Cal Day is a terrific opportunity to for the little kids in the East Bay community to get a taste of the world-class university in our backyard for FREE. There really is something for everyone as UC Berkeley (a.k.a. Cal) opens its doors and gates to families.
You can hear the Cal Band and get busy with a hands-on science experience. My husband and big kids have their eyes on auditing another physics class while my little ones want to run around the grounds making slime and looking for doggies and birdies respectively.
If you're bringing babies, hang onto this list of changing table locations and lactation room access.
Experience it for yourself Saturday, April 13, 2019.
Visit the Cal Day planner online. To choose the best demos and classes for your family, you can sort by time, category, or family-friendly. See my top picks below or just wander around campus!
My Cal Day picks for families
Ongoing
Solar Roasting 
9:00 am-3:30 pm @ Hearst Mining Circle
Virtual Reality Demonstrations
9:00 am-3:30 pm @ 121 Campbell Hall
Earthquake!
9:00 am-4:00 pm @ 220 McCone Hall
The Ant Lab
9:00 am-4:00 pm @ Valley Life Sciences Building, courtyard
Dig Like An Archaeologist!
9:00 am-4:00 pm @ Archaeological Research Facility, 2251 College Building (next to Boalt Hall)
Insects and Spiders from Around the World
9:00 am-4:00 pm @ 3003 Valley Life Sciences Building
Play with Clay!
9:00 am-4:00 pm @ Archaeological Research Facility, 2251 College Building (next to Boalt Hall)
Showtime on Sproul Plaza
10:00 am-3:00 pm @ Sproul Plaza
CalSol: Berkeley's Solar Vehicle Team
10:00 am-3:00 pm @ Etcheverry Hall-Soda Hall Breezeway
Live Kelp Forest Organisms with Touch Tank
10:00 am-3:00 pm @ Valley Life Sciences Building, courtyard
Berkeley Art Studio: Pottery Demos and Games
10:00 am-4:00 pm @ Berkeley Art Studio, César Chávez Student Center
Kids Zone!
10:00 am-4:00 pm @ Lower Sproul Plaza
9 am
Artist Books, Architectural Pop-Up Books, and Coloring
9:00 am-12:00 pm @ 210 (Environmental Design Library) Wurster Hall
Kids, Build a Box City!
9:00 am-2:00 pm @ Wurster Hall, 1st floor lobby
Instrument Petting Zoo
9:30 am-3:00 pm @ 250 Morrison Hall
10 am
Cal Band Performance
10:00-11:00 am @ Sather Gate
Biological Anthropology: Compare Mammalian Brains!
10:00 am-2:00 pm @ Archaeological Research Facility, 2251 College Building (next to Boalt Hall)
Robot Learning Lab: A Robot that High Fives and Hugs!
10:00 am-12:00 pm @ Kvamme Atrium, 3rd floor Sutardja Dai Hall
Robot Race Cars
10:00 am-12:00 pm @ Cory Hall, 3rd floor
Jupiter's Icy Moon and Fun with Liquid Nitrogen
10:00-11:00 am @ 141 McCone Hall
Fun with Fossils
10:00 am-12:00 pm @ 3007 Valley Life Sciences Building
11 am
Look Like a Viking: Make Your Own Chainmail!
11:00 am-12:00 pm @ Ishi Court (Dwinelle Hall interior courtyard) (access via Campanile Way)
All-Level Basketball Clinic
11:00 am-12:00 pm @ 220 Hearst Gymnasium
The Entomology Club Brings Out the Bugs!
11:30 am-1:30 pm @ Genetics & Plant Biology Lawn
Noon
Cal Band Performance
12:00-1:00 pm @ Sproul Plaza, Mario Savio Steps
Fun with Physics
12:45-1:45 pm @ 50 Birge Hall
1 pm
Build a Computer Game in 30 Minutes
1:00-3:00 pm @ 425 Hearst Memorial Mining Building
Math Games and Prizes for Kids of All Ages
1:00-2:00 pm @ 3108 Etcheverry Hall
Fun with Fossils
1:00-3:30 pm @ 3007 Valley Life Sciences Building
2 pm
University Gospel Choir
2:15-3:00 pm @ Hertz Hall, south patio
In addition to the fantastic special events happening on campus, Cal Day means that Lawrence Hall of Science (10 am to 5 pm), BAMPFA (11 am to 7 pm) and Blake Garden (9 am to 4 pm) are open for FREE all day.
I know that's a LOT to take in. And I only named a few dozen activities. You won't get to it all, and that's okay. Work with your child to pick a few events or classes that will best capture her imagination and attention span, then just go for it. See the full schedule of activities. See also tips for your visit.
Tweet and Instagram along at #sharecalday and #510families to share your pictures and find live tips!
[photos from http://calday.berkeley.edu/]
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