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Sunday, July 31, 2011

Coming Up: Play day on the Green

Put this fun event on your calendar - Play Day on the Green. Family-friendly day with games, carnival rides, arts and crafts, live entertainment, bounce houses, kite flying and food!

When: Wednesday, August 3, 2011, noon to 3
Where: Marina Green West, SF
Cost: Free

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Camp Mather - Summer and Fall Family Camp

Did you know that the city of San Francisco offers summer family camp in the High Sierras? Neither did I. They have two upcoming fall camping weekends: September 8-12 and September 15-19. Family camp (summer and fall) offers activities like swimming, arts & crafts, basketball, bike riding, sack races, nightly films, dancing and bingo.

Unfortunately I got the information after the fall lottery registration, which ended July 4. But if you're interested, you should stay on top of this and see if there's any availability or start making your plans for next summer. Learn more about Camp Mather family weekends here.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Coming Up: Events this weekend

Red Tricycle has a great list of upcoming events for this weekend.

Art for Kids in the Bay Area

Someone in one of my email groups asked about places for kids to do art in the Bay Area. Where do you like to go? (And don't forget to vote for Frisco Kids in the Circle of Moms Top 25 SF Mom Blogs - it's quick and easy).

Here were the places suggested, and some I found on my own:

MOCHA (Museum of Children's Art) - Oakland
MOCHA offers drop-in art, family programs, Saturday stories (art and literacy), field trips, parties, camps and special programs. And if you can't make it out, check out their MOCHA at Home program, where they tell you how to do a project.

Pixie Hall Studio - Noe Valley/SF
Pixie Hall Studio offers summer camps, workshops and alternative (Reggio Emilia inspired) preschool. Check out photos on their blog.

Art Camp - San Francisco
Art Camp offers classes to preschool and elementary school kids in fine art. They get exposed to the art, adn then make a project in response to what they've seen.

4Cats in Kensington (Berkeley) and Portrero Hill (San Francisco)
4Cats offers summer camps, workshops and parties. Art projects might include sculpey, splatter paint, clay, acrylics, sculpture, mixed media, paper mache and more.

CQ's Art for Kids - San Mateo
My friend Jill just gave me the head's up on this new art studio. They're offering free "open studio" classes this week, though you need to call to save space (650-228-4698), since she can only take 10 kids (details on the events page). For ages 3-16, the studio offers classes and parties.

ARTtifact - San Francisco
ARTifact offers summer camp, plus school time classes for kids up to age 12. They even have a playgroup for kids under 3 (and their caregiver)

San Francisco Children's Art Center - Fort Mason (San Francisco)
This nonprofit center offers classes, summer camp, parties. Classes allow kids ranging in age from 22 months, to age 10. Classes might include bookmaking, architectural sculpture, clay, mixed media and photography.

Paint and Brush - Fremont
Camps, classes and parties for kids ages 4-12. They also offer classes for children with disabilities.

Here's a long list of studios offering art programs for kids in the Bay Area.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Don't forget! It's the massive Frisco Kids contest

Don't forget to enter Frisco Kids' fabulous 3rd anniversary contest? Up for grabs:

-$50 Ross gift card
-4 Ringling Brothers circus tickets
-4 Wiggles tickets
-$50 site credit to Kidlandia
-$50 site credit on Plum District Deals
-Adorable hoodie from Totsy and LimeApple ($49 value)
-4 hour pass to Play-Well
-your choice of 3 products from TruKid natural & organic skincare
-Cinemark movie ticket


Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Coming Up: Smurf Event - free

Smurfs aren't really my thing, but I guess they're big enough (again) to warrant a new movie. So if you and the kids like smurfs, or you're just bored and looking for something free to do, Hillsdale Shopping Center is hosting a free festive event to kick off the new movie, Smurfs in 3-D (I don't even want to see it in 1-D). For your time, you can get your child's face painted blue, listen/watch interactive entertainment, check out Smurf memorabilia, and apparently more.

