99 Days of Summer for East Bay Kids

99 things to do this summer in the East Bay

We thought it would be fun to have one activity for each day of the year between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Whether you like to add them to your calendar or just bookmark this page for inspiration, we hope you’ll find plenty of things to do in the East Bay this summer. Let’s get [...]

The New Parkway Family Classics

New Parkway in Oakland

Do you need any more good reasons to go to the movies? Here are three great ones brought to you by the New Parkway Family Classics! The New Parkway theater in Oakland has great food, BEER, and room for kids to move around. Friday and Saturdays feature throwback movies — called the Family Classics — [...]

Buy yummy food to help BUSD’s cooking + gardening program

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Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) is in jeopardy of losing their pre-K through high school gardening and cooking programs as of October 1st. Many concerned parents and businesses are fighting back. And you can help, too. By eating good food. This upcoming Wednesday May 22nd, Whole Foods Market Berkeley will be donating 5% of Net [...]

Maker Faire 2013 is this weekend in San Mateo

San Mateo Maker Faire

If you like to get your tools out and invent in a crafty, constructy, tinkery kind of way then you should head south for the 2013 Maker Faire. There are several excellent exhibits for curious kids (but to be completely honest, I usually wish I left them at home so I could enjoy my own [...]

FREE pregnancy education classes at Baby World in Oakland

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Join Doulaville Birth Services to learn about local childbirth options including up to date research on maternity services that promote the best outcomes for you and baby in these completely free mini-classes. RSVP recommended. Read detailed class descriptions at http://www.sf.doulaville.com/family-education.html. May 15 – Enriching Pregnancy June 19 – Postpartum Pampering July 17 – So This [...]

Get covered in paint at the park on May 18

matisse birthday party in alameda

Alameda parents, this fun activity is in celebration of Le Petit Matisse’s one year birthday.

Take what you need

Take what you need, Oakland

My friend, Carla, recently moved to Oakland with her little girl and they’ve been spreading a little sunshine as they move through our community. This project was spawned as part of a Keep Austin Weird idea but I think it works perfectly for our quirky corner of the world. I love her spirit and I [...]

Sponsor Spotlight: BandWorks Camp

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Thanks to BandWorks for being a sponsor of 510Families.com this year. BandWorks School of Rock is a year-round program that offers group music classes to grade school aged kids in a handful of Bay Area locations, including Jack London Square. During the summer, half-day camps extend the program, allowing kids to really jam, freed from [...]

It’s that time of the year: May is Bike Month

Get your kid riding

Put your helmet on and let’s ride! The East Bay Bicycle Coalition is offering family safety bike clinics, rodeos, helmet fittings, and street parties in addition to the usual Bike to Work and School rides. Find some more events on the EBBC website calendar. I requested their help in deciphering which rides and parties might [...]

Free Comic Book Day is May 4th

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Designed to expose folks both to comic books as an art and entertainment form and also to their local independent comic book shops, Free Comic Book Day is being observed on May 4th by a handful of East Bay locations. The free books, designed especially for this promotion, will satisfy a variety of ages and [...]

New book about food and family features many Bay Area writers

cassoulet

The Cassoulet Saved Our Marriage is a collection of essays about eating and how we learn to do it, with and from our families. Several of the contributors are East Bay writers, including Berkeley native Phyllis Grant who has been featured here before. Mrs. Dalloway’s on College Avenue will host a free reading from the [...]

Bites off Broadway returns to Oakland

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Bites Off Broadway — a rotation of 15 food trucks in Oakland — will again bring the vibe of a neighborhood block party and picnic to the front of Studio One, at 465 45th St. between Lawton and Broadway on Friday nights, beginning May 10. Trucks will include Tina Tamale, Doc’s of the Bay, Fist [...]

Crab Cove in Alameda for little explorers

Get your hands dirty at Crab Cove in Alameda

I was a lucky chaperone on a field trip to Alameda’s Crab Cove with a class of curious kindergartners.  I learned about marine mammals (native critters), estuaries (fresh water + ocean water), and how often snacks and hugs are required to keep our energy up (lots!). What’s so special about Crab Cove? The Crab Cove [...]

MOCHA is moving

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The terrific hands-on Museum of Children’s Art is moving to a bigger and better space. Don’t worry, it’s still in Oakland! The new location for MOCHA will be at 1625 Clay St, just a few blocks from the 19th St BART station. Key dates The last day open to the public at the current location, [...]

Eating out with kids in Berkeley: Toss Noodle Bar

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In Downtown Berkeley, located near Habitot, the YMCA, and the Central Library, is a new noodle bar that made even my picky eater happy. The menu allows customers to create their own dish, choosing from noodle types, sauce, and protein. Each meal is easily two servings, so kids can split an order, or leftover strategies [...]

Baseball daytrip: SF Giants fan lot playground

SF Giants fan lot for kids

Go Giants! Though I’m not much of a baseball fan, it’s pretty exciting having world champs in our backyard. Am I right? To get a taste of the action without paying for a ticket, you and your children can head down to the fan lot playground on non-game days. I learned this tip from San [...]

Free admission at Habitot on Saturday, April 20

habitot in berkeley

Happy Birthday to you, Habitot! Since opening 15 years ago in 1998, Habitot children’s museum in downtown Berkeley has welcomed almost 1,000,000 visitors. On Saturday, they invite the public to a 15th anniversary celebration in the form of a Quinceañera-themed day. Local children’s songleader Mariela Herrera will perform in Spanish and English at 10:30 am, [...]