Looking for fun Christmas trivia for kids? These reindeer facts are just what you need
You know Dasher and Dancer and Comet and Vixen, but do you know that reindeer grow beards in the wintertime? We’ve rounded up some of the most fascinating, fun reindeer facts, just in time for Christmas. Looking for more trivia for kids? Check out our list here!
1. Rangifer tarandus is the scientific name for the animal we most commonly call reindeer. They are in the same family as deer, and there are more than a dozen subspecies.
2. In the wild, some reindeer travel more than 3000 miles in a single year.
3. In North America, reindeer are also known as caribou, although the current "taxonomic jury" is out on that all species of reindeer are caribou. Most people use the terms interchangeably.
4. Reindeer like it cold! They are native to Arctic and subarctic regions as well as tundra and boreal (read: snow, snow, snow!) to northern Europe, Siberia, and North America.
5. The indigenous people of Finland, the Saami, have more than 400 words for the food, tools, and other products taken from reindeer. Their word for reindeer, raingo, may be where the common name is derived.
6. Reindeer beards? In the winter time reindeer grow their facial hair long enough to cover their mouths, which protects their muzzles when grazing in the snow.
7. Male reindeer have louder calls than females. Males use a small pouch under the skin of their throats which they inflate to blast out a loud bellow.
9. For almost all kinds of reindeer, both male and female reindeer have antlers. Females shed their antlers when they give birth in the spring.
10. The Finnish Forest Reindeer, arguably the reindeer of Santa Claus fame, is the largest reindeer species. They are over 7 ½ feet long.
11. Finnish Forest Reindeer’s hooves have a special scoop that helps them forage through the snow for lichen and moss.
12. In warmer months, reindeer feast on grasses, mushrooms, and plants. In the winter they feast mainly on moss and lichen. Reindeer have a strong sense of smell, which helps them sniff out food underneath layers of snow.
13. In many cultures, Reindeer are used to pull sleds and sleighs. There's evidence of this dating back 7,000 years ago in Siberia!
14. Reindeer are covered in hair from their nose to the bottom of their hooves, which gives them a good grip in icy, snowy, and muddy terrain.
15. Reindeer travel in packs of 10 to several hundred. They generally follow food sources up to 1,000 miles, especially when it's tougher to find in winter.
These animal facts for kids will help the whole family learn more about the wild side of things
Sharks don’t have bones. Sloths are great swimmers. Monkeys can go for several days without water! Yup, kids love learning and there’s nothing like a few fun and wacky facts to amuse them. From the three-toed sloth to the unicorn of the sea, we’ve gathered some fun facts about animals that kids will love.
1. Sharks have been around for over 400 million years.
2. There are more than 470 species of sharks.
3. Sharks do not actually hunt humans or consider humans food. Sharks incidents occur when sharks are hunting for seals, dolphins or other "human-sized" prey. It's a case of mistaken identity!
4. The goblin shark is considered the ugliest shark in the world.
5. The shape of a hammerhead shark's head actually improves their vision.
6. There are nine species of hammerhead sharks around the world.
7. The Great Hammerhead can weigh as much as 1000 lbs. and be as long as 20 feet
8. Most sharks live around 25 years but some can live as long as 100.
9. Sharks do not have bones. Their skeleton is made of cartilage.
1. There are three species of Manatee (Trichechus). They are the West African manatee (T. senegalensis), the Amazonian manatee (T. inunguis) and the West Indian manatee (T. manatus). The West Indian manatee is the species seen frequenting the Florida Coast.
2. The common nickname for the manatee is the sea cow.
3. Manatees are believed to account for at least some of the early-explorer’s mermaid sightings.
4. They can reach 13-feet long and weigh as much as 3,000 pounds.
5. But don’t be fooled by their size: they are gentle giants. They graze on water grasses, weeds and algae. They are the only aquatic herbivore.
6. In fact, an adult manatee can eat 1/10 of its weight in a day.
7. Manatees use their flippers to walk along the bottom of the body of water, feeling for food. When they find it, they scoop it up toward their mouths with their flipper.
