LEGO, American Girl, and CAMP Stores Make Westfield Century City Best LA Mall for Kids

 Climb the outdoor web-like play structure at Westfield Century City. Photo courtesy of Luckey Climbers.
Climb the outdoor web-like play structure at Westfield Century City. Photo courtesy of Luckey Climbers.
2/12/23 - By Gina Ragland

The Westfield Century City mall in Los Angeles is hands down the best mall in LA for kids. And it only keeps getting better with recent additions like the American Girl Store and The LEGO Store. 

This attractive outdoor shopping mall and celebrity hot spot (we’re looking at you, J-Lo, and J-Law) make it feel like you arrived at a luxury vacation spot in the middle of the city. From swanky family lounges to interactive stores, special holiday events, a movie theater, and even an escape room, it’s easy to spend several hours discovering all the family-friendly pockets. We’re here to help guide you through the hidden spots, like the pirate ship in the play space, amid the cacti feng shui. 

Shop beyond the mall at the best baby stores and black-owned businesses, and browse our restaurant guide for Los Angeles and Orange County families for other favorite spots to dine with kids (besides Eataly and other favorite noshes at the Westfield Century City mall!).

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Family-Friendly Stores at the Westfield Century City Mall

Westfield Century City Mall for kids in LA: American Girl Store
American Girl doll fans will love all the fun experiences in the store! Photo by Kylie Williams

American Girl Store

Find It: First & Second Floor 

The American Girl store is a two-floor haven of all things dolls. Bring your own American Girl dolls for pampering sessions at the doll hair salons, have them join you at the cafe in their own doll seats, or buy them the trendiest new accessories. From the salon to the cafe, the doll hospital, and the reading room, there are a variety of interactive activities throughout the store. 

American Girl also frequently hosts special in-store events which you can find in our calendar, and is a great choice for a fun birthday party in Los Angeles

LEGO Store 

Find It: Second Floor

The LEGO store opened in early 2023, adding a brand-new shopping experience to an already stacked mall in Los Angeles. This specific LEGO store comes with the unique component of a LEGO Minifigure Factory, where a minifigure torso can be personalized and printed, all within a few minutes. The LEGO sets for purchase in the store range for all ages, like toddler-appropriate DUPLO building blocks, Harry Potter-themed LEGO sets, detailed replicas of boutique hotels, haunted houses, and even a foosball table. 

RELATED: Camping near Los Angeles: 17 Great Campgrounds for Tent Camping with Kids

Westfield Century City Mall in Los Angeles: CAMP Store 
It's pretty much likte attending summer camp in the mall. Photo courtesy of CAMP

CAMP

Find It: Second Floor

CAMP understands the themed assignment, and early outdoor enthusiasts will want to stay in the store and literally camp out for a while. Friendly CAMP counselors welcome you and tell you about the secret and magical door (hint: everything good always involves the candy jars). There’s also a large Jeep in the middle of the floor and books, puzzles, and games to peruse.

You never know what will be found behind the magic door as the experience rotates every few months (Hint: right now, it's Bluey x Camp!). So, there will always be a reason to keep going back. CAMP also hosts in-store interactive activities like Signature Schmutz BootCAMP. With essentially arts and crafts and something new to continually explore, it's like taking the kids to summer camp in the middle of a mall. 

Experiences for Kids at the Westfield Century City Mall 

Play Space

Find It: First Floor 

Of course, this marvelous mall has an outdoor play space for kids, and it’s a next level play space on the first floor near Zara. There is even a list of rules at this play space, such as no shoes allowed, which makes sense since there’s a gigantic, netted climbing structure for the kids to ascend through. There’s also a fun pirate ship to explore and activity panels on the walls. 

Little Kitchen Academy 

Find It: Second Floor 

If the little ones are showing an early interest in cooking (fingers crossed that they can take over some of the cooking one day!), then the Little Kitchen Academy is the perfect place to help nourish early culinary skills and senses. With programming for ages three to 13+, this Montessori-inspired cooking academy teaches kids about healthy eating choices and focuses on locally-sourced ingredients. There’s even a Living Food Wall, an in-house garden in the Little Kitchen Academy. Who knows? Maybe your future culinary star will have a restaurant in the Westfield Century City mall one day. 

Kid-Friendly Entertainment at the Westfield Century City Mall 

The Escape Game LA

Find It: Second Floor 

There’s an easy way to entice older kids to join you for an afternoon at the mall, and it comes in the form of a 60-minute escape game adventure. The Escape Game LA provides four experiences to choose from: The Heist, Prison Break, Special Ops: Mysterious Market, and The Depths. The entire family can get in on the fun for this one. 

