Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in greater los angeles, CA

Music Monday: Rocknoceros

June 01, 2009

Continuing my on-again off-again tradition of featuring music for kids on Mondays, today I am telling you about Rocknoceros, the kids' band you've never heard of.  Oh, you've heard of it?  Well, why haven't I until now?  Maybe because they're from Washington, DC and played on satellite radio, two things we do not have in common.

Poised to take their east coast fame to the rest of the world, Rocknoceros is made up of Coach Cotton, Williebob, and Boogie Woogie Bennie, and they're dominating the internets with kicky podcasts and a whole YouTube channel dedicated to them.  If your kid is like my kid, he's gonna love checking out those podcasts and user uploaded videos of kids rocking out to their music.

Rocknoceros's new CD "Pink!" includes a good mix of fun and useful tunes.  By "useful" I am specifically talking about the sond "Nappin' Time," because anything that might help me make my children sleepy enough to take a nap is something I want to check out.  There are also funny attempts to teach history through song, like the tracks "Lucky Lindy" (about Charles Lindbergh) and "Virginia" (an ode to the band's home state). 

I'm forever on a quest for kids' music that doesn't make me want to throw the CD out the car window.  This one is a keeper.

Weekend Roundup: May 16-17

May 14, 2009

Weekend Roundup May 16-17

SATURDAY

Worldfest:  Saturday, 10:30 - 7:00 at Woodley Park in Encino.  It's Earth Day again in May, with a solar-powered festival celebrating and educating about how we can help preserve our environment.  With speakers, booths, entertainment, and appearances by local celebrities.   Admission is $7 for anyone over 12, and under 12 it's free.

SUNDAY

Weekend Roundup - Art and Nature

April 30, 2009

Weekend Roundup: Let the Spring Events Begin!

April 23, 2009

There's a lot going on around these parts this weekend.  Saddle up!  Also, don't forget the Earth Day (Month) events listed here on Tuesday.

THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

Santa Clarita Valley Cowboy Festival:  Have a little cowboy or girl in your family?  Head up the mountain for days and days of music, poetry, food, cowboy gear, and trip roping!  Behind the scenes tours of a movie studio!  Old west is best.

FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

Santa Clarita Valley Kids Consignment Sale:  Just like the LA Kids Consignment Sale but...not.  It's smaller and newer and probably less of a zoo.  Great place to stock up on summer clothes and toys.  Who cares if it's secondhand if they're just going to destroy it anyway?

SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

Burbank Arts Festival:  Seriously, click that link.  There's so much going on during this event that my eyes started to pop out and I got tired just reading it.  Chalk art?  A mud booth?  High school BANDS?!  It's fun on a silver platter, my friends.

Los Angeles Times Festival of Books:  Simply put, this event brings together people who love books with people who create them.  For two days there will be author signings and readings, including many, many children's authors and performers.  I originally planned to attend this alone, but looking at the schedule I know I would want the children there.  Wish me luck.  Tickets are free, but parking is $9 at UCLA.

SATURDAY ONLY

Kester's World Music and Art Festival:  11AM to 5PM.  Music, games, art, food, more.  Kester Ave. Elementary School.  If this is your district, it's a good way to meet people in that community before your children get to that kindergarten. 

Bargain Babe speaks:  3:00PM - 4:30PM, Borders, Thousand Oaks.  Julia Scott of the Bargain Babe blog shares tips about cutting expenses and saving big!

Weekend Roundup April 18-19: Finally, Cool Stuff To Do on Sunday

April 16, 2009

Friday - Sunday:  Operation Gratitude's major volunteer effort to prep and assemble thousands of care packages for our armed forces.  No need to register ahead of time, just show up!  See this link for details .

Sunday

Leo Carillo State Park - 13th Annual Point Mugu to Point Dume Whale Festival 10AM - 4PM.  "Live entertainment, environmental conservation information booths, whale-watching stations, arts and crafts for children, activities, music and food are all a part of the day’s events."  Educational and awesome!  This is the end of whale watching season, so head on out and see if you can spot one!