When: Thursday, July 28 at 3 p.m.
Where: Hillsdale Shopping Center (Macy's Center Court) - 60 31st Avenue



Don't forget the Frisco Kids contest

Don't forget to enter Frisco Kids' fabulous 3rd anniversary contest? Up for grabs:

-$50 site credit to Kidlandia
-$50 site credit on Plum District Deals
-Adorable hoodie from Totsy and LimeApple ($49 value)
-4 hour pass to Play-Well
-your choice of 3 products from TruKid natural & organic skincare
-Cinemark movie ticket


One more thing - don't forget to vote for Frisco Kids on Circle of Moms' Top 25 SF Mom Blog list. You can vote every 24 hours.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Coming Up: Starlab Sky Show - Hiller

Hiller Aviation Museum has a Starlab Sky Show in their planetarium, coming up on July 27th (and later dates shown below too). Kids will learn how to identify constellations, and learn how these constellations helped early explorers find their way. Show are at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. - each show is 30 minutes.


Wednesday, July 27th
Wednesday, August 17th
Saturday, September 24th

Where: Hiller Aviation in San Carlos
Age: 5 and up (kids 3+ can attend the 10:30 show)
Cost: $5/person, $4/members plus museum admission. Get $1/off coupon here.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Link Love - what I'm reading

I've been plowing through the list of nominees at Circle of Moms' 25 Top San Francisco Mom Blogs. What struck me the most is how beautiful so many of the photos are on these websites. Check them out, but be sure to vote (for Frisco Kids!) first!

Check out the Renegade Craft Fair post by Mom Inc. Daily. The photos at Suburban Homstead. Slow Family Online's 4th of July Photos. And the post on crafting with kids.

Free summer concerts in the Bay Area - Kid Matter

The Savvy Source has a list of 5 spots for swimming and splashing in the Bay Area.

Bay Area's best dim sum restaurants - by Red Tricycle.

Cheese Board Collective in Berkeley, plus Shattuck Ave and Tilden Park - by A Little Yumminess

10 Bay Area petting zoos - by Red Tricycle

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Coming Up: KinderCycle Swap

Got used kid stuff you want to exchange? Do it here, at the KinderCycle swap.

Where: Urban Recess Recreation (470 Carolina Street, SF)
When: Saturday, July 23 from 11-1
Cost: $20 with no items to swap, $10 with items to swap
For: Newborn to 5 year old sizes
More info: KinderCycle.org

Frisco Kids on Good Morning America

You probably missed it, but Frisco Kids (well, the kids and I) were on Good Morning America this morning, learning how to prevent brain drain and incorporate learning into your daily errands.

Here's the link.

What do you do in your household to keep the kids learning during the summer?

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Focus Group: Online Communications

Plaza Research is recruiting for a focus group.


~Online Communications~
Monday, July 25th ­ Wednesday, July 27th, 90-minute individual interview in San Francisco
Requirement: People who use certain online communication tools
Incentive: $100.00

If you are interested in the Online Communications study, please click on the link below and fill out the survey:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?pli=1&formkey=dHJhRjg3U1pKTDlGWld1Z1p6X3NTU2c6MA#gid=15

WTF? Sippy the Straw

Not sure how to categorize this post, but I got an email from Sippy the Straw and it had me scratching my head, in a good way. And not because of lice.  Apparently the 8 foot tall Sippy the Straw is touring the Bay Area looking for its perfect drink. If you see Sippy, you can share photos on Sippy's Facebook page (and join Frisco Kids' page while you're at it). And if you have any clue what this is about, please comment here!

(Did you vote today for Frisco Kids on Circle of Moms Top 25 SF Mom Blog list?)

Monday, July 18, 2011

Review: Lice Shampoos

Last spring, when we had a certain critter crawling around the hair of one of my children (who shall remain nameless), we avoided the medicated shampoos that many others run out to buy. We did the olive oil suffocation method. Which worked well. Followed by hours of nit picking and many more shampooings to get the oil out of the hair.



