Kimberly Schwarz’s children help plant a community garden during a Jewish Federation Day of Good Deeds event. PHOTO COURTESY KIMBERLY SCHWARZ

In the movie of our lives – where we star as the Perfect Parent – we see ourselves unreservedly volunteering to visit the sick, feed the hungry and help those less fortunate. We see our children – inspired by our selfless acts – grow into adults who find ways to eliminate world hunger and make poverty a thing of the past. If only.

Most parents I know have trouble squeezing in even a shower between soccer practice, violin lessons, working and packing school lunches. Who has time to save the world?

During the holidays, at least, many of us try. For the past several years, our family has incorporated altruism into our celebration of the eight days of Hanukkah. Instead of eight days of random gifts, we designate each day to represent a different family activity, such as baking or reading. One day is set aside for charity.

Last year, we called and got a wish list from Casa Pacifica, an organization serving abused and neglected kids, and set out with 6-year-old Kaleb and 4-year-old Knox to buy presents for the children who live there. We delivered the gifts in person so my boys could see where their treasures were going. They talked about it for months.

Beginning At Home

For Britt Barder and her husband, David, charity begins at home. Over the years they have opened their arms to 46 foster children, and adopted two. “It’s addicting,” Barder says. “You feel so good helping, you don’t want to stop.”

It began in 1990 when the family was waiting to adopt. The County Department of Child and Family Services contacted Barder about fostering, and though it wasn’t part of the plan, she decided to give it a try.

“Some of them are so starved for affection, they ask you right away, Can I call you Mom?,” Barder says. She tried to make the time the children spent with her – some for as little as 24 hours, others for as long as three years – special. At Christmas, she gave them gifts and photo albums with pictures of them all together, things many had never enjoyed. “And sometimes, when there were six of them, it was hard!” she says.

The Watters family delivers Christmas gifts to a Los Angles family with a child who has recurring brain cancer. PHOTO COURTESY THE WATTERS FAMILY

One of the children, Robyn, was 5 when authorities found her mother’s body in a dumpster. Robyn had three siblings, including Danny, who was 7 then and also came to live with the Barders.

Robyn arrived just in time to start kindergarten, so Barder took her and Danny shopping for school clothes, did homework with them and tucked them in at night. But Danny suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome, a condition that caused short-term memory loss and hampered his ability to differentiate right from wrong. After nine months, Britt’s concern for the other children she was caring for forced her to give him up.

Both children were of Canadian Native American descent, and Barder was heartbroken when, almost four years after Robyn first started to call her Mom, lawyers for the Canadian tribes took Barder to court to have Robyn placed in a Canadian Native American home.

The Barders eventually adopted a son, Benjamin, and stopped taking in foster children in 1996 after a car accident left Britt in chronic pain. But she did take in one more child. A woman who worked for David Barder asked if the family would take care of her granddaughter. “The mom was 19 and unable to care for Vanessa,” Barder says. “It was the hardest thing she told me she ever did, but she did it out of love.” The Barders adopted Vanessa, but Barder points out that there are still many children in the foster system who long for a stable home. “Just take one,” she says.

Childhood Inspiration

Kimberly Schwarz’s belief in changing the world through charity began during her childhood days making hospital rounds with her oncologist father. She noticed how good the patients seemed to feel when she’d come to visit.

On a recent Sunday, Schwarz ferried her kids – ages 8, 7, 5 and 3 – from one charity event to another. In the morning, they did the Stop Cancer Walk. That afternoon, they were heading to Skateland for a fundraiser for the Oscar Litwak Foundation. Schwartz believes it’s important for her kids to see they can make a difference in people’s lives. “They don’t really understand cancer or disease, but they know they’re helping,” she says.

Schwarz is also part of Day of Good Deeds, a group of volunteer moms from the Valley Alliance Jewish Federation who plan volunteer opportunities four times a year for families with kids ages 6-12. The committee partners with local charitable organizations such as Netiya, an interfaith group that plants gardens on unused congregational lands and donates the food to families in need.

Jake Dyne was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age 1. His mother founded Jake’s Ladder, which raises funds for research. PHOTO COURTESY SHELLE DYNE

Alison Watters learned about the power of giving in third grade, when her best friend died of cancer and she saw the girl’s devastated family become increasingly isolated. “People back off instead of helping, because they feel so uncomfortable,” Watters says. “But that’s the time they need you most. And anything will help. A lasagna, help cleaning the house.” That childhood experience inspired the charity work Watters does today.

Watters partnered with Julie Talbert of the Talbert Family Foundation to “adopt” families in need during the holidays. She says most families are resistant to the idea of becoming charity recipients, proudly waving off help even as some try to find ways to feed their children. Eventually, she convinces them to accept some help for the sake of their kids. That’s when “Santa’s intern elves” sneak in to transform the family’s home into “Extreme Makeover, Christmas Edition,” says Watters.

Three years ago, Nary Sherry’s son was battling leukemia and the family wasn’t planning on celebrating Christmas. “We were putting one foot in front of the other, just trying to get through the day,” she says. Instead, Watters and her family worked their magic, and Sherry’s children woke to a living room filled with presents, gift cards, home-made greeting cards and glitter reindeer “footprints.”

Working For a Cure

When Shelle Dyne’s son was diagnosed at age 14 months with cycstic fibrosis – a genetic disease that causes fluid to build in the lungs and digestive tract – she refused to accept the grim prognosis that Jake’s life would end around age 37.

She founded an organization called Jake’s Ladder, which raises money for research through walks and galas that benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. It is not uncommon to see families of all ages walking the course to raise awareness and find a cure. To date, they’ve raised $1.7 million, and Dyne says the improved treatments over the years have allowed her son, now 12, to participate in most activities just like any other middle-schooler.

The Friedman family is lending a digital hand. After her diagnosis with dementia in 2005, Fay Eisenberg stopped talking. No one had heard her voice in more than three years when her grandson, Adam Friedman, inspired by an article he read, loaded an iPod with her favorite music and popped headphones onto her head.

About three months later, Eisenberg called Friedman’s mom, sounding like her old self. She reported on the latest goings-on and asked about the well-being of her great-grandkids. The music had brought her back to them.

Liam Friedman with his great grandmother, whose dementia symptoms were eased by her favorite music. PHOTO COURTESY KAREN FRIEDMAN

Adam’s wife, Karen, has taken on the mission, now called the Soothing Sounds Project. Flanked by sons Julian, 12, and Liam, 10, she is working to fill as many iPods as possible with music they hope will reach others who have slipped away. Relatives of those living in the dementia units of The Los Angeles Jewish Home and The Motion Picture Television Hospital provide clues to the types of music their loved ones listened to in their youth. To date, the Friedmans have donated about 45 iPods and are constantly asked to provide more.

