Events and Outings

Here are our picks for great events and activities for children and families this weekend. Find more events for the whole week in Marin and beyond in our new Family Events Calendar.

Friday, March 12

• Bring the kids (ages 2–5) to "Fantastic Fridays: Fun with Food" this Friday from 10–11:30 am at the Crissy Field Center. TFood, food everywhere. Come join us at the new Crissy Field Center where you and your toddler will make tasty organic snacks and have a blast learning about healthy eating! Remember, you are what you eat! To register, call (415 561-7752 or download the form at www.parksconservancy.org. Drop-ins accepted on a space-available basis. The cost is $15.
• Playful Parenting: for Parents and Babies on Friday from 11 am–12:15 pm at The Parents Center at Heller's in San Rafael. Angelique Millette PhDc, infant-child therapist intern, sleep consultant and parent coach teaches developmental play from 0-12 months. You will learn how playtime provides building blocks for bonding the importance of play, how to help your baby nap better following playtime baby communication, the importance of outdoor play and how babies communicate with us when they are playing. Cost: $45. To register, go to www.parentscenter.com. Heller’s is located at 514 4th Street in San Rafael.
• The Wizard of Oz , a Teen Wave Production will take place at the Margaret Todd Senior Center in Novato on Friday and Saturday at 7 pm. Ticket prices: Adults $7, Students/Seniors $5 and Children 12 & under $2. For more info, call (415) 899-8200. The Margaret Todd Senior Center is located at 1560 Hill Road in Novato.

Saturday, March 13

• Novato Mothers Club Kids’ Rummage Sale this Saturday, March 13 from 9 am to 3 pm. The half-off sale starts at 2 pm.You can literally get everything you need for your family: cribs, strollers, children’s clothing, maternity wear, toys, shoes, nursing items, and more. The NMC Rummage Sale will take place at the Novato Teen Center at 950 Seventh Street off of Grant Avenue in downtown Novato (attached to the Novato Gymnastics Center).
• Family Hike at Indian Tree Preserve--The Marin County Parks and Open Space Rangers will host a hiking party for the entire family on Saturday from 10 am–noon. There will be games, stories, and fun while learning about the local habitat and ecosystem as we march up into the redwoods of this gorgeous Novato preserve. From Hwy 101 in Novato, take the Atherton Ave/San Marin Dr exit, head west on San Marin Dr (San Marin Dr becomes Sutro Ave after Novato Blvd junction), and turn right at Vineyard Rd. Trailhead is located at the point where the pavement turns into a dirt road. For more info about the walk, go to their website.
• Get a jump on St. Paddy’s day with Culann’s Hounds at the Bay Area Discovery Museum on Saturday at 11 am. Combining vocal harmonies with melodies on fiddle, mandolin, guitar, accordion, and bohran, they produce an eclectic blend of modern and traditional Irish music. Join them for a high energy show with plenty of opportunity for singing, dancing a jig and perhaps some howling with the Hounds. For ages 1 and up. Members $5; general child $10; general adult $12 (includes museum admission). Learn more about Culann's Houds at www.sfhounds.com. For more info or directions, go to www.badm.org.
• Free Children’s Music Series featuring Caroline Harrison at the Book Passage in Corte Madera on Saturday at 11 am. Caroline Harrison has been a singer-songwriter and guitar player for more than 20 years. Caroline has written children’s songs for her preschool music program, Miss Caroline’s Music Class. Children up to the age of 12—and their parents—enjoy her music. For more info, go to their website.
• Bring the family to see Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on Saturday at 1 pm and 5 pm and Sunday at 3 pm at the San Rafael Community Center. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory performances presented by North Bay Rep—Theatre For A Cause, sponsored by the San Rafael Community Services Department. Performances for the entire family will take place at the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street. General admission tickets available online or by calling (415) 485-3333. Must bring receipt to will call window to pickup tickets. No refunds once tickets have been purchased. Doors open 30 minutes prior to show time. Children ages 3 and younger free. For more info, go to their website
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Don’t miss this year’s Novato Mothers Club Kids’ Rummage Sale this Saturday, March 13 from 9 am to 3 pm. The half-off sale starts at 2 pm. You can literally get everything you need for your family: cribs, strollers, children’s clothing, maternity wear, toys, shoes, nursing items, and more. The NMC Rummage Sale will take place at the Novato Teen Center at 950 Seventh Street off of Grant Avenue in downtown Novato (attached to the Novato Gymnastics Center).

