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.

Do It This Weekend: January 24 & 25

by VDog

January 21, 2009

Octopretzel Live & In Concert! Super fun kid's music band Octopretzel will be playing a concert at Studio Grow in Berkeley, Saturday the 24th at 10am. Check out their music on their MySpace page . Admission $7. Don't miss it! Songs & Puppets at SadieDey's Cafe Included with admission this Saturday morning are two fun activities -- Songs on Guitar with Ira from 10:30am-11am and  Read more...

Last Minute Holiday Fun - A Theatre Outing!

by VDog

December 05, 2008

I still own a very worn copy of The Velveteen Rabbit and love to look at it from time to time and wonder when my son will be patient enough for me to read it to him. For the rest of you (with older kids) and those of you sporting enough to take a toddler to a theatre performance, you still have a chance to see it live on stage! Weekend shows at 1pm and 4pm Saturday, 2pm Sunday.  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...

Venture to the New Academy of Sciences

by Heather Gibbs Flett

November 05, 2008

Graham from Being Savvy San Francisco (also Doodaddy ) offers 10 great tips for enjoying the New Academy of Sciences with your toddler . Among them: when to go, where to park, and how to dress. According to the website , the new Academy looks stunning if not a little overwhelming. I'm hoping I can convince Graham to join me there and be my tour guide. It will be like a suburban outreach program  Read more...

Do the hula once for me, ok?

by Heather Gibbs Flett

October 14, 2008

This coming Sunday, October 19th at noon is Hula for Families presented by Patrick Makuakane and Na Lei Hulu I Ka Wekiu . Sounds cool, right? N Lei Hulu I Ka Wkiu is a dynamic Hawaiian dance company based in San Francisco. The company features hula as a full theatrical experience that is visually captivating. Its performances are a rich blend of traditional and contemporary  Read more...

Weekend fun: last pancake hike of the season

by Heather Gibbs Flett

October 08, 2008

I love me some pancakes. And I like hiking and gorgeous vistas. Perhaps, EVEN MORE, I like wandering down memory lane and doing awesome Bay Area things. Well, this is exactly the kind of thing that sporty, carefree San Franciscans do on weekend mornings (that bleed into afternoons) when they don't have kids which is why you should definitely take advantage of it!! The West Point Inn in Marin is  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...

Awesome tour: Metropolis Baking Company

by Heather Gibbs Flett

September 22, 2008

If you're a three-year-old, I think one of the best ways you can spend your morning is to visit a bakery. We have been to both Semifreddi's (on Hollis in Emeryville) and Acme (on Cedar and San Pablo in Berkeley) to watch the bakers beat, braid, and bake the dough. The advantage of visiting one of these wonderful commercial bakeries is that you can also choose a loaf and eat their doughy  Read more...

Weekend fun: Devil's Gulch Ranch Family Day

by Heather Gibbs Flett

September 05, 2008

I'm always a fan of further teaching our kids that food doesn't really come from boxes and bags but rather the actual EARTH. I wish I could join my super cool friend Jeanine with her daughter Pepper this Sunday as they hike around and work the land in Marin. Spend a day with your children at Devil's Gulch Ranch , a small, sustainable, diversified farm in the heart of Marin County. Mark and  Read more...

Baseball daytrip: SF Giants Fan Lot

by Heather Gibbs Flett

July 24, 2008

I'm not a baseball fan in any shape or form. Back in my college days, I could sneak in one game a year if the weather was perfect and all my friends were going, but I'm not really in any hurry to find out which of my sons (or gosh, both!!) is going to be the ESPN guy's guy type*. Consequently, we're not very likely to take our kids out to the ball park. Heck, we're still crazy about naps.  Read more...

Summer swimming in San Ramon

by Heather Gibbs Flett

July 14, 2008

Two fabulous pools worth the trip. "It's like real summer out here," said one preschool-mommy-friend. Yesterday, two friends' birthday parties had us missing some of the interesting festivals and feedings this weekend, but we had a great time discovering the sunny hot side of the Far East Bay. Dougherty Valley Aquatic Center : Zero feet to three feet is my son Holden's kind of deep end . A  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...

Three Days In and Around Berkeley + Oakland: Day 2

by Whitney Moss

July 09, 2008

The food in the Bay Area is like no other place. We are food snobs, and we raise our children to be the same. (Ok, there's totally a class thing going on here, but I'm not going to get into that.) The point is, you can not visit Berkeley and miss out on our fresh, local produce, so I'm going to start Day 2 of your vacation at the Temescal Farmer's Market . Park on Hardy Street, a dead ending  Read more...

99 Things You Must Do in the East Bay Before Your Child Grows Up: Part Two

by Heather Gibbs Flett

June 26, 2008

As I said before, I'm a lover of lists and challenges. And I'm ready to increase the challenge level to 30 by offering Part Two in our series of must-do activities and must-go places for children of the near East Bay: 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  Read more...

Kid-friendly art outing: DeYoung Museum in SF

by Whitney Moss

June 13, 2008

Our Bay Area compatriot in Savvy Source blogging, Mike Adamick , enlightened me about the exhibition that's at the DeYoung Museum this weekend: Chihuly at the de Young . (And, thanks to Target, the museum is FREE all weekend long) This is exactly the type of exhibit I look for to enable us to take our preschooler to a museum. I was raised to appreciate art and I want my son to understand the  Read more...

99 things you must do in the East Bay before your child grows up

by Heather Gibbs Flett

May 29, 2008

I love lists, challenges, rules and games so it is with great pleasure that I both try to list all the great things to do with kids in the East Bay and then to DO them all. Please help me create this list. Here are the first 10 places to go with your kid before kindergarten: Children's Fairyland : trippy and bizarre unless you grew up here and remember it fondly from your childhood. Whoa, they  Read more...

An all-day adventure at Tilden Park

by Whitney Moss

May 13, 2008

Tilden Park, one of the jewels of the East Bay, has so much to offer that I hardly know where to start. I seriously considered naming my daughter Tilden , and still have it on a list for an imaginary third child that I don't plan to have. My son, a preschooler with an avid interest in bugs, has just learned about this activity called "hiking" and he's way into it. He loves to wear his tiny  Read more...