Toby B

Toby is our uber-busy events editor for Mommy Poppins LA. Feel free to email Toby about events for our LA area calendar.

Latest posts by Toby

Fun & Free Easter Weekend Events for LA Kids: All About Eggs and Bunnies

Submitted by Toby B on Thu, 04/18/2019 - 2:00am

Everywhere you look, there's an Easter egg hunt to be found. Under that tree: an egg hunt. Behind the bushes, there’s one more. In fact, I see dozens of them, and you can find them in our Easter egg hunt round-up! Grab your basket and collect them all (but make sure you leave enough for the other mommies).

See, here’s the deal: There is literally an egg hunt on every block, every corner, every square inch of Los Angeles this weekend. And every egg that you find? You open it up and—surprise!—it tells you about another egg hunt. Some egg hunts are in gardens; some are in malls; some are on the farm; some come with breakfast. (Eggs and breakfast? Weird.)

Actually, the trick this weekend is going to be not finding an egg hunt. There are a few other things out there: you might luck onto bubbles and Bolero, pachyderms and penguins, Earth Day and natural wonders, ice tales and dog tails and fish laying eggs...

......

...did someone say ... eggs?

Eggs. Eggy egg eggs. Lots and lots of eggs.

Hop on over to our most egg-citing picks for this weekend…

Weekend Fun for LA Kids: Book Fair, Earth Day, and Cowboys

Submitted by Toby B on Thu, 04/11/2019 - 12:48am

Listen to a great children's story at the festival. Photo courtesy of LA Times Festival of Books

Look, I can vamp for three paragraphs about all the amazing stuff going on this weekend, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s all Book Fair, all the time. The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books has favorite authors showing up for meet and greets, readings on the free stages, ticketed panels if you can spare two bucks, books books books, and then some more books. It's one of the few times when my kid says, “Mommy may I buy that?” and I say “Why not get two?!”

The Book Fair is mostly in the daytime hours, so if you want to attend a movie or see a show, your nighttime is totes clear. And I suppose there are a few other happenings that are worthy of your attention, such as the rootin', tootin-est Cowboy fest this side of the Mississippi, egg hunts at Kidspace, Pershing Square, and the Point Fermin Lighthouse, a Whale of a day, and a tribute to first responder heroes, a tribute to the Great Spirit and Torrance's sister city, a Jamboree, multiple egg-stravaganzas, an arty open house, and celebrations of spring time and mother Earth.

Oh, and it’s also like a day before your taxes are due so, if you haven’t done them: yikes, and er, get on it? Maybe you can find a book on taxes at the Book Fair (if you're looking for something to do).

Book it to the rest of this post to check out our book-marked events....

Weekend Fun for LA Kids: Children's Earth Day, Renaissance Faire, and the Lucky Band

Submitted by Toby B on Thu, 04/04/2019 - 4:29am

Celebrate spring at the LA Zoo. Photo by Jamie Pham/GLAZA

Is that a spring in your step or just the imminent approach of Spring Break? For some lucky Angelenos, Spring Break is as early as next week. For others, the Bunny has a few more days to work his magic.

Either way, there is plenty of springtime revelry to be had. There are trucks for touching, adventures for having, root beer for plundering, science for stemming, words for whomping, and ships to be assembled brick by brick.

Big tickets this weekend: a free, sensory friendly concert from Mommy Poppins faves the Lucky Band, a visit with everyone's favorite Steam Engine, and the most pleasurable faire this side of the Renaissance.

Saturday also represents your chance to get tickets for June's hottest event, Ticket to Explore JPL . Tickets are free but in short supply, so the usual rules apply: wait til I've secured my tickets before trying for yours. Not quite as hard to get your hands on, but worth the effort just the same, tickets for the panel sessions at the LA Times Festival of Books become available starting Sunday.

So what are you waiting for...spring to it!

Weekend Fun for LA Kids: Boysenberries, Cherry Blossoms, Mariachi Women, and Bunnies

Submitted by Toby B on Thu, 03/28/2019 - 12:05am

I hope you've planted your eggs, because Holy Peeps! It's Easter this weekend! Or maybe it's just... April Fools! Or maybe, to extend this prank, it's Not Even April yet—but in the ultimate unexpected double switcheroo plot twist, Easter is starting, at least as far as the plethora of spring/ egg/ bunny activities that come our way this time of year.