8. Manatees are mammals, and they have one baby every two to five years. The babies are born underwater. Females are pregnant for about 1 year. The young nurse for 1-½-2 years.
9. Manatees live in the water but they need air to survive. They surface every few minutes when active and can stay under for as long as 20 minutes if still.
10. Babies need help getting up to the surface for their first breath. Shortly after birth they are able to swim on their own: usually within an hour.
11. Most mammals have seven neck vertebrae but the both the manatee and the sloth have just six. This means that manatees can’t turn their heads.
12. Besides the dugong, the manatee's closest living relative is the elephant.
13. Manatees can actually swim up to 20 MPH.
14. Manatees face a number of dangers in their native waters: boating accidents can harm or even kill manatees and things like plastics in the water can cause health problems. You can learn more about how to protect manatees even if you live thousands of miles away, by visiting Save the Manatee.
10 Things to Know About Narwhals
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1. Narwhals are basically whales that sport a spiraled horn, or tusk, that juts out of their head much like a unicorn horn. Some narwhals actually have two tusks.
2. The narwhal’s tusk is actually a long jutting tooth. It even has nerves.
3. The tusk can grow as long as 10 feet. A narwhal can be 17 feet in length (plus the tusk!).
4. Narwhals sometimes use their tusks to joust.
5. They live in the Arctic waters of Greenland, Norway, Canada and Russia.
6. Narwhals weigh as much as 4200 pounds.
7. They eat squid, shrimp, halibut and cod.
8. There are about 80,000 narwhals throughout the Arctic waters.
9. Historians actually think that the narwhals are what the unicorns myth is base on. During the Middle Ages, unicorn horns were so coveted that royalty would pay extraordinary prices for them, often the weight of the horn in gold. Hunters traveled to Northern Europe to try and capture the narwhals and bring back their horns (which they would tell the royals were from unicorns).
10. Narwhals are still hunted today for their tusks, and in addition face other environmental threats like pollution. You can help by adopting a narwhal (bonus: you get a plush narwhal as a keepsake!).
1.Rangifer tarandus is the scientific name for the animal we most commonly call reindeer. They are in the same family as deer, and there are more than a dozen sub-species.
2. In the wild, some reindeers travel more than 3000 miles in a single year.
3. In North America, reindeer are also known as caribou, although the current "taxonomic jury" is out on that all species of reindeer are caribou. Most people use the terms interchangeably.
4. Reindeer like it cold! They are native to Arctic and subarctic regions as well as tundra and boreal (read: snow, snow, snow!) to northern Europe, Siberia and North America.
5. The indigenous people of Finland, the Saami, have more than 400 words for the food, tools and other products taken from reindeer. Their word for reindeer, raingo, may be where the common name is derived.
6. Reindeer beards? In the winter time for reindeer grow their facial hair long enough to cover their mouths, which protects their muzzles when grazing in the snow.
7. Male reindeer have louder calls than females. Males use a small pouch under the skin of their throats which they inflate to blast out a loud bellow.
8. Reindeer grow new antlers every year.
9. For almost all kinds of reindeer, both male and female reindeer have antlers. Females shed their antlers when they give birth in the spring.
10. The Finnish Forest Reindeer, arguably the reindeer of Santa Claus fame, are the largest reindeer species. They are over 7 ½ feet long.
11. Finnish Forest Reindeer hooves have a special scoop that helps them forage through the snow for lichen and moss.
12. In warmer months, reindeer feast on grasses, mushrooms and plants. In the winter they feast mainly on moss and lichen.Reindeer have a strong sense of smell, which helps them sniff out food underneath layers of snow.
13. In many cultures, Reindeer are used pull sleds and sleigh. There's evidence of this dating back 7,000 years ago in Siberia!
1. Sloths really are slow. So slow, in fact, that in the humidity of their native climate an algae actually grows on their fur. This gives them a greenish hue, which acts as camouflage.
2. Sloths, moths and algae have a beneficial relationship: The pyralid moth is a species of moth that lives in the sloth’s fleece. There is also an algae species that grows in the grooved hair of the sloth. Scientists believe that the moth transports nutrient-rich waste from the sloth’s poop to fertilize the algae. In other words, the moths are algae farmers on the sloth’s back. And guess what else? The algae is a key source of food for the sloth!
