Things to Do with Kids

It is time once again for the Elizabeth Stewart Writing Contest in honor of the late Miss Liz, who was a remarkable Youth Services Librarian at Palo Alto City Library.

Kids and teens grades 3-12 are invited to participate. A virtual awards ceremony for all participants will be held in May. Winners will receive a grand prize and the opportunity to read their stories at the awards ceremony!

For the prompt, more info, and to submit your story, see here!

Submission window is March 1 - April 12, 2026.

Virtual

Visit the Exploratorium in March and look for profiles throughout the museum that honor historic and contemporary women in math and math education, each one paired with a specific exhibit!

Among others, learn about programmer Ada Lovelace, the first person to realize the full potential of one of the earliest computers, the analytical engine; mathematician and scientist Katherine Johnson who calculated critical orbit trajectories for dozens of space exploration missions; mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman and first Iranian to be honored with the Fields Medal, the most prestigious award in mathematics; computer scientist Grace Hopper who, among other things, coined the term “debugging”; and UC Davis professor Mariel Vázquez who studies the shape of DNA.

See the full guide here.

Get tickets here ($40/adults, $30/students).

Pier 15
(Embarcadero at Green Street)
San Francisco, CA 94111

Get directions

Good Pickin' Farms is hosting Homesteading Workshops this spring, ranging from keeping chickens to planning your garden!

March dates/topics include:

• Wooly Workshop (processing wool to create yarn/felting+): March 8
• Garden Planning (beginner garden planning and seed starting): March 22
• Goat Care Basics: March 29

Workshops are 2 hours long.

$15/individual, $35/family. Register here!

5 Gould Rd

Westford, MA 01886

Preschoolers will spend Wednesday mornings (March - May) adventuring and learning out on Wargo’s wooded peninsula exploring different nature topics and seasonal changes along the way.

In addition to guided activities, each week will include a free-explore time where participants will be encouraged to follow their senses and create their own adventure with new friends.

Cost is $120 for the entire program. Register here.

Wargo Nature Center

WNC Birch Room

7701 Main St

Lino Lakes, MN, 55038

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Explore various shirt design techniques and create your own wearable masterpiece by painting or heat-pressing a custom design onto a shirt! Materials provided.

Appropriate for grades 6-12.

Brooklyn Park Library

8500 W. Broadway Ave

Brooklyn Park, MN 55445

Help plant and care for the Mattapan Branch Library's garden! You will be starting their indoor seeds, for their garden or yours!

Appropriate for ages 5+.

Mattapan Library

1350 Blue Hill Ave

Mattapan MA 02126

Celebrate Women’s History Month with a virtual STEM Night highlighting women working across STEM fields.

This event, put on by the NY Hall of Science, will feature professionals sharing their career journeys, experiences, and advice, offering participants insight into diverse pathways and opportunities in STEM.

This is a FREE virtual event. Registration is required.

Virtual

Join the SF Botanic Gardens in these outdoor 5Rhythms® sessions, where you’ll be exploring your power and essence, connecting deeply with your inner self in harmony with the natural elements, feet first.

Dance 5Rhythms® is a moving meditation: a dynamic way to both workout and to meditate in the same breath, connecting deeply with the inner self in harmony with the natural elements. No experience or special skills necessary, no choreography or steps to learn, everyone is welcome.

Get tickets here ($25/adult, $21/ages 12 - 17, and $9 ages 5 - 11 [children under 5 free]) for the Garden. The event is free to museum participants under 12. Those over 12 will need to pay an additional $35 - $45 on top of Garden admission (pay what you will).

San Francisco Botanical Garden

Great Meadow

1199 9th Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94122

FREE!

It’s time to celebrate spring! Learn about the tradition of gathering maple sap and cooking it down to make maple syrup and sugar. You’ll go through the syrup process, make maple crafts, participate in a spring scavenger hunt, and best of all, taste award-winning maple syrup. Fun for the whole family!

Wargo Nature Center

WNC Amphitheater

7701 Main St

Lino Lakes, MN, 55038

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Join volunteers from the MathHappens Foundation in Cecil’s Imagineering Loft to explore mathematical thinking through puzzles, crafts, games and more.

Activities are designed for children aged 2+.

Get your tickets here ($13/ea).

Children's Museum of Southern Minnesota

224 Lamm St

Mankato, MN 56001

Using ONLY cardboard, duct tape, and paint, design and decorate your own themed cardboard vehicle in Wachusett Mountain's 2026 race!

Creativity counts! Vehicles must be able to carry at least one person successfully to the bottom of a short downhill course over snow to qualify. Prizes for Best Group, Most Creative, and of course, Fastest!

Please complete the waiver to compete here.

Registration is from 9:30 - 10:30 am, with the races beginning at 11:00 am!

Wachusett Mountain Ski Area

499 Mountain Rd

Princeton MA 01541

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FREE!

Kickoff Mitchell Library's monthlong celebration of birds with a special focus on migration and bird safety!

Craft window clings to keep our flying friends safe from bird strike while watching "Building for Birds" and "Puffling Patrol," two short episodes from Tangled Bank Studio's award winning "Wild Hope" series that shine a light on efforts to protect birds from window strikes and prevent them from getting confused by city lights when they migrate. They'll also introduce the concept of bird journaling and help identify specific birds to look for in your area!

Mitchell Park Library

3700 Middlefield Rd

Palo Alto CA 94303

Fall in love with math in a laughter-filled series led by master storyteller Steve Sherman!

Join MoMath and Steve for Loving Math, a weekly series of wild and wacky sessions designed to help kindergartners through third graders become passionate about mathematics.

Students of all skill levels are welcome, even if they think math class is totally boring. After all, nothing is boring when Steve Sherman is at large.

*This series is recurring every Tuesday.

Virtual