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

Summer Concerts

by bonggamom

July 21, 2009

One of the best things about summer are the long, long days, making it easy for the whole family to take a walk or kick around a few balls in the back yard after dinner.   With such nice, warm, sunny evenings, it's no wonder that outdoor summer concerts are such a popular family activity. If you haven't already taken your family to a summer concert, now's the time to try.  Pack a picnic dinner, grab a blanket and sweater, and enjoy one of the many outdoor summer concerts around Silicon Valley. There's one for every night of the week!

Monday evenings
Jazz Mondays on Main Street, Redwood City

Tuesday evenings
Campbell Summer Concert Series 
Milpitas Summer Concert Series
Twilight Concert Series, Palo Alto

Wednesday evenings
Menlo Park Summer Concert Series
Jazz on the Plazz, Los Gatos
Summer Music and Market, Sunnyvale

Thursday evenings
Mountain View Summer Concert Series
Metro Music in the Park, San Jose
Sounds of the Row, Santana Row
Movies on the Square, Redwood City

Friday evenings
Music on the Square, Redwood City
Rockin on the Patio, AJ Stumps San Jose
Friday Movie Nights, Los Altos

Saturday evenings
Vasona Vibrations Outdoor Music Series
Jazz and Beyond, Sunnyvale
Summer Family Movie Nights, San Jose

Sunday evenings
Music in the Park, Los Gatos

 

Does your city have a summer concert series not mentioned here?  Please email me at bonggamom@yahoo.com; I'd love to add it to the list!

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Summer Activities: Exploring the Nighttime Sky

by bonggamom

July 20, 2009

Can you believe it, we're more than halfway through the summer already!  For some families, the summer camp schedule is in full swing, but for many others trying to make ends meet in this tough economy, a lot of the activities have been the At-Home or Do-It-Yourself guide -- which makes it more of a challenge to keep your child engaged all this time.  Has your child begun uttering the dreaded words:  I'm bored?  Not to worry.  We've still got lots of suggestions for summer activities you can do at home with your preschooler.  There's a whole wide world out there for you and your child to explore.  We've covered nature and the great outdoors, but today we're setting our sights on Infinity and Beyond -- the sky up above.  Take it from the PBS Parents Exploration Guide and try these great suggestions for exploring the nighttime sky:

1)  Reach for the stars:  Allow your child to stay up late one night and observe the moon and stars.  If you have a telescope or some binoculars, let your child look at the moon through them.  For a fun project, you and your child can chart the position and appearance of the moon over the course of a week or two.

2)  Make a "telescope" out of an empty toilet paper or paper towel roll.  Then, put glow-in-the-dark stars on the wall and look at them through the "telescope".

3)  Use play dough to simulate the surface of the moon.  Roll the dough out on a table and push rocks into the dough to make lots of dents for "craters".  


Click here to see the full article on PBS, along with their suggestions for more resources and book suggestions.  And here are some great activities from our Savvysource Activity archive:

1) Astronomy 101
2) Shooting Stars
3) The Night Sky



Don't forget, our Super WHY giveaway ends at midnight PST, tonight!  One lucky Being Savvy Silicon Valley reader will win a DVD of PBS Kids' popular TV series, Super WHY.  Click here to enter -- entries will be accepted until midnight (PST) tonight.  Good luck!  Read more...

Summer Activities: Exploring the Outdoors

by bonggamom

July 13, 2009

Last week we got down and dirty when we explored the natural world.  This week we're moving back into suburbia -- but still staying outdoors.  Because even though a patio, pool or sidewalk might not be considered nature, they're all places to explore.  Just being outdoors, with all that natural light, all those smells and sounds, invigorates and energizes a child.  You don't need to sign your child up for summer camp to keep him busy; there's a whole summer's worth of outdoor exploration activities you can do on your own.  I've taken inspiration from the PBS Parents Exploration Guide and listed a few places you can start:

1)  Stones, stones, stones! If you have the space  in your yard, create meandering pathways or mazes with stones so your child can skip, hop and explore.   You can even take a day to create and decorate some stepping stones. 

2)  Dirt, dirt, dirt!  Start a small veggie and herb garden with your little one; they'll love digging and raking and getting their hands dirty.  Then take some time each day to water the plants and watch them grow. 

3)  Water, water, water!  Plan a Water Day and splash around with water balloons, sprinklers or sponges soaked in water.  Or go and throw pennies into a fountain (Check this post out for some great fountains in Silicon Valley).  Kids love the sound of running water and love to splash their hands -- and feet and anything else that mom or dad will let them. 

4)  Sand, sand, sand!  Plan a Sand Day and find a sandpit where your little one can dig to his heart's content.  Or take a day trip to visit the biggest sandpit of all, the beach.

Click here to see the full article on PBS, along with their suggestions for outdoor activities and books.  And here are some great activities from our Savvysource Activity archive:

1) Searching for worms
2) Sandcasting
3) Sand Tracks
4) Tricycle Wash
5) Homemade Bubbles

Don't forget, there's still a week left to enter our Super WHY giveaway!  One lucky Being Savvy Silicon Valley reader will win a DVD of PBS Kids' popular TV series, Super WHY.  Click here to enter -- entries will be accepted until midnight PST on July 20th.  Good luck!

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Summer Activities: Exploring Nature (And a Giveaway!)

by bonggamom

July 06, 2009

July 6:  Summer Activities:  Exploring Nature  (and a giveaway!)


