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Early Childhood Education

Parents' favorite places to take babies and toddlers around LA

A group of children in shadows get soaked by a water at a splash pad.
A group of children play at a splash pad in Alhambra. The National Weather Service says "significant heatwave will impact Southern California Friday into next week."
(
Frederic J. BROWN
/
AFP via Getty Images
)

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Finding free or affordable places tailored for young kids, children 5 and under, has been a popular topic when talking to parents. To get answers on where families can go, I went to the source: parent communities. From nature and water to indoor playgrounds, they shared a variety of spots tested and parent-approved.

LAist's Hey BB text group (which helps people navigate the journey of new parenthood) and the early childhood newsletter community shared nearly 30 spots they love to take their kids.

Jessica Li, a parent of a 1- and 5-year-old, says all three places she recommends are "yes spaces for kids where they can lead self-directed play with minimum risks.”

The recommendations showcase a wide range of places for children with different interests, hobbies, and energy levels.

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Check out our map of all the recommendations, in addition to the more-detailed list below.


An adult in a green shirt works one-on-one with a young child with curly hair on the classroom floor. Another adult stands in the background near a whiteboard. The early childhood classroom features colorful carpets, foam mats, and educational materials. The image has a decorative green border with alphabet blocks and educational icons.
Dina Morales and her 20-month-old-daughter sing hello during storytime at the South Gate branch of the L.A. County Library system.
(
Mariana Dale/ LAist
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Libraries

Public libraries are by far the most popular spot to take kids. They offer storytime, classes, and books — and some even have play areas and toy rentals.

West Hollywood Library

  • 625 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood

Parents say they enjoy going to the West Hollywood Library, especially because of the surrounding area.

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Ali Sivak takes her 2-year-old to the library, then visits the nearby playground, and ends the trip with good food at Tail O’ the Pup.

View Park Bebe Moore Campbell Library

  • 3854 W. 54th St., Los Angeles

Memorial Branch Library

  • 4625 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles

Harbor City - Harbor Gateway Branch Library

  • 24000 S Western Ave., Harbor City

“The sensory room is a solid indoor option that you can reserve for an hour in advance with a library card," Li says. "There are various tactile, visual, and audio toys to play with in a comfy environment — think beanbag chairs, vibrating floor rockers, a white-noise machine, bubble and lava lamps, a starry night light projector."

In fact, our K-12 reporter Mariana Dale has written all about this sensory room — check out her story.

Lincoln Heights Branch Library

  • 2530 Workman St., Los Angeles

Catherine Gillespie-Vargas and her child love the Lincoln Heights Library. They visit its events, rent toys, and read books.

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Jefferson Branch Library Children and Teen Services

  • 1500 E Villa St., Pasadena

Glendale Library Arts and Culture

  • 222 E Harvard St., Glendale

Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library

  • 318 S Ramona Ave, Monterey Park

“Glendale Central Library, Monterey Park Library, Jefferson Branch Library in Pasadena — all have great areas for kids to play and be as LOUD as they want, with good book selections,” says Aimee Suen, who goes with her 5-year-old.

Harte Neighborhood Library

  • 1595 W Willow St., Long Beach

Alexis Cun, a parent of a 2-year-old, loves the Harte Neighborhood Library in Long Beach because of the dedicated library teachers who put a lot of effort and care into their storytimes.

Children in white shirts and bright green head coverings play with yellow balls in an outdoor courtyard. One smiling child in the foreground holds a yellow ball while others play in the background near concrete pillars. The image has an orange decorative border with sports-themed icons including a football and sneaker.
About 650 kids attending PlayLA summer programs throughout the city tried out different sports outside the Coliseum on Monday, July 14, 2025.
(
Mariana Dale/LAist
)

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Indoor play and kid classes

PlayLA
The Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks offers the PlayLA Program, which gives children ages 3-17 the opportunity to take part in sports such as swimming, baseball, and football, as well as adaptive sports designed to include all kids with disabilities. There are 88 recreation centers to choose from.

We’ve written about this one too, and stay tuned for more on adaptive sports.

Cost: Each class, $10.

Kidspace Children’s Museum
The educational and cultural institution is designed to bring joy to children and families through hands-on exhibits, water features, and different spaces for kids to play and explore.

Cost: General Admission for Adults and Children (1+), $15.50

My Gym
My Gym offers a variety of activities for children from 6 weeks to 10 years old, including parties, camps, and classes. It has more than 700 locations, with 28 in Los Angeles, according to their map.

Adriana Orea takes her child to the “interactive play classes” at the Koreatown location, which features an indoor playground.

“My son has a lot of fun, it's safe, indoors, and he gets to socialize and learn new skills at the same time,” Orea says.

Cost: Base Tuition, $149 every four weeks; Unlimited Tuition, $179 every four weeks.

Kool Kids Club

  • 274 S. Rampart Blvd., Los Angeles

A family-owned indoor play space, created by two parents with three kids, features interactive play zones, ball pits, slides, and craft stations.

Cost: Single-day passes, $20.

A child in a pink jacket climbs red metal stairs on a colorful playground structure with green slides and blue support posts. The playground equipment sits on a rubberized surface. The image has a pink decorative border with a sun icon and cartoon children playing.
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(Mariana Dale/ LAist
)

Parks, playgrounds and recreation centers

Carr Park

  • 1615 E. Colorado Street, Glendale

One mom takes her 5-year-old to Carr Park, which has great play equipment, baby swings, and plenty of grass and shade.

