Congratulations to Soraya (2) and Arjun (5)!!!

Click here to see the runners up and all the photos submitted.

Come visit our table at Dolores Park this Saturday, May 3 for San Francisco's Cinco de Mayo Celebration.

10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Dolores Park, SF

Participate with the community in some of the following activities:

• Historical Docent Walk early at 10 a.m.
• Dancing by Aztec dancers, Ballet Folklorico and local student peformances throughout the day.
• Various activities for kids
• Mexican food booths

Do you know what is being celebrated by the Mexican people on Cinco de Mayo? Leave a comment and post the answer!

Try some earth friendly activites with your child this month.

- Plant a garden: teach your kids about growing flowers, plants and herbs.  Yes...even a Chia Pet will show how seeds bloom!

- Park cleanup: Organize a cleanup for your child and their friends at their favorite playground. 

- Visit the Conservatory of Flowers and learn about all the different kinds of flowers, common and rare.

-Take a walk and point out the different birds and trees on the way.  Then go home and look them up!

The Museum will host their Earth Day Festival this Saturday April, 19.  Check out the performance from ZunZun.

Well not ME specifically...but perhaps you are pregnant and have yet to tell those close to you?

A guy friend of mine told me his wife was pregnant recently. This is how he did it...

Him: "We're doing well. Everything is good considering Michelle isn't working."

Me: "What happened with her job? What's wrong?"

Him: "Oh..nothing, she's pregnant."

Me: "What?!!? Congratulations!"

Women seem to have a little more panache when it comes to announcing the news that they're pregnant. A common way being a present of baby clothes given to be opened by the unsuspecting person. Most of the time it says "I love my daddy/grandma/grandpa/sister/brother."

Recently the new fad for pregnant mothers has been maternity photos.  Beautiful portraits to document this amazing time in a mother's life. Here are a few places I found that offer this service around the Bay Area.

• Sarah Metz Photography
• Sophia Field Photography
• Small Miracles Photography

How did you announce your pregnancy to your loved ones? Let us know!

It's our Second Annual Museum Photo Contest!  Send in pictures of your kids at the Museum for a chance to win a Passport Membership!

Submit an original, non-professional photo of your children at the Museum via email to jherrera(at)badm.org.

Images should be emailed in jpg format, 72 dpi or higher or 2 MB or smaller.

Please include:

• child(ren)’s name
• pets' name
• age
• parent(s)’ name
• address
• phone
• email

Up to three (3) photos may be submitted by each entrant.

Entries must be received by April 25, 2008 at midnight.

Click here for entry rules.

A big thanks to those of you who voted for us! We're happy so many of you choose the Museum to celebrate special events in your lives.

We won Best of Marin - Kid's Party for Pacific Sun!

See full list of Pacific Sun's "Best of Marin" list here.

Does your child have a penchant for imagination? Do they "perform" for you all the time?

Movies have always been huge in my family. Musicals especially. We'd sing along and dance the steps to the movie on our television.  We'd even act out the movie when we were just hangout in the back yard.  Come to think of it...we STILL do sometimes! I can't tell you how many times my cousins and I did the Von Trap children cross weave

Take that imagination and interest in acting and play and take your child to see a theater production this spring!

• New Conservatory Theatre Center presents Rapunzel for their Family Matinee showing from March 29 - April 20.

• Young Performers Theatre in the Fort Mason Center will be presenting Winnie the Pooh in April 19 - May 18.

• Active Arts Theatre for Young Audiences brings The Emperor's New Clothes from April 12 - April 27.

• Nothing is more fun that the SF classic Beach Blanket Babylon with thier wild hats, costumes and antics on stage.  They welcome kids at their Sunday performances at 2 & 5 p.m.

Give your kids an experience beyond television and make live performances something they'll want to return to see.

Our annual gala event, Playdate 2008, and fund-raiser will be held Saturday, May 3rd.  In addition to dinner and dancing, we hold a paddle auction of exquisite and exciting items!

Here are some of the featured packages:

• The Ultimate Bubble Q: champagne barbeque and grill with tv chef Tyler Florence. We are excited to welcome Tyler and Tolan Florence! 
• Sea kayak in the San Juan Islands on a Family Multi-sport Vacation.
• Outfit your patio with a chic collection from Restoration Hardware.
• Enjoy a Museum Sleepover with bedtime stories by Craig Frazier.
• Race Audi’s 2008 R8 sports car at the Infineon ...

  read more >>

We're closed on Easter but don't let that keep you from having a family outing this Easter Weekend. Don't forget the camera!

• SF Easter Parade & Spring Festival:  A parade, games, ponies, face painting and the Easter Bunny can all be found on Union Street starting at 10 a.m on Sunday.
• Easter at the Park Chalet: Egg Hunt, children's music and a delicious Sunday buffet brunch at the edge of Golden Gate Park.
• Alice and Wonderland Spring Faire: Falkirk Cultural Center in Downtown San Rafael bring Alice and Wonderland alive, bring a picnic, easter eggs, see puppets shows, meet the characters and have fun this Saturday.
• Easter Egg Hunt and Horses: Special needs outreach Miwok Livery Stables opens their doors for an egg hunt at noon in Mill Valley, Sunday.
• Breakfast and Egg Hunts: Walnut Creek parks bring hunts and breakfast to families in the East Bay this Saturday.
• Ardenwood Historic Farm: Eggs hunt and a parade at this beautiful farm house in Fremont on Saturday.

Also, check out a list of parks in Marin holding egg hunts here.

The sun is shining and you wonder,

"What can I do outside with my child?" 

Go out for a Picture Walk!

• Give your child a disposable camera and take a walk around the neighborhood, mall or park. 
• Have them take pictures of different things, buildings and people. (Have your child ask permission before taking pictures of people).
• At the end of the walk, talk about what you both saw and what your child took pictures of. 
• Get them developed and then use the pictures to create a picture book.  Tape or glue each photo onto a piece of paper and help your child think up a story to go with all the images. 

It's an activity that can be done with your child over the course of a weekend.

Or fish out some old pictures of your own and create a picture book of family memories! 

Does your child love using a camera?  Or being in front of it? Tell us an anecdote of your child and a camera...