What's Up For Kids, Dec 2015, Jan/Feb 2016 by Alessandra Media Group LLC

W HAT ’S UP FOR KIDS DEC/JAN/FEB

FAMILY FRIENDLY TRAVEL ICE ICE BABY!

GIFT GUIDE + EXTENDED CALENDAR

THE ORGANIZED FAMILY

RESOLUTIONS VS. GOALS Connecting Parents With Resources www.WhatsUpForKids.com

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In This Issue 6

On Dad’s Watch A Christmas Wish

Family Friendly Travel Ice Ice Baby!

10 Kids Holiday Gift Guide Parent’s Review The Best New Toys! 16 The Organized Family Resolutions vs. Goals 18 Parent’s Corner High Expectations During The Holidays 20 From The Artbox The Artbox Academy 26 Calendar- December 2015 Find all the latest things to do around town! As events change be sure to call ahead!

28 Calendar- Jan/Feb 2016 COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF

Stylist: Christie Richards Photo: Cynthia Olkie, Fleur De Lis Photo www.fleurphoto.com

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Letter from the publisher This is my second issue as Publisher, and this month my family helped me out. My husband, who is my “go to” tech guy, reviewed a few high tech children’s products with the help of our daughter. Check out his reviews of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles HD Action Camera and Digipuppets. Both promise to be a hit with kids this Holiday Season. I loved putting together the December calendar. With so many one of a kind Holiday events going on around the South Bay, there are so many ways to get out and do something new with your kids! There are many fun ways to meet Santa this month including the Lomita Train Museum event “Santa and the Polar Express” on December 13th . Another opportunity will be at the Historic Rancho Los Cerritos in Long Beach event Cocoa With Santa on December 15th and 19th where your kids can experience how Victorian era children celebrated the holidays. Maybe you want to do a little Holiday shopping with your kids. The South Bay Galleria is offering Adventure To Santa-a DreamWorks DreamPlace through December 24th which offers a virtual sleigh ride and interactive activities with the help of Shrek and his friends. Plaza El Segundo will have their Elf On the Shelf Scavenger Hunt through December 14th. After the Holidays are over, the whale watching season will be underway. Take the kids out whale watching with the folks from Cabrillo Marine Aquarium all through January and February! Remember, also check our website and facebook page for even more events and things to do. Happy Holidays and best wishes for a healthy and happy 2016!! Cindy

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On Dad’s Watch A Christmas Wish by Michael Malgeri

Dear Children, Tonight we enjoyed the events of Christmas Eve as we do each December. It’s now been several years since you ordered from the kid’s menu at Kincaid’s, opting nowadays for prime rib over chicken strips and fries. Your enthusiasm for the annual screening of Polar Express hasn’t waned, nor has the love for your puppy, last year’s gift, who has so enriched our lives while relentless destroying our woodwork. Though the “tuck-in” is gone, the good night kiss remains, and before your headphones drop from your ears as you fall asleep, we’ll make this Christmas wish for you. We wish you always learn for excitement and not for necessity. That you work for fun and not to survive. We wish you to listen to judge and not to comply and that envy never consumes you. We wish that soon, you’ll experience independence, and by the time you reach 90, it will be the new 30. We wish that although you may soon have driverless cars, you never have driverless lives, and that no matter what your life’s destination, you always remain behind the wheel. All Our Everlasting Love, Mom and Dad

Along with “On Dad’s Watch” Michael has also written a series of books he calls “Bedtime Stories about Capitalism,” which teaches kids about honest profit making. Visit http://www.kids4biz.com. You can write to him at mmalgeri@kids4biz.com

