Best Family Entertainment in LA

Children's Theatre, Family Concerts and More in Los Angeles

Updated 06/20/17

In addition to tons of great Shows in LA for adults, Los Angeles has abundant resources for family entertainment, including intimate children's theatre productions, participatory shows that take place in natural settings, children's music concerts and family entertainment series at major entertainment venues. The organizations here offer year-round family entertainment. You'll notice a lot of them are in Santa Monica, one of the most family-oriented cities in Greater LA. In addition to these, there are some great Summer Family Festivals.

If you're looking for other kinds of entertainment, like theme parks and children's museums, check out my guide to Top Things to Do in LA with Kids.

If you're on a budget, check Goldstar.com for discount tickets to many of these venues.

You can also see when my own shows for the 2 to 8-year-old crowd are going on around LA at www.AuntieKayte.com.

01 of 16

Family Theatre at Santa Monica Playhouse

••• Family Theatre at Santa Monica Playhouse. Photo by Cydne Moore courtesy of Santa Monica Playhouse

Santa Monica Playhouse
1211 4th Street (at Wilshire)
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310.394.9779
Website
Santa Monica Playhouse is a dependable source of kid-friendly theatre with their award-winning ongoing family theatre series. Weekend shows are offered throughout the year.
02 of 16

Storybook Theatre at Theatre West

Theatre West
3333 Cahuenga Blvd West
Los Angeles, CA 90068
818-761-2203
Website
The acclaimed Storybook Theatre at Theatre West provides "non-threatening, interactive musicals with a message for children 3 – 9 years old." Shows are generally on Saturday afternoons.
03 of 16

Creating Arts Company

••• Creating Arts Company production of Beauty and the Beast. Photo courtesy of Creating Arts Company

Promenade Playhouse
1404 3rd Street Promenade
Santa Monica, California 90401
(310) 804-0223
Website
Creating Arts Company is another high quality theatre company in Santa Monica that offers year-round interactive performances for kids 3 and up, as well as acting classes and performance opportunities for kids.
04 of 16

A Faery Hunt

••• A Faery Hunt. A Faery Hunt

A Faery Hunt is an enchanting interactive theatrical experience for kids that takes place in venues all around Southern California. Most of the shows have a faery theme, but are inclusive stories for boys and girls. They also have a cowboy show. Most shows are scheduled on Saturday or Sunday morning.
Website

Continue to 5 of 16 below.
05 of 16

Morgan-Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica

Morgan-Wixson Theatre
2627 Pico Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90405
310-828-7519
Website
The Morgan-Wixson Theatre's Youth Education/Entertainment Series (Y.E.S.) is an ongoing series of performances and classes by and for kids 8-18 years old.
06 of 16

Family Series at The Wallis

••• "White" at the Wallis. Photo by Douglas McBride courtesy of the Wallis Annenberg Performing Arts Center

The Wallis Annenberg Performing Arts Center
9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 746-4000
Website
The Wallis Annenberg Performing Arts Center in Beverly Hills, which opened in 2013, includes a regular roster of shows designed for pre-school-age and up, including visiting national and international shows. They also have a series of family concerts designed for kids 7 and up.
07 of 16

Family Series at Segerstrom Center for the Arts

••• Okee Dokee Brothers at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Photo © 2013 Kayte Deioma, licensed to About.com

Segerstrom Center for the Arts
600 Town Center Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714)556-2787
Website
The Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Orange County offers an ongoing series of family events in their Samueli Theater, ranging from plays and musicals to GRAMMY-winning musicians performing family concerts. Each event includes an hour of pre-show activities in the lobby related to the performance. They also offer many family-friendly productions on their larger stages as well.
08 of 16

Los Angeles Children's Theater at The Little Theater

The Little Theater
12420 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 622 - 4482
Website
The Los Angeles Children's Theater is another Santa Monica company offering regularly scheduled shows for kids in a 49-seat theater, often with special related events or pre-show activities.

Continue to 9 of 16 below.
09 of 16

Bob Baker's Marionette Theatre

••• Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Los Angeles. Photo © 2009 Kayte Deioma, licensed to About.com

Bob Baker Marionette Theater
1345 W 1st St
Los Angeles, California 90026
213-250-9995
Touring 818-487-0205
Website
The marionettes at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater are as bigger than some of the toddlers who surround the performance area at this LA children's tradition. Read the review.
10 of 16

Family Concerts at McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica

••• David Tobocman Performing for Family Music Sundays at McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica. Kayte Deioma

McCabe's Guitar Shop
3101 Pico Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 828-4497
Website
McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica has been hosting family music concerts on Sunday mornings for over 40 years. They tend to schedule family concerts two Sundays a month. Check their calendar at McCabes.com to see what's coming up.
11 of 16

Children's Book World

••• Auntie Kayte performing at Children's Book World. Kayte Deioma

Children's Book World
10580 1/2 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 559-2665
Website
Children's Book World in Los Angeles offers free in-store concerts and book readings for kids of all ages. Most events are Saturday mornings at 10:30 with some book readings and author events at other times. They get quite crowded, so get there early to be sure to get a spot on the floor. It's also a great bookstore, so be prepared to shop.
12 of 16

Books and Cookies

••• Books and Cookies in Santa Monica. Tere Stamoulis

Books and Cookies
2309 Main St
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 452-1301
Website
Books and Cookies in Santa Monica hosts Saturday morning children's concerts in a semi-covered outdoor patio that doubles as a play area with lots of things to climb on. There are also music and story events all week long. There is a per-child fee (1/2 price for siblings) for Saturday concerts. The audience at Books and Cookies tends to be infants and toddlers.

Continue to 13 of 16 below.
13 of 16

The Nine O'Clock Players

••• The Nine O'clock Players. The Nine O'clock Players

Assistance League of Los Angeles
Theatre for Children
1367 N St. Andrews Place
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 545-6153
Website
The Nine O'Clock Players is the children's theatre company of the Assistance League of Los Angeles, which has been presenting theatre for kids in Hollywood since 1929. They produce two musical productions per year in their 330-seat theatre, each based on classic children's stories.
14 of 16

Children's Theatre at Glendale Centre Theatre

Glendale Centre Theatre
324 N Orange St
Glendale, CA 91203
Website
Glendale Center Theatre puts on two children's theatre musicals each year that run on Saturday mornings for about three months each in spring and late summer to fall. They also run a series of summer theatre camps for kids in June and July.
15 of 16

Family Concerts at Children's Museums

••• Family Festival at the Getty Center. Kayte Deioma

Some of the Top Children's Museums in LA like the Zimmer Children's Museum, Kidspace Museum and La Habra Children's Museum also offer regular family sing-alongs and concerts.
16 of 16

Summer Family Music Series

••• Children enjoying SummerSounds at the Hollywood Bowl. Photo courtesy of the Hollywood Bowl

In addition to all the year-round entertainment for families with kids, Los Angeles, the children's music scene takes off in summer with family music series from the Hollywood Bowl and Levitt Pavilion to the Madrid Theatre and Theatricum Botinicum. Check out all the Summer Family Concert Series in Los Angeles.