Children's Storytimes at Local Ventura County Area Barnes & Noble Locations

Barnes & Noble bookstores offer up some great storytimes for kids at designated times. Below is information about local B&N stores in Ventura County and nearby areas.

Children's Storytime in the Childrens' Department of Barnes & Noble at The Promenade at 160 S Westlake Boulevard, Thousand Oaks on Saturday mornings at 11am and certain other days and time frames. For more information and upcoming events, call 805.446.2820 or visit store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/store/2751.

Children's Storytime at The Commons at Calabasas location, 4735 Commons Way, is on certain Saturday mornings at 11:00 a.m. and periodically Toddler Storytimes are on Thursday mornings at 10am. For more information and upcoming events, call 818.222.0542 or visit store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/store/2054.

Children's Storytimes at the Ventura Gateway, 4820 Telephone Road, Barnes & Noble location vary from some Friday night storytimes at 7pm (geared towards ages 2 to 8), Saturday morning storytimes at 11am and Tuesday morning Toddler Storytimes at 9:30am, but do check first as dates/times can vary! For more information and upcoming events, call 805.339.0990 or visit store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/store/2054.

For other locations and information, visit www.barnesandnoble.com.

Gotta Dance Academy in Simi Valley

Gotta Dance Academy, located at the Simi Valley Town Center, 1555 Simi Town Center Way, #185, provides dancing instruction to ages 18 months to adult. 

Beginning to advanced levels, competitive teams, recreational classes, annual recital, homework room, and large viewing areas with one way viewing.

Visit www.gottadancesimivalley.com or call 805.526.5655 for more information.

Camarillo Public Library

The Camarillo Public Library is located at 4101 Las Posas Road. This is a beautiful, nearly 66,000 sq ft state-of-the-art facility that opened in March 2007.

The library is a two-story building with a bookstore, the Giant Steps Cafe in the front courtyard (805.484.0700) adult literacy facility, community room (capacity of 130 to 200), conference room, technology lab and study rooms.

The library's collection is over 270,000 items, including books, DVDs, music CDs, and audio books on CD and MP3. Your library card gives you access to the Camarillo Digital Library with hundreds of eBooks and Audio Books available on the library's website. The eBooks can be read in numerous formats, including computers, iPhones, iPads, Android devices, etc. The library contains the Russell Fischer Business Collection and the Ventura County Genealogical Society collection

The kids section is quite large, with a cool pirate-themed kids area.

The library is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm (as of January 2022).

The Camarillo Library is an independently run city library that is not part of the Ventura County Library System. However, you can use your Camarillo Public Library card to borrow titles from the Moorpark City Library as well as other partner libraries.

To learn more, visit www.camarillolibrary.org or call 805.388.5222.

Kidspace Children's Museum in Pasadena

Kidspace Children's Museum is an interactive, must see children's museum next to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, located on four acres inside Brookside Park (480 N. Arroyo Boulevard).

Kidspace has over 40 hands-on exhibits, in addition to gardens, arroyo streams, and frequent daily/weekly activities. Designed for kids between 12 months and 12 years old, Kidspace provides children the opportunity to explore the physical, natural and environmental sciences while having a lot of fun. While at Kidspace they can dig for fossils, climb 40 foot towers, see a real bee hive or even start an earthquake.

Visit www.kidspacemuseum.org or call 626.449.9144 for more information. During the months of September through May, the museum is open Tuesday through Friday, 9:30 am to 5 pm and weekends 10 am to 5 pm. Open Mondays from mid-March to early September.

General admission (as of January 2022) is $14.95 for ages one an up. Seniors (62+) are $12.95.

While making the trek to Pasadena with two young kids can be a haul, it is definitely worth it. There are so many things to see and do both inside the museum and in the large outdoor area, your kids will have fun for several hours...climbing, crawling, playing, feeling, discovering, tinkering, etc. The cafeteria has a decent selection of food too and the museum store has a large assortment of neat learning items. And on your way back home in Ventura County, stop by Griffith Park for some kiddie train rides!

Build-a-Bear Workshop - The Oaks Mall

Build-a-Bear Workshop, located on the 2nd floor of The Oaks mall in Thousand Oaks, offers your little ones the ability to customize their own stuffed critters in a very experiential setting.

We've been to several birthday parties at Build-a-Bear (including our own son's 5th birthday party) and the process they take the kids through is enjoyed by all.

Birthday party way back when.

Kids get to choose the bear or other furry creature, add a "sound" or "voice," stuff it, choose a heart, stitch, fluff, name it, receive a birth certificate, dress it and transport the newborn home in a cute cardboard condo. And of course accessorizing the new family member requires follow-up visits. 

This Build-a-Bear Workshop was completely remodeled in 2013.

For more information, visit www.buildabear.com or call 805.449.8704. 

Visit www.buildabear.com/locations?StoreID=72 for store hours.

Moorpark City Library

The Moorpark City Library is an independently run city library located at 699 Moorpark Avenue. It is open 7 days per week (closed major holidays).

Visit www.moorparklibrary.org or call 805.517.6370 for more information.

Anyone in the State of California can obtain a library card for no charge. The Moorpark City Library is not part of the Ventura County Library System, so you will need a separate library card to check out books at other local libraries.

Agoura Hills Library

The Agoura Hills Library first opened on October 27, 2001 in its 17,772 square foot facility at 29901 Ladyface Court. The library is part of the Agoura City Hall Civic Center and well as the County of Los Angeles Public Library System (and thus your library card is can be used at dozens of L.A. County libraries).

The library is located off the Kanan Road exit or Reyes Adobe Road exit from U.S. 101 Freeway on Agoura Road and Ladyface Court. The facility has a copy center, computer center, 2 conference rooms, and a Friends of the Library bookstore & browsing area.

There’s also a household battery recycling site at the library.

Visit lacountylibrary.org/agoura-hills-library or call 818.889.2278 for more information.

As of January 2022, the library is open noon to 8pm Tuesday, 10am to 6pm Tuesday through Saturday and closed Sunday/Monday.

Kids' Activities at Simi Valley Town Center

Click the pic below for a link to information about the outdoor playground, koi pond and train ride at the Simi Valley Town Center!

Kids Club at The Promenade at Westlake

The Kids Club at The Promenade at Westlake takes place on Thursdays from 6-7pm. Free entertainment for kids 10 and under. 

Upcoming Events:

TBA

The Promenade is located at 100 Promenade Way, Westlake Village (southeast corner of Westlake and Thousand Oaks Boulevards). www.shoppromenade.com

Simi Valley Public Library

The Simi Valley Public Library is located at 2969 Tapo Canyon Road. Previously part of the Ventura County Library System, the library became a municipal public library on July 1, 2013.

The library is open 7 days a week, 10am to 8pm Monday through Thursday, 1pm to 5pm on Friday and Sunday and 10am to 5pm on Saturday.

In addition to books and publications, the library has a meeting room, hosts special free events and programs for the community and allows for eBook downloads on its website.

To learn more, visit www.simivalleylibrary.org or call 805.526.1735.