Parenting Resources
Family Activities
Local Museums
Child-Friendly Museums
Below is a list of kid-friendly museums that offer free activities, times, and dates. Each museum offers various schedules, which are subject to change. Check museum websites before your visit to ensure the most up-to-date information on prices and the cost of parking.
• Autry Center
• California African American Museum
• California Science Center
• El Pueblo de Los Angeles
• Fowler Museum of Cultural History
• The Getty Center
• The Getty Villa
• Griffith Observatory
• Hammer Museum
• Hollywood Bowl Museum
• Huntington Library
• Japanese American National Museum
• Kidspace Children's Museum
• Los Angeles County Museum of Art, LACMA
• Los Angeles County Arboretum
• The Los Angeles Fire Department Museum
• Los Angeles Maritime Museum
• Long Beach Museum of Art
• MOCA GRAND AVE
• MOCA Geffen Contemporary
• MOCA Pacific Design Center
• Museum of Latin American Art
• Natural History Museum
• Norton Simon Museum
• Page Museum, La Brea Tarpits
• Pacific Asia Museum
• Pasadena Museum of California Art
• Santa Monica Museum of Art
• Skirball Cultural Center
• Travel Town Museum
• Walt Disney Concert Hall
Kid Friendly Beaches
View this article for pictures and locations of some of LA's Best Family Beaches, or check out some of the ones we've gathered here.
Westward Beach, Malibu
This lovely stretch of sand is private and picturesque. Often used for filming, the giant cliffs provide a stunning backdrop for your family's beach day. Just be advised this north-facing beach's surf breaks shallow and close to shore, and while the surf is generally not huge, smaller munchkins and beginning swimmers need to be watched closely, especially by the water's edge. If you keep your eyes peeled, you may even glimpse somebody surfing with dolphins! There is a pay parking lot or free parking on the street; just be advised you will have to cart your stuff and your little ones if you park on the street. The restrooms are generally clean, but the lifeguard tower operates only during peak summer.
Paradise Cove, Malibu
Not an everyday trip to the beach, a trip to Paradise Cove will set you back a few bucks. But the $25.00 for parking or $5.00 per person walk-in buys you a day's worth of access to one of the coast's prettiest spots. This private beach is safe and kid-friendly and boasts a host of amenities. The food at the restaurant is pretty good too, and diners can park for four hours for only three bucks. Check out the tide pools, and let your young ones swim under the lifeguard's watchful eyes, but be sure to get there early. The beach can be at capacity as early as 11:00 am on busy summer weekends.
Will Rodger's State Beach, Pacific Palisades
Just off Pacific Coast Highway, at Temescal Canyon, Will Rodger's State Beach has it all: a vast sandy beach, volleyball courts, a playground, and convenient parking that stretches its length. Parking price varies by season, so make sure you hit the ATM before you plan to hit the surf. Speaking of surf, this is a great spot to practice boogie boarding skills, with a long and low break perfect for beginners.
Annenberg Community Beach House, Santa Monica
A visit to the Annenberg Community Beach House is more than just a trip to the beach. With a playground, splash pad, pool, restaurant, and tons of fun activities planned all summer long, you might not even make it to the ocean. Parking rates and activities schedule change throughout the year, so check their website for updated information before planning your visit. The pool is $1 on Mondays, but call ahead to reserve your tickets.
Mother's Beach Basin D, Marina Del Rey
This fantastic little surf-free spot is just the ticket if you are planning a beach day with toddlers. With a full-time lifeguard and a roped-off swim area on the bay, this mommy paradise might be your best shot for perfecting your tan. It can get crowded on warm summer weekends.
Seaside Lagoon, Redondo Beach
A surf-free large salt-water lagoon, Seaside boasts lifeguard supervision, playground equipment, a snack bar hosted by Ruby's, and a large grassy play area. It's only open in the summer, and there is a parking fee of $4.00 and an entrance fee that varies depending on the season. If you have a wide age range of kids in your group, this is a great option, with the surf-free lagoon and sand for the tiniest tots and the knock-your-socks-off water slides for your big kahunas.
Mother's Beach, Long Beach
Another great option is if you have small children. Mother's Beach in Long Beach is on a bay, fully staffed with safety personnel, and has a great playground. It can be empty on early summer mornings and a complete zoo on weekend afternoons, so be cautious when planning your visit.
