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Weekday Picks: First of the Month Free Stuff, Preschool Primer, and Halloween, October 5-9

10/4/15 - By Jacqueline Stansbury

There are all sorts of things you can do with this first week in October, and surprisingly it's not all about Halloween. If you're on your first kid, the subject of preschool likely looms large. Westsiders will want to attend Monday’s Preschool Admissions Panel where representatives of six local preschools will discuss their individual programs and philosophies. If you attended the Preschool 101 workshop, this is a great follow up. If you didn’t make it, more are scheduled later in the month.

As always, the first week of a month means lots of free admissions and two days (Tuesday and Wednesday) of LEGO giveaways. The Natural History Museum, Kidspace in Pasadena, the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium, and Orange County Museum of Art all offer free admission days this week. Of course my new favorite museum, The Broad, is always free; but it might be best to wait for the crowds to die down before attempting that hot spot with kids.

We often praise the El Capitan Theatre which never disappoints. This week they begin a trilogy of Halloween themed movies starting with Hocus Pocus.

And yes, it is October, and Halloween will be here before you know it. Be sure to check out our Halloween Fun Guide and Daily Events Calendar.

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

1. Westside Preschool Admissions Panel – Monday
Get the scoop from representatives of six Westside schools: Brentwood Presbyterian, The Seed Montessori, Cassidy Preschool, Circle of Children, Brentwood Sunshine, and Crestwood Hills.
See all Monday events

2. Free Day at the Natural History Museum – Tuesday
Dinosaurs and Dioramas. Gemstones and California History. Be sure to take a spin through the Spider Pavilion, a temporary exhibit in honor of October’s hallowed holiday.
See all Tuesday events

3. Free First Wednesdays at the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium – Wednesday
This program only lasts through the end of 2015. If our crazy hot weather holds, you can make it a beach day, too.
See all Wednesday events

4. Westfield Playdate – Thursday
The mall in Century City hosts a free playdate on the first Thursday of the month, in the kids wing near family restaurant and playspace Giggles and Hugs. This week features stories and coloring with the Crayon Collection.
See all Thursday events

5. Maryellen’s Swingin’ Sock Hop – Friday
There’s a new American Girl: Maryellen Larkin. Her era is the 50s, and doll fans can meet her Friday night at a sock hop.
See all Friday events

There are always plenty more activities on our Daily Events Calendar and in our monthly GoList. And if you don’t receive our newsletters full of suggestions for family fun, you really should subscribe…it’s free!