Top 7 Best Ways For Urban Kids in the Bay Area to Learn about the Natural World
by Kirsten Henniger
With the Bay Area’s stunning parklands, numerous urban beaches and gorgeous vista points, there is no shortage of places to access the natural world. But for kids who want more than a jaunt outdoors, there are some excellent resources in the Bay Area that combine educational activities with time in nature. These 7 (+1!) organizations around the Bay Area cater to kids’ love of nature, and some offer programs for adults, too!
1. The San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum in Golden Gate Park is open daily, 365 days a year and is free to the public. The knowledgeable staff and volunteer docents offer dozens of programs for adults and kids, including hands-on programs in their Children’s Garden (call (415)661-1316 ext. 307 for more info). Check out their calendar of events, which include a regular “Children’s Story Time and Family Walk” among many other classes, walks and presentations. Admission is free and the garden is accessible by public transit.
2. Tree Frog Treks is all about making science and nature fun while “creating critical thinkers who will work to save, preserve and maintain our planet’s biodiversity.” If your kid longs to hold a snake or touch a tortoise, then Tree Frog Treks is the place to be. Tree Frog Tresk (TFT) offers an array of programs, including a summer camp, in and after- school programs, birthday parties and community events. TFT’s “Frog Hall” and office is located near Golden Gate Park, where families can visit the dozens of reptiles and amphibians for free with advanced booking. Accessible by Public Transit.
3. Eco Village Farm and Learning Center is an urban farm oasis whose primary purpose is to teach people how to live in harmony with the earth's ecological systems. Eco Village offers environmental educational programs for youth and adults of SF East Bay communities, focusing on preparing youth and adults from diverse social backgrounds to work together in building healthier communities. To visit the farm, (which has chickens, rabbits, organic produce and more) or learn how you can get involved, please call 510-223-1693.
4. Chrissy Field Center overlooks the restored tidal marsh and Bay vistas near Chrissy Field, and is full of engaging opportunities for kids, adults and families. Check out their “Fantastic Fridays,” with activities for parents and toddlers to explore outdoors, along with their summer camps, youth programs and numerous events. Their “Mystery Trail Challenge” is a free, self-guided nature treasure hunt alongside a coastal trail that is great anytime for kids and parents alike. Accessible by public transit (and also makes for a beautiful bike ride).
5. Bay Area Discovery Museum is located just under the northeast side of Golden Gate Bridge, and is a special outing not to be missed. For the nature loving kid, their outdoor 2.5 acre “Lookout Cove” features natural, cultural and built icons of the Bay Area. Other attractions are their “Wave Workshop,” which recreates the local habitat and marine life under the Golden Gate and “Bay Hall,” an interactive simulation of the Bay Area, with an "Underwater" Tunnel, Fishing Boat and Fisherman's Wharf.
6. Hidden Villa is situated on a gorgeous 1600 acre open space in the foothills 40 miles south of San Francisco. It is a nonprofit educational organization with a rich history that “uses its organic farm, wilderness, and community to teach and provide opportunities to learn about the environment and social justice.” There is something for everyone, including dozens of educational programs, farm tours, concerts, multi-cultural events and workshops on sustainable practices, nature and animal husbandry.
7. The Randall Museum is a unique natural history museum in the heart of San Francisco that is designed for kids and adults to make discoveries about nature and the environment while exploring art and science together. From drop-in programs to scheduled events, there is plenty of hands-on things to do at this beautiful spot, including their Live Animal Exhibit. Admission is FREE and the museum is accessible by public transit.
BONUS!: This one is too good not to mention, and is coming soon! Doors of the newly renovated California Academy of Sciences open on September 27th and admission is free on opening day. In a world-class green building with dozens of permanent and changing exhibits the Academy promises that, “the ocean floor, the rainforest canopy, the farthest reaches of the Universe, and everything in between are yours to explore inside the new Academy.” Kids under 6 are FREE and this new attraction in Golden Gate Park is sure to be a favorite of any nature lover for generations to come.
Here is an interesting fact; according to Nielsen Research approximately 598 million pounds of candy are bought in the US during the Halloween season. Now that's a lot of candy! Greenopia, in its mission to educate consumers, has recently updated their "Greenest Candy Maker Ratings" just in the nick of time! Because if you're like me, one of the purchasers of all that candy, you can easily get spooked when trying to make the "greener" choice this Halloween!
For chocolate lovers,Theo Chocolate and Endangered Species Chocolate lead the pack in earning 4 out of 4 leafs. This year Endangered Species Chocolate is offeringbite-sized, individually wrapped, all-natural chocolate treats available in bulk-perfect for Halloween distribution. YummyEarth, a Greenopia 3 leafer, is offering Organic Lollipops and Organic Gummy Bears for Halloween. They are sold in family size bags that are very popular and selling out fast! Cadbury, (the only major candy company to earn any leafs) earned 2 -up from last year. Their score increased due to their committed effort to environmental sourcing of 50% of their chocolate. "We were surprised about the lack of environmental progress and transparency by some of the top brands," said Doug Mazeffa, Greenopia's Research Director, "The major brand who stood out in a positive way was Cadbury." Alas, while the other big brand candy companies like Mars, Nestle and Hershey's have made improvements, they have not made the same commitment to sourcing as Cadbury and ultimately just fell short of achieving a one-leaf score in Greenopia's Rating. So this year, when facing the dangers of buying candy for Halloween, keep some of Greenopia's Picks in your goody bag.
Greenopia's Candy Picks:
CHOCOLATE HALLOWEEN TREATS - Endangered Species Chocolate - All natural chocolate treats, available in bulk (144ct) and in a variety of flavors, gluten-free and kosher.
BUG BITES- Endangered Species Chocolate-Each chocolate square contains a fun and educational insect trading card.
ORGANIC GUMMY BEARS - YummyEarth - Less than 90 calories and a full 100% Vitamin C per .9oz snack pack. Comes in Pomegranate Pucker, Sour Apple Tart, and Strawberry Smash.
ORGANIC HALLOWEEN LOLIPOPS - YummyEarth - 60 pops to a variety bag. Flavors include: Pomegranate Pucker, Too Berry Blueberry, Mango Tango, Strawberry Smash, Googly Grape, Very Very Cherry, Sour Apple Tart, Wet Face Watermelon
As the summer fades our thoughts turn to back to school shopping. New clothes, shoes and backpacks, become the focus. Greenopia has some great choices on where to shop for greening your fall wardrobe and your back to school needs. The 4 Leafer- Patagonia, is a Greenopia top pick! In addition to shoes, clothes and outerwear for men, woman and children, they have a great new line of Day Packs that are just right for lugging schoolbooks or a laptop around. The Refugio, Atacama and Chacabuco Packs are ergonomically designed and come in super color combinations. Something you might not know is that in addition to performing the many tasks required to run a successful outdoor clothing company, Patagonia employees are helping to create a new national park. Employees have traveled in groups of six to Chilean Patagonia - the company's namesake - to spend three weeks digging out fence posts, rolling up wire and removing nonnative plants. Each day pack in the new line is named after and inspired by the national park Patagonia is working to create.
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With the Bay Area’s stunning parklands, numerous urban beaches and gorgeous vista points, there is no shortage of places to access the natural world. But for kids who want more than a jaunt outdoors, there are some excellent resources in the Bay Area that combine educational activities with time in nature. These 7 (+1!) organizations around the Bay Area cater to kids’ love of nature, and some offer programs for adults, too! 
