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

St. Patty's Day Specials!

by VDog

March 17, 2009

A few local places are having some Saint Patrick's Day Specials:

This Little Piggy

All merchandise in the store that has even a spot of green on it (not including sales tags) is 17% off, even brand new piggy merchandise!

Don't forget -- every Wednesday they have free art activities! 10am-6pm free coloring, cutting, drawing activities for 2-10 year olds, including free piggy shaped cookies!

4th Street, Berkeley
510-981-1411

 Sadie Dey's Cafe (fka Tumble & Tea)

 Get $1 off admission when you dress your kid in green!

Plus Mother's Helper's hours from 10am-2pm, Spanish Storytime with Miguel from 10-10:30am & Singalong time with Nanci & Friends from 11:30am-12noon.

 4210 Telegraph Ave, Oakland
510-601-7378

Habitot

Special activities to celebrate Saint Patrick:
The Shamrock Ceilidh Band will perform traditional Irish folk music from 10:30 am-12:00 pm. Throughout the morning, hunt for “gold” throughout the museum, make potato prints and grass baskets in the Art Studio, listen to Irish folktales, and at 12:00 pm, sample green shamrock cookies and punch.

Print out this coupon to get in for $1 off the regular admission!

2065 Kittredge Street, Berkeley
510-647-1111

Curious George Discovery Beach

by VDog

March 16, 2009

I recently had the opportunity to review the "I Can Do That" game, "Curious George Discovery Beach."

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.

Best Indoor Play Places for a Winter's Day

by VDog

January 20, 2009

Sadly the extremely short lived Blue Sky Family Club leaves us one less place to go when it is dreary out. But have no fear! There are still great places to take the tots when the weather outside is frightful. Some of my favorites: Sadiey Dey's Play Cafe (formerly Tumble & Tea): I know some may disagree with me, but Sadie Dey's is at the top of my list  Read more...

try it tomorrow: inauguration day activity

by VDog

January 19, 2009

I found these great printable coloring pages of President Obama and the First Family on www.election-trends.com . Print some out and spend some time talking to your children about Presidential history, President Obama's historic election, the changes facing America in this new economy, or your own political ideas. Hopefully once you get the kids set up and started, you can sit back, relax,  Read more...

Stuck inside? Make a gingerbread house!

by VDog

December 19, 2008

A good blog friend of mine, Red Lotus Mama , shares this fun and (relatively) easy indoor, holiday-appropriate activity with us: Growing up creating a gingerbread house was never part of my family's holiday traditions. It always looked like a fun activity to do and decided to make it a tradition with my daughter. I am not a baker (or a cook), not because I can't, because I choose not to. I  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...

5 Awesome Toys (That Make Great Presents)

by VDog

December 02, 2008

Five awesome toys (and DVD's) to consider for your holiday bounty: LeapFrog Letter Factory DVD's To be fair, we only have ONE of the DVD's in this five pack, but let me tell you, it is a HUGE hit with both me and the kid. Developmentally, the "Letter Factory" DVD is right on for my two year old, and after the first viewing, he knew that the "T" says "tuh." This video is not  Read more...

"Tea" is for Teddy

by Whitney Moss

November 10, 2008

When I read about the Teddy Bear Tea event at the Ritz Carlton in San Francisco, with it's fireside storytime, teddy bear-shaped cookies, and $80 per person price tag, I thought, "sounds nice for the Bugaboo set." For the rest of us, however, I am certain we can make our own fun with teddies and tea. The Buttercream Cafe at 841 San Pablo Avenue offers a fancy-feeling crossiant and tea  Read more...

A love letter to Studio Grow

by Whitney Moss

October 01, 2008

A little voice in the back of my head has been nagging me about how I have not given enough love to Studio Grow on this blog. I LOVE STUDIO GROW! Do you hear me? Studio Grow, located in Berkeley on 10th Street and Gilman, is an indoor play space for kids 0-6. You pay for yourself and your child(ren), but babies under 1 are free and a second adult is free. How do I love thee, Studio Grow? Let  Read more...

Quiet time activity: Beading

by Whitney Moss

June 11, 2008

My friend Lisa who has three little boys in San Francisco recently discovered that the joy of beading can be shared with friends. "The other day I ordered some plastic string and tons of beads from Discount School Supply , and even though I have boys they've had a lot of fun stringing the beads and wearing their creations. It was also a nice activity when friends came over and they could take  Read more...

Budding art critic: enjoy your day at BAM

by Heather Gibbs Flett

June 02, 2008

I took my 3 month old to Berkeley's BAMPFA and we had a fine time, I strolled him around, he fussed a little, napped a little then we had a cafe lunch. Taking a preschooler to a fine art museum is a whole different animal. You have to make it interesting for them. What about a little scavenger hunt? (Heck, If I call grocery shopping a "scavenger hunt," that usually works, so why not for a  Read more...

Five rainy day destinations in the near East Bay

by Heather Gibbs Flett

May 27, 2008

When the long rainy seasons starts, you better know where your hide-outs are going to be. I want to share five of my go-to spots with you and invite you to share yours right back. Studio Grow in Berkeley : vast indoor playspace with light snacks and many rooms to explore. Yep, it gets crowded during the rainy season so parking might be a problem. Hours and rates at StudioGrow.com . El Cerrito  Read more...