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Family Friendly Travel Ice Ice Baby! ICEHOTEL That Is! Having traveled quite extensively around the world as a young family, I often ask my three boys to list their three top family vacations. Our trip to Sweden’s Arctic Circle has remained on all their lists for years now. I suppose the reindeer safari, dog sledding, snowmobiling and Northern Lights would be pretty indelible experiences for anyone, but perhaps the highlight was our lodging at the original ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, ninety minutes by air north of Stockholm. The world’s first ICEHOTEL was founded in Sweden in 1989. Every year artists are invited to create different rooms, furnishing and decorating them with snow and ice blocks from the nearby river. From the beginning of December until April, an ephemeral gallery of unique art installations carved and sculpted from ice are enjoyed during the day as expressions of art and then later inhabited as hotel rooms as guests snuggle in for the night. Reindeer skins on ice platforms provide an essential warm base under the provided sleeping bags as adventurous travelers experience an unforgettable night’s sleep in 20F degrees, 5F outside. During the day, the ICEHOTEL provides a snowsuit, balaclava, boots and mittens suitable to take on the adventure in the Arctic Circle. An evening snowmobile ride followed the moon, casting its glow on the rolling snowy terrain, and eventually took us to a cabin in the woods with reindeer soup waiting for us. We were falling in love with Sweden, especially because of its gorgeous and freezing surroundings! My boys quickly attached themselves to the huskies who dutifully pulled our sled to a snow-covered tent that our guide easily dusted off revealing an

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entrance flap where we savored, once again, reindeer soup (he assured us it was not Rudolph!). Our guide captivated us with his stories as a dog lover and musher! The next few magical days, we enjoyed viewing the Northern Lights, a safari where we boarded sleighs pulled by reindeer, sitting around a fire with the indigenous Sami people and enjoying a vacation in the cold that didn’t involve one pair of skis, but was one of the most unique and memorable family vacations ever. The winter months are a time of holidays, school breaks and colder weather. Only a plane separates you and your family from a truly special experience of the Arctic Circle, home of Santa Claus, the Northern Lights and a winter wonderland full of family adventures offering fun for everyone!

Cynthia Bartlett is an independent travel planner and affiliate of Travelstore. She loves sharing her passion of travel with her clients and strives to create itineraries that are unique and stress-free. Having lived in the United Kingdom and France, Cynthia has an extensive experience in and knowledge of Europe. However, she has also traveled to 6 of the 7 continents, so is able to assist in crafting unique itineraries in all corners of the world. She enjoys finding adventurous activities and experiences that are unique, so that her clients feel they have traveled “deeper” than the average tourist. Her expertise is in family/multi-generational travel, but she loves the challenge of making anyone’s travel dreams a reality! Cynthia can be reached at cynthia.b@ travelstore.com or 310-750-9404.

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KIDS

Holiday Gift Guide Under $10 Digipuppets

I’d say that kids from 3 to 6 years would enjoy this new way of interacting with touchscreens.

Digipuppets are finger puppets that turn screen time into learning time!

Parent Review by Brian Donnelly

Ages 3 and up Price: $9.99 www.digipuppets.com

Under $15 Stickyscapes Adventures: Polar and Tropical We tried out the Honey Bunny finger puppet. It is very cute, and is made of a soft, rubbery material. It works much like a stylus on Android and Apple phones and tablets, and is designed to work with educational apps easily downloaded from Google Play or the Apple App Store. For this review, we downloaded Honey Bunny Learns to Share on to a Nexus 7 tablet, and the program ran flawlessly. There are several other Digipuppet apps available, as well. The finger puppet works very well for tapping on the icons for turning the pages, as well as activating the many different interactive attractions on each page. As they tap around the screen, kids will enjoy seeing the different animations come to life as they use the finger puppet to explore.

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I am a big fan of Laurence King Publishing, they offer many products that allow kids to think outside the box, and the publications are always of a high quality. This product is a great one to bring along on your Holiday travels!! This year they have added two new titles to their Stickyscapes Adventures series, Stickyscapes Polar Adventures (ISBN 9781856699570 ) and Stickyscapes Tropical Adventures (ISBN 9781856699556).

Both titles offer an entertaining and educational format featuring a panoramic pull-out and more than

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100 stickers. Children can learn about different locales and the diverse offerings of Mother Nature. Each sticker book contains 8 pages of stickers and double-sided panoramic offering different nature scenes. The stickers are peelable and can be re-positioned and used again and again. Educational factoids describe habitat and species so children learn as they play with these fun and transportable accordion sticker books. Parent Review by Cindy Donnelly