McCabe's Guitar Shop - Very Helpful Songs Live with full band at 11AM!  Our guest poster David Tobocman and his charming kid's songs in person!  Tickets are $8 and kids under 2 are free.  3101 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405

Music Monday: Swingers

April 06, 2009

Another post continuing a guest series by David Tobocman, a local musician who comes to us with tips about introducing your child to good music and helping them cultivate their own musical tastes.  Dave will play a free concert for kids at McCabe's guitar shop in Santa Monica on April 19 at 11:00 AM.

SWING MUSIC: This insanely happy, almost cartoonish music is our breakfast music.

Way back when I was single, I used to spend all of my money on CDs and there was a phase when I was buying up as many swing and big band reissues as I could lay my hands upon. Nowadays, at our house we do most of our listening on an iPod and one of our favorite playlists is “choice swing,” which is the cream of my old swing collection. If you own an iPod, and are so inclined, I highly recommend you make a playlist of the best songs of the following albums and start shuffling. The kids love this funny, snappy music and it makes breakfast a real event!

Any Greatest Hits album from the following artists will get you some great swing music, but I do like the Swingsation series a whole lot....

Benny Goodman

Tommy Dorsey

Jimmie Lunceford

Glenn Miller

Artie Shaw

Count Basie

Louis Jordan

Chick Webb

The following two collections require a bit of an investment but they constitute the two pillars of American Music through the swing era:

Count Basie - Complete Decca Recordings

Duke Ellington - Blanton-Webster Band

My advice is, if you’re so inclined, is to pull all of your swing CDs into iTunes and sit for an hour and crudely make a yes/no choice as to which songs to include in your “choice swing” playlist and from that moment on you’ve got a super fun collection of rollicking music to accompany everything from birthday parties to family breakfasts.

Weekend Roundup: Music and Flowers

April 02, 2009

It's officially spring which means we get a few weeks of nice weather before it just gets hot and stays there.  If you have some good family time this weekend, here are suggestions for how to make some memories with your little ones:

• Free concert at Tarzana Community Kids Club - Saturday, 12-4PM.  Several musical acts will play and there will be an opportunity for kids to see musical instruments up close and personal-like.  One of my favorite organizations for family entertainment, TCKC brings you this event for free.
• Photo opportunity:  the poppies and other incredible wildflowers are in bloom at Anza-Borrego state park in the Antelope Valley.  Just say "go!" and as the kids run through the blooms, point and shoot.  Memories to last a lifetime.
• Break out the tent and go camping in the backyard as a dry run for summer trips.
• If you are lucky enough to have extra cash laying around, why not take advantage of spring rates and thinner crowds and take the kids to Catalina Island for the day or weekend?
• Enjoy some kid-themed theater at Granada Hills Library, Saturday at 4pm.

Weekend Roundup: SHOPPING!

March 26, 2009

The Return of Music Monday: Dan Zanes Tickets!

March 02, 2009

You probably remember the first time you heard it too: that kicky spot on Sesame Street where Dan Zanes plays his ukelele and attracts all the happy people to his stoop and they sing and dance to "Jump Up" and everyone smiles and your kids like the music and you find yourself singing the tune all day.  And then it bugs you so much that you fire up the DVR to watch it again and eventually you're at the computer Googling the lyrics to find the song and download it or order the CD.

Or maybe you got it as a shower gift or another mom turned you onto it, but either way, nobody can escape the Zanes.  Churning out the standby tunes that are the epitome of Kids' Music That Doesn't Suck, Dan Zanes is like the king of hipster parents.  And guess what - he's coming our way!

In three shows over the March 14-15 weekend, Zanes and friends will perform at UCLA.  Tickets can be purchased here, or they can be WON HERE!

THIS IS HOW YOU CAN WIN:

1.  Send an email with the subject line "Dan Zanes giveway San Fernando" to giveaways@savvysource.com

2.  Include which TWO of the three showtimes you'd most like to attend

3.  Make sure your contact email or phone are correct

Winner will be chosen at random by March 10, and tickets to the selected show will be made available for the winner at will call.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

by Kim Tracy Prince

February 06, 2009

I've lived in Southern California for 13 years now and it never fails: we get a billion sunny days in a row and the one day it rains, I get the blues. I hate the rain. That's one of the reasons I moved here. I do like when it rains at night, playing a soft lullaby of drops on the elephant ear plant that grows outside my bedroom window. But then I want it to  Read more...

