Some of my clients know my real job is keeping my son entertained, which is harder than most tax projects.
MUSEUM RECIPROCITY MAY BRING SAVINGS
Your museum membership may entitle you to free or discounted admission to other museums nationwide.
SF Zoo membership gives you 50 percent admission tickets to other zoos such as Oakland zoo, Sacramento zoo, Curioddysey , Los Angeles zoo, aquarium of bay, happy hollow zoo San Jose. For the full list see
https://www.sfzoo.org/pdf/membership/ReciprocityChart2012SFZOO.pdf
Children’s Creativity Museum has reciprocity in 3 groups. So your $219 membership has a lot of value. I use it for Cartoon Art museum and Walt Disney Museum
Free or discounted admission to more than 300 museums with the Association of Science & Technology Centers (ASTC). This is intended for travel 90 miles away from home and from membership museum. For list see https://www.astc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Compact-Passport-Program-List-November-2022-April-2023-Update-1.pdf
Membership benefits at more than 400 museums through the Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums (ROAM) which generally give FREE admission. Some have a 90 mile outside area rule. Those who don’t use a 90 mile rule include Walt Disney Family Museum, Cartoon Art Museum, contemporary Jewish Museum and Curioddysey. See https://sites.google.com/site/roammuseums/home/list-of-roam-museums
50 percent Discounted admission to more than 150 Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) attractions. 50 percent off at Discovery Museum Bay Area (Sausalito), Children’s discovery museum San Jose, Lindsey wildlife Museum, palo O alto junior museum and zoo, Chabot Space science Center, Sonoma Children’s museum https://findachildrensmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ACM-Reciprocal-Network-Brochure_Updated-10-21-2022.pdf
Oakland Zoo reciprocity gives you 50 percent off at many zoos such as San Francisco zoo, Sacramento zoo, Curioddysey , Los Angeles zoo, aquarium of bay, happy hollow zoo San Jose. For the full list see
Exploratorium reciprocity - All Daytime members have ASTC reciprocity (which is intended for travel 90 miles away from Exploratorium and your home) and your digital membership card includes the ASTC logo. You can simply show your digital card at participating organizations to receive free or reduced admission! For list see https://www.astc.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Compact-Passport-Program-List-November-2022-April-2023-Update-1.pdf
Curioddysey Museum member reciprocity to other institutions
Academy of science - I don’t think they have reciprocity with anyone
Monterey Bay Aquarium- website says they have no reciprocity agreements
San Francisco Botanical Garden - free every day to San Francisco residents with proof of residency (ID or paystub). Free second Tuesday month to all visitors. Free to any visitor before 9 AM.
Story Time & Family Garden Walk. 1st & 3rd Sunday of Every Month!
Looking for a fun, free and easy-to-coordinate activity? Join us in our cozy children's book nook for lively readings of nature-themed stories. Afterward, families can enjoy a special docent-led family Garden walk that brings the stories to life.
Conservatory of Flowers is free for San Francisco residents (proof of residency required) and all veterans. ALSO FREE FIRST TUESDAY OF MONTH FOR EVERYONE.
Japanese Tea Garden (Golden Gate Park) is now free for San Francisco residents (proof of residency required) and all veterans.- Free admission for the general public on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays if entered before 10:00am (garden opens at 9:00am)
The Gardens at Lake Merritt (a short walk from Fairyland) a seven-acre collection of themed gardens, is conveniently located in the heart of Oakland at Lakeside Park, our nation’s first wildlife refuge. Free. Open from 830-330
Randall Museum - FREE every day (Closed Sun & Mon) but there is a suggested donation box.
The Randall Museum is a natural history museum, science museum and arts center in one, offering hands-on learning through exhibits and classes in science, nature and art to all ages. The museum has many fun things to do with kids and adults alike, including live animals (chickens, duck and bunny and raccoon, falcon, crows, snakes in cages) and drop-in activities (ceramic class and art classes do have fees). Downstairs has some aquariums with clams and small fish. An exhibit for earthquakes featuring Legos you can stack and a huge model train set that you can watch move from section to section. A small train area showing old SF is available.
