Being Savvy: Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers and kids in Long Beach, CA

Music

Weekend Roundup: January 17-18

January 16, 2009

T.G.I.T. Okay, so it's not quite the weekend yet, but if you're looking for something fun to do, there are plenty of options: Celebrate Sandra Boynton. Even if you've never heard the name Sandra Boynton, you've probably seen her cartoon animals on greeting cards and mugs. She's also the author of several classic board books for very young kids, including From A to Z and Barnyard  Read more...

Songs to Get Kids Moving

January 12, 2009

Bella and I spend a lot of time dancing around the living room. It's fun, it's great exercise, and no matter what has gone wrong that day, it never fails to put us in a great mood. Here are some of the songs on our dance party playlist: Clap Your Hands . I've loved They Might Be Giants since I first heard them when I was a college freshman. These days they're playing children's music,  Read more...

Weekend Roundup: January 10 - 11

January 08, 2009

It's the middle of winter, such as it is in Southern California. One of my favorite things about living here is that we can enjoy the outdoors year-round. O n Saturday, join a naturalist for a bird walk at the Colorado Lagoon . Admission is $3.00. On Sunday, visit the Madrona Marsh Preserve and Nature Center in Torrance for "Many Lands, Many Stories". At this free event, children can  Read more...

Weekend Roundup: January 4-5

January 01, 2009

The holiday season is coming to an end, but there are still plenty of fun things to do with the kids this weekend: Feliz Ano Nuevo! On Sunday afternoon at the Museum of Latin American Art , kids can make collages to represent their goals for the new year. The event takes place from 1:00 to 4:00 P.M. Admission is free. The Aquarium of the Pacific will be open late this  Read more...

Kid-Friendly New Year's Eve Celebrations

December 30, 2008

New Year's Eve presents a dilemma for parents of small children. Keep the kids up all night? They'll be extra-cranky on New Year's Day. Hire a babysitter? Good luck with that. And you can't exactly take them along to that Brazilian-themed party on the Queen Mary, now can you? Given the options, my favorite way to celebrate New Year's Eve is at home in my jammies. But for those who feel left  Read more...

Dreaming of a Long Beach Christmas

December 02, 2008

This year, we've decided to dial back the holiday stress by staying close to home, instead of travelling to visit family the way we have in past years. But even though Christmas will be small and cozy this time, I still want the season to be full of fun traditions that my daughter will remember for years to come. I'm sure we'll find ourselves at a few of these holiday events happening around  Read more...

Where to See The Nutcracker

December 01, 2008

I've always been a little suspicious of anything too girly-girly, but a few months back my daughter said she wanted to take a dancing class, so I signed her up for the pre-ballet class through the Long Beach Parks and Recreation department. I have to admit that at the sight of all those little girls lined up in their tutus, protruding bellies and all, I quickly came around. Besides the cute  Read more...

The Bowers Kidseum

November 20, 2008

Tuesday, in my ongoing quest to (1) get us out of the house but (2) avoid the smoke-filled air outside, we drove down to the Bowers Kidseum on Main Street in Santa Ana. It took us about half an hour to get there from Long Beach, although there was one harrowing bit when I had to cross three lanes of traffic in two seconds.   The Kidseum is near the Bowers Museum, but it's a separate  Read more...

When the Air Smells Like an Ashtray

November 17, 2008

Fires are blazing all over Southern California, and our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost their homes. We're in no immediate danger here, but outside my window ashes are raining down from a grey-orange sky, and the air quality is awful. "It's very chokey," my daughter said as we dashed from our house to the car today. Here are some activities for days like this one,  Read more...

Moby, Mozart or Miles

October 21, 2008

Kids and music go together like peanut butter and jelly. When she was still in the womb, my daughter would kick in time to anything with a heavy bass beat. In her colicky baby days, nothing soothed her like the sound of me singing. At eighteen months, she bounced up and down to the Mardi Gras Mambo. Now she sings a nonstop soundtrack to our lives, making up little ditties about whatever  Read more...

More of Our Favorite Activities and Things to Do in long beach

urbanjungle.jpg

Creatures & Critters:
Our Urban Jungle

doremi.jpg

Do, Re, Mi! Places to Hear, Sing & Play a Tune

artisticendeavors.jpg

Artistic Endeavors:
Our Favorite Art Venues

roomtorun2.jpg

Room to Run:
Run, Jump & Wiggle Outdoors

rain.jpg

Rainy & Quiet Days:
Cozy & Crazy Indoor Fun

localhistory2.jpg

A Sense of History:
Our City's Stories

naturalhistory2.jpg

Tot's Science Fair:
Science & Nature Sites

holdinghands2.jpg

The Most Fun in Life Is Free!

bestofcity2.jpg

The Best of... Our Top Can't-Live-Without Spots

The Voice of Being Savvy long beach:
Rachel Orfila

Read more Being Savvy for: