Upcoming Events
Aug 13 - Venia's Vacation: Belarusse, Vienna, and..

Aug - 6 Topanga Beach Day (boogie boards and sandcastles)

July 30 - Summer Parkday

July 23 - Leather Stamping

July 16 - Ancient Rome

July 9 - Japan Past & Present

July 2 - Independence & H2O

June 25 Beach Day

June 18 Tenzi Frenzi

June 11 - Juggling Craft and Fun

June 4 - Stokes Theater & Plays

May 28 - Christina's Family Yogatime

May 21 - Bring your crafty projects & Potluck

May 14- Career Day

May 7 - Mother's Day Tea

April 30 - Art Show & Painting

Apr 23 - Earthday Show & Tell and Planting

Apr16 - 19 Joshua Tree Annual Family Campout

Apr 9 - HexiFlexigons - rescheduled

Apr 2 - Magic Tricks & Juggling Sticks

Mar 26 - HexiFlexigons - Geometry Gone Wild

Mar 19 - Potluck & Nat Amer Kid Presentations

Mar 12 - Nat Amer 2: Plains & Tipi's

Mar 5 - Native American 1: Inuit & Carving

Feb 28 - The Art of Debate

Feb 19 - Potluck & Chinese New Year & Korean, Vietnamese

Feb 12 - Valentyne's Day exchange

Feb 5 - Favorite Books

Jan 29 - Build an African Kalimba

Jan 22 - Patents and Inventors

Jan 15 Potluck, Patents and Inventors

Jan 8 - Boardgames and Beginnings

Jan 1st New Year's Playday

Dec 25 Merry Christmas No Parkday

Dec 18 Kwanza; Hannukah; Xmas; Solstice Celebration & Lunch Potluck

Dec 15 Caroling at Retirement Homes

Dec 11 Holiday Craft Day

Dec 4 Idioms by Maria Wheee!

Nov 27 Happy Thanksgiving No Parkday

Nov 20 Venezuela by Enrique & Potluck

Nov 13 Science Bloopers

Nov 6 Inside a Courtroom

Nov 4 Take your Kid to Vote

Oct 30 Costume Halloween Party

Oct 23 Bring a Poem

Oct 19 Campfire Potluck &Talent Show

Oct 16 Poetry Play Day & Potluck

Oct 9 Save Big Cats & Habitats

Oct 2 Making & Launching Rockets

Sept 28 Watts Tower Drumming Festival 10-4pm

Sept 25 Basket Weaving with NewsPaper

Sept 18 M&B Family Campout @ Sequoia Nat'l Park (No parkday)

Sept 11 OuterSpace Aeronautics or
Sustainable Farming & Husbandry (if cool enough for goats to visit)

Sep 10 M&B Free @ LA County Fair

Sep 2 Amazing Aeronautics

Aug 28 Beach Day

Aug 21 Pioneer Day

Aug 14 Five Year M&B Anniversary

Aug 7 Solar Ovens Part III

Jul 31 Solar Ovens Part II

Jul 24 Solar Ovens Part I @ Beach

Jul 17 Balloon Fun/Physics

Jul 10 Blind as a Bat (Braille & Sonar)

Jul 3rd (No Parkday Independence)

Jun 26 Tal Family

Jun 19 Kinetic Ball Run & Squirt bottle motion & Potluck

Jun 12 Summer Festival & Games

Jun 11 Full Moon Hike

Jun 5 Let's Get Tiny - Cells (Animal & Plant)

May 29 Lets get tiny - Cells (Animal & Plant)

May 22 Famous People

May 15 Beach Day & Potluck

May 8 Celebrating Mothers

May 1 Secrets of Water

Apr 24 Earthday & Planting

Apr 17 Games & Crafts Bring Your OWN

Apr 10 Nat'l Poetry Month

Apr 3 Cotton Magic

Mar 27 Bacteria Fun

Mar 20 Potluck & Organ Day!

