I looove Los Angeles. There actually is something here for everyone, but you need the time (and the patience) to look for and eventually locate the worth-packing-up-for events. So I took the liberty of cutting thru the cluster so you can spend less time researching and more time playing.

All of these events are FREE. I most definitely have #4 in my calendar. (Event links and info below)

1/ LA KIDS MUSEUM SINGALONG TUESDAYS + FRIDAYS at 11am, the Los Angeles Zimmer Children's Museum hosts a kids singalong in the Mann Theater. If you've never been, you have to go check out this two-story imagination exploration land. Let your kiddos go hog wild, and catch a breather for yourself. Regular museum admission is $7 (kids under 1 year free). And bonus- free parking in the west structure. Summer Dates: EVERY TUESDAY + FRIDAY (except July 3rd)

2/ REMO KIDS RHYTHM CLUB SATURDAYS at 9:30am and 11am, the incredible Remo Drum Center in North Hollywood opens its doors for kids to participate and lead in a high energy family-friendly drum circle. This is practically a drum factory and you will never be in another place like it, let alone have such access to play. Kids participate free. $5 per adult. Summer Dates: EVERY SATURDAY MAY 30 - AUG 29

3/ HERMOSA BEACH DRUM CIRCLE THIRD SUNDAYS "Free To Be Me" hosts an all ages family-friendly drum circle on the sand just north of the Hermosa Pier. Drums and instruments of all sizes are available to play for kids and adults of all ages and abilities from 12-3:00pm. Summer Dates: JUNE 21 (Father's Day)  •  JULY 19  •  AUGUST 16

4/ GETTY GARDEN CONCERTS August weekends only, The Getty will be hosting six Kids Garden Concerts with a great line up of artists, including Lisa Loeb (say what?!), Seattle bouncy-pop kid-punk rockers "The Not-Its!," and Jazzy Ash and the Leaping Lizards- a 6-piece band of ukulele, guitar, banjo, accordion, fiddle, bass, trombone, washboard and more, to craft the sounds of early New Orleans jazz. Concerts are located in the Central Garden. I will most definitely be attending these and I think we should  arrange for picnic and carpool. Summer Dates: AUGUST 1st/2nd  •  8/9th  •  14/15th

5/ END-OF-SUMMER CONCERTS Feat. Miss Sara Dee Saturday August 8 + 15, the Redondo Beach Library will be celebrating their end-of-summer reading program with two family-friend afternoon celebrations. Each afternoon event will include giveaways, raffle prizes, and a musical guest performance with yours truly. Summer Dates: 11am AUGUST 8 North Branch Library  •  11am AUGUST 15 Redondo Beach Main Library)

EVENT LINKS  1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

• Thursdays May 26 - August 20: Redondo Pier Summer Concerts 6-8pm
• Tuesdays - Sunday May 29 - July 12: Matilda the Musical @ Ahmanson Theater
• Tuesday June 23: Make-a-Rainstick @ Venice Beach Library
• Friday June 26: Sound of Music Singalong @ Hollywood Bowl

Did we miss something? Please comment below with any other events that you can recommend to our community of parents. Thank you in advance, and enjoy the summer sun!

Images borrowed from the Getty Center event page and the Free To Be Me Hermosa Drum Circle event page.

Some years ago, it dawned on me that I have not one memory of my mother ever saying "I can't sing." She definitely never said that to me or to anyone else. But I more importantly I noticed that she never said it about herself. She also never said that she could-

She just sang.

This dawned on me in my adult life and made me wonder what impact that had. I'll never really know. But I do know this- kids listen. In the words of Peggy O'Mara,

"Watch what you say- the way we speak to our children becomes their inner voice."

So when it comes to matters of singing, I want to suggest that you simply don't judge singing at all- theirs or yours, as bad or good. If you feel inclined to say something, share how singing makes you feel. Or tell them you love singing with them. And if "I can't sing" accidentally pops out, just catch yourself and shift into an alternative habit of thought. Most importantly-

Just sing. 

It's a million times good for your body and soul. And because we are celebrating mamas day, the featured MP3 is a song that was dedicated to and inspired by my mother, as well as a few other women in my life.  To you, and to my Play Music mamas, Happy (day-after) Mother's Day. And to my mum- thank you. You have one of the sweetest voices I know. 

Why? Because "They're fun! Children love the predictable text, rhythm, and rhyme. Children are instantly engaged and motivated to learn to read the words. The words and tunes are easy to learn... and repeated readings increase phonemic awareness and build sight word vocabularies. Once [you've] warmed up with songbooks, read aloud one or two other types of books, depending on their length and the children’s mood."
-Debbie Miller, author of "Reading with Meaning" [2]

Studies show that kids with active exposure to language have social and educational advantages. Language and emergent literacy is developed by reading, singing songs, play rhyming games, talking throughout the day... [this] sets the foundation for their later independent reading. [1]

We have sang enough songs in Play Music programs to give you weeks of music conversation. So I selected an hours-worth of the cream of the crop, and wove it into a FREE 20-page eBook for you- along with 10 reading tips from the pros.