3. Sloths have 10 upper teeth and 8 lower teeth.
4. They can weigh between 8-17 pounds and grow to be between 21–29 inches in length.
5. Two-toed sloths can live up to 20 years in the wild and 30-40 years in captivity!
6. Sloths cannot shiver to stay warm, and so have difficulty maintaining their body temperature on rainy days.
7. Sloths see better at night than in the day and they have very poor hearing. They rely on their sense of smell to locate food and other sloths.
8. Sloths come down from their canopy about once a week to pee and poo unless there is a danger or predator. If that’s the case they do it from the trees!
9. They are good swimmers, especially the backstroke.
10. While they are very quiet in general, if scared they will hiss or moan.
11. Sloths eat leaves, twigs, berries, fruits and the occasional insect or small animal.
12. Females sloths are pregnant for six months.
13. Sloths usually mate and give birth while hanging in trees. Mothers will birth their babies either on the ground upside down in a hanging position. After it is born the infant grabs onto the mother’s fur and makes its way to her chest to nurse.
14. Sloth mother’s milk is higher in fat (6.9 %) and protein (61%) than cow's milk.
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15. There are also four species of three-toed sloths including Bradypodidae pygmaeus, a pygmy species. The other three are B. torquatus, which has a mane; B. tridactylus also known as the pale-throated, three-toed sloth; and B. variegatus, the brown throated, three-toed sloth. They share many characteristics with their two-toed cousins, but a few things are different.
16. Three-toed sloths are better swimmers than their two-toed relatives.
17. They change trees up to four times a day.
18. The are diurnal, meaning they are awake either day or night. Two-toed sloths are nocturnal.
Want to learn more about these amazing animals and how you can help protect their habitat? Visit the WWF's sloth page.
1. The Black Howler Monkey (Alouatta caraya) are native to eastern Bolivia, northeastern Argentina, Paraguay and southern Brazil.
2. Black Howlers eat they eat leaves, fruit and vegetable matter.
3. They get their name because they have enlarged throats and extra large voice boxes which allows them to howls.
4. They also have a special bony pouch beneath their throat that acts as a resonator which helps project their howls at great distances, sometimes more than a kilometer! Click here to hear it.
5. Young howlers are cared for by several females who carry, groom and protect it. Males will also help out.
6. Black Howler Monkeys do not have opposable thumbs.
7. The Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri sciureus) native to the lowland rainforest of Panama, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil.
8. Squirrel Monkeys eat a varied diet of insects, spiders, bird’s eggs and nestlings, fruits, nuts, blossoms and other forest edibles.
9. Squirrel monkeys have the largest groups of any other New World monkey, with as many as 100 monkeys in a given band.
10. They are not only smaller in size, but they make chirps and peeps for contact and alarms, earning them their likeness to the squirrel.
11. Squirrel Monkey births coincide with the time of greatest rainfall.
Families who love the activity-based video-calling app Caribu will be excited to hear that they have teamed up with DC, one of the largest publishers of comics and graphic novels in the world. Caribou is expanding the app’s content to a broader audience including kids ages 8 through 12 with the addition of 77 kid-friendly titles. Through interactive reading and video-calling, Caribu is helping kids to stay connected, educated and engaged from a distance with free content for new users all summer.
Caribu users can now access a variety of DC kids titles from popular comics series like DC Super Hero Girls, Teen Titans Go!, Scooby-Doo and Looney Tunes. The app also features free previews of DC’s acclaimed middle grade graphic novels, including sneak peeks at Shannon and Dean Hale’s Diana: Princess of the Amazons illustrated by Victoria Ying, Meg Cabot’s Black Canary: Ignite illustrated by Cara McGee, Ridley Pearson’s Super Sons trilogy illustrated by Ile Gonzalez, and additional works by Minh Lê, Kirk Scroggs and many more.
To engage the younger crowd in the comic book conversation this summer, Caribu has deemed Jul. 20 to Jul. 26 Superhero week in their Virtual Summer Reading program, Caribu will highlight a selection of titles from the DC universe for users to read with daily prompts and activities they can use to engage in a more immersive way with the content.
