In the mood for a movie? The Peanut Movie is getting parents and kids in the holiday spirit; Disney Screen at the Century in Huntington Beach is screening four Pixar movies for the price of one admission; and the beloved Little Mermaid is back at El Capitan. But if you've been trying to find the words to answer your kids' questions about what's happened in Paris, you might try hunkering down for a movie at home one day this week to share a beautiful portrait of Paris as it was and will be again, in the classic film The Red Balloon. This brief film (available at many libraries and Amazon) is about a boy, the balloon that becomes his friend, the bullies that torment him, and the boy’s liberation from cruelty when all of the balloons in Paris join forces to raise him up above the city.

Heading back outdoors, this week brings free days at Descanso and the Arboretum, a Chaparral themed evening in Temescal Gateway Park, curbside stargazing in Burbank and Sylmar, and holiday celebrations in Glendale, Burbank, and Manhattan Beach. For parents of very little ones, the Family Room in San Marino offers two classes for parents struggling with the topic of food: Baby Led Weaning: The Mush Stops Here and Stress-free Toddler Feeding. Sometimes it is nice to get a little help before they find out about fro-yo, ice cream, and pizza.

Though not always easy, there is nothing quite like a childhood in the city. Los Angeles has much to offer and Mommy Poppins has lots of ideas for things to do on our Daily Events Calendar.

It may not feel very wintery, and by the way, where the heck is El Niño? Nevertheless, ‘tis the season for ice skating on the beach. Santa Ana winds be damned; ICE in Santa Monica returns this week. Celebrate the opening with Olympic pairs champion Randy Gardner and the California Gold Synchronized Skating Team. This annual event is one of my family’s favorite ways to launch the holidays. The music is fun, and the skating is free.

Speaking of launching, Journey to Space opens at the California Science Center this week. Spin out of your orbit in an immersive exploration of the final frontier. Tuesday is LEGO day, with free mini models at participating stores and a brick building play date in Chinatown.

A new month usually means lots of free days so be sure to check our Daily Events Calendar for other things to do.

In case you were wondering, yes, we are capable of talking about things other than Halloween. Take El Niño, for instance. El Niño may not be here yet, but once that soggy rascal does arrive, there won’t be much opportunity for heading outdoors; best to enjoy Griffith Park Observatory’s Sunset Walk and Talk one more time before the deluge arrives. We can talk about teens, too: Santa Monica high schoolers may want to check out the library's Teen Advisory Council, a leadership program advocating for the library that meets this Monday and throughout the year. As anyone with kids starting to think about college knows, leadership and community service are vital components of the application process. Or we could mention the LA Kids gigantic consignment sale in Woodland Hills, where 650 families have contributed 100,000 new and barely used items; if you're working on a Halloween costume, this may be a place to pick up a few items. 

Oops - there we go again talking about Halloween. Well, let the hauntings begin, or rather continue! There’s a maze in Malibu, and Sherman Oaks has Boney Island. And as part of the El Capitan’s Halloween trilogy, Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas screens. It’s a favorite family tradition in my house to watch this movie, which somehow manages to work our two favorite holidays into one stop action animation masterpiece that includes a tremendous score by Danny Elfman.