Ages 6 and up Price: $14.95 www.laurenceking.com

Thomas & Friends™ Track PlayTape® I liked the idea of this product, kids can create their own path for their tracks!! Another great product for travel. Leave the bulky track at home and a hotel table can become a new adventure, or grandma’s kitchen floor. Thomas & Friends™ Track PlayTape® enables kids to create their very own roads and rails on any flat surface! Featuring a full 50 feet of 2” wide

track tape, the Thomas & Friends Track PlayTape can be torn and taped to any surface to create any track a child can imagine, providing hours of Thomas-themed railroading fun. Made in the USA. Parent Review by Cindy Donnelly

Ages 3+

Price: $14.99

SoapSox Bath Companion Give the gift of bath time fun with Soapsox! The adorable plush friends that kids can take from playtime… to bath time! It’s 2-in-1 fun with SoapSox®, the cuddly companions you can actually take in the tub! Just add soap to the patentpending pocket and scrub-a-dub clean! I gave one of these as a gift to a two year old over the summer, and it was a big hit. I especially loved that the Soapsox are machine washable! Parent Review by Cindy Donnelly

Ages Birth+ Price: $14.95 www.SoapSoxKids.com

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Under $20 Storybook Torch The perfect interactive toy to encourage the development of your child’s imagination, this “flashlight” comes with three different projection discs that insert into the torch. The image can be focused to change the size of each “scene.”

When projected onto a wall, each of the discs tells a colorful story. One shows children going into the garden to sow carrot seeds; the second shows a tree explaining how the seasons change; and the third shows animals happily running about. The torch is perfectly sized for youngsters – 6” long by 2” wide. Available online from Bonjour Petit. Parent Review by Cindy Donnelly

Ages 4+ Price: $18.00 www.BonjourPetit.com

Under $50 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles HD Action Camera This is a cool little item! It’s a very compact camcorder that comes with a clear plastic housing

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that makes it waterproof and sandproof, much like the familiar GoPro cameras. However, it is much more reasonably priced than the GoPro, making it more rational as a purchase for children. The camcorder comes with attachments for a helmet, as well as for bicycles. I was impressed with the quality of the attachment hardware. The bike bracket went on easily, and allowed for a good range of adjustments to fit nearly any bike. Using the camcorder was very easy. Charge it up with any USB charger you may have, or a computer’s USB port. Insert a MicroSD memory card (not included, but I had a couple around the house left over from old cell phones.) Press the power button once for video, twice for still photos, and once more for playback. A 2GB memory card holds about 20 minutes at medium resolution, about half that in HD. I’d recommend getting at least a 16GB card (you can use up to 32GB.) That would hold plenty of video, and those are reasonably priced these days. My daughter enjoyed shooting videos and stills with this, especially because it was so small and easy to use. Having the Teenage Mutant NinjaTurtles on the front made it even more fun. Recommended! Parent Review by Brian Donnelly

Ages 3 and up Price: $49.99+ www.amazon.com

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The Organized Family Resolutions vs. Goals Resolutions VS Goals. Is there really a difference? Yes! There is a HUGE difference. Historically, this is the time of year to think about what you would like to see happen in your life in the New Year. These “thoughts” are typically referred to as resolutions. The problem with resolutions is that they are usually hopes, dreams and/or fantasies. Goals are everything resolutions can be... except with a plan! Your goals may include making changes in your personal life, family, career, household, etc. If you have never set personal goals or have tried and failed, here are some tips to guide you on the road to success and a great new year ahead.

1. Goal categories: Personal, professional, family/relationships, home/environment.

2. Write each category on a separate page in a journal or on a

yellow pad and make a file. Now list your goals under each category. Family members may want also want to make their own lists. Great!

3. Speak them so they become real and not just something you

have been thinking about. Speak them to a trusted friend or to yourself… aloud!

4. Now work them by setting a plan as to what it takes to

accomplish the goal. Set deadlines for the steps to the completion.

5. Mark the deadlines in your personal calendar or electronic

organizer or in your computer to help you to stay on target.

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6. Stay focused by keeping your goals where you will see them regularly as a reminder. Talk about them to a trusted friend/ encourager. Picture the goal at completion.

7. Re-evaluate your goals periodically to adjust the timeline, change the goal or drop it for another goal. Life changes. It’s okay to alter your goals… after all they are your goals. Just don’t use this as a form of procrastination!

8. Celebrate the completed steps to your goal and of course when

the goal comes to fruition. Throw a party… invite me. I would love to share in this experience of accomplishment! You can do this. All it takes is a plan.

