Family Friendly Concerts in Los Angeles

The summer Children’s Series takes place on Thursday nights at this historic band shell in Pasadena. “We want kids up and dancing and playing and active,” says Levitt Pavilion executive director, Renee Bodie. To that end, there are often hula hoops and big bouncy balls for use in front of the stage. A cadre of young adult interns encourage timid fans to join the fray. The CalArts Hands On’Semble kicks off the series on June 18. Pre-concert activities in the KidZone start at 5:30 p.m. and the free shows start at 7 p.m. The Levitt Pavilion is in a lovely park-like setting conveniently located next to a Metro Gold Line stop.

This beautiful venue in Santa Monica has a few things in store for young music fans. Their Family Adventure Subscription includes three shows this season: Carnegie Hall’s Musical Explorers on Feb. 27, 2016; The Box Brothers (like Stomp, but sillier) on April 16, 2016; and Carnival of the Animals on April 30, 2016 with Australia’s award-winning Circa. They also have six Sunday morning family workshops, designed for children 3 to 7 years old, scheduled for 2016. The Jan. 17 workshop will focus on music and singing. April 10 is devoted to percussion. Ticket information is available online.

Families are invited to take “A Musical Road Trip Through America” as part of the Skirball’s weekend concert series. Inspired by the current exhibition, Bill Graham and the Rock & Roll Revolution, the series kicks off Saturday, June 27 with The Ooks of Hazzard and their distinctive brand of toe-tapping rock, which features not one but six ukulele players. The next day brings bluegrass band Everly Snodgrass on spoons, dobro, musical saw and more. There are two shows each day in the outdoor amphitheater - dancing is encouraged. Free with museum admission.

There are few outdoor venues as enchanting as this bucolic spot in Topanga Canyon. Add live music and you’ve got a guaranteed good time for kids and their accompanying grown-ups. The Family Fundays series takes place most Sundays through the summer and well into October. The series features a number of popular L.A. acts, such as Heidi Swedberg and her ukulele on Aug. 2, Tom Freund and his soulful, sometimes silly songs on Aug. 16, and Rhythm Child’s percussion driven jam on Sept. 20. Showtime is 10:30 a.m. This is a perfect picnic spot, so take advantage and pack lunch - you’ll definitely want to linger. Tickets are $9. Kids under 2 are free.

This August, the Getty Center will host three bands for their afternoon Garden Concerts for Kids series, including Lisa Loeb Aug. 8-9, 2015. Best known for her hit song Stay, Loeb has also released two children’s albums: Catch the Moon and Camp Lisa. Each act does two shows, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. The 4 p.m. shows are timed to take advantage of the late afternoon shade in the Central Garden, where the concerts take place. Visitors can bring small picnic baskets and blankets. But if you forget one or the other, you’re in luck. Blankets are available to borrow and you can hit the on-site café for a tasty, on-the-spot picnic dinner. The shows are free and parking is $15 per car.

While the format of the Hollywood Bowl’s terrifically popular summer family series has changed over the years, the audience is always transported to another place and culture. This year’s SummerSounds destinations are New Orleans, Polynesia/Hawaii, the Middle East and Brazil. The weekday morning shows take place in the intimate patio space adjacent to the Hollywood Bowl Museum, which is worth a visit - the museum’s interactive displays are a hit with the little ones. Kids’ tickets include either a pre- or post-performance visual art workshop. Projects relate to the specific destination, so it’s like a morning of fun cultural immersion through the arts.

The popular Toyota Symphonies for Youth series encompasses four different performances (each with two dates) over the course of the 2015-2016 series. Tickets go fast for these original, thematic shows. The October 2015 show, The Organ: Stops, Keys, Peddles and Pipes showcases the Hall’s famed pipe organ, a.k.a. the “French Fries.” And in December, Grammy-nominated pianist John Beasley and his band MONK’estra take the stage for Jazz and the Orchestra. Unlike most LA Phil programs, these concerts involve plenty of audience participation. Workshops suitable for all ages begin one hour prior to the show and include dance lessons, instrument “petting zoo” or crafts related to the show theme.

Every Spring, the historic Santa Monica Pier hosts Wake Up With the Waves, a series of Saturday morning concerts at the plaza area next to Pier Burger. It’s a lovely way to welcome the weekend - sun, sand, water, seagulls and live music aimed at the little ones from the likes of Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band. Kids are invited to plop down on parachutes or show off their dance moves. Some parents bring folding chairs. Afterwards, many families visit the nearby arcade or the classic carousel.

The Western Music Association Showcase takes place at the Autry from noon to 3 p.m. on the third Sunday of every month. While they aren’t specifically designed for the young ‘uns, these monthly events are very family friendly - kids have been known to show up dressed as Woody and Jessie from Toy Story. Typically, more than a dozen members of the Western Music Association take turns strumming guitars and reciting cowboy poetry at the museum’s Heritage Court. Audience members are welcome to stay for a few minutes, an hour or the entire show. Free with admission to the museum.