11 Fun & Free Things to Do with Kids in LA in November

Cayton Creators

Wed. & Sat., Nov. 4-21: Kids can create their own masterpieces with teaching artists and museum ambassadors at Cayton Children's Museum new outdoor series, taking place on Wednesdays and Fridays. Each family or group gets their own work area to promote social distancing. Weekly themes include rhythm, poetry and spoken word, abstraction and curiosity, inspiration and experimentation…. and much more! More details.

Aquarium of the Pacific Autumn Festival (Virtual)

Sat., Nov. 14: Delve into the arts, cultures, and marine environments of Asia during the Aquarium of the Pacific’s nineteenth annual Autumn Festival. Autumn Festival is going virtual this year and highlights the traditions and cultures of Japan, China, Korea, and the Philippines through a day of learning opportunities and family entertainment celebrating the rich diversity of Asian and Asian-American cultures. More details. 

LA Times Festival of Books (Virtual)

Now through Sat., Nov. 7: The LA Times 2020 Festival of Books, LA's biggest and best known book festival, is going virtual. Over the course of four weeks, the Times celebrates storytelling with author panels, readings, and other events. Kid-friendly events include a reading of the wacky and wild book Chicken of the Sea with authors Viet Thanh Nguyen and six-year-old Ellison Nguyen; and a performance by USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. More details. 

Santa Monica Pier Secret Story Tour

Anytime: Experience the Pier like never before with this all-new interactive digital map. Pier, download the app and solve location-based puzzles to unlock secrets and untold stories of the Pier. You’ll use the hidden clues on your quest to discover new ways to preserve the Pier based on our 111 year history and let you capture one-of-a-kind photos along the way. More details. 

Paws & Pages Online (Virtual)

Every Wed. in November: This fun, family-friendly online reading features a new story read each week, followed by a virtual Pet Encounter! You can enjoy the story, “meet” one of Annenberg PetSpace's adoptable pets, and post questions for the center's animal experts. More details. 

Free Entrance Day - National Parks

Wed., Nov. 11: Visit Cabrillo National Monument, Joshua Tree National Park and more California National Parks for free on Veteran's Day. More details. 

Now through Sat., Nov. 4: Guests can experience, hear and learn about the traditions of Día de los Muertos and stroll through 11 altars located throughout Grand Park, curated by Self Help Graphics in collaboration with their Noche de Ofrenda series of programs, including the annual Community Altar created by Maestra Ofelia Esparza and her family. All personally and culturally relevant to Los Angeles, the 10 main large-scale altar installations represent the losses and causes of this past year. The altars are created by artists and community partners. More details.

Free Day at Los Angeles County Arboretum

Tues., Nov. 17: Reservations for next Free Day open November 1.The tickets are free but limited in order to ensure social distancing. Tickets must be reserved in advance online and will be available at 9:00 am November 1 for Free Day November 17. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. More details.

Orionid Meteor Show

Now through Sat., Nov. 7: If you can stay up late enough and find a spot free of street lights, gaze up at the sky after midnight to see one of the most beautiful and brightest meteor showers of the year. Traveling around 148,000 mph into the Earth's atmosphere, the meteors leave glowing trails, which can last for several seconds to minutes in the night sky. More details.