Five Fun Educational Places in Los Angeles
We are two weeks into 2016 (Can you believe it?) and we thought it would be cool to highlight a few fun and educational places in and around Los Angeles that are sure to inspire your children. Check out our picks below:
1. Discovery Cube L.A. – Your children will enjoy a hands-on science education by taking a simulated helicopter ride over the L.A. aqueduct and then diving below to observe the water systems beneath it. They will even explore California’s natural resources, learn about landfills, and discover the importance of recycling. Kids can also “walk around” outer space in the Planetary Research Station. By the time they leave, children are certain to be excited about doing their part to help make our world a cleaner place.
http://www.discoverycube.org/la/
2. Travel Town Museum (Los Angeles) – If your little ones like trains, they will LOVE it here. For smaller kids, a miniature train travels around the perimeter of Travel Town. (Something about riding in a train created just for them really gets little ones going.) There are also exhibits featuring dozens of old railroad locomotives and cars that kids of all ages can appreciate. Your children will leave with a greater understanding and excitement about the impact railroads have made on our nation. Pack a lunch and enjoy it together at the picnic tables. There’s tons of space for the parents to relax and the kids to let loose. (Be sure to check out the new gift shop before you leave.)
http://www.traveltown.org/
3. Huntington Library, Art Collection, and Botanical Gardens (San Marino) – We love this place! It is absolutely beautiful. The library contains rare books and manuscripts in British and American history. The art collection is one of the most comprehensive collections of 18th and 19th century French and British art. Although those two aspects are probably most enjoyable for adults, kids ages two and older are sure to appreciate the Botanical Gardens and its “ever-changing exhibition of color.” There are more than a dozen specialized gardens, including the Desert Garden, the Japanese Garden, the Chinese Garden, and the Rose Garden. It is designed to capture their imagination, engage their senses, and teach them fundamentals about botany.
http://www.huntington.org/
4. Kidspace Children’s Museum’s “Cultural Diversity Days” (Los Angeles) – In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Kidspace is hosting “Cultural Diversity Days” Saturday, January 16th through Monday, January 18th. Dr. King’s mission was to “break down the walls of segregation and to unite the people of America.” Kidspace is doing its part to further his mission by celebrating cultures from all over the world. Children will have an opportunity to create Russian nesting dolls, participate in a Brazilian carnival procession, get messy in a grape stomping pool, and even decorate their arms with Indian henna. What a great way to teach children about other cultures and foster respect and appreciation for diversity!
www.kidspacemuseum.org
5. Aquarium of the Pacific (Long Beach) – This place is fantastic! Jelly fish, sharks, sea otters, penguins, turtles—these are just a few of the underwater friends your child will see. It is home to more than 11,000 ocean animals (representing nearly 500 species) who call the Pacific Ocean their home. There are tons of fascinating exhibits and your children can even touch sea stars, anemone, sea cucumbers, urchins, and more.
www.aquariumofpacific.org
We’ve told you our inspiring educational picks. Now we would love to know some of yours. Please comment below or post to Instagram and tag us @educatednannies with your ideas.
Enjoy!
Photo credit: weplay2learn.blogspot.com