With 401k funds on shaky ground and the threat of unemployment looming everywhere, families are doing all they can to economize and save for a rainy day.  This summer, one of the luxuries that families are cutting back on are those pricey summer camps for the kids.  But that doesn't mean the long, lazy days of summer need to turn into the long, boring days of summer.  With the right planning, you can come up with lots of activities to keep your child engaged and entertained -- and we at Being Savvy Silicon Valley want to help.  A couple of weeks ago, we featured some guidelines to help you get started with your own summer reading program.  And throughout July and August, we'll be featuring even more tips and tricks for planning all sorts of fun (and inexpensive) activities your child can enjoy this summer.

One great idea for a Do-It-Yourself summer daycamp is to plan activities around an Explorer theme.  After all, kids love to explore, and it's a wonderful way for them to learn about the world around them.  So for the next three Mondays I'll be featuring some suggestions based on the PBS Parents Exploration guide.  Today we're all about exploring nature.  It's a big world out there, and here are some great ways to  let your child see it all for himself:

1)  Use nature as a  backdrop for your child's imagination.  Set aside part of your backyard for your child to enjoy in his own special way -- making castles, forts, or anything else.  If you don't have a backyard, create a "wild box" with rocks, twigs, some sand and seashells or other natural treasures.  (Our driveway is lined with a multitude of rocks and pebbles; my daughter loves to gather twigs and leaves and prop them up among the pebbles to fashion little fairy houses)

2)  Build a nature project using hammers and nails to shovels and seeds, hoses and houses.  Plant a garden, build a trail or look for birds and butterflies.  (Two weeks ago we bought some caterpillars and watched them build cocoons and grow into butterflies.  It was an amazing experience!)

3)  Just open the door to get your little one going -- and growing -- outside.  Encourage him to play with other children under the shade of a tree, not a roof.   It's that easy to reconnect with nature!


Click here to see the full article on PBS, along with their suggestions for outdoor activities and books.  And here are some great activities from our Savvysource Activity archive:

1)  Flower Hunt
2)  Summer Walk
3)  Leaf Collage
4)  Nature Collection
5)  Bug Catcher Jar

And now, a giveaway -- PBS Kids has generously provided us with one Super WHY DVD for one lucky reader! Super WHY is an entertaining TV show with a unique interactive approach that helps kids learn the fundamentals of reading through colorful, animated storybook adventures.  My kids love Super WHY and yours will too!

To enter, simply leave a comment here and share with us what activities you have planned for your children this summer.  And for an extra entry, you can tweet or blog about the giveaway -- just leave a separate comment with the link to your tweet or blog entry.  Here is a sample tweet you can copy and paste:

Win a Super WHY DVD from @savvySV http://tinyurl.com/kqr48c

The giveaway is open until midnight PST on July 20th, 2009;  I will draw a winner at random on July 21st and announce the winner the next day.  Good luck!  Read more...

Christmas in June

by bonggamom

June 25, 2009

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It's hot, hot, hot, and the weekend is all set to be hotter still.  Families everywhere could sure use a nice, cold snowfall -- and this weekend, you can experience the next best thing.  Disney's A Christmas Carol Train is making a stop at Middle Harbor Shoreline Park in Oakland this weekend.  From 9:00am - 7:00pm on Friday and Saturday, and 9:00am-4:00pm on Sunday, the train is making a cross-country tour to promote  Disney's A Christmas Carol, set to open in November 2009.  

Disney is certainly pulling out all the stops (including whistle stops) for this movie.  The fun will start for your little one as soon as you arrive at the train station, which will be decked out for the holidays with holiday decorations and snow.  Ahhh, the thought of a huge pile of snow in the summertime, like a gigantic snowcone, certainly inspires lots of merry thoughts.  And if that's not enough to get you into the holiday spirit, wait till you see and hear old-fashioned carolers (and thank your lucky stars that you're all wearing tank tops and shorts instead of those stuffy Victorian outfits).   And of course, your little train lovers will enjoy looking at the train itself --  four custom-designed vintage rail cars,  full of behind-the-scenes attractions, entertainimg demonstrations, and fun activities.  

The inside of the train promises to be just as interesting as the outside.  It will feature beautiful displays from the Charles Dickens Museum and from the movie itself (concept art, models, costumes, etc..) and interactive exhibits (don't miss the face-morphing booth).  At every station, they'll be setting up makeshift theaters to provide guests with some great movie viewing opportunities (a Behind-the-Scenes look at the making of the movie, as well as a 3D sneak peek of the movie itself).  

Check out the latest details about tour stops and scheduled events at www.christmascaroltraintour.com

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Weekend Outlook, May 15th - May 17th -- Let the Festivals Begin

by bonggamom

May 14, 2009

They say it's going to be a scorcher of a weekend in Silicon Valley.  I'm not looking forward to the high temperatures, but the good news is that the long, lazy summer is almost here -- and  with the heat comes all the fun summer festivals!  The summer festival season kicks off this weekend in cities all over the Bay Area.  Here's a roundup of some family favorites:

1)  Downtown Campbell is hot, hot, hot!  Their Boogie on the Bayou festival (Saturday and Sunday, May 16-17) will showcase Cajun and New Orleans style cuisine, and they've got some spicy music playing, including Cajun, Blues, Calypso and Jazz.  Kiddos will love the kids' craft area and grownups can stroll through the Arts and Crafts booths. 

2)  Mountain View's 13th Annual A La  Carte & Art festival takes place this weekend in downtown Mountain View (Saturday and Sunday, May 16-17).  Aside from the usual food, music and  shopping, expect a juried art show, health and wellness displays, an organic and green products showcase, a farmer's market and kids' amusement section. 

