Free and cheap activities this month

We've got a ton of free and cheap activities for your family this month. Some of the best things in life are FREE, right? Now go do them with your kids in the East Bay already. Put your wallet away. Clicking the red title will take you right to our calendar entry with lots more info.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Baby Boot Camp

Location: Lake Temescal, North Entrance – 6500 Broadway Oakland
Mommy and me programs, led by nationally certified fitness professionals, provide exercise classes, nutrition, and community support for moms. Cardio drills, strength training exercises, and stretching improves overall fitness, and the ab assault at the end of class means you get a total body workout! Our classes cater to all…
Time: 9:30 am - 10:30 am
Cost: First Class is Free

FIT4MOM Stroller Strides, mommy & me outdoor fitness

Location: Grove Park – 1730 Oregon St Berkeley
Stroller Strides® is a functional, total-body conditioning workout designed for moms with kids in tow. Each 60-minute workout is comprised of strength training, cardio and core restoration, all while entertaining the little ones with songs, activities and fun! Each Stroller Strides instructor is skilled to meet you where you are…
Time: 9:30 am - 10:30 am
Cost: First class is free!

Sponsor

Wee Play (6mo-3yrs)

Location: Alameda Veterans Memorial Building – 2203 Central Avenue Alameda
Come and experience Alameda’s play center for infants and toddlers ages 6 months to 3 years! Activities include developmental and exploratory play, music time, and coloring/crafts. Activities are minimally structured which allows children to enjoy and explore on their own terms. Children must be accompanied and supervised, by a parent…
Time: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Cost: $6 Drop-in per day per child / $60 Drop-in Card for 12 visits

Baby Bounce & Playtime

Location: Golden Gate Branch | Oakland Public Library – 5606 San Pablo Avenue Oakland
Bring your babies to the library for songs, socializing, and playtime! Coffee will be provided for the adults. Best for parents and caregivers with babies from birth to 18 months. Every Wednesday at 10:15 am at Children's Room.
Time: 10:15 am - 10:45 am
Cost: FREE

Sponsor

Toddler Storytime

Location: Piedmont Ave. Branch | Oakland Public Library – 80 Echo Avenue Oakland
Songs, active rhymes and stories especially for ages 18 months to 3 years old.
Time: 10:15 am - 10:45 am
Cost: FREE

Peter Rabbit Storytime

Location: West End Branch | Alameda Free Library – 788 Santa Clara Avenue Alameda
Preschool story time is for children ages 3 and above who are able to attend a program independent of a parent or care giver. This story time lasts about 30 minutes and includes age-appropriate stories, songs and fingerplays. Parents and caregivers are welcome to join in the story time, but…
Time: 10:30 am - 11:00 am
Cost: FREE

Preschool Storytime

Location: Piedmont Ave. Branch | Oakland Public Library – 80 Echo Avenue Oakland
Stories, songs, and rhymes for kids ages 3 to 5.
Time: 11:00 am - 11:30 am
Cost: FREE

Movie Matinee: Toy Story 4

Location: Dimond Branch | Oakland Public Library – 3565 Fruitvale Ave Oakland
Relax at the library while watching this animated Disney Pixar movie! Rated G.
Time: 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Cost: Free

School-Age Storytime

Location: Main Library | Alameda Free Library – 1550 Oak St. Alameda
Designed for children ages 5-8 in mind, this storytime incorporates longer songs and stories, perfect for children with longer attention spans. Parents and caregivers must remain in the library during the program. This event will be held in the Jane Felker Children's Programming Room.
Time: 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Cost: FREE

Raspberry Pi Foundation's Coding Club for Youth

Location: WeWork City Center Oakland – 1111 Broadway Oakland
The Raspberry Pi Foundation offers free coding clubs for kids that we call “Dojos,” one of which is located at the office space located at the WeWork City Center in Downtown Oakland. The Dojo is part of the larger CoderDojo community, a global network of clubs around the world dedicated…
Time: 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Cost: Free

