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

Stern Grove, Beach Chalet, and the Sports Basement

by Michael Rohde

July 09, 2009

Hello Moms and Dads (there is at least one Dad out there that reads this, right?). My apologies for being absent these past few days, things are hectic right now with the move coming up next week, and between packing and daily life the blog took a backseat. Come to think of it, I should write a post about packing for a move with toddlers involved. Believe it or not, my kids got super excited helping me box up some of their toys. My intention was not to pack their toys, but rather some odds and ends on a shelf; they saw me doing it and immediately started throwing toys in the box. I don’t think they realized they won’t see those toys again for a week, but they sure did enjoy throwing them in the box. But I digress… This post is about weekend activities.

I believe in giving credit where credit is due…thanks to my beautiful, loving, and helpful wife for finding a few things to do around town…that you may or may not be aware of.

We love Ocean Beach Family Concerts at the Park Chalet
July 11th and 25th from 3pm-5pm, bring the family to Park Chalet and enjoy great, kid-friendly, live Music and support Ocean Beach.

Kids Stage at Stern Grove
From 12:00 until 1pm before every concert each season, kids of all ages are invited to participate in hands-on arts projects and programs at KidStage in the West Meadow. Different activities are featured at each concert, from mural-making, singing and dance lessons to crafts and drumming, and more!

Sports Basement Bryant Block Party
Sunday July 13th 12:00-6pm

Sports Basement at 1590 Bryant invites you to attend their inaugural Block Party to benefit Friends of Franklin Field to rebuild our neighborhood park. You can expect a day of festivities with food, drinks, live music, demos, raffles and fun for the whole family.

Jazz, Culture, Sunday Streets, and Yo Gabba Gabba

by Michael Rohde

June 03, 2009

There’s plenty of things to do this weekend as Sunday Streets explores new territory, there’s a Jewish community festival in Yerba Buena Gardens, and Yo Gabba Gabba hits the Xbox 360. If you’re looking for something to do tomorrow, there’s jazz at Yerba Buena Gardens.

Yerba Buena Gardens
Mads Tolling Quartet
Thursday, June 4, 12:30–1:30pm
Mads Tolling, two-time Grammy Award-winning violinist with the Turtle Island Quartet and violinist with the acclaimed Stanley Clarke Band, leads his own ensemble in a performance of contemporary lyrical jazz with virtuosity and spontaneity. The Mads Tolling Quartet is Mads Tolling (violin), George Ban-Weiss (bass), Mike Abraham (guitar), Eric Garland (drums).

Israel in the Gardens Festival
Sunday, June 7, 11am–5pm
Celebrate the diversity of the Jewish community! The largest Jewish community family festival in the Bay Area includes a variety of activities for teens, young adults and families featuring the hottest new music, theater, a film festival, resource tables, and freshly prepared ethnic foods. Shop for everything from jewelry to handmade clothing from artisan craft booths!

Sunday Streets
Sunday Streets is taking it’s fun and games to the Mission. All activities take place between 10am and 2pm unless otherwise noted (check the web site). The event’s centerplace is at Garfield Square Park at 26th & Harrison Street. Per usual, there will be kid’s activities, cultural programming, roller skating, dancing, and biking.

Yo Gabba Gabba
Many of you know that I’m a proud owner of an Xbox 360, along with 30 million others. In addition to me, 20 million others also have an Xbox Live subscription, which provides access to TV shows, movies, and other content. Now available on the Xbox Live Video Marketplace are episodes of the popular Yo Gabba Gabba children’s show. If you haven’t seen this before, it comes highly recommended.

For those of you without an Xbox, the DVD’s for the first and second seasons are available on Netflix.
 Read more...

Life is Good

by Michael Rohde

May 13, 2009

This Saturday there are first-time festivals at Golden Gate Park, sing alongs, street festivals, and carnivals. On Sunday, you can rest (speaking as the Dad of two-year old twins, comments like that are meant as sarcasm…there's no such thing as "resting" when you have two-year olds...).

Life is Good Festival
The first Life is Good festival is a free, family-friendly day in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park at Speedway Meadow on May 16, 2009 from 11am to 5 pm. The outdoor bash features great live music from ALO, Martin Sexton, and The Sippy Cups, classic backyard food, and a colorful mix of good-time games and activities for all ages. From seed spitting and badminton to soccer kicks, tug-o'-wars and football flings, they promise a day of big smiles and healthy play.

Dream Circle Spring Sing (Bay Area Discovery Museum)
Saturday, May 16, performances at 11am & 12:30 pm
Members $8; General $10
Tim Cain, Cindy Cohen, Miss Kitty and Cristopher Smith – all under one roof! Join BADM for a delightful sing-along concert with Marin’s best loved children’s entertainers. Kids of all ages will be delighted to raise their voices and sing some favorite songs with this incredibly talented foursome. Ballerinas will have a chance to pirouette and doggies will be called upon to hop up and down. There will be lots of dancing, clapping and tapping fun.

Asian Heritage Street Celebration
Saturday, May 16, 2009 from 11am to 6pm. Two stages of music, arts and crafts, food, prizes, karaoke, traditional and pop culture J cars, Thai kickboxing, carnival rides and games. Free admission.

