lemmy, and Animals are full of brave, roguish and mischievous creatures for all ages. Magic Carpet on the same day will screen inventive international animation will make kids ages 7 and up see the world in a whole new way. Finally, environmentally-conscious Green Screen blends fiction and fact for ages 8 and up to foster awareness and guide kids on how they can make a difference in the health of the planet.

All tickets are $5 per day, per person. To purchase your ticket go HERE. To get more information on the REDCAT International Children’s Film Festival, go to their website.

REDCAT International Children’s Film Festival

Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater
631 West 2nd Street, Los Angeles, 90012
Saturday & Sunday, February 27 & 28, 2010
Monday, Saturday & Sunday, March 1, 6 & 7, 2010
Check website for specific screening times
Ages: All
Cost: $5
Website

Matters of the Heart

Maybe it’s because our standby sitter has declared herself unavailable this Valentine’s weekend, but this year we’re making our Valentine’s celebration a family affair. The kid is, after all, living, breathing proof of our love. With L.A. always offering a plethora of family activities, Valentine’s weekend is no exception. And speaking of hearts, we’re even including some activities that’ll take care of our hearts, in more ways than one.  Here are some of our ideas for Valentine’s Day family togetherness.

Pampering Body and Spirit

Your little princess wants to be just like you, mom, down to your sparkly toes. But the thought of formaldehyde and toluene on her precious footsies is too scary a concept. Take her (and dad too for a manly foot scrub!) to the all-organic and non-toxic spa Recess, where you can be sure that all nail polishes, basecoats and top coats are non-toxic and all lotion, scrubs and potions are organic. A complimentary valet service on the weekends is the perfect start on the road to pampering. Afterwards, head over to the Beverly Hills Farmers Market, where you can listen to live music, grab some lunch and stock up on your organic produce for the week. (MORE)

Family Entertainment in Downtown

Not just for the boys, the Harlem Globetrotters will make everyone in the family a basketball fan. From trick passes and amazing alley-oops to basketball spins on the finger spindles, two shows this Valentine’s Day at the Staples Center will ensure laughs, merriment and lots of memories for the family. Before or after the show, make some time to head across the street to the Grammy Museum, where you can check out the Elvis at 21 photo exhibit, learn about virtually every genre of music in their permanent collections and (our favorite) sweat it out a little and get your heart pumping on the Michael Jackson Billy Jean light up, interactive dance floor! (MORE)

Make Valentines Together

Be traditional and crafty with the kids at the Craft and Folk Art Museum’s Heart Felt Cards workshop this Saturday, where you’ll make valentines together. Create Valentine’s sentiments for a resident of a local nursing home, for each other or both. Add to your keepsakes collection for the day by crossing the street for some arty photo ops at the Rodin sculpture garden or Urban Lights installation in the LACMA courtyard. (MORE)

All natural family pampering: body and spirit

Your little princess wants to be just like you, mom, down to your sparkly toes. But the thought of formaldehyde and toluene on her precious footsies is too scary a concept. Take her (and dad too for a manly foot scrub!) to the all-organic and non-toxic spa Recess, where you can be sure that all nail polishes, basecoats and top coats are non-toxic and all lotion, scrubs and potions are organic. A complimentary valet service on the weekends is the perfect start on the road to pampering. Afterwards, head over to the Beverly Hills Farmers Market, where you can listen to live music, grab some lunch and stock up on your organic produce for the week. The Cookin’ Kids program will teach the kids recipes and do tastings just for them. And the little ones will have a blast this with Pony Rides and a Petting Zoo.

Recess Spa

8408-B Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90048 (Just East of La Cienega); (323) 782-9919
Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sundays 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Cost: $50 adult mani/pedi; $25 mani/pedi ages 12 and under
Website

Beverly Hills Farmers Market

9300 Block of Civic Center Drive, Beverly Hills, 90210; (310) 285-6830
Sundays 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Website
Check the website for specific “Cooking Kids” programs and petting zoo

Family Valentine’s Day: Entertainment in Downtown

Not just for the boys, the Harlem Globetrotters will make everyone in the family a basketball fan. From trick passes and amazing alley-oops to basketball spins on the finger spindles, two shows this Valentine’s Day at the Staples Center will ensure laughs, merriment and lots of memories for the family. Before or after the show, make some time to head across the street to the Grammy Museum, where you can check out the Elvis at 21 photo exhibit, learn about virtually every genre of music in their permanent collections and (our favorite) sweat it out a little and get your heart pumping on the Michael Jackson Billy Jean light up, interactive dance floor!

