# Things to do with kids in Santa Ana, CA

> 15 upcoming family events and 2 places and ongoing programs in Santa Ana, CA (Orange County, CA), in the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim area. Listings whose address is in this town. Dates and times are Pacific Time. Today is Sat, Oct 24.

Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Oct 24, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about
Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-10-24), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/santa-ana-ca

## Events ahead

- [Boo at the Zoo at the Santa Ana Zoo](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/boo-at-the-zoo-at-the-santa-ana-zoo--listing-dab4419b2581c3c89b4c5573) — Sat, Oct 24 (+1 more date) · 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM · Santa Ana Zoo · All ages · Paid · checked Oct 20. The Santa Ana Zoo's evening Halloween festival, billed as 'OC's Premier Halloween Event for Kids!', is a 'Merry not Scary' trick-or-treat night for young children. Kids collect…
- [Jerome Recreation Center Spooktacular (Santa Ana)](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/jerome-recreation-center-spooktacular-santa-ana--listing-2d8825350ac6c22b8e46d325) — Sat, Oct 24 · 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM · Jerome Recreation Center, Santa Ana · All ages · Free · checked Oct 14. Spooky afternoon at the Jerome Recreation Center with a costume contest, haunted house, contract class performances and resource booths. Free and open to all ages; sign up online.
- [Pumpkin Palooza at Discovery Cube OC](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/pumpkin-palooza-at-discovery-cube-oc--listing-57fd1bc8fdd191538ca96fc7) — Sat, Oct 24 (+3 more dates) · 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM · Discovery Cube Orange County, Santa Ana · All ages · Paid · checked Oct 14. Halloween festival presented by OC Waste & Recycling: Jack-O-Lynn dance parties mixing current hits and Halloween favorites, an interactive pumpkin maze (Pumpkin Paths) teaching…
- [Santa Ana Main Library Reopening Ribbon Cutting and Celebration](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/santa-ana-main-library-reopening-ribbon-cutting-and-celebration--listing-3e484a423c42882a1a445924) — Sat, Oct 24 · 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM · Santa Ana Main Library · checked Oct 14. Ribbon-cutting at 11 a.m. celebrating the reopening of the Main Library, with special performances and activities afterward. The renovated library has a new interactive…
- [Creepy Cubist Creations: family art workshop at Bowers Museum](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/creepy-cubist-creations-family-art-workshop-at-bowers-museum--listing-08818616174eb2eee09604c2) — Sun, Oct 25 · 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM · Bowers Museum (John M. Lee Court), Santa Ana · From $15 · checked Oct 24. A Halloween-week family artmaking session at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, led by art instructor Erna van Dyk. Inspired by Cubist art and the iconic Frankenstein monster…
- [Día de los Muertos: Magic of the Altars (Santa Ana)](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/dia-de-los-muertos-magic-of-the-altars-santa-ana--listing-e52149a562c96573e81b79b6) — Fri, Oct 30 · 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM · Roosevelt Walker Community Center, Santa Ana · All ages · Free · checked Oct 14. An afternoon of art, games and cultural traditions to celebrate life and remember loved ones: create your own offerings and visit the altar created by the city's Parks…
- [Bowers' Books for Kids: Storytime in the Galleries (Halloween storytime with Judy Campbell-Smith)](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/bowers-books-for-kids-storytime-in-the-galleries-halloween-storytime-w--listing-be2b8f4e757304426c59312b) — Sat, Oct 31 (+2 more dates) · 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM · Bowers Museum, Santa Ana · Free · checked Oct 14. Halloween storytime in John M. Lee Court with author Judy Campbell-Smith, who reads Ice Cream Everywhere: Sweet Stories from Around the World. Reading in the galleries is…
- [Día de los Muertos Family Festival at Bowers Museum](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/dia-de-los-muertos-family-festival-at-bowers-museum--listing-757e88755b1aeaf2a9f80e18) — Sun, Nov 1 · 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM · Bowers Museum (Key Courtyard), Santa Ana · Free · checked Oct 14. Free family festival in the Key Courtyard honoring loved ones who have passed, through music, dance, art and traditional foods. Guests may bring a photo of a departed loved one…
- [Pumpkins with Purpose: Impact Event](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/pumpkins-with-purpose-impact-event--listing-0883d6d19011434bca81afaf) — Sun, Nov 1 · 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM · Discovery Cube Orange County, Santa Ana · With admission · checked Oct 14. Give your Halloween pumpkin a second life at Discovery Cube Orange County's annual Pumpkins With Purpose composting event. Drop off pumpkins for composting, learn why composting…
- [Music and Movement family program at Bowers Museum](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/music-and-movement-family-program-at-bowers-museum--listing-067455f91cbcf781c6be0a2c) — Sat, Nov 14 (+1 more date) · 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM · Bowers Museum, Santa Ana · Free · checked Oct 14. Interactive family program on the second Saturday of every month that inspires learning through music, storytelling and creative play. Each session, led by a Bowers Museum…
- [Bowers Museum Ceramics Fair](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/bowers-museum-ceramics-fair--listing-030d5f0f92eab91a162349d0) — Sun, Nov 15 · 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM · Bowers Museum, Santa Ana · All ages · Free · checked Oct 14. All-day celebration of ceramics in the Courtyard and Key Courtyard, held with the featured Picasso ceramics exhibition. A marketplace of ceramics, live artist demonstrations…
- [Cubebotics Club: Pet Hamster with Micro:bit at Discovery Cube OC](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/cubebotics-club-pet-hamster-with-micro-bit-at-discovery-cube-oc--listing-875a0a6e8845802a2c561868) — Sun, Nov 15 · 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM · Discovery Cube Orange County, Santa Ana · With admission · checked Oct 20. Cubebotics Club is Discovery Cube Orange County's hands-on robotics, coding and AI program for kids in grades 1 through 6, built around collaborative challenges, rotating…
- [OC Sensory Friendly Mornings at Discovery Cube](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/oc-sensory-friendly-mornings-at-discovery-cube--listing-ee33a6c41444e5cf8a879f11) — Sun, Nov 15 (+1 more date) · 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM · Discovery Cube Orange County, Santa Ana · Paid · checked Oct 14. Discovery Cube Orange County opens early on the third Sunday of each month for a sensory-friendly visit for guests with sensory needs, with supports such as sensory-friendly maps…
- [Plaza Navideña with Tree Lighting (Santa Ana)](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/plaza-navidena-with-tree-lighting-santa-ana--listing-4211664606d81a948c269557) — Sat, Nov 21 · 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM · Plaza Calle Cuatro, Santa Ana · All ages · Free · checked Oct 14. Annual holiday kickoff at Plaza Calle Cuatro with community resources, local vendors, arts and crafts, live entertainment, photos with Santa and a tree lighting ceremony.
- [International Winter Holidays Family Festival at Bowers Museum](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/international-winter-holidays-family-festival-at-bowers-museum--listing-b9eb06bbf5d072b41d5a733f) — Sun, Dec 6 · 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM · Bowers Museum (Key Courtyard), Santa Ana · Free · checked Oct 14. Free family festival in the Key Courtyard celebrating Hanukkah, Las Posadas and Kwanzaa through music, dance and cultural activities, with a performance of The Nutcracker by…

