Best Things to Do With Kids in December

December is packed with more family-friendly events than you could get to in a month! We hope our planner of our favorite picks helps you find the right blend of activities at all price points.

Thank you to our sponsor The Oakland Ballet Company, which presents Graham Lustig’s The Nutcracker this December 21 and 22 at Oakland’s historic Paramount Theatre. This magical performance is sure to be the highlight of your holiday season! Sweeten the experience with an additional ticket to the Sweet Dreams Party – a sweet-filled, meet-and-greet with the dancers.

Reserve Tickets to Shows & Performances

Tickets make a terrific holiday outing and a special Christmas gift! From The Oakland Ballet Company’s The Nutcracker to the San Francisco Symphony’s live performance of Elf – In Concert, we love the holiday shows this season. Enjoying a performance together is a lovely holiday tradition for many families. We also recommend Seussical The Musical at Berkeley Playhouse for elementary-aged kids.

Find more holiday shows and Nutcracker performances >
Find more non-holiday shows to plan for >

Save the Date for These Exciting December Events

So much fun all December long–find Santa, play in the snow, listen to stories, see lights, get crafty, winter camps, light the Menorah, take in a show, phew! We know the holidays can be expensive, so we tried to highlight some extra FREE events this month. Find even more free and hecka cheap events for families over here.

• Dec 4: Piedmont Lights Up its 80-ft redwood tree and menorah
• Dec. 5: Free Fratello Marionette puppet show in Richmond
• Dec 7: Lighted Yacht Parade, Tree Lighting & Laser Show, or Hot Cocoa Stroll
• Dec. 12: Join Montclair Village Holiday Stroll in Oakland
• Dec. 15: Meet and Greet with Santa & The Grinch at a Kids’ Holiday Celebration
• Dec 17: Tiny Tuesday: Winter Wildlife at Lindsay Wildlife Experience
• Dec. 21-22: The Oakland Ballet Company performs The Nutcracker
• Dec. 23: Kwanzaa Storytime in Berkeley
• Dec 25: Merry Christmas & Happy First Night of Hanukkah – See what’s open >
• Dec 28: Watch classic cartoons at Cereal Cinema in Oakland
• Dec. 29: Enjoy music and crafts at 22-ft tall Menorah Lighting in SF
• Dec. 31: Ring in the New Year with a kid-friendly celebration.

Ice Skating In East Bay

Glide and twirl at a local ice skating rink. There are many outdoor rinks in the East Bay and San Francisco this holiday season. Of course, there are also a few indoor options for when the weather is too wet. This is a great activity for a range of age groups, especially because many rinks have skating aids available for rent. Check schedules for special performances or themed nights.

Holiday Happenings

Celebrate the Festival of Lights at a Community Menorah Lighting or Hanukkah celebration; get all the details in our Hanukkah Guide for Families. ‘Tis the season for Tree Lighting events and holiday character visits — we rounded them up in our huge Christmas Activities Guide. Snap a photo with the big guy from the North Pole at a local Santa Claus visit.

For a free, anytime outing, see dazzling lights along Berkeley’s Fourth Street, stunning displays in the gardens of Temple Hill in Oakland, or cheerful decorations at Alameda’s Christmas Tree Lane.

Gettin’ Outside

Head outside to breathe in the crisp air and splash in the puddles! Your family (and even visiting guests) can explore the caves at Mount Diablo State Park, hike around Lake Anza or Lake Temescal,  find the nesting ladybugs in Oakland, stroll along tot-friendly paths, trek under the towering trees at Joaquin Miller Park or Redwood Regional Park, bike along the paved trails along Alameda’s waterfront, scramble up North Berkeley’s rock parks, build sandcastles or fly a kite at a Bay Area beach, stomp through the local streams or other fun spots for wet weather play, and even drive to the mountains for a little snow play. All to say, there are so many beautiful, free outdoor options this winter.

Find 50 Things to Do When School is Out >>

Playing & Learning Indoors

Visit a new-to-you indoor play area or museum exhibit this month. Kids can swing, slide, and bounce off the walls inside these indoor play spaces across the East Bay. We’re big fans of Habitot’s Little Town Experience or OMCA’s Nature Playspace for the 5 and under crowd. Animal lovers may enjoy visiting with creatures of all sizes at Lindsay Wildlife Experience, or Sulphur Creek Nature Center (admission is free!). Dinosaur lovers can spot prehistoric creatures at The Lawrence’s new Dinosaur Lookout exhibit. Get to know more about our state’s natural habitats and ecosystems at Cal Academy’s newest exhibit, California: State of Nature. (Bonus: the museum is open every day). Older kids — or kids at heart — may enjoy a visit to the Pacific Pinball Museum, bowling, or indoor mini-golfing.

Pro tip: Take advantage of Discover and Go: a program for Bay Area library card holders that offers free or discounted admission to local museums. Reserve tickets in advance; offerings are typically available at the beginning of the month. Learn more about Discover and Go >

Favorite Free & Cheap Happenings

Need some planning inspiration? We’ve got you covered! We gathered up our favorite free and inexpensive activities in the East Bay to serve as a go-to, weekday itinerary when you’re in a pinch. Find more free & cheap events this month >

• Mondays – See farm animals at Tilden Little Farm
• Tuesdays – Join Hikes for Tykes (first and third Tuesdays)
• Wednesdays – Explore Blake Gardens in Kensington
• Thursdays – Get our wiggles out at El Cerrito Library’s Storytime for ages 0 to 5 (Dec. 5, 12 & 19)
• Fridays – Drop into Pop-up Playdates in Hayward (Dec. 6, 13 & 20)
• Saturdays –Make art together at BAMPFA Family Art Lab
• Sundays – Walk under the Dazzling lights at Fourth Street in Berkeley

Plus, plan an outing to one of the world-class museums in the Bay Area; take advantage of free admission on certain days. Learn more about ways to get into museums for free >

• Sunday, Dec. 1: Asian Art Museum in San Francisco and First Sunday at OMCA (nearly free!)
• Monday, Dec. 2: BAMPFA in Berkeley & SFMOMA in San Francisco
• Tuesday, Dec. 3: de Young Museum in San Francisco and Conservatory of Flowers in San Francisco
• Friday, Dec. 6: Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco
• Dec. 7-8 Weekend: Bank of America Free Museum Days
• Sunday, Dec. 8: SFMOMA Free Family Day
• Tuesday, Dec. 10, and Wednesday Dec. 25: San Francisco Botanical Garden
• Saturday, Dec. 14: Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco

Find more holiday activities in our East Bay Christmas Events Guide!

We appreciate The Oakland Ballet Company for sponsoring our December Planner of great activities for families. Purchase tickets to see The Nutcracker. 

xxx