Coming Up: Summer Resource Fair

Not sure of your summer plans? Check out the annual San Francisco Family Summer Resources Fair this Saturday, March 6th. They'll have hundeds exhibitors offering...family summer resources. Learn about camps, arts and crafts, activities, jobs (for teens), classes and sports. Last year there were free kid activities, a climbing wall and massages for the parents (yeah, good luck getting to the front of the line there!).

The event is free and is at the Concourse Exhibition Center at 8th and Brannon. 10 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For more info check sfkids.org.

SF Family Museums You May Not Know About

Of course the Exploratorium is well-known - for good reason. But if you’re looking for a lesser known family-friendly museum, here are three favorites.

The Randall Museum (199 Museum Way): This city-owned museum is perched atop a fabulous overlook of the city. Inside, though, the kids will have fun learning about the Bay Area ecosystem, making LEGO models strong enough to withstand an earthquake, and playing in the model caboose and Victorian house. Live animal exhibits plus animal feedings teach the kids about creatures they share the city with, like raccoons, coyotes, and skunks. Plus, every Saturday, you can watch the Golden Gate Model Railroad Club’s giant train set run in the museum basement. Getting there is half the fun. If driving, you wind through tiny streets, past fabulous out-of-the-way houses. Plus, there's parking (not a ton, so get there early)! If walking, you’ll get some exercise.

Zeum (221 Fourth Street): This high-tech museum is as much fun for the adults as for the kids. Here, you get to make things, like a stop-motion animation film with your own clay characters (you can even buy a copy of the film to take home). Zeum has a music studio for making your own videos, and a digital workshop too. During free art and science workshops, kids can create their own take-home projects, like photo frames and circuits to power up holiday icicle bulbs. Don’t forget to ride the carousel outside. It was built in 1906 and you’ll sit on hand-carved animals.

The Walt Disney Family Museum (104 Montgomery Street): This is probably San Francisco’s newest museum, open since October 2009. Rather than looking just at the famous characters, this Disney museum looks at Walt’s life, from the perspective of those who knew him best. You’ll also see Disney’s original Mickey Mouse sketches and his Oscar for Snow White. The youngest kids might get bored, but there are videos and interactive screens allowing you to pair music and characters, among other things.

It was with sadness I heard that La Bottega, an Italian boutique in Menlo Park, is closing. This store is owned by two lovely Italian women - one of whom I know personally. They're having a closing sale, and I encourage you to go. Everything is 25-60% off. They have beautiful handbags, pottery, linens, note cards, jewelry, gourmet foods, gifts etc. Even before the sale, their inventory included a wide range of prices - with some very affordable items.

I featured La Bottega in a story for Spaces Bay Area, and got to see the Allied Arts Guild for the first time when I visited there. It's one of the Bay Area's hidden gems. If you haven't been to the Allied Arts Guild, that's another good reason to go. It's a park-like setting, with flowers, greenery, hidden corners and Spanish architure. The other artisans there sell (and make) unique items. While you're there, stop for coffee or lunch at Cafe Primavera.

If you go, tell Susy at La Bottega that I sent you.

Pottery Barn Kids Focus Group

Pottery Barn Kids is recruiting for a focus group about toys. How fun is that? The pay is a $50 Pottery Barn Kids gift card.

They're looking for newborns through five year olds and the focus group will be a "play session." Too bad my kids are too old.

Where: San Francisco (151 Union Street, between Battery & Sansome).

When: Thursday, March 25

Playgroup 1: Boys and Girls, newborn - 2 years old Time: 1:00 – 2:00 PM (Schedule to arrive 10 min earlier)

Playgroup 2: Boys and Girls, ages 3-5 years old. Time: 2:30 – 3:30 PM (Schedule to arrive 10 min earlier)

RSVP: To Fermina Phillips in pbk Brand Marketing at fphillips@wsgc.com. Specify which group and include your name, as well as the name(s) and age(s) of your child(ren). Only a small number of kids will be randomly chosen to participate. (They promise that personal information provided will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than communicating about Pottery Barn Kids market research opportunities)

Coming Up: SF Zoo Bunny Patch

My daughter can't get enough of bunnies - especially since we won't get her a bunny as a pet. So she will love the San Francisco's Zoo upcoming event - Big Bunny's Spring Fling.

Your kids will have fun at Big Bunny's Neighborhood, with "hare tales" at story time, bunny petting at the bunny patch*, crafts, music, puppet shows, photos with the Big Bunny. Plus they can plant and take home their own carrot seeds.

When: March 31-April 4, 2010
Where: SF Zoo - 1 Zoo Road, SF
Cost: free with paid admission. Plus, get one free child's admission (age 4-14) if the child brings a stuffed bunny.
RSVP: none

*Bunny patch is weather-dependent

Coming Up: Michael's Science Fair projects - free!

Michael's Arts & Crafts has a fun free family event this weekend. It's the Science Fair Make it-Take it. Use the periodic table to create 3-D molecule models using Crayola Model Magic. For kids ages 4 and over, you can also check out Scientific Explorer project demonstrations. This includes using a color mixing lab and growing colorful crystals.

When: Saturday, February 27th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Michael's - find location using the link at the top of the page
Cost: free

If you subscribe to Frisco Kids via email...Feedburner problem

Apparently the Feedburner service we use is having some major issues. My colleagues report that most of their subscribers have not been receiving their subscription emails the past few days, even though their email address remains on the official subscription list.

If you're a Frisco Kids email subscriber, can you please email me at blog@friscokids.net and say "received" if you're getting your emails from me? You may want to check the actual Frisco Kids site first so you can confirm if you've gotten everything posted in the past week.

Many thanks, and I'm hoping this Feedburner problem isn't affecting us.