East Bay

A Nightmare Before Christmas in 3D

The spooky holiday classic screens in eye-popping 3D during its week-long engagement at the Castro Theatre.

When: Fri. 10/23 through Thu. 11/5; 7pm, 8:45pm (Sat., Sun. & Wed. shows at 1:30pm, 3:25pm, and 5:10pm); Age 6+; $7.50-10.

Where: Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street (at Market Street), San Francisco; 415-621-6120; castrotheatre.com.

Scare Grove

A Halloween carnival specially aimed at families, with a haunted house, hay rides, bounce houses, rides, and treats.

When: Fri., 10/23, 4-9pm; Age 2+; $5 for an all-access pass.

Where: Sigmund Stern Grove, Sloat Avenue (at 19th Avenue), San Francisco; sfgov.org.

Creepy Crawly Week

Get weirded out by science with an exhibit of scary animals, a scavenger hunt for spooky creatures, and naturalist lessons in which you get to meet (and sometimes touch!) frightening critters.

When: Sat., 10/24 through Sun. 11/1; Age 3+; Free with paid admission (Free-$25).

Where: California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive (at JFK Drive) in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, 415-379-8000; calacademy.org.

Jack o’ Lantern Jamboree

Come in costume to this annual Halloween party, which boasts roaming costumed characters, jump houses, pumpkin crafts, face painting, and the festive, make-believe atmosphere of Fairyland.

When: Sat. & Sun., 10/24-25, 10am-5pm; All ages; $10 per person.

Where: Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Avenue (at Lake Merritt), Oakland, 510-452-2259, fairyland.org.

Even after your kid’s been out of diapers for a while, there are probably dozens still hanging around the house, in sizes newborn to pull-up. Unless an entire incontinent nursery school class comes for a visit, there’s little chance you’ll use them up, and you certainly don’t want to put them in trash. A better alternative: dropping them at one of the Bay Area pickup locations for the Give Cheeks a Chance diaper drive.

Launched by the nonprofit Help a Mother Out, which collects and hands out donations for homeless and low-income families, the Give Cheeks a Chance drive has already collected thousands of diapers. At about a quarter a pop, diapers can be truly hard to come by for low-income families–and it’s tough to get out to discount stores like Target to buy the giant packs unless you have a car.

The Give Cheeks a Chance drive is over after tomorrow; hurry up and get those diapers in. Drop-off locations include Sadiedey’s Cafe, 4210 Telegraph Avenue in Oakland; Natural Resources, 1367 Valencia Street in San Francisco; and Baby Buzz, 1314 Lincoln Avenue, #1A in San Jose. If you’d like to help out another way, you can find out how to buy and donate online. Give Cheeks a Chance is looking for diapers of any size and unopened boxes of baby wipes; visit helpamotherout.org.

Three sweet ways to enjoy life with the kiddies this weekend.

Strega Nona

Strega Nona tells Big Anthony to lay off her pasta pot. Big Anthony doesn’t listen in this Commedia dell’arte-style adaptation of Tommie DePaola’s classic children’s tale.

When: Sat. & Sun. 9/19-10/4 (the production also runs in San Ramon 10/10-18), check website for times; Age 2+; $18 adults, $14 children.

Where: Julia Morgan Center, 2460 College Avenue (at Claremont Avenue), Berkeley; 510-296-4433; activeartstheatre.org.

International Coastal Cleanup Day

Spend a day cleaning up the coast, and empower a generation of non-litterbugs.

When: Sat., 9/19, Age 2+; Free.

Where: Various coastal sites in the Bay Area, see website for locations including Ocean Beach and Candlestick Point in San Francisco and the Port of Oakland Estuary.

Film Night in the Park: The Dark Knight in Dolores Park

Take advantage of what’s supposed to be a pleasant evening in the warmest part of San Francisco and watch this gripping update of the Batman tale.

When: Sat., 9/19, 8pm; Age 8+; $6 adults, $3 children.

Where: Dolores Park, Dolores Street (at 20th Street), San Francisco, filmnight.org.

Festivals, movies, and more ways to take up your time.

Old Time Music Convention

All manner of non-electric instruments making old-fashioned music.

When: Ongoing through Sun. 9/13; Check website for times; All ages; Free-$20.

Where: Various venues in Berkeley including Civic Center Park, Center Street (at MLK, Jr. Way), Berkeley; 510-548-3333; berkeleyoldtimemusic.org.

Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival

Local patisseries and candy-makers bring the goodies, you bring your appetite. There’s a children’s area for when the tykes go sugar-nuts.

When: Sat. & Sun., 9/12-13, noon-5pm; Age 2+; Free admission, $20 for 15 tastings of chocolate samples.

Where: Ghirardelli Square, 900 North Point (at Polk Street), San Francisco; ghirardellisq.com.

Movie Day with Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket)

Handler presents his favorite family movie, Young Frankenstein, in this benefit for SF libraries.

