Being Savvy: Activities, things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in San Francisco, CA

Lions, Tigers and Huge, Hungry Gorillas

by Mike Adamick

Until I met a good friend, who used to be a naturalist, I always went to the zoo with one thing in mind: see it all. He showed me that it's much more fun to find one or two or three special spots and just hang out as long as the kids want. (You try dragging them away from the meerkats and prairie dogs!)But now I go him one better. We like to arrive a few minutes before the 10 a.m. opening time ... Read more >

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Little Explorers: Land's End

by Mike Adamick

Every once in a while my 2-year-old daughter, Emmeline, will latch onto a particular phrase or song and not let go for days and days at a time. Last week, it was "American Pie." A few weeks before that, it was the Golden Gate Bridge. She wanted to see it, read about it, touch it, sing songs about it and, if I had let her, go back to the 1930s and help build it. The kid was obsessed.So I was ... Read more >

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Chopstick Bird Houses Make Takeout Fun

by Mike Adamick

Well, maybe not as fun as the sweet deliciousness that is garlic noodles with pan-seared shrimp, but still pretty fun -- and a whole lot more eco-friendly.OK, I am blatantly stealing this -- untested -- from Apartment Therapy, because while the idea looks fantastic for adults, I'm guessing it will be even better for kids. But it basically involves building a simple bird house from those ... Read more >

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Randall Museum: A Savvy classic pick

by Mike Adamick

Everyone in the city probably knows about the little gem called the Randall Museum, but just in case there's a few people who haven't heard, let me fill you in: It. is. magnificent. If you've got a kid in the house, you need to visit Randy.There are puzzles and games for toddlers to older kids, birds, bees and animals for kids of any age, and also some pretty neat classes on everything from ... Read more >

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What's that bug? A garden reference tool

by Mike Adamick

Yesterday's post about the San Francisco botanical garden got me thinking of all the time we spend in our backyard garden and just how little I know about all the bugs we find. Emmeline likes to turn over rocks and pick up even the nastiest looking creatures I will turn up my nose at -- but she seems to love it all.Well, I found an interesting web site that I'm passing along to give parents a ... Read more >

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Museumette: Sea Lions and The Marine Mammal Center Interpretive Center at Pier 39

by Graham Charles

Maybe you have relatives visiting you and they need to see a mall. Or maybe you've got a kid who loves to watch animals. Or maybe you have a hankering for some serious carnival food. (Mini donuts? Anyone? Anyone?) Or -- and this is what happens to me -- you've got all three at the same time! If so, pack up the relations and the kids and head down to Pier 39. You can grab your fried dough ... Read more >

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