Mar14-16 Joshua Tree Annual Spring Family Campout

Mar 13 - No Theme due to weekend Campout

Mar 6- Birdwatching & Nesting Day

Feb 27 - Physics of Bowling due to Rain

Feb 20 - The Winter Olympics

Feb 14-17 Backyard Bird Count

Feb 13 - VOLUNTEER PLEASE. Valentines Day

Feb 6 - Taxonomy & the Darwin Challenge

Jan 30 - Lunar New Year of the Horse

Jan 23 - Simple Machines II - Pulleys & Levers

Jan 16 - Habitats & Keystone Species & Noon Potluck

Jan 9 - Cogs & Cams: Simple Machines

Jan 2 - Reconnecting after holidays & New Year's Celebrations

Dec 26 - No Parkday Happy Holidays

Dec 19 - Celebrate Holidays: Winter Solstice, Kwanza, Christmas & Hanukkah

Dec 12 - Solar Fun & Mask Making with Michelle

Dec 5 - Monarch Magic & Eucalyptus

Nov 28 - Happy Thanksgiving - No Parkday

Nov 23 - Fieldtrip to Monarch Groves in Goleta

Nov 21 - Monarchs & Eucalyptus Trees postponed

Nov 14 - Atoms, Protons, Electrons, Oh My!

Nov 7 - Autumn Leaves & Sewing with Heather

Oct 31 - Halloween Festival

Oct 24 - Spooky SeeSaw Algebra

Oct 17 - 3 City Geography & Int'l Potluck & 6:00pm Talent Show

Oct 10 - 2nd M&B Bug Faire

Oct 3 - Abacus Math Magic

Sept 26 - Bark Painting & Spirit Animals

Sep 19-23 Annual Sequoia Family Campout

Sep 14 Fieldtrip to Point Vicente

Sep 12 - Lighthouses & Prisms II

Sep 5 - Build Splash Toys @ Pool

Aug 29 - Lighthouses & Light I

Aug 22 - DeSalination @ Beach PD

Aug 15 - Weaving yarn or old clothes

Aug 8 - Hula Hoop II

Aug 1 - Hula Hoop I @ Beach A

Jul 25 - M&B's 4th Anniversary
All ages Talent Show

Jul 18 - Hawaii Day & Potluck

Jul 11 - Bubble Science Fun

July 4 No Parkday HOLIDAY

Jun 27 No Parkday HOLIDAY

Jun 20 - Crafts Free for All

Jun 13 - Gold Mining & BoomTowns

Jun 6 - Anyone? Or Lemonade Stands

May 31-Jun 2 Family Campout at Montano De Oro

May 30 - MayDay PlayDay II

May 23 - MayDay PlayDay

May 16 - Bats, Owl Pellets & Potluck

May 9 - Primitive Arts & Indian Trading Blanket

May 2 - Painting & Poems

Apr 25- Help Our Wildlife Thrive

Apr 18 - M&B Earthday & Potluck 5pm

Apr 11 - Missouri Day / Bees Part 2
HoneyLove.org

Apr 4 - Bees ($3/kid for candlemaking)
Ula's Birthday

Mar 28 - Feathers, Microscopes & Origami Cranes

Mar 21 - History of Sugar; Plant own sugarcane

Mar 14 - Robots & Circuitry $3/kid

Mar 7 - Rainy Day @ Skirball Free

Feb 28 - Felting & Fiber Arts

Feb 21 - Morocco II
and Islamic Prayer

Feb 14 Valentines & Asian New Year Traditions

Feb 7 - Huichol Yarn Paintings
& Esme's Bday

Jan 31 - Birth of a Nation

Jan 24 - Cancelled
due to RAIN

Jan 17 - Craft parkday

Jan 15 - USA Tour @ Skirball

Jan 10- Morocco Senses & Allah

Jan 3 - Free for All Playday

Dec 27 - Free For All Playday

Dec 20 - Xmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Divali & Winter Solstice (Carols & Potluck)