When: Sat., 9/13, movie at noon, reception at 11am; Age 4+; movie is free (but reservations required), reception $25 for adults, free for kids under 12.

Where: Balboa Theater, 3630 Balboa Street (at 38th Avenue), San Francisco; 415-626-7512, x106 or sara.bassett@friendssfpl.org; friendssfpl.org.

The Plastiki - Mission Control

Use interactive exhibits to learn about a 10,000 nautical mile voyage across the Pacific Ocean on a boat made almost entirely out of reclaimed plastic soda bottles.

When: Wednesdays through Sundays, ongoing through December 31, 11am-4pm; Age 3+; Free.

Where: Pier 45, Embarcadero (at Taylor Street), San Francisco; plastiki.com.

Taking a CPR/emergency class for infants and children is such a pain…but not as big a pain as helplessly watching a child choke or stop breathing in front of you. CPR classes are offered daily all over the Bay Area, and many organizations will give lessons free to a group of parents. Make learning CPR the focus of your next mommy-get-together, or contact one of these fine civic organizations:

DayOne: This San Francisco parenting support organization offers several classes monthly for $45.

CPR Family: Classes in San Rafael and San Francisco run $35-75; pre-crawling babies are welcome.

American Red Cross: The paterfamilias of lifesaving organizations offers classes in most communities for around $50. Type in your ZIP code to find the location nearest you.

SafetyMax: Will give seminars for groups of 12 (minimum) in your Bay Area home or office.

CPR Education Seminars: Teaches safety classes all over the North and South Bay as well as in San Francisco.

Counting down the last month of summer.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

A boy gives a hungry mouse a cookie, and then a lot of other stuff happens at this Fairyland show. Admission includes the price of an hour at Fairyland. The Friday evening shows are supper shows; bring your own picnic for eating in the outdoor amphitheatre or buy dinner at the Fairyland cafe.

When: Thursdays, Saturdays & Sundays, 4pm, Fridays 6pm through 8/16; Age 2+; Adults $12, Children $10.

Where: Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Avenue (at Lake Merritt), Oakland, 510-452-2259, activeartstheatre.org.

Pier Crabbing Demonstrations at Fort Point

Learn how to drop a net and catch crabs off the San Francisco piers at this demo from Fort Point staff. All equipment is provided but (free) reservations are required.

When: Saturdays, March through October (including 8/8), 10am-noon; Age 2+; Free.

Where: Fort Point, Marine Drive (at Old Mason Street), San Francisco; 415-556-1693; nps.gov.

Family Day at SCRAP: Accessorize with Toys

Bring small objects from home or use SCRAP’s treasure trove to make jewelry or sculptures. Participants will learn basic jewelry-making techniques.

When: Sat., 8/8, 1-4pm; Age 4+; $15 per individual or $20 per family.

Where: SCRAP, 801 Toland Street (at McKinnon Avenue), San Francisco; 415-647-1746; scrap-sf.org.

Summer is dwindling fast: take advantage of the snappy weather to get the kids outside, or tuck them away for a night off.

Tour de Peninsula

Take a one-mile fun ride with your small kids or the full 63 mile course with the older ones at this bicycle tour of the most beautiful parks in the South Bay. If your kids aren’t up for the early morning kids’ ride, rangers lead loping family rides at noon in Coyote Point.

When: Sun., 8/2, 8am-3pm (family rides through the park start at noon); Age 3+; Free-$40.

Where: Rides begin at the Captain’s House in Coyote Point Park, North Bayshore and Coyote Point Drive, San Mateo; 650-321-1638; supportparks.org.

Summer Fun Nights

Drop the kids out for a heart-thumping night of trampolining, bungee-jumping, zipline play, tumbling, and other delightful pursuits at this party for kids age 6-13. Pizza will be provided.

When: Sat., 8/1 (repeats on 8/25), 6:30-10pm; Age 6-13; $30.

Where: Acrosports, 639 Frederick Street (at Lincoln Avenue), San Francisco; 415-665-2276; acrosports.org.

World Breastfeeding Week Mini-Conference

Get all your breastfeeding questions answered at this two-hour mini-conference, which offers breast pumps, nursing pillows, and lactation consultation time as door prizes.

When: Sun., 8/2, 1-3pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Bothin Auditorium, California Pacific Medical Center, 3700 California Street (at Van Ness) San Francisco; cpmcbabysteps.org.

Meet Sid the Science Kid

A person dressed as the titular character from the popular PBS series will mug and play with kids, demonstrating how to do scientific observation and learning at special exhibits aimed at preschoolers.

When: Sun., 8/2, noon-2pm; Age 3-6; Free with museum admission (Free-$11).

Where: Lawrence Hall of Science, Centennial Drive (at Stadium Rimway) on the University of California, Berkeley campus, 510-642-5132, lawrencehallofscience.org.

Do the Moonwalk, hold the world by a string, or be a hair hopper on this last July weekend.

