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Fun & Free Activities with LA Kids this weekend: Strawberry Shortcake, Summer Opportunities & Animal Avatars: Feb 2 - 3

1/31/13 - By Toby B

This weekend, it all comes down to a coin toss. Heads or tails to decide your fate. Nope, not talking about the Superbowl (who’s in it this year, the Dodgers or the Lakers?); I’m talking about the all-important decision of what to do this weekend. Heads: celebrate the Lunar New Year at the Pacific Asia Museum with taiko drums, Chinese acrobats, and visiting artists from China. Tails and you'll welcome Year of the Snake at the weekend fest in Downtown Monterey Park.

Heads: wish animated Peter Pan a fond farewell at the El Capitan before he flies off into the night sky. Tails: watch a Peter-Pan inspired ballet at Kidspace Museum.

Heads: plan your summer adventures at the Summer Opportunities Fair at the Westridge School in Pasadena. Tails: do the same thing, but at Marymount High School in West LA.

If you prefer to not leave your agenda to the vagaries of chance, you can check out our newest feature: Mommy Poppins' Go List, a one-stop shop for the absolute must-do events each month. Not to get all spoiler-y on you, but February promises prehistoric pets, celebrated cetaceans, and epic golden dragons!

Keep reading for our favorite picks for the weekend...

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

ALL WEEKEND

Monterey Park Chinese New Year Festival - Monterey Park
Downtown Monterey Park celebrates the New Year all weekend with a large carnival fun zone and performances including traditional Lion and Dragon dances.

Peter Pan (G) - Hollywood
Last weekend to catch Peter on the big screen before he flies off to Neverland.

The Castle Returns: Miyazaki, Takahata And The Masters Of Studio Ghibli 2013 - Santa Monica & Hollywood
This festival celebrating the Japanese animation giant continues! Highlights this weekend include Howl’s Moving Castle (at the Egyptian) and My Neighbor Totoro (at the Aero).

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 2

Strawberry Shortcake with Doodlebops Live - Downtown
She's a berry bitty girl with very big possibilities… like appearing live at Club Nokia! The colorful Doodlebops open the show.

Career Day at Kidspace - Pasadena
What do you want to be when you grow up? (Not you, Moms, I’m talking to the kids!)  Firefighters, policemen, doctors, engineers, and rocket scientists talk with kids about their jobs.

Summer Opportunities Fair - Pasadena
Time to start thinking about the summer! This free fair helps families explore a wide range of summer break possibilities, including day camps, sports & performing art programs, tutoring and culturally immersive travel, plus programs for kids with special needs. Plus: free gummy frogs!

Hillary George - West LA
Interactive stories, puppets, and songs on the ukulele highlight children’s librarian Hillary George’s visit to Children's Book World.

Free Day at the La Habra Children's Museum - La Habra
Kids can become messy masters with workshops on Ukrainian decorated eggs, Marvelous Matisse, and marshmallow sculptures on this free day at the museum.

Home Depot Kids Workshops - Multiple Locations
There are going to be a lot of valentines comin’ your way soon. Luckily, kids can build a valentines holder in the monthly free workshop at Home Depot.

Lunar New Year Festival - Pasadena
The Pacific Asia Museum celebrates the Year of the Snake with Lion and Dragon dances, Sumo wrestling, Taiko drumming, chinese acrobatics and taekwondo, plus visiting artists from Jiangsu, China.

Walking the Tightrope - Downtown
Loss and family are delicately explored in this entertaining new play at the 24th Street Theatre (our editor loved it!).

Watson Adventures’ Wizard School Scavenger Hunt - West LA
The Getty Center is the place for this Hogwarts-inspired hunt (don’t worry, muggles are welcome!)

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 3

Andell Family Sundays - Animal Avatars - Mid-Wilshire
Kids can discover their own animal avatars in this month’s family program at LACMA.

Stories in the Afternoon: Vincent Van Gogh - Pasadena
Kids take inspiration from the great Van Gogh in painting dramatic landscapes at the Norton Simon Museum.

Family Jam: Toot Your Own Horn - Westwood
Everyone can join in the music as this month’s Family Jam at the Fowler Museum takes a listen to wind instruments.

Pasadena Civic Ballet’s Happy Thoughts and the Physics of Flight! - Pasadena
Physics meets dance as members of the Pasadena Civic Ballet perform highlights from their upcoming production of Peter Pan in the Stone Hollow Amphitheater at Kidspace Children’s Museum.

Black History Month Concert - Santa Monica
Orchestra Santa Monica presents its Black History Month concert.

Summer Opportunities Fair - West LA
Families can learn about a variety of summer programs such as camps, internships, language immersion and travel at this free festival on the Marymount High School campus.

Superbowl 42 Party - Century City
Hut one! Hut two! Hut three! Hmm, make that hug:  Giggles 'N’ Hugs hosts the kid-friendliest Superbowl party in town!

LMU Concerts of Music for Children – Westchester
LMU offers two performances of its free annual Concert of Music for Children, featuring LMU student musicians, the Los Angeles Contemporary Dance Company, and 5th grade students from the LMU Family of Schools.

Free Cultural Workshop - Newbury Park
Tongva, Yaqui, and Mescalero artist Steve Garcia hosts a leather shield painting workshop at the Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center.

As always, there are more activities listed on our daily events calendar. Whether you choose heads or tails, we hope you have a wonderful weekend!