Dec 13 - Morocco, Art & Mint Tea

Dec 6 - Pompeii Part II & Archeology

Nov 29 - Let's BOWL
due to Rain

Nov 22 - Thanksgiving - No Parkday

Nov 15 - Duct Tape Crafts & creations by C & C
and Lunch Potluck

Nov 8 - Ancient Pompeii & Mt Vesuvius

Nov 1 - Election & Voting Debate:
More trees or Waterslide

Oct 25 - Trunk or Treat; Dress-up
Halloween

Oct 18 - Peace Building &
Anger drop

Oct 11 - Superhero Rain

Oct 4 - Inks from Nature

Sep 27 Ireland Fun & Culture

Sep 20 -Sequoia-sized Boardgames

Sep 13 - 3rd Sequoia Campout

Sep 6- Heroes and Heroines - Kids Presentations

Aug 30 - Simile, Metaphors & Figures of Speech

Aug 23- Letterboxing II

Aug 16 - Letterboxing I

Aug 9 - Beach Day

Aug 2 - Modern Olympics II

July 26 - Ancient Olympics I

July 19 - Paper Arts: Bowls, Books & Beads

July 12 - Beach Day

July 5 - Statue of Liberty - 4th July

June 28 - Storytelling & Aussie Rainsticks

June 21 - Fun Games Field day

June 14 - Mystery Math = Algebra Fun

June 7- Silly Summer Day Fun

May 31 - Build Miniature Golf

May 24 - Sewing & Haiku Part II

May 17 - Haikus & Drums & Evening Potluck

May 10 - Rock Hunter Guest Speakers

May 3 - May Day Celebrations

Apr 26 - Fibonacci & Nature

Apr 19 - Thai New Year -Songkran & Potluck

April 12 - Spring Bling & Night Crawlers Planting season

April 5- Easter /Passover Crafts

Mar 29 - Ethics & Fairytales

Mar 22 - Detective Fingerprints & Crafts

Mar 15 - Prep for Joshua Tree

Mar 8 - Marbles & Physics

Mar 1 - Make Real Dream Catchers

Feb 23 - Pirates, Sea Captains &Tall Ships

Feb 16 - Wilderness Survival - guest Speaker

Feb 9 - Anatomy Guts vs Feeling Guts

Feb 2- Gravity Fun Games

Jan 26 - Cement Bridges Part Two

Jan 19 - Kids first Rock & Gem Show

Jan 12 - Global New Years Celebration

Jan 5 - Rockets-Aquarius M&B helped launch

Dec 29 - Cement Construction hand print tile

Dec 22- Kwanza, Hannukah, Bodhi Day stories & games 12/8

Dec 15 - Amy's Anatomy Obstacle Course

Dec 8 - Painting so it POPS! w/ out wind

Dec 1 - Painting so it POPS!

Nov 24 - Happy Thanksgiving - No M&B Parkday

Nov 17 - Fun with Manners & Empowering Etiquette & And 3rd Thurs Potluck (lunchtime)!

Nov 10 - History of Photography - Make Pinhole Cameras

Nov 3 - Butterfly & Bug Faire & Poems & Riddles

Oct 27 - Pumpkin Festival *Dress UP!!