“We pride ourselves in offering a variety of content for a wide range of ages and interests on Caribu,” said Maxeme Tuchman, CEO and CO-Founder at Caribu. “Partnering with DC allows us to meet the needs of older kids who want to have virtual playdates with family and friends so they too can stay entertained and engaged this summer.”
Caribu also recently announced #CampCaribu! 100 Days of Summer Reading Camp, a dynamic summer reading program that you can do together with family and friends in an interactive video-call. All Caribu books and activities are interactive during calls, allowing both parties to turn the page, draw together in real-time, and point to words so kids can follow along.
Visit caribu.com to download the app and enjoy FREE access to “educational screen time” activities this summer, or check out their Facebook Page to learn more. To learn more about DC and the World’s Greatest Super Heroes, visit dccomics.com
It’s time to dust off the driving gloves and say sayonara to the city because a just-opened drive-through adventure is calling. It’s a close encounter of the animal kind, where you and the kids, tucked safely in your car, get up close and personal with bison, moose and caribou who are roaming free. Start your engines!
Buckle Up
courtesy Northwest Trek
Northwest Trek’s Wild Drive is probably the most fun your fam will have in the car this year. The new program gives families a chance to be part of a car caravan that travels through the park’s 435-acre Free-Roaming Area. Each guided tour is led by an experienced naturalist, who shares entertaining tidbits and facts via an app you download to your phone. That’s right, you’ll have all the educational entertainment your kids need piped right to your car. Plan to spend about an hour on this all-car-all-the-time tour you won’t soon forget.
Shift into Gear
courtesy Northwest Trek
As you make your way through the grassy meadows and forested hillsides, the kids should be on the lookout for the eight Pacific Northwest native animals that call the park home. We’re talking Roosevelt elk, mountain goats, caribou, big horn sheep and elusive moose that take a keen eye to spot. Don’t forget the bison, who always seem to steal the show. They love to sit close to the road and pose for pictures. Who knows, with the springtime baby boom, you might even spy a bison calf close to mom along the way. The cars will move slowly through the grounds so you’ll have plenty of time to see the animals that are out and about. Clearly the hardest part of this trip is deciding which parent has to drive and keep their eyes on the road.
Be reassured this adventure puts health and safety first, as every aspect can be no-contact, if you choose. Tickets are purchased in advance online, and are shown to an attendant through your car window. Staff will wear masks (you can too!), and stay socially distanced from cars. And other than a possible pit stop, there’s no need to get out of the car or come in contact with anyone other than your car mates.
What to Bring
courtesy Northwest Trek
Unlike a typical visit to Northwest Trek, this adventure is all about car time, and that means being prepared. Put food and drink at the top of your list, as eating while you make your way through the park is totally fine (just don’t feed the animals). Hand sanitizer, masks and any other safety items you would normally pack during this time come next. Finally, plan some silly road trip games and activities to keep the kids busy on the way down and back.
Pit Stop
courtesy Northwest Trek
If your crew needs a break from car time, consider packing a picnic or getting out for an easy hike. For a picnic, try Spanaway Park, just off of Highway 7, outside Tacoma. It sits along a lake, so you can eat with a view, and there’s plenty of room to stretch your legs. Remember restrooms and playground equipment are closed here. Families can also check out Nisqually State Park, a little beyond Northwest Trek. It’s a smaller, little-known state park, so socially distancing along the riverside trails should be a cinch. Remember to pack your Discover Pass for this one.
Good to know: 1. Cell reception can be spotty at the park, so download mobile tickets and the audio app you need for the tour to your device before you head out.
2. Plan to arrive 15-20 minutes before your tour starts. There’s no joining the group once they’ve departed.
3. Families will have limited access to restrooms at the park before and after the tour.
4. Car capacity maxes out at eight people for this experience.
5. Some time slots are already sold out, so if you want in, get your tickets soon.
11610 Trek Dr. E.
Eatonville, WA
360-832-6117
Online: nwtrek.org
Due to concerns over the coronavirus schools have closed and children are missing their classmates and extended family members. Caribu, the family-friendly video-calling app, is helping bridge the gap created by social distancing and self-isolation by making their award-winning service free with unlimited access during this time. Now kids can have virtual play dates with their friends and loved ones.