On round 2, a month later, we were out of town. Nothing like showing up at Grandma's house with lice! She was thrilled. So thrilled that she insisted we call a professional (though I'm an excellent nitpicker, my mother just doesn't trust me in that regard). The lice people came with TLC, Total Lice Control shampoo, which is supposed to kill not only the bugs, but the nits. I can vouch for it killing the bugs. I can't speak for the nits, because the only way to guarantee you get your kid back into school is to be nit free. And I want my kids in school, not at home with dead eggs in their hair.

The shampoo (which I paid $20/bottle) is natural, chemical-free and doesn't smell too great. Especially when you leave it on for 30 minutes, as you're instructed to do (imagine stuffing an entire rosemary plant up your nose for half an hour). So when I mention to my kids that we're doing a prophylactic lice shampooing, they usually respond by screaming and running away from me.

The other prevention method I use is straight tea tree oil, purchased at Trader Joe's, and rubbed on the hairline with a Q-tip. This method isn't too popular in the house either, with one child claiming it itches and smells, and the other child just saying it stinks. And they're right.

The nice people at Fairy Tales Hair Care offered to send me a bottle of their shampoo and conditioner to review. Given that everyone else I know in the world uses Fairy Tales, I jumped at the chance. Fairy Tales shampoo does not kill lice. It's supposed to repel them, using natural oils to repel them. Given how good the shampoo and conditioner smell, I can't understand why the lice wouldn't flock to the hair too.

Does it work? I don't know yet. There hasn't been an outbreak of lice in camp. But I do know that my child who complains the most about getting shampooed, doesn't mind using this shampoo or conditioner at all. And that's huge.

If we do get another outbreak, I will dip back into the TLC. But for prevention, I'm going to continue to try the Fairy Tales stuff.

(Post script: Shampooed recently with the TLC and still had a live bug after. The shampooing was thorough, so that was a concern. Also, I'm not convinced that Fairy Tales is keeping the lice at bay, since one kid has gotten it several times since and that's the main shampoo she uses).

What products do you use and like for lice control???

(The Fairy Tales people came out with a new lice app - which can track outbreaks in your area. It's free and called the Facts of Lice on itunes).

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Coming Up: Target Family Fun Day in Redwood City - free

Sunday is Target Family Day at Courthouse Square in Redwood City.
There will be live music, performers, cooking demos, face painting, art projects, bounce houses, food and more. Plus, it's free! The theme is Wild about Wildlife. The Lizard Lady will be there! Plus, insects, snakes and owls.

When: Sunday, July 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: 2200 Broadway, Redwood City

Friday, July 15, 2011

Coming Up: Hapa concert

The Peninsula JCC is hosting a concert by one of Hawaii's most beloved bands, HAPA. Enjoy the music by the pool in Foster City (note, there won't be swimming during the concert).

When: Wednesday, July 20 at 7:30-9:30
Where: PJCC (800 Foster City Blvd)
Cost: $12/members, $15/public, $17/at the door
Tickets: By phone - (605) 212-7522 or online

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Coming Up: Grease Sing-along

This one is for you, Leora! The Grease sing-along is on July 15-17 at San Jose's Retro Dome.  Showtimes are Friday, 7 p.m., Saturday 4 and 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Rated PG-13.

Coming Up: Green Living Fair in Daly City - free

Did you vote for me today in the Circle of Moms Top 25 SF Mom Blogs list? Please? Please? Read the post below first, then click here and vote. No pressure. And no registration required.

This Saturday is the Green Living Fair, that Serramonte Center is hosting along with Sustainable San Mateo County, to raise awareness of green products, green living and green services/technologies. There will be seminars and products to check out.

When: Saturday, July 16 from 1-5
Where: Serramonte Center, Daly City
Cost: Free

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Coming Up: Planes and Trains at Hiller

The annual Planes and Trains event is coming up at Hiller Aviation Museum.

You'll see diverse and colorful passenger and freight trains from current and past times, from countries like Germany, Austria, France and Switzerland. Of course their planes will be on display too, including the one you get to walk through.