Oct 20 - Empathy & Empowerment

Oct 13 - Braille & Visually Impaired

Oct 6- Atoms & Cool Molecules

Sept 29- Black Bears & Sequoias

Sept 22 - Sequoia Fires & Cones

Sept 15- Clay Creatures & Open-ended ?s

Sept 8- Beat the Heat Beach Day

Sept 1 - Lemonade Stand Commerce

Aug 25 - Back to Homeschool Play

Aug 18 - Saw Safely & make a Jacob's Ladder

Aug 11 - Biomes, Habitats & Soda Bottle Terrarium

Aug 4 - M&B 2Year Anniversary Party

July 28 - Finger Knitting & Natural Fibers

July 21 - Stone Soup Potluck & Storytime

July 14 - CrazyFun ScienceLab Experiments

July 7 - Independence Day Celebration @ Zuma Beach

June 30 - Nocturnal Creatures & Owl Pellets to dissect

June 23 - Book Exchange Circus

June 16 - Lewis & Clark, Quill pens from feathers & Potluck

June 9 ATC- Making Artists' Trading Cards

June 2 Petraglyphs, Pictoglyphs & Rafting the Grand Canyon

May 26 Historical
Figures that changed the World
all Kids Perform

May 19 Pharoahs, Pyramids & Crafts
And Potluck 5pm-sundown

May 12
Mars & Space Travel

May 5
Mother's Day
High Tea

Apr 28
Physics & Imagination=
Future Travel

Apr 21
Mask Making & Storytelling

Apr 14
Sound Waves

Apr 7
Geodesic Dome

Mar 31
Earthquakes & Tectonics

Mar 24
Show & Tell & Games

Mar 17
Family Campout Joshua Tree

Mar 10
Mardi Gras

Mar 3
Africa & Wangari Maathai

Feb 24
Brains: the Inside Story

Feb 3
Chinese New Year

Jan 27
Pioneer Parkday Part 2

Jan 20
Days of Yore

Jan 13
Fun & Safety
with Germs

Jan 6
Chess by Jahan

Dec 31
New Year's FreePlay

Dec 23
Kwanza, Hannukah
& Christmas

Dec 16
Engines & Cars
& Alternative Power

Dec 9
Microscopic World

Dec 2
Cartoon & Collage

Nov 25th
Thanksgiving Holiday

Nov 18th
Nature Crafts & Yoga

Nov 11th
Wind Turbines

Nov 4th
Indian Diwali Celebration

Oct 28th
Spooky Obstacle Course

Oct 21st
How Songs are Born

Oct 14th
Build a
Weather Station

Oct 7th
Prisms, Vision & Zoetropes

Sept 30th
Spanish CultureFest

Sept 23rd
Russian Culture & Potluck

Sept 17
Family Campout @ Sequoia Nat'l Park

Sept 9th
Chemical (molecular) Reactions

Sept 2nd
History of Flight

August 26th
Light, Refraction & Rainbows

Aug 19
Potluck

August 12
Turtles, Tortoises & YOU

August 5th
Honey, Bees & Wasps

July 29th
M&B 1 year anniversary

July 22
Inuit Culture & Games

July 15th
Bastille Day - French Independence

June 17th
Swedish MidSummerFest

June 10th
Catapults & Parachutes
Gravity & Lift

June 3rd
Our BodyGuards
Snot & Scabs

May 27th
Pollination, Fruit & Seeds

May 20th
Hawaii & Potluck Luau!

May 13
Ladybugs, Silkworms & Praying Mantis

May 6th
Knots, Pirates & Explorers

April 29
Earth Day Part 2

April 22
40th anniversary of Earth Day

April 15th
Japanese Girls' & Boy's Day

April 8th
Bridges, Cantilevers & Treehouses

April 1st
Magnetism part II: Physical Force of Nature

March 25
Magnetism part I: I'm attracted!

March 18th
Desert Life

March 11th
Global Timelines

March 4th
Spring Bling:
Worms, Dirt & Seeds

Mystery Math makes Algebra Fun 10/24

$mystery-math$ Truly, I can make Algebra FUN for kids ages 4-10.

Bring 50 Pennies and a Coat Hanger to make your own Algebra Toy (I will provide the rest).

Bonus Craft: Make a Spooky House (*A Teaser for next week’s Halloween Party) at bottom of blog.

MATH TASTES GREAT!

Taking my cues from the fabulous book, Mystery Math by David A. Adler, I shared that Algebra is like a See Saw. No matter what is on either side, the equals sign is the center of the see saw. Algebra is a BALANCED See Saw with both sides totaling the same amount. We had tons of fun trying to figure out the Mystery Number. It is also called the Variable, which once revealed, makes the See Saw balanced and equal. We did this with kids on my See Saw as well as with number equations and even WORD Problems. They were all rushing to be the one to reveal the answer.

This book has made Algebra so FUN to explore with my girls (I’ve just bought the last three $8 copies in stock from Amazon to share). By combining visual aids and body movement, the kids had a blast getting their base concepts of Algebra. Some kids totally got Algebra from just that one day!

Included in the back of Mystery Math was the perfect craft. With a coat hanger and some pennies (provided by families) and masking tape, hole punch, and paper clips (which I provided), the kids created their own manipulative math tool ($40) to best “see” and “feel” Algebra Equations.

Don't forget to bring your homemade abacus

By making varying units of pennies to hook onto the coat hanger, they could try to balance 2 pennies and 4 pennies with 6 pennies on the other side. Or whatever numbers combinations they wished to try. And they tried many combinations with success and FUN!