“Kids are feeling the effects of the outbreak, but don’t always understand why grandma can’t come visit, why the special family spring break trip may have been canceled, or why they’re out of school for weeks,” said Caribu CEO and Co-Founder Max Tuchman. “Everything we do is about creating more meaningful connections, and that’s what we think is most important right now–keeping families connected in the most engaging way. We’re like Zoom for kids!”
With Caribu, kids can share stories, play games and even color together during a video call. Caribou offers a chance to stay connected and build memories even when you can’t have face to face encounters. This is especially valuable during a time when families are socially distancing themselves or are under self quarantine.
Visit Caribu now to download the app and enjoy free access to quality screen-time activities or check out their Facebook page to learn more.
Get ready for the perfect snack to pack on your next Pokémon GO outing. The new Pillsbury Pokémon cookies have just hit store shelves and we’ve gotta have ’em all!
These tasty new pre-cut, round cookies come in a 24-pack and feature a Poké ball (of course) and a silhouette of Pikachu that’ll have you gleefully exclaiming, “Pika! Pika!”
The box even comes with a built-in game of Elemental Hide-‘N’-Seek, a memory-style with element-themed tiles to help you master the elements and pass the time while you wait for your cookies to bake—because a Poké Master always plays to win.
The new Pokémon cookies, which join several other themed Pillsbury sugar cookies like Frozen, Marvel’s Avengers and Justice League, are reportedly available to purchase at Walmart locations across the country.
It’s safe to say you’ve conquered summer. From playing hard at the coolest playgrounds to checking out Chicago’s newest eateries, you’ve given summer all you’ve got. But, before the school bell rings give your kids one more adventure at a local amusement park. From a pirate-themed destination to an amusement park that’ll get you amped for Halloween, here’s where to go to end your summer with a bang.
photo: Haunted Trails
Haunted Trails Family Amusement Park Fall is coming, but the monsters are already here. Get ready for a ghoulish good time at Haunted Trails Family Amusement Park where your kids can choose from two mini-golf courses, scream for joy on rides like the Dragon Coaster, Monster Hop or Bone Shaker or get their thrills on three go-kart tracks (there’s even a track specifically for kids as young as four years old). End your adventure by fueling up on homemade pizzas, specialty sandwiches wraps and fresh salads.
Open: June-Aug. from Sun.-Thurs., 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri. & Sat., 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Cost: There is no admission fee, all attractions are pay as you play and cost $2-$6.50, with additional costs for tokens in the game rooms and batting cage rentals, see website for more details.
Pirates’ Cove Ahoy mateys! Pop on a pirate hat and sail on over to Pirates’ Cove for a pint sized magical journey. It’s all about staying active in this park and with the Barnacle Bay Paddle Boats, PJ’s Perch Climbing Area and the Pirate Plunge Fun Slide, it’s a pirate’s (active) life for your little ones. If you’re looking for a breather, take a relaxing ride on the Capitan’s Carousel and the Safari Express Train. As a special treat, Pirate’s Cove Movie Night is taking place at dusk (around 6:15 p.m.) on Friday, September 11, 2015 with a screening of the Disney classic, A Goofy Movie.
Open: May 30-Aug. 16; Mon., Wed., Fri. & Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Tues. & Thurs., 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Additionally they are open Sat. & Sun., Aug. 22-Sept. 13 & Mon., Sept. 7; noon-4 p.m.
Cost: Tickets starting at $11/non-resident child; $9/resident child; free for adults; check website for additional price information.
photo: Donley’s Wild West Town byjacksonpe via flickr
Donley’s Wild West Town Introduce your little city slickers to a little slice of the frontier. Pan for your own treasures at The Sweet Phylis Mine, practice some nice shootin’ at the pop gun gallery, take a whirl at the art of Tomahawk throwing and learn how to rope a steer like the pros. Of course, there will be plenty of time for pony rides and train rides.
