All events are subject to change. Please confirm with the event organizer before attending.
Holiday Tree Lighting Drive-Thru Event – City of La Mirada
DECEMBER 5: Santa Claus will be waving to children along the festively decorated route. Children will also be able to drop-off letters to Santa. Craft kits and goodie bags will be given to all children to enjoy at home
Drive-by Christmas Tree Celebration – City of Laguna Niguel
DECEMBER 5: Come take a scenic drive through our holiday wonderland! This year's celebration will feature multiple displays that illuminate the holiday spirit, as you drive through sprinkling snow flakes and listen to the sounds of the season! There will be special guest appearances featuring Santa and his friends!
Menorah Lighting Display – Fashion Island in Newport Beach
DECEMBER 10-18: Celebrate Hanukkah with a daily lighting of the menorah. The menorah will be located in the Atrium Garden Courtyard, near Dick's Sporting Goods and Wahoo's Fish Taco.
Trolleys, Twinkles and Treats at Southern California Railway Museum
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11 - SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13: Visitors can experience the festive lights and décor, ride a trolley, write a letter to Santa, and enjoy Mrs. Claus reading a holiday classic; 5-9 p.m.
The Nutcracker – Live Stage Show Drive-In – Ventura Fairgrounds
DECEMBER 12: Ventura County Ballet presents their 22nd annual Nutcracker live on an outdoor drive-in stage.
Gingerbread House Decorating Workshop – Orange County Great Park in Irvine
DECEMBER 12: Parent and child can decorate a gingerbread house together while receiving fun tips from staff. All decorations and supplies are provided, so you can enjoy this sweet traditional activity without any of the fuss and mess of cleanup yourself!
Cruise-In Toy Drive – Automobile Driving Museum
DECEMBER 12: Dust off your Classic Car, bring the kids and enjoy the fun at our Cruise-In Toy Drive. Show cars roll in at 8am and open to the public from 10am - 1pm. This cruise-in is open to all classics, vintage, trucks, custom, antique, lowriders, hot rods, muscle, gassers, and exotics vehicles.
Santa Saves Christmas! Live Stage Show Drive-In – Del Mar Fairgrounds
DECEMBER 12-13: Oh no! Santa's sleigh has run out of gas! Help Santa and his team fill the tank with holiday cheer or Christmas will be ruined. Snowy surprises, holiday sing-a-long songs, spectacular performances and more await you in this brand-new holiday adventure live on stage.
Weekend Wonderland at Ocean Institite
WEEKENDS, DECEMBER 12-27: Join in the Reindeer Games Lab to race reindeer and squid, learn about and make your own snow in The More You Snow Lab, build a miniature sand snowman in CA White Christmas Lab, and build your own holiday cards and chromatography ornaments in our Workshop.
Movie Nights – Argyros Plaza at Segerstrom Center for the Arts
DECEMBER 18-19: Bring your beach chairs, blankets, and favorite refreshments to enjoy classic films under the stars. Seating for movies is in safely-distanced "pods" which can accommodate up to 6 viewers. Price per pod is $30. Movies start at 6:30pm. Elf (12/18) and double-feature Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty's Winter Adventure (12/19).
🖥 Virtual Streaming: Journey to Christmas – Musical Theatre Orange County
DECEMBER 18-19: Enjoy an online streaming of "Journey to Christmas" presented by Musical Theatre Orange County. ravel from heartwarming modern day family gatherings back to the very first Christmas, Journey to Christmas brings the story to life in a contemporary and theatrical style with beautifully projected imagery, stunning lighting, and of course a little Christmas magic.
Elfeneezer Scrooge Drive-Thru Theatrical Experience
DECEMBER 18-20: This drive-thru holiday theatrical experience follows the story of “Elfeneezer Scrooge,” his journey to capture the joy of the holiday season, and the importance of community.
The Nutcracker – Live Stage Show Drive-In – Del Mar Fairgrounds
DECEMBER 19: City Ballet's 26th annual Nutcracker returns this season to a new outdoor stage at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.
Sugar Plum Fairy Evening Tea Celebration – Dream Come True Party Room in Long Beach
DECEMBER 19: Join Dream Come True Tea & Party Room under the twinkling lights for an evening of Christmas magic. Set menu features warm canapés, soup, sweets, and festive teas. Also, enjoy entertainment and crafts with Sugar Plum Fairies. $34.95 per person.
The Nutcracker: Short & Sweet – Irvine Barclay Theatre
DECEMBER 19-23: Festival Ballet Theatre invites you to a fun and safe way to celebrate the cherished holiday tradition of The Nutcracker. This bite-size version of the beloved ballet features many of your favorite characters portraying the full Nutcracker story on an outdoor stage adjacent to the Barclay. Enjoy this family-friendly event under an open-air audience tent. Each party will have a reserved pod that includes seating for up to five people, and will be socially distanced from other groups. $150-200.
