Love this place!! Great for both kids and adults… huge sandstone rock formations to climb, small caves to explore, gorgeous views, fun hiking trails… what’s not to like?? You’ll find Rock City in Mount Diablo State Park, on South Gate Road, near the Live Oak Campground. For more information about Mount Diablo, visit the website…Continue reading “Rock City: Mount Diablo State Park”
Category Archives: Parks
Yoda Statue: Lucasfilm Headquarters, San Francisco
For my young Padawan, we made the pilgrimage to the Lucasfilm Headquarters in the Presidio to see the life-sized Yoda statue…. Photos taken June 20th, 2013 *** Interested in going? You’ll find the Yoda fountain in front of the Lucasfilm Headquarters, located in the Presidio, at 1 Letterman Drive, San Francisco. There is a securityContinue reading “Yoda Statue: Lucasfilm Headquarters, San Francisco”
Silent Saturday: Golden Gate Bridge, from Crissy Field
Photos taken June 20th, 2013 Crissy Field, San Francisco
Climbing Wall: Val Vista Park, Pleasanton
Kids love to climb! The climbing wall at Val Vista Park in Pleasanton is one of the best free outdoor structures in the region. For others in the San Francisco East Bay, along the 680 corridor… Outdoor Climbing Walls.
It’s That Time! Water Play!
Photo taken May 22nd, 2013 Central Park, San Ramon For more parks in the area with water features, see… Ten Fun East Bay Parks with Free Water Play Structures
Play: Alamo Creek Park, Dublin
Love this park! It has a huge field for play, paths for bike riding, an awesome play structure, and a creek with ducks. Fun! Photos taken March 7th, 2013
Shadow Cliffs: Pleasanton
Yesterday, my son had a school field trip to Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area, a large park located in Pleasanton, near the Livermore border. The students have been learning about the life cycle through the study of trout. They went to Shadow Cliffs to release baby trout into the lake. But they also had aContinue reading “Shadow Cliffs: Pleasanton”
How many of you remember these?
Photos taken January 21st, 2013 Hap Magee Ranch Park, Danville, California
Play: Shannon Park, Dublin
Kids thrive when given free playtime outdoors after a day of school… Photos taken January 15th, 2013 Shannon Park, Dublin, California
Fun! Magic Mountain Playground, San Mateo
I have to rate this playground one the best in the entire San Francisco Bay Area. We’ve been here a few times over the years, and it’s always so much fun. If you have a kid who’s into knights, princesses, dragons, and/or castles, this park is a must-visit. The three-story slide is a highlight! InterestedContinue reading “Fun! Magic Mountain Playground, San Mateo”
Building Forts! Adventure Playground, Berkeley
The Adventure Playground in Berkeley… the only place I know in the San Francisco Bay Area where kids are encouraged to get creative with saws, hammers & nails, and paints to build forts. And play on their creations! Photos from our school field trip to the playground yesterday… For more information, check out this postContinue reading “Building Forts! Adventure Playground, Berkeley”
Cemetery Fun!
The other day, while playing at Dublin’s Heritage Park, my son suggested we head to the attached cemetery (Dublin Pioneer Cemetery) to look for monsters. Why not? We spent the next hour searching for, running away from, and battling monsters. Here’s a post I wrote last spring about letterboxing (treasure hunting) at this cemetery… Letterboxing: Continue reading “Cemetery Fun!”
Silent Saturday: Trail Through Time, Rock City, Mount Diablo
Photos from a hike in Mount Diablo State Park earlier this week with my Nature Time playgroup. We hiked a section of the Trail Through Time, from the Rock City parking lot to (and up) Sentinel Rock, allowing the kids to climb and play on and in the limestone rock structures and caves as muchContinue reading “Silent Saturday: Trail Through Time, Rock City, Mount Diablo”
Scrambling: Fun on the Rocks
I wish more city parks had rock structures like these for kids to scramble on. The following photos were taken earlier this week at Emerald Glen Park in Dublin, California. The boulders challenge kids in a way the regular play structures don’t. In order to climb these rocks, children have to use their minds toContinue reading “Scrambling: Fun on the Rocks”
Great Park for Nature Play: Chabot Park, San Leandro
Yesterday, we attended a wedding reception in a park I’ve never been to… Chabot Park in San Leandro. What a great park for nature play! There were quite a few boys between the ages of three and six at the wedding, and they had a blast running up and down the hills, along the trails,Continue reading “Great Park for Nature Play: Chabot Park, San Leandro”
Climbing the Wall…
An awesome way to burn some kid energy is to head out for some rock climbing… park style. For a list of our favorite parks in the San Francisco East Bay with fun rock wall features, see my post… Outdoor Climbing Walls. Photos taken at Val Vista Park, Pleasanton.
Water Play! Val Vista Park, Pleasanton
It was HOT earlier this week! Tuesday was a perfect afternoon to spend at one of our local parks with great water features… Val Vista Park in Pleasanton, California. For more parks in the San Francisco East Bay that have great water play areas, check out… Ten Fun East Bay Parks with Free Water Features
Kids ‘n Carousels
What is it with kids and carousels? I’ve given up trying to figure out what children love about them. I only know they do. Does your child have a favorite? Do you have a favorite memory of one from childhood? Please share! *** Links to carousels in the San Francisco Bay Area Creativity Carousel, SanContinue reading “Kids ‘n Carousels”
Wow! Adventure Playground, Berkeley
Bored of the usual playground facilities? Then check this one out! The Adventure Playground in Berkeley is a special place, unlike any other park we’ve experienced. The structures are all built by children (with parental and staff supervision), using provided tools (hammers, nails, saws, and paint). This place encourages serious creativity! It’s best for kidsContinue reading “Wow! Adventure Playground, Berkeley”
Hide and Seek!
What child could resist playing hide and seek in this redwood forest? Can you find them? At Roberts Regional Park, Oakland… http://www.ebparks.org/parks/roberts. *** You may also enjoy… Nature Play, Roberts Regional Park, Oakland (anaturemom.com)
Suburban Nature Explorations 