I volunteer for this event every year and always come home with a bunch of toys and clothes for the kids. It’s really a great sale that offers bargain prices on a lot of things (many of them barely used). To get the best picks, try to get there when they first open on Saturday, because the good stuff goes quickly.

Tickets are still available for this week's special events with world-renowned developmental psychologist Dr. Gordon Neufeld at the Four Points by Sheraton in San Rafael, CA. Dr. Neufeld is an international authority on child development and author of the bestselling book Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers.

This Thursday, March 11 from 7 to 9pm, Dr. Neufeld gives a public talk "The Truth About Consequences and the Trouble with Time-Outs: 12 Guidelines for Natural Discipline".

On Friday, March 12, from 9 am to 4 pm there will be a full-day training "Relationship Matters: Harnessing the Power of Attachment". This training session is intended for professionals, but is open to the public.
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My children love this time of year when the Easter bunny comes to town. Part of the fun is celebrating spring and the Easter season with a traditional egg hunt. This year there are  Easter egg hunts scheduled at communities throughout Marin. We'll update this list as we find out about additional events. If we've left out your favorite Marin Easter egg hunt, please let us know and we'll add it to the roster.

Please visit the appropriate links or call organizers for more info, if available, and directions.

Belvedere:

• The Belvedere Community Center is hosting an Easter Bunny Brunch on Saturday, April 3 from 10 am-noon for $15 per person (3 and under free). There will be a brunch, Easter crafts, music, face painting, carnival games, and an Easter Egg Hunt. Easter Egg Hunt will take place in the playground after the brunch and the children will be grouped by ages. To purchase tickets, call the recreation office at (415) 435-4355. For more info, go to their website.

Corte Madera:

• Corte Madera Parks & Recreation's Children's Egg Hunt, Saturday, April 3 at 10 am sharp at the Corte Madera Town Park. Juggler to follow egg hunt. For more info, call (415) 927-5073.

Fairfax:

• Fairfax's annual Easter Egg Hunt will take place in Bolinas Park at 10:00 am-noon on Saturday, April 3. Music will be provided by James K. and will take place rain or shine.  For more information please call 456-5652.

Mill Valley:

• The Mill Valley Community Center will have a Teen Zone Flashlight Egg Hunt for 6th thru 8th grades on Friday, March 26, from 7–9 pm. The night will start with dinner and games, then we will take out our flashlights and we're off for the great hunt!! If you find Golden Eggs you will receive special prizes! You can register for the hunt at the Mill Valley Community Center or their online registration using course #18510. The deadline for registration is March 19. The cost is $15 for TZ members or $19 for non-TZ members.
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Here are our picks for great events and activities for children and families this weekend. Find more events for the whole week in Marin and beyond in our new Family Events Calendar.

Friday, March 5

• Bring the kids (ages 2–4) to Fantastic Fridays: Eco-Pirates, this Friday from 10 to 11:30 am at the Crissy Field Center. TShiver me timbers, there is booty to be claimed at Crissy Field! Join me all gentle-tots o'fortune for a morning filled with fun and discovery! It's a different adventure every week, full of creative activities you can use over and over during your own family getaways! Pre-registration is recommended for all programs.. To register, call (415 561-7752 or download the form at www.parksconservancy.org. Drop-ins accepted on a space-available basis. The cost is $15.
• Marin Youth Performers, the youth division of 142 Throckmorton Theatre, presents "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" opening on Friday at 7:30 pm. Powered by over 20 lively musical numbers featuring infectiously catchy tunes, Dreamcoat is a dazzling musical driven by song and dance with never a dull moment. The Marin Youth Performers' production is lavish and lively, with colorful sets and costumes, and a large cast of charming young players from the greater Bay Area singing their hearts out!, making this a perfect family outing! Tickets are $18/adults, $14/children and $30 for reserved seating. For more info, go to their website.