Leslie Shaw Park

  • 2223 W. Jefferson, Los Angeles

Glassel Park

  • 3650 Verdugo Rd., Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks provides $10 summer passes for youth, which give unlimited access to city pools. Adults can also enter free if they have a child under 7.

“The summer youth pass is amazing!” Gillespie-Vargas says.

Lincoln Heights Recreation Center

  • 2303 Workman St., Los Angeles
A coastal scene showing people exploring rocky tide pools in the foreground while others walk along the beach. Dramatic cliffs with vegetation and buildings line the coastline under a cloudy sky. The image has a teal decorative border with beach-themed icons including a beach ball, starfish, and sand bucket.
Beachcombers explore the coast at White Point.
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Emily Henderson/LAist
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Beaches and water play

Seaside Lagoon

  • 200 Portofino Way, Redondo Beach

The lagoon at Redondo Beach is a unique public swimming pool engulfed by seawater with small water slides.

“I love taking my son to the Redondo Beach Lagoon because it's a shallow kiddie beach that uses cycled chlorinated salt water — I don't have to worry about big ocean waves, and he gets a great experience in a pretty clean pool!” Ali Sivak says.

Cost: Adults (18+), $10.00; Children (2-17), $8.00; Children under 2, free

White Point Beach Tide Pools

  • 1799 Paseo del Mar, San Pedro

This family-friendly beach features a children’s play area, metered parking, picnic tables, ample shade, and tide pools!

“White Point offers some of the most diverse tide pools in Southern California,” according to the Los Angeles County Beaches & Harbors website.

Li likes how safe and calm it feels for her kids to play in the ocean, whether it’s high tide or not. She says the beach where her family visited has never been crowded, and she enjoys that it’s a pebbled beach instead of sandy.

"There's a playground on the cliff overlooking the tide pools and free parking if you don't mind walking down the cliffside,” Li says.

"A peaceful garden scene with blooming pink cherry blossom trees over a traditional blue-tiled gazebo. People stroll along pathways surrounded by lush greenery and flowering trees. The image has a purple decorative border with nature-themed icons including a bee and flower.
Cherry blossoms in the Japanese Tea Garden, Descanso Gardens.
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Courtesy of Descanso Gardens
)

Gardens and nature

Descanso Gardens

  • 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge

This 150-acre botanical garden is often called an “oasis." One parent mentions it’s kid-friendly for young children and offers plenty of shade.

Cost: Adult, $17; Child, $8; Child under 3, free.

The Arboretum

  • 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia, CA 91007

The Arboretum offers gardens and landscapers, historic structures, plant collections, a farm, and a lake.

Beverly Cañon Gardens

  • 241 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills

A 33,000-square-foot public garden with walkways and dining areas.

Frog Creek Trail

  • Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274

“There is a little creek there with lots of wildlife and shade from all the trees,” Li says. “It's large enough to feel like you could almost get lost but small and dense enough to feel comfortable letting your kids wander.”

South Coast Botanical Garden

  • 26300 Crenshaw Blvd., Palos Verdes Estates

This 87-acre garden has more than 25,000 plant species, attracting a wide variety of birds and wildlife. Highlights include the Dorothy and John Bohannon Rose Garden, Living Wall, Garden for the Senses, and more!

"A young girl with curly hair looks curiously at a scientific demonstration or experiment while an adult in glasses stands nearby. The setting appears to be outdoors with bright sunlight creating lens flare effects. The image has a light blue decorative border with museum and science-themed icons including a dinosaur skeleton.
A Kidspace attendee marvels at the Bottle Rocket exhibit in the new "Physics Forest."
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Photo courtesy of Kidspace
)

Museums and culture

LACMA

  • 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles

The LACMA offers free perks to residents of L.A. County.

Cost: Adults residing in L.A. County, $23; Children under 17, free; L.A. County residents on weekdays after 3 p.m. with valid ID, free.

Natural History Museum

  • 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles

The Natural History Museum has an array of exhibitions for all ages. Ongoing exhibits include the dinosaur hall, where children can see mounted skeletons and fossils on display. For an immersive experience, there’s the discovery center.

“Pretend to be a paleontologist in the Paleo Playzone; marvel at the beauty and variety of bugs in Bugtopia; and create your own nature scene in the Moveable Museum,” according to the Natural History Museum website.

Cost: Adults, $18; Children 3-12, $7; Children under 2, free.

The museum also offers free admission to L.A. County residents on Monday-Friday from 3-5 p.m.

"A joyful scene at the LA Zoo showing a young girl in a light blue shirt waving enthusiastically while standing next to an adult woman. String lights illuminate the evening gathering with families and children visible in the background. The image has a purple decorative border with zoo-themed icons including a zoo pass, animals, and cartoon characters.
Zoo Friday Nights returned to the Los Angeles Zoo on July 7.
(
Jamie Pham/ Courtesy of the LA Zoo
)

Animals and sea creatures

Santa Ana Zoo

  • 1801 E. Chestnut Ave., Santa Ana

Orange County Zoo

  • 1 Irvine Park Road, Orange

Aquarium of the Pacific

  • 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach
"A close-up of hands holding a white coffee cup with intricate latte art in a leaf pattern. Steamed milk is being poured to create the design. The image has a green decorative border with colorful puzzle pieces and a coffee cup icon.
(
©02kim_ from pixabay via Canva.com
)

Coffee shop with kid space

Be Bright Coffee

  • 7311 Melrose Ave.

This coffee shop serves quality coffee — co-owner Frank La won the 2024 U.S. Barista Championship. One parent especially likes that it has a play area for when her child tags along.

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