Kylie Williams
Kylie Williams is a mom of four who loves exploring Los Angeles with her kids and reporting back about the exciting events, attractions, and hidden gems she discovers. When she's not schlepping the kids around the city, she's probably at the gym, reading a book, or putting together snack bags for one of the kids' sports teams. If you know of a place she should check out, drop a line at Kylie@MommyPoppins.com.
Latest posts by Kylie
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.
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.
Every year, my family takes a two-hour drive east of LA, past the windmills and a couple of giant neon dinosaurs, to spend a blissful weekend tackling all the things to do in Palm Springs with kids. Several bathroom breaks and a date shake or three later, we arrive and there's a whole vibe change. Palm Springs is a land of purple mountains, bougainvillea, succulents, rolling green golf courses, and desert air. It smells like vacation. The water parks at resorts that await us certainly add to that vacation feel, as does the anticipation rolling off my kids. We come back year after year (in the 100-degree summer heat) because this oasis gives us everything we need in a family vacation, without having to hop on an airplane.
For more SoCal family vacations, check out our list of best family road trips from Los Angeles, California family vacation ideas kids love, and more in our Weekend Getaway and Day Trips from Los Angeles Guide.
I grew up in Santa Clarita and now, I’m raising my kids here. College-aged me would have said there were approximately 0 fun things to do in Santa Clarita and all I wanted to do was move to Loz Feliz or Silverlake and be “near all the cool stuff.” But you know what? When you have three little kids, hipster coffee shops and boutique clothing stores lose their allure. Instead, you want amazing parks and fun places to take rambunctious toddlers with lots of energy. Santa Clarita has that in abundance. It’s what turned me from an anti-suburbian into a lifer.
Here are 25 good reasons why you should brave the 5 freeway (but not during rush hour) and head to the SCV with your kids. For more valley fun, check out our guides to Sherman Oaks and Studio City.
Some of the best fireworks shows in Los Angeles take place over the ocean at various beaches and harbors, like Newport, Dana Point, and Marina del Rey. While the view from the shore is stunning, try witnessing the pyrotechnics spectacle from a boat this year; many whale watching and harbor cruise services offer special 4th of July fireworks cruises. Snuggle on deck under a blanket and watch the sky come alive in a stunning fireworks show as the water sparkles below.
We rounded up the best 4th of July fireworks cruises in LA and Orange County. Read on to find a boat leaving a port near you. If boats aren't your style, check out our list of places to watch 4th of July fireworks in Los Angeles. We've also got plenty of 4th of July desserts, Independence Day crafts, and more in our list of the Best At-Home Fourth of July Activities for Kids.
In LA, we love our sports. However, you don't want to spend an arm and a leg to take your kids to one of many the pro sporting events in Los Angeles. In our house, going to a Lakers game or Rams game is a very special treat. Honestly, my three-year-old doesn't know the difference between box seats at a Dodgers game and cheering for the baseball team at our local high school!
With that idea in mind, we scoured the city to find fun, family-friendly, sporty events in Los Angeles that won't break the bank. You may even find a new favorite team to follow or fall in love with a new sport. For sporty kids, check out our best Sports Classes for Kids in Los Angeles, and to play at home we've got easy Little League Baseball Drills You Can Do at Home and the rules for Learning to Play Pickleball as a Family.
By now, you may have seen videos of a toy store with a magical world of play behind a hidden door—especially if you have friends in NYC, Boston, Dallas, or the other areas lucky enough to have a CAMP store. If your FOMO has been on fire, we have great news for families in LA: On April 23rd, the first West Coast CAMP store opened its doors at the Westfield Century City in Los Angeles! The new flagship destination opened with its signature Base CAMP immersive experience and partnered with RVshare to create a one-of-a-kind, camping-themed experience that kids of all ages will love.
Always on the hunt for the coolest and latest for Los Angeles families, I headed over to the new flagship store with my 3- and 6-year-olds to see what all the buzz was about. Read on to find out what we discovered through the magic door at the new CAMP store in Los Angeles and what you’ll want to know before you go. Spoiler alert: It’s uh-mazing!
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