2020 has certainly been one for the books. As the year comes to a close, we’re taking a look back at our top stories, the ones that helped you get through not one, but two stay at home orders, months of virtual learning and a spate of cancellations (cancelled camps, cancelled vacations, cancelled birthday parties and more). From a roundup of epic waterfall hikes to the ultimate drive-in movie guide, here are the stories that made pandemic life more bearable, and, well, even a little bit fun.
Totally Candid Advice from LA Teachers
To help parents manage at-home learning at the start of the school year, we went straight to the source and got LA teachers to share what they wish parents knew. They revealed the worst spot in the house for kids to Zoom from and the one thing you need to help students focus. Get all their still very relevant advice here.Â
Free Online Activities from LA Museums
While our favorite LA museums have been closed for most of the year, they've kept busy (and helped keep kids busy), with live-stream videos, fun DIY projects, interactive maps, and more. Discover all the free learning fun here.
Boredom Busters That Really Work
As LA's first stay at home orders wore on, we were desperate for at-home activities and projects that would actually keep kiddos entertained. (And didn't involve toilet paper rolls!) Local moms came to the rescue, sharing their tried and true tips.Â
LA's Best Kid-Friendly Hikes
When everything else was still closed, hiking trails mercifully reopened in LA. And not a moment too soon. For anyone worried about crowded paths and keeping six feet apart, we brought you 9 hidden, family-friendly hikes around town.Â
Ride On! Car-Free Bike Paths for LA Families
We spent a lot of time circling our own neighborhood block this year. But when that wasn't enough to tire out two-wheeling tots, these car-free bike paths and trails offered a safe alternative.Â
Amazing Treehouses to Rent in California
Road trips and private, short-term rentals were the way to travel this year. To help satisfy your wanderlust and delight your kids, we found 14 California treehouses for your next getaway.
The Ultimate Drive-In Movie Guide
With movie theaters closed, 2020 became the year of the pop-up drive-in. Each month, we bring you a schedule of all the drive-in flicks showing around LA. See what's still playing at pop-ups in December.
10 Magical Botanical Gardens in LA
Thank goodness for the great outdoors. Never have we appreciated LA's breathtaking botanical gardens more than this year, when they provided a much-needed change of scenery.Â
LA's Epic Waterfall Hikes for Kids
This perennial favorite was particularly popular this year, when everyone was looking for a chance to discover a little magic, beauty and serenity. In case you missed it, here are five awe-inspiring waterfall hikes for kids.Â
12 Things Every LA Parent Should Know About Learning Pods
With Los Angeles County public schools offering online-only instruction in the fall (and parents of pre-schoolers nervous about sending little ones back to classrooms), more and more Los Angeles parents are considered starting up their own pandemic pod (aka micro-schools, aka quaranteams). For the pod-curious, we revealed everything you needed to know about the at-home learning trend.
–Shannan Rouss
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