Favorite holiday activities in 2016

It is New Year's Eve as I write this.  This holiday season seemed to go so fast for some reason!  Here are some of our favorite holiday season activities:

We loved ice skating at Union Square ice skating rink, there is something so festive about being there and listening to the music, seeing the dazzling holiday decorations!

We enjoyed seeing The Snowman at the San Francisco symphony!

A visit to the Fairmont Hotel in Nob Hill is a tradition for us.  We recommend not visiting on the weekend, but instead going during the week.  They have a hot chocolate bar, with all kinds of toppings to put on the hot chocolate!  They also have really beautiful letterhead to write a letter to Santa!

The Carousel in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA is lit up for the holiday season and open selected nights.  We go each year and ride the carousel, get hot chocolate and look at the decorations.

The St. Francis Hotel in Union Square has 2 castles on display this year.  They do an annual children's tea that we haven't tried, but the restaurant serves a really nice cup of tea!

In Alameda, CA there is a place called Little Skate, it is an outdoor ice arena and they play really great holiday music.

We like to visit Santa!

Attending the Sound of Music Sing-a-long at the Castro Theater on Castro Street in San Francisco, CA.  Hearing the organ.

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with children

There are a few places in the bay area that do a ball drop early, such as the Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley, CA.  Also, the San Jose Discovery Museum also has a ball drop.  We've participated in the one at the Lawrence hall of Science, and my son really enjoyed it!

The Castro Theater in San Francisco has a Sound of Music sing along on New Year's Day at 1PM and 7PM.  The 1PM time is more oriented toward children.  The Castro Theater is located at 429 Castro street in San Francisco.  Tickets are available at the box office at 12PM.

Playland Not At the Beach, in El Cerrito,  has a New Year's Eve party starting at 8PM.  It is $30.00 a person.  This is a great spot for those that love pinball machines!

Small Talk Family Cafe in Walnut Creek, CA has a party mostly for children 7 and under and their parents.  They have a puppet show and a family friendly buffet meal.  Get tickets early as it sells out fast.  The party was from 3:30- 5:00PM.

Santa and Holiday Train Rides for Christmas and the Holidays

These are some of the holiday train rides in the greater San Francisco Bay area:

*Zoo Lights- It is super fun to go to the zoo at night!  See website for available open hours from December 2nd through January 1, 2017.
www.oaklandzoo.org.
(closed on December 24th and 25th.)

*Niles Canyon Railway Train of Lights.  We had friends who rented the parlor car for a party with snacks and drinks.  It was super fun!
www.ncry.org
Niles Station,
37592 Niles Blvd. Fremont, CA
Sunol Station, 6 Kulkare Rd., Sunol, CA

Napa Valley Wine Train Santa Train
(Daily through December 29th, closed December 24th and 25th.)
Napa Wine Train Station
1275 McKinstry St.
Napa, CA  (707) 253-2111
www.winetrain.com

Roaring Camp Holiday Lights Train
Santa Cruz
This 60 minute ride includes a sing-a-long and a visit with Santa.  It ends at the boardwalk.  Selected dates in December 3rd through December 23rd.
www.roaringcamp.com
400 Beach Street, Santa Cruz, CA
www.roaringcamp.com

Sugarpine Railroad
at Yosemite


Sacramento Hoiiday Train

Sierra Railroad Christmas
330 South Sierra Ave.
Oakdale, CA

Skunk Train
100 W. Laurel Street
Fort Bragg, CA

Railtown 1897 State Historic Park
Jamestown,CA
(209) 984-3953

train rides:  http://offmetro.com/sf/9795/holiday-train-rides-california/

Christmas concerts at the SF symphony- a favorite tradition, We love The Snowman

This year we went and saw The Snowman at the San Francisco Symphony in San Francisco, CA.  The music was beautiful.  They had a tasty hot chocolate bar we want to try next year!

San Francisco Symphony
The Snowman
Davis Symphony Hall
201 Van Ness Ave.
San Francisco, CA
(415) 864-6000

Happy Holidays!

Instant Success Dolch Sight Word Cards

These Dolch Sight Word cards have been developed by Dianne Craft for students who are either struggling to learn sight words.  I am planning on ordering some this week for my students to try them out.  Let's face it, sight words are incredibly boring for children to learn!

Dolch Sight Words
http:///www.diannecraft.org

Hot Chocolate Stand

A hot chocolate stand on a chilly winter day:

A Dog and His Bone in the Morning

Happy Holidays from SF Fisherman's Wharf

Trees are already up at Pier 39 and Ghiradelli Square.  Both were packed with people today.  Ghiradelli's tree-lighting included a kazoo orchestra and "snowfall."  Happy Holidays!

kids suspenders by Wembley

My son loves suspenders instead of a belt!

Resources:

Wembley suspenders
fits sizes S-XL
www.wembleyheritage.com

Favorite kids toothpaste- kids spry tooth gel with xylitol

My friend told me about how xylitol is great for preventing cavities.  My son used to like the kid's spry tooth gel with xylitol.  I like it because it is safe to swallow.

Resources:  Kid's Spry tooth gel
                   www.xlear.com

air dry clay for making holiday gifts

I found some air dry clay for making easy clay creations!  The kit comes with 2 pounds of terra cotta clay.  It's super easy because no baking is needed!

air dry clay
www.alextoys.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

Harry Potter Party Favors

Recommended Old Fashioned book about Thanksgiving! An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving

We were at Pegasus books in Rockridge in CA and we saw the book, An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving  by Louisa May Alcott, and I had to have the book!   Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888) is the author of the beloved Little Women series which is based on her own experience growing up in New England with her parents and three sisters.

An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving
by Louisa May Alcott
Illustrated by James Bernardin
Harper Collins Publishers
ISBN:  0-06-000450-9














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Picture book recommendation about the Golden Gate Bridge

We've been studying about the Golden Gate Bridge  I love this picture book published by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.

The Mighty Golden Gate Bridge
ISBN:  978-1-932519-27-3

Halloween and Dia De La Muerta books we read this year!

Halloween Books:

The Witch Who Was Afraid Of Witches by Alice Low
A Trumpet Club Special Edition
ISBN 0-440-84422-3
(A type of cinderella book)

Witches Four
By Marc Brown
Published by Parents Magazine Press
ISBN 0-8193-1013-1
Fun rhyming Halloween book, not too scary

You Read To Me, I'll Read To You
By Mary Ann Hoberman
Published by Little, Brown & Company
ISBN: 978-0-316-01733-6
Fun scary tales (but not too scary) to read together

Day of the Dead
By Linda Lowery
Published by Millbrook Press
ISBN:  978-1-57505-581-7
This book is about Day of the Dead.This is part of the My Own Holidays books.

Book recommendation about the Builder of the Golden Gate Bridge, Joseph Strauss

In 1917, the engineer Joseph Baermann Strauss, started building a bridge across the treacherous Golden Gate Bridge.  Twenty years later, in May of 1937, the first cars roared across the brand new bridge.

As a child, Strauss dreamed of doing something that no one else had done, this book is an excellent telling of the struggles and accomplishments in his life!

Joseph Strauss, Builder of the Golden Gate Bridge
by Michael Chester
Published by Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy

Halloween 2016

Halloween in Rockridge was cold, wet, and fun in 2016!  Here are some pictures from houses on Lawton Ave. and Ocean View Drive.  Lots of "light shows" and use of LEDs on Lawton, which seems like a new trend.  The camera is not ideal for nighttime picture-taking, but you'll get the idea and the spirit!