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Baby Boot Camp

FIT4MOM Stroller Strides, mommy & me outdoor fitness

Free Playgroups for Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregivers

Location: Lion Creek Crossing Family Resource Center – 6818 Lion Way Oakland
With a focus on serving grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, nannies, neighbors, and friends, playgroups offer a space to connect with one another and build community. Free playgroups will have children laughing, exploring, and creating and discover the many wonderful ways that play inspires learning. Join weekly to pretend, play, celebrate…
Time: 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Cost: FREE

Toddler Time

Location: Albany Library – 1247 Marin Avenue Albany
As your child's first and best teacher, you are invited to come and participate in early literacy activities with your toddler! Join for stories, songs, fingerplays and action rhymes, followed by 15 minutes of stay-and-play time. **This program is designed for children ages 15 months- 3 years and an adult…
Time: 10:00 am - 10:45 am
Cost: FREE

Baby & Toddler Storytime

Location: Kensington Library – 61 Arlington Ave Kensington
Fun stories, songs, action rhymes, shaky eggs, and more! Great for increasing early literacy skills, making friends, and just having a great time!
Time: 10:15 am - 10:45 am
Cost: FREE

Mother Goose on the Loose

Location: Main Library | Alameda Free Library – 1550 Oak St. Alameda
This fast paced lap-sit class for little ones and their caregivers includes songs, nursery rhymes, knee-bounces, and movement to help develop important pre-literacy skills. This class is appropriate for infants through 2 years old.
Time: 10:15 am - 10:45 am
Cost: FREE

Storytime

Location: El Cerrito Library – 6510 Stockton Ave El Cerrito
Babies, toddlers, preschoolers and your caregivers, join us for stories, songs, and fun! All children are welcome at this free library program.
Time: 10:15 am - 11:00 am
Cost: FREE

Toddler Storytime

Location: Montclair Branch | Oakland Public Library – 1687 Mountain Boulevard Oakland
Songs, active rhymes and stories especially for ages 18 months to 3 years, followed by Playtime! Make new friends and play with toys.
Time: 10:15 am - 10:50 am
Cost: FREE

Toddler Storytime

Location: Golden Gate Branch | Oakland Public Library – 5606 San Pablo Avenue Oakland
Songs, active rhymes and stories especially for ages 18 months to 3 years. Every Thursday at 10:15 am.
Time: 10:15 am - 10:45 am
Cost: FREE

Family Eco-Story Time: KALE (Kids Actively Learning Environmentalism!)

Location: Sierra Club SF Bay Chapter – 2530 San Pablo Ave. Suite i Berkeley
Kids ages 0-6 and their caregivers are invited to join for ongoing educational series for young people at the Sierra Club SF Bay Chapter: KALE (Kids Actively Learning Environmentalism!). This bi-monthly program is designed to engage children and their caregivers with stories and lessons about nature and the environment around…
Time: 10:30 am - 11:15 am
Cost: FREE

Preschool Storytime

Location: Rockridge Branch | Oakland Public Library – 5366 College Avenue Oakland
Read-alouds, songs, and rhymes for kids ages 2 to 5, followed by play time! Meets in the Picture Book Area.
Time: 10:30 am - 11:00 am
Cost: FREE

Toddler Storytime

Location: Rockridge Branch | Oakland Public Library – 5366 College Avenue Oakland
Songs, active rhymes and stories especially for ages 9 months to 2 years, followed by play time! Meets upstairs in the Community Meeting Room.
Time: 10:30 am - 11:00 am
Cost: FREE

Peter Rabbit Storytime

Location: Main Library | Alameda Free Library – 1550 Oak St. Alameda
Preschool story time is for children ages 3 and above who are able to attend a program independent of a parent or care giver. This story time lasts about 30 minutes and includes age-appropriate stories, songs and fingerplays. Parents and caregivers are welcome to join in the story time, but…
Time: 11:00 am - 11:30 am
Cost: FREE

Baby & Toddler Storytime

Toddler Time

Free Playgroups for Family, Friend, and Neighbor Caregivers

Location: Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch | Berkeley Public Library – 1901 Russell Street Berkeley
With a focus on serving grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, nannies, neighbors, and friends, playgroups offer a space to connect with one another and build community. The free playgroups will have children laughing, exploring, and creating and we will discover the many wonderful ways that play inspires learning. Join weekly to…
Time: 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Cost: FREE

