Candlelit dinners and romantic bubble baths with flutes of champagne have long since been replaced by indoor play and rubber duckies, so it’s time to put a kid-friendly spin on Valentine’s Day — at least during daylight hours! As the saying goes, the more the merrier, and here are several ways to have a lovely holiday that will make the whole family swoon.
1. Lovebug Rock Creatures at Kidspace Children’s Museum
Celebrate the proverbial love bug at Kidspace Children’s Museum’s cute workshop wherein kids ages 6 to 10 can learn about a bug’s body parts and then create their very own bug-inspired rock creature. Sunday, February 12th at 2pm, Workshop fee is $8/child and accompanying adult (in addition to regular museum admission.
Kidspace Children’s Museum
480 N. Arroyo Blvd
Pasadena, Ca 91103
626-449-9144
Online: kidspacemuseum.org
2. True Pablove – A Valentine’s Family Celebration Teach your kids the charitable aspect of love by attending The Pablove Foundation’s Valentine event, which includes unique Valentine-themed craft booths with activities such as creating biodegradable planter boxes, cookie decorating, tote bag design, felt flower crafts and making Valentine’s decorations for the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Additionally, there will be live music, yummy food and drinks, a silent auction and Pablove Shutterbugs Giving Tree — which enables the foundation to purchase cameras and equipment so they may expand their Shutterbugs program — which helps children living with cancer to therapeutically express themselves via the art of photography. The Pablove Foundation’s mission is to fund pediatric cancer research and advances in treatment, while educating and empowering families and children living with cancer through hospital play, music and arts programs. Saturday, February 11th, 11:00 am–3:00 pm, $60 per person.
Quixote Studios East
4585 Electronics Place
Los Angeles, Ca 90039
Online: pablove.org/truepablove
3. Jerry Beck Animation Tuesdays: Valentoons Is your kid cuckoo for cartoons? Indulge his affinity by taking him to Jerry Beck Animation Tuesdays. Animation historian Jerry Beck breaks open the film vault and presents a collection of ‘love-obsessed’ cartoons featuring classic characters such as Pepe LePew. This event starts at 8pm, so it’s best reserved for older children as a special “stay-up-late” treat. Tuesday, February 7th, 8pm, $12/ticket.
The Silent Movie Theater
611 N Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, Ca 90036
323-655-2510
Online: cinefamily.org/films/jerry-beck-animation-tuesdays
4. Children’s Workshop: Be My Victorian Valentine Learn more about the history of Valentine’s Day with the beautiful and majestic setting of The Huntington Botanical Gardens as your backdrop. During this special workshop, kids (along with an accompanying adult), may design their very own old-fashioned Victorian Valentines while being enlightened with fun historical facts about the holiday. Saturday, February 11th, 10:00 am -12:30 pm, Ages 7-12, Members $20 (includes child and accompanying adult) Non-members: $25
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
1151 Oxford Road San Marino, Ca 91108 626-405-2128 Online: huntington.org
5. Family Bike Ride Along the Beach with Bike Rentals from Perry’s Cafe Arguably the most romantic setting on earth, an ocean view will invigorate your entire brood. Take your sweeties to the beach for an unforgettable bicycle ride. No matter how many babies and tots you have in tow, Perry’s Cafe in Manhattan Beach has a mode of transportation to suit how you roll. You can rent tandem bikes, tag-a-long bikes, kid’s bikes, kiddy carts, strollers, tandem or single bikes with baby seats, choppers, fun cycles, even adult trikes! See, people really do ride off into the sunset! Online: http://www.perryscafe.com/prices.html
6. Grier Musser Museum’s Annual Valentine Tour Take your kids on a special trip to the Victorian era inside an actual restored Victorian house, which is the location of the Grier Musser Museum. Their annual Valentine tour includes an impressive collection of Valentine cards which dates back to the late 1890’s and spans to present-day, and the tour is topped-off with the display of their teddy bear and Kewpie Dolls collections. Sunday, February 12th, 1pm to 4pm, Tours are at 1pm and 2:30pm. Admission is $12/person and includes tour and refreshments. Grier Musser Museum 403 South Bonnie Brae Street Los Angeles, Ca 90057 213-413-1814 Online: griermussermuseum.org/calendar.html
7. Aquarium of the Pacific Valentine’s Day Celebration If your kids have a special place in their heart for sea creatures, then make a splash at the Valentine’s Day celebration at the Aquarium of the Pacific. The Aquarium will stay open until 9:00pm, and admission after 5:00pm is $14.95 for adults and $13.95 for children (3-11), children ages 3 and under are free. Families may explore the aquarium at night under dim, elegant lighting, while observing the fish and animals in the midst of their evening activities. Don’t miss the “mesmerizing sea jellies, the giant Pacific octopus and the mysterious sharks.” Make the event extra special by enjoying the gourmet dinner served at 7:30pm. Featuring a multi-course menu geared toward sophisticated palates (ie: shrimp cocktail, grilled beef filet), the price of dinner, which includes Aquarium admission, is $62 for adults and $52 for children. Tuesday, February 14th, 5:00-9:00pm, you can purchase tickets online for this event. Aquarium of the Pacific 100 Aquarium Way Long Beach, Ca 90802 562-590-3100 Online: aquariumofpacific.org/
8. Golden State Gymnastics Valentine’s Parent’s Night Out Party If you’d like to spend a romantic evening with your partner on the Saturday before Valentine’s Day, Golden State Gymnastics is offering parents the opportunity to drop the kiddos off at a fun bash of their own. From 6-10pm, for a rate that’s less expensive than hiring a babysitter, and includes dinner, gymnastics, games, and a goody bag, little ones are guaranteed a fun time at this special event. Saturday, February 11th, from 6-10pm, $35 per child or $40 per child the night of the event. Golden State Gymnastics 1828 N. Keystone Street Burbank, Ca 818-558-1177 Online: goldenstategym.com
Share the love and let us know how your family is celebrating this sweet holiday.
— Beth Shea
Photo credit by Bla-itsyou at Deviantart.com