Go for it. You can do it and deserve it! © Resolutions VS Goals Ann Gambrell Oct. 2015 Ann Gambrell is an organizational consultant and speaker available to inform and entertain audiences. She facilitates weekday and Saturday Clutter Support Groups and teaches organizing classes through the Torrance Adult School. To learn more, phone Ann at 310-212-0917 or to request her FREE monthly email tips email gambrellann@aol.com. You will be glad you did!

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Parent’s Corner High Expectations During The Holidays? Who Me? I LOVE the holidays!! I love decorating, cooking cold weather foods (even if cold is 68), attending children’s events and giving gifts! So many things to look forward to! So many perfect memories! SCREECH! Welcome to the season of unrealistic expectations. Most of us have experienced at least one holiday that wasn’t what we’d hoped for. We have this Norman Rockwell vision of what our meal will look like and then the turkey doesn’t defrost in time or the kids break mom’s favorite crystal. Oh so may things can happen on these special days. So here’s a thought; when you are going to drive in LA on a Friday afternoon at 5pm, you KNOW there will be traffic. You plan for it. You leave extra time to get where you need to go and play your favorite music. You settle in for what you know is coming. You can’t control the traffic but, you can control how you handle it. The holidays aren’t much different. Just remember; your kids are watching... I remember when my son was 3. He was just learning about opening presents and was very tentative. It took forever to open one gift. So, we “brilliantly” taught him to tear that paper off with gusto and move on to the next gift. We had to get to breakfast eventually! Fast forward 2 years; now he’s opening them (just the way we taught him) by tearing the paper off in seconds and barely looking at the gift before tossing it away to move on to the next. “Take your time honey, we want you to appreciate your gifts!”. Huh? Slightly confusing message for a child. So, when you think about what your expectations are during this time of year, also think about how you’re teaching your children about their own expectations. Allow a little wiggle room for their behavior and guide them through your example. Prepare for the ups and downs of this hectic, happy season and I know you’ll get the precious moments you’re hoping for, just maybe when you least expect them. Michele Pullo created happycalmchild out of the needs of her own family and friends to have simple, tangible tools to help our children self-regulate their emotions, focus and ease anxiety. She works with both children and their parents through live and virtual classes, talks, webinars, family workshops and a private family program. She’s combined evidence based stress reduction tools with effective parenting techniques to give parents the support they need. Her experience as the mother of a 9yr old with ADD and a spirited 4yr old keeps her in the trenches with you! Michele’s background working with children, teaching Yoga and Dance along with 25 years of study on Stress Reduction Techniques, Movement for Learning and the Mind/ Body Connection helped her create a structured, easy to follow, fun curriculum that gives kids the tools they need while giving parents the results and support they’ve been looking for!

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From The Artbox The Artbox Academy Editor’s note: This month Art To Grow On Inc. gave us the opportunity to review their product The Art Box Academy™. The Art Box Academy™ is a complete Great Master Artist Lesson that comes in a box with the lesson materials, including information about a famous artist and the details on how to do a project based on the artist’s work. All the supplies for the project are included, even things like glue and plates to organize the materials. So all you need to do is open the box and get started!! The projects are customized for children ages 2-16. You can choose from a variety of artists including Picasso, Monet, Andy Warhol, Frank Lloyd Wright, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Tiffany and many more. We received the Frank Lloyd Wright Art Box, and my daughter was delighted to see all the miniature blocks, I could almost see the ideas jumping around in her head. We read over the information about Frank Lloyd Wright together, and talked about the photo provided of one of his houses. Then she started creating!! She designed a tiled rainbow house and really enjoyed the process!! There were ample supplies, I think we will have enough to do another design in the future!! Now that she has learned a little about Frank Lloyd Wright, I plan to take her to see the Hollyhock House in Los Angeles, a great local example of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture. The Art Box Academy™ would make a great gift for the Holidays. It is designed to be enjoyed by individuals, gifts, homeschoolers, schools, parties, scouts etc. and sells for $24.95 individually and in multiples. To find out more or to purchase visit www.ArtToGrowOn.com or call (310) 625-6028. Art To Grow On Children’s Art Center, Inc., brings Art Enrichment Programs, Products, and Services to children ages 18 months –18 years old. Owner Lauren Perelmuter’s extensive background working with schools, both private and public, along with Cities, Corporate Day Care Centers, and non-profit organizations has moved Art To Grow On Inc. to the forefront as one of the leading art enrichment providers in Southern California. For class information and details, visit www.art2growon.com or call 310-625-6028.