Change For the Future

All of these parents have seen their efforts create change in the lives of those in need, but also in the lives of their children. Robyn, the girl removed from Britt Barder’s care, is now grown and studying to become a caseworker for Children’s Protective Services.

Schwarz says that helping others is instinctive for her kids. The first thing they say when they realize they have two of something is that they should donate it.

When Julian Friedman travels to Israel this year to have his Bar Mitzvah celebrated, he will bring iPods filled with music to donate to the dementia unit at a facility for the elderly in Jerusalem.

And Watters says that her kids are now more excited about creating magical moments for other families than about opening their own gifts on Christmas morning.

Here’s how you – and your kids – can help:

• Make holiday wishes come true for kids at Casa Pacifica, www.casapacifica.org
• Become a foster parent, www.childsworld.ca.gov
• Adopt a family for the holidays through the Talbert Family Foundation, www.talbertfamilyfoundation.org
• Plan a Day of Good Deeds with the Valley Alliance Jewish Federation by contacting Gisele Goldwater-Feldman at GGoldwater-Feldman@JewishLA.org or 818-668-2331
• Raise funds for cystic fibrosis research with Jake’s Ladder, www.losangeles.cff.org/jakesladder
• Bring music to dementia patients through the Soothing Sounds Project, www.soothingsoundsproject.com

Rina Baraz Nehdar is an L.A. writer and mom of two boys.

Kitchen Kid will host a Thanksgiving cooking workshop in November, and a Christmas and Hanukkah workshop in December. PHOTO COURTESY KITCHEN KID

After a long, hot summer that spills over into fall, we’re all ready for the weather to cool down and signal the start of holiday baking season. Get your kids into the spirit with these local cooking and baking classes.

Mobile culinary school Kitchen Kid (www.kitchenkid.com) brings cooking and baking fun to families all over Los Angeles with its on-site offerings that combine arts and crafts with hands-on kitchen action. Upcoming holiday-themed workshops in Santa Monica include “Sides and Pies: A Cornucopia of Thanksgiving” in November, and “Christmas Morning With A Taste of Hanukkah Eve” in December. $80 each, reservations required. Kitchen Kid also offers in-home classes where they provide ingredients, supplies and materials, and you provide the kitchen and aspiring chefs.

During parties at Fresh Brothers, kids of all ages learn to make their own individual pizzas. PHOTO BY SANAZ WHETTER

Purveyor of all things culinary Sur la Table (www.surlatable.com) occasionally offers family-themed cooking classes at many of its locations. Upcoming offerings at the Farmers Market store (6333 W. Third St., Los Angeles; 323-954-0121) include a “Homemade Pasta” family class from 2-4 p.m. Nov. 29 (for ages 14 and up, $69 per person) and “Holiday Treats” from 2-4 p.m. Dec. 20 (ages 5 and up, $39 per person). Sur la Table also offers two-day cooking camps for kids and teens during the last two weeks of December. Check the store’s events calendar for details.

During parties at Fresh Brothers, kids of all ages learn to make their own individual pizzas. PHOTO BY SANAZ WHETTER

What’s the next best thing to pumpkin pie? Pizza pie, of course! Fresh Brothers’ (multiple locations; www.freshbrothers.com) pizza-making parties ($250 and up) are a blast. Kids start by personalizing their own individual pizza boxes with stickers, markers and crayons. Then they get to add whatever toppings they’d like to their dough before it goes into the oven. Nothing beats the looks on little ones’ faces when they’re presented with their very own creations, fresh out of the kitchen.

ArtBites (www.artbites.net) puts a unique spin on cooking classes, offering art history-themed lessons at such cultural hot spots as the Getty Villa, Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens and LACMA. While most of the courses are targeted toward adults, founder Maite Gomez-Rejón is happy to customize her lessons for little ones, as well, and offers classes based on children’s literature, arts and crafts, world travel, chocolate and other fun stuff for $55 per child. Learning about fine art has never been so delicious!

Does your Jack O’Lantern look more sad than scary after just a few days on the front porch? Keep him looking his best for visiting ghosts and goblins with these tips from Thomas Olton, a carver for RISE of the Jack O’Lanterns, coming this month to Descanso Gardens.

• Pick a pumpkin that has not been damaged. Even a tiny nick or scratch will cause the rotting process to begin rapidly.
• A pumpkin with thick walls will often last longer than a thin one. To improve the chances of getting a thicker one, pick the pumpkin that seems heaviest for its size.
• Clean your pumpkin thoroughly with a bleach-based cleaner before carving. Any bathroom cleaner should do. Also clean all of the knives and tools you will be using. This should kill any bacteria waiting around to feed on a freshly cut pumpkin.
• Make sure that your knives are sharp. A sharp knife imparts less trauma on the pumpkin and will help in the effort to preserve it.
• Once you have carved your pumpkin, spray it inside and out with a bleach-based cleaner. This will eliminate any bacteria that it may have picked up during the carving process. It will also help deter any wildlife that might come to feed on your pumpkin.
• A pumpkin can also be preserved by refrigerating it when not displayed. Be sure not to freeze the pumpkin, or it will decay much faster once thawed.

Killing the bacteria that causes decay is the number-one way to preserve a pumpkin. The skin, when intact, provides an excellent barrier against germs. Once a pumpkin has been cut, the clock begins ticking. But, with some careful preparation, we can keep the process of natural decay to a reasonable minimum.

Say “hello” to Hello Kitty at the Japanese American National Museum. PHOTO COURTESY SANRIO

It’s hard to believe the adorable little character known as Hello Kitty is turning 40. She hardly seems to have aged a bit since 1974. Her parent company, Sanrio, is celebrating this big birthday with the first Hello Kitty museum exhibit to tour North America. “Hello! Exploring The Supercute World of Hello Kitty,” will reside at the Japanese American National Museum (100 N. Central Ave., L.A.; www.janm.org/hellokitty) 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Wed. and Fri.-Sun., noon-8 p.m. Thurs. Oct. 11-April 26, exploring the famous feline’s phenomenal worldwide popularity. The multimedia exhibit will feature vintage and rare Hello Kitty memorabilia and Kitty-inspired artwork. On display will be Lady Gaga’s Hello Kitty dress, a Hello Kitty talking robot and, of course, Hello Kitty plush toys. Admission is $20 adults, $10 ages 6-17, and advance reservations are recommended.

