Kylie Williams

Latest posts by Kylie

Best Pregnancy and Parenting Classes in Los Angeles

Submitted by Kylie Williams on Thu, 08/18/2022 - 12:09pm

All new parents and their babies are welcome at The Family Room. Photo courtesy of The Family Room

There are a ton of excellent parenting and pregnancy classes in Los Angeles. Take advantage of all the knowledge in our city!

As a pregnant mama of three, I am all too familiar with the anticipations, concerns, and frustrations that can arise during pregnancy and into parenthood. There are so many unknowns and there is so much to learn. I've struggled to form a birthing plan, fretted with a crying baby through the night, and struggled to breastfeed an easily distracted infant. So let me pass on one thing I have learned: seek help when things get hard or uncertainty arises! Not only will you find some of the answers you've been searching for, but you may find deep relationships and camaraderie with others that are on this incredible journey of raising the next generation.

And when your bundle of joy arrives, we've also got loads of great mommy and me classes in LA, where you can keep learning and exploring together. Find all these classes and more in our Guide to the Best Classes for Kids and Parents in Los Angeles.

San Diego with Kids: 60 Family-Friendly Things To Do in San Diego, California

Submitted by Kylie Williams on Sat, 08/13/2022 - 11:01am

There are tide pools everywhere you look in San Diego! Photo by Kylie Williams

Whether you live in California and are in town for a weekend getaway or coming from far away for a sunny vacation, we know the perfect things to do in San Diego. San Diego is honestly overflowing with family fun. Some of the destinations are obvious: billboards all over the city remind you that the Safari Park, Legoland, the San Diego Zoo, Sesame Place, and SeaWorld are just a few miles away. However, there are also so many incredible "off the beaten path" places to take your family that before you get halfway through this list it'll be time to go home, and you'll have to plan a return visit.

Looking for a place to stay while exploring San Diego? Here is our list of the best hotels in San Diego for families and favorite places to stay in Carlsbad.

Best Swimming Lessons and Classes for Kids in Los Angeles

Submitted by Kylie Williams on Mon, 08/08/2022 - 9:45am

Dive in! The water is always fine. Photo courtesy of the Academy Swim Club

LA kids are practically born in the water, which is why it is important to enroll kids in swimming lessons in Los Angeles at an early age. With the help of a patient, qualified instructors, kids can learn water confidence, comfortability, and crucial safety skills. Whether your child is just getting familiar with the water or looking to hone their talent and join the school swim team, there are plenty of wonderful schools all over Los Angeles that offer a variety of swimming lessons, including schools in the South Bay, Westside, and the valleys. We've even compiled a list of schools with instructors that will come to your private pool.

If you're looking specifically for baby and toddler swimming lessons, we rounded up the best places that teach babies as young as a few weeks old! And you can find more great classes for kids, and even book a class online, in our directory of classes and listings. Check our Los Angeles Classes for Kids Guide for more kids’ activities and classes for kids of all ages and interests.

All New MB2 Entertainment in Santa Clarita is a Family Fun Center Gem

Submitted by Kylie Williams on Sun, 08/07/2022 - 10:20am

The mini golf holes are creative, challenging, and varied—for both kids and adults. Photo courtesy of the author

During my childhood, Santa Clarita was home to Mountasia. It was your typical family fun center with a 90s vibe. We’re talking fluorescent lights, multi-colored, ugly carpeting, hokey prizes, and purple walls. I loved it. During COVID, the lack of business put it under, and this Valencia mainstay closed for good.

Thankfully, MB2 swooped in and saved the day. The company acquired the Valencia property and spent months recreating it into something cool and new, while retaining that classic family fun. What has emerged is my favorite new place to bring my kids for a whole day of fun. Spend the day with bumper boats, go karts, bowling, VR, arcade games, laser tag, axe throwing, mini golf, and more. Read on for what to expect and more tips about visiting the new MB2 Entertainment in Santa Clarita.

If you need to keep kids from climbing the walls at home, check out the best rock climbing gyms for kids and top mini golf courses in Los Angeles! Find all this and more in our Los Angeles Guide to Sports Centers, Gyms, and Fun Zones.

