Rainy Day Ideas - Kid Friendly

From April through October, our family really tries to spend as much time outside as possible. But the rainy season offers up perfect opportunity for us to shift our focus to the many indoor attractions on offer in the Bay Area.

Our two boys (ages 7 & 9) love the Exploratorium in San Francisco for all the hands-on activities; Zeum's claymation gallery was a huge hit; and our membership to the Tech in San Jose has been a good investment. The relaxed atmosphere at Berkley's Lawrence Hall of Science seemed to encourage our kids to take their time, and we spent the better part of the day at this small gem.

For the six and under set, two well-regarded children's museums - the Discovery in San Jose and the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito provide good indoor diversions. The Randall Museum in the City and Palo Alto's Junior Museum and Zoo are both small and geared to the pre-school set; the Palo Alto Children's Theatre is right beside the Museum.

Next on our list - the Museum of Children's Art (www.mocha.org) and, just down the street, the newly renovated Oakland Museum of California (www.museumca.org), plus the Chabot Space and Science Center (www.chabotspace.org).