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Affordable kid-friendly activities in LA?

Looking for wallet-friendly activities for the kiddos in the LA area & willing to drive a bit. We have 3 kids under 5 so outings can be a nightmare and pricey. We have to hide how close we live to Disneyland lol. Looking beyond movies and the basics… ideas?

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BJ

Britt posted July 22, 2019

There are a ton of cool kid-friendly museums around here. We like the Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena. Kids under 1 are free and they offer some good discounts. Think they also do day camps, but not sure how $$ that gets for 3 LOs.

My kids are also obsessed with the aquarium in Santa Monica! It's the Heal the Bay Aquarium! They love looking at all of the jelly fish and getting to learn about the sea animals and it's not too big, so it's something that's easy to get all the way through. It's definitely one of our favorite places :)
0 Likes
SB

Sammy posted July 22, 2019

The library! A place with a quiet policy sounds less than ideal, but hear me out. Lots of libraries offer free storytime groups - we’ve gone w/ our daycare kiddos to one in North Hollywood. They do baby and toddler storytimes at libraries all over the county, though. There’s an event calendar on www.lapl.org. 0 Likes
LT

Lydia posted July 22, 2019

Don’t forget, LA is the the land of year-round good weather. Parents in other areas would kill to be able to have outdoor play as an option any time, any season. Don’t overthink it - take your kids to the park, beach, gardens, etc. and just PLAY with them. Heck, they have each other to play with, too. 0 Likes
EC

Ellie posted July 23, 2019

Do you have a YMCA near you? My local branch has kid events every weekend, and you can apply for discounted rates based on need. They are a really good option to meet other kids too because it's usually the same families that go there for basketball, swimming, volleyball, etc. I'm not sure if every branch has the same amenities, but mine also has a teen/kid room where they can just read or play inside. 0 Likes
TF

Terri posted July 26, 2019

Check out the Yorba Regional Park in Anaheim for a nice family day out on the weekends! We were there a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it. Plenty of family picnicking areas, there are lakes, and lots of bike trails. The kids really enjoyed the freedom to play outside, and it was nice to be with each other as a family outdoors in nature. 1 Like
AH

Amber posted July 31, 2019

One of the many joys of California is our great weather and the family fun places we can go with our little ones. With my son, nieces and nephews, we are always looking for expense friendly options to take the kids out. Try some of the following:
* Children's Book World (they have a free weekend series)
* CA Science Center
* Santa Monica Pier (you can eat nearby, play on the beach and stroll on the pier)
* Melrose Mornings (free for kids, adults only $5 each)
* Grand Park LA (Splash Pad, Gardens, Playground and more)
* Kid's Space Children's Museums (check with them to confirm dates where the museum is free of charge)
These are some great family friendly places to take the little ones.
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Me