Brandon's Buddies Free Kids Club in Calabasas

Brandon's Buddies is a FREE KIDS CLUB that meets every month at Brandon's Village at Gates Canyon Park in Calabasas.  This playground is the first fully-accessible playground in the region. The day may include Integrated Play, Face Painting, Arts & Crafts, Entertainment and Treats.  Please feel free to bring a sack lunch.

All children with and without disabilities and their families who want to spend a great day playing in the sunshine and making friends are invited to participate!

Brandon's Buddies gives children with disabilities the opportunity to play with their typically-able peers, while giving their parents a chance to share experiences and advice with other parents/caregivers.  It gives children without disabilities the chance to get to know their peers and gain greater awareness and compassion.

For more information, visit The K.E.N. Project website at www.kenproject.com or call 818.222.8118.  Or visit the KEN Project calendar at www.kenproject.com/calendarofevents.html. 

Note from Conejo Joe: The group meets USUALLY (some exceptions) the first Saturday of each month from 11 am to 1 pm. But make sure to check in advance.  Or just show up.  The park is awesome!

Upcoming dates (as of 12/31/13):  1/11, 2/1, 3/1, 4/5, 5/3, 6/7, 7/12, 8/2, 9/6, 10/11, 11/1, 12/6

CReATE STUDIO in Westlake Village

CReATE STUDIO in Westlake Village is a welcoming, walk in, help yourself art studio geared toward creative exploration using a varied array of recycled, artistic and crafty materials. All ages can create treasured masterpieces using many interesting and everyday household materials to build, tape, glue, paint and invent! No two creations are alike. Stop in and enjoy the fun!

To learn more about CReATE visit www.createstudiofun.com or call 818.575.9566.

The studio is currently open Tuesday through Friday 11am-6pm and Saturday noon-5pm.

CReATE STUDIO is located in the First Neighborhood Center, 31840 Village Center Road (first floor), Westlake Village.

CReATE STUDIO birthday parties practically take care of themselves! Party guests enjoy 2 hours of creative  fun using the many artistic materials available and take all their creations home!  Add a “CReATE Kit” personalized party favor by TANYA'S TREASURES to keep creative fun lasting long after the party done! Outside food and drink welcome. Contact createstudiofun@gmail.com with inquiries.

The Arterie Art Studio in Thousand Oaks

The Arterie Art Studio at 2219 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Suite 105, Thousand Oaks is an art studio for both kids and adults that offers up art classes, camps, birthday parties and more.

Visit www.thearterie.org or call 805.379.1426 for more information.

Vertical Heaven Indoor Climbing Gym and School

Vertical Heaven, which relocated its facility to 5600 Everglades St, Suite C, Ventura, is an indoor climbing gym for kids and adults.  There are classes, after school programs, camps, team building, parties and individual climbing available! The new 3,800 sq ft facility has 2,800 sq ft of climbing walls, a "fun zone" and more.

For more information, visit www.climbvh.com or call 805.339.9022. Pricing at www.climbvh.com/#!rates/citr.

My kid had fun here! (Photo from prior location)

New West Symphony VIP Family Club

The New West Symphony VIP Family Club is a special concert experience for children ages 7 to 13 and their families. The program is designed for childrens and their parents or guardian wishing to learn more about a symphonic orchestra and the joys of classical music.

Membership in the program offers tickets to Masterpiece Series concerts at substantial savings, special intermission programs including back-stage tours, an opportunity to meet guest artists, Symphony musicians and more and specially prepared materials to enhance your children's experience.

Tickets for each concert are $10/child and $20/adult (as of November 2013; subject to change) when accompanied by a child.  Two adults per family. Visit www.newwestsymphony.org/VIPClub.php or call 805.558.4412 for more information.

Heart4Art Children's Art Studio in Agoura Hills

Heart for Art is a children's art studio geared towards ages 4 to 15. Flexible scheduling, private and semi-private time slots. No monthly tuition or registration fees. Also, artistic birthday parties and specialized workshops and book discussions for teens, adults and seniors. Located off the 101 Freeway at 5200 Kanan Road, Suite 214 in Agoura Hills. Open Monday through Saturday. More information at www.heart4art.me or call 818.203.5031.

All American Twirlers in Camarillo

All American Twirlers provides your child the opportunity to learn how to twirl and perform in parades, exhibitions and other performances, including special events. Class locations in Camarillo and Santa Barbara. Free trial class! Visit www.aatwirlers.com or call 805.403.2356 for more information.

Chuck E. Cheese's - Thousand Oaks and Ventura

The kids absolutely love it at Chuck E. Cheese's, there's plenty of things to do, and I am a fan of the grilled chicken sandwich, fries and, yes, a nice cold beer to wash them down.  And the kids ALWAYS wolf down the pizza there.  Chuck E. Cheese's is geared towards kids ages 2 to 12.

Make sure to check the Sunday newspaper coupons before you go because they have coupons in there all the time.  Or if you don't get the paper, just visit their website at www.chuckecheese.com, click "Coupons" and "Get a Coupon" to find discount coupons for the location of your choosing.