3)  Kids are the stars of the Hands on the Arts Festival in Sunnyvale (Saturday, May 16). There are a whopping 37 different hands-on workshops for children ages 3-12, led by professional artists (participation requires a wristband which can be purchased for $5).  There is also live entertainment throughout the day.

4)  Held on the Saturday following Mother's Day, every year since  1947, the Los Altos Kiwanis Club Pet Parade begins on Main Street, promptly at 10 a.m. (May 16).  It's a wonderful spring celebration that attracts thousands of kids, along with their pets, wagons, bicycles, parents and neighbors.   It includes youth groups, marching bands, fire engines, and antique police cars.

5)  This year San Carlos celebrates the 25th anniversary of the San Carlos Hometown Days festival.  Held in the spirit of the old-fashioned, fun-filled community gatherings of yesteryear, the event kicks on on Friday night with a musical concert, and continues through Saturday and Sunday.  It's chock-ful of events such as a parade, kids' relays, art contests, battle of the bands, a pancake breakfast, and fairground rides.

 

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Get ready for the Palo Alto May Fete Parade!

by bonggamom

April 30, 2009

Palo Alto residents know never to plan anything for the first weekend of May. They know to block that Saturday off for Palo Alto's May Fete Parade, and every year since 1922 they've been showing up in droves.  We've been going to this parade every year without fail for the past six or seven years, either watching or marching, and sometimes both.  

What makes the May Fete Parade so special?  At this parade, children are the undisputed stars.  There are no gargantuan animatronic floats, no beauty queens or roaring motorcycles or prancing horses.  Just lots and lots kids, from preschools to high school marching bands to local dance studios to elementary schools, all dressed in bright school colors or uniforms, on bikes and scooters, accompanied by a swarm of parents armed with cameras and camcorders.  Any group can register to join -- there is no limit -- but there is always a section at the end where anyone can jump in and march along.  
Throw in a few fancy cars, some funny-looking bicycles and a couple of rollerskating, bubble-blowing clowns and you've got a charming parade with a nice hometown feel.  

Each year the parade has a different theme (this year's is "Dream Green") and many groups join a float contest.  The floats reflect the annual theme and are relatively small and simple  -- which says nothing about the amount of effort put in by each and every group. Many who don't join the contest still come up with a float, and here and there you'll see a creative family whose wagon or stroller has been decorated to the nines to match the theme.

The parade starts just west of the University Avenue Caltrain Station on University and High.  It winds its way down University Avenue and turns right on Webster Street. The whole route is shaded with trees, and never gets so crowded that your little one won't be able to snag a spot to sit on the curb for prime parade viewing.    It ends at Palo Alto's Addison Elementary School, which hosts a Town Fair for the community. The fair, like the parade, is simple, fun and low-key.  It features a multitude of  children's activities like ball tosses, bead crafts and a giant inflatable slide, all free.  Families like to stake out a spot on the field beside the playground and let their kids loose on the playstructure while they relax on the grass and listen to the live music play.  Many people pack a picnic lunch or line up to buy the usual hotdog/hamburger/chips/soda combination.    It's a great way for Palo Alto residents meet their neighbors and build a sense of community.

The parade starts at 10:00 am this Saturday, rain or shine.  This year I'm marching with my two preschoolers while their sister and dad cheer us on from the sidelines. Grab your hat, sunscreen and water bottle and join us; we hope to see you there!

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April Fools Fun

by bonggamom

March 31, 2009

Tomorrow is April Fool's Day, and Savvy Editors from all over are letting loose and cooking up some April Fool's Fun.  So instead of my usual "looking back" post for the end of March, I'm looking ahead and joining in with some April Fools' pranks of my own!   Here are some ideas for celebrating the silliness in life:

1) If you're brave enough, play "dress-up" with your child -- agree to let your child pick out your outfit for the day if you can pick hers.  Pick out something silly (like pajamas) for your child to wear, and stick to your end of the bargain!

2) Serve your kids some fried egg on toast that's not egg-sactly as it seems.  Pat a small scoop of marshmallow cream fluff on the center of a piece of toast and flatten it so it looks like a fried egg.   Dab a bit of lemon pudding in the center for the yolk.  Then watch your kids bite into their sweet surprise and let them know the yolk's on them!

3) You wouldn't pull the same joke twice, would you?  Yes, you would!  Serve up some cookie fish sticks and tart taffy peas for lunch or dinner.   To make the fish sticks, cover some sugar wafers in peanut butter and roll in crushed cornflakes.  For peas, break off bits of green taffy and roll into balls.

4)  Visit the Rodin sculpture garden at Stanford University and play hide and seek among the statues.  When it's your turn to hide, speak out loud in a funny (not scary!) voice and pretend one of the statues has come to life.  If you sense that the game might be too scary, skip it; instead, plop a hat and scarf on the one of the statues, and take a photo of your little one acting silly with his new stone friend.

Happy April Fools' Day!

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Creeks and streams for Children in Silicon Valley

by bonggamom

March 24, 2009

Ah, spring. It's a wonderful time to explore the outdoors with your preschooler and get started on correcting the nature-deficit that suburban families sometimes experience.  Plants are sprouting, animals are birthing and creeks are bubbling..... did you say creeks??  Oh yes; there's still a chill in the air, but springtime is actually a great time to head out with your preschooler and splash in a stream.  By the time the hot summer days roll around, all the water will have dried out, so now's the time to explore the creeks and streams of Silicon Valley.  Pack a snack, a pair of wellingtons and a change of clothing (or two!), and head out to these local spots:

1) Hidden Villa Nature Preserve, Los Altos
Adobe Creek bubbles and spills its way through Hidden Villa Farm and the hiking trails behind it.  My kids could spend the whole day throwing pebbles into the water or wading through it with sticks and stones to build channels and dams. 