Note: If coming from Castro Muni Station, it’s a 10 minute walk but uphill so pack light if you are walking with a stroller. Since it’s on a hill the view is breath taking. There is also a hiking trail that continues uphill. The Museum has a cafe with outdoor seating only. On the walk to the museum, you will pass an old playground (6 swings, 2 slides and monkey bars) with sand instead of padding as well as tennis court, basketball court and I think an off-leash dog park.
Palace of Legion of Honor - San Francisco and Bay Area residents have free admission on Saturdays with proof of residency. General museum admission is free every first Tuesday of the month.
De Young Museum (in Golden Gate Park) - San Francisco and Bay Area residents have free admission on Saturdays with proof of residency. General museum admission is free every first Tuesday of the month.
Cartoon Art Museum (now in Fishermen’s Wharf) has a pay what you want on the First Tuesday of the month.
Bay Area Discovery Museum - Sausalito museum near the Golden Gate Bridge with free admission on first Wednesday. of the month Activities are indoors and outdoors (with their grounded fishing boat as the centerpiece). On regular days, they do charge for babies older than 6 months
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) – Kids under 18 free every day. Bay Area residents free first Thursday night from 4-8pm. Free family day is generally once a quarter (Jan, April, July, Oct)
Asian Art Museum - FREE every first Sunday of the month. Additional entrance fees apply to special exhibition, Kids under 12 are free every day.
Bay Model Visitors Center – Sausalito. Center features a huge 3-D, working hydraulic model of San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta System. FREE everday
Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive – Free first Thursday of each month and always free for ages 18 and under.
Cable Car Museum - FREE every day. small museum
Cartoon Art Museum (near Ghiradelli Square) - pay what you want on first Tuesday of month.
Contemporary Jewish museum - FREE first Friday
Chinese Culture Center of SF - hidden inside the Hilton Hotel (750 Kearny St across from Portsmouth Square Garage) - free museum open Tuesdays to Saturday
Oakland Museum - first Sunday free
Museum of the Eye from the American Academy of opthmalogy. Free. Wednesday to Sunday 11 to 430. In fishermen’s wharf one lock away from Super Duper burger. Some interactive exhibits. Other exhibits are more on history and celebrities with certain eye diseases.
The Maritime Museum at Aquatic Park is Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00am to 4:00pm. Free but the visit will only take 10 minutes. It’s the white building that looks like a boat across from Ghirardelli Square
The national park service maritime visitor center at Aquatic Park ( across from Hyde Street Piers). The Visitor center is located at 499 Jefferson Street at the corner of Hyde Street. It is open from Friday through Sunday 10:00am to 5:00pm. The Hyde street pier and historical ships across the street is $15 ( I think kids under 12 are free). Two ships are currently open to the public.
ILLUMINATE SF
Want to see all the lighted exhibits in SF visit their website for their free public displays
https://illuminatesf.com/installation-gallery
VIRTUAL ATTRACTIONS
Google Arts and Culture explore over 2000 museums worldwide, learn about space, learn about cities https://artsandculture.google.com/
Smithsonian Institute https://www.si.edu/kids
National museum of American history https://americanhistory.si.edu/kids/kids-things-do-home
Seattle’s Museum of Flight Virtual Tour: The Museum of Flight holds one of the largest air and space collections in the US. https://www.museumofflight.org/Explore-The-Museum/Virtual-Museum-Online
Louvre virtual gallery - https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne
National Park Service Virtual tours https://www.nationalparks.org/connect/blog/take-virtual-visit-national-park
Virtual 49ers Museum
https://www.levisstadium.com/museum-virtual-tour/
ILLUMINATE SF
Want to see all the lighted exhibits in SF visit their website for their free public displays and the exact locations
https://illuminatesf.com/installation-gallery
MUSEUMS & INSTITUTIONS WITH AT HOME ACTIVITIES
Howtosmile.org - Search almost 3,500 of the very best STEM activities on the web. Find handpicked activities from your favorite science museums, public television stations, universities, and other educational organizations. All activities are available to anyone, free of charge. Start searching now and filter by age, material costs, and learning time to find exactly what you need for your educational program, class, or family.
They also have an awesome list of museums with stay at home activities https://www.howtosmile.org/blog/posts/museums-at-home-resources
write your own Pac-Man program using Scratch (it's free scratch.mit.edu) following this blog https://www.create-learn.us/blog/how-to-make-pacman-on-scratch/ .