## Places and ongoing programs

- [Creekside Storytime at the Santiago Creek ECO Center](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/creekside-storytime-at-the-santiago-creek-eco-center--listing-172bb3138b88bef0546a7951) — First and third Monday of each month, 10:30–11:00 a.m. · Santiago Creek ECO Center (Santa Ana Zoo) · Free · checked Oct 24. The Santa Ana Zoo's education team runs a free outdoor storytime at the Santiago Creek ECO Center on the first and third Monday of each month. Children gather in the sunshine for…
- [Nature Journaling Club at the Santiago Creek ECO Center](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/nature-journaling-club-at-the-santiago-creek-eco-center--listing-18437d859773a096ff4f6182) — Second and fourth Sunday of each month, 1:30–2:30 p.m. · Santiago Creek ECO Center (Santa Ana Zoo) · All ages · Free · checked Oct 24. The Santa Ana Zoo's free Nature Journaling Club meets at the Santiago Creek ECO Center on the second and fourth Sunday of each month, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Participants explore…

## Recently ended

- [Harvest Festival at El Salvador Park (Santa Ana)](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/harvest-festival-at-el-salvador-park-santa-ana--listing-fcd6afd6cc9dbd7b20ced1ae) — ended Fri, Oct 23
- [SAPD Trunk or Treat (Santa Ana)](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/sapd-trunk-or-treat-santa-ana--listing-684cb1eac46f1ebf3ca754e9) — ended Thu, Oct 22
- [Memorial Park Aquatic Center Ribbon Cutting and Tours (Santa Ana)](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/activities/memorial-park-aquatic-center-ribbon-cutting-and-tours-santa-ana--listing-83aba881b470224a5472dd99) — ended Sat, Oct 17

## Nearby

- [Things to do with kids in Orange County, CA](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/counties/orange-county-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/counties/orange-county-ca.md)
- Other towns in Orange County, CA: [Irvine, CA](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/irvine-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/irvine-ca.md), [Costa Mesa, CA](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/costa-mesa-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/costa-mesa-ca.md), [Newport Beach, CA](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/newport-beach-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/newport-beach-ca.md), [Anaheim, CA](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/anaheim-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/anaheim-ca.md), [Dana Point, CA](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/dana-point-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/dana-point-ca.md), [Orange, CA](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/orange-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/orange-ca.md), [Laguna Beach, CA](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/laguna-beach-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/laguna-beach-ca.md), [Fullerton, CA](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/fullerton-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/fullerton-ca.md), [Newport Coast, CA](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/newport-coast-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/newport-coast-ca.md), [Brea, CA](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/brea-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/brea-ca.md), [Buena Park, CA](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/buena-park-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/buena-park-ca.md), [Laguna Niguel, CA](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/laguna-niguel-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/laguna-niguel-ca.md), [Tustin, CA](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/tustin-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/tustin-ca.md), [Fountain Valley, CA](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/fountain-valley-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/fountain-valley-ca.md), [Lake Forest, CA](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/lake-forest-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/lake-forest-ca.md), [San Juan Capistrano, CA](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/san-juan-capistrano-ca) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/towns/san-juan-capistrano-ca.md)
- [Things to do with kids in Los Angeles](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles.md)
- [This weekend in Los Angeles](https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/this-weekend) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/los-angeles/this-weekend.md)

Town pages are listed once a town has 3 current listings, county pages at 10.