*Since this blog’s creation, David A. Adler posted a link to this page on his Website. Thanks David; keep up the fabo work!

** Quick Tip to Make Challenging Subjects More Palatable.

Take care to prevent polarizing any subject that YOU think might beyond your child’s reach. When we label any element of learning as “too difficult,” “beyond your years,” or “something you can only do later,” we are unknowingly planting a mental block in their heads. Many of us were similarly handicapped as children, when friends or educators derailed our natural inclination to learn more with negative words and labels. Just by speaking the word “algebra” or “calculus” with a distaste for it, we are doing the subject an injustice and potentially sabotaging the innate fun and intrigue for it. For when our children do approach that subject later, they will view it as an obstacle, not a fun learning experience. Children are quick to follow our lead, especially if it’s an emotional reaction. Taking the time to become a bit more consciously aware of vocabulary. And don’t worry over this, for you can positively re-frame any learning activity that may have been initially colored in an unfavorable light.

Children take turns picking who should go on either side of the actual See Saw to attempt making a balanced Algebra equation.

Spooky House Bonus Craft - $mystery-math$

One of our Halloween Crafts will be available a Week earlier, since it looks just like the cover of the fabulous Mystery Math book!

From cardboard, a bit of paint, and some construction paper, you can make a great interactive Spooky House.

And Don’t Forget to bring your Handmade Abacus. We can use it on this day with Algebra. It will come easier to those who have been practicing.

Tale of 3 Cities, Int’l Potluck+Talent Show 10/17

This Geography themed parkday (Starting at 2pm) is inspired by one of our M&B kids – T!!! London, Kampala, Minsk, Moscow, Johannesburg, Lima, Buenos Aires, Cairo, Dhaka, Dakar, Oranjestad, etc.

What City will you Show us?

Is there a City in the world that you can dress in their fashion? Is there a City or Country you can tell us about and we get to guess which one it is? Bring a flag, make one at home, or use the supplies at our craft tables. african-flags I will outline the world in chalk on the basketball court and each family can plot up to 3 cities on the GIANT Map and help color in the country where it is located.

And as it is our 3rd Thursday Dinner Potluck…Bring a dish from one of these cities/countries for our Int’l Potluck that starts at 5:00. Don’t forget to bring your own plates, utensils (carbon-footprint thing) and a mug, as I will have a cooking stove with a kettle on to go with our wonderful assortment of donated teas (bring some filtered water from home to fill up the kettle).

And the fun doesn’t stop there. Immediately following our potluck, we will start our all Ages Talent Show (as our Sequoia Talent show was cancelled due to rain). And to keep the Camping Talent Show energy alive, we will convert the park’s BBQ into a fire pit…so bring sticks and Marshmallows. And don’t forget your fold-out chairs to make our large circle around the fire for the Talent show.

Curious as what talent you want to bring to the impromptu stage? Storytelling, Songs, Musical instruments, Magic Tricks, performances of any kind. It is all welcome and well-received. Don’t forget the props or musical accompaniment before you pull out of the driveway. FYI – Potlucks are open to all of your family and friends. Show off your homeschool mojo to people who care! First-arrivals

Handpicked List of Fall Family Events

With the return of cooler weather (and creating original Halloween Costumes), I get so excited and scour the internet in order to handpick a bunch of events for our family to experience and hit our favorites again. I believe in sharing the wealth and hope they inspire your families as well (hotlinks included are in red). And all Halloween and Day of the Dead related events have a Pumpkin next to them. Maybe we will see you!

Sept 28-Oct 31 Pierce College Halloween Fest in Woodland Hills Admission $5/person – Free parking. I think the pumpkins are overpriced here as well as rides, but its close.

Sept 28-Oct 31 Underwood Farms Fall Festival in Moorpark $3/person weekdays, $6 on weekends. Free parking Much better bang for your buck midweek than Pierce College

Oct 4th at 7:30pm: Dark Skies @ Upper Las Virgenes Open Space Preserve. Dark skies equal bright stars! Come enjoy an evening of star gazing with a telescope on hand. A ranger-led tour of stars and constellations on this ½-mile hike to the viewing platform. Meet at the Victory Blvd Trailhead. Parking fee if park in parking lot, but you can park on street outside of park for free. We’ve gone on many of their full moon hikes.