Chuck E. Cheese's Thousand Oaks location front entry

How about a quick walkthrough of the Thousand Oaks Chuck E. Cheese's.  Admittedly the video is lousy but gives you a feel for what the place is like...when not PACKED with kids!

Chuck E. Cheese's is at 130 West Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks (805.497.2522) www.chuckecheese.com/locations/get/320 and 4714 Telephone Road in Ventura (805.644.9777) www.chuckecheese.com/locations/get/453.

Some footage at the Ventura Chuck E. Cheese's in November 2010.

Ventura County Master Children’s Choir

The Ventura County Master Children’s Choir was founded by the Ventura County Master Chorale and Opera Association as a choral organization dedicated to the training of children in the classical choral arts.  The organization is committed to giving children quality vocal training and music education, as well as professional level performance training.

The vocal training in the choir utilizes the bel canto style of Italian singing, which is the basis for good vocal production. As members of the choir, children gain an appreciation for great singing and enjoy concertizing and sharing their music with others.

The group performs locally several times a year and goes on tours. Contact the choir director to schedule a friendly audition! More information at www.mastercc.org.

Programs After School - Art Classes in Thousand Oaks

 Programs After School for Kids Art Classes is a children's art studio in Thousand Oaks that is very different from regular kids' art classes!

We are very affordable! We have our own studio so we don't pass on facility fees to our customers and are local without the burden of out-of-state franchise fees.

Our classes are innovative, not repetitive and dull, strongly academic with our unique hybrid of Montessori and Waldorf methods surrounding the learning of the art masters, drawing and painting techniques, and most importantly our classes are pure fun.

The children attending our classes often find themselves learning "by mistake" and they are in a warm, relax environment where they are free to take risks with their creativity.

We actively engage and connect with the children in their classes, providing a fun and stimulating experience from beginning to end and we have very low student-to-teacher ratios.

If you are looking for that uniqueness in the visual art experience you want for your kids, combined with a fun academic approach, offered by a local company popular with homeschooler associations and local schooling districts, fostering academic achievement through art, then please check out our website or call us for information. Our studio hours do vary.

We are proudly local and our own young children are in these schooling districts - so we understand the issues facing local parents in our community. We are also providing work for local teachers and we love what we do. We offer a very wide birthday party selection from over 10 themes!

Our classes for younger kids are 45 minutes, once a week for 6 weeks. For older kids (7 - 13) the classes are for one hour. We also have a fun baby class "Baby van Goo Goo and You" for 18 months to 36 months - to drool for! Apart from the baby class, our classes are drop off.

Don't fuss! Leave the mess to us!

Programs After School for Kids Art Classes is located at 1321 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thousand Oaks (Northstar Plaza).

Member of the Thousand Oaks & Westlake Village Chamber of Commerce & Education Committee.

24/7 online enrollment at www.programsafterschool.com or call us at (805) 404-8240.

Pump It Up (Inflatable Party Zone) - Ventura

Pump It Up is a large indoor play facility located at 5120 Ralston Street, Ventura (one mile west of Victoria, just around the corner from Golf N' Stuff and Buena Lanes).  Get ready for some wild, fun and crazy birthday parties at Pump It Up, chock full of oversized inflatables.

In addition to parties, there are Pop-In Playtime for ages six and under (currently Monday and Thursday mornings) and Family Jump Time for older kids on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. More information at www.pumpitupparty.com/ca/ventura/home-p1q25.aspx or call 805.339.9669. Open only for private parties on weekends.

We Rock the Spectrum Kid's Gym in Agoura Hills

We Rock the Spectrum Kid's Gym at 30315 Canwood Street, Agoura Hills opened to the public on Saturday, November 15, 2013. Open 7 days a week, 9am to 7pm. for open play, birthday parties and more. 

The gym provides children from infant to age 13 with a fun and motivational environment to help them with strength, movement, sensory processing, communication, behavior modification, social interactions, and self-care skills. All sensory-based swings and toys in the gym can also be purchased for home use.

Activities at the gym include swings, crash mats and pillows, tunnels, balance beams, trampoline, indoor play structure, sensory-based toys, motor play toys and equipment, arts and crafts area and more.

Visit www.werockthespectrumagourahills.com or cal 818.991.KIDS for more information.

Mission: Renaissance Fine Art Classes in Westlake Village

Established in 1975, Mission: Renaissance®, The World’s Leader in Fine Art Instruction, where tens of thousands who were previously unable to draw or paint have brought their dreams to life and can now express themselves as artists. With 19 fine art studios in Southern California, Mission: Renaissance currently teaches thousands of students, young and old, each week.

There is a local location at 5776-A1 Lindero Canyon Road in Westlake Village. Group art lessons available for birthdays too!

More information at www.fineartclasses.com/westlake_art_classes.html or call 800.430.4278.

