La Mirada Performing Arts Center’s Program for Young Audiences

La Mirada Performing Arts Center

My husband and I are both love the theater and before we had children we used to watch at least two shows per month. Now that we have kiddos we don’t have the opportunity to watch shows quite as often, but we love to catch a good show whenever the opportunity allows. I want to make sure my children develop a love for the arts and I think early exposure is a huge part in developing that love.

We are lucky enough to live in beautiful Southern California where the opportunities abound. One of my favorite theaters,La Mirada Performing Arts Center, has a fantastic and inexpensive program for kids that can introduce kids to some great live theater.

The La Mirada Performing Arts Center Youth Program features a few shows per seasons geared just for children. This season features four shows that would be perfect to watch as a family. This Saturday they will Jambo, Watoto!Tales and Rhythms of Africa, Are You My Mother? based on the popular book by P.D. Eastman, Cinderella, and Funky Punks.

Shows are only 1 hour long with no intermission. It’s the perfect time frame for younger kiddos. Tickets are only $8 for children and $12 for adults. For the price of a movie you can introduce your children to the world of live theater and a love of art. It is a great deal! I priced out tickets for my daughter and I to watch Cinderella for a mommy/daughter special day out and it would only be $20! You can’t beat that!

For additional info and to purchase tickets head here.

Mingei International Museum and Giveaway

Credit: Maribel Reyes

Update: The winner of the giveaway is Elizabeth. Thank you all for entering.

Have you ever visited Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park? Mingei is a unique museum because it not only displays art but also local crafts and from around the world. Recently Maribel took her daughter to Balboa Park for a mommy and med outing. She shares all about it.

Last month we visited Mingei for their Family Sunday –which is held on the third Sunday of the month (This weekend!) and it was so much fun! It’s the perfect way to spend a day with the family and at only $5.00 per family or $3.00 for individuals also easy on the wallet.

You are greeted at the front entrance with a “map” with photos of the exhibits to begin a treasure hunt. The treasure hunt has trivia and takes you throughout the museum and makes learning FUN! Once you have toured the museum and have found all your clues you can return to the entrance, turn in your completed hunt and receive a prize!

Credit: Maribel Reyes

Family Sunday at the Mingei is truly a ton of fun! The museum also hosts a local artist demonstrating a make and take craft project. The day we visited the artist was Natasha Papousek (you can find her on ETSY). Natasha demonstrated beading and we had a great time putting our crafting skills tot the test.

The Mingei International Museum is open 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Tuesday – Sunday. For more information head here.

It’s Giveaway time! If you can’t make it to Family Sunday but would love to visit, We have a family 5 pack of admissions to the Mingei International Museum to giveaway. All you have to do is leave a comment letting us know why you would like to win. Giveaway ends on Sunday, February 26th. Winner will be chosen at random.

Maribel Reyes is mother to 2 adventure seeking kids and is always looking for new ways for them to learn through fun. Follow her on twitter and on her personal blog Stroller Adventures. You can also follow Maribel on Facebook here.

Whale of a Weekend!

Credit: Heal the Bay

If you are looking for something fun to do this President’s weekend, you don’t want to miss out on Whale of a Weekend. This fun event is taking place in Santa Monica this weekend and features fun for the entire family. We are currently in Whale migrating season and it is the perfect time to catch glimpses of these majestic creatures. Heal the Bay is celebrating the grey whale’s migration at the Santa Monica Pier.

Whale of a Weekend highlights the annual migration of the Pacific gray whale, which completes one of the longest migrations of any species, traveling 10,000 to 14,000 miles round trip between the arctic seas and the warm lagoons of Baja California, Mexico. This migration takes the whales past the Pier – sometimes within viewing distance from the west end observation deck.

The Santa Monica Pier Aquarium will provide an observation deck at the end of the pier, complete with binoculars and field guides. There will also be American Cetacean Society/Whale Watch representatives staffing the observation station can address questions about gentle and magnificent mammals.

There will also be a discussion/lecture and Feeding of the sharks at 3:30pm. Admission to the aquarium is free for kiddos 12 and under. Admission for those 12 and over is $3. I would suggest parking at the pier because its the easiest with kids. It’s a little more but with OVO playing on the pier parking might be a little tight.

For additional info head here .