October 5th Free World City Concert & Crafts @ Disney Concert Hall downtown Los Texmaniacs & Pacifico Dance Group Performance takes place at 11:00 am and 12:30 pm. Free tickets are distributed on Grand Avenue at 2nd Street at 10am for the 11:00 am performance and 11:00 am for the 12:30 pm performance are distributed beginning at 11:00 am. They disuade people to queuing up before 9:am.

Oct 5th 10am-4pm Printer’s Fair at Int’l Printing Museum in Carson $7/person- Great place to see a history of printing and get lots of great Homeschool fun learning ideas. There is an Ikea in that town as well for an affordable meal en route.

Oct 5th & 6th Annual Pumpkin Festival at Kidspace. Included with Admission.

October 6th 11am-4pm Pioneer Day at Chatsworth $5/ Children over 5 $1 (Deltacs Love this one!!) But you have to choose between this and..

Oct 7, 14, 21 from 12-1pm SkyHigh in Woodland Hills. Jump with us at SkyHigh and get your daily does of exercise for their bargain rate of $6/person. 6033 DeSoto

October 10th Noon – 4pm M&B 2nd Ever Bug & Arachnid Faire (NON-M&B Members are welcome) Email jessica(at)jessicaran(dot)com to reserve a space for kids to show off their collection at our exhibit tables under a protected arbor. Lots of bugs, spiders, and habitats (living and dead). Everyone is invited to pen a poem about bugs to be displayed with others at park (parents can transcribe). Learn how to play games like Bug Dice and Honey Hive. Blanket time about bug body parts including crazy cool Compound Eyes.

Oct 11th – 9:30-11:30 Crayfish Trapping in Malibu Creek. Give native fish and tadpoles a chance by removing the non-native invasive crayfish from spawning pools in Malibu Creek. Great fun for kids, families, and scouts.Free event, but you must register. Get ready to get muddy and have fun!

Oct 11-13, 10am-5pm Endeavor Fest @ California Science Center At the free, three-day festival, NASA will present over a dozen exhibits, displays and educational demonstrations illustrating aeronautics, research missions and ongoing space exploration programs for humans, robots and satellites. Guests will have the opportunity to meet and hear astronauts speaking about their experiences in space. The NASA exhibits are worth it alone. Note – parking is NOT free. Bonus – This will also be the opening of the Red Bull Stratos Exhibit featuring the 3,000 pound capsule used by Felix Baumgartner when he jumped from the stratosphere.

October 12-31 (weekends only) Halloween Mini Ghost Train Griffith Park, 5202 Zoo Drive. Take a 20-minute ride on the miniature train past a variety of decorated scenes rather like riding past a multitude of Halloween yard haunts packed into a close area. There are a few mechanical “pop up” effects, but nothing truly terrifying. The result is spooky in a way that is perfectly safe for young children (although the trains are large enough to accommodate adult riders too). Riders must be at least 34 inches tall and not weigh over 350 pounds and under 15 must be accompanied by an adult. $10/person – It might seem pricey- but it is these hobbyists fundraiser.

October 13th 10am-4:30pm Lego Day at the Skirball Fee included in Museum admission

Oct 15th, 6 – 7pm BUGS & CREEPY CRAWLIES @ Calabasas Commons Learn about some fascinating creepy crawly creatures when the Lauren & Jen pay us a visit! If you thought you knew everything about spiders, cockroaches and crickets and more, think again! There will be lots of 6 and 8 legged insect friends!

October 17th 2pm- Sundown MudPies & Butterflies Tale of 3 Cities Parkday (starting later due to evening Family Potluck) – For M&B members only. Be prepared to plot 3 cities on the GIANT Map we will chalk on the Basketball court. Bring a dish from one of these cities/countries for our Int’l Potluck that starts at 5:00 Followed immediately by all Ages Talent Show (as our Sequoia Talent show was cancelled due to rain) Fire pit in the BBQ – Bring Marshmallows, Sticks and Fold out chairs.