Harlem Globetrotters

Staples Center
1111 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, 90015; (213) 742-7100
Sunday, February 14, 2010
1 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Cost: Tickets start at $16

GRAMMY Museum

800 West Olympic Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90015; (213) 765-6800
Hours: Sundays – Fridays 11:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays 10 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Ages: All
Cost: Adults $12.95; Students $11.95 (18 years and older, valid ID required); Seniors $11.95 (65 years and older); Youth $10.95 (6-17 years); Children under 5 FREE; Military: $10.95
Website

Family Valentine’s Day: Make Valentines Together

Be traditional and crafty with the kids at the Craft and Folk Art Museum’s Heart Felt Cards workshop this Saturday, where you’ll make valentines together. Create Valentine’s sentiments for a resident of a local nursing home, for each other or both. Add to your keepsakes collection for the day by crossing the street for some arty photo ops at the Rodin sculpture garden or Urban Lights installation in the LACMA courtyard. Then take a short walk to the grassy knolls in La Brea Park—the perfect place to run off some energy and burn some calories!

Heart Felt Cards

Craft and Folk Art Museum
5814 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90036; (323) 937-4230
Saturday, February 13, 2010
1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Ages: 3-12
Cost: $6 per child (members FREE)

Volunteer as a Family with TreePeople

Plant trees with the whole family with TreePeople, an environmental non-profit group that uses trees to help build a more sustainable future. Bring your entire family out for some volunteering fun and join other TreePeople volunteers to plant trees in local parks, along city streets, on school campuses and in the mountains surrounding Los Angeles.

Tree plantings are a great way to get exercise and meet people who share your desire to heal our urban environment. Every new tree helps beautify the Los Angeles region, protect our water resources and improve our air quality.

Fall though spring is the most weather-friendly time to plant new trees so now is a perfect time make a difference with the family. Kids of all ages are welcome on these volunteer journeys, but must be accompanied by a parent.

TreePeople

General information
12601 Mulholland Drive, Beverly Hills, 90210; (818) 753-4600
Website

Aquarium of the Pacific Volunteer Opportunities for Teens

For younger kids, there’s the VolunTEEN program at the Aquarium of the Pacific, suitable for 14 – 16 year olds. Offered three times a year, kids will learn as well as give at this 80-hour program. The application process is a little competitive but the rewards that much greater. After learning about many aspects of marine life and the Pacific Ocean the kids then share this information with guests at interactive stations in each gallery.

Fall and spring session VolunTEENS are on-site for 8 hours each weekend for 10 weekends. The summer session for VolunTEENS is 2 days a week for 5 hours each day for 8 weeks. The program includes on-going training on the Aquarium, its animals and habitats, and on development of exhibit interpretation skills. VolunTEENS does not offer animal care or animal training opportunities but the hours do qualify for service learning.

VolunTEENs

Aquarium of the Pacific
100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, 90802; (562) 590-3100
Summer 2010 Session
Begins June 26, 2010
Applications Deadline: May 14, 2010
Fall 2010 Session
Begins October 23, 2010
Applications Deadline: September 24, 2010
Ages: 14-16
Cost: Your Time!
Website

Teen Volunteer Opportunities at the Los Angeles Zoo

Is your teenager already an animal lover? The Los Angeles Zoo Student Volunteer program is open to high school students currently in if the 9th, 10th, or 11th grade and the spring. Students participate in a 13 week class, meeting on Sundays and learning about conservation, ecology, and abbreviated taxonomy of the animals at the Zoo.

Upon completion of the class, students are then eligible to participate in the Roots & Shoots program, some educational opportunities for visitors, as well as most General Volunteer programs.

There’s also an opportunity for children as young as 13 years old to volunteer at the zoo during special events the Zoo hosts throughout the year like the Big Bunny Spring Fling, Boo at the Zoo, and Reindeer Romp. Keep in mind that anyone under the age of 16 years of age needs to be accompanied by a parent or guardian when volunteering at the Zoo.