L.A. will also be home to Hello Kitty Con 2014 – The Fan Convention. Located at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA (152 N. Central Ave., L.A.; www.sanrio.com/hellokittycon) from Oct. 30-Nov. 2, this event is the world’s first Hello Kitty fan convention. Aficionados and casual fans alike can become immersed in an interactive Hello Kitty world. There will be photo ops, an arcade, workshops and sneak peeks into upcoming Hello Kitty projects. The fun runs from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily, and admission is $30 adults, $20 ages 6-12. It’s a purr-fect time to be an L.A. Hello Kitty lover.

Grab a marker and make your mark. PHOTO COURTESY DEBRA MORRISON

Sharpen up your pencils, count your crayons and make sure your pens haven’t dried up – Big Draw L.A. returns this month. What is a Big Draw? It’s a month-long series of events organized by Ryman Arts since 2010. One of the great things about this program is that you don’t have to be a certain age, or even have drawing skills, to participate. It is all about being part of a group effort and exploring your creativity.

Big Draw happenings will occur across the L.A. area in a variety of venues. Many libraries and community centers will be hosting events, and will be popular places for families. The Zimmer Museum will have an open art studio at 3 p.m. Tuesdays throughout the month. The Fowler Museum’s Kids in The Courtyard Oct. 12 will be tied in with the Big Draw, as kids learn how textiles can tell a story and use yarn and silly string to create a big collaborative artwork. On Oct. 25, the Santa Monica Museum of Art will conduct an all-ages workshop where participants make picket signs and explore the transformative power of art.

One of the Big Draw centerpiece events will take place from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 11 at Grand Park. The public is invited to “Make Your Mark In The Park” by painting on a huge Sumi Ink Drawing, constructing a Thaumatrope (an optical illusion toy popular in the 19^th century) or getting involved in other projects. Another big Big Draw event is the Los Angeles Carnival & Parade Oct. 19, which will make for a colorful sight as artists, musicians, dancers and other performers strut their stuff on Sepulveda Boulevard between Manchester and La Tijera boulevards (participants must register in advance).

Many Big Draw events are for family and kids, but some are for adults. Check www.thebigdrawla.org for further details. In the meantime, get ready to draw.

Alice Crisci, founder of Fertile Action, is pictured here celebrating her first Mother’s Day with her son, who she had after surviving breast cancer.

Just weeks after her breast cancer diagnosis, Alice Crisci made the decision to preserve her fertility before she started treatment, and to help other women protect theirs as well. After realizing that many women couldn’t charge the $30,000 fee to freeze their eggs to a credit card, as she did, she started Fertile Action to help make fertility preservation affordable for anyone who applies. Crisci explains how she got the program started and how she and Fertile Action help educate, advocate and provide support for the cause nationwide.

What inspired you to create Fertile Action?

I was sitting in the waiting room of the IVF clinic, about to get my own consultation, and I realized that there were so few resources available to women [diagnosed with cancer] to help them preserve their fertility. I said [to my friend] right then, “Well, I guess we are starting a foundation.” That was on a Wednesday, and by Saturday we had a website up and ready. I hate saying it like this, but I felt like I was “called” to start this foundation when I got cancer.

What would you say have been the keys to your success?

Our volunteers. Everyone from our founding board, which was [entirely composed] of cancer survivors, to our physicians, to our current board all share the same amazing passion.

Although, we are undercapitalized. We desperately need a full-time staff. There are so many cancer charities that are fighting for attention, so it’s hard. There is a lot of money going towards cancer research, which is wonderful, but there are still 70,000 people being diagnosed with cancer every day, and for them we need services.

What are the types of services Fertile Action provides?

Once someone gets in touch with me, the first thing I do is immediately put them in touch with a fertility specialist. The process of freezing your eggs can cost between $10,000 and $15,000. We have grants that reduce that cost to $3,500, and because of Ferring Pharmaceuticals, we can offer free medications.

For cancer survivors who need a surrogate, we have grants for that as well. We save them between $50,000 and $60,000, which is about half the cost. We just started working with adoption agencies to show that cancer survivors should be considered as candidates for adoptions because they will do an amazing job of loving and cherishing their child. Eighty percent of patients are surviving cancer, and they should have the opportunity to be parents if they want to be.

We are also working on educating oncology nurses about cancer treatment causing infertility, so that they can inform their patients. We found that half of cancer patients don’t find out about their fertility risks before they start their treatments, and that is because many oncology nurses don’t even know about the risks. Patients who are informed about their risk of infertility can prepare by freezing their eggs, or at least feel less devastated if it does happen. The California Cryobank is sponsoring the class for nurses and has also been a tremendous support for us to help provide long-term egg storage.

What is the most important thing you want women who have recently been diagnosed with cancer to know?

That there is hope to preserve your fertility! In the past, women who have had estrogen-sensitive cancers have immediately thought that they would need a surrogate in order to have a baby. What they didn’t realized is that, most often, there is time to freeze their eggs before they started their chemo treatments.

To find out more about Fertile Action go to FertileAction.org.

Forneris Farms, celebrating its 100th anniversary, is plump with pumpkins. PHOTO COURTESY THE JONES FAMILY

Children pondering the October calendar might be impatient thinking of the 30 whole days they have to wait through until Halloween. That’s, like, 50,000 minutes! (Well, 43,200 to be precise.)

The upside is that those minutes are jam-packed with events that celebrate the arrival of Halloween. And Southern California certainly has a bountiful harvest of fun this season.

Zoo Boos and Sea Scares

Even the L.A. Zoo, gorillas go ape over Halloween. PHOTO BY JAMIE PHAM

You can have a Boo At The Zoo (the L.A. Zoo, 5333 Zoo Dr. L.A.; www.lazoo.org) from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 18, 19, 25 and 26, including creepy encounters with critters, eerie crafts, a live Halloween show and a chance to see what hippos can do with pumpkins. Admission is $19 adults, $14 ages 2-12. The Big Bear Alpine Zoo (43285 Goldmine Dr., Big Bear; www.bigbearalpinezoo.org) hosts Boo In The Zoo from 1-4 p.m. on Halloween day, when the zoo will be decked out with goblins, pumpkins and a graveyard for afternoon trick-or-treating. Admission: $9 adults, $6 ages 3-10.

Fishy frights surface at several spots in October. The Santa Monica Aquarium’s Fintastic Fishy Fest from 12:30-5 p.m. Oct. 25-26 salutes Halloween and Dia de los Muertos with a weekend of hauntingly fun holiday activities plus a parade at 3 p.m. Oct. 26. Find the fun at 1600 Ocean Front Walk, Santa Monica; www.healtthebay.org. Admission is $5, and children 12 and younger get in free with a paying adult. Scarium of the Pacific takes place the same weekend (9 a.m.-5 p.m. both days) at Aquarium of the Pacific (100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach; www.aquariumofpacific.org; $29.95 adults, $14.95 ages 3-11) with a costume contest, magic shows and underwater pumpkin carving. Come visit the L.A. Parent table!