North Berkeley Farmers Market

Location: North Berkeley – Shattuck Avenue @ Rose Street Berkeley
The Ecology Center Farmers’ Markets are festive, family-friendly, open-air marketplaces where California farmers bring fresh, locally-grown produce and farm-processed foods to sell directly to consumers. North Berkeley Farmers Market is open year round on Thursdays.
Time: 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Cost: FREE

Thursday Crafts

Location: Bay Farm Branch | Alameda Free Library – 3221 Mecartney Road Alameda
Come create and explore new and different crafts every month. Parents welcome to assist.
Time: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Cost: FREE

Preschool Story Time

Location: Claremont Branch | Berkeley Public Library – 2940 Benvenue Avenue Berkeley
Join an hour of stories and singing with Mr. Michael and Mr. Tim. This program is most suitable for children ages 3-5.
Time: 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Cost: FREE

Drop-in Family Yoga

Location: Montclair Recreation Center – 6300 Moraga Ave Oakland
Polkadots Traveling School of Dance is hosting a drop-in Family Yoga class every Thursday until December 5th (no class on October 31st). All fitness levels and ages are encouraged to attend. Bring your own mat.
Time: 5:30 pm - 6:20 pm
Cost: $5 per individual or $10 per family

FIT4MOM Strides 360 Mommy & Me Workout

Location: Doyle Hollis Park – 1319 61st St Emeryville
Strides 360™ promises a heart-pumping workout designed to increase your endurance while also developing speed, agility, and quickness to help you sprint through mom life. Bodyweight conditioning is strategically placed to provide recovery, strength and round out your workout. It's for any mom interested in a workout that can be…
Time: 6:00 pm - 6:45 pm
Cost: First class is free!

Hiring a Nanny 101: Free Parenting Workshop

Location: BANANAS – 5232 Claremont Ave. Oakland
If you're thinking of hiring a nanny, then this is the workshop for you! At this event, Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network will discuss the details of being an employer, including your rights and responsibilities. By offering a variety of resources such as tips for hiring and interviewing,…
Time: 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Cost: FREE

Friday, November 15, 2019

Friday Family Day at Albany Bowl

Location: Albany Bowl – 540 San Pablo Ave Albany
Come bowl for $1.50 per person, per game. Not limited to only families, open to all bowlers! Special price is for walk-ins only.
Time: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Cost: $1.50 per person, per game.

FIT4MOM Stroller Strides, mommy & me outdoor fitness

Jump, Jiggle & Roll: Kindergym Drop-in

Location: Albany Community Center – 1249 Marin Ave Albany
Come wiggle your waggles away at Kindergym! Children can jump, crawl, run, move and groove for an hour and a half of free play. A parent/caregiver must accompany children (1:3 ratio required). Location: Albany Community Center, Rooms 1 & 2 For Ages 0–2.5
Time: 9:30 am - 11:00 am
Cost: $3/resident; $4/non-resident

Wee Play (6mo-3yrs)

FIT4MOM Moms & Mugs Friday Playgroup

Location: Grove Park – 1730 Oregon St Berkeley
FIT4MOM's Friday Playgroup is fun for all ages! It begins at 10:30 am, immediately following the Stroller Strides 9:30-10:30 am class. Meet near the mural at Grove Park (inside when it rains). Bring a mug for coffee! Check back for this week's theme! Details are posted early in the week…
Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am
Cost: FREE

Movement Story Time for Walkers

Location: Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch | Berkeley Public Library – 1901 Russell Street Berkeley
Join for marching, jumping, clapping and more! This program is all about moving, books and singing along.
Time: 10:30 am - 11:15 am
Cost: FREE

Toddler Ramble

Location: Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center – 4901 Breakwater Ave Hayward
Toddler Ramble November: Do the Loco-motion Move your bodies this month. Hop, stomp, or even slither like a snake. What could be more fun? Activities change every week and relate to the theme of the month. Enjoy Fridays with your child at the Interpretive Center. Your little one will discover the…
Time: 10:30 am - 11:15 am
Cost: $7 per child