Starting now, you can ride the rails, work the fields, ride the rides, and most importantly meet the bunnies—all in the name of vernal appreciation.

For other fun, be sure to check our calendar for some berry fine opportunities. You can round the bases with the boys of spring or find your Irish side with the mujeres mariachi, Wonder of wonders, you can see an elephant fly, explore the space between heaven and earth, and perhaps the greatest wonder of all: you can see your world.... unplugged.

For the record, Easter is April 21. You've got time. Ish.

Keep reading for our springiest picks for this weekend.....

Weekend Fun for LA Kids: Swallows, Peacocks, Marathon, and Airport Art

Submitted by Toby B on Thu, 03/21/2019 - 12:44am

Photo courtesy of Santa Monica Airport Artwalk

Parenting—it's a marathon. And a sprint. And a scrimmage. And a mad, chaotic free-for-all. Then again, sometimes a marathon is just a 26-mile excuse for Momma to get out of the house.

Remember last week when everyone was all "butterflies! butterflies everywhere!"? Not to be outdone, the swallows are making a show of their return from winter break and are getting a parade in welcome. With a 6000-mile flight from South America, I think they earned it! The peacocks are also getting a day in their honor, but they're not going anywhere—just standing around looking pretty.

Other creatures being celebrated this weekend include whales, faeries, Stooges, and vegans, not to mention artists, makers, and dream catcher makers. Bonus: these winning choices won't leave you gasping for breath with blisters on your blisters.

On your mark, get set, keep reading for our raciest picks for this weekend!

Best Things To Do Presidents Day Weekend in Los Angeles with Kids

Submitted by Toby B on Thu, 02/14/2019 - 12:05am

Guests watch traditional fan dancers at Santa Monica Place’s 2018 Lunar New Year celebration. Photo by Mathew Tucciarone courtesy of Santa Monica Place

This weekend is about more than just the long weekend (though it is a long weekend). This weekend asks us to examine the power of the individual: to do good, to achieve, to entertain and inform.

Whether your skill is trick shotting, krill eating, or sheep herding, whether your area of expertise is geekdom or brick-building or onomatopoeia, this weekend reminds us that we can all rise up and achieve great things.

On Monday in particular, we look at the American presidency and the power of one individual to impact the lives of so many. LA is lucky to have two presidential libraries in the region, both of which offer up observances of the holiday. Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you are going to do with your kids on this long weekend.

Read on for our most statesmanlike picks for this weekend …

Everything Is Awesome at The LEGO Space Hollywood

Submitted by Toby B on Sun, 02/03/2019 - 1:56am

If your kids are hyped up about The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part opening February 8, you could make them feel special by taking them to experience it live and interactive right now at the LEGO Space Hollywood. The free pop-up photo op experience offers tons of Instagrammable moments, interactive installations, and fun reveals from the new movie. And don’t think for a second they would make a LEGO space without giving you the opportunity to play with LEGOs.

Fun for LA Kids this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Weekend

Submitted by Toby B on Thu, 01/17/2019 - 4:01am

Honor MLK's legacy - there are Day of Service events all over LA. Photo courtesy of City Year Los Angeles

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is 'What are you doing for others?'" This weekend, families can join together to answer that question, by participating in the MLK Day of Service. A day spent giving back is just one way to honor Dr. King's memory. There are parades, celebrations, and concerts throughout the weekend to bring our families and communities together in honor of his legacy.

Little ones can learn from Dr. King's example as well, with a number of events this weekend particularly geared toward young children. Kids can listen to inspiring stories , participate in service projects, and share their dreams for the future.

Inspiration can be found on other fronts with founding fathers and kung fu figure skaters, blood moons and behind the scenes, bulldogs and boars, ephemeral art and fast moving motocross, high flying acrobats and dancing on, what do call em? feet, all serving as examples of what one can achieve. Now is a good time to ask our children: how do you try to make a difference? And where do you find your inspiration?