100 Things To Do in LA with Kids Before They Grow Up

Kids. We can't stop them from growing up so fast, but we can try not to miss any of the best, most memorable things to do in their home town. Mommy Poppins LA treats you to our top 100 nifty, thrifty, and most heart-warming family bonding activities in LA. Being phenomenal Southern California parents, you've certainly already done several of these; but of the 100 not-to-be-missed, family-fun things to do we came up with around Los Angeles (in no particular order), there are likely a few you haven't yet scheduled. Why not start this weekend?

If you're in the mood for a more local itinerary, check out one of our neighborhood bucket lists. And finally a tip: Check our list of ages that kids get in free at SoCal attractions as you make your plan!

1. Go to any of the events around the Rose Parade
2. Go to the Pasadena Doo Dah Parade
3. Have brunch and hit the beach at Paradise Cove
4. Sled the Venice sand berms
5. Star-gaze at Griffith Observatory
6. Pick your own veggies at Underwood Farms
7. Tour the STAR Eco Station
8. See an IMAX movie at the California Science Center
9. Visit Kidspace Children’s Museum
10. See a play at Topanga's Theatricum Botanicum
11. Finagle a guest pass to kids brunch at the Magic Castle
12. See a big Disney movie at El Capitan
13. Ride the Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel at sunset
14. Ride the Orange County Great Park helium balloon
15. Go to a Native American event at the Autry National Center
16. Camp in Malibu Creek State Park
17. Do an LA Conservancy Family Walking Tour
18. Go rollerblading along Venice Beach
19. Head south to swim with the belugas or dolphins at SeaWorld
20. Go to a Medieval Times dinner tournament
21. See EquestFest over winter break
22. Play at Noah’s Ark at the Skirball
23. Build a campfire and cook dinner at Dockweiller Beach
24. Do a Sunset Ranch Hollywood sign trail ride
25. Ride a Fillmore & Western train
26. Take a whale watching trip
27. Skydive on Universal Citywalk at iFly Hollywood
28. Try the Muscle Beach Travelling Rings
29. Ride the trains at LA Live Steamers in Griffith Park
30. Go on a Faery Hunt
31. Browse the Rose Bowl Flea Market
32. Hike to the Bat Cave at Griffith Park
33. Celebrate a traditional Mexican festival at Olvera Street  
34. Register with to be extras in a movie
35. Watch a taping of a live kids’ show
36. Take a surfing lesson
37. Rent (or bring) a bike to ride the beach bike path
38. Ice skate in short sleeves at one of the seasonal outdoor ice rinks
39. See a show at Bob Baker Marionette Theater
40. Go for a walk through the Venice Canals
41. Take a day out of school to go to Disneyland when it's not busy
42. See the buffalo on Catalina Island
43. Check out Watts Towers
44. Visit the Flower Mart downtown
45. See the swallows return to San Juan Capistrano
46. Spend a summer evening at the Pageant of the Masters
47. See one of the Christmas Boat Parades
48. Go watch some old TV shows at the Paley Center
49. Ski or sled at a local ski resort, then have dinner by the beach
50. Go to a Presidential Library - Reagan or Nixon
51. Buy a season pass to one of the big parks (Disneyland, Universal, Knotts) so that you can drop in any time, even if only for a couple of rides
52. Ride the high-wire bicycle at the California Science Center
53. Watch a horse show at the LA Equestrian Center
54. Wander The Huntington Gardens
55. Attend a hand print or a star laying ceremony on Hollywood Blvd.
56. Go to an open rehearsal at the Hollywood Bowl
57. Join LACMA Nexgen, and go to a Family Sunday
58. Attend an event at the Central Library (story hour, author event, etc..)
59. Do a sleepover at either the Tar Pits or Natural History Museum
60. Go to the Chinese New Year Parade in Chinatown
61. Do a beach clean-up
62. Wander the Camellia Festival at either Descanso or Huntington Gardens
63. Take part in a Dia de los Muertos Festival at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
64. Drop in on Los Encinos Living History Day
65. Explore the Natural History Museum's seasonal Butterfly Pavilion
66. Explore the Natural History Museum's seasonal Spider Pavilion
67. Visit the Moorpark Teaching Zoo
68. Do a Kids Run the Bases day at Dodger Stadium
69. Go to a Family Festival at the Getty Center
70. Tour (or stay at) the Queen Mary
71. Spend a day at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire
72. Go to the Los Angeles County Fair
73. Attend the Hollywood Christmas Parade
74. Wander the LA Times Festival of Books
75. Ride the Marina del Rey Water Bus to a waterside concert
76. Bake cookies, bring them to your local fire station, and get a tour of the station and engines
77. Take a Beverly Hills Trolley Tour
78. Attend a Saturday Scene family show at the Geffen Playhouse
79. Go sea kayaking
80. Have dinner at the Santa Monica Food Trucks, with a table (and grown-up drinks) at The Victorian
81. Experience the famous Festival of Lights at Riverside's Mission Inn
82. Celebrate Mardi Gras at the Farmers Market
83. Get in the Halloween spirit at Knotts Scary Farm
84. Sign up for a free Apple Camp at the Apple Store
85. See the Space Shuttle Endeavour at the Samuel Oschin Pavilion
86. Take a trapeze lesson
87. Volunteer to work on a Rose Parade float and/or view the floats up close after the parade
88. Check out the Heritage Square Museum
89. Catch a Sunday shark feeding at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium
90. Enjoy a Sunday morning concert at McCabe’s and try out all the guitars afterward
91. Experience a Toyota Symphony for Youth at Disney Concert Hall
92. Create a recycled masterpiece at ReDiscover
93. Take a Warner Brothers Studio Tour
94. See the Avila Adobe – LA’s oldest house
95. Go for Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues
96. Catch some live music at Amoeba Records and show kids what records are
97. Attend the annual Jet Propulsion Laboratory Open House
98. Catch the Tall Ships Festival
99. Rent a family bicycle surrey at Lake Balboa
100. Go on a Grunion Run

And, in honor of everyone's favorite freeway (the 101), we can't resist adding one more:

   101. Dress up & belt out the songs at the Hollywood Bowl Sound of Music Sing-Along

Looking for something more local? We have neighborhood suggestions, too - like 25 things to do without leaving Anaheim, Burbank, Hollywood, Santa Monica, Downtown LA, Los Feliz, Pasadena, Studio City, Redondo Beach, Laguna Beach, Marina del Rey, Westchester, Thousand Oaks, or Culver City!