School Calendars 2020-2021: Start & End Dates for Los Angeles County Schools & Reopening Updates

Academic Calendars and News for the Los Angeles 2020-21 School Year

School schedules run our lives. That’s never been more true than it is this year when parents have been called upon to be tutors, teachers, and tech support during school hours. 

LA County schools have been fully cleared by the county to reopen. Read on to find out exactly what this means for families across the Southland.

And if what you read makes you wonder about what other school options are available to you, maybe our school guide can help.

The Long Island Places and People Who Saved Our Sanity in 2020

We're ending the year with lots of thanks for these Long Island institutions.

Years from now, our kids will reminisce about what they were doing in 2020. They’ll trade quarantine stories and smiles about the family memories they made during this unprecedented year. While memories of quarantine birthday parties, homemade forts, or living room recess activities might be dominant themes during a year of stay-at-home activities, we couldn't have survived without the greater Long Island community.

As we close the book on 2020, we're taking a minute to offer some well-deserved gratitude to the Long Island spots that stayed open, reinvented themselves, and overall saved our sanity this year. Here are 10 Long Island destinations worth raising a glass to as we turn the page to 2021.

The New York City People and Places Who Saved Our Sanity in 2020

Even in a pandemic, we found plenty of reasons to love New York City.

With 2021 just hours away, I'm sure I'm not the only one ready to kick the dumpster fire of 2020 to the curb, but in the spirit of optimism and silver linings, I'll be doing so with a grateful heart. Twenty-twenty tested us in ways we couldn't previously imagine, but it also brought out our best in many ways, and now that we're almost through it, let's take a little time to offer some gratitude to the New York City people and places who saved our sanity in this crazy, never-ending, groundhog day type of a year.

So, join me in raising your glass to these (lucky!) 13 New York City characters and the hope on the horizon.

10 Things Families Resolve To Do More of in 2021

Families masked up and headed outdoors in 2020.

Families are certainly ready to say goodbye to 2020, a year full of heartache, loss, and struggle for so many of us. With schools and daycares closed, parents were particularly burdened in a difficult year.

But it wasn’t all bad, of course. We continued to find moments of light and yes, silver linings within a painful global pandemic and all that came with it. We asked our readers and staff what they learned or gained in 2020 and what they resolve to continue doing into the new year, here’s what they said.

5 Fun Mocktail Recipes for Kids Celebrations

Three cheers for boozy whipped coffee (and frozen hot chocolate for them).

We're re-releasing our list of the top mocktails for kids just in time to celebrate 2021 and say bye-bye and good riddance to 2020! We love the inclusivity of mocktails. Now kids, pregnant mamas, and teetotalers can safely get in on the cocktail countdown fun.

From pink-hued sangria (with Shirley Temples) to mojitos (and minty limeade), we have five yummy cocktail-mocktail pairings for parents and kids to enjoy together.

Find more creative ways to celebrate New Year's Eve at home with these 12 kid-friendly activities.

The LA Heroes of 2020 that Helped Parents Survive a Crazy Year

Now Showing: Courage and Fortitude at the Sierra Madre Playhouse. Photo by Waltarrrr/CC-BY-2.0

To say 2020 was a tough year for parents is an understatement. Now that it’s (thankfully!) nearing a close, we wanted to look back at some of the people, places, and things that helped make it possible to keep some semblance of sanity. Parents suddenly became teachers, chief playmates, and head chefs, and it was not easy. But happily, events got creative, parents got plucky, and kids mastered ways to play and socialize online. So, as we ring in 2021, we just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to everything that helped us survive a year like no other.

23 Family-Friendly New Year’s Traditions from around the World

In the United States, New Year’s Eve means ball drops, fireworks, and champagne (or sparkling Martinelli’s) toasts. But in different parts of the world, New Year’s celebrations look a little different and might include eating grapes, smashing plates, or even getting tapped with an onion. All fun and easy celebrations you can do with your kids!

Welcome the New Year with these unique, family-friendly traditions from across the globe. And if you’re looking for more fun ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve at home with kids we’ve got you covered!

Creative Hub Playday Opens Cobble Hill Location

Playday Cobble Hill Offers plenty of space to create whether you register for art classes, camps, after-school, or its creative after-hours club.

Whether you're looking for an enrichment activity to help round out your child's schedule between Zoom classes or need remote learning assistance that includes art classes, Brooklyn families are in luck. Playday, the beloved LIC creative space, has expanded, opening a sprawling new location in Cobble Hill.

Playday dubs itself a "micro-school" and offers a wide range of art classes and creative programming to inspire children's imagination and foster their creativity. It meets the moment with a mission is to "celebrate your child’s individuality by exploring, creating, and activating in a safe, socially distanced environment."

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