Oct 19th 10am-4pm Getty Center Museum (on 405) Family Festival Days with crafts and activities focused on new Exhibit Canterbury & St. Albans. And while there don’t miss the pinhole/camera obscura show in West wing by Abe Morell. After M&B Thursday, I sat in on his lecture and slide show (great for kids).

Oct 19th 10am-5pm Educational Rock Chippers holds their annual Gem Show day of fun in West Hills/Woodland Hills. Free admission and Free parking. Great for kids. Many booths manned by kids. Gems, Stones, and lots of hands-on activities for kids.

Oct 19-20 10-5pm Calabasas Pumpkin Festival $5/person (Saturday kids 6 and under are free if in costume and arrive by 11am) Free Parking and shuttles

Oct 19 & 20; 26 & 27 10am-4pm Boo @ the LA Zoo Featuring pumpkin carving and crafts. The Creepy Creature Encounter at the Winnick Family Children’s Zoo offers close encounters with scary critters, trick-or-treating, and other Halloween entertainment. Included in admission.

October 24th 12pm- 4pm Spooky Houses & Mystery Algebra @ MudPies & Butterflies Parkday. For M&B members only. We will make a Halloween Spooky house from two pieces of repurposed Cardboard and learn the Concepts of Algebra with joy and ease. *Note to Parents: No one is allowed to say “Algebra” like it is a dirty word. Post will go up for supplies and more on October 20. Book that goes with this lesson is Mystery Math by David Adler.

October 31 12-3pm - 5th Annual Halloween Festival & Costume party @ MudPies & Butterflies. 12-3pm For M&B members only. This wills start at NOON, to ensure anyone trick or treating elsewhere can do both. Games like “Waterless Bobbing for Apples and Mummy wrap”. Every Costume wins an award: Most creative, Spookiest, Cutest, Most intricate, Most Unique, etc. And out of our trunks, parents will Trunk & Treat – offering CANDY-LESS treats to trick or treaters. Parents are encouraged to Dress up as well.

Late October – February - Majestic Monarchs Migration : Two ideal Locations Pismo Beach Monarch Grove or Ellwood Monarch Grove in Goleta. Both are open 7 days a week. We will visit once in November and once during Fluttering/Mating season in February.

Nov 2nd Noon – Midnight LA Day of the Dead @ Hollywood Cemetery – Best One in SoCal for Art, Installations, Music, Performances and more. Kids under 8 free until 4pm. Deltacs already have tix. It gets a bit scary for young kids after the sun goes down. Great dancing and music. Don’t miss the smaller stage BEHIND the Mausoleum.

Nov 3rd 10-5pm Canoga Park’s Giant Day of the Dead Celebration 10am – 5pm(this is the one I did Chalk art for). On Sherman Way between Canoga Avenue and Topanga Blvd.

Nov 8th 6:30-8:30 Our Moon & Planets: A ranger-led tour of Planets and moon on this ½-mile hike to the viewing platform. Meet at the Victory Blvd Trailhead. Parking fee if park in parking lot, but you can park on street outside of park for free. We’ve gone on many of their full moon hikes. Great for kids!!!

Nov 9 & 10 10am-5pm Native American Fair at Autry Museum (Largest marketplace of Native work in SoCal) Performances, Food and more. $13/adult $9/child – Worth it.

Nov 16th 11:00 am and 12:30 pm Free World City Concert & Crafts @ Disney Concert Hall downtown Tecza Puppet Theatre & Warsaw Village Band. Performance takes place at 11:00 am and 12:30 pm. Free tickets are distributed on Grand Avenue at 2nd Street at 10am for the 11:00 am performance and 11:00 am for the 12:30 pm performance are distributed beginning at 11:00 am. They disuade people to queuing up before 9:am.

Nov 17th 12-5pm UCLA’s Annual Explore Your Universe Day on campus. Excellent crafts and interactive exhibits – It really makes SCIENCE FUN!! Free (but up to $12 to park)

Mudpies & Butterflies

Village Parkdays 12:00 pm – 4pm (or sundown)