Sing-Along Hairspray

Wear your puffiest skirts and biggest hair to a screening of the 2007 remake of the classic John Waters movie, with words on the screen to prompt a mass sing-along.

When: Fri., 7/24, 8pm; Age 8+; $10-15.

Where: Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street (at Market Street), San Francisco; 415-621-6120; castrotheatre.com.

Berkeley Kite Festival

It’s high-flying fun with Japanese kite battles, Taiko drummers, kite ballet. Fledgling flyers can learn how to make and fly their own kites.

When: Sat.-Sun., 7/25-26, 11am-5pm; All ages; Free (Parking $10).

Where: Cesar Chavez Park, 11 Spinnaker Way (at Virginia Street), Berkeley; 510-235-5483; highlinekites.com.

Splashdown 2009: 40th Anniversary of Apollo 11 at the USS Hornet

Learn more about the first manned mission to the moon at the Hornet, recovery ship for both Apollo 11 and Apollo 12. Astronaut Buzz Aldrin will be in attendance and there will be numerous educational exhibits to peruse.

When: Fri.-Sun., 7/24-26, see website for open hours and activities; Age 4+; Free-$25.

Address: USS Hornet, 707 West Hornet Avenue, Pier 3, Alameda, 510-521-8448; uss-hornet.org.

Imagining Fatherhood Workshop at Natural Resources

Jeremy Adam Smith, author of The Daddy Shift, leads couples through a process whose goal is to help them imagine how they will split parenting duties.

Where: Sat., 7/25, 2pm-5pm; Age 18+; $39-59.

Where: Natural Resources, 1367 Valencia Street (at 25th Street), San Francisco, store.naturalresources-sf.com.

A kid who’s using his arms to act out (hitting his little sister, say), obviously needs something else to do with those arms. Scaling the heights at an indoor rock-climbing gym is an excellent way to exhaust those little arms. Every Bay Area gym owned by Touchstone Climbing (and there are Touchstone gyms in San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland, amongst other cities) has programs for kids.

During the school year there are ten-week climbing camps for ages 6-14, usually on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4pm to 6pm, wherein instructors teach school-age kids the basics of climbing. And in the summertime there are week-long and multi-week camps; lucky Berkeley kids get to meet their instructors at Cragmont Rock Park for a day of outdoors rock climbing. And at all Touchstone camps, parents can join the kids each Friday to climb alongside them.

Call the gym nearest you for dates and pricing but the ten-week sessions run about $200-250, while camps are about the same amount each week.

Mission Cliffs Touchstone Rock Climbing & Fitness, 2295 Harrison Street, San Francisco, 415-550-0515; Class 5 Fitness Touchstone Rock Climbing & Fitness Gym, 25-B Dodie Street, San Rafael, 415-485-6931; Berkeley IronWorks Touchstone Rock Climbing & Fitness, 800 Potter Street, Berkeley, 510-981-9900; Great Western Power Co., 520 20th Street, Oakland, 510-452-2022. All Touchstone gyms can be found at touchstoneclimbing.com.

The East Bay looks like the place to be this weekend, with a bike tour, the Fire Arts festival, and a Shabbat party.

The Crucible’s Fire Arts Festival

A spectacular open-air party in a new, larger location for the metalworking collective, with live music and performance and all manner of items that glow, burn, spit fire, or immolate themselves. One look at this stuff and your kid’s going to want to sign up for welding, like, yesterday.

When: Wed.-Sat., 7/15-18; Age 6+; $35-95.

Where: Fire Arts Arena, West Grand Avenue (at Maritime Street), Oakland; 510-444-0919; thecrucible.org.

Chocolate Chip Challah

Join other families with children aged 0-5 at this event meant to spark ideas about making Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath) a special family time. Kids and parents will decorate and bake their own challah bread.

When: Sat., 7/18, 10:30-noon; Age 0-5; Free for first-time visitors to Jewish Gateways, $5 for return visitors.

Where: Jewish Gateways, 409 Liberty Street (at Fairmount Avenue), El Cerrito; 510-559-8140; jewishgateways.org; rabbibridget@jewishgateways.org (RSVP required).

Oakland on Two Wheels

Every third Sunday of the month this free all-ages bike tour pedals on a looping course through downtown, Fruitvale, West Oakland, the Port of Oakland, Lake Merritt or other scenic spots.

When: Sun., 7/19, (and every third Sunday thereafter) 10am; All Ages; Free.

Where: Meet at the 10th Street entrance at the Oakland Museum; 510-28-3514; mueseumca.org.

Sunday Streets

Traffic is banned from big swathes of the Mission and replaced with stations manned by local fitness organizations that encourage and equip the strolling masses to try out roller skating, bike riding, yoga, dancing, tai chi and more.

When: Sun., 7/19 (also Sun. 8/6 and 9/6 on the Great Highway); 10am-2pm; All ages; Free.

Where: Various locations in San Francisco’s Mission District, centering in Garfield Square Park, 26th & Harrison Streets; sundaystreetssf.com.