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Ginger Crinkles Holiday Cookie Recipe

submitted by Alison Allen (mom of 2) This recipe is a favorite in my family and quickly replaced our gingerbread cookie recipe due to it’s superior flavor and the fact that they are so easy to make! I always try to make holiday baking a family affair and my kids love helping to roll the dough in sugar and arrange them on the baking sheet. Ingredients: Makes about 3 dozen 1 cup margarine or butter 1½ cups sugar 1 egg 2 tbsp dark corn syrup ½ cup mild molasses 3 cups flour 2 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. ground ginger ¼ tsp. ground cloves ¼ tsp. salt Instructions: 1. Put first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Beat on low until blended well, then medium until smooth. 2. Add next 6 ingredients. Stir with spoon until mixed. 3. Roll into 2 logs. Cut each log into 1½” sections. Roll each section into a ball. 4. Put about ¼ cup sugar onto a plate. Roll about two thirds of the ball in sugar. Place sugared side up on an ungreased cookie sheet. 5. Bake at 375° for 12-14 minutes. Let sit on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes before removing. Should still be soft (better undercooked than overcooked!). 6. Enjoy!

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Calendar December TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1 South Bay Galleria, 1815 Hawthorne Blvd., Redondo Beach, hosts Kids Club in the Kids Club Food Court Stage, Level 3. 6:30pm. FREE. 310371-7546. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 Madrona Marsh, 3201 Plaza Del Amo, Torrance, hosts a tyke hike. Hey kids bring your favorite adult! Hike on the preserve listen for birds, look for frogs and learn about nature.10am, $5 donation requested. 310- 782-3989. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5 Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, 3720 Stephen White Dr., San Pedro, hosts Art Corner. Have fun doing arts and crafts the first Saturday of the month. Each Cabrillo Art Corner will feature a unique ocean-themed project that jump starts your creativity, engages your senses and relaxes your mind. Focus on the task at hand and forget about life’s craziness for a while. 11am-3pm. 310-5487562. Manhattan Beach Art Center, 1560 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Manhattan Beach Art To Grow On Children’s Art Center presents “Gingerbread House Workshops!” at 11am and 2pm today and tomorrow Dec. 6th. Price $85 and includes Gingerbread House, Cookie and Art Workshop! Reservations required. (310) 625-6028. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6 Southern California Live Steamers offers free train rides the first Sunday of every month from 11am—3pm at the East end of Wilson Park in Torrance. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9 Hesse Park Community Center, 29301 Hawthorne Blvd, RPV presents Little Critters

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Storytime and Craft designed for ages 2-5 to enjoy with their parent or guardian. FREE (310) 544-5260. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11 La Leche League of Redondo Beach hosts a breastfeeding support group the 2nd Friday of every month at Beach Cities Health District. 514 N. Prospect Ave., Redondo Beach 10am. krislaleche@yahoo.com SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12 Manhattan Beach Art Center, 1560 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Manhattan Beach Art To Grow On Children’s Art Center presents “Gingerbread House Workshops!” at 11am and 2pm today and tomorrow Dec. 13. Price $85 and includes Gingerbread House, Cookie and Art Workshop! Reservations required. (310) 625-6028. Hesse Park Community Center 29301 Hawthorne Blvd, RPV The City of RPV presents “Breakfast With Santa” come enjoy breakfast, entertainment, crafts, carols and photos with Santa, bring your own camera! $15 per person (18 mo. and younger free with paid adult.) 310 544-5260. White Point Nature Education Center & Preserve Your family will enjoy a garden exploration and activities with the Rangers held year round with different themes each month. Enjoy stories, children’s activities, and exploration through the native plant Demonstration Garden. FREE www. pvplc.org. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13 Madrona Marsh, 3201 Plaza Del Amo, Join us for “Holly Jolly Critters” with Tomi from Animal Lovers. $5 per person or $10 per family for this program. Pre-registration is recommended. To register and for more information call 310-7823989. Lomita Train Museum 2137 West 250th Street, Lomita presents Santa and the Polar Express.

