Mission Indie-Mart

Say no to sweatshop labor and corporate sameness at this fleamarket, where over 40 local designers, retailers, and crafters offer quirky wares for kids and adults. There’s hot barbecue for sale too.

When: Sun., 11/8; noon-6pm; All Ages; Free.

Where: Thee Parkside, 1600 17th Street (at Wisconsin Street), San Francisco; indie-mart.com.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Four children step into an antique wardrobe and fall into an adventure in a magical fairyland in this adaptation with young actors.

When: Ongoing through 9/15; Sat. 1pm; Sun. 1:30 & 3:30pm; Age 4+; $10 adults, $7 children under 13.

Where: Young Performers Theatre, Fort Mason Center, Building C, Marina Boulevard (at Buchanan Street); 415-346-5550; ypt.org.

Animal Secrets

Learn how bats find their way through dark caves and if chipmunks really sleep in a tree like Chip and Dale at this exhibition that pokes into the private lives of familiar animals.

When: Ongoing through 5/9/10; Age 0-8; Free with paid admission (Free-$18).

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

SFUSD Public School Enrollment Fair

The biggie, with representatives from every San Francisco public school and all the forms parents need for the 2010 application process.

When: Sat., 11/7, 9am-2:30pm; Age 2+; Free.

Where: Concourse Exhibition Center, 620 Seventh Street (at Brannan Street), San Francisco; portal.sfsu.edu.

Fantastic Fridays
Crissy Field Center naturalists take little ones on an exploration of the outdoors using the senses. This week: cuddle up to trees with a hike and leaf rubbings.

When: Ongoing each Friday including 11/6; Age 18 months-4 years; $12-15

Where: Crissy Field Center, 603 Mason Street (at Halleck Street), San Francisco; 415-561-7752; crissyfield.org.

Many Walgreens, Rite Aid, and CVS MinuteClinic locations also have the H1N1 shots; call the stores nearest you to ask. Kaiser patients can phone 800-573-5811 to find out where to go get the shot. Walgreens also has dedicated flu shot clinics. Flu.gov has a ton of information and links that will panic you and make you say “Just tell me where to get the shot! Argh!” Hmm, maybe you’re better off calling your primary care physician after all.

Dia de los Muertos Procession and Festival of the Altars

The parade is too spooky for little kids, but older ones will enjoy the rattling bones, creepy makeup, and the thrill of being out with adults at night; the colorful altars celebrating the lives of those passed on are great cultural eye-candy.

When: Mon., 11/2, 7pm; Age 5+; Free.

Where: Parade starts at 7pm from 24th and Bryant Streets in San Francisco and continues to 26th and Bryant Streets, where the Festival of the Altars starts at 8:30 p.m.; 415-722-8911; dayofthedeadsf.org.

Potrero Hill Halloween Parade and Costume Contest

An early-evening Halloween party with a movie, prizes for best costume, and a parade down to 18th Street.

When: Sat., 10/31, 4-7pm; All Ages; Free.

Where: Axis Cafe, 1201 Eighth Street (at Irwin Street), San Francisco; 415-279-1899; axis-cafe.com.

Exploratorium Halloween

A grand Halloween party with a visit from the Neverwas, a Victorian mansion on wheels, and creature features like giant insects and hissing cockroaches.

When: Sat., 10/31, 3-8pm; Free-$14.

Where: Exploratorium, 3601 Lyon Street (at Jefferson Street), San Francisco; 415-561-0360; exploratorium.edu.

Dia de los Muertos Family Concert

A special concert for families with classical music from Latino conductors and pre-concert festivities like sugar skull-decorating and a display of family altars.

When: Sun., 11/1, 1pm; Age 4+; $15-65.

Where: Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Avenue (at Grove Street), 415-864-6000; sfsymphony.org.

Here’s the deal: Hop aboard the ferry at the Tiburon dock, take a ride out to Angel Island and then ride back. If you stay onboard (rather than getting off at Angel Island) until the boat returns to Tiburon, your trip is a mere $5 for everyone age 5 and older (kids under 5 sail free). Tell the boat operator you’re there for Captain Maggie’s Special, named after Maggie McDonogh, owner of the family-fun ferry company. You’ll get million-dollar scenery for half the price of a movie.

The round-trip from Tiburon to Angel Island and back takes about a half-hour; don’t forget to bundle up, because the combination of wind and sea-spray can freeze you right to the bone. But the visuals are unforgettable. The Tiburon dock is at 21 Main Street (at Lecante Drive), Tiburon; ferries leave hourly on weekends and twice a day on weekdays; for a schedule of departures or more information call 415-435-2131 or visit angelislandferry.com.

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.

For one thing, the Wild Things were based on Sendak’s Jewish immigrant relatives, many of whom were inalterably damaged by the loss of relatives in Poland during the Holocaust. Video interviews with Sendak, articles, pictures, and other artifacts show the pathos that lay just behind Sendak’s humor, giving it that relatable spark and a certain grimness that still appeals. Plus, just looking at original pen-and-ink drawings for Where the Wild Things Are and other stories is thrillingly cool.