Splish Splash Peabody Bash
Time to celebrate the arrival of Spring! Please join the Peabody school for a whale of a good time at their Carnival this Saturday from 11am to 3pm. They will have carnival games for children of all ages, a silent auction, a jumpy house, a rock climbing wall and a raffle for the adults with food and fun for all! The carnival takes place on the school yard at 250 7th Avenue, between California and Clement Streets. Don't want to mess with parking? No worries, take the 2 Clement, 1 California, 44 O'Shaugnessy or the 38 Geary bus lines.

If you missed it yesterday, there's still time to enter the contest to win tickets to see Sesame Street Live in June at the Oakland ORACLE Arena (details).

Hawaii, Mexico, Japan, and More all in SF

by Michael Rohde

April 29, 2009

There’s no shortage of things to do this weekend. Events range from the Bay Area Discovery Museum's fundraiser to a Hawaiian dance program at Yerba Buena Gardens and much, much more.

Yerba Buena Gardens Festival
On Saturday from 1PM to 2:30PM, Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu, Patrick Makuakane's dynamic Hawaiian dance company, presents a program of visually captivating hula. In its only full-length San Francisco performance this year, the company will feature a rich blend of traditional and contemporary forms of hula, showcasing a delightful combination of signature pieces and audience favorites in the hula kahiko, hula 'auana, and hula mua styles. Performances are given in a "talk-story" format, incorporating narration and dance to provide a rich cultural context.

San Francisco Cinco De Mayo Festival
Visit Mission Dolores Park on Saturday from 10AM to 6PM. This is a free, kid-friendly, and alcohol-free event. Bring your picnic blanket and enjoy all-day music, kid's activities, entertainment, food, arts and crafts and more.

Kristi Yamaguchi's Children's Day Festival in Japantown
From 11AM to 4PM on Saturday, visit the Japantown Peace Plaza (Post and Buchanan Street). In recognition of Japan's National holiday to celebrate children, the Japanese Cultural Community Center of Northern California invites you to bring your family and enjoy the fun. This free event will have plenty of kids craft booths, entertainment and great food.

Bay Area Discovery Museum's Fundraiser
BADM encourages you to join them on Saturday at 6PM for Playdate—an evening of grown-up play at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge to benefit the museum. The evening begins with wine tasting and cocktails while you enjoy the beautiful view of San Francisco. Browse and bid on Silent Auction packages, then sit down to a fabulous dinner and a Live Auction—all at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge!

Asian Art Museum
The Asian Art Museum is located at 200 Larkin Street and offers free admission on the first Sunday of every month, which does include family programs. Free admission to "Target First Free Sundays" is granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to capacity restrictions, admission is not guaranteed.

San Francisco Birth and Baby Fair
If you're new to parenting or expecting a baby, Maternity Xchange, sponsored by Natural Resources, brings together representatives from pregnancy, birth, parenting and baby related resources for a day of information, education and shopping. Baby experts—from midwives and educators to baby photographers—will be on hand to address your questions and interests. The Birth and Baby Fair also offers free workshops, refreshments, and goody bags. Check out baby and maternity clothing, including items from local designers, most discounted from regular retail price. The event takes place at Fort Mason on Sunday from 10AM to 3PM. Tickets are $5 but you can find free and discounted passes at Natural Resources locations and AAA.

March for Babies and Sunday Streets

by Michael Rohde

April 22, 2009

Hope you have good walking shoes because this weekend is for getting out and about. Saturday is the March for Babies, if you've been reading this blog lately you might be getting tired of reading about it, but I promise this is the last mention (until next year).

The walk takes place at the Great Meadow at Fort Mason and is 6.25 miles long. Registration begins at 8AM and the walk starts at 9AM. If you need more information, please call 415.788.2202.

If 6.25 miles isn't enough walking for you, then head over to the Embarcadero and AT&T Park areas for Sunday Streets. If my feet aren't too blistered up, I'm sure my family will be back at the ballpark. Last year was tons of fun and we'd love to have a repeat performance. The waterfront route runs along the Embarcadero from AT&T Park to Aquatic Park. Activities begin at 9AM. The Fisherman's Wharf Community Benefit District's Fitness, Health and Safety Fair is at Aquatic Park from 10AM to 4PM. Pier 39 will have live music from 1PM to 3PM at the main entrance.

If you do happen to miss the first Sunday Streets of 2009, there will be additional dates throughout the summer.

Friday Free Concert at Yerba Buena Gardens

by Mike Adamick

July 25, 2008

A perfect day for us involves hanging out at a playground downtown for a few hours before meeting Dana for lunch, and, hopefully, finding a nice place to picnic or catch one of those free city concerts that seem to spring up from nowhere from time to time. Emmeline loves to dance. So today is our kind of day. Chelle & Friends are scheduled to perform today from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at the  Read more...

Littlest Moby: Street Percussion Opera

by Mike Adamick

May 30, 2008

The highlight of this budding experiment I call parenthood was when Emmeline broke out with the chorus from "American Pie" during what was supposed to be a lively rendition of Itsy Bitsy Spider. Music appreciation is something we both enjoy, even if her tastes skew slightly more '80s punk than her friends. (Tiffany is punk, right?) Thankfully, there are bountiful options in this city for  Read more...