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

Do It This Weekend: February 27, 28, March 1

by VDog

February 26, 2009

Here's some fun activities happening this weekend:

Friday: Get your Crochet on at Sadie Dey's Café! (Formerly known as Tumble & Tea.)

11am-12pm

Learn how to crochet, get help expanding your crochet skills or simply hang out with us!

$15 per person for lessons plus $1.00 off child’s admission to SadieDeys Café

 (Saturday at Sadie Dey's catch Songs on Guitar with Ira from 10:30-11am!)

Saturday: Lawrence Hall of Science

Hit any of the ongoing exhibits or catch this special "Flying High" performance from 1-1:50pm.
From the website: Take an imaginary trip into space. Start the excursion by speeding though a whole day in our planetarium "time machine" and then identifying the Big Dipper. Take off with the launch of a spaceship and learn how things move in space, how astronauts eat food in a weightless environment, and how satellites are put into orbit. Don't worry, you’ll return safe and sound!
Recommended for ages 4-7.

Open 10am-5pm
Adults $11/Seniors & Students $9/Child 3-6 $6/Under 3 FREE

Flying High performance tickets are an extra $3 for Adults over 18 and $2.50 for those under 18. 

Sunday: Lou Donaldson Jazz Matinee at Yoshi's Jack London Square

Get your groove on to Alto Saxophonist Lou Donaldson, guitarist Randy Johnston, drummer Fukushi Tainaka, and organist Akiko Tsuruga.

This is one of my favorite Sunday activities. Grab some Terriyaki and California Rolls before the show or order heavy appetizers and drinks to your table, and enjoy the non-napping activity!

Yoshi's Oakland
2pm
Tickets: $5/Child, $18/Adult with child, $20 General Admission

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.

5 to love, 5 to toss

by VDog

January 06, 2009

Top 5 Things That Matter (to your preschooler) 1. HUGS and love. It's the foundation for personal security. 2. (Loving) Discipline, Rules & Routines. Preschoolers need and LOVE limits and routines. Make sure you set some in place to reinforce their personal security. 3. Outings! Get out of the house and go for a walk (even if it's ten minutes and your kid splashes in ALL the puddles) or hit  Read more...

Scrambling at the last minute

by VDog

December 24, 2008

If you are a procrastinator like me, you may have some last minute shopping to do or have provisions to pick up. Target is open today from 7am-6pm. Elephant Pharmacy is open from 8am-8pm, and there is a printable coupon on their website (or in the mailer you may have received) for $10 off $50 or $25 off $100 purchase. Most grocery stores will be open until at least 3pm. Speaking of Target,  Read more...

Sometimes the best presents are experiences

by VDog

December 16, 2008

This year I have politely requested, 'no stuff' for me or the kiddo. I would guess most of us in the Bay Area have a lot of 'things' for ourselves and our children. We have a tendency to overindulge our children (ok, maybe it's the Grandparent's fault) with abundant toy boxes. But sometimes the best 'things' are not really 'things' at all! They are experiences . Your child(ren) love spending  Read more...

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...

Good Eats: La Val's

by VDog

December 08, 2008

La Val's is primarily a pizza joint that also serves tasty pasta and salads. It's kid friendly because it's off the street and offers a small "subterranean" ampitheatre for kids to run around in before the pizza arrives (provided there's not a show going on). The plain cheese pizza is excellent and kid approved (both my husband and I love it too), the salad with grilled chicken or Greek salad  Read more...

Top 5 Local Holiday Traditions

by VDog

December 02, 2008

If these wonderful activities aren't already a part of your yearly Holiday festivities, I would strongly suggest adding one or two to your repertoire. Kids love doing the same thing year after year, and all of these activities would make great outings for a child to look forward to (and hey, maybe you'll even look forward to it, too!). 1) The Tilden Park Merry Go Round and  Read more...

Holiday Rituals

by Heather Gibbs Flett

December 01, 2008

(from VDog) Tis the season for performing holiday rituals and celebrating family. Whether you light the Menorah or trim the Christmas tree, every family should have some type of holiday ritual. Rituals are a way to mark a time as special and different from the every day, and they are a great way to get the kids involved in holiday festivities. One of my most favorite rituals growing up  Read more...

History in the woods: Berkeley Family Camp!

by Heather Gibbs Flett

June 24, 2008

Two summers ago, when I had young toddler and another kid on the way, I overheard a coworker talking about the magic of Berkeley Family Camp and I was curious. What is this place? Who goes there? Should I be going there? And now I'm ready to share the answers! It is a perfect way to introduce your preschooler to not only camping and bugs but also a rich history of Berkeley family traditions.  Read more...