Agoura/Oak Park Chargers Youth Football

Agoura/Oak Park Chargers Football is for kids ages 8 to 14, including the following age divisions:  Pee Wee (ages 8-9, 45-115 lb weight range), Bantam (ages 10-11, 75-130 lb weight range), Midget (ages 11-12, 95-145 lb range), Junior (12-13, 105-160 lb range) and Senior (age 13-14, 190 lbs maximum). Weight limits increase for playoffs.

The Chargers are a member of the Pacific Youth Football League at www.eteamz.com/PacificYouthFootball that also includes the Camarillo Roadrunners, Moorpark Saints, Newbury Park Steelers, North Oxnard Warriors, Oxnard Panthers, Simi Valley Patriots, Thousand Oaks Titans and Ventura Packers, as well as other teams in the San Fernando Valley.

For more information, visit agourachargers.org. Signups start in the spring for the coming summer/fall season.

Westlake Village Library

The Westlake Village Library is located at 31220 Oak Crest Drive and is open Tuesday through Sunday. Hours (as of November 2013) are Tues-Wed 10am to 8pm, Thurs-Fri 10am to 6pm, Sat 10am to 5pm and Sun 1-5pm. The library is part of the County of Los Angeles Public Library system.

The 11,500 sq ft library is located within the Westlake Village City Hall complex and features a uniquely designed children's area, study rooms; copy room; study carrels; lounge chairs; a circulation desk with four check-out terminals; seven public access Internet computers; eight online library catalogs and more.

For more information visit www.colapublib.org/libs/westlake/ or call 818.865.9320.

Studio 316 Fine Art School & Studio in Thousand Oaks

Studio 316 is a fine art school & studio located at 376 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks. Studio 316's founder has instructed fine art to children, teens and adults at over 12 studios prior to going out on his own.

Building a comfortable environment for the students here has been a goal from the very beginning. After having taught in both loose and regimented programs, Studio 316 offers its students more freedom to choose in their artistic direction, but not to their detriment either. While students may choose a medium and subject matter to explore and create, Studio 316 stresses the basics in drawing, tone and color at the same time.

Currently Studio 316 instructs drawing and painting to children ages eight +, teens, and adults. Mediums covered but not limited to are; graphite, charcoal, colored pencil, pastel, watercolor, acrylic, and oil painting.

For more information, visit www.studio-316.com or call 805.496.9316.  FREE introductory lessons are available.

Gymboree Play & Music Locations

Gymboree Play & Music has been fostering creativity and confidence in children ages 0-5 for over 30 years. Today there are over 550 locations in 30 countries, making Gymboree the global leader in early childhood development programs.

Designed by experts, Gymboree's age-appropriate activities help develop the cognitive, physical and social skills of children as they play. Our programs are also recognized for their unique approach to parent involvement—which encourages participation in and understanding of each child’s development. Visit www.gymboreeclasses.com for more information.

Ventura County Locations:

Camarillo location closed on Saturday, October 27, 2012.

Simi Valley: 1555 Simi Town Center Way, #295 (in the Food Court) (805.522.2646) CLICK HERE for their site.

The Oaks Mall in Thousand Oaks, on the lower level of the outdoor shops, across from Forever XXI. CLICK HERE for their site. (805.357.3711)

Gymboree Play & Music in the outdoor shops section of The Oaks mall

For Art's Sake Studio in Agoura Hills

For Art's Sake offers fine art classes exclusively in oil painting. While other methodologies dictate that students must graduate through training in other skills and mediums prior to working with oils, For Art's Sake's philosophy is that all the required skills can be effectively taught as part of the process. Students learn basic to advanced techniques in drawing, composition, color harmony and mixing theories.  Oils are a wonderfully flexible and forgiving medium for artists of any skill level to explore with unique potential for growth and advancement.

Kids and adults art classes are available as well as summer art camp, birthday parties and more. Visit www.4artsakestudio.com or call 818.707.1952 for more information. For Art's Sake is located at 30317 Canwood St. #38, Agoura Hills.

Hockey Alley Ice Hockey Training Facility in Newbury Park

Hockey Alley is a unique, patented ice hockey training facility designed and built specifically for individual instruction.  Located at 2697 Lavery Court in Newbury Park, the alley ice surface measures 20 feet by 60 feet and is perfect for team practice or practice games.  The primary alley can be rented and pucks are supplied by Hockey Alley.  For more information, visit www.hockeyalley.com or call 805.375.6092.

Freedom Park BMX Raceway in Camarillo

Developed through the generous support of the Pleasant Valley Recreation & Park District, Freedom Park BMX Raceway is a bicycle motocross facility offering year-round recreational riding and competitive racing opportunities. Sanctioned by the American Bicycle Association - FP BMX provides a healthy, positive cycling environment for participants of all ages.

Freedom Park, at 528 Freedom Park Drive, Camarillo, is a 30 acre park featuring sports facilities of six soccer fields, three lighted softball fields, RC racetrack, BMX track and inline-hockey rink. Located at the Camarillo Airport, it also has a community center, playground and a 24-table group picnic shelter with barbecue grills.

For more information, visit www.freedomparkbmx.com or call 805.824.7854.