Open: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. everyday.
Cost: Tickets starting $17/person; free for children 2 & under; discount tickets available at select Walgreens.
8512 South Union Rd.
Union, Il
1-800-290-2090
Online: wildwesttown.com
Santa’s Village and aZoosment Park Come for the rides, stay for the animals. With 19 rides, this park is a kiddie dreamland. Your fam can take a swing on the pendulum of fun that is the Viking Sea Dragon, take a trip on two sweet coasters, have a whippin’ good time on a classic tilt-a-whirl, and visit the ferris wheel and space adventure built specially for the kiddos. If fuzzy creatures are more your pace, meet new animal friends on Tortoise Island, pet the bunnies hopping through the park, strike a pose with slinky snakes and take a relaxing pony ride. Don’t forget to visit theAlaskan Railway, which goes through the Caribou Crossing animal exhibit to get your little ones up-close and personal with the reindeer, bobcats and foxes.
Cost: Tickets starting at $22.75/person, plus tax; $16.75/senior (65 & up) & veterans, plus tax; $18.75/person, plus tax for Late Day admission, 3 hours before the park closes.
Remember those days when you would slide into a chair at your favorite local shop and linger over a latte, casually browsing the paper and texting your pals? Yeah, we don’t either. If most often your stops at the coffee shop involve a series of, “Can we have?” try one of these non-coffee drinks that still afford you the luxury of, well, getting a coffee at all. Scroll down for our #NationalCoffeeDay kid-friendly list.
Starbucks
Along with flavored steamed milk and Pumpkin Spice Creme, the Mini Strawberries & Creme Frappucino might already be on your radar. Starbucks, famously, also has many off-menu items. Ask about the Fruity Pebbles, Captain Crunch Berry or Cotton Candy Frappucino. The secret menu also features Fruit Roll Up, Sour Gummy Worm & Pixy Stix Refreshers.
Tip: Secret menus are basically off-menu items and it’s entirely possible that your barista will meet your request with a blank stare. It never hurts to ask, but just be prepared for the possibility that you may not get the illusive item.
Peets This San Francisco Bay Area chain is rapidly expanding and one of their specialty non-coffee drinks, the Madagascar Vanilla Steamer, is as delicious as they come.
Dunkin Donuts Next time you find yourself (suddenly) in a Dunkin Donuts order the kids something extra special like the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate. Because donuts don’t have enough sugar.
Colectivo This Wisconsin chain will froth up a steamer for your littles: steamed milk with any flavor syrup added to it.
Dunn Brothers Coffee Along with your own double-latte, order up a kid’s sized hot cocoa that is much less overwhelming than the regular size.
Caribou Coffee
This shop features a secret menu item so yummy you might just order one for yourself. The Hot Apple Blast is apple cider and caramel flavor topped with whipped cream, caramel and cinnamon.
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Not surprisingly they have a whole host of non-caffeinated teas including cherry or mint. They also offer a selection of coffee-free iced drinks, like Pure Vanilla, Mango and Pure Double Chocolate.
Tully’s Tully’s offers delicious hot chocolates but they also feature a lovely cup of steamed milk with enough foam it might fool your lil’ sippers into thinking it’s whipped cream.
Tim Horton’s Rumor has it you can ask for chocolate whipped cream on your hot chocolate. Your welcome.
What wonders does your favorite coffee shop whip up just for the kids? Share with us for #nationalcoffeeday #redtricycle.
Fifteen years ago, most of the strollers in Williamsburg belonged to the Hasidim on the South Side. Now, thousand-dollar models battle for sidewalk space with umbrella strollers and baby-wearers. Despite the high-rises, the community of parents here makes the ‘hood feel like a small town, and the mix of baby boutiques and artsy kids’ shops produces some of the most stylish kids around—but good luck finding a basic pair jeans for the child. Still, you wouldn’t trade the energy here for anything. Here’s our list of the quintessential Billburg parenting experiences.
1. You met some of your best mom and dad friends at a babywearing support group at Caribou Baby, and the rest at the Knitting Factory’s family sing-alongs.