When: July 16-24, 2011
Where: Hiller Aviation Museum (601 Skyway Road, San Carlos)
Cost: free with admission



(Did you vote for me today at Circle of Moms? You can vote every 24 hours and you don't need to register - just two clicks and you're done). 

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Camp - There's still time to sign up!

Just last week I finished signing my kids up for camp. I had one open week for my daughter and she kept vetoing every option! Finally found one she agreed on. Whew!

With the economy the way it is, there are still openings at camp this summer, and many are offering discounts. I know, you'll kick yourself to see that the camp you signed up for is now 50% off, but if you delayed, maybe you'll now be happy!

SFKids.org - has a list of camps you can search by type.

And one Frisco Kids reader said that her kids' soccer camp in Santa Clara is 50% off for some weeks. Check it out here. The camp is as low as $25 for a week of 1.5 hour camps, though a variety of hours/ages/South bay locations is offered.


Friday, July 8, 2011

Frisco Kids Nominated for Top 25 SF Bay Area Mom Blogs - Please Vote!

Yay! Frisco Kids was nominated on the Circle of Moms Top 25 SF Bay Area Mom Blogs. I won't bug you about this a lot, but please consider giving me a vote so I don't look like a loser. Click the icon below to vote. You don't have to register to vote. Just click! (P.S. You can vote once a day - so maybe I'll have to remind you more often)


Coming Up: World Cup Soccer in SF - Free



The San Francisco Recreation and Park Department is hosting free, family-friendly viewing parties of the best of FIFA Women's Cup matches. There will be a large, 13'x17' screen, with activities for the kids (mini soccer games, bounce houses and soccer skill challenges). Look for gourmet food trucks from Off the Grid. The party is at Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco.


Games are:
Saturday, July 9 at 9 and 11:45 a.m.Wednesday, July 13 at 9 and 11:45 a.m. (semi-final)
Saturday, July 17 at 11:45 a.m. (final)


Thursday, July 7, 2011

Coming Up: Sunday Streets - Free

Sunday Streets  is coming up on July 10! This one will be on the Great Highway. Streets will be closed to auto traffic from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

They need volunteers. If you can spare 3 hours (no kids!) you get a t-shirt, lunch and other prizes. Sign up here.

Here are the remaining ones for 2011:
  • August 14: Civic Center/Tenderloin route;
  • September 11: Western Addition route, including North of Panhandle, Alamo Square and Fillmore and Japantown neighborhoods;
  • October TBD; Mission route #2

Coming Up: Free SF Symphony Concert in GG Park

This Sunday, pack a picnic and bring the kids to Sharon Meadow at Golden Gate Park. The San Francisco Symphony is performing a free concert. The tunes include A Night on Bald Mountain (I love that one!), plus Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto.

For the kids, there's an "instrument petting zoo" at 12:30. The concert starts at 2:00. Don't forget about the free Sunday Streets from 11-4 the same day. It's at the Great Highway in Golden Gate Park, so you can hit both in one day!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Coming Up: Paper Airplanes at Hiller

We've been making paper airplanes at home, lately, after getting the Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes (you scrapbooking moms will love the paper it includes).


Hiller Aviation Museum has a paper airplane making program coming up on June 30th, with John Collins, who has his own paper airplane book, the Gliding Flight. According to Hiller, Collins is a master paper airplane builder whose designs include a plane so light that simply holding it above your hand and walking makes it fly. He has planes that perform unique aerobatics and even planes that split in two when thrown in the air.

No reservations are required and the event is included with your museum admission.



John's books on building paper airplanes will be available at the event for sale, and he'll personalize it for you. No book purchase necessary to attend the event.

Where: Hiller Aviation Museum (601 Skyway Road, San Carlos)
When: Saturday, July 9, 2011 - 10:30, 12 and 1:30

also Wednesday, July 13, 2011 - 1:30 and 3

Cost: Museum entrance is $11/adults, $7 ages 5-17, free with paid adult for ages 0-4. Save a dollar by getting a coupon here.
More infoHiller or call (650) 654-0200


Coming Up: Advanced Bookmaking for Kids

This looks like a fun program! The craft of bookmaking originated in India, where religious sutras were copied on to palm leaves. Techniques have since advanced, but bookmaking is still a craft that anyone can participate in. You’ll just need a few pointers.