Orlando Science Center https://www.osc.org/at-home/
Singapore Science Museum - broken up into under age 8 and over 8 https://www.science.edu.sg/for-schools/resources/science-at-home
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/kids/
NASA https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub/index.html
Exploratorium: Explore the science of viruses, learn what drives our social interactions, investigate the science all around you, or just have fun with everyday, household items with our new collections of easy at-home activities. https://www.exploratorium.edu/learn
Watching animals at SF Zoo - check out SF Zoo’s social media channels – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see what our animals are up to (mostly eating and enjoying the sun when it’s out!). Also learn about animals at the zoo’s SF connects page https://sfzooconnects.org
Chabot Space and Science Center virtual activities https://chabotspace.org/education/learning-launchpad/
Children’s Creativity Museum - Create at home activities, science DIY and coloring sheets.
https://creativity.org/athome/
Curiodyssey (San Mateo Science Museum & Zoo) stay at home activities. 45 cool activities for kids at https://curiodyssey.org/activities/science-experiments-for-kids/
Behind-the-Scenes Live and Interactive at Oakland Zoo takes you inside Oakland Zoo five times a week! You’ll see animals up-close and personal, and meet the amazing animal keepers and veterinarians who care for them. Here's the best part—you can ask questions and get answers in real time! Cost s $15 per month ($10 for members) https://www.oaklandzoo.org/go-behind-the-scenes
Academy of Science : Whether you’re searching for STEM activities for the kids or just want to keep tabs on your favorite Academy creatures, we've curated an eclectic array of science-centric games, videos, and DIY projects to help you stay learning and engaged, wherever you are. https://www.calacademy.org/academy-at-home
Bay Area Discovery Museum At Home With You Activities. https://bayareadiscoverymuseum.org/bringing-badm-to-you
Aquarium By The Bay You can continue learning at home through our free lesson plans for families with K-12th students https://www.aquariumofthebay.org/teachers/resources/
Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose (Which I haen’t been to yet) has a virtual museum with stat ay home projects. https://www.cdm.org/virtual-museum/#geometryNature
National Park Service Junior Rangers https://www.nps.gov/kids/index.htm
Indianapolis Children’s Museum (which is the largest in the US). Here is their stay at home resource page https://www.childrensmuseum.org/museum-at-home They have football player Andrew Luck reading at story time in one video.
Asian Art Museum including virtual tours, children’s page and zoom background art. https://asianart.org/museumfromhome
Fairyland at Home has an expanded page. Besides puppet shows , there is story tine and downloadable art and craft activities. https://www.fairyland.org/visit-us/fairyland-at-home/
Hiller Aviation Museum - aviation themed aivities, coloring, links to NASA, etc. https://www.hiller.org/event/hiller-at-home-2020/
KID FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES
Non-screen time activity ideas:
Have you considered making an indoor fort, indoor camping, creating a Candyland (yeah sugar high but rules are out the door now) or daily hide-and-go-seek?
For those lucky enough with a secluded back yard, try educating your children on different plants and insects. Make watering plants and pruning your garden a daily activity that your kids can help you with. Instead of playing with sand in the park, perhaps the kids can make soil castles or mud pies (yes, messy but at least they have nonscreen time)
What about old school craft projects? With all those empty paper towel and toilet paper rolls, you can create your own Creativity Museum and create your own imagination zone.
For those into projects with kids, go to PBS Kids online for kid friendly projects such as origami or printing your own coloring sheets.
Book report time or have reverse storytime (where the kids are the teachers reading to you)
Daily show-and-tell. I’m sure your child has many items to show off.
Cooking and baking (mmm. cookies) lessons.
Indoor bowling? Indoor bean bag toss (you can even use rolled up socks)
Theme Days For Kids
What about theme days as kids respond to repetition?
Examples:
Tuesday Cybertrips - pick a new country and watch videos together about the country’s culture, food, fauna and animals. Enjoy food from that country. Beter yet cook something together with your kids that the country is famous for.
Thursday Throwdown - kids are competitive. Challenge the kids and your bragging spouse (and perhaps have trophies, awards or championship belts) every week. (Who’s the best indoor bowler? Who’s the fastest bike rider? the options are endless).