Drop anchor at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium (3720 Stephen M. White Dr., San Pedro; www.cabrillomarineaquarium.org) from 6-9 p.m. Oct. 25 – if you dare. Its Sea Scare evening includes a holiday-themed party zone, a treasure hunt and other ghoulish entertainment. $5 adults, $1 children.

Pumpkins A-Plenty

Southern California will feature plenty of places to pick a pumpkin. From 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily throughout October, you can venture out to Underwood Family Farms (3370 Sunset Valley Rd., Moorpark; www.underwoodfamilyfarms.com; $3 weekdays, $15 weekends) for its Fall Harvest Festival, where there’s a fabulous pumpkin field, and each weekend has themed activities. Forneris Farms (15200 Rinaldi Street, Mission Hills; www.fornerisfarms.com) salutes its 100th anniversary during its annual Harvest Festival and Corn Maze, 2-5 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends Oct. 4-Nov. 2. Admission is free and attractions – such as the petting zoo, tractor-pulled train rides, corn maze and farm frolic area – cost $4-$8.

Catch some “fintastic” fun at the Santa Monica Aquarium’s Fishy Fest. PHOTO COURTESY SANTA MONICA PIER AQUARIUM

Test your navigational skills in the Adventure Corn Maze that’s part of the Pierce College Halloween Harvest Festival (10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun.-Thurs., 10 a.m.-midnight Fri. and Sat. Sept. 26-Nov. 2), where you will also find a petting zoo, pumpkin carving and the Spookley stage show. It’s all at 20800 Victory Blvd., Woodland Hills (www.halloweenharvestFestival.com), and admission is $5 for the festival only; $10 adults, $8 children for the corn maze. Cal Poly Pomona (4102 S. University Dr., Pomona; www.csupomona.edu/~farmstore) hosts its big Pumpkin Festival from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 18 and 19. You can wind your way through a corn maze, enjoy entertainment, ride horses and visit an insect fair. The admission price of $5 adults, $4 children benefits the College of Agriculture.

Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch has been entertaining L.A. kids since 1986. Stop by its West Hollywood location (702 N. Doheny Blvd.; www.mrbonespumpkinpatch.com) 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., 9 a.m.-8 p.m. weekends Oct. 3-31 (they close at 1 p.m. Halloween day), pick out a gorgeous gourd and enjoy the pony rides, straw maze and super slides. Bring your dog Oct. 23 for the Pumpkins and Pooches Party (5-8 p.m., $5 per pooch).

Kidspace Children’s Museum’s Pumpkin Festival from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 18-19 will transform neighboring Brookside Park (480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena; www.kidspacemuseum.org) into pumpkin paradise with a costume parade, live performances and other festive attractions. Admission is free, but attractions have a fee. On Oct. 26, Kidspace also has a trick-or-treating Halloween Hunt for $3 per child, registration required.

Descanso Gardens (1418 Descanso Dr., La Cañada-Flintridge; www.descansogardens.org) will host its Harvest Festival from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 18 and 19, and will also host RISE of the Jack O’Lanterns from 5:30-10:30 p.m. select evenings Oct. 3 through Nov. 2. On those nights, more than 5,000 uniquely carved pumpkins will populate a 1/3-mile trail within the gardens. RISE ($18-$20 adults, $16-$18 ages 3-17) features themed sections, including one for kids.

Little Monstrosities

Looking for some strange goings-on around the Southland? Spooky Science will materialize at Discovery Science Center (2500 N. Main St., Santa Ana; www.discoverycube.org) from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 4-Nov. 2. Filled with hands-on activities, this exhibit lets visitors do things like get a close-up look at bugs and experience a 3D harvest maze. $16.95 adults, $12.95 ages 3-14.

Youngsters can party at the Queen Mary (1126 Queens Hwy., Long Beach; www.queenmary.com) during the Little Monsters Ball Oct. 31 . This spirited evening of trick-or-treating, a costume contest and family-friendly entertainment lasts from 4-6 p.m. and costs $10 for adults (one child admitted free per paying adult). Long Beach’s Rainbow Lagoon (400-403 Shoreline Village Dr.) is the site of the Zombie Walk. The festival runs from noon-10 p.m. Oct. 24-26, and at Children’s Day on Sunday kids can play games and watch performances (including Zombie Wrestling). Admission is $15 for adults, free for children, and you can learn more at www.zombiewalklb.com.

Enjoy a slimy time at Discovery Science Center’s Spooky Science exhibit. PHOTO COURTESY DISCOVERY CUBE ORANGE COUNTY

Heritage Square Museum (3800 Homer St., L.A.; www.heritagesquare.org) looks back to the Victorian Era during Halloween & Mourning Tours from noon-4 p.m. Oct. 25 and 26. Sunday is a family-oriented day, with vintage games, traditional craft time and kid-friendly “spooky stories.” $20 adults, $8 ages 6-12. History will also be in the air during Grier Musser Museum’s Haunted House Tour, 1-4 p.m. Oct. 26 at 403 S. Bonnie Brae St., L.A.; www.griermussermuseum.org. You can tour the museum, which will be decked out like a Halloween party from years gone by, but you’ll need to make reservations for the 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. tours. The event costs $12 for adults, $6 for kids.

Kids can learn a bit about the environment during STAR Eco Station’s Enchanted Green Hallow’s Eve, noon-4 p.m. Oct. 25 and 26, 10101 Jefferson Blvd., Culver City; www.ecostation.org. There will be green-themed movies, creepy art projects and a fairy tale-inspired maze. Admission: $8 adults, $6 children.

Spooky Fun With Mickey, Snoopy and Shamu

Halloween is a big deal at the big amusement parks. Disneyland started celebrating Sept. 12 with Halloween Time (9 a.m.-11 p.m. through Oct. 31), which adds holiday flavor to various rides and attractions. At Mickey’s Halloween Party (6 p.m. Mon.-Wed., 7 p.m. Fri. Oct. 3-31), kids can trick-or-treat, have photo ops with Disney and Pixar characters, dance to live music and enjoy the Halloween Screams fireworks show. Prices vary. Learn more at www.disneyland.com.

Over at Knott’s Berry Farm (8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park; www.knotts.com), Camp Snoopy transforms into Camp Spooky from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. weekends Oct. 5-27. This family-friendly alternative to Knott’s Scary Farm features Snoopy’s Costume Party costume parade, Charlie Brown’s Spooktacular stage show, the interactive Monster Factory maze and the Creepy Crawly Critter Cave. Halloween makes a big splash at SeaWorld (500 SeaWorld Dr., San Diego; www.seaworld.com) where Halloween Spooktacular serves up two seasonal performances: Clyde & Seamore’s Spooky Adventure and the Sesame Street show Countdown To Halloween weekends Oct 5-27. $84 adults, $78 ages 3-9.