Santa Saves Christmas! Live Stage Show Drive-In – Ventura Fairgrounds
DECEMBER 19-20: Oh no! Santa's sleigh has run out of gas! Help Santa and his team fill the tank with holiday cheer or Christmas will be ruined. Snowy surprises, holiday sing-a-long songs, spectacular performances and more await you in this brand-new holiday adventure live on stage.
Bionerds Winter Break Camps in Irvine
DECEMBER 21-23 and 28-30: Bionerds welcomes children Kindergarten-6th Grade to participate in fun, hands-on biology. Your child will learn vast biology topics from micorganisms to humans.
Winter Break Skateboarding Camp – Skatedogs in Long Beach & Irvine
DECEMBER 21-23 and 28-31: Whether your kids (5-13, all levels) are just learning or ready to learn advanced tricks, this camp is right for them! They’ll make new friends, advance their skills, play games, and most importantly, have fun!
Lil Chef School – 3-day Winter Baking & Savory Camps
Lil Chefs will bake up some fun Holiday dishes while learning proper baking techniques as well as knife skills, how to follow a recipe and working as a team to complete each dish. Lil Chefs will get to enjoy what they make in class. Sign up for one day or one week.
🖥 Bowers Virtual Festival of Winter Holiday Celebrations
DECEMBER 27: This festival will feature the beautiful Mexican traditions of Las Posadas, a re-enactment of Mary and Joseph seeking refuge for the birth of the Baby Jesus, among other celebrations.
🖥 Virtual Parent Webinar Series – Pretend City Children’s Museum
SELECT DATES, JANUARY 6 - MARCH 17: Join guest experts and Pretend City's Education Team in exploring hot topics in parenting today. Topics include parent self-care, family mental health, race conversations, STEM & number sense, etc.
Acorns & Oaks Parent-Child Educational Program – LA County Arboretum
SUNDAYS, JANUARY 10 - MARCH 28: Acorns & Oaks fosters parent and child bonding through tactile play with nature, crafts, songs, stories, and sensory integration. The program provides little ones (age 5 and younger) with a natural environment in which to practice and further develop all growing abilities, particularly gross/fine motor, cognitive, and social-emotional skills.
🖥 Virtual Hour of Code: Beginning Python with Shared Science
JANUARY 12 & 26: Learn how, why, and when to write python code functions, the powerhouses of the cell! Instructor Burk will guide students (3rd grade +) through the codesters.com lesson as a zoom-along.
Birding Opportunity at Rancho Los Cerritos
JANUARY 14: Stroll through the grounds of the historic rancho and watch both resident birds and seasonal migrants. Family friendly!
Donut Life Museum – Westminster Mall
FRIDAY-SUNDAY, THROUGH MARCH 28: OC's newest donut experience that captures moments in life through the creative world of donuts. This is a unique and creative space where you can have fun, immerse yourself and take photos.
STEM Fun at Rancho Los Cerritos with Shared Science
FEBRUARY 15: Shared Science will be onsite at Rancho Los Cerritos for a Long Beach History and STEM Education lesson. This is a student/parent visit. Students will explore how water moves and learn why water was so important on a working ranch as they do a hands-on activity with herbs in the garden. Students will also build and test a simple machine that moves water up an incline.
Inside Out: Dissections at Ocean Institute
Learn about a squid’s internal and external anatomy in this outdoor, socially distanced dissection. After, participants will be able to observe animals at the ocean institute including swell sharks, variety of fish and a California spiny lobster. Each booking will receive their own individual squid to dissect.
Whole Family Yoga – LA County Arboretum
SATURDAYS, JANUARY 16 - MAY 1: This gentle, all-levels yoga series explores a nature-based theme each week with a correlating technique. Bring your own mats and blankets.
Weekend Tours at Ocean Institute
WEEKENDS, THROUGH FEBRUARY: Ocean Institute offers a Harbor Geology Tour on Saturdays, and Native Plant Garden Tour on Sundays. Book online.
Construction Instruction Fun – Shared Science at Rancho Los Cerritos
JANUARY 18: Shared Science will be onsite at Rancho Los Cerritos for a Long Beach History STEM education lesson. This is a student/parent visit. A Rancho Los Cerritos docent will guide students in an adobe construction activity. Then, alongside a Shared Science instructor, students will create a LEGO robotics earthquake simulator platform, further exploring structural stability.
🖥 Shared Science Valentine’s Day E-Card using Scratch Coding
JANUARY 21: Fun coding intro to Scratch and make an e-card for Valentine's Day! For grades K-5.
Electric Mile – A Drive-Thru Audiovisual Experience – Santa Anita Park
NOW - FEBRUARY 14: Journey through seven unique worlds of Insomniac's most iconic festivals and brands complete with music, lights, art, visual effects, installations, and more in a COVID-friendly environment. Electric Mile is an all ages, family-friendly affair, welcoming all from young to old.
🖥 Virtual Whalefest Monterey 2021
JANUARY 26-29: Don’t miss the award-winning 11th Annual Whalefest Monterey, a free virtual video event available for viewing from anywhere around the world with something entertaining and educational for all ages, especially for ages 15 and up and families who love marine life.