Friday Feast - let the kids pick the meal (within reason) - Breakfast for Dinner? Pizza Friday? Cooking with kids?
Friday Fortnite/Fort Night - For older kids, play Fortnite with them (yes, I know it’s not the hottest game anymore). For younger kids build an indoor fort.
Saturday Singalong - karaoke or American Idol anyone?
Sunday Streets - patterned after the SF program where the community walks, bike rides or skateboards.
Nursery rhyme songs - For lyrics to classic sings visit the SF library which has a booklet in English, Spanish and Chinese. They also have some prerecorded videos.
https://sfpl.org/kids/sweet-stories-sfpl
Educational Options For Kids At Home
Khan Academy or Khan Academy for Kids (which is free and similar to ABCMouse) https://learn.khanacademy.org/khan-academy-kids/
Duck Duck Moose App - now owned by Khan Academy and free children’s educational games. The drawback is each game is a different app (22 in total right now). http://www.duckduckmoose.com/
Common Sense Media’s list of Free Educational Apps, Games, and Websites https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/free-educational-apps-games-and-websites Note: Common Sense Media owns Sensical the streaming website with cartoons and videos (educational and noneducational) for kids through age 10.
ABCmouse is for children ages 2–8+, with activities that teach reading, math, science, health, social studies, art, and music. ABCmouse teaches children through books, games, songs, puzzles, videos). ABC Mouse (Free with some library cards. SF library no longer subscribes. many other Bay Area libraries subscribe) If your library doesn’t have access there is a free 1 month trial. Personally I don’t think its worth $10 a month as Khan Academy For Kids seems to be easier to use. https://www.abcmouse.com/bringlearninghome
Starfall.com (the app and website is similar to ABCMouse). The free version has about 10% of the content. The paid version is $35 per year.
Teaching Community Service & Empathy for teens. They have a monthly give back hour as well as a “create the change week” each year in November. They’ve moved to virtual activities in the pandemic. Some are online via Zoom but there are other activities that parents & guardians can do with the kids. They also have age-based lesson plans, including plans for teens. Their whole goal is to teach empathy and kindness (much needed in our society as of late). https://www.projectgivingkids.org/
Spotify for Kids - has a playlist of learning songs such as phonics or counting
HOMEWORK HELP
SF PUBLIC LIBRARY HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE
Just login with your library card
• Brainfuse Homework & Job Help – On-demand (1–10 p.m.), one-to-one homework help in English, Spanish and Cantonese for K–12, college students and adult learners in math, science, digital literacy, English, social studies and other subjects. The service offers writing assistance, a practice test center
(including California State tests, GRE, GED, SAT, ACT and more), test preparation through a flashcard tool, digital literacy assistance and a 24/7 question center.
• Elementary in Context – Helps students become comfortable with research methods. This service delivers age-appropriate, reliable, curriculum-related content that covers a broad range of subjects, like animals, geography, health, influential people, literature, social studies, sports and technology.
• eLibrary – Guided Research Edition – delivers on of the largest general reference collections of periodical and digital media content, including more than 11,000 research topics (Grades 6 and up).
• Middle School in Context – Age-appropriate videos, newspapers, magazines, primary sources and much more to support national and state curriculum standards for grades 6–12 in language arts, social studies and science. Categories include cultures, government, people, U.S. and world history, literature and more.
• Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center – Find “pro” and “con” arguments on controversial social issues.
• Science Online – A broad range of scientific disciplines with extensive definitions, essays, diagrams, biographies and experiments.
• Teaching Books – A one-stop source providing resources for books you read and teach, including author and illustrator interviews, lesson plans and other enrichment content.
Find all of the above databases at sfpl.org under Article & Databases, searching the topic “Student Resources (K–8).
Parents who leave work to pickup a sick child at school can get their taxi ride reimbursed
HOW TO ENTERTAIN YOUR KIDS ON A BUDGET
For those relying on screen time (like me), here are some free or budget friendly resources.
Pluto.tv has free streaming TV and hundreds of movies. Available online or on devices such as Roku. The user interface is friendly as it sorts TV channels by genre (sports, cooking, etc.). It’s now owned by CBS. They have genre channels such as 24 hour Star Trek or Dora the Explorer or CSI.
