Kids bored or bouncing off the walls? Here are some great ways to spend some quality time with your kids or grandkids this summer while on a budget. The activities/events below are free unless otherwise noted.
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1. Summer movies at our local theatres: During the summer months many of our local movie theatres offer movies just for kids at a discounted price. Some as cheap as 50¢ per movie! Click here to view our Summer Movie Guide.
2. Concerts at the Park: Our cities including Lakewood, Norwalk, Cerritos, Cypress, Los Alamitos, Signal Hill, and La Palma put on free concerts throughout the summer. Pack a picnic dinner and enjoy a cool summer evening enjoying live music at our local parks. See our events calendar for specific dates, times, and more information.
3. Free movies: Some of our local libraries are offering movie matinees and our local parks have evening movies throughout the summer. Here is a brief summary of what is in store, but check our calendar for more listings and details:
La Palma Library Teen Movie: 7/6, 7/20
La Palma Library Family Movie: 7/18
Angelo Library Family Movie Matinee: 7/5
Movies Under the Stars, Lakewood: 8/4
Los Alamitos Movies and Concerts at the Park: 7/8, 7/22, 8/5
Monday Night at the Movies, Cerritos: 7/10 & 8/14
Cerritos Hot Summer Nights: Weds, July 5- Aug 30th (no movie on July 12th)
Norwalk Family Movie Nights: 7/14, 7/21, 7/28, 8/4
4. Free kid-friendly shows: Some of our neighborhood libraries are offering awesome shows this summer: magic shows, puppet shows, wild animal shows, etc. Check our calendar for more information, show dates and locations.
5. Splash pads and wading pools: A fun way to beat the summer heat is to let the kids enjoy some water play. See our Summer Splash Guide for local wading pools and splash pads.
6. 4th Friday Kids Club: The Lakewood Center will continue to offer their 4th Friday Kids Club events throughout the summer. Enjoy crafts, activities, raffles, and live shows the fourth Friday of every month in the center courtyard outside Macys. For more information check out their website here.
7. Library storytime: During the summer months you can continue to bring your babies, toddlers, and preschoolers to our local libraries for storytime. Refer to our calendar daily for locations and dates or search under the storytime category for a look ahead.
8. Explore nature at these kid friendly locations:
Head to the El Dorado Nature Center in Long Beach and take a hike to explore these 105 acres of nature in the middle of the city. (Vehicle entrance fees: Monday-Thursday $5, Friday $6, Saturday & Sunday $7. Cash only).
Head to the Fullerton Arboretum and explore the beautiful grounds and its inhabitants including fish and turtles. Free admission (donations appreciated) and free parking.
Head to the Earl Burns Japanese Gardens and feed the koi fish for only 25¢ (must bring your own container to hold to fish food. Admission is free. Must pay for parking.
Visit the Madrona Marsh on days when they are offering free nature walks or bird walks. Check their calendar here.
We also have some great neighborhood parks which are also great places to explore nature, including Heritage Park Play Island in Cerritos, Del Valle Park in Lakewood, Nature Park in Cypress among many others.
9. Free lunch programs: Various local cities are offering free nutritious meals to children during the summer break- some are need-based and some are open to all. Participating local cities include: Long beach, Lynwood, Paramount, Signal Hill, Downey, Cerritos, and Bellflower. Visit the California Department of Education website for locations and more details or check out the USDA website for a searchable map.
10. Free museum days: Take advantage of the free days that museums in LA and Orange County have to offer (view our free museum days guide here). Visiting museums is a great way to continue learning during the summer (and most are air-conditioned, too!). In addition, if you are an LA County Library card holder, you can reserve FREE family passes to museums and cultural attractions participating in the Discover & Go online program. Check out the Discover & Go website for more information.
11. El Dorado Nature Center: Take Family Night Walks at El Dorado Nature Center in Long Beach on July 11th and August 8th. Pre-registration is required. $5 per person. Kids under 2 are free. All ages welcome. Click here for more information.
12. Free summer program for preschoolers: Head to the Madrona Marsh in Torrance this summer for their free "Friday Fun" hands-on program for preschoolers, ages 3-6 years. The event is limited to 20 kids and registration is required so be sure to contact the Madrona Marsh Nature Center at 310-782-3989 in advance.
13. Kids bowl free: Concourse Entertainment Center (Anaheim) and Palos Verdes Bowl (Torrance) are both participating in Kids Bowl Free program. Registered kids receive 2 free games of bowling every day all summer long. To snag this deal, register your kids here for the Anaheim location and here for the Torrance location. The free bowling coupons will get emailed to you each week. Learn more about the Kids Bowl Free program here.
14. Pet some animals: Visit the Lakewood Equestrian Center petting zoo. Admission to the petting zoo is only $1.00. If you want to feed the animals it will be an additional charge of $1.00 for feed. Pony rides are also available for an additional charge.
15. Take a boat ride: For only $1 each way you and your kids can ride the AquaBus and enjoy a short, fun boat ride. Visit the Long Beach Water Taxi website for more information on where to board and for departure times from each dock.
16. Explore the OC Zoo: For only $2 per person for anyone over 2 years old, the OC Zoo is a great place to see some animals. Attending one of their programs, like a preschool program, is very affordable and as low as $5 for a parent child pair. For more information please visit the OC Zoo website.
17. Movies on the Beach: See a free movie at Granada Beach, Cherry Beach, or Alamitos Beach. Parking is also free. Movies start at dusk. Visit the Moonlight Movies on the Beach for more information.
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Enjoy! #summerfun #familyfun #kidsfun
