William S. Hart Ranch and Museum offers not only great scenery and old-fashioned cowboy atmosphere (after all, it was the former home of silent screen star William Hart), it also offers a small barnyard and buffalo to please the little ones. The ranch house itself might be mostly hands-off for little fingers, but for tykes who enjoy seeing animals up close, this is a nice place to visit. Just bring lots of water, because it's hot in this desert location.

Pillow Theatre, which performs interactive, kid-friendly shows at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, invites kids to get comfortable on a small pillow and watch as actors work their magic in plays such as "Jemima Puddle-duck." Performances are free, and there is an accompanying visual-arts workshop at every show.

Sometimes parents enjoy just sitting down to watch a new movie on the big screen without living in fear of getting shushed or worse. Luckily, moms and dads can take even their youngest children to the Los Feliz 3 Cinemas for a Mommy & Me Matinee. Kids arrive in strollers or on shoulders, but no one gets upset if they walk around or talk to the screen. Plus, kids under 4 are free.

It's hard to believe a major metropolitan art museum could be kid-friendly, but the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is exactly that. The museum boasts a NexGen program that grants free membership to young people ages 17 and under. That membership also allows them to bring a guest for free. Also, the Boone Children's Gallery invites children to explore art on their own terms. And no one gets upset about the mess.

Sure, school-age children enjoy eyeballing a cowboy exhibit or two, but what about energetic toddlers who are used to more hands-on entertainment? Luckily the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum offers tyke activities such as panning for gold, playing dress-up and pretending to run a restaurant. This is no stuffy, hands-off museum, which is great.