When cash is tight, why pay a lot of money for kids’ craft classes or creative workshops when there are plenty of free fun artistic things to do with kids in L.A.?
Flaunt your good taste when your child flashes a free membership card to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. NEXGen Arts @ LACMA is the nation’s only free museum membership program for children. Membership provides free LACMA admission from birth until age 18. Card-carrying members may also bring an accompanying adult for free visits to the permanent collections and selected special exhibitions.
When you visit LACMA, you can get a free Art Tote on loan for the day, filled with touch objects and hands-on materials to assist children in learning more about art through engaging activities. Check out is free at the Welcome Center Box Office with deposit and valid ID. Available in English and Spanish.
For more free things to do, be sure to stop off at The Boone Children’s Gallery, where families can make make art and learn about brush painting for free. The gallery is located in the Korean Art Galleries, Hammer Building. Pick up a ticket at the LACMA box office.
Prepare for messy and fun art at the Long Beach Museum of Art’s free drop-in Family Artmaking Workshops every third Sunday of the month. Adults and children work together to create artworks inspired by art on display in the museum; workshops are held at the Ralston Family Learning Center and entrance is on a first-come-first-served basis.
To explore the museum for free, come on any Friday when the LBMA offers free admission all day.
Get a leg up on the latest LEGO craze with free mini-build workshops at the LEGO store. It’s first come first serve at each store starting at 5pm the first Tuesday of every month until supplies run out. The models match a monthly theme such as a snowman in January and a Groundhog in February and are not available for purchase. Store locations include the Glendale Galleria.
For crafty kids, Lakeshore Learning, an educational supply company, holds free craft classes for kids ages 3+ at 11 – 3pm every Saturday at every store. Upcoming crafts include a fuzzy wallet, a key holder and a Valentine’s magnetic note holder. Store locations include Northridge, Pasadena and West L.A.
Almost every parent is familiar with the mother of all craft stores — Michael’s. Free workshops for simple kids’ crafts are held almost every Saturday at most Michael’s stores. Sign up on their Get the Knack Website for email announcements about upcoming craft classes and discounts. By signing up you also get a coupon for 40 percent off a regular priced item (some exceptions, like books and magazines).
Got kids who want to be crafty and handy? Both Home Depot and Lowes offer free fun DIY classes for kids. 
At the Home Depot’s free Kids Workshops,kids ages 5 to 12 get to build something that’s useful or educational every second Saturday of the month, 9am – noon. Projects take home their free fun projects such as a toolbox, birdhouse or rain gauge. They also get a free orange Home Depot apron and an achievement pin.
Register for Lowe’s Build and Grow kids’ clinics held on select Saturdays each month. Kids get to build a cool wooden project such as a tic-tac-toe board or jewelry older. Each participant also receives a free apron, goggles, a project themed patch and a merit certification upon completion of their project.