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of events Bring the family for a special reading of The Polar Express. Lots of activities for kids. Call for details (310) 326-6255.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15 Rancho Los Cerritos, 4600 Virginia Road, Long Beach presents “Cocoa With Santa”. Kids will enjoy delicious cocoa and marshmallows, make holiday crafts, enjoy stories, tour the beautifully decorated 171 year old adobe house and learn how Victorian era kids celebrated the holidays. Parents are welcome to take photos. 4-5:30 PM. $10 per person, which includes a photo with Santa. Advance reservations required. Call (562) 206-2040. THURSDAY DECEMBER 17 Point Vicente Interpretive Center, 31501 Palos Verdes Dr W, RPV presents Little Fish Tales Storytime and Craft designed for ages 2-5 to enjoy with a parent or guardian. Stay afterwards to visit the museum, gift shop and grounds. Great site for Whale Watching. FREE. (310) 377-5370. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18 Warner Grand, 478 W 6th St, San Pedro, The Troupe presents Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Kick off your Holiday Season with this classic tale at 7pm. www.troupescoop. com. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19 Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, 3720 Stephen White Dr., San Pedro, hosts Ocean in Art: Gyotaku. Create one-of-a-kind gifts as you practice the art of Gyotaku fish printing. Fee includes paint and paper - please bring fabric or clothes to print on during this studio workshop. Pre-Registration is required by Friday the week prior to the program. Member Price: $16, Non-Member Price: $18. 9:30am -12pm. 310-548-7562 Rancho Los Cerritos 4600 Virginia Road, Long Beach presents “Cocoa With Santa”. Kids will

enjoy delicious cocoa and marshmallows, make holiday crafts, enjoy stories, tour the beautifully decorated 171 year old adobe house and learn how Victorian era kids celebrated the holidays. Parents are welcome to take photos. 11am-12:30pm. $10 per person, which includes a photo with Santa. Advance reservations required. Call (562) 206-2040. Warner Grand 478 W 6th St, San Pedro The Troupe presents Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Kick off your Holiday Season with this classic tale at 2pm and 7pm. www. troupescoop.com. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20 Warner Grand, 478 W 6th St, San Pedro The Troupe presents Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. Kick off your Holiday Season with this classic tale at 2pm. www.troupescoop. com. MONDAY, DECEMBER 21 La Leche League of Redondo Beach hosts a breastfeeding support group the 3rd Monday of every month at Beach Cities Health District. 7pm. (424) 634-2660. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23 Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, 3720 Stephen White Dr., San Pedro hosts a Family Tidepool Walk. CMA’s Educators conduct tours of the Point Fermin tidepools. Attend an informative slide show in the John M. Olguin Auditorium, then come along on the naturalist-led ramble on the rocks to see animals in their natural habitat. Outdoor clothing and sneakers advised. Young children must be accompanied by adults. FREE. 12:30-2pm 310-548-7562. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30 South Bay Galleria, 1815 Hawthorne Blvd., Redondo Beach, hosts Kids Club in the Kids Club Food Court Stage, Level 3. 10:30am. 310371-7546.

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January SATURDAY, JANUARY 2 Cabrillo Marine Aquarium Whale Watching. Go to sea any day of the week through mid-April in search of migrating Pacific gray whales and a host of other marine life including dolphins, seals and sea lions. Whalewatch naturalists, trained by CMA and the American Cetacean Society, lead two-tothree-hour boat trips from various landings (fees vary). Groups can make reservations by calling Cabrillo Whalewatch at 310-548-7770 Tuesdays through Fridays, 8:30 am to 1 pm. Individuals can make reservations by contacting the boat landings directly: Voyager Excursions (Redondo Beach) 310-944-1219 www.voyagerexcursions. com or Spirit Cruises (San Pedro) 310-548-8080 www.spiritmarine.com. THURSDAY, JANUARY 7 Madrona Marsh, 3201 Plaza Del Amo, Torrance, hosts a tyke hike. Hey kids bring your favorite adult! Hike on the preserve, listen for birds, look for frogs and learn about nature.10am, $5 donation requested. 310-782-3989.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 9 White Point Nature Education Center & Preserve Your family will enjoy a garden exploration and activities with the Rangers held year round with different themes each month. Enjoy stories, children’s activities, and exploration through the native plant Demonstration Garden. FREE. www.pvplc.org.

