Best Live Children's Theatre and Concerts in LA

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 our guide to the top things to do in LA with kids.

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

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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.

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Family Theatre at Santa Monica Playhouse

Santa Monica Playhouse
1211 4th Street (at Wilshire)
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310.394.9779

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.

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Storybook Theatre at Theatre West

Theatre West
3333 Cahuenga Blvd West
Los Angeles, CA 90068
818-761-2203

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.

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Bob Baker's Marionette Theatre

Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Los Angeles — Kayte Deioma

Bob Baker Marionette Theater
1345 W 1st St
Los Angeles, California 90026
213-250-9995
Touring 818-487-0205

The marionettes at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater are bigger than some of the toddlers who surround the performance area at this LA children's tradition.

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Creating Arts Company

Promenade Playhouse
1404 3rd Street Promenade
Santa Monica, California 90401
(310) 804-0223

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.

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Morgan-Wixson Theatre in Santa Monica

Morgan-Wixson Theatre
2627 Pico Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90405
310-828-7519

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.

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Family Concerts at McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica

McCabe's Guitar Shop
3101 Pico Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 828-4497

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.

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Family Series at The Wallis

The Wallis Annenberg Performing Arts Center
9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 746-4000

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.

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Family Series at Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Segerstrom Center for the Arts
600 Town Center Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

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.

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Children's Book World

Children's Book World
10580 1/2 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(310) 559-2665

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.

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Books and Cookies

Books and Cookies
2309 Main St
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 452-1301

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.

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The Nine O'Clock Players

Assistance League of Los Angeles
Theatre for Children
1367 N St. Andrews Place
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 545-6153

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.

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Children's Theatre at Glendale Centre Theatre

Glendale Centre Theatre
324 N Orange St
Glendale, CA 91203

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.