Bay Shore Beach, Long Beach
Just a hop, skip, and jump from Mother's Beach is the Bay Shore Peninsula. Almost guaranteed to be less crowded, Bay Shore Beach is clean, safe, and fun. If you're looking for some solitude, try heading farther south down the peninsula, where you can probably score a stretch of sand all to yourselves. Just a reminder, there is no surf on the bayside beaches, so if you have a dude or dudette who wants to hang ten, these are not the spots for you. They are, however, perfect for toddlers, beginning swimmers, and mommies who are made nervous by big waves.
Local Libraries
Our local libraries offer free programs for children and their caregivers: story-time for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers and book clubs for elementary school students, "tweens," and teenagers. Activities for younger kids include stories, rhymes, songs, music, dance, and puppet shows. This is a great way to meet other mommies and daddies and find playmates for your children. Find out about the Los Angeles County library and story-time programs in your neighborhood.
Some local libraries near UCLA are:
• West Los Angeles Regional Library
• Westwood Branch Library
• Palms- Rancho Park
• Kaufman- Brentwood
Also, be sure to check out the programs at the Santa Monica Libraries; they are about 5 miles away from UCLA and offer an assortment of free activities from Baby, Toddler, and Preschool story times to more unique activities such as Cuentos para Pequenos (story time in Spanish), Crafty Kids, Youth and Family Chess and Games, Lots of Legos, Cooking Classes, Mother-Daughter Fairy Tale Tea, Books and Bites, etc.
Additional Resources
Are you looking for information about the types of programs and resources available to UCLA students with children in kindergarten to 12th grade? This website has information on several dozen organizations that work with youth www.k12outreach.ucla.edu
LEGOS
Does your son or daughter like building with LEGOS? You can sign them up to join the LEGO Club. They will receive a monthly LEGO Club Jr. Magazine delivered to your home for free. It has fun activities, stories, and showcases the work of young builders all over the world. It's full of great ideas for the budding architect in your family. Call 1-866-534-6258 or sign up at LEGOS.
Home Depot
Kids Workshop - Free the first Saturday of the month from 9–10 am. Come hammer, nail, build, and paint. Activities include building birdhouses, cars, "house" banks, etc. The nearest Home Depot to campus is 12975 Jefferson Blvd., Marina Del Rey, CA.
Family Flicks
UCLA Film & Television Archive and the Hammer Museum have teamed up for a matinee screening series of new and classic family-friendly films from around the world. Check out this month's Flick.
UCLA Fowler Museum
Free Family Programs on Sunday. Check their website for new programs.
Free Toys
Does your child need toys? The Toy Loan Program is a free community toy lending library. They have a range of developmentally appropriate toys for your child from infancy to adolescence. As an incentive for taking good care of the toys, your child will receive a toy to keep after returning 20 toys in the same condition as they were borrowed. Find the toy loan center nearest you. The nearest Toy Loan Lending Service to UCLA is at the Upward Bound House, 1104 Washington Avenue, Santa Monica, 90403. (310) 458-7779. It is open on Tuesdays from 5:00- 7:00 pm.
Free Crafts for Kids at the Lakeshore Learning Store
Saturdays and Sundays 11 am-3 pm at the Westside location; Saturdays 11 am-3 pm at other locations
Westside location nearest to UCLA and accessible by public transportation:
2323 S. Sepulveda Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90064
Kid's Activities
Check out Macaroni Kid to find out about kid-friendly activities in Southern California.
Savvy Cities
Looking for activities to do with the children? Savvy Cities gives you a hand-picked selection of fun and affordable things to do in the city. Their updates include ticket discounts to theaters, concerts, and sports, daily deal travel and events, free activities, and more.
Red Tricycle
Go to Red Tricycle for more information about kid-friendly events in and around Los Angeles. You can also look for activities in other cities.
Westwood Recreation Center
Offers summer activities next to Aiden's Place Park on 1350 Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles Ca, 90025 (behind the Federal Building off of Veteran and Sepulveda) (310) 473-3610 Pool: 310.478.7019.
They offer classes in various fields for children: mommy and me, ballet, tap, painting, clay, swimming, etc. For adults they have classes such as yoga, basketball, fitness, and dance classes. The classes are reasonably priced.
Tutoring options:
For children in grades K-12, homework help and free online tutoring service are available (including for AP and intro college-level courses). LA Public Library
Please reach out to swd@saonet.ucla.edu to discuss unique needs.
Areas of support/referral to external resources include: childcare, childcare subsidies, DPSS, CalWORKs, navigating family housing, budget increases and more.