“There’s a Mystery There: Sendak on Sendak” runs through January 19, 2010 at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, 736 Mission Street (between Third and Fourth streets), San Francisco. Call 415-655-7800 or visit the cjm.org.

Acres and acres of fall fun, with horsey rides, pumpkin-carving contests, pie-eating contests, and delicious things to eat. The traffic is a mess; leave time before and after the event to deal with it.

When: Sat. 10/17-18, 9am-5pm; All Ages; Free.

Where: Main Street between Miramonte and Spruce Streets, Half Moon Bay, 650-726-9652, miramarevents.com.

Goblin Jamboree

The super-cool kids’ museum dresses up for the holidays and throws a party with a train ride, live performers, pony rides, and a petting zoo.

When: Sat. & Sun., 10/17-18, 10am-4pm; All ages; $12-14 (Free for kids under 1).

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

Outrageous Outgrowns

A vast money-saving fiesta of tens of thousands of gently used clothes, shoes, toys, books, strollers, cribs, and other baby gear.

When: Fri.-Sun. 10/16-18; 9am-5pm; Age 5+; Free.

Where: Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, 344 Tully Road (at Old Tully Road), San Jose; outrageousoutgrowns.com.

San Francisco Symphony Celebrates Disney

The symphony marks the opening of the Presidio’s Walt Disney Family Museum with a concert with songs from Cinderella, Pinocchio, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

When: Fri., 10/16, 8pm; Age 7+; $15-70.

Where: Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Avenue (at Turk Street), San Francisco, 415-864-6000; sfsymphony.org.

Besides the preschool-friendly rides, Gilroy Gardens has an educational focus too: the whole park is built around a grove of elaborately grafted and tended circus trees, that grow into astonishing formations. There’s a giant greenhouse filled with butterflies, with a monorail and a river running through it, and many other fabulous flower beds.

But Gilroy Gardens is best of all for little transpo nuts. The park boasts a train ride that runs around the park, boat rides through seasonal gardens, a car ride that takes you through a replica of antique South County roads; a balloon ride, and paddle boats shaped like swans and ducks. An entire day of paddling, floating, steering, and riding = little kid heaven.

Gilroy Gardens is open weekends throughout October and November but at the end of November closes for winter maintenance; it reopens for special holiday events in December and is then closed until springtime. The park is open daily during the summertime. Call 408-840-7100 or visit gilroygardens.org.

Who knew the library was such a rocking location? Local kid-oriented faves such as the Devil-Ettes, the Time Outs, and Charity and the JAMBand.

When: Sat., 10/10, 10am-2pm; All ages; Free.

Where: San Francisco Main Library’s Fulton Street steps, Fulton Street (at Larkin Street), San Francisco; tricyclefest.org.

Mamma Mia Sing-along

Bring blankets and layers of warm clothing to this festive outdoors movie showing. Music and short films screen from 6 to 7:30pm; Mamma Mia begins at 8pm.

When: Sat., 9/10; 6-10pm; Age 4+; Free.

Where: Precita Park, Folsom Street (at Precita Avenue), San Franicsco; bhoutdoorcine.org.

Pumpkin Patches

All over the Bay Area, pumpkin patches are open for business, offering an array of fun from picking your own pumpkin to kiddie rides and corn mazes. One of the most fertile areas for pumpkin patches is Highway 92 in the Half Moon Bay area, where there are literally dozens. Drive until you see one you like.

When: Ongoing each weekend (many patches are also open weekdays at it gets closer to Halloween) until 10/31; All ages; Admission is usually free but attractions cost from $2-7.

Where: Various locations in the Bay Area. See Pumpkin Patches and More for a thorough list of addresses, attractions, and opening times.

Fleet Week

If displays of military muscle are what turns your cranky, you’ll be in heaven during this long-weekend event, which features airshows from the Blue Angels, a parade of ships and more things that move and go boom.

When: Thu.-Sun., 10/8-11; various times (see site for details); Age 3+; Most events are free (VIP seats run $30-150).

Where: Various locations on the San Francisco waterfront including Crissy Field, Mason Street (at Halleck Street); see website for more details, military.com/fleetweek.

Ready for a snack? Visit one of the fruit stands on Stockton Street, one block above Grant, and get something to nibble on. Test your knowledge of Asian greens; try a durian if you dare. Poke through the selection of dried seafood at Ho Kee Market, 1251 Stockton Street (at Broadway Street), and then pop next door to Wa Li Bakery, 1249 Stockton Street (at Broadway Street) for a delicate almond cookie or a cream puff.

End your trip at Portsmouth Square, Kearny Street (at Clay Street), where there’s a giant playground with separate levels for little ones and bigger ones, and plenty of benches for parents. Push away the strolling pigeons, take in the view, watch the little knots of men betting on games and the shopping-bag-carrying grandmas gossiping. Now that’s a day to remember.