Roundhouse Aquarium at the end of the Manhattan Beach Pier presents Shark Feeding Frenzy each Saturday at 12:30pm, observe as we feed our shark tank. Observe the behaviors of the sea animals as they get their fresh fish meal. 310 379-8117.

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13 Hesse Park Community Center 29301 Hawthorne Blvd, RPV presents Little Critters Storytime and Craft designed for ages 2-5 to enjoy with their parent or guardian. FREE. (310) 544-5260. SATURDAY, JANUARY 16 Madrona Marsh, 3201 Plaza Del Amo, Torrance hosts Nature Origami for ages 9+. All supplies are provided. Please be on time! FREE Pre-registration is strongly recommended. To register please contact the Madrona Marsh Nature Center at 310-782-3989. TUESDAY, JANUARY 19 South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Blvd. Palos Verdes. Free admission for all visitors to enter the Garden occurs on the third Tuesday of every month. Introduce your child to the children’s garden developed around nursery rhymes with plants to match the stories. (310) 548-1948. THURSDAY, JANUARY 21 Point Vicente Interpretive Center, 31501 Palos Verdes Dr W, RPV presents Little Fish Tales Storytime and Craft designed for ages 2-5 to enjoy with a parent or guardian. Stay afterwards to visit the museum, gift shop and grounds. FREE. (310) 377-5370. SUNDAY, JANUARY 24 James Armstrong Theater 3330 Civic Center Dr., Torrance presents Story Pirates as part of their Family Series. Story Pirates will delight and surprise with puppets, enlivening songs and outrageous sketches. Come early or stay late to enjoy an art project provided by Art To Grow On. 2pm. Tickets $10-20 (310) 781-7171. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27 South Bay Galleria, 1815 Hawthorne Blvd., Redondo Beach, hosts Kids Club in the Kids Club Food Court Stage, Level 3. 10:30am. 310-371-7546.

December 2015

February MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1 Cabrillo Marine Aquarium Whale Watching. Go to sea any day of the week through mid-April in search of migrating Pacific gray whales and a host of other marine life including dolphins, seals and sea lions. Whalewatch naturalists, trained by CMA and the American Cetacean Society, lead two-tothree-hour boat trips from various landings (fees vary). Groups can make reservations by calling Cabrillo Whalewatch at 310-548-7770 Tuesdays through Fridays, 8:30 am to 1 pm. Individuals can make reservations by contacting the boat landings directly: Voyager Excursions (Redondo Beach) 310-944-1219 www.voyagerexcursions. com or Spirit Cruises (San Pedro) 310-548-8080 www.spiritmarine.com. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4 Madrona Marsh, 3201 Plaza Del Amo, Torrance, hosts a tyke hike. Hey kids bring your favorite adult! Hike on the preserve listen for birds, look for frogs and learn about nature.10am, $5 donation requested. 310-782-3989. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13 White Point Nature Education Center & Preserve Your family will enjoy a garden exploration and activities with the Rangers held year round with different themes each month. Enjoy stories, children’s activities, and exploration through the native plant Demonstration Garden. FREE. www.pvplc.org.

James Armstrong Theater, 3330 Civic Center Dr., Torrance presents Big Friendly Giant as part of their Family Series. Recommended for 2nd through 6th grades. Exciting dramatization of Roald Dahl’s award winning story of a 15 foot tall vegetarian giant comes to life with puppets and people creating a fantastical world of towering giants and magical adventures. Come early or stay late to enjoy an art project provided by Art To Grow On. 2pm and 5pm. Tickets $10-20 (310) 781-7171.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16 South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Blvd. Palos Verdes. Free admission for all visitors to enter the Garden occurs on the third Tuesday of every month. Introduce your child to the children’s garden developed around nursery rhymes with plants to match the stories. (310) 548-1948.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18 Point Vicente Interpretive Center, 31501 Palos Verdes Dr W, RPV presents Little Fish Tales Storytime and Craft designed for ages 2-5 to enjoy with a parent or guardian. Stay afterwards to visit the museum, gift shop and grounds. Great site for Whale Watching. FREE. (310) 377-5370. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28 James Armstrong Theater, 3330 Civic Center Dr., Torrance presents Dragonfly as part of their Family Series. A masterful dish of music and dance, served on a plate of mind-blowing LED technology. Come early or stay late to enjoy an art project provided by Art To Grow On. 2pm and 7pm. Tickets $25-35 (310) 781-7171.