Imdb TV - imdb.com/tv Free Movies & TV shows. You can also find this buried in Amazon Prime since Amazon is the parent company.
Tubi Tv - SF company with free movies & TV. now owned by Fox
Peacock - from NBC Universal. Comes with free tier and paid tiers.
Hoopla Digital - free movies and TV which most libraries in the Bay Area subscribe too. Hoopla also has books, comic books, manga and graphic novels. For those with older kids, why not introduce your kids to the beauty of comic books.
Kanopy- free movies (mostly documentaries) and TV which some libraries in the Bay Area subscribe too. There is a special Kanopy For Kids which includes cartoons and educational programming.
USE YOUR LIBRARY’S ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
check out your local library’s electronic resource page for magazine subscriptions and more.
For example, the SF Library’s digital services give card holders 24/7 free access to ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, movies, classes and more.
Hoopla Digital - free movies and TV which most libraries in the Bay Area subscribe too. Hoopla also has books, comic books, manga and graphic novels. For those with older kids, why not introduce your kids to the beauty of comic books.
Kanopy- free movies (mostly documentaries) and TV which some libraries in the Bay Area subscribe too. There is a special Kanopy For Kids which includes cartoons and educational programming. We enjoy Story Time where books are read. they have favorites such as GoodNight Gorilla and GoodNight, Goodnight Construction Site. Perfect for days where I am too tired to read.
ABC Mouse - see comments above. Andrew prefers Khan Academy for Kids
USE YOUR LIBRARY’S DISCOVER AND GO PROGRAM
Many Bay Area libraries are part of the Discover and Go Program where you can check out tickets to various museums for free. The San Francisco library program is very popular and the expensive museums (Exploratorium & Academy of Science) free tickets are snatched up in minutes. SFPL posts free tickets on the 1st of the month exactly at 12 AM.
There are many playgrounds in the city. Here are a few that Andrew enjoys:
Yerba Buena Playground (next to Creativity Museum and Moscone Center) - padded flooring, slides for kids and a tot lot. There is a circular grass area where some parents picnic or kids play soccer. No swings. No night-time lights (it’s only on maybe 1 night a week). A few benches and 2 small tables between the tot area and the big kid area.
Willie Wong Playground (the Chinatown Playground) reopened in 2021. It is totally remodeled and features a dragon slide, phoenix climbing structure and outdoor workout equipment.
South Park: Small playground in SoMa’s South Park Street (between 2nd & 3rd streets and Bryant and Brannan Streets). Very small play area. A rope climbing obstacle and one hammock-swing. One bench. no tables by the playground area. However, the rest of South Park does have some tables.
Mission Bay Playground: A park built in 2017. Super clean park and neighborhood. Swings, multiple slides for children of different ages and even a see-saw. There is a sandpit which is quite wet since the water fountain is right next to it. There are 3 sections with about 2 or 3 tables (some sections have multiple tables) that can be reserved on the weekends.
Cave Cove Park (Mission Bay): Opened in 2020 two blocks from Chase center. It is a seven-acre recreational space along the shoreline between 19th and Mariposa streets. There is a small beach (the sand is the dirty gravel type sand), grassy area, 6 picnic tables (with 2 grills) and 3 benches. Unfortunately they ran out of money for a playground.
North Beach Playground: A park remodeled in 2017. Swings and slides. There are a few picnic tables just outside the gate. Great location as a library, public pool and small recreation center is next door. I believe they have Friday toddler playtime as well in the Rec Center here. For kids under 2, Washington Square Playground is 1 block away. North Beach playground is situated next to the North Beach library, North Beach Pool and North Beach rec center. The adult side of the playground has basketball and tennis courts.
Hyde and Washington mini playground. Built around 1990 it’s so unkown that there are only 3 Yelp reviews as of June 2021. It looks like a small city when you come in and it’s old school with sand instead of padding.
Washington Square Playground: SF’s newest park remodeled in Dec 2018 for infants and small toddlers. New play equipment featuring: a slide, tot swings, nest swing, babble drum, balancing disks, monkey bars, a tunnel, sculptural play elements, and a red-masked parrot. There are benches. For kids older than 2, North Beach Playground is 1 block away.
