October 2018

Parenting Workshop at Menlo Church (Saturday, October 6)
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/parent-cue-live-menlo-park-ca-tickets-48644612345
This three-hour workshop on parenting is promised to be both educational and entertaining!  I have a ticket ($19 on the EventBrite link above) and would be so excited if anyone else wanted to come too! Maybe we can grab a quick lunch afterwards too!

Mountain View Oktoberfest (Saturday and Sunday, Oct 6 and 7)
http://mvoktoberfest.com/
This fun event is free (if you don’t drink) and surprisingly kid friendly with a kids area, music and bouncy house (last year at least)! If you do want to try beers, it is just $10 for a drink ticket and stein. It takes place on Bryant St. at the corner of Dana St. (parking lot behind Steins Beer Garden & Restaurant – 1 block West of Castro Street).  We’ll probably walk over sometime during the weekend (and I may wear my dirndl if it still fits :).  Let us know if you are interested and we can coordinate our visit!

Diwali Dance Performance at MV Library (Wednesday Saturday, October 20)
https://mountainview.libcal.com/event/4556125
Deepa Menon and her students will lead us in celebrating Diwali – the festival of lights -with a dance performance! It will take place 2:00pm – 4:00pm and will be either in the 1st Floor Program Room or outside.

Library Parenting Lecture (Wednesday, October 24)
https://mountainview.libcal.com/event/4450213
I am really looking forward to this lecture on “Creative Discipline”.  It will take place 7:00pm – 8:30pm.  If anyone is interested, I would be love to grab a quick coffee with other moms or dads afterwards to commiserate/luxuriate in the pains/joys of parenthood! (the Castro Starbucks near the the library is open until 9 pm).  The library requests (but doesn’t really require) pre-registration: https://mountainview.libcal.com/event/4450213

Wednesday, November 7, 2018 – Kindergarten Readiness
https://mountainview.libcal.com/event/4450203

Monster Bash MV Community Halloween Celebration (Saturday, October 27)
https://www.mountainview.gov/depts/cs/events/halloween.asp
Halloween is almost here!  Come out to Pioneer Park (1146 Church Street, behind the library) from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. There is always fun games and lots of treats (candy and otherwise): a fun and non-scary Halloween-themed time for the little kiddos!

Spooky Times Deer Halloween Farm (Saturday, October 27)
http://deerhollowfarmfriends.org/spooky-times-deer-hollow-farm/
Bring the kids to Deer Hallow Farm for a great farm fall festival (10am-3pm)! This 160-year-old historic farm is a winner — beautiful setting, delightful farm animals, and a great short hike to the farm which is stroller-accessible.

Lemos Farm/Pumpkin Patch (Every day except Oct 1 until Halloween)
http://www.lemosfarm.com/
This isn’t really an event, but a business just outside of Half Moon Bay that we recently discovered; it is too much fun not to share!  They have pony rides, lots of pumpkins for sale, hay rides, train rides, kid four-wheelers, bouncy houses and more.  We went on a Friday afternoon and had the place pretty much to ourselves (you can by a pass for as many rides as your kid wants, which is a great deal if there are no lines).  I could imagine it getting busy towards Halloween, but it seems like early October may be the time to go if you want to beat the crowds.

Webb Ranch Pumpkin Patch (Every day + Tuesday, October 23rd)
http://www.webbranchinc.com/farmers_halloween.htm
Another great pumpkin patch with hay rides, bouncy houses, etc., a bit closer to home than Lemos.  Mothers Together (see below) has an excursion there on the morning of Tuesday October 23rd if you to have other friendly moms to hang out with there.

October Parenting Book Club (October, 19th)
This month we’ll be discussing Your Three-Year-Old: Friend or Enemy and Your Four-Year-Old: Wild and Wonderful (a continuation of the classic Louise Bates Ames series we started last year) .  Usually meet the 3rd Friday of every month at 8:30 pm at Olympus Cafe on Castro Street.  However, please email me if you think you’ll be coming.