Saturday, March 6

• Bring the kids to the Bay Area Discovery Museum’s World On-Stage Ethnic Performance Series 2010 presents Asheba on Saturday from 11 am-noon. Putumayo recording artist Asheba returns with a rolicking, rhythmic, joyful and interactive version of your favoritre kid's songs. this singer, songwriter and storyteller will have you dancing and jumping to the hippest children's music in the Bay Area. His show is spiced with Caribbean and World beats, inspired by his own childhood on the island of Trinidad. . Cost: Members $7; General Child $12; General Adult $14  (includes museum admission).  For more info, go to www.badm.org.
• Infants and Sleep class at The Parents Center in San Rafael on Saturday from noon to 1:30 pm. Instructor, Angelique Millette PhDc., will cover the sleep needs for a baby, the importance of a sleep schedule, twins and siblings sleeping in the same room, and SIDS research, and much more. Your pre-crawling baby is welcome. Class fee: $60 per family. Class size limited to 10 families Angelique always provides one sliding scale, and one need-based scholarship per class. Please email her at: angelique@angeliquemillette.com for more info. For info about the class, go to www.theparentscenter.com.
• Bring the family to see Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on Saturday at 1 pm and 5 pm at the San Rafael Community Center. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory performances presented by North Bay Rep—Theatre For A Cause, sponsored by the San Rafael Community Services Department. Performances for the entire family will take place at the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street. General admission tickets available online or by calling (415) 485-3333. Must bring receipt to will call window to pickup tickets. No refunds once tickets have been purchased. Doors open 30 minutes prior to show time. Children ages 3 and younger free. For more info, go to their website.
  
• Masque Unit Junior Theatre presents Cinderella on Saturday and Sunday at 1 and 3 pm at the Showcase Theater in San Rafael. Based on the popular Hans Christian Andersen story, Masque Unit brings to life the hilarity of an overly fashion-conscious Emperor and his royal court interacting with two swindlers posing as tailors. The catchy tunes and comedic dialogue will delight audiences young and old alike. For the entire family. Ticket Prices: $8. You can purchase tickets through the box office. 
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Get your tickets early for the Mad Hatter's Spring Tea Party at San Rafael's Falkirk Cultural Center on April 24 and 25. There will be two tea party sittings, noon and 3:00 pm. Join Alice, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Dormouse for this wonderland tea party, complete with tea sandwiches, beverages, and dessert. The Mad Hatter and other characters in original costumes will entertain and make the little ones giggle and dream as they sip their “tea”. Falkirk’s beautiful Victorian setting is the perfect place for this spring tea party.

The cost is $27.50 for adults and $22.50 for children, which includes all the food you can eat and a goodie bag for each child.Reservations are required, so reserve your spot soon, because this event does sell out. Call (415) 485-3333 for reservations. This event is not appropriate for children under 2. For more information and photos, visit www.falkirkculturalcenter.org

Photo: Susan Miller

Here are our picks for great events and activities for children and families this weekend. Find more events for the whole week in Marin and beyond in our new Family Events Calendar.

Friday, February 26

• Bring the kids to Fantastic Fridays: T.O.TS: Green Thumbs, this Friday from 10 to 11:30 am at the Crissy Field Center. You've seen our organic backyard garden, now let us share our love of other local native plants of with you and your budding botanist. Join us at the Fort Mason Community Garden where you will learn all about plants and show off your new green thumb by starting your very own native plant garden!To register, call (415) 561-7752 or download the form at www.parksconservancy.org. Drop-ins accepted on a space-available basis. The cost is $15 per child.
• Learn about how parent-child relationships affect your baby's development in the Attachment and Baby's Developing Brain class at the Parents Center in San Rafael. Taught by Chris White, MD and Todd Sarner, MA, MFT. Friday from 12:30–2 pm. The Parents Center is located inside Heller's for Children at 514 Fourth Street in San Rafael. More info: www.theparentscenter.com

