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

Mother's Day 2009

by Michael Rohde

May 06, 2009

I have to give Sunday Streets continual props. The first one of the year was a blast. We went down to AT&T Park, ran the bases, played ball in the Fan Lot, and then walked over to the playground and a grassy field, which is about a block away. Sponsors had hula hoops and catch-and-throw toys spread out. It was hilarious to see my little two-year old trying to hula. She had no trouble getting inside the hoop and picking it up, but it was far too big for her to start swinging her hips. Gotta hand it to her for trying though!

I bring Sunday Streets up because on May 10 they will be back at it again along the Waterfront route in the Southeast Sector of the city. The route highlights the San Francisco Bay Trail, which is celebrating its 20th Anniversary. The route starts at AT&T Park, stretches to the Bayview Opera House, and then finishes at India Basin (details).

If you’re still looking for something to do today, don’t forget that the Bay Area Discovery Museum offers free admission on the first Wednesday of every month (yep, that’s today).

Koret Museum Days
BADM is participating in Koret Museum Days, which means on Sunday May 10, admission is free of charge. Seventeen other museums and varied locations are participating, including the Exploratorium, the SF Museum of Modern Art, and the SF Zoo (full list of locations).

That’s all good for Mom Day, but what about Saturday? Don't worry, there’s stuff to do then as well:

Richmond District Family Fun Days
The Richmond Village Beacon is presenting a carnival event with resource booths, food, and games for every member of the family! This event is free and open to the public (details).

Baby Loves Disco (in my wife's words, "geez, this is expensive!")
If your baby/toddler/kid loves to dance the afternoon away, and you don't mind dropping $18/per person at the door (that's $72 for a family of four), then Baby Loves Disco is where you need to be heading on Saturday.

AT&T Park and the Return of Sunday Streets

by Michael Rohde

April 07, 2009

Play Ball! The San Francisco Giants opened their season today by defeating the Milwaukee Brewers at AT&T Park. The day began with wet weather and it was starting to look hit-and-miss if the game was going to take place at all. Luckily, the rain lifted and the tarp was removed from the field about an hour before the first pitch was thrown. It's always fun to attend a baseball game, but there's something magical about attending opening day.

AT&T Park is an excellent place to take your little ones. Not only is the allure of baseball present, but there's the Coca-Cola Fan Lot and Lou Seal is always good for a sighting. The Fan Lot consists of a huge slide and an area where the kids can hit balls and run the bases. It's always jam-packed in there, so it's best to arrive early when things are still quiet.

In related news, Sunday Streets returns to San Francisco on April 26 (one day after the March for Babies walk). Sunday Streets made its SF debut last year and we happily participated in the activities. If you're not sure what Sunday Streets is, here's a bit of info taken from their email announcement, "Over ten thousand people turned out on each of two Sundays [last year] to enjoy the car free open space. We walked, skated, danced, biked and hula hooped along the 4.5 mile waterfront route with friends and neighbors, supporting local businesses along the way. We heard from many people who loved it and want to see it continue."

This year, Sunday Streets has dates scheduled throughout the summer. Their web site is still lacking any details on the activities, but if they open up the ballpark again and allow us to run the bases, then we are definitely there! We did that last year and it was one of the most surreal experiences being on the field, running the bases, and looking up into the stands. It's something that you simply cannot miss. Plus, they had the Fan Lot open, and because we got there early we practically had the place to ourselves, which was another surreal experience.

Checking out Sunday Streets and AT&T Park are two San Francisco experiences that can't be beat.

Parents Entertaining Parents in San Francisco

by Graham Charles

September 16, 2008

The list handed down from Savvy headquarters today is "things to do with other grownups, with or without kids in tow." I found this a tricky one to compile for a bunch of reasons, not least that I don't really know much about being a grownup. Still, I am very social, so I threw together five of my favorite San Francisco adult-oriented destinations -- no, we'd better call them  Read more...

Giants Fan Lot Open All Year

by Mike Adamick

July 09, 2008

I'm a huge fan of baseball and rather militant anti-TV parent, but I do make an exception every now and then. But usually only when it comes to baseball. If the Giants are playing an afternoon game, I'll haul my daughter on the couch and try to teach her the finer points of the game. Which is to say, we both usually get a nice sun-warmed afternoon nap. Most of the Giants games are played right  Read more...