Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in oakland, CA

50 Things to Do Before Your Child Goes to School (Kindergarten, That Is)

by VDog

February 24, 2009

Roughly. A lot of these are great activities for your older kids, too!

This list was compiled over several blog posts by our former Being Savvy Editor, Heather Gibbs Flett. You can still catch her daily at RookieMoms.com! 

1. Children's Fairyland: trippy and bizarre unless you grew up here and remember it fondly from your childhood. Whoa, they even offer a sleepover.

2. East Bay Vivarium: stinky and warm homage to all things reptilian right off Fourth St. in Berkeley.

3. Pumpkin patch (which one's the best? I've heard good things about Clayton Valley?)

4. Little Farm at Tilden Park: wonderful, free working farm. Bring celery or lettuce to feed the animals.

5. Pottery painting at Brushstrokes: work together to make a keepsake gift and have fun getting all painty.

6. Sand castle building contest: play or watch in Alameda in June each year (this year, it's June 7th).

7. Ashkenaz for the kids' music series: we saw Hot Buttered Rum here and my son got hooked on their foot-stomping bluegrass. Plus the venue is a Berkeley institution.

8. The Oakland Museum of Children's Art, MOCHA: free for gallery visits and has an awesome Drop-In Art Studio for kids between ages 18 months and 5 years for $7.

9. Ferry to San Francisco: hop on the ferry at Jack London Square

10. Sketch for ice cream: whether you're pro-sugar or anti-sugar, this place is a real treat. Don't your kids deserve sustainable, organic, deliciousness? Yum.

11. Alameda Flea Market: first Sundays of each month at the former naval air station. Miles of wandering with very little shade, but an amazing trip for a little one. Bring water and a healthy snack or two.

12. Visit the Berkeley Rose Garden: meandering paths, stunning views of SF, and roses of all hue. An antidote to the flea market.

13. BART trip to anywhere: gas prices are so high, you'll want to do this without my suggestion

14. Watch an all ages movie at the Parkway or Cerrito Theaters - snuggle up on couches and enjoy being together as well as watching a show. Check the schedule for weekend all ages shows.

15. Berkeley or Oakland Farmers Market: there are so many good ones, you should pick the closest or most convenient time, then enjoy a snack together.

16. Lawrence Hall of Science: Great little kids area, many hands-on exhibits, and ample outdoor space. Worth a membership. My experiences with the younger scientist on RookieMoms.

17. March (or tricycle) in a Parade. The Pride parade (this weekend) is in SF: join the family fun with a group from the Discovery Museum. Or find a spot to watch from the sidelines. And we'll cover the Solano stroll as it happens. Otherwise, you're just on the receiving end of all those flying candies. Better to be in the action, right?

18. Fireworks: let your kid stay up late to watch the fireworks. We'll be taking our boys to the Berkeley Marina show. In earplugs.

19. Walk around Lake Merritt: Good luck to you! This jewel of Oakland has a 3.4 mile circumference.

20. Go to Berkeley Family Camp: Find a couple days or a weeks to make this tradition your family vacation.

21. Rock out at a Baby Loves Disco Party: You decide far east bay or the big city depending on where you live. I vote SF to relive my glory days and ride the BART.

22. Ride the (real) rails: Amtrak wherever you want or follow my tips for a fun daytrip to Martinez.

23. Circus class at Ha Ha This a way: he'll learn how to juggle and I'll refine my trapeze act, right?

24. Climb Indian Rock: Tucked away in the paths through the hills, reward your little climber with a treat at the top. Follow my tips and mini history lesson or just wing it.

25. Plant a garden: big or small, something edible so they can learn where real food comes from. I'll share my dirty experiences soon!

26. Brunch at Wat Mongkolratanaram, Berkeley's Thai Buddhist temple: At Russell St and Martin Luther King Jr. near the Tool Lending Library, monks invite the public to sit on the lawn and eat delicious and bountiful Thai food. I can't wait to try this! [helpful article in Berkeley Daily Planet]

27. Visit BAM: take your little art critic to Berkeley's Art Museum and ascertain MOMA-readiness.

28. Preschooler yoga class at Yogalayam: Namaste!

29. Wander through the Edible Schoolyard: living history and another great lesson in food!

30. Enjoy story time at N Berkeley Library: N. Berkeley has Whitney's favorite story times. Which one do you like best?

31. Captain's Cottage for High Tea for little princes and princesses in training. Recommended by a fellow preschool mom of 4. Her just-three-year-old enjoyed this place's charms and behaved the whole time.

