Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in san jose, CA

Silicon Valley Easter Events

by bonggamom

April 09, 2009

Here comes Peter Cottontail, hoppin' down the bunny trail, hippity hoppity Easter's on its waaaaayy.....    The Easter scene is hoppin' with egg hunts, crafts, pictures, puppet shows and more. Don your best Easter bonnet, tie a ribbon round a basket and hop on down to one of the many fun Easter events scheduled this weekend:

EGG HUNTS
Many cities are holding free or low-cost Easer Egg hunts with crafts, Easter Bunny visits and other fun activities.  If your little one isn't a champion hopper, don't worry; most of these hunts are grouped by age and limit the number of eggs per person, to make sure every child goes home happy.  All events listed below start at 10:00 AM on Saturday, April 11:

1) City of Menlo Park's Easter Egg Hunt at Burgess Park, Menlo Park (ages 8 and under).  Free.

2) City of Los Altos Easter Egg Hunt at Hillview Soccer Field, Los Altos (egg hunts for children walking to 4 years, 5-7 years, and 8-10 years).  Free.

3) Atherton Dames' Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Holbrook-Palmer Park, Atherton. $ 5 per person.

4) City of Santa Clara Easter Egg Hunt at Central Park, Santa Clara (egg hunt divisions for ages 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 and special needs).  Free. 

5) City of Moraga's Spring Egg Hunt at Moraga Commons Park, Moraga (ages 1-6 years).  $5 per child, purchase tickets in advance.

EASTER WITH A TWIST
Easter's not just about egg hunts!  If you're looking to celebrate Easter in a special way, check these events out:

1)Join the Hiller Aviation Museum in welcoming the Easter Bunny arrive in a personal helicopter!  Your child can watch him land at 10:30am on April 11 and receive an egg straight the bunny's paws.  There's also face painting and a great European Model Train display.

2)  Take a ride on the Roaring Camp Railroad and search for chocolate candy eggs in a redwood forest!  Their Eggstraordinary Egg Hunt is set for Sunday, April 12.

3)  Hop, hop, hooray, it's an Easter Parade!  Enjoy the marching bands, baton dancers, classic cars and more at Downtown Campbell's 12th Annual Bunnies & Bonnets Parade The parade starts at noon on April 11.  Afterwards, stay for the Old Fashioned Kids' Fair (1pm-3pm) featuring live music and free games for all the kids. 

LUXURY EASTER BRUNCHES
I love brunch buffets (omelettes cooked especially for me, in front of me, always seem to taste extra-yummy!), and Easter brunches are a special treat.  My all-time favorite luxury Easter Brunch is the one held at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite, CA; if the Ahwahnee isn't in your plans this year, here are two luxury brunches a bit closer to home:

1)  The Ritz-Carlton at Half Moon Bay goes all out from 10:30am – 3:30pm on Easter Sundy, with Easter favorites like  rosemary-and-garlic roasted leg of lamb and chocolate Easter eggs -- as well as nontraditional dim sum, Pekin duck and tempura.  Children will enjoy the  egg decorating competition, a visit by the Easter Bunny, face painting, a baby animal petting zoo, and an egg hunt on the gazebo lawn.

2)  Easter Brunch at The Fairmont San Jose (Easter Sunday from 10:30am – 3pm) features luxury touches like house-smoked salmon, iced tiger shrimp, Alaskan crab legs, decadent desserts, and of course, champagne.  “Alice in Wonderland” is the theme of this year’s Easter champagne brunch at The Fairmont. There will be Easter egg hunting for the children and a gazebo in the imperial foyer, where children can take pictures with Alice and the Easter Bunny.

Hope you have a, hop, hop, hoppy, er, Happy Easter!

Easter Comes Early: Weekend Outlook, April 3rd-5th

by bonggamom

April 02, 2009

Easter Sunday isn't till next Sunday, but that hasn't stopped the Easter Bunny from hopping over and spreading all that Easter fun out over one more week.  Here are some fun pre-Easter events to get you in the mood for the real thing:

1)  The Easter Bunny is still available for photos (or just a short laptime visit) through this week and next week at your favorite neighborhood shopping mall:
* Hillsdale Mall
* Stanford Shopping Mall
* Eastridge Mall
* Westgate Mall

2) The Palo Alto Family YMCA holds its annual Easter Party on Saturday from 2:00pm-5:00pm.  Your little ones will enjoy face painting, a bounce house, healthy snacks, crafts, and Easter Bunny photos.  This fun event is free and open to the public, so be prepared for crowds. 
 
3) The Los Altos Downtown Easter Egg Hunt is great for the younger set:  the eggs are placed directly on the sidewalk and windows of downtown stores, so it's more of an egg pick-up rather than a hunt.  It's all free, and if your child is extra lucky, he might an egg with a coupon inside it for a free item at one of the downtown stores!

4) Join the City of Los Gatos for its annual Bunny Fun Hunt on Saturday, April 4th, from 10:00AM-1:00PM.  This festive event is full of carnival games, animals, pony rides and of course, egg hunts for all ages!  Bring your own basket and head for the Los Gatos High School front lawn.

Spring Has Sprung! Weekend Outlook, March 27th - 29th

by bonggamom

March 26, 2009

The sun is shining, it's 65 degrees outside, and they're predicting more sun and high temperatures this weekend (mid-70's!)... don't you just love California?!  Spring has definitely sprung in our little corner of the world, with lots of fun springtime events, uh, sprouting up all over Silicon Valley.  We've got lots of ways to celebrate the great weather this weekend with your preschooler:

1) Celebrate the beginning of gardening season with a fun gardening activity, this Friday at Cheeky Monkey toys in Menlo Park.

2) It's time for a Spring Fling at Filoli!  Filoli Gardens hosts their popular annual springtime event this Saturday.  The gorgeous spring blooms serve as a colorful backdrop for this family fun event.  Children will enjoy visits from well-loved characters, a puppet show, a magic show, arts and crafts, and storytelling.   For grownups, there are demonstrations, guided walks, floral displays and live music. 

3)  Stanford Shopping Center hosts an early Easter activity this Saturday at 11:00am.  Their Easter Eggstravaganza features a mall-wide egg hunt, visits from the Easter Bunny and Desperaux, and Hop Into Spring entertainment at 2:00pm.

4)  Speaking of Easter, the Easter Bunny is once again making the rounds at various malls.  Dress your little ones in their best Easter Bonnets for a special photo, or just have them sit on Mr. Bunny's lap for a short visit. 
*  Hillsdale Mall
*  Stanford Shopping Mall
*  Eastridge Mall 
*  Westgate Mall    

5)  Now that the weather is getting warmer, it's time to bring out the ice cream!  The Friends of the Atherton Library will be hosting an ice cream social and book exchange. Head to the library this Saturday,March 28, 1:00-3:00 p.m.  Bring a book, take a book, have some ice cream -- it's all free.