We appreciate the Bay Area Children’s Theatre (BACT), the foremost theatre company for young audiences in California. BACT strives to bring shared experiences to children of all backgrounds, inspiring joy, empathy, and creative thinking. Their award-winning work has reached more than 700,000 kids and adults over the past 16 years. We just love their shows.
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 get expensive, so we tried to highlight some extra FREE events this month. For even more free and hecka cheap events for families, see this other list over here.
Ticket Alert: Make Your Reservations Now!
- Get your tickets for the BACT show, A Year with Frog and Toad. Reserve tickets to the all-ages showings at Fort Mason in San Francisco, running weekends January 7 – 15.
- Book ahead for Kid’s Night Out so YOU can spend the night out this month.
- Peppa Pig will be in Oakland on December 9 and the gang from Disney’s Frozen is in San Francisco. More tickets to know about for families >
Week of Thursday, December 1
12/1 
Listen to holiday carolers at The Claremont’s tree lighting ceremony.
12/2 See a holiday light show in San Leandro.
12/3 Bundle up to see sparkling boats float by at Oakland’s Lighted Yacht Parade (plus tree lighting).
12/4 Glide around an East Bay ice rink. Rent skate or bring your own!
AD: Register your child for spring classes at BACT’s Academy or give a mini membership as a gift >>
Week of Monday, December 5
12/5 Play kiddie basketball with your tot at Together Wee Play.
12/6 The Entwined lights at Golden Gate Park are out to enjoy.
12/7 Your toddlers will have a blast seeking birds and butterflies along the bay.
12/8 Hope it is a nice night for the Montclair Holiday Stroll.
12/9 Stand next to the world’s tallest tree, a Coast Redwood, at UC Botanic Garden.
12/10 Drive through a holiday parade on Fourth Street for dazzling lights and fun characters.
12/11 Feel the magic aboard the Santa Steam Train at Tilden Park.
Week of Monday, December 12
12/12 Feel the magic while discovering fairy houses on a Point Richmond walk.
12/13 Enjoy the beauty of SF Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park, plus free admission today.
12/14 Move into child’s pose at Family Yoga Storytime in Berkeley.
12/15 Choose from multiple play areas at Montclair Park, then pick up a snack in Montclair Village.
12/16 Reserve tickets to stroll past festively-lit gondolas and giant light sculptures at the Oakland Zoo.
12/17 See a holiday movie under the stars in Alameda for free or splurge at the fairgrounds.
12/18 Hanukkah begins. Light the first candle on the menorah or join a Hanukkah community celebration.
ad: Join BACT for the rest of the season with a mini membership! Get unlimited access to all Berkeley shows, including The Day You Begin, Giraffes Can’t Dance, and the Wiz!
Week of Monday, December 19
12/19 Take a selfie with Santa, get cozy in a fire pit, and wander the gardens at Filoli.
12/20 Wear your holiday jammies to the library for PJ family storytime.
12/21 Spend a day at Tilden Park feeding cows. Make memories on the carousel at dusk.
12/22 March along with Santa in a parade at Fairy Winterland.
12/23 Ooh and ahh at the sparkling displays on a walk through Alameda’s Christmas Tree Lane.
12/24 Walk among the peaceful lights at Temple Hill in Oakland. Find more holiday lights >
12/25 Merry Christmas! Get your little ones outside for a hike.
Week of Monday, December 26
12/26 Climb the big whale before lunch at the Public Market.
12/27 Immerse your little one in a bilingual experience at English/Spanish storytime.
12/28 Travel into the City for stunning views of the edge of our continent at Lands End.
12/29 Take a snow day! See our picks for tubing and sledding that’s worth the drive.
12/30 Dig for crustacean critters at low tide at Crab Cove.
12/31 Ring in the New Year with a kid-friendly celebration.
Find more holiday activities in our East Bay Christmas Events Guide!
s p o n s o r 
We appreciate Bay Area Children’s Theatre for sponsoring our December list of great activities for families. Purchase tickets to see A Year with Frog and Toad. Plan ahead for BACT Summer Camps in Oakland & Berkeley.