32. Berkeley Kite Festival (pictured, my husband - photo by me). We loved this festival for our one- and three-year-olds. Responding to the excitement and peer pressure, we bought the Octopus Kite so we'd have something to fly. If at all possible, bike to the festival and avoid the traffic and parking scene.

33. Ice skating in Alameda where the groovy surface is slick without the cold. Cool. Can't wait to try it.

34. Funky sleep over at the Zoo or Fairyland for a change. Good for the over-four set. We'll have to do it next year.

35. Daytrip to SF Giants game and fan lot. Fun for baseball lovers and baseball haters.

36. Visit the USS Hornet for a climbing history lesson. Anyone done this with their kids yet?

37. Bike the Ohlone greenway

38. Pick fruit from neighboring trees and make a tart or pie

39. Visit the fab waterpark swimming pools in Antioch or San Ramon

40. Oakland A's game

41. Boogie through lunch at Cheeseboard Pizza, bring your tipping money

42. Parents' Night Out at Dig's bistro

43. Venture to the Discovery Museum in San Rafael

44. Ride out to Sonoma's Train town

45. Head to Chapel of chimes during a concert

46. Cheer for the Oakland Warriors

46. Go to the pet wash at Telegraph and Alcatraz and watch for sudsing pooches

47. Swing out for a party or take a class at Trapeze Arts

48. Pass the day away at the amazing indoor playspace of Studio Grow

49. Cal Berkeley football game while they're still young enough to dress like a mascot

50. Ardenwood Farm in Fremont -- draft horses pull a train car, kids can help feed the sheep and the chickens, and they offer many seasonal special activities.

Fun Holiday Activities, Children's Museum Style

by VDog

December 09, 2008

Want to make holiday memories with your child(ren), but don't want the mess in your own house? Try these: Habitot Make-Your-Own Gingerbread House Workshops December 11 - 17; 10:00 am & 11:00 am sessions Habitot is throwing a decorate your own take-home gingerbread house with icing, candy, and other sweets workshop! Call Liz at (510) 647-1111 x17 to reserve your spot.  Read more...

Read Any Good Books Lately?

by VDog

December 04, 2008

Tired of your same old books? Looking for something new to you and them? Try out one of these...they are sure to be a hit. Touch & Feel Fire Engine We have a few of the "Touch and Feel" series books, and they are all big hits, even 1 years after first purchase. This one is sure to be a hit with toddler and preschoolers who are obsessed with all 'things that go!' I love that these  Read more...

Blue Sky Family Club: with coupon!

by Heather Gibbs Flett

October 10, 2008

The Blue Sky Family Club is your healthy alternative to Chucky Cheese. Or it's your new rainy day go-to spot. Tucked away in the Emeryville Public Market, there is a playhouse with dress-up costumes, a small climbing structure, vast art area (4 tables with different projects going), climbing wall for big kids, and a changeable area with big mats, balls, and zooming little cars. And did I  Read more...

Fun recap: clowns, trains, and beads

by Heather Gibbs Flett

September 30, 2008

I wanted to go to the wayback savvy-machine and scare up a few fun activities. Here are five cool places and activities that you might not already know about: Awesome all-day (or pre-nap) adventure: great train ride to Martinez . This isn't on our personal plans until Spring, but you don't need to wait. Fantastic spot for tiny green thumbs: Edible Schoolyard . Who wants to join me? Favorite  Read more...

Weekend fun: Blue Sky or Stroll?

by Heather Gibbs Flett

September 12, 2008

Whitney and I are joining a few other families for a camping adventure this weekend. Each family has a preschooler and a younger baby (Milo at 18 1/2 months is the oldest by a week). Wish us luck! While we are away, you can enjoy two fantastic events this weekend. If you plan carefully enough, you can make it to both: Solano Stroll: Fun day-long parade and festival. Last year, the kid's area  Read more...

Weekend fun: Renegade, Beasts, or Doof?

by Heather Gibbs Flett

July 11, 2008

Two fantastic events will have you hopping in the car for a daytrip this weekend and one more that's close to home for breakfast on Saturday with the elephants. Have you heard about Doof-a-Palooza? It is an amazing fun food fair for kids at Google's Mountain View Campus this weekend and I'm so bummed to miss it! With a focus on kids making good food so kids will eat good foods -- I love it!  Read more...

The short attention span Picasso must visit MOCHA

by Whitney Moss

May 16, 2008

Not up for dealing with a lot of clean up from paint, glue, glitter and all that goes with it? Try MOCHA in Oakland. Your child can do all of it and none will get on your carpet. (Except the glitter that follows him home in the cuff of his pants. Watch out for that.) The drop-in art studio at the Museum of Children's Art costs $7 per child to enjoy. It's open from 10-5 Tuesday through Friday.  Read more...