2)  Shoup Park, Los Altos
Shoup Park a year-round favorite for urban nature lovers.  This section of Adobe Creek that runs behind the playground is clean and shallow, making it one of the best creeks for wading, splashing and rock skipping after a good rain.  Quiet and scenic, it's tucked amidst the redwoods just off University Avenue in Los Altos.

3)  Cornelius Bol Park, Palo Alto
Who would have thought that a suburban Palo Alto park would have a creek in it?  Home to the famous Bol Park Donkeys, Bol Park is relatively less manicured and developed than other Palo Alto parks.  It has a small creek that runs through one side of the park, just beyond the paved trail favored by runners, hikers and moms-with-strollers.  You'll have a fairly steep descent, but once you make your way to the creek bed, your little one will have a lot of fun wading through the ankle-deep water.

4)  Los Gatos Creek Trail, Los Gatos (near Vasona Lake Park and Lark Ave.)
The Los Gatos creek runs through a good portion of Silicon Valley, changing in appearance several times along its way.  After it spills through Vasona Dam and leaves Los Gatos' Vasona Lake Park, the creek makes its way through suburban neighborhoods of Los Gatos. At this point, the accompanying trail is easily accessible to walkers, joggers, skaters, bicyclists -- and pint-sized creek waders.  Small beaches along the creek banks allow access to the creek. Your children will enjoy wading through the shallow areas -- just remember to keep a close eye on them.

5) Serra Park, Sunnyvale
Okay, so the creek that runs through Serra Park is actually dry.  But children still love "wading" and exploring in it.  They can also imagine they're in the midst of all the water in the world when they play on the huge riverboat playstructure.  All this dry "water" play can be fun, but if you really want to get wet, they do have a cool waterplay feature on hot days:  a forest of poles that sprays water in all directions.

 

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Five Things To Look For in a Preschool Game

by bonggamom

March 16, 2009

We're giving away a classic Candyland game!  Keep reading to find out how to enter...

Heads up, everyone, Family Game Nights are back!   Libraries around Silicon Valley host them regularly:  for example, the Palo Alto library is having Game Day on March 20, and the San Jose library's Game Day is on the 27th.  In this economy, Game Nights make sense; they're a fun, inexpensive way for families to bond and reconnect.  But 4-year olds can hardly be expected to sit still for 5 minutes, let alone participate in classic Game Night standbys like Monopoly or Pictionary.  What sort of games should parents play with their preschoolers on Family Game Night or any night?

In today's guest post, toy expert Jim Silver discusses features that parents should look for when choosing games for their preschoolers.  Jim is a widely recognized and often-resourced authority on the toy and licensing industries, having worked within the publishing and toy industries for more than 20 years.  He's also editor-in-chief for www.TimeToPlayMag.com, a great website parents can go to for toy, gaming and entertainment information.   Read below to learn 5 things parents should look for in a preschool game, then check out Jim's list of top preschool games for 2009. 

 

Five things to look for in a Preschool Game

By Jim Silver, editor in chief, TimetoPlayMag.com

1. Easy to play right out of the box. Instructions should be very simple and easy, so that you can open the box and play right away. Set up should be minimal, which also means clean up should be too. Young children don't have the patience for long instructions, and parents don't want a lot of mess.

2. Appropriate levels of reading, color matching, sequencing and memory for the age group. Playing the game should be fun...not frustrating. The great thing is that your children will let you know when they're ready for more advanced games. The child who loves Candy Land for months may suddenly realize he's too old for it, for instance.

3. Correct balance of chance and strategy. For younger children, the balance should be more chance than strategy. They're learning counting, memory, and matching among other skills. As they get older, strategy-thinking a few moves ahead-can be introduced. Kids also respond well to games that have a clear winner, even if it's not them. Children like the defined beginning and ending of a game with a clear objective.

4. 15 minutes or less. The younger the child, the quicker a game needs to be completed before a child gets bored or loses focus. For a three-year-old, a game should be completed in less than 15 minutes. As a child gets a little older, 20 minutes is the magic number. Many game companies are now putting game playing times on their packages; look for these to help gauge what's right for your child.

5. Motor skills. Many games greatly enhance motor skills through the need of hand-eye coordination. Many young children don't have enough opportunities to develop these skills, and games are a great occasion for younger kids to develop them through play.

 

Want to get a head start on your Family Game Night games collection?  Being Savvy Silicon Valley and http://www.timetoplaymag.com/ are giving away the classic preschooler's board game, Candyland!  If you don't have Candyland at home (or want to give one as a present), now's your chance to win.  To enter, simply leave a comment below with your email address and your favorite board game when you were a child.

For extra entries, you can also do any or all of the following:
1)  Follow TimeToPlayMag on Twitter (twitter id @TimeToPlay). 
2)  Follow Being Savvy Silicon Valley on Twitter (twitter id @savvySV).
3)  Blog or tweet about this giveaway.

For each extra entry you complete, please leave a separate comment telling me which extra entry you did (leave your Twitter ID or the link to your tweet or blog post). 

This giveaway is limited to US mailing addresses only, and ends on March 30, 2009.  I'll draw a winner at random and post the winner's name the next day.  Good luck!

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Weekend Outlook, March 13th - 15th : Going Green

by bonggamom

March 12, 2009

It's your lucky weekend!  The stores are full of plastic four-leaf clovers,a nd the weekend is packed with activities leading up to St. Patrick's Day next Tuesday.  With all the green goings on in the next several days, from leprechaun crafts to tree walks,  Kermit the Frog will have to find some other time to sing It's Not Easy Being Green.

1) It's not Boston or New York, but San Francisco's St. Patrick's Day Parade is a longstanding tradition -- it's on its 158th year -- and draws over 5,000 parade participants from all over the country.  The parade begins at Second and Market at 11:30 AM, and the festivities continue throughout the day at the Civic Center Plaza.  

2) Watch energetic Irish Dancers, snacks and crafts at the Palo Alto Family YMCA's Irish Dance Social. March 3/13, 3:30-5PM. 

3) Mountain View celebrates Arbor Day with live music, children's activities and crafts, information and education booths, a tree climbing demonstration and a ceremonial tree planting.  It's all happening this Saturday at Pioneer Park.

4) Treat yourself to some fresh air, a healthy walk and a new perspective. Go on a free guided Canopy Tree Walk around Palo Alto to learn more about the trees that create a healthy urban environment. Meet at the Junior Museum and Zoo on Saturday, Mar. 14, 10am-noon. 

5)  Make free sparkly Leprechaun Wands at San Jose's Lakeshore Learning tomorrow morning starting at 11:00 am -- it's a free kids' craft for ages 3 and up. 

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Sledding and Snowplay in Silicon Valley? You Bet!

by bonggamom

March 10, 2009

We're done with the first week of March, so I thought I'd better get a move on and talk about the one thing kids love about winter, before it melts away -- Snow.  We see it about once in a blue moon in Silicon Valley, but the Bay Area is surrounded by mountains on three sides, which is just high enough to get an occasional dusting of snow during cold snaps.  Which means that if you look hard enough and are willing to jump in your car for a drive, you'll find a spot or two for your preschoolers to play in the snow.  Here are some suggestions:

1)  Skyline Boulevard.  Head for the parking lot at El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve or  at Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve (both on Skyline Blvd), or Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Saratoga Gap, Russian Ridge)

2)  Summit of Hwy 17.  Head east on Summit Road to a ridge called Mt. Bache. 

3)  Mt. Hamilton.  Just head up Highway 130 to the University of California's Lick Observatory; at 4,200 feet, they've got a great view of the stars above and the world below.  A word of warning: the road does close due to snowfall so you have to content yourselves with some roadside snow.

4) Mount Diablo State Park.  Snow may cause rangers to close the gate at Summit Road at the Junction Ranger Station, but some intrepid visitors hike in about 2 miles toenjoy snow on the mountain.

If that's not enough snowplay to satisfy your little ones, deeper snow is just a few hours away from Silicon Valley.  There's the Lake Tahoe area, of course, but the Sonora area in the High Sierras and the Truckee/Donner Area on the way to Lake Tahoe are close enough (3 to 3.5 hrs drive) for a day trip (A Snow Day Trip, that is).  Here are some great destinations for a snow sledding day:

1) Leland High Sierra Snowplay area, about 3 hrs drive from the SF Bay Area, is a full-service snowplay facility with lots of sledding and tubing.  Now that they've installed a tow rope on their hills, parents can actually have fun sledding down hilss with their children without dreading the walk back up.

2) The California Department of Parks and Recreation operates 19 SNO-PARK sites around Northern and Central California (if you're lucky and the traffic on I-80 is light, you could get to the one at Yuba Gap in just over 3 hours).  A sno-park permit costs just $5, making this one of the best deals around for sledding, tubing, and all-around fun in the snow.  A word of warning:  not all the sno-parks sell permits on site (go figure!), so you may want to purchase your permits before leaving home.

3) There are several snowtubing spots off I-80 that offer tow lanes and equipment for fuss-free sledding and tubing.  Older kids will love Tubes R Us and the Kingvale Tubing and Sledding Center, but I've got to say, Soda Springs is the Disneyland of I-80 sledding sites.  With two tubing carousels, a moving carpet for first-time skiers, gentle tubing runs and sleigh rides, my little ones adore it -- and yours will, too.

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Fun in February: Let Us Count the Ways

by bonggamom

February 26, 2009

February was a short month, but boy did we pack a lot of fun and learning -- math learning, to be precise.  We found lots of sneaky ways to make math fun, and discovered that math learning already exists in many activities our children enjoy.  We also discussed more serious numbers, such as the numbers on a weighing scale and test scores for kindergarten.  Here are my don't-miss posts for February, by the numbers:  

1) We count down 99 things to do with kids in Silicon Valley.
2) Supermodel Emme answers twelve questions about weight bias and children's self esteem.
3) Citymama recommends five great kid-friendly ethnic restaurants.
4) I find four fun things to count around Silicon Valley.
5) I recommend four wonderful local authors.

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99 things you must do with your child in Silicon Valley before they grow up

by bonggamom

February 24, 2009

It seems like only yesterday that The Pea was just a little pea.  Now she's 7 and there are still so many things we haven't done together.  I really have to hurry, because some of the best experiences in the Valley have use-by dates:  I want my kids to first experience them while they're young, before the magic fades and they retreat into the solitude of their bedroms and their iPods.

With that in mind, here's a list of must-do activities for parents and kids around Silicon Valley:

Good Eats
 1) Taste garlic ice cream at the Gilroy Garlic Festival.
 2) Chew on saltwater taffy at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
 3) Pick berries at a local farm.
 4) Eat fish and chips at Princeton-by-the-Sea.
 5) Get a sugar high at the Jelly Belly Factory.
 6) Have a pancake breakfast at Hobees.
 7) Slurp clam chowder from a sourdough bread bowl at Fisherman's Wharf.
 8) Have an ice cream sundae at Ghirardelli Square.
 9) Burn your tongue at Palo Alto's annual Chili Cook-off.
10) Enjoy berrylicious treats at Watsonville's Strawberry Festival.
11) Go on a tasting tour -- cheese tasting, that is -- around Napa and Sonoma Valley.

The Animal Kingdom
12) Pat a llama at the Happy Hollow Zoo.
13) Join the Los Altos Pet Parade.
14) Milk a cow and feed chickens at Hidden Villa.
15) Watch for whales at the Point Sur Lighthouse.
16) Feed the ducks at Shoreline Park.
17) Spend the day at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
18) See the Monarch Butterflies in Pacifica.
19) Listen to the sea lions barking at Pier 39.
20) Ride an elephant at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.
21) Go on safari at Santa Rosa's Safari West.
22) Visit the elephant seals at Ano Nuevo State Reserve.

Events
23) Do the Dragon Dance at San Francisco's Chinese New Year Parade.
24) Welcome springtime at Cupertino's Cherry Blossom Festival.
25) Celebrate Cinco de Mayo at San Jose's annual parade.
26) Watch 4th of July Fireworks from Shoreline Ampitheater.
27) See the Tall Ships and Blue Angels at San Francisco's Fleet Week.
28) See the world's biggest pumpkins at the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival.
29) Go trick or treating at Santana Row.
30) Watch the San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker.
31) Drive through the Vasona Fantasy of Lights display.
32) Meet Santa Claus at a train station during Caltrains Holiday Train.
33) Enjoy holiday scenes at San Jose's Christmas at the Park.

Sporty Stuff
34) Watch a baseball game at San Francisco's AT&T park.
35) Sail a boat on Shoreline lake.
36) Surf (ok, boogie-board) the waves at San Gregorio State beach.
37) Go rafting on the American River.
38) Ice skate under the stars at Palo Alto's Winter Lodge.
39) Run Bay to Breakers with the little ones in a stroller.
40) Bike the Los Gatos Creek trail.
41) Sink a mini-hole-in-one at Golfland.
42) Take your child for a spin at Redwood City's Malibu Grand Prix.
43) Row, row, row your boat at Vasona Lake County Park.
44) Catch some fish at Ed Levin County Park.

Museums
45) Explore and learn at the Children's Discovery Museum.
46) Scare yourself at the Winchester Mystery House.
47) Play tag amongst the artwork at Stanford University's Rodin Sculpture Garden.
48) Marvel at the California Academy of Science's Living Roof.
49) Count the Pez dispensers at Burlingame's Pez Museum.
50) Walk like an Egyptian at San Jose's Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum.
51) Geek out at the Tech Museum.
52) Take a class at the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo.
53) Play and pretend at Oakland's Habitot Children's Museum.
54) Let your imagination take flight at the Hillier Aviation Museum.
55) Follow the toy trains at the Edward Peterman Museum of Railroad History.

 

Seein' the Sights
56) Watch an IMAX film at The Tech Museum.
57) See the circus trees at Gilroy Gardens.
58) Enjoy the view from the top of Stanford's Hoover Tower.
59) Watch a space shuttle launch at the NASA Ames Visitor Center.
60) See the stars up close at Lick Observatory.
61) Drive across the Golden Gate Bridge.
62) Check out the local bikers at Alice's Cafe in Woodside.
63) Watch a play, for kids and by kids, at Palo Alto's Hotdog Suppertime Shows.
64) Watch the airplanes bound for San Francisco airport take off and land, from Coyote Point park.
65) See where the San Francisco Bay ends at Palo Alto's Baylands Park.
66) Count as many of the Livermore windmills as you can while driving through Altamont Pass on Highway 580.

Nature
67) Hike through the redwoods at Henry Cowell State Park.
68) Hike up to The Dish at Stanford University.
69) Build a sandcastle at Santa Cruz beach.
70) Find serenity at San Jose's Japanese Friendship Garden.
71) Paint the roses red at San Jose's Heritage Rose Garden.
72) Wade in the creek at Los Altos' Shoup Park.
73) Save the earth on California Coastal Cleanup Day.
74) Pick apples at Gizdich Ranch.
75) Explore the tidepools at the Natural Bridges State Beach.
76) Say hello to the wild turkeys at Deer Hollow Farm.
77) Camp overnight at the Big Basin State Park.

Spend the weekend (or week!) at....
78) ...Yosemite National Park...
79) ...Sequoia National Park...
80) ...Lake Tahoe...
81) ...Napa Valley...
82) ...Sacramento...
83) ...Strawberry...
84) ...Gold Country...
85) ...Carmel-by-the-Sea...
86) ...Big Sur...
87) ...Solvang, or...
88) ...LA

Just Plain Fun
89) Ride the Caltrain up and down the Peninsula.
90) Ride the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad.
91) Chug through the redwoods on the Roaring Camp Railroad.
92) Catch a cable car on the hills of San Francisco.
93) Hop on the Bill Mason carousel at Oak Meadow Park.
94) Enjoy the rides at Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
95) Get stuck on stickers at the Mrs. Grossman's sticker factory.
96) Splash around at the Morgan Hill Aquatics Park.
97) Meet storybook characters at Oakland's Fairyland.
98) Splash through the fountains at the Plaza de Cesar Chavez.
99) Watch a movie at the San Jose's Capitol Drive-In Movie Theater.

My family has done quite a few of these items, but we're nowhere near done.  We (and you) had better get cracking on the rest of this list before the kids grow up!

If you have other activities that simply must be on this list, email us at beingsavvysiliconvalley@savvysource.com. 

 

 Read more...

Clock towers, church bells and other markings of time

by bonggamom

February 17, 2009

From Hickory Dickory Docks to cuckoo clocks, children have an inherent fascination with telling time.  When kids play with clocks, they learn basic math skills like measurement (minutes and hours), comparison (long vs. short hand), and geometry (circles, arrows and angles).  Not to mention that it's just plain fun to watch the clock hands move while listening to all those ticks and tocks.   Look out for some reeeeelly big clocks while you're out and about with your preschooler in these areas:

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Fun Things to Count in Your Neighborhood

by Bonggamom

February 03, 2009

One of the best ways to develop math skills in your preschooler is to count, count, count together. Count red cars on the road, strawberries in your cereal, people with baseball hats. Here are five (yes, one-two-three-four-five) things around Silicon Valley that you and your preschooler will enjoy counting together: 1) The tree stumps outside Palo Alto's Junior Museum and Zoo . The fun  Read more...

List Day: Reflective Locations

by Shawn Burns

January 13, 2009

Good day, good day! It's another Tuesday, which means another List Day, and today's list day inspired a lot of, er. self-reflection. It's okay to groan. Everybody does. Today at Savvy Source we are talking about great places to go to let the kids see reflections of themselves. First, let me mention a couple of places not to take the kids to see reflections of themselves: The cigar store counter.  Read more...

LEGO comes to Silicon Valley: MOAH's Living LEGO-cy

by Bonggamom

January 09, 2009

Train lovers -- and parents of little train lovers -- take note: there are only a few more days left to enjoy the Museum of American Heritage (MOAH) 's annual holiday train display. Living LEGO-cy: Legendary LEGOs and Terrific Trains, a joint project of the museum, the Bay Area LEGO® User Group (BayLUG) and Bay Area LEGO Train Club (BayLTC), is a must-see. MOAH is a small museum tucked  Read more...

Park Day: The Oval

by Shawn Burns

January 05, 2009

As you head down Palm Drive toward Stanford University from Palo Alto the view of Memorial Church rising above the sunken green patch called the Oval is really breathtaking (it is especially cool to see on a foggy day; Memorial Church materializes out of a sea of white). The Oval is exactly what it's name implies. It is a green lawn with a single sidewalk as an X-axis. It is sunken a little, so  Read more...

Happy Kwanza!

by Bonggamom

December 26, 2008

Kwanzaa starts today! This seven-day African American holiday gets its name from a Swahili phrase meaning "first fruits" and is based on the African tradition of the "first harvest of the crops" at the end of each year. Kwanzaa honors African heritage and culture, as well as family and community. To celebrate Kwanzaa, the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito is offering free admission and  Read more...

52 Pick-Up

by Shawn Burns

December 24, 2008

It's Christmas Eve and your ol' Uncle Shawn is heading out of town. The weekend, usually previewed here in this space, will probably happen regardless of what I do about it, and I expect much of it will involve holiday cheer of some sort. So instead of a Weekend Outlook post today I have a Counting-Cleaning Classic for your amusement. We keep various things in shoeboxes in our  Read more...

Best Holiday Lights

by Bonggamom

December 23, 2008

Santa won't have any problem navigating around Silicon Valley when he swings by two days from now. Folks all over town have set their neighborhoods aglow with holiday light displays worthy of Disneyland's Electrical Parade. From north to south, here's a run-down on five of the best-decorated streets in the valley: 1) At Eucalyptus Street in San Carlos (one block north of Brittan Avenue  Read more...

Park Day: Cornelis Bol Park

by Shawn Burns

December 08, 2008

Over the weekend we went over to Cornelis Bol Park in the Barron Park part of Palo Alto. As with many of the parks on the Peninsula, Bol Park boasts two separate and intricate jungle gyms, one for the older (5-12) age and one for the younger (2-5) age. Tall slides and short slides, climbing options, swings and rocking horses (those spring mounted things that shake back and forth  Read more...

Weekend Outlook: December 5th-7th

by Shawn Burns

December 03, 2008

Even if you aren't going to be participating in or enjoying any of the activities and events I talked about yesterday you can still have a great time with your kid(s) this weekend around the Peninsula. And for the sake of variety this will be a concert/theater-free Weekend Outlook. I know you must be played out (that's kind of a pun). This Friday from 3-4pm is the first in Hidden  Read more...

List Day: Holiday Traditions

by Shawn Burns

December 02, 2008

I'm a new-ish Holiday Dad, and this year marks my first real opportunity to immerse my daughter in the local holiday celebrations and know that she'll get something out of it. Of course there are holiday events all up and down the Peninsula and in the Silicon Valley this month, but for today's List Day at Savvy Source we are charged with presenting a list of local traditions, and not  Read more...

List Day: Holiday Traditions

by Shawn Burns

December 02, 2008

I'm a new-ish Holiday Dad, and this year marks my first real opportunity to immerse my daughter in the local holiday celebrations and know that she'll get something out of it. Of course there are holiday events all up and down the Peninsula and in the Silicon Valley this month, but for today's List Day at Savvy Source we are charged with presenting a list of local traditions, and not  Read more...

Park Day: Santana Row, San Jose

by Bonggamom

December 01, 2008

At first glance, it doesn't seem like Santana Row is kid-friendly at all. Posh shops, high-end (read: breakable) home accessories, luxury spas and chic bars dominate this outdoor shopping mall. But look closer and you'll find hints of kid-friendly fun here and there. Like the small, fenced in toddler playstructure at Park Valencia, a small patch of green at the heart of the mall. And the  Read more...

Holiday tree lighting ceremonies

by Bonggamom

November 28, 2008

Get ready, people; today is Black Friday. Even though you've still got half a turkey in your fridge, The December Holiday Season has Begun . For many grownups, this means crowds and overspending and drunk relatives and stress, but for children, it's all about the presents and the treats and the decorations and the pretty twinkling lights. The holidays are a special time for children, and cities  Read more...

Park Day: The "Red Ant" Playground, Santa Clara

by Bonggamom

November 20, 2008

3Po and Jammy don't like red ants. They've been bitten by the little buggers before and know to avoid them like the plague. But they happily embraced the red ants crawling all over Santa Clara's War Memorial Playground . Built on the former War Memorial Swimming Center on the Santa Clara High School campus, the War Memorial Playground was refurbished in December 2007. The new playground  Read more...

Pajama Storytimes (and other alternatives to bedtime reading)

by Bonggamom

November 17, 2008

Like most parents, you probably treasure the bedtime story you read with your child every night. But there may be times when your throat is sore. Or you've already read twenty stories to your child. Or you just need a break. Whatever the reason, there may come a night when the thought of reading Dr. Seuss out loud makes you want to tear your hair out by the roots. Fear not. Here are some  Read more...

The ABCs of Silicon Valley

by Shawn Burns

November 04, 2008

Today at Savvy Source we're doing the ABCs of Silicon Valley. Do you have the song in your head? Good. A is for Armadillo Willy's Barbecue . B is for the Baby Loves Disco . C is for the Cinco de Mayo Festival. D is for ducks . E is for environmentalism. F is for farmer's markets . G is for the Gilroy Garlic Festival . H is for Hobee's . I is for Ice Skating  Read more...

Are you tired of Halloween yet?

by Bonggamom

October 30, 2008

All month long you've taken your kids to parties, parades, crafts and activities. And now Halloween is just one day away. If you're like me, you're thinking, Rats! But I'm fully aware that there are people who are thinking, Hurrah! For those who have had enough of pumpkins and ghosts and skeletons, I'll take pity on you. Let's move on to another celebration: El Dia de los Muertos , or the  Read more...

The simple joys of Halloween

by Bonggamom

October 23, 2008

My kids really enjoy their busy Halloween social schedule (which is a good thing, seeing as I'm crazy about Halloween and drag them to as many events as possible). But for some children, all the raucus parties, sugary treats and scary costumes cause way too many meltdowns. You may decide that one Halloween event -- or just trick-or-treating on the 31st -- is enough. You can still have fun  Read more...

Park Day: Klein Park, Mountain View

by Bonggamom

October 13, 2008

As parks go, Klein Park (on the corner of Ortega Avenue and California Street) isn't one of those huge, full-featured, "must-go" destination parks. It's a friendly little neighborhood park that we like to visit when we find ourselves in Mountain View for one reason or another and feel the need to stretch our legs. Klein Park is big enough to keep my kids happy for an hour but small enough  Read more...

Cooling Off

by Shawn Burns

August 26, 2008

How do you cool off? Our national editors have some great ideas for cooling off in the heat. With a heatwave moving into the Silicon Valley this weekend Erin and I will be trying to cool off almost constantly. I love their suggestion to just drop an ice cube down your kid's shirt. I think I'll go do that now... Ok, but today is List Day, which means I get to tell you how to cool off. And I'm  Read more...

Park Day: Playtown

by Shawn Burns

August 25, 2008

Today's Park Day Post is about an indoor park, Playtown at Valley Fair. Playtown is an enclosed (one entryway), rubber-floored obstacle course and playground distraction down by the Lego Store and Build-a-Bear Factory. Within the walls of the lot there are soft row-benches for parents and nannies to sit on while their charges engage in all kinds of running and jumping and sliding and tunnel  Read more...

Tot Lot

by Shawn Burns

July 24, 2008

There's this long swath of water district property that carves its way through the housing developments in Mountain View. If you stand on it at just about any point it feels as though you can stare for miles in either direction, because no one is allowed to put structures on this land. For a long, complicated reason having to do with real estate and boring things like that, we took Erin to an  Read more...

A Day at Home

by Shawn Burns

July 17, 2008

Sometimes you just want to stay home. Sure, it might be nice outside, and of course you want your kid to go out and explore the world. But sometimes the world inside is just as interesting. Today was one of those days for us. It was a little brisk outside in Menlo Park, so we couldn't go swimming at Burgess . But what do you do inside? We don't have a Wii, or any other console system for that  Read more...

Those Swedes were too much to handle in one day

by Shawn Burns

June 25, 2008

I wrote about taking your kid to IKEA the other day. But, because IKEA is difficult to walk through without exhausting yourself, so too is it difficult to write about without exhausting yourself. Owing to time and space constraints I left out several key parts of the IKEA experience in my first post. So here, for your perusing pleasure, is IKEA, part 2. What if you actually do wish to shop at  Read more...

Cooling off: Swedish Style

by Shawn Burns

June 23, 2008

If you want to beat the heat, head to Sweden. Ah, if only I had the kind of disposable income that would permit me to fly to another, cooler, continent on a moment's notice. Alas, I make tens of dollars and that's just not enough for plane tickets. So last week when it was stiflingly, exhaustingly hot, so hot that even the pool was not a compelling option (because the sun would beat down  Read more...

Outgrowing Places

by Shawn Burns

June 12, 2008

Suddenly, she walks everywhere. And just as suddenly she can reach a thousand things she never could before. Her world is now at two feet above ground level instead of one, and so the things that catch her attention are all higher up. Those DVDs on the entertainment center that used to be safely out of both sight and reach are now her favorite objects in the living room. Pan handles on the  Read more...