Fireside Songs & S'mores

Location: Memorial Park | Albany – 1325 Portland Ave Albany
Spend a crisp November night bundled-up with your friends and neighbors. Roast s'mores on an open fire, sing camp songs and warm your bellies with some classic hot chocolate at the Memorial Park Picnic Area Fireplace. Contact Brennen at bbrown@albanyca.org if you have a "must sing" song to put it…
Time: 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Cost: FREE

Saturday, November 16, 2019

FIT4MOM Strides 360 Mommy & Me Workout

Location: Christie Park – 6200 Christie Ave. Emeryville
Strides 360™ promises a heart-pumping workout designed to increase your endurance while also developing speed, agility, and quickness to help you sprint through mom life. Bodyweight conditioning is strategically placed to provide recovery, strength and round out your workout. It's for any mom interested in a workout that can be…
Time: 8:30 am - 9:30 am
Cost: First class is free!

Grand Lake Farmers Market

Location: Grand Lake – Grand Ave and Lake Park Ave Oakland
Head over to Splash Pad Park to pick up fruits and vegetables direct from the farmer and enjoy lunch on the lawn. The Oakland farmers market is open every Saturday, year-round, rain or shine, from 9am to 2pm. The Oakland Grand Lake market features over 40 local farmers, 30 specialty…
Time: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Cost: FREE

Freighter Tots Preschool Song Circle

Location: Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse – 2020 Addison St. Berkeley
Photo: Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse In this song circle, children will sing, dance to, and act out folk songs about things kids care about: things like animals, nature, vehicles, their bodies, family, friends and being silly. Little children can start to understand tempo and rhythm using toy instruments; parents and…
Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Cost: $10 per family

Kids Club Arts & Crafts

Location: Michaels, Emeryville – 3991 Hollis St. Emeryville
They craft, you shop. Kids 3 yrs and up can enjoy creating different projects each week. Sign up in store or online, or just drop in. Parent or guardian must remain on premises during the event.
Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Cost: $2/kids 3-5yrs; $5/kids 6yrs and older

Soccer Class Free Trial (Age 3)

Location: John Muir Middle School Field – 1444 Williams St. San Leandro
In the KickStart Soccer Classes for 3 year olds, players get the best introduction to soccer and learn soccer FUNdamentals through group classes in a nurturing environment that's sure to inspire the love of the game! 3 year old players have a great time learning to use their feet, building…
Time: 10:00 am - 10:45 am
Cost: Free Class (45 mins.) for New Players

The Mama Play Date Pop Up Shop

Location: Play Date – 4938 Paseo Padre Parkway Fremont
"We know how hard it is as a mama to get any shopping done. We are redefining that & bringing the shops to you, all under one roof! While you shop, the kids play!" The Mama Play Date – Pop Up Shop is an exclusive exhibit, for females, by females,…
Time: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Cost: Free for Shopping; Discounted to $10 entry fee for open play for kids

Toddler Storytime

Location: Main Library | Alameda Free Library – 1550 Oak St. Alameda
Welcome babies and toddlers with their parents or care givers to this story time. It lasts about 20 minutes and includes age-appropriate stories, songs, and fingerplays. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to participate in the activities.
Time: 10:00 am - 10:30 am
Cost: FREE

Baby & Toddler Story Time

Location: West Branch | Berkeley Public Library – 1125 University Avenue Berkeley
Baby & Toddler Story Time includes stories, songs, lap-bounces and tickles for babies and toddlers 6 mos - 35 mos and their parents. The program is held the first three Saturdays of every month at 10:15 a.m. in the West Branch Community Meeting Room. This is an interactive program for…
Time: 10:15 am - 10:45 am
Cost: FREE

Baby Café - Coffee and Playtime

Location: Piedmont Ave. Branch | Oakland Public Library – 80 Echo Avenue Oakland
Bring your baby or toddler to Baby Café for coffee and playtime! Most Saturdays, meet at the library and make new friends. The second Saturday of each month, meet at the Piedmont Gardens retirement community, for music and playtime with seniors in nursing and memory care. Siblings welcome.
Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am
Cost: FREE

Family Storytime

Location: Rockridge Branch | Oakland Public Library – 5366 College Avenue Oakland
Stories, songs, and rhymes for all ages, followed by playtime!
Time: 10:30 am - 11:00 am
Cost: FREE