Free Museum Days for Kids in San Francisco

Submitted by Sandra Lee on

The little ones can release their inner Picasso and create a work of art. Photo courtesy of the Museum

Free museum days will have your senses heightened when you hear that you won't even need a penny to enjoy San Francisco's best museums. Seriously though, what parent doesn't perk up to the word "free"? It's nice to give our wallets a break, especially after the holidays or a birthday party where the shopping and splurging are in full force. Having some free activities to do with the little ones in a cultural mecca brings sighs of relief. Luckily, museums (particularly kid-friendly ones in the Bay Area) get it and periodically offer free museum days where families can enjoy all the STEM, art, and play activities for the mere cost of nothing. 

We've rounded up our favorite Bay Area museums with free museum days so you can take the kids to enjoy days of learning and exploration. Our list of free museum days has it all; from interactive art to mesmerizing gardens, science, and history, kids will get to employ their creativity while taking in antiquities. 

50 Best Elf on the Shelf Ideas for 2024: Easy & Funny Ideas to Delight Kids

Submitted by Ally Noel on

Uh-oh! The elf tangled up your tree lights! Photo by Mark Baylor, courtesy of Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Elf on the Shelf is back! It's almost the holidays, so it's almost time for Elf on the Shelf. Elves typically arrive sometime after Thanksgiving and return to the North Pole on Christmas Day, giving families about a month to fill with hilarious Elf on the Shelf ideas.

Like any good house guest, your elf should be able to keep mischievous acts mostly mess-free and easy to set up. We've put together a list of 50 easy ideas that are also impressive elf antics that delight kids— including funny Elf on the Shelf ideas, easy Elf on the Shelf ideas, and last-minute Elf on the Shelf ideas for hectic mornings. Did we mention they don't take a lot of time to set up and require very few props?

Find more Christmas activities and crafts for kids, plus other fun things to do this season, in our Christmas and Holiday Fun Guide.

Toys for Tots Donation Spots in New Jersey and More Places to Donate Toys

Submitted by Margaret Hargrove on

Donate to Toys for Tots and help bring Christmas joy to children in need across New Jersey. Photo courtesy of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation

Toys For Tots, USPS Operation Santa, and many other organizations collect new toys every holiday season to deliver to kids in need throughout New Jersey. Read on for ways your family can donate toys in NJ and spread some holiday cheer.

And be sure to check out other feel-good holiday ideas, like our holiday and Thanksgiving volunteer opportunities for families, in our Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events in New Jersey.

Toys for Tots Donation Spots in NYC and More Places to Donate Toys

Vanessa Leigh's picture Submitted by Vanessa Leigh on

Toys for Tots brings Christmas joy to children in need. Photo courtesy of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation

If you're looking for ways to give back this holiday season, consider donating to Toys for Tots or one of these other locations where you can donate toys in NYC. After all, during this jolly season, what brings more joy to children and families than celebrating Christmas morning with presents under the tree? Unfortunately, many local families need support to provide toys for their children.

If you have the means, it's a wonderful gesture to spread cheer by donating new toys to local charities. We’ve found multiple charities that allow families to donate toys in NYC. From the perennially popular Toys for Tots to other local charities, these organizations and their patrons can use your support. If you're struggling to put toys under your own tree, we've also noted how to request toys where possible.

Remember that most of these locations accept new toy donations. If you’re looking for places to donate gently used clothes and other items, we’ve got those, too. Plus find tons more picks to make your holiday season extra merry in our New York City Kids Guide to Christmas and the Holidays.

Toys for Tots Donation Spots and More Places to Donate for the Holidays on Long Island

Submitted by Kristen Markel on

Donate to Toys for Tots and help bring Christmas joy to children in need across Long Island. Photo courtesy of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation

Nonprofits like Toys for Tots offer donation spots throughout Long Island where you can lend a hand to families that are struggling to provide toys for their children. Read on for various opportunities to give back by making donations this holiday season. 

 Be sure to also check out our rundown of holiday and Thanksgiving volunteer opportunities on Long Island and many other seasonal ideas in our Holiday Guide. 

Pictures with Santa Claus in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia

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Take pictures with Santa and enjoy loads of other holiday activities at Gaylord National Resort. Photo courtesy of Gaylord National

The holiday season is full of festive photo ops, including the most important photos of all: pictures with Santa. There are so many places for families to meet Santa Claus and take Santa photos throughout DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. You can take pictures with Santa at the mall, visit him at fun events, and even see him on the rails at the National Capital Trolley Museum.

Many visits with Santa are free with the option to purchase photo packages, but there are even some places where you can get free pictures with Santa. Don't forget to secure a reservation ahead of time at most of these places—Santa is very busy this time of year.

Read on for our list of places to take Santa pictures near DC. Then check out our Christmas Activities and Holiday Guide for DC Kids, which includes our roundups of must-do Christmas events and holiday activities in DC, where to have breakfast with Santa in the DC area, and more. Happy holidays!

15 Must Do Christmas Events and Holiday Activities in San Francisco for Kids

Submitted by Sandra Lee on

Check out the life-size gingerbread house when you take holiday tea at the Fairmont! Photo courtesy of the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco

There are so many Christmas events and holiday activities in San Francisco and the Bay Area, and my favorite ones are below to help you plan and take advantage of all the Bay Area has to offer during the most magical time of the year. 

Just like that, it's the holiday season! There's a reason one of the most popular Christmas songs of all time says, "It's the most wonderful time of the year." The twinkling lights, ice skating rinks, festive songs, and celebrations are nothing short of spectacular. This time of year also allows us to connect, be together, create traditions, and make memories as a family.

We've rounded up the very best Christmas events and holiday activities that need to be on your list, from breakfast with Santa Claus, ice skating in San Francisco, fancy holiday teas, and so much more. 

For more Christmas events and holiday family outings, we have a whole post dedicated to the best holiday lights drive-thrus and Christmas light shows in San Francisco, the best Polar Express train rides and Christmas trains, plus more festive holiday fun in our Christmas Activities and Holiday Guide for San Francisco Bay Area Kids! 

Pictures with Santa in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

Michelle Vames's picture Submitted by Michelle Vames on

Take some festive pictures with Santa at the Cross County Shopping Center in Yonkers. Photo courtesy of the center

The Christmas season is hardly complete without pictures with Santa, and Westchester and the Hudson Valley offer plenty of fun ways to meet the man in red. Our roundup below includes events and opportunities for Santa photos at malls in the area. 

For more holiday fun, check out our Holiday Fun Guide, especially our roundup of must-do holiday experiences for Westchester kids.

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