At Paxton Gate’s Curiosities For Kids you can physically assembling a book from a number of folded sheets of paper, custom covers, and special thread for bookbinding. Your book can then be used as an adventure journal, photo album, or a notebook for your next novel!



WhatAdvanced Bookmaking Activity

When: Saturday, July 9 from 2-4
Where: Paxton Gate's Curiosities For Kids (766 Valencia Street, SF)
More info: email info@Paxton.Gate.com or call (415) 252-9990
Ages: 6+

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Coming Up: Book Reading and Bojagi Art Project at MOCFA

The Museum of Craft and Folk Art is hosting a children’s book reading and Bojagi art making project. 

Author Joan Schoettler, who will bring alive the landscape and culture of Korea reading from her children’s book, Good Fortune in a Wrapping Cloth. Surrounded by inspiration from the Museum’s current Bojagi exhibition: create your own wrapping cloth using fabric and paper to stitch, staple, glue, and fasten into one-of-a-kind artworks!

Joan Schoettler’s warm text brings the landscape and culture of ancient Korea into life. Together with illustrator Jessica Lanan’s breathtaking depictions ofKorea through the seasons, Ji-su’s story of longing and determination will capture the hearts of readers of all ages.



When: Saturday, July 9, 2011
Where: MOCFA (51 Yerba Buena Lane)
Cost: $5 for materials and admission

Monday, July 4, 2011

Coming Up: Family Workshop at MOCFA - SF

Coming up: a family-friendly workshop featuring Korean textiles, the Bojagi. Your kids, ages 4+, can learn about craft and folk art, traditional and contemporary bojagi (Bo-Jah-ki) which acts as both decorative and functional way of wrapping and protecting precious items or gifts. The Museum's exhibition, "Wrapping Traditions: Korean Textiles Now," promises to inspire creating your own wrapper from paper and fabric scraps, authentically re-using old to make new. Join us for an afternoon of sewing, stapling, pasting, piecing, and attaching, tea tasting with local purveyors, and fun.

When: July 9 from 2-4 p.m.
Where: MOCFA
Cost: $5 for materials and admission (free for members)




Sunday, July 3, 2011

Coming Up: Starlab Sky Show - Hiller

Hiller Aviation Museum has a Starlab Sky Show in their planetarium, coming up on July 6th (and later dates shown below too). Kids will learn how to identify constellations, and learn how these constellations helped early explorers find their way. Show are at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. - each show is 30 minutes.


Wednesday, July 6th
Wednesday, July 27th
Wednesday, August 17th
Saturday, September 24th

Where: Hiller Aviation in San Carlos
Age: 5 and up (kids 3+ can attend the 10:30 show)
Cost: $5/person, $4/members plus museum admission. Get $1/off coupon here.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Free Fear the Beard t-shirt - donate blood!

Donate blood at the Blood Centers of the Pacific and get a Fear the Beard t-shirt through July 8th. And every week in July, the Blood Center will be raffling off an iPad2. How's that for motivation to give blood? You can make an appointment by calling (888) 393-GIVE or visit the Blood Centers of the Pacific website.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Circus Vargas Winners! And discount code

The three winners (chosen randomly) of the Circus Vargas family 4-pack of tickets are:
1. Zara
2. Adrienne (I need your email address Adrienne!)
3. ratherbejogging

Adrienne, please contact me at blog at friscokids.net. Zara and ratherbejogging, I'll send you an email today!

For those who did not win, you can still see Circus Vargas - at a discount! According to Savvy Cities, there are tickets available at 40% off at Goldstar. Click here for more information.

Contest! Win Circus Vargas tickets

Don't forget to enter the contest to win a family 4-pack of tickets to Circus Vargas. Complete details here. 
Contest ends today!