Los Angeles Zoo

5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, 90027; (323) 644-4200
Year round volunteer opportunities
Ages: 13 and up
Cost: Your time!
Website

Reminder: Sign Up Now to Volunteer a Day for
Free Tickets to Disneyland

Cost of Family Four-Pack of Tickets to Disneyland: $ 268

Cost of Family Four-Pack of Tickets to Disneyland after
Participating in Give a Day. Get a Disney Day Program: $ 0

Value of volunteering as a family and
spending quality time helping others in need: PRICELESS

How much more fun can Disneyland be when you realize being there is your reward for helping others in need?  Granted, volunteering to help others should be reward in and of itself, but next year, Disney will be giving you added incentive to volunteer your time and services to a worthy cause for a day: a FREE ticket to Disneyland.  Adults ages 18 and up are eligible, but kids ages 6-17 are eligible too when volunteering with a parent. What an awesome opportunity to instill values of responsibility and giving back to the community by volunteering as a family! Whether you read a book to kids, help take care of animals or do gardening and outdoor work, your family time spent together won’t be anything less than priceless.

If you haven’t already, sign up now to take advantage of this opportunity to give to the community and get something in return from Disneyland. We announced this Disney Give a Day. Get a Disney Day. program a few months back but sign ups weren’t being taken until January 2010. So consider this your reminder!! Go to the Disney site soon because there will only be 1 million tickets available for this program.

How L.A. Kid Stuff Says Thank You

Wanna be happier? Researchers have shown that practicing gratitude on a regular basis helps change one’s way of thinking from negativity to optimism. And the power of this gratitude extends to physical and emotional well being. Blood pressure is lowered, you’re less depressed and your outlook is cheerier when you’re not obsessing about troubles. Best of all, once you focus on the good stuff instead of the bad, you not only realize that you can make a positive difference in other people’s lives–you want to.

We know that this time of year, the “give thanks” bandwagon is barreling through our minds and hearts with horns blasting, but if you haven’t already, we invite you and your children to hop right on it with us. And while reaping the emotional and physical benefits of being thankful requires year-round gratitude, there’s no better time to start than now.

Here are a few ways we’ll give to others and feel thanks with our L.A. Kid. 

Teach charity by attending events and doing activities that help others, and talking about it too:

1) Nick Jr. sensation and “kindie rocker” The Laurie Berkner band is sure to put on a fun pajama party on Saturday, November 28th at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown, but the event is also hosting a pajama drive to benefit The Pajama Program which provides new pajamas and books for children in need, many of whom are entering foster care. Kids who don their favorite pajamas for the show will understand the importance of providing a potential fav pj for a needier child. (more info)

2) Help a Mother Out Holiday Playdate at Treehouse Social Club on December 13th will provide treats, drinks and a romping good time, and the admission fee is a mere pack of disposable diapers to benefit homeless and low income babies and their families. Your child is no longer in diapers–a perfect segue into the important reason you’re carrying around a bag of diapees again. (more info)

3) Your little bundles of energy will have a blast during the Kids Fun Run at the Santa Monica-Venice Christmas Run on December 12th, but do they know that having fun like this can actually help out other families and kids in need (like those at Harvest Home, a resource that helps homeless, pregnant women start a new life with their babies)? You should tell them. (more info)

Practice gratitude by appreciating what we have and understanding how others appreciate what they have, even though it may not look the same, is not as big or didn’t come from a store:

The Power to Play: Trash to Treasure exhibit at the Museum of Tolerance speaks the language of children: TOYS. This inspirational exhibit showcases toys created from recycled and other locally available materials by children from Africa, Asia and the Americas. This is a timely and poignant reminder that to receive is human, to give is divine and to create something from nothing and still feel blessed is out of this world. (more info)

Goodness Begets Goodness:

Volunteer your time freely, and sometimes in giving you will (literally) receive. Mark your calendars for January 1st to register to participate in Disneyland’s Give a Day. Get a Disney Day promotion. Your family volunteerism experience will not only become a treasured memory, but afterwards you can celebrate your goodwill at the Happiest Place on Earth with your free Disneyland tickets. Hopefully you’ll love volunteering so much that you’ll want to volunteer again throughout the year. (more info)