2. You worry that the coming-soon Whole Foods will drive Foodtown from the North Side, the way Duane Reade bumped Kings Pharmacy. But you’re secretly thrilled to think of all those GMO-free snacks for junior’s lunchbox. photo: via Jando S. on Yelp
3. Your little one’s tried the cream puffs from Caprices by Sophie, the Nutella rugelach from Woops, and the popcorn sundae from Oddfellows, but nothing makes her smile like a simple glazed donut from Peter Pan.
4. Your circle includes parents who are artists, musicians, writers, artisans, and stylists, plus a handful of restaurateurs. Amazingly, most are actually making a living.
5. You can’t help looking at the new luxury buildings going up every other block and wondering where on earth all the new people—and their kids—will go.
6. The McCarren Park Pool saved your summer—and the brief appearance of a skating rink buoyed your winter. Now, when will the Parks Department fix up Vincent V. Abate Playground…?
7. On Saturday mornings in warmer weather, everyone knows to find you at the parent-run soccer league, then the farmers market. Green Dome photo: via a2k2k on Flickr
8. You rely on the enclosed, one-entrance Green Dome to let your little one explore nature freely.
9. Your kid has learned daredevil stuntwork at Streb, parkour at Brooklyn Zoo, gymnastics at Ms. J’s, and trapeze at WMAAC. Next up: getting grounded at Hosh Kids yoga.
10. You’ve spent more hours than you can count in that small stretch of indoor public space at the Minimall—with Handsome Dan’s, Area Kids, and the bookstore, it’s the family-friendliest spot on Bedford.
11. When you go to the salon, you bring junior along—he’s been begging to dye a streak of green, to go with his best friend’s pink.
12. Your kid’s classmates are named for bodies of water, wild animals, planets, spices, birds, and people born a century ago. Some of them already have more style than you do. mural photo: via Korye Logan on Flickr
13. You take your kid to art exhibits, but you probably don’t need to; with street art everywhere, you’re practically raising her in a gallery.
14. You wish that Flying Squirrel hadn’t been forced to decamp from their rough-hewn, jumbled, “old Williamsburg” location to Greenpoint, but boy, is that new space nice.
15. You never buy new baby gear without checking the Hui first; someone’s always selling (or giving away!) exactly what you need.
16. Every summer you swear you’re not taking your kid to the Giglio again. (Deep-fried Oreos, carnies running shady games, and rides that have seen better days? No thanks.) And yet somehow, you do. East River State Park photo: via Matthew Hurst on Flickr
Did we forget something? Tell us about it in the comments!
You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen… But chances are haven’t seen them in person! Get in the holiday spirit while teaching your little elves a thing or two about Santa’s most important sidekicks at one of the Bay Area’s awesome events where you’ll get the chance to rendezvous with reindeer.
Photo: Academy of Sciences
‘Tis the Season for Science
Reindeer games are all part of the fun during the fourth annual winter festivities at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. As the Piazza turns white with snow and carolers fill the museum with holiday cheer, two live reindeer will be grazing peacefully in the East Garden. Pay these two antlered friends a visit and learn more about Santa’s sleigh-pullers during daily presentations of Reindeer Rendezvous. ‘Tis the Season for Science is happening now through January 4.
55 Music Concourse Drive
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, Ca
415-379-8000
Online: calacademy.org
Photo: SF Zoo
Reindeer Romp
You know it’s the holidays when the reindeer are back at the San Francisco Zoo. Four North American caribou (named Belle, Holly, Peppermint and Velvet) will be visiting the zoo, where their handlers will be sure to give visitors the inside scoop on the real stories behind all the myths. The reindeer will romp at the SF Zoo now through January 1 daily 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Reindeer Village at Holiday in the Park
From Candy Cane Lane to Toy Land and from Snow Hill to the Main Street Festival of Lights, there’s enough holiday spirit to go around at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo. Santa’s reindeer characters (hint: they are awesome, but not real) will be waiting in Reindeer Village to star in photos with the young ones, before or after they’ve walked among the larger-than-life candy canes and taken a cruise through the faux snow. Holiday in the Park will be open on select days now through January 4.