Brick-Or-Trick returns to Legoland (1 Legoland Dr., Carlsbad; www.legoland.com) 5-9 p.m. Oct. 4, 10-11, 17-18 and 25 with a unique way to celebrate Halloween. Kids can trick-or-treat at 10 Lego-themed treat stations, rock out at three different dance parties, do the Ghost Cruise Scavenger Hunt and enjoy the “Spirits of Halloween” light show and fireworks. Prices vary.

With so much going on during the month before, will your kids have so much fun they forget about Halloween on the 31^st? Something makes me think they will remember when Halloween finally arrives.

Michael Berick is Calendar Editor of L.A. Parent.

Eggs is a human boy adopted by the salvage-minded Boxtrolls. IMAGE COURTESY LAIKA STUDIOS

The Boxtrolls, out Sept. 26 from Focus Features, takes us into the sewers of the town of Cheesebridge, home to the mischievous, trash-collecting Boxtrolls. Eggs (teen version voiced by Isaac Hempstead Wright, The Awakening, Game of Thrones) is an orphaned boy who is raised by the Boxtrolls, who believe that one man’s trash is another man’s (Boxtroll’s) treasure.

Cheese and social rankings are priorities for the citizens of Cheesebridge, and their fear of the Boxtrolls is as strong as their love of brie and gouda. Stories of baby-snatching monsters prompt the townspeople to bolt down loose items and lock the doors at curfew.

While everyone locks up for the evening, the villainous Archibald Snatcher (Ben Kingsley) and his hooligans patrol the streets, pursuing the unsuspecting Boxtrolls. Snatcher has bargained with Lord Portley-Rind, leader of the White Hats, to destroy the Boxtrolls in return for one of their illustrious hats and a seat at their table.

One evening, Winnie (Elle Fanning, Maleficent, Young Ones) the daughter of Lord Portley-Rind winds up on the street, after squabbling with her father. Winnie is a bright, rebellious child who is preoccupied with the stories of Boxtrolls. Late at night, she finds herself face-to-face with a Boxtroll and a boy in a box! Archibald discovers her and delivers her back to her dad. Winnie is now set to face an amazing adventure she could never imagine!

Based on the Alan Snow book “Here Be Monsters,” the film’s 3D stop-motion animation is crafted by LAIKA studios, makers of previous animated masterpieces such as the 2012 film Paranorman, and 2009’s Coraline. The studio uses 3D printing to speed up the process of creating the faces of the puppets.

This family film has witty humor as well as the endearing moments. However, Archibald’s character could be unsettling for young children. I worried that the moody look of the film and his hateful attitude would make my 7-year-old daughter uneasy. LAIKA’s first feature film, Coraline, did scare her, but she wound up loving The Boxtrolls without finding the film scary at all. The studio recommends this film for children ages 8 and up. It is rated PG.

Supplies? Ready! Suited up? Check! 3-2-1 Blast off! It’s time to explore “Planet Kindergarten” (Chronicle Books, ages 3-5). Using space travel, L.A. author Sue Ganz-Schmitt has created a clever picture book to prepare children for the unknown in a relatable and reassuring way. The steps needed to safely navigate new territory are humorously illustrated award-winning local animator Shane Prigmore.

The story is told from a young astronaut’s point of view. After finding base camp, orbiting prior to docking and being assigned to his commander, capsule and crewmates, he must now send his mom back to her own planet with the other parents.

Astronauts from assorted galaxies converge on Planet Kindergarten, eager to learn their flight plan and begin their new mission. Ganz-Schmitt includes references to atmosphere adjustment and gravity that make it hard for kids to stay in their seats. Recess involves heading outside the capsule, where our narrator and a crewmate quarrel over equipment. Sent to isolation, which they agree isn’t any fun, they make up and become friends. Ganz-Schmitt and Prigmore even include a trip to the lunch pad for far-out food.

Full tummies mean rest time, but our astronaut cannot calm down enough to nap. His mind wanders, with thoughts turning to home. Is his oxygen low? Where’s the escape hatch? Then, in a triumphant show of self-confidence, the young astronaut recalls NASA’s motto: Failure is not an option. With deep breaths and a positive attitude, it’s time to complete the journey and head home in a spectacular splashdown! This book will ensure that systems are “go” for your new kindergartener.

Find more reviews of children’s books at www.goodreadswithronna.com.

A mommy T, rex spends time with her baby. PHOTO BY DAVID SCHEINMANN

We can’t know exactly what life was like during the Triassic or Cretaceous periods when dinosaurs walked the Earth. Science offers some clues, and the entertainment industry has its own approach. Walking With Dinosaurs, which started as a BBC TV series in 1999, has evolved into an impressive stage show, and will visit Southern California this month.

The production Walking With Dinosaurs: Arena Spectacular stops at the Honda Center (2695 East Katella Ave., Anaheim) 7 p.m. Sept. 3-5, 11 a.m. and 3 and 7 p.m. Sept. 6 and 1 and 5 p.m. Sept. 7. The show moves on to Staples Center (1111 S. Figueroa St., L.A.) 7 p.m. Sept. 11-12, 11 a.m. and 3 and 7 p.m. Sept. 13, and 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., Sept. 14.

This award-winning production, which has been updated since its last U.S. tour in 2007, features dinosaur species from throughout the 200 million years that these creatures roamed the Earth. The Tyrannosaurus rex, Plateosaurus and Stegosaurus are among the 10 species represented in this show. The show’s largest dinosaur is the Brachiosaurus, which stands 36 feet tall and measures 56 feet from nose to tail.

Great care has been taken in creating the dinosaurs (a 50-person team created the Brachiosaurus) and the “cast” of this production features updated details, from head crests to tail fans. The show, which chronicles the dinosaurs’ evolution over their million years on Earth, offers striking visual effects including a volcano, a forest fire and a comet. With its awesome animatronic dinosaurs and the impressive staging, Walking With Dinosaurs: Arena Spectacular certainly lives up to the “spectacular” part of its name.

Tickets to the show are $20-$75, and available at www.ticketmaster.com.

Michael Berick is Calendar Editor of L.A. Parent.

As someone who has been teaching music for more than 20 years, I have been fortunate to have taught students from every age group. The one constant I continue to see is the misconception by many adults that there’s a certain age limit by when a child needs to start learning music. The age varies, depending on the parent, but the average seems to be around age 12.

