LA Kids Beach Cleanup Brings Families Together Sunday

Hundreds of young environmental stewards will gather at Dockweiler Beach this Sunday to celebrate Earth Day while making a real difference for ocean health.

Los Angeles County officials and environmental groups are hosting their annual Kids Beach Cleanup on April 12 from 9 a.m. to noon. The free event welcomes families to Dockweiler Beach in Playa del Rey, where children can learn about protecting marine ecosystems while taking direct action to clean the coastline.

Young volunteers will start their day at the Dockweiler Youth Center at 12505 Vista del Mar, where they'll check in and grab cleanup supplies. From there, they'll spread across the beach to collect trash and participate in educational activities designed to show how small actions create big impacts.

The event goes beyond simple trash pickup. Families can explore a traveling tide pool experience that brings ocean creatures up close, teaching kids about the marine life they're helping to protect. An arts and crafts station hosted by the reDiscover Center will let children turn their conservation lessons into creative projects.

Educational booths will teach families about coastal resiliency and the importance of proper waste disposal. These hands-on learning stations transform beach cleanup into an adventure where every piece of trash removed becomes a teaching moment about ocean health.

The Ripple Effect

Events like this create environmental advocates who last a lifetime. When children experience the satisfaction of protecting nature firsthand, they carry those values into adulthood and share them with friends and family. One morning of beach cleanup can spark decades of environmental stewardship.

The organizers have made participation simple. Registered volunteers will receive parking passes via email during the week before the event, and the cleanup happens rain or shine. No special skills required, just a willingness to spend a few hours making the world a little cleaner.

These young volunteers are proving that age is no barrier to environmental action.