Saturday, February 27

• Bring the kids to the Bay Area Discovery Museum’s World On-Stage Ethnic Performance Series 2010 and experience the traditional Cuban music and dance of all-female ensemble Las Que Son Son. Cost: Members $7; General Child $12; General Adult $14  (includes museum admission).  For more info, go to www.badm.org. 
• Tim Cain performs at San Geronimo Valley Preschool’s pancake breakfast open house on Saturday from 8 am-11 am.  Pancakes will be served from 8 am-10 am and Tim Cain will sing at 10 am. Come for some song and dance. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 9 and under. The breakfast includes: sausage, eggs, fruit and pancakes. The school is at 6001 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. For more information, call (415) 488-4655.
• Join Bonnie Lockhart for songs and music games at the Belvedere-Tiburon Library, Saturday at 11 am. Local musician Bonnie Lockhart will encourage kids to sing and dance in this free music program for ages 0-5 in the Founders Room. Bonnie Lockhart's web site: www.bonnielockhart.com.
• WildCare is offering a fun, free family naturlist guided hike to Cascade Falls (in Fairfax) on Saturday at 10 am. This naturalists led expedition will take you on a search for dragonflys nymphs, caterpillars, woodpeckers, and trout. Meet at the park gate at the end of Cascade Drive in Fairfax. (Parking is extremely limited. Carpooling is recommended) For more info, go to their website.
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Here are our picks for great events and activities for children and families this weekend. Find more events for the whole week in Marin and beyond in our new Family Events Calendar.

Friday, February 19

• Bring the kids (ages 2–4) to Fantastic Fridays: Things with Wings, this Friday from 10 to 11:30 am at the Crissy Field Center. Reach for the skies with your toddler in this fun filled program about birds, kites, and things with the ability to fly. Come see and learn about the different things with wings soaring over Crissy Field. It's a different adventure every week, full of creative activities you can use over and over during your own family getaways! To register, call (415 561-7752 or download the form at www.parksconservancy.org. Drop-ins accepted on a space-available basis. The cost is $12 per child or $15 at the door.
• The Actors' Theater for Children present, Fairytale Follies at the Spreckels Performing Arts Center in Rohnert Park starting on Friday at 7:30 pm; Saturday at 1 pm & 3:30 pm and Sunday at 2 pm. This production is "a world premiere" of an original musical comedy featuring a plethora of well-known characters singing and dancing, as they never have before. You'll see Snow White, Red Riding Hood, an Evil Queen, a wolf and a few "dwarfs" all navigating some unexpected twists and turns in their traditional tales. Tickets are $10. For more info, go to their website.
• Family Concert with Celia on Friday at 7:30 pm at the Dance Palace Community Center in Pt. Reyes. Celia is a cross between an Earthy Enya, Tori Amos & Gilda Radner. She dishes up fun for the whole family with the most delicious concoction of the silly and the sacred. From powerful, heart-felt vocals to wacky comedic improvisations, you honestly never know what will happen with Celia on stage. Tickets: $15 general, $10 seniors and kids. For more info contact: info@celiaonline.com or go to www.dancepalace.org.

Saturday, February 20

• Bring the kids to the Bay Area Discovery Museum’s World On-Stage Ethnic Performance Series 2010 and see Murphy Irish Dancers perform a variety of step dances including jigs and reels, combined with impressive leaps. This group of young dancers introduces you to age-old Irish traditions and joyous celebrations that are very much alive today. Cost: Members $7; General Child $12; General Adult $14  (includes Museum admission).  For more info, go to www.badm.org. 
• Family Sing-Along Workshop with Bonnie Lockhart on Saturday at 10:30am at the City of Sausalito Council Chambers. Bonnie Lockhart will teach parents and their children sing-alongs, move-alongs, finger plays and music games that promote children's development, as well as family bonding. Children ages birth through five and their families are invited to join the fun! Ages: 0-5. Free. City of Sausalito is located at 420 Litho Street. For more info, go to their website.
• See the King Tut exhibition at the de Young Museum for free this weekend thanks to Target. Limited number of free timed tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis (limit 4 tickets per adult). Box office opens at 8:30 am; first entry at 9 am. The rest of the museum is free, too, with art-making activities, live entertainment, and a mummy film fest. More information: www.deyoungmuseum.org/tut or (415)750-3600.
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