This imaginary age limit has prevented many adults and adolescents from taking music lessons because they believe it is too late for them to start learning, or that there would be no point in doing so. I’m here to tell you that this cannot be further from the truth.

While I did start learning classical piano at the age of 5, I’ve always strived to continue to learn and improve my skills, and I can honestly say that as an adult, I’ve learned just as much as I did when I was a little girl. That’s the wonder of music. There’s always room for improvement and the possibilities are endless.

Music is something that you can start learning at any age, as long as you have an open mind and are willing to embrace it. You’ll find that no matter the instrument, learning to play it and continuing to hone your skills can be just as rewarding for a teenager or adult as it would be for a child. And don’t worry about learning to appreciate it. Once you choose to learn an instrument that suits you, that’ll come naturally.

All of this is possible because music is an art form that can positively affect your life in ways that you would never even think of. I’ve witnessed firsthand how some of my older students have grown to love learning to play an instrument, even though they were reluctant to start. Many have even told me that it has carried over into their personal relationships and overall happiness. You don’t need to have a background in music or even to have a particular passion for it at first. Life is about taking chances and not limiting your mindset.

Music is about creativity. It’s about demonstrating commitment. And, most importantly, it’s about being rewarded for your efforts. It’s also about improving yourself as a person, mentally and physically. I can cite numerous studies that have shown that learning music helps with your overall productivity, memory and anxiety, not to mention improving sleep disorders in many cases.

Music may be my profession, but I play instruments for the pure joy that it has given me in life, allowing me to open up my mind in many ways and truly gain a sense of peace. There’s a certain simplistic beauty in it, even when playing a complicated instrument, that I have yet to discover anywhere else.

It’s a skill and a passion that will keep on rewarding you no matter where you are in life.

Oksana Kolesnikova is the founder of the Oksana School of Music in Beverly Hills and is a successful artist and entrepreneur. Learn more at www.oksanaschoolofmusic.com.

Jr. Dodger Broadcasters are treated like all other membes of the media. PHOTOS BY RHONA BLAKER

If your son or daughter is a baseball fan, the Jr. Dodgers Broadcast program could put them in the middle of a field of dreams.

Kids in the program, ages 8-14, broadcast Sunday home games over the Internet at www.dodgers.com and are treated like every other member of the media. That means they must arrive several hours before the first pitch to do their prep work and conduct interviews with players and coaches, and review game-day notes about the Dodgers and the visiting team to share with listeners.

Their broadcast booth is on the Loge level behind home plate – one level below where Vin Scully, Charley Steiner and Rick Monday sit to call the game in English on Fox Sports LA 570 AM, and Jaime Jarrín, Pepe Yñiguez and Fernando Valenzuela call it in Spanish on KTNQ 1020 AM. For most games, there are three kids at the microphone – one doing play-by-play and two chiming in with commentary on a particular play, player or even a pitch – and a fourth who produces the broadcasts.

Jr. Dodger Broadcasters Max Ferregur, left, Skyler Rivera and Sarah Pino call a game at Dodger Stadium.

In the booth, and during pre- and post-game interviews in the dugout and on the field, the Jr. Broadcasters get to share their love of the game and garner experience that many professional broadcasters didn’t have as they began their careers.

“Geez, I wish I had a chance to do that,” says Steiner, who is in his 10^th season with the Dodgers, having worked previously for ESPN and the New York Yankees. “It’s a wonderful and remarkable experience. What I would have given to have that opportunity.”

Steiner and colleagues throughout the broadcasting industry often start in small markets to gain experience, putting in years and years of work before getting a chance at a job with a high-profile college or professional team. Among the places Steiner has worked are Peoria, Ill., and Davenport, Iowa, so to start with the Dodgers, even as a child, is special.

Of course, that’s the beauty of the program, says Dodgers Vice President of Marketing and Broadcasting Erik Braverman, who in 2009 was looking for ways to better engage women and children at the games and came up with the Jr. Dodgers Broadcast program based on personal experience.

“I was lucky enough to get an internship at a radio station when I was 15 years old,” says Braverman, “and I told myself that if I was ever in a position to help kids in that way, I was going to do it. This program combines my two passions – marketing and broadcasting – along with baseball, and I’ve seen how it affects these kids.”

Braverman points out that one Jr. Broadcaster, Jake Reiner, went on to pursue a degree in journalism at Syracuse University, and another, David Gottlieb, has stayed with the program as a producer, learning even more about the industry.

Jr. Dodger Sarah Pino reports from the field.

“I didn’t want this to be where they were treated liked kids,” Braverman says. “I want them to get the experience of what [the job is] really like.”

The Dodgers partner with Kidstar Radio Corp. to handle the operational side of the program, and Kidstar President Cornelius Hanna is at Dodger Stadium on Sundays, ensuring that his broadcasters are professional in every aspect – from their attire to their pre-game preparation.

Hanna is quick to point out that while the on-the-field and behind-the-mic experience is great, the real benefit for the participants is the self-confidence they develop through working in a professional atmosphere, learning from the pros and realizing that they have the skills do this.

“It’s a great program,” Hanna says. “We’ve had upwards of 100 kids come through it here with the Dodgers.”

Hanna’s Kidstar (www.kidstar.org) is a nonprofit dedicated to advancing kids’ education, building their character and helping instill a solid value system. It has similar broadcasting arrangements with other professional teams – including the L.A. KISS arena football team as well as non-sports programing, mainly in California and Arizona.

Max Ferregur, a 13-year-old from Sequoia Middle School in Newbury Park who provided commentary during a recent Dodger game broadcast, said the value of the program, and the opportunity, is not lost on him. But his favorite part of the experience?

“Meeting and talking to the players, and being part of the broadcast,” he says with a smile.

Which is right in line with the advice Steiner, who was elected to the National Radio Hall of Fame last year, would offer to all the Jr. Broadcasters.

“Go out and have fun,” he says.

Participation in the Jr. Dodgers Broadcast program is free and requires a minimum two-week commitment. Sign up at www.dodgers.com.

Ron Epstein is publisher of L.A. Parent, and the father of two Dodger fans.

Click on the video below to see 13-year-old Jr. Dodgers Broadcaster, Max Ferregur, report at Dodger Stadium.

Pit 91 is re-opened for excavation business at the La Brea Tar Pits. PHOTO BY DAVID LAURIDSEN, COURTESY OF NHM

Mud, tar, sand and water – these aren’t the materials for a strange science experiment. They’re the ingredients for some of this month’s most unique events.

