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

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...

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...

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...

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...