Give Local Gifts That Keep On Giving

by Kim Tracy Prince

December 16, 2008

Instead of another molded plastic toy from China, why not give your friends' kids a membership to a local activity? It's a gift of memories and time, and the parents will enjoy it too. Better yet, you don't have to go anywhere to buy them, because they can be purchased online. Museum Memberships: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County : One year membership for 2 adults and  Read more...

My First Ballet: The Nutcracker

by Kim Tracy Prince

December 12, 2008

The holiday season is not complete without live music and dancing. To me, there's no more classic live performance for Christmas time than the Radio City Music Hall show in New York. Chances are you need something closer to home, so thankfully, there's the Nutcracker Suite ballet . Lucky for us, the Kirov Ballet and orchestra will be performing in a Los Angeles Music  Read more...

Comment if you love music monday: the jimmies (giveaway!)

by Kim Tracy Prince

November 17, 2008

Buckle up everybody, I'm about to send you on a wild ride with The Jimmies! They look like a quirky indie rock band, but their rock is made for kids! What kid doesn't like to rock? Be warned that when you click on their website , music will start to play. You will be pleasantly surprised to hear Ashley's clear, crisp vocals and the soulful punked up sound of the band. (They actually remind me  Read more...

Halloween Hand-Over

by Kim Tracy Prince

October 31, 2008

Halloween is over, and your youngest child wore that hand-me-down Superman costume for its third and final wearing in your family. So cute, you wash it and fold it and sadly think "who will wear it now?" Sure, you could try to sell it at a yard sale or consignment shop. You could pretend that you are having another baby someday, so you should save it for him or her. But let's be honest.  Read more...

Music Monday: Little Rock Star

by Kim Tracy Prince

October 27, 2008

Big box electronics retailer Best Buy has opened musical instruments stores-within-stores at various locations around the country. One of them happens to be at the new Northridge location at 19350 Nordhoff Way. The section is separated from the rest of the enormous store, with a glassed-in testing booth that allows for focused experimenting with the merchandise. Mostly guitars and keyboards,  Read more...

Music Monday: Twenty-something angst for the preschool set

by Kim Tracy Prince

October 20, 2008

Once upon a time I had a coworker named Charlie who said he made an album. When he was ready to share it, I was prepared to be underwhelmed, because everyone and their mother has an album or a script in Los Angeles. Right? I accepted the CD and on my way home I popped into the player in my car. This is what I heard. By the time I got to  Read more...

Music Monday: Music Your Kids Will Dig and You'll Like Too - vol. 1, Classical Music

by Kim Tracy Prince

October 13, 2008

I proudly announce the return of David Tobocman, who explained to us how to create engaging children's music that does not make you want to smash your CD player. He's back with a series of essays about introducing your child to good music and helping them cultivate their own musical tastes. Watch this space for his continuing series. Can you dig it? To tell you the truth, I try to go slow  Read more...

Weekend Roundup: Community Hoe-Down!

by Kim Tracy Prince

October 03, 2008

'Tis the weekend for community celebrations! Maybe they think it's cooling off, so now is the right time for a big outdoor festival. I guess nobody could have predicted the 100-degree weather when they scheduled so many great events in the Valley this weekend. Put on your sunscreen and a big hat and bring lots of water, because there's plenty to do out there! Friday, Saturday, and  Read more...

Weekend roundup - sep 27&28

by Kim Tracy Prince

September 26, 2008

Our family is off on another 5-hour roadtrip starting today. We're headed up to the Mono Lakes area near Mammoth. I've never been there, but friends say it's beautiful, and tomorrow is Free Fishing Day, meaning you don't have to buy the $38 fishing license that is usually required to snag some trout. We still haven't been brave enough to try camping, and this weekend has not ended  Read more...