Marina Playgrounds: 2 playgrounds on Chestnut Street. The older one which is for ages 2-12 is near Webster Street between the library and Moscone Rec center (which does programs for children 5-18 in the summer time). There are benches and I think 3 tables. It reopened in October 2019.
Down the block by the corner of Laguna Street is another Marina playground more for ages 1-3 and it was remodeled in the fall of 2018. I don’t think there are any tables or benches here.
Marina playgrounds are situated next to the Marina library and Moscone rec center. The adult side of the playground has basketball and tennis courts and a baseball field.
Emerald Playground (Fremont and Harrison Street) - Private park offered by the apartment building that is open to public during daylight hours. There is padded flooring and a playset for toddlers which has a slide, small rock climb, small bridge to walk. Next to it is a small grassy area which has a soccer net for kids to practice their kicks. I think there are 2 benches but no tables.
It’s on a hill so one side has a fence. If you are afraid of heights don’t look down as the drop to the condo next door is about 50 feet.
Sue Bierman Park (next to Justin Herman Plaza by Embarcadero 4) - padded flooring, slides for kids and slides for toddlers. 4 swings. 1 big climbing sphere. It’s sunny here so bring sunscreen. I think there are only 4 benches and no tables. Watch out many parents leave the gate open so kids do try to get out. It’s next to a grassy park area that does have homeless. The pirate structure was destroyed by a fire on Sept 30, 2021 - I hope there is a gofundme for this. I suspect the structure cost $50k-100k.
San Francisco Botanical Garden - free every day to San Francisco residents with proof of residency (ID or paystub) inside Golden Gate Park. Dig, water, pick, build, explore and investigate in the Botanical Garden's "yes space" for kids! Free kids programs take place: Tuesday and Thursday 10:30-2:30. Wednesday 12:30-2:30 , Saturday, 12:00-4:00pm
Mountain Lake Park - In the Inner Richmond (Lake near 12th Avenue). This park was rebuilt in 2018 and features 2 sections that are on protective padding (Section 1) for ages 2-5 (which I think should be ages 0-2. This has a chalk wall, teeter-totter, wooden dogs to ride on, 2 slides on a very steep foam hill and 2 baby swings with the full seats) and (Section 2) for ages 5-12 which has 2 rope climbing structures, 2 swings, 8 bouncy boards for jumping, a dangerous concrete slide and a rock climbing wall next to the slide. there is a tennis court that can accommodate 4 matches.
There are benches and 3 tables. a restroom is here. There is a trail that runs through the Presidio as well as the lake that you can see ducks.
Victoria Manalo Draves Park. This park is near 6th and Folsom across from Extreme Pizza. It opened in 2006 and has a large children's playground, a grassy field for running or playing with your dog, a softball field, a basketball court, a community garden and picnic areas which I have never seen used.
The children’s playground is on padded foam and is split into 2 sections. Each section looks to be about the same age range but I suspect the intended range is 0-3 for Section 1 and 3-12 for Section 2. The playground is not well kept as there is always litter. Section 1 has a playset which includes 2 slides. This section also has stone furniture with couches and tiny loveseats. Section 2 is more popular with the kids and also has a playset with 3 slides. There is a large jungle gym which I have never seen used. It’s about 18-20 feet high and quite intimidating and I think only kids 4 and up will even have the strength to climb it.
This park does feel dangerous as many parents don’t close the playground fence. Outside the fence many dogs run off-leash which I don’t think is allowed. Outside the park you will definitely encounter homeless.
Gene Friend Recreation Center (Across the street from Victoria Manalo Draves Park) has a gated park. There are a few swings, slides and it’s old school with sand instead of padded foam. Inside seems to be adults as i wouldn’t take a child there,
Salesforce Park : The Park runs the entire length of the Transit Center’s nearly four-block stretch. Home to 600 trees and 16,000 plants arranged in 13 different botanical feature areas. The gondola tram from 1st and Mission to the roof is open as well. The park opens at 7 am and closes at 8pm (9pm May through October).
Children’s play area - climbing rope frame with padded flooring. It says ages 5-12 but most 3 year olds can navigate it.