Free in August: Movies, Concerts, Festivals, and More Free Things To Do in Los Angeles with Kids

Submitted by Kylie Williams on Mon, 08/01/2022 - 12:00pm

Fiesta La Ballona closes out August with one of our favorite festivals. Photo courtesy of the festival

Celebrate the dog days of summer with this giant list of free things to do in Los Angeles with kids this August!

I've been spending too much money lately on back-to-school supplies and Halloween decorations. (Too early, you say? I think not!) If you, like me, are feeling a bit of financial pressure this month, this list is for you. Here are events that let you end the summer with a bang without spending a buck. Whether you want to enjoy a little Shakespeare, dance the night away, or chill out to some live jazz, there's nothing to stop you—short of heatstroke. We've also got free festivals for surfers, Japanese culture enthusiasts, and kids that just love a good carnival ride.

So gather up the fam and squeeze those last drops out of your summer fun. Keep in mind that we are always adding free events to our Los Angeles event calendar as they pop up, and we keep all our roundups of free outings for families in our Guide to Free Things To Do in Los Angeles with Kids.

Recreation Park, Long Beach's Newest Playground, is Jurassic and Fantastic

Submitted by Kylie Williams on Sun, 07/17/2022 - 2:00pm

“Mom! That must be why they built this dinosaur park! Because they found these bones here!” My six-year-old cried as he unearthed the bones of a T-Rex at the Dino Excavation Zone at Recreation Park in East Long Beach.

His eyes grew wide with wonder as he dug out a massive skull sunk into the ground. In his mind, he had just made a historical discovery, and who was I to burst his bubble? The Dino Excavation Zone worked its magic and my kids felt like true paleontologists at Long Beach’s newest playground.

Recreation Park in East Long Beach got a major upgrade with a Jurassic-themed playground perfect for kids of all ages. The new space just opened in June and is the perfect reason to take a trip to Long Beach! Looking for more awesome playgrounds for kids in Los Angeles or even the best splash pads in town? We've got all that and more in our Summer Activities Guide for Los Angeles Kids.

Baby and Toddler Swimming Lessons and Classes in Los Angeles

Submitted by Kylie Williams on Fri, 07/08/2022 - 11:42am

Baby swim classes get LA kids water safe, from a very young age. Photo courtesy of the Blue Buoy Family Swim School

Did you know that babies who take baby swimming lessons tend to hit milestones ahead of schedule? A recent study found that infants in swimming classes excelled physically before their non-swimming peers. Experts have also found a connection between advanced language & cognitive development and babies involved in swim lessons. So, if you want to help your baby excel at life (and who knows, maybe become the next Michael Phelps someday?) enroll them in a toddler or baby swim class in Los Angeles.

Looking for more Parent and Me offerings? Dive into our extensive list of Top Classes for Babies and Toddlers in Los Angeles. Plus, find more kids' classes and programs for kids of all ages in our Guide to the Best Kids' Classes and Activities in LA.

Free in July: Summer Festivals & Concerts, and More Free Things To Do in Los Angeles with Kids

Submitted by Kylie Williams on Sun, 07/03/2022 - 2:36pm

Celebrate the sea with a fun Dolphin Dash. Photo by Steve Taylor courtesy of the San Clemente Ocean Festival

Summer break can be a brutal reminder of how many hours there are in a day; thank goodness there are so many free things to do in Los Angeles with kids!

When you're between camps, the novelty of "no school" has worn off, and the kids have run out of shows to binge-watch, it can be tricky to come up with activities that don't cost as much as a tank of Southern California gas. If only we could keep these little people entertained for free ... Luckily, Los Angeles has tons of frugal fun this month from Santa Monica to Simi Valley and from Malibu to Manhattan Beach. There are 4th of July fireworks spectaculars, outdoor movies, outdoor concerts, a shark week celebration, seven free summer festivals, and more.

Read on for a surplus of free summer activities that are sure to make for sweet (and cheap!) July memories. Discover all the free activities and events near you in our Free Things To Do in Los Angeles with Kids Guide, which includes a roundup of all the Free Museum Days in Los Angeles plus a list of 60+ Birthday Freebies for Kids.