Music Monday: Very Helpful Songs

by Kim Tracy Prince

September 22, 2008

Today's guest blogger is David Tobocman , a local composer and father of 2 children who channeled his creativity into music he created just for them. He shares that music with us in his album, Very Helpful Songs . David will give a CD to the lucky FIRST reader who emails me at beingsavvysfv-la@savvysource.com wit h the correct answer to this question: what are David's children's names?  Read more...

Music Monday: Los Angeles County Fair

by Kim Tracy Prince

September 15, 2008

I've already told you about the Fair a few times. This time I have actual evidence that the fair is a wonderland for pre-schoolers. It runs through September 28, so there's plenty of time to take advantage of this cornucopia of new and fun experiences. First of all, you can spend all day in the Backyard Fun pavilion. A fenced-in area provided heaps of styrofoam blocks and at least an hour of  Read more...

Music Monday: Robbo

by Kim Tracy Prince

September 08, 2008

It's a new feature for Being Savvy San Fernando: Music Monday. I've been gathering lots of music that my children love to feature in this space, because I know your kids will love it too. It's perfect for a weekly feature (with occasional exceptions) and I'm into alliteration in my blog post titles, so Monday it is. Watch this space for future giveaways. During the summer I took Kyle  Read more...

Weekend Hodgepodge and CD Giveaway

by Kim Tracy Prince

August 29, 2008

Weekend Hodgepodge Sometimes there's so much to tell you that the little things get lost in the shuffle. Since this is Labor Day weekend, I am going to recommend some parenting time-savers in the spirit of sparing you a little bit of Labor. I've picked these up from one source or another, and unless I write it down instantly (tip #1), I don't remember who told me about it. So, if you  Read more...

Mozart, Moby, or Miles: Rocking with Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang

by Kim Tracy Prince

August 28, 2008

By day, Gwendolyn is an indie music artist who composes score music for the Showtime series "Weeds." But when she emerges from her phone booth, she is the pig-tailed little girl who leads Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang, recently named The Best Kiddie Band by Los Angeles Magazine. My kids are obsessed with their live show DVD and their album, "Get Up and Dance," which features such quippy  Read more...

Weekend Roundup: Making Noise

by Kim Tracy Prince

August 01, 2008

Before I get to today's business, let me ask you a question.If you live in Northridge, Chatsworth, Porter Ranch, or Granada Hills, did you notice a thin newspaper in your driveway yesterday or today? Don't automatically toss it in your recycle bin.It's a monthly free paper called The SFV , and it now features a column by this savvy valley mother. For continuous, up-to-date guidance,  Read more...

History Lesson: Little Ranch Hands

by Kim Tracy Prince

July 21, 2008

Sometimes it's valuable to show children how to do things the way they were originally meant to be done, and by this I mean without modern technology. In much the same way that a child needs to learn math before they learn how to use a calculator, they should learn how to mow the lawn instead of watching the gardener do it, and now you can show them how people washed clothes before the  Read more...

Weekend Roundup

by Kim Tracy Prince

July 18, 2008

Here we are smack in the middle of summer. This is one of those weekends that you can pick to sit around and do nothing: practice setting up the tent in the backyard, make some popsicles, take a long walk on the beach. If you do feel like saddling up the kids and going out, here are some more lovely outdoor activities happening in the Valley this weekend. Concerts in the Park! Things  Read more...

Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Programming

by Kim Tracy Prince

July 11, 2008

Boy, the time flies, doesn't it? The 4 th of July is past, the super giant heatwave is over (at least, temporarily), and another weekend is upon us. There are a lot of events taking place this weekend, so close your eyes, spin around three times, and poke the screen. Wherever your finger lands, attend the closest event. (First click on the link below to see the whole post.)  Read more...

Escape To the Valley

by Kim Tracy Prince

July 08, 2008

Yes, you read that right. If, for some reason, you are traveling with young children and your car breaks down on the 405 and the mechanic says it will take three days to fix it, here are some things you can do to kill the time. They might be educational. They might be enriching. They might even be fun! (But you'll probably have to rent another car.) Day 1  Read more...

