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Oshogatsu Festival, Polar Bear Plunges, and More Top Things To Do in Los Angeles This Weekend
Submitted by Toby B on
Looking for the best things to do in Los Angeles this weekend? Here are some of our favorite events and activities to add to your list this weekend
This weekend in Los Angeles, winter is arriving in full force! Courageous Angelenos can brave the frigid waters of the Burrr-bank North Pole Plunge and the Polar Bear Plunge at the Beach House and discover the fun of snow play at Lake Forest Snowfest 2026. My family and I look forward to each year's Japanese American National Museum's annual Lunar New Year celebration, the Oshogatsu Family Festival, which features booming taiko drums and mochi pounding, intricate candy sculptures, and themed origami. This year's event celebrates the Year of the Horse on the JACCC Plaza. And little ones can start the new year on a path to creative discovery at the free Colburn School Early Childhood Open House.
100 Fun Free Things To Do in Los Angeles with Kids
Submitted by Matt Matasci on
Free things to do in Los Angeles are words that likely grab your attention, and there's no shortage of free activities and attractions in a city as large as LA. Save your funds for birthday gifts, Christmas presents, summer camps, and theme parks, and instead, take advantage and plan out your days with the kids with all the many free things to do in Los Angeles.
30 Free Things To Do Indoors in Los Angeles: Free Places To Play Indoors on Cold and Rainy Days
Submitted by Kylie Williams on
What is this water falling from the sky? Or, what is this raging Santa Ana wind that is tearing through the neighborhood? Angelinos don't get much bad weather, but when we do, it seems to affect just about everything. And if you're a mom with kids at home, bad weather can be quite the ordeal. When the kids are jumping on the couch, spilling crayons all over the dining room, and begging to watch K-Pop Demon Hunters for the second time that day, you may need to get out of the house. I got you.
There are many indoor free things to do in Los Angeles for those rare times when it's raining in Southern California. As a mom of four living in Los Angeles, I've tried lots of indoor spots; we've found everything from mellow corners with books and cozy chairs to raucous, colorful play spaces with pop music and overstimulation. I know which spots are too boring or too adult and which spots should be at the top of your list, so read on to discover our favorite free indoor spaces in Los Angeles that will keep the whole family happy.
For more free things to do in LA, peruse our list of 100 fun free things to do in Los Angeles with Kids. Once you've checked off all the free things to do indoors in Los Angeles and want to explore more things to do with a roof over your head, check out the best indoor playgrounds in Los Angeles, and discover more indoor amusement in our Indoor Fun and Play Spaces Guide for Los Angeles Kids.
New Year's Eve Weekend in Los Angeles: Countdown to 2026
Submitted by Toby B on
Looking for the best things to do in Los Angeles on New Year's Eve weekend to ring in 2026? Here are some events and activities to add to your list for this holiday weekend.
Get out your party hats, folks; it's time to celebrate making it through another year. When celebrating New Year's Eve with little ones, a daytime countdown like Noon Year's Eve at the Discovery Cube LA is the way to go. The New Year's Eve fireworks of Marina del Rey's New Year's Eve Fireworks + Glow Party are timed to both 9pm and midnight.
For me personally, nothing beats New Year's Eve at Disneyland for greeting the New Year with joy. And to start 2026 in the most Southern California way possible, grab a spot on Colorado Blvd to watch the Rose Parade usher in the new year with a cavalcade of flower-strewn floats: this year's Grand Marshall is LA's own Magic Johnson!
Top Free Things To Do with Kids in Los Angeles in January 2026, According to MP Editors
Submitted by Toby B on
Free things to do in Los Angeles always provide a nice break to your wallet after the spending spree in December, and lucky for us Angelenos, there are plenty of them in January. From walks in nature to the Oshogatsu Family Festival to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day parades and days of service, January's best events are 100% FREE! So, give your credit cards a rest while enjoying our top picks for free activities in Los Angeles with kids.
For more free things to do in Los Angeles with kids, visit these always-free, kid-friendly LA museums, discover free museum days for kids in Los Angeles, and browse our Guide to Free Things to Do in Los Angeles with Kids.
LA's New Year’s Eve Guide 2025 for Families: Kid-Friendly Events, Fireworks & More
Submitted by Kylie Williams on
It’s almost New Year’s Eve—and Los Angeles has loads of celebrations for kids. Ring in 2026 with a balloon drop (at noon or midnight, depending on your household bedtime!), giggling through a family-friendly comedy show, catching some fireworks, or even roller skating your way into the new year. There are also plenty of innovative ways to party at home as a family or learn some New Year's Eve celebrations from around the world.
Find more events and activities on our Los Angeles event calendar and check out the best activities of the weekend in LA.
That's a wrap for 2025! We're looking forward to all the fun coming our way in 2026. Happy New Year from all of us at Mommy Poppins. Thank you, reader, for making it such a great one.
Christmas Weekend 2025 in Los Angeles Top Things To Do: Theme Parks, Holiday Concerts, and More
Submitted by Toby B on
Looking for the best things to do in Los Angeles over the Christmas weekend? Here are some events and activities to add to your list for this holiday weekend.
Merry Christmas weekend, folks! The gift to us all in 2025 has been the abundance of activities to enjoy in Los Angeles, including holiday festivities, light shows, Nutcrackers, and theme park celebrations everywhere you turn. A few suggestions that'll make spirits bright over the Christmas weekend: many theme parks are open on Christmas Day, like Holidays at Disneyland Resort, so there's still time to catch these holiday favorites before they're gone for the season.
This weekend is also your last chance to ride The Southern California Polar Express Train Ride, or walk through the twinkling lights of Holiday Road Walk-Thru at King Gillette Ranch and Santa Anita's Enchant Los Angeles. However you choose to celebrate, happy holidays from all of us at Mommy Poppins!
What’s Open on Christmas Day 2025? Stores, Grocery Stores & Family-Friendly Places for Parents
Submitted by Gina Ragland on
So little traffic, so much you can do on Christmas Day!