Tuesday toddler time classes are Tuesday from 10-11 and Thursday from 1030-1115 (In spring and summer. Winter has Thursday only)
The activity cart is open Tuesday-Saturday from 11-3pm only. There are a few games (Jenga, Battleship, cards, chess that adults can use) (Winter hours are Wednesday-Saturday)
For the Park’s official calendar see
https://salesforcetransitcenter.com/events/
George Christopher Playground (Diamond Heights). The new play area at George Christopher Playground features structures for both big and little kids and includes swings, a whirl, and an imagination garden with a bridge, playhouse, and stepping stones. A dry riverbed nature exploration area supports imaginative play. New safety surfacing has also been installed.
Betty Ong Rec Center - On Washington street across from the Cable Car Museum. The cleanest playground in the city as I rarely see more than 3 kids here since it’s on a hill and most people wont even know there is a play area. large climbing structure, large merry-go-round spinner, firemen slide and kids slide and teenage teeter-totter with weights in the middle. Also has outdoor basketball court. Inside the rec center has basketball court and they have separate schedules for badminton and volleyball.
St. Mary’s Playground : From the street it’s hard to see since it’s on a hill. It’s on California Street (next to 601 California Street) near Grant across from St. Mary’s Church. The park has an enclosed area with a train that kids can sit on (locomotive & passenger section), a play structure with a baby slide and spider rope to climb on. The other side is in the sun with a sandpit with a structure with pipes you can feed sand into, a standing board as well as a big teeter totter (it’s a boat that can fit easily 4 adults). There are also 2 benches in the shaded side and a small grassy area. Outside the gated area there are 5 swings (3 regular swings without the leg harness for older kids and 2 tire swings) and foam protective padding but strangely no play structure. However, this is not a gated area so watch out for dogs off leash (which is probably illegal). Outside the gated area there are about 10 benches but no picnic tables.
Francisco Park (Bay St by Hyde street) (Opened March 2022) This private land was donated to the City and is now a real park (instead of just grass and one bench). It is on top of a reservoir and is 2 blocks north of Ghirardelli Square. The park has a large grassy area for picnics and a restroom. The playground area includes baby swings (2) and kids swings (4 plus a tire swing). It has 2 slides built into the padded foam. One baby slide, climbing net, small balance beam and a small merry go round. I only spotted three picnic tables (no grills).
Presidio Tunnel Tops (10 minute walk from Battery Bluff Park) (opened July 2022) has a playground next to Sports Basement by Chrissy Field. The Outpost is a two-acre play space (the largest in the Bay Area) inspired by the Presidio’s nature and history. It appeals most to children ages 2 to 12. It has rocks and logs to climb. Two swings and a slide. The popular area seems to be a little water pump to wash seashells or rocks. My four year old didn’t think the activities were to exciting as the swing and slide are meant for small kids under 5. Next door is the Field Station and restroom ( which is unisex with about 8 stalls) . The field Station is closed Monday and Tuesdays. The Field Station takes its name from base camps where scientists do their research in the wild. At this hands-on space, kids use their eyes, ears, nose, and touch to identify plants, try out tools like microscopes, and create their own map for park adventures. Up the steps is the picnic tables ( which require reservations) and food trucks. The Presidio Visitor Center and Transit Station (which has a restroom) is there ( for Presidio-go shuttle to downtown and 43 Masonic)
Picking up a sick child in San Francisco? Get a FREE Cab ride home.
Submit your taxi ride receipt(s) within 30 days of your emergency taxi trip(s) to get your money back up to $150, even if both locations are outside of San Francisco.
If you leave your place of work* in San Francisco to pick up a sick child, you can get paid back for your taxi trips to their school/childcare and home up to $150.
1. Pay for your taxi rides (see list of Official Taxis) and save your receipts
2. Submit your taxi ride receipt(s) within 30 days of your trip to get your money back up to $150 (tips not included)
3. You may get paid back up to $150 four times per year
*Please note, you must have traveled to work by walking, biking, transit, scooter, or carpool, and you must be 18 years of age or older at the time of the taxi ride to get paid back
https://www.sfenvironment.org/free-taxi-sf
Richard Pon CPA CFP - Take care. Stay safe.