Creating Memories: Where To See Fireworks On Independence Day

by Kim Tracy Prince

July 03, 2008

I grew up in a beach town on the East Coast, where the 4 th of July fireworks show was easily reached on foot, and it was safe to walk home at night. My kids don't have that luxury, living an hour's drive away from the nearest beach. Luckily, everyone loves a great fireworks show, so there are many opportunities to see one closer to home (and therefore closer to bedtime) for your  Read more...

Sneaky DJ: Essential Summer Playlist

by Kim Tracy Prince

July 01, 2008

I've been known to gripe about the lack of grownup music that I listen to these days. The only time I ever get to play music anymore is in the car, and now that I'll be taking fewer calls during my long drives, music will be that much more important. With two literal backseat DJ's, I've gotten pretty good at sneaking in tracks that were not recorded by The Wiggles or  Read more...

Weekend Roundup: June 28/29

by Kim Tracy Prince

June 27, 2008

Weekend Roundup: June 28 and 29 th Outdoor Movies and Concerts and Hula! Oh My! Now that I am noticing weekend events coming up left and right, it's easy for me to get overwhelmed. But one firm decision I made a few years ago helps to keep my days in perspective and allows us to enjoy our family time: no party hopping. Used to be that with my overpacked schedule,  Read more...

Mozart, Moby, or Miles: Free Concerts at the Santa Monica Pier

by Kim Tracy Prince

June 26, 2008

I don't know if you've noticed, but I have: traffic has been lighter over the past few weeks. Maybe it's people going out of town, or abandoning their cars for the Metro, or the general price-of-gas hysteria, but it has definitely been easier to get from one side of town to the other lately. Which is perfect timing because there are things on the other side of the hill that  Read more...

Guest Blogger Hosts Multicultural Family Events in Tarzana

by Kim Tracy Prince

June 25, 2008

Being Savvy San Fernando welcomes it's first guest poster, Lambreni Waddell, founder of the Tarzana Community Kids' Club. Located at the Tarzana Community & Cultural center on Ventura Blvd., Waddell's Kid's Club hosts special events designed to broaden cultural awareness, provide enriching and fun activities for parents and children to enjoy, and therefore strengthening a sense  Read more...

Weekend Roundup

by Kim Tracy Prince

June 19, 2008

Do you ever get overwhelmed by the sheer number of amazing opportunities for things to do with your kids around here? No? Well, you must not be looking hard enough. In my research for this blog, I'm starting to feel my head stretching to fit the information into my brain. There's no way I would remember all these things by myself. Thank goodness for the Weekend Roundup. Here  Read more...

Little Sponges: Where To Feed Them

by Kim Tracy Prince

June 17, 2008

Their minds are hungry, and they're sucking up information faster than you can answer Why is the sky blue Pre-school can only offer so much, and we parents are the next best thing. What to do when even we're tapped out? Summer is the perfect time to enroll children in classes that meet specific interests. My son has already shown an interest in letters and numbers and learning  Read more...

Mozart, Moby, or Miles: Concerts in the Park

by Kim Tracy Prince

May 30, 2008

People who live elsewhere used to make fun of me for never having a tan because they think it's summer all year long. The truth is we do have seasons in Los Angeles: Hot Summer, and The Rest of the Year. There are great things about summer in L.A., though, and one of them is the tradition of outdoor events. Especially the free ones. Valley Cultural Center puts on free concerts in Warner Center  Read more...

History Lessons: Two By Two at Noah's Ark

by Kim Tracy Prince

May 26, 2008

This year on Kyle's third birthday, his godmother Lisa realized two things: he has more toys than he needs, and we have no room for any more. So she wanted to start a tradition of taking Kyle on a special outing for his birthday, and offered to take him to Disneyland. That would mean a whole day of whiny, just-potty-trained kid at a sensory-overload theme park over an hour away. Lisa  Read more...

Mozart, Moby, or Miles: Music Where You Least Expect It

by Kim Tracy Prince

May 16, 2008

A little-known destination for children of all ages to enjoy live music is the Encino Farmer's Market at One Generation Center on Victory Blvd. On one end of the market, a Bolivian trio plays Latin music with exotic-looking instruments like a harp and a mandolin. Our children dance and attract attention as they snack on homemade tamales and strawberry lemonade. On the other end, among the  Read more...