Families will get a rare chance to dig deep into Southern California’s history when Mud Mania returns to Rancho Los Cerritos from 12:30-4:30 p.m. Aug. 17. At this celebration of adobe, you can plaster a wall with mud, construct a small adobe house, create adobe bricks, learn about adobe’s historical significance and participate in the mud relay race. Plus, this event is one of the few times when you are asked to dress down and get dirty. Find all the good, clean fun at 4600 N. Virginia Rd., Long Beach; www.rancholoscerritos.org. Admission is $7 adults, $5 ages 4-12.

The La Brea Tar Pits were around long before L.A., but didn’t become much of an attraction until the early 1950’s (before LACMA and the Page Museum were built). The first building at the original attraction was the Observation Pit, which was constructed in 1952 but stopped being staffed in the mid-1990’s. The Observation Pit, however, has recently re-opened, allowing archeology aficionados of all ages an experience that is both old and new.

Along with the Observation Pit, the Page Museum (5801 Wilshire Blvd., L.A.; www.nhm.org) has also re-opened Pit 91. This once-productive excavation site had been closed since 2007. Sharp-eyed visitors will also notice that the mastodon and mammoths around the Lake Pit have been spruced up, as has the Ice Age frieze atop the Page Museum. Admission to the Observation Pit and Pit 91 is included in Page Museum admission ($12 adults, $9 ages 13-17, $5 ages 3-12), though timed tickets are required for the Observation Pit. The Observation Pit is open 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, and Pit 91 can be viewed daily from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., with excavations happening Wed.-Sat. through Sept. 7.

A different type of digging will happen at Granada Beach (1 Granada Ave., Long Beach) Aug. 16-17 when the Great Sand Sculpture Contest returns for the 82nd year. Here is your chance to show off your sandy skills or just see what impressive structures others can build. Participants, ranging from accomplished professionals to talented amateurs, will be competing for prizes. The festival, which runs from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and benefits the Long Beach Library Foundation, will also include live music and a fenced-in area where children can play. It costs $13.29 to compete but is free to watch. Learn more at www.lbsandcastle.com.

Providing a transition from sand to sea is The Long Beach Crawfish Festival (www.longbeachcrawfishfestival.com). This annual salute to the small-but-succulent crustacean takes place at Rainbow Lagoon (400-4003 Shorline Village Dr.) from noon-11 p.m. Aug. 2 and noon- 10 p.m. Aug. 3. The fest serves up plenty of lobster and spirited Louisiana-inspired music, a Second Line Dancing Parade, a Kids Zone and other Cajun-style fun. Admission is $15-$50; free for ages 12 and younger.

Southern California is home to many water parks, but one that’s too good to overlook is the Moe B. Dunes Aquatic Park at the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort & Marina (1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach; www.newportdunes.com). The park will be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily through Sept. 1, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Sept. 2-30, and is populated with fun, inflatable attractions including huge teeter-totters and large icebergs, a variety of water vehicles and other awesome aquatic amusements. Admission is $20-$30.

Michael Berick is Calendar Editor of L.A. Parent.

Bring your own telescope or work with amateur astronomers at Griffith Observatory’s Star Parties. PHOTO COURTESY GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY

When you think about the joys of summer, your first thought might be the fun of spending school-free days out in the sun. But one of the great things about the summer is that the fun can continue long after the sun goes down (and things cool off a bit). To quote those great philosophers Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson (from the movie Grease): “Summer days drifting away, to uh-oh those summer nights ….”

Al Fresco Films

Movies, in fact, are one of the mainstays of summer nights, with summer film series on view at many a mall and public park. For a particularly unique outdoor cinema experience, take in a movie at Paramount Ranch or Will Rogers State Historic Park.

See Will Rogers’ film State Fair on his former ranch Aug. 15. PHOTO COURTESY WILL ROGERS RANCH FOUNDATION

Situated on Will Rogers’ former estate, the state park will spotlight his classic 1933 film State Fair, co-starring Janet Gaynor, at sundown Aug. 15. Admission to the park (1501 Will Rogers State Park Rd., Pacific Palisades) is free, but parking is $6 after 6 p.m. There will be a free tour of Rogers’ ranch house and free popcorn, too. Learn more at www.willrogersranchfoundation.org/movies-in-wills-backyard.

Paramount Ranch’s land once was Paramount Studio’s “movie ranch.” Now a national recreation area, it will host a free screening of the 1929 silent movie drama The Last Warning – complete with selected shorts and live musical accompaniment – at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 17. Visitors can bring a picnic dinner to the park, which is located at 2903 Cornell Rd. in Agoura Hills. Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for ages 11 and younger. Email silents@hollywoodheritage.org or call 323-874-2276 for more details.

Another historic locale, Heritage Square Museum (3800 Homer St., L.A.; www.heritagesquare.org) is inviting guests to pack a picnic dinner and watch vintage cinema on its lawn during monthly Silent & Classic Movie Nights this summer. Parents might want to use a little discretion regarding the museum’s Aug. 2 attraction: the 1949 film noir drama Impact, a twisted tale of murder-for-hire gone wrong. The movie starts at 8:15 p.m., and tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for ages 12 and younger.

If you are looking to see a film with a lighter tone, The Huntington (1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino; www.huntington.org) will screen the Disney classic Sleeping Beauty at 7 p.m. Aug. 23. Besides the film, there’ll be a screening of a documentary video about a book conservation project done at the Huntington to save a prop from the movie. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com.

Santa Clarita Aquatic Center’s Dive-In Movie series lets families jump in the pool or lounge poolside to view films. PHOTO COURTESY THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA

A particularly cool way to watch a film is at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center’s Dive-In Movie series, where you can jump into the water (or sit poolside). The Aug. 8 series finale will be a screening of The Smurfs 2. The center is located at 20850 Centre Pointe Parkway. The film starts at 7 p.m., and admission is $7. For more information or to register, visit http://arts.santa-clarita.com/Dive-In-Movies.

Nighttime Tune Time

There are also plenty of places to groove to music on SoCal summer evenings, from the Santa Monica Pier’s fabled Twilight Concert Series on Thursday nights to the Sunday Concerts on the Green at Woodland Hills’ Warner Park (which has a Saturday night film series, too).

There are a couple of notable music series to mention. The L.A. County Arboretum (301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia; www.arboretum.org) has a Friday night family-friendly concert series featuring The Ooks of Hazzard and their rootsy hoedown Aug. 1 and the Steven Rushingwind Project performing native world flute music Aug. 8. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for ages 5-12 for these shows, which start at 6 p.m. (gates open at 5 p.m.).