RELATED: The New Jurassic World Ride at Universal: Is it as Good as Jurassic Park?

Westfield Century City Mall in Los Angeles: Dreamscape 
Step into a sci-fi scene. Photo courtesy of the Westfield Century City Mall Facebook page.

Dreamscape 

Find It: Second Floor 

A ticketed VR adventure is on the second floor near Eataly. There’s a selection of sci-fi VR experiences that last approximately 35 minutes. Older kids will probably enjoy the Dreamscape virtual experiences between dumplings at Din Tai Fung and deciding on which LEGO set to conquer. 

AMC Century City 15

Find It: First & Second Floor

This two-floor movie theater is conveniently inside the mall. With comfy seats, large screens, and snack options, catching a movie might be the perfect way to unwind after a long day of shopping. 

Must-Know Family Spots at the Westfield Century City Mall

RELATED: Why Legoland is My Favorite SoCal Theme Park

Westfield Century City Mall in Los Angeles: Family Lounge
These family lounges are swanky and we're not complaining. Photo courtesy of Gina Ragland

Family Lounges

Find It: First & Second Floor 

You won’t know what a family lounge should look like in a public place until you’ve seen the ones at the Westfield Century City mall with your own eyes. Simply follow the family restroom signs to be led to the nicest public family restroom and lounge ever. They are swanky, to say the least, and as parents, we could not be more appreciative of the comfort and cleanliness that is offered in these relaxing respites. 

There are two family lounges - one on each floor of the mall. They contain comfy couches and chairs, toilets for small children, gated areas separate from sinks and changing tables, and even some activity panels and cubes. Something we absolutely love is that there are even nursing areas for new moms. Large spaces have cozy chairs and pillows that are cordoned off with curtains for privacy. 

It can be a hassle to quickly change or feed a baby in a public place, or to give young kids a much-needed quiet retreat. These family lounges provide a serene breathing space and a secluded spot to take care of the needs of little ones. 

BumoWork 

Find It: Second Floor

Working parents have a convenient childcare option at the mall, thanks to BumoWork. This co-working space offers flexible, membership-based childcare options centered on education and play for children six months to 6 years old.  

Exercise 

Sometimes you need to get out of the house after having a baby. Since the Westfield Century City mall is outdoors,  it’s the perfect place to take your infant, or young child, for a stroller-friendly walk through this aesthetically pleasing 1.3 million-square-foot mall. You and your little one will get some fresh air and exercise, and while you’re already out, you can squeeze in some shopping. 

Best Food for Kids at the Westfield Century City Mall

Angelenos trek to the Westfield Century City mall just for the world-class dining and vast food choices. Indulge in artisanal Belgian waffles and fancy french toast. Tons of kid-friendly restaurants and dining options include Chipotle, Shake Shack, Din Tai Fung, Mochinut, and Tocaya, to name a few. 

Eataly is a must-visit staple that even has some programming for kids. During Halloween, they had pumpkin decorating. If you’ve still got energy after a jam-packed day at the mall, pick up some ingredients from this beloved Italian marketplace for dinner. On the topic of stamina, there are many coffee shops in the mall. We know caffeine might be necessary between all the kid-fueled experiences and activities. 

Holiday & Seasonal Events at the Westfield Century City Mall

LA knows how to dress up for the holidays, and the Westfield Century City mall is no exception. The mall goes all out during the holiday season with an elevated experience for kids to meet Santa in his backyard, visit his magical carriage, and take photos with Mrs. Claus in her bakery, where kids even get to take home a sweet treat from the North Pole. 

Easter is another celebrated holiday at the mall that usually includes a traditional Easter egg hunt and other fun interactive activities. 

The Westfield Century City Mall constantly hosts unique pop-up events for kids. As of late, they've had Trolls, Young Jedi, and Grinch pop-up experiences. Most events tend to occur on the first floor in the Atrium space. Check our events calendar for the latest unique happenings at the Westfield Century City Mall. 

Parking at the Westfield Century City Mall

There’s a large multi-level parking garage with abundant spaces and several entrances at the Westfield Century City mall. A smart parking option sign-up is also available for ticketless entry and exit. Parking can add up in the garage, especially if you plan to do many things at the mall that increases the length of time spent there. 

Tip: park near Gelson’s and spend $10 in the store on groceries to receive parking validation. In addition to Gelson's, the AMC movie theater (if you have a movie stub) is the only other location in the mall that provides parking validation. 

Places featured in this article: