Classes

A baby food swap, the Hillwide garage gala, and other ways to while away your weekend.

Organic Homemade Baby Food Swap

Karen Solomon, author of Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It, hosts a swap-meet for parent-cooks. Anyone who brings an organic mash in 10 half-pint containers can swap with other cooks.

When: Fri., 8/13, 11am-noon; All ages; $5.

Where: 18 Reasons, 593 Guerrero Street (at 18th Street), San Francisco; info@18reasons.org.

Build and Grow Clinics

At these weekly Saturday learning sessions, kids make free wooden toys like ant farms. And you can buy light bulbs and a new faucet.

When: Each Saturday, including 8/14, 10am; Age 3+; Free.

Where: Lowe’s Home Improvement, 720 Dubuque Avenue (at E. Grand Avenue), South San Francisco; lowesbuildandgrow.com.

Nihonmachi Street Fair

Live music, cultural demonstrations, arts and crafts booths, and the incredible thunderous roar of the taiko drummers.

When: Sat.-Sun., 8/14-15; 11am-6pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Japantown, Post Street (between Laguna and Fillmore Streets), San Francisco, nihonmachistreetfair.org.

Bernal Hillwide Garage Sale

Just in time for back-to-school shopping, this giant garage sale is traditionally a great source of clothes and gear for families.

When: Sat., 8/15, 8am-4pm (but open times vary by location); All ages; Free.

Where: The streets surrounding the Bernal Heights Playground and Recreation Center, 500 Moultrie Street (at Jarboe Avenue), San Francisco; 415-695-5007.

Throw a rock and you’ll hit a moms’ club or a playgroup, but being a new Mimi, Bubbe, Nanny, or Gran is just as complicated as the new-mom thing (if a lot more fun). How do you keep your mouth shut when your daughter-in-law is trying out some insane new parenting technique? How many cookies is it okay to give the grandkids at your house? These issues and many others are the fodder du jour at the GaGa Sisterhood, a Bay Area grandmas’ group that meets regularly at homes around the Bay Area.

The grandmas kibbitz, discuss their common problems, sometimes even invite an expert speaker. And they sound like a lively bunch: Donne Davis, the founder of the Sisterhood, is a very young-and-bouncy grandma who blogs regularly and intelligently on the GaGa Sisterhood site.

The next GaGa Sisterhood meeting is September 19, see the site for more information.

Outdoor concerts, a sunset revel, urban farming for kids: it’s summertime!

Hapa Academy of Hawaiian Arts at the Stern Grove Festival

Beautiful Hawaiian slack key guitar and electronics with hula dancing to dazzle the eye.

When: Sun., 6/26, 2pm (KidStage art events start at noon); Age 2+; Free.

Where: Sigmund Stern Grove, Sloat Avenue (at 19th Avenue), San Francisco; 415-252-6252; sterngrove.org.

Summer Sunsets Family Fiesta

The Bay Area Discovery Museum is open late a few Fridays this summer, throwing special parties for kids and parents with live music, themed dinners, and access to all the museum’s exhibits.

When: Fri., 6/25, 5-8pm; All Ages; $5-8.

Where: Bay Area Discovery Museum, 557 McReynolds Road (at Fort Baker), Sausalito; 415-339-3900; baykidsmuseum.org.

Urban Farming for Kids

A presentation on sustainable city gardening aimed at kids. Learn how to grow good food even in tiny spaces.

When: Sat., 6/26, 4pm; Age 5+; Free.

Where: Potrero Branch Library, 1616 20th Street (at Connecticut Street), San Francisco; 415-355-2822; sfpl.org.

Woodies on the Wharf

Get an appreciation for classic Cali surf culture at this celebration where old “woody” boards line the boardwalk and there’s music, food, and prizes.

When: Sat., 6/26, 10am-4pm; Age 3+; Free.

Where: Santa Cruz Wharf, Municipal Wharf (at Beach Street), Santa Cruz; 831-420-5273; cityofsantacruz.com.

Fall is just a few months away and many local parents are anxiously wondering where their new preschoolers will be come school time. Some been-there-done-that advice on picking just the right spot for your wee one:

1. Think about what you need

Most preschools accept kids who turn 3 by the start of the school year, but some begin younger. How old will your child be in September? There’s also potty training to consider. Some schools require it, some don’t. Any special considerations (is your child bilingual? Special needs?) should be specially considered. The schedule of other family members, including siblings and parents, is also important. Do you need an afternoon program? One that starts after 9? One that runs every day or that has good aftercare?

Cost is also an important consideration. Preschool costs anywhere from nothing to $20,000 a year. What can you afford? What do you want to spend? What’s worth paying for?

2. Learn what’s out there

Talk to people you know, or parents on the playground. Learn about what’s close to your home or your work (driving across town for drop-offs and pick-ups is a major downer). Do some basic reading on the different preschool philosophies in your area. Most will be either play-based/developmental, Montessori, Reggio Emilia, or Waldorf. There are also co-op schools, where parents volunteer and the cost is reduced, as well as preschools run by the San Francisco Unified School District. The canonical local source for learning what’s out there in San Fran and Marin is Finding a Preschool for Your Child in San Francisco & Marin by Lori Rifkin. And, of course, your playground friends.

3. Tour and apply

Once you’ve located schools that seem like they’d be a good fit for your family, tour every one you can. Six to eight is optimal. Trust the vibe you get. Does it seem like your child would do well there? Do the students look happy and engaged? The teachers relaxed and positive? The facilities cheerful and comfortable? If you like the school, apply. Don’t be put off by a wait list, which can evaporate quickly come fall, particularly if the school in question is balancing for gender and age (most do).

After that, there’s nothing much to do but wait. Calling to bug admissions professionals over the summer isn’t productive. You’ll hear back when the school has some information for you, probably in August. Just wait it out. That’s what cuticles are for. And know that wherever your child ends up, chances are she (and you!) will love it there.

Could you see your kid on Glee or American Idol? Budding singers, dancers, and dramatists now have an outlet for their talents that’s more prestigious than their school’s auditorium: the new San Francisco Children’s Musical Theater. This top-drawer program is led by a director who’s put on hundreds of community performances in San Jose and Gilroy and is convinced that a similar untapped pool of talent can be found in San Fran’s youth.

Performers aged 5 to 21 can audition for SFCMT by singing a simple song; even Happy Birthday will do. If they’re cast, they’ll have 10 weeks of working with acting teachers, followed by a public show at the Palace of Fine Arts. Class fees are $225 per session and include a show T-shirt and cast photo. Even better for harried parents: they need not participate (no set-building!) and rehearsals are held on Saturdays only.

SFCMT auditions begin soon. For more information, visit sfcmt.com.

So many fun things this weekend, you’re lame if you sleep in.

Maker Faire

Make magazine’s Maker Faire is ground zero for the Bay Area’s crafters, robotics nerds, furniture makers, and other creatives, who get together each year for a two-day expo and party. Don’t miss the kid-friendly activities, like the ever-appealing rolling Victorian mansion, the Neverwas.

When: Sat., 5/22, 10am-8pm; Sun., 5/23, 10am-6pm; All ages; Free-$25 daily.

Where: San Mateo Event Center & Expo Address, 2495 South Delaware Street (at Concar), San Mateo, makerfaire.com.

KFOG’s Kaboom

Fireworks set to music, street food, live music, and a children’s stage to keep the little ones busy until the big boom pow. Note this year’s new location.

When: Sat., 5/22, ipm (Fireworks start at dark), Age 5+; $15-20 (fireworks are free).

Where: Candlestick Park, Carroll Avenue (at Ingalls Street), San Francisco, kfog.com.

National Safe Boating Week

Free boat rides, a Coast Guard rescue demo, a barbecue, and free life jackets for the first hundred guests.

When: Sat., 5/22, 11am-4pm; Age 3+; Free ($5 for barbecue).

Where: Treasure Island Sailing Center, 689 California Avenue, Treasure Island Building 112, (between Avenues H and F), Treasure Island; 415-421-2225; tiasailing.org.

Sunday Streets

A huge chunk of Third Street is closed to traffic and local fitness organizations have stations to help participants bike, walk, dance, and play, all free.

When: Sun., 5/23, 10am-3pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Third Street (centered on King Street), San Francisco; sundaystreetsf.com.

On the weekend before Easter, lots of opportunities to learn new things with your kids.

Bunny 101

If you’re thinking about getting a new bunny for Easter, make this class your first stop to talk with vets and experts about their care. Free chocolate bunnies and bunny nail trims, too!

When: Sun., 3/28, noon-4pm; Age 4+; Free.

Where: For Other Living Things, 1261 South Mary Avenue (at ), Sunnyvale; 408-739-6785; rabbithaven.org.

About Face Feminist Workshop for Young Girls

Members of the SF branch of the National Organization for Women teach girls how to decode and resist media messages about their looks. Lunch is provided and parents should attend with their daughters.

When: Sat., 3/27, 11am-2pm; Age 8-18; Free.

Where: Herchurch, 678 Portola Drive (at Woodside Avenue), San Francisco; sfnow.org.

Family Hip Hop Class

On the last Sunday of every month, instructor Doug Johnson teaches the whole family easy hip-hop moves.

When: Sun., 3/28, 1-2pm; Age 3+; $5 per person ($20 maximum per family).

Where: ODC Dance Commons, 351 Shotwell Street (at 18th Street), San Francisco; 415-863-9830, extension 100; odcschool.org.

Egg-stravaganza and Small Animal Adoptions

Pick up a new Easter friend at this small-animal adoption fair, where rabbits, rats, mice, guinea pigs, and other teenies will be available for new friends.

When: Sat., 3/27, 11am-4pm; Age 5+; Free.

Where: East Bay SPCA, 8323 Baldwin Street, Oakland, eastbayspca.org.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Pomp, splendor, floats, and lots of green. There are children’s activities and traditional Irish food and crafts at the after-parade party at City Hall.

When: Sat., 3/13, 11:30am-5pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Parade begins Second Street (at Market Street) and winds to City Hall on Grove Street (at Larkin Street) in San Francisco; sfstpatricksdayparade.com.

Shiv Sounds with Ryth EM

Shiv and Em play kid-friendly music in the Tim Burton-ish atmosphere of this curious shop for kids.

When: Sat., 3/13, 2-4pm; All Ages; Free.

Where: Paxton Gate’s Curiosities for Kids, 766 Valencia Street (at 19th Street), San Francisco; 415-728-8466; paxtongate.com.

Journaling Birds & Wildlife

Learn how to draw nature in the raw at this two-hour program with naturalist and artist Jack Muir Laws focusing on drawing birds and other wildlife.

When: Sat., 3/13, 10am-noon; Age 9+; $25 per participant (advance phone registration required).

Where: Richardson Bay Center & Sanctuary, 376 Greenwood Beach Road (at Tiburon Boulevard), Tiburon, 415-388-2524; tiburonaudubon.org.

Fantastic Fridays: Fun with Food

Use this excuse to tour the fancy new Crissy Field Center, where toddlers and their caregivers rustle up some healthy snacks and learn more about healthy eating.

When: Fri., 3/12, 10am-11:30am; Age 1-5; $15.

Where: Crissy Field Center, 1199 East Beach (at Mason Street), San Francisco; 415-561-7752; parksconservancy.org.

Panicking about where you’re going to stash your child for the upcoming spring and summer breaks? You oughtta be. Most of the more popular camps in the Bay Area fill up in March. But this year you have some inside information that you didn’t find on the playground: Sign Up for Camp.

Launched by a team of Bay Area parents who’ve been through the camp process themselves and know how confusing it is, signupforcamp.com is a directory of local camps that’s searchable by ZIP code, date, or age. Need a camp from June 14th to 18th for your Pre-K kid? Sign Up for Camp has 147 of them, each with the camp’s hours, cost, dates, and contact information in a helpful grid that makes it oh-so-easy to compare. So much easier than Googling and making phone calls, particularly since many camps barely have a website, much less dates and rates on them.

Another helpful feature: users can create a free calendar for their children, which can be shared with other users. Wouldn’t your kid like to go to summer camp with some of the kids in her class? I thought so.

Visit signupforcamp.com for more information. The site has also launched in Philadelphia as well as the Bay Area, with more cities set to roll out in 2010.

It’s warming up out there, the almond trees are blooming, and finally the rain has stopped. Let’s take advantage of it while we can.

Giants FanFest

The yearly party is a free chance to ogle players, get autographs and dugout tours, and generally soak up the sporty atmosphere.

When: Sat., 2/6, 10am-3pm; Age 3+; Free.

Where: AT&T Park, 24 Willy Mays Plaza (at King Street), San Franciscp; sanfranciscogiants.mlb.com.

Crissy Field Center’s Grand gREen Opening

Explore the new green building with a party including tours of the sustainability features, live music, food tastings, and eco giveaways.

When: Sat., 2/6, 11am-3pm; All Ages; Free.

Where: Crissy Field, 1199 East Beach (at Mason Street), San Francisco; 415-561-7752; parksconservancy.org.

Every Child Belongs: Inclusion and ADA Law Workshop for Parents

Parents of children with disabilities can learn what their rights are under IDEA and ADA law, as well as who can help. Pre-registration is required, write to mdickerson@childrenscouncil.org.

When: Fri., 2/5, 9:30am-noon; Adults only; Free.

Where: Children’s Council of San Francisco, 445 Church Street (at 16th Street), San Francisco, 415-343-3309; childrenscouncil.org.

Children’s Authors and Illustrators Festival

Meet the men and women who make your favorite children’s books, with guests like Elisa Kleven (the Paper Princess series) and Tim Myers (Takuki’s Gift).

When: Sat., 2/6, 10am-3:30pm; Age 5+; Free.

Where: Orion Elementary School, 815 Allerton Street (at Alden Street), Redwood City, rcsd.k12.ca.us.