Descanso Gardens (1418 Descanso Dr., La Cañada-Flintridge; www.descansogardens.org) has a pair of evening music series. Tuesday nights feature the more family-oriented World Rhythms performances, while Thursday nights are for jazz. El Dorado Nature Center (7550 E. Spring St., Long Beach; www.longbeach.gov/naturecenter) also mixes music into its bucolic setting. On Aug. 14, the Sligo Rags kick things up with lively Celtic tunes, while Steele Parade performs Calypso music Aug. 28. Admission is $3, although kids 5 and younger get in free for these shows that last from 7-8 p.m.

If you want to be part of the show, the Music Center’s Friday Sing-Alongs might be the ticket for you. Broadway Favorites will the program on Aug. 1, while it’s Mariachi tunes Aug. 15. There will be lyric sheets, a live band and a joyful sense of community at these free public sing-alongs that take place on the Music Center’s plaza (135 N. Grand Ave., L.A.; www.musiccenter.org) from 6:30-8 p.m.

Starry Starry Nights

While you might not see any stars at community sing-alongs, you can see plenty (of the celestial kind, at least) at astronomy-related events occurring around Southern California. On Aug. 11, you can be part of a Perseid Meteor Shower Partyat Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (Las Virgenes Canyon Road and Victory Boulevard, Calabasas; meet at the Victory Boulevard entrance trailhead; 310-858-7272, ext. 131) from 8-10 p.m. Bring a blanket and gaze up to see what the heavens have to offer. Telescopes will be available, too, for those who want a closer look at the skies.

The Huntington celebrates the two-year anniversary of the Curiosity rover’s landing on Mars, Aug. 6. PHOTO COURTESY THE HUNTINGTON

At Paramount Ranch’s Summer Star Festival, 7:30-9:30 p.m. Aug. 2, you can learn about the solar system from astronomers, then look at it through telescopes. Visitors also are invited to bring a flashlight with a red lens or a red cellophane filter for an astrology experiment. The Huntington also hosts a special family evening of stargazing on Aug. 6 to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the Curiosity rover’s landing on Mars. You can use a telescope to explore the skies or view historic astronomy works in the museum’s “Beautiful Science” exhibit. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com.

The Burbank Sidewalk Astronomers bring out their telescopes (weather permitting) every month along the Chandler Boulevard bike path at Lima Street in Burbank. Their August star-gazing event takes place Aug. 8 from 8-10 p.m. Email sidewalkastronomers@earthlink.net for more information. The most popular place in L.A. for star-gazing, however, is Griffith Observatory (2800 E. Observatory Rd.). The local landmark hosts Star Parties almost every month, and there will be two in August – on the 2^nd and the 30th – lasting from 2-9:45 p.m. You can bring your own telescope or use one of the telescopes set up on the lawn. Experienced amateur astronomers will be on hand to help out and answer questions. For more information, go to www.griffithobservatory.org.

Take A Hike

This year, the Observatory also has started a monthly Sunset Walk & Talk. August’s outing will be on the 5^th from 7:35-8:35 p.m. Led by a museum guide and a park ranger, this sunset hike offers park history and astronomy facts while you traverse the (moderately steep) Charlie Turner Trail around the Observatory.

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority invites families for marshmallow roasting at a variety of park locations this summer. PHOTO COURTESY MOUNTAINS RECREATION AND CONSERVATION AUTHORITY

Many other parks also have nighttime hike programs, some with particular appeal for families. The Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center (4121 Potrero Rd., Newbury Park; 805-370-2301) asks “Who’s Hoo?” on its Aug. 3 hike, from 7-8:30 p.m., where a ranger will help identity different types of owls that can be encounter along the 1.5-mile route. On Aug. 27, from 6-7:30 p.m., Paramount Ranch holds a Youth Wildlife Biologist class where kids ages 4-12 can study mountain lions and other native carnivores (no real-life encounters, though). Every Friday night in August, El Dorado Nature Center has a naturalist-led family night walk from 7-9 p.m. Pre-registration is required; go to www.longbeach.gov/naturecenter for more details.

S’more Things To Do

While some families love movies, music, stars and hikes, others prefer sweeter outdoor fun. The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) has a summer-long campfire series at various park locations. They provide the marshmallows and conduct a different nature program each week.

On Tuesdays, campfire songs and marshmallow roasting rule at King Gillette Ranch (26800 Mulholland Hwy., Calabasas; 818-878-0266 x228), where parking is $7. Wednesdays offer two options, both with free parking: Vista Hermosa Natural Park (100 N. Toluca St., L.A.; 213-250-1100) or Franklin Canyon (2600 Franklin Canyon Dr, Beverly Hills; 310-858-7272 x131).

Tunes and treats can be had on Thursdays at Temescal Gateway Park (15601 Sunset Blvd., Pacific Palisades; 310-858-7272 x131. Parking: $7), while marshmallow mania will take place Aug. 9 at Marsh Park (2960 Marsh St., L.A.; 310-858-7272 x131. Free parking). In fact, Aug. 9 is the final day for this free program. Don’t procrastinate, or you’ll miss out on making this summer’s marshmallow memories.

Michael Berick is Calendar Editor of L.A. Parent.

Take a drive around the OC Fair, which opens July 11. PHOTO COURTESY OC FAIR

If you like riding roller coasters, playing Ring A Duck and eating anything deep-fried, you are a fan of fairs. This month officially signals the start of Fair Season in Southern California, which boasts a trinity of terrific county fairs.

First up is the OC Fair, which opens July 11 and runs through Aug. 10. With this year’s all-so-appropriate theme “Summer Starts Here,” this fair offers something fun for everyone – from carnival rides to pig racing, demolition derbies to acrobat shows, livestock competitions to rock concerts – noon-midnight Wed.-Fri, 10 a.m.-midnight Sat.-Sun. at the OC Fairgrounds, 88 Fair Dr., Costa Mesa; www.ocfair.com. $12 adults, $7 ages 6-12.

The Ventura County Fair (www.venturacountyfair.org) might not be as big as the OC or L.A. County fairs, but it undoubtedly has the most scenic location. A stone’s throw from the Pacific Ocean at 10 W. Harbor Blvd. in Ventura, it justifiably describes itself as “a county fair with ocean air.” You can view the Pacific from your Ferris wheel seat, and enjoy rides and games, contests and performances, animals, floriculture and festive attractions from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily July 30-Aug. 10. $12 adults, $9 ages 6-12.

The L.A. County Fair, one of largest county fairs in the U.S., rounds out the trio Aug. 29-Sept. 28. You can interact with animals at the Farm and The Wild and Crazy Lagoon, encounter pirates and superheroes, enjoy musical, dance and circus performances and attempt all the games, rides and other attractions that create great Fair memories from noon-10 p.m. Wed., noon-11 p.m. Thurs., noon-midnight Sat. and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun. at the Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona; www.lacountyfair.com. $12-$19 adults, $8-$12 ages 6-12.