LOOKING FOR MORE THINGS TO DO? Our website has 100’s of things, we just can’t list them all here! More ideas at www.WhatsUpForKids.com

www.WhatsUpForKids.com 29

ONGOING

WEEKLY ACTIVITIES As events may change, please call ahead. MONDAY

Peninsula Center Library, 701 Silver Spur Rd., R.H.E., hosts Babies in the Library, a story time designed just for 6-23 month olds. No registration necessary. 10:15 & 11am. 310-377-9584, ext. 601. Malaga Cove Library, 2400 Via Campesina, PVE., hosts a story time for ages 2-5 year olds. 10:30am. 310-3779584, ext. 551. {pages} a Bookstore, 904 Manhattan Avenue, Manhattan Beach hosts storytime for ages 2-6 every Monday from 10:30-11:30am.

TUESDAY

Peninsula Center Library, 701 Silver Spur Rd., RHE, hosts story time Ages 2-5. No registration necessary. 10:15 & 11am. 377-9584, ext. 601. Miraleste Library, 29089 Palos Verdes Drive East, R.P.V., hosts story time for ages 6-24 months. Free. 11:30am. 3779584. Kids Music N Motion hosts classes for various age levels at 4 South Bay locations. Call for the details. 373-0280.

WEDNESDAY

Miraleste Library, 29089 Palos Verdes Drive East, R.P.V., hosts story time for ages 2-5. Free. 11:30am 377-9584. Peninsula Center Library, 701 Silver Spur Rd., RHE, hosts story time for ages 2-5. 10:15 & 11am. 377-9584, ext. 601.

10:15 & 11am. 377-9584, ext. 601. Redondo Beach Library North branch, 2000 Artesia Blvd., hosts story time for 1-5 year olds. 1pm. 318-0675. . Redondo Beach Main Library, 303 NO. Pacific Coast Hwy., hosts Pajama story time. All ages. 6:45pm. 318-0675

FRIDAY

Little Fawn, a parent participating nature program for children ages 2-5, takes place every Friday at Deane Dana Friendship Park, 1805 W. 9th St., San Pedro. 10-12noon. $5. (310) 519-6115. Malaga Cove Library, 2400 Via Campesina, PVE., hosts Babies in the Library, a story time designed just for 6-23 month olds. No registration necessary. 10:30am. 310-377-9584, ext. 551. Madrona Marsh, 3201 Plaza Del Amo, Torrance, hosts Friday Fun (does not meet Dec.25 or Jan.1)! “Friday Fun” is a hands-on program for pre-schoolers, ages 3-6 years and their parents or guardians. The program will incorporate story time, science, art and a tour emphasizing the chosen topic. The topics emphasize respect for all living things and prepare the children (and parents) to be good stewards of the planet.10-12noon. Free ($5 donation appreciated.) Pre-registration is required. (310) 782-3989.

SATURDAY

Barnes & Noble, 21400 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance. Join us for children’s Storytime every Saturday at 11:00AM. Have fun while nurturing your child’s love of reading. 11am. 310-370-5552.

SUNDAY

MOMS Club of Hermosa Beach meets one Wednesday a month. For information on the next meeting, email hbmomsclub@gmail.com, website http://www.meetup.com/MOMS-Clubof-Hermosa-Beach

Roundhouse Aquarium at the end of the Manhattan Beach Pier offers story time every Sunday at 11:30am. 379-8117. Information about many activities come to us after our print deadline. Visit the website for more exciting things to do with your family!

Peninsula Center Library, 701 Silver Spur Rd., RHE, hosts story time for ages 2-5.

www.whatsupforkids.com

THURSDAY

30 What’s Up For Kids

December 2015

Family Resource