Drive-In Movie Night Under the Stars – Irvine Spectrum Center
JANUARY 29 & 31: Admission is $60 per car and includes a $20 Irvine Spectrum Center gift card* to use toward dinner or snacks from one of their restaurants before the flick.
🖥 Bowers Virtual Family Festival
JANUARY 31 & FEBRUARY 28: Tune-in Sunday, at 11 a.m. for the next Virtual Family Festival presented by Bowers at Home! Enjoy live stream of performances, art projects and a food experience.
Hogs & Kisses – Tanaka Farms in Irvine
FEBRUARY 1-14: Visit Tanaka Farms' adorable and lovable piglets and sheep. Learn about these little farm cuties while touring the farm on a U-Pick Wagon Ride.
Museum of Dream Space – Beverly Hills
NOW OPEN - FEBRUARY 28: MODS is inspired by art design from Yayoi Kusama (famous of infinite rooms) and the development of digital art. The aim of MODS is to provide an immersive, magical and unique art appreciative experiences to the visitors.
🖥 Kids Virtual Cooking Classes – Chef Tech Cooking School
EVERY WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3-25: Kids can follow along each week from the comfort of their own kitchen! Chef Tech provides all ingredients available for pickup or delivery (within 10 miles).
Sesame Parade of Lights Drive-Thru Experience – SeaWorld San Diego
SELECT DATES, JANUARY 15 - FEBRUARY 24: Journey through twinkling lights, dance to a lively Sesame Street soundtrack, and wave hi to your favorite furry friends. Venture under the illuminated SkyTower, drive under two different tunnels of lights, and cruise through Sesame Street Village.
Red Lantern Display at The District at Tustin Legacy
FEBRUARY 5-21: Bring your family for memorable group selfie at the Lunar New Year Photo Display under a sea of Red Chinese Lanterns in the Union Market Courtyard.
Valentine Picture Pony at Pony Time in Lakewood
FEBRUARY 6-7 and 13-14: Take a picture with a pony for Valentine's Day! Tickets for pictures are $6 and is available all day from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., no appointment needed.
🖥 Brave New World 2 Electric Boogaloo – Intermediate Python with Shared Science
FEBRUARY 7, 14, 21, 28: The team coding adventure continues. Join Shared Science to learn how to code graphical games in Python (using PyGame), plus how to write great storylines. For ages 10 and up.
Hands-On Kids Cooking Class – Chef Tech in Long Beach
SUNDAYS, FEBRUARY 7-28: Kids (ages 6-14) can get hands-on with cooking! Join Chef Tech for four classes this February for a Potato Lovers menu!
Glow in the Dark Pony Rides – Pony Time at Lakewood Equestrian Center
FEBRUARY 7: Join Pony Time after hours for a glow in the dark pony ride! Tickets will be available for purchase at the door starting at 5:15 pm. Last tickets will be sold at 6:15 pm. Ticket includes one glowing pony ride and a glow stick for the rider.
Lunar New Year Craft Kits – Santa Ana Library
FEBRUARY 8-12: Visit the library and receive a mystery craft grab bag and a special treats. Craft kids will be distributed at the Main and Newhope Library while supplies last. Limit one per child.
February Camps, Parent Night Outs & Workshops at Lil’ Chef School
FEBRUARY 12, 13, 15 & 26: Fun mini-camps will be held when the kids are off school on February 12 and 15. Kids can enjoy a Parents Night Out with a Valentine theme, February 13 and 26.
“Enchanted” – PCH Movies & Moonlight in Long Beach
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12: Celebrate Valentine's Day with 2nd & PCH and enjoy Disney's Enchanted. Movies are complimentary to the community; self-seating is available on a first come first serve basis. Seating will be limited due to social distancing. Feel free to bring your own lawn chairs and blankets.
The Rose Outdoors Concert Series – Cinderella, & The Music Man
MARCH 26-27 & APRIL 23-24: The Rose Outdoors is a one-hour concert series presented outside and under the stars in accordance with health and safety guidelines. Enjoy highlights and iconic songs from hit musicals.
Alice in Wonderland Valentine’s Day Tea Party – Play & Parties in Orange
FEBRUARY 13: Join Alice for a special Valentine's Day celebration full of sweet treats and fun games. Sessions at noon and 3 p.m. There are only 10 tickets per session.
Roar & Snore Safari – San Diego Safari Park
February 13-14, 19-20, and 26-27: Spend the night at the Safari Park with your family! Campers of all ages are invited to experience a relaxing evening after hours, enjoying the Roar & Snore campground. Families will get a chance to relax at camp, visit nearby animal areas at their leisure, and enjoy camp activities.
Disclaimer: The Kidsguide team does their best to keep event details accurate at the time of posting, but information can change without notice! Be sure to double-check with the event organizer before heading out. Kidsguide is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or changes on our calendar—we’re just here to help you find the fun!