Next month (November): No Bad Kids: Toddler Discipline Without Shame
by Janet Lansbury

Mothers Together (Thursdays)
I truly believe this to be one of the best mom resources and communities in the area.  Hosted through Menlo Church at the Mountain View Campus, small groups of women meet on Thursday mornings to learn and share about what matters most to them —  kids, marriage, friendships, and faith.  They meet 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM. and childcare is provided.  Registration is here: https://menloppc.infellowship.com/UserLogin/Index?ReturnUrl=%2fForms%2f400367

Stay-N-Play Church of the Valley on Wednesdays and and Trinity on Fridays)
This is a great program where kids can free-play with tons of wonderful toys, make fun crafts, and enjoy a great educational program with their caregivers. This year there are two locations Trinity Church in Sunnyvale on Fridays and Church of the Valley location on Wednesdays (they alternate weeks).  Not sure if the Trinity Church location will resume

Church of the Valley location  is smaller and takes place on Wednesdays complete with the amazing Miss Erin, is on!  Times are 10 am – 11:30 Please preregister as they do not take walk-in registration at this location. Here is the preregistration site: https://cov.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/155368

The Trinity Church in Sunnyvale is much larger and does take walk-ins. Their time is a little longer — 9:30 to 11:30.  They now charge $3 (cash preferred) per child 2 years and older

Here is the schedule (Given in terms of Wednesdays; the Friday schedule is shifted one week and two days later):
September 19th- Let’s Play Sports
October 3rd- Fall is Here
October 17th- Crazy Hat Day (Wear a Hat)
November 7th- Things That Go
November 28th- Colors of the Rainbow
December 5th- Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
December 19th- Christmas Celebration
January 9th- Winter Wonderland
January 23rd- Animals on Parade (Wear PJs)
February 13th- I Love Shapes
February 27th- Who’s in Your Family
March 13th- Green Day (Wear Green)
March 27th- Reptile Roundup
April 10th- Easter Celebration
April 24th- Rainy Day
May 8th- Welcome to the Jungle
May 22nd- Pizza Party

Free Days at the Tech Museum (First weekend of the month)
This was a great tip passed on by my friend Sarah (Thanks, Sarah!!): Did you also know that you can get a free admission ticket at the Tech Museum on the first weekend of every month if you have a Bank of America account? https://www.thetech.org/events/museums-us-bank-america-weekend-58  (FYI, Bank of America is the bank that through which you probably got maternity leave payments with the EDD, so you may have an account even if it isn’t your usual bank).

Apparently there’s also a free “Museum Day” on 9/22: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/museumday/museum-day-2018/
(May be crowded but worth a look?)

Cheetah Cubs (Tuesdays)
This great Mommy and Me class is hosted by Theuerkauf Elementary and is free!  It is great for kids 0-4 years, and usually includes a few stories, a craft and playtime. This year it will take place on Tuesday mornings (8:45-9:45) in Room 25 (but please check in at the front office first and get a visitor’s badge).

Munchkin Mondays at Sky High (Mondays)
For just $6, your kid (age six and under) can jump for two hours (11 am – 1 pm) at Sky High Santa Clara.  They usually have a space/court dedicated to the little ones.  This special deal only takes place during normal school days (no discount on holidays and school breaks when the big kids are there).
https://sjc.skyhighsports.com/event/munchkin-monday/all/

Library Story Times
With the end of summer, the full suite of library stories has started again!

Goodnight Mother Goose (Thursdays)
A musical storytime for infants and toddlers with books, bounces, and dancing with your baby!
Thursdays at 6:30pm – 7:00pm
Ideal for babies and young toddlers (Age 0-2)

Saturday Stories (Saturdays)
Storytime with books, music, and movement for children ages 2 to 5. Saturdays at 10:15am – 10:45am

English/Spanish Storytime (Mondays)
Come learn the beautiful Spanish language (for Children ages 3-5) as our librarian uses stories, flannel boards, finger plays, music and more for a bilingual experience!
Mondays 10:15am – 10:45am

Mother Goose & More (Tuesdays)
A musical storytime for infants and toddlers with books, baby bounces, and dancing!
Tuesdays (10:15am – 10:45am and 11:15am – 11:45am)

Time for Twos (Wednesdays)
A storytime for 2-year-olds with books, action songs, and puppetry!
Wednesdays (10:15am – 10:45am)

Soccer
This summer we tried the Kidz Love Soccer program through the City of Mountain View. and really enjoyed it — enough to continue into the Fall!  If anyone wants to join us, we will be doing the Wednesday “Mommy/Daddy & Me Soccer” class.  But there are lots of other times/locations in case you are interested! And the city also offers tons of classes in dance, music, art, etc.  Register here:  https://www.mountainview.gov/depts/cs/rec/register.asp

Chinese Storytime (Wednesdays)
For Chinese-speakers, the Zhaoyu Cultural Foundation in Mountain View has a great children’s library.  They offer a wonderful music-based storytime for babies and toddlers on Wednesdays at 11 am.  You do need to reserve a spot before the class and will need a library card (free) to do so.