Here are our picks for great events and activities for children and families this weekend. Find more events for the whole week in Marin and beyond in our new Family Events Calendar.

Friday, March 12

• Bring the kids (ages 2–5) to "Fantastic Fridays: Fun with Food" this Friday from 10–11:30 am at the Crissy Field Center. TFood, food everywhere. Come join us at the new Crissy Field Center where you and your toddler will make tasty organic snacks and have a blast learning about healthy eating! Remember, you are what you eat! To register, call (415 561-7752 or download the form at www.parksconservancy.org. Drop-ins accepted on a space-available basis. The cost is $15.
• Playful Parenting: for Parents and Babies on Friday from 11 am–12:15 pm at The Parents Center at Heller's in San Rafael. Angelique Millette PhDc, infant-child therapist intern, sleep consultant and parent coach teaches developmental play from 0-12 months. You will learn how playtime provides building blocks for bonding the importance of play, how to help your baby nap better following playtime baby communication, the importance of outdoor play and how babies communicate with us when they are playing. Cost: $45. To register, go to www.parentscenter.com. Heller’s is located at 514 4th Street in San Rafael.
• The Wizard of Oz , a Teen Wave Production will take place at the Margaret Todd Senior Center in Novato on Friday and Saturday at 7 pm. Ticket prices: Adults $7, Students/Seniors $5 and Children 12 & under $2. For more info, call (415) 899-8200. The Margaret Todd Senior Center is located at 1560 Hill Road in Novato.

Saturday, March 13

• Novato Mothers Club Kids’ Rummage Sale this Saturday, March 13 from 9 am to 3 pm. The half-off sale starts at 2 pm.You can literally get everything you need for your family: cribs, strollers, children’s clothing, maternity wear, toys, shoes, nursing items, and more. The NMC Rummage Sale will take place at the Novato Teen Center at 950 Seventh Street off of Grant Avenue in downtown Novato (attached to the Novato Gymnastics Center).
• Family Hike at Indian Tree Preserve--The Marin County Parks and Open Space Rangers will host a hiking party for the entire family on Saturday from 10 am–noon. There will be games, stories, and fun while learning about the local habitat and ecosystem as we march up into the redwoods of this gorgeous Novato preserve. From Hwy 101 in Novato, take the Atherton Ave/San Marin Dr exit, head west on San Marin Dr (San Marin Dr becomes Sutro Ave after Novato Blvd junction), and turn right at Vineyard Rd. Trailhead is located at the point where the pavement turns into a dirt road. For more info about the walk, go to their website.
• Get a jump on St. Paddy’s day with Culann’s Hounds at the Bay Area Discovery Museum on Saturday at 11 am. Combining vocal harmonies with melodies on fiddle, mandolin, guitar, accordion, and bohran, they produce an eclectic blend of modern and traditional Irish music. Join them for a high energy show with plenty of opportunity for singing, dancing a jig and perhaps some howling with the Hounds. For ages 1 and up. Members $5; general child $10; general adult $12 (includes museum admission). Learn more about Culann's Houds at www.sfhounds.com. For more info or directions, go to www.badm.org.
• Free Children’s Music Series featuring Caroline Harrison at the Book Passage in Corte Madera on Saturday at 11 am. Caroline Harrison has been a singer-songwriter and guitar player for more than 20 years. Caroline has written children’s songs for her preschool music program, Miss Caroline’s Music Class. Children up to the age of 12—and their parents—enjoy her music. For more info, go to their website.
• Bring the family to see Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on Saturday at 1 pm and 5 pm and Sunday at 3 pm at the San Rafael Community Center. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory performances presented by North Bay Rep—Theatre For A Cause, sponsored by the San Rafael Community Services Department. Performances for the entire family will take place at the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street. General admission tickets available online or by calling (415) 485-3333. Must bring receipt to will call window to pickup tickets. No refunds once tickets have been purchased. Doors open 30 minutes prior to show time. Children ages 3 and younger free. For more info, go to their website
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Don’t miss this year’s Novato Mothers Club Kids’ Rummage Sale this Saturday, March 13 from 9 am to 3 pm. The half-off sale starts at 2 pm. You can literally get everything you need for your family: cribs, strollers, children’s clothing, maternity wear, toys, shoes, nursing items, and more. The NMC Rummage Sale will take place at the Novato Teen Center at 950 Seventh Street off of Grant Avenue in downtown Novato (attached to the Novato Gymnastics Center).

I volunteer for this event every year and always come home with a bunch of toys and clothes for the kids. It’s really a great sale that offers bargain prices on a lot of things (many of them barely used). To get the best picks, try to get there when they first open on Saturday, because the good stuff goes quickly.

Tickets are still available for this week's special events with world-renowned developmental psychologist Dr. Gordon Neufeld at the Four Points by Sheraton in San Rafael, CA. Dr. Neufeld is an international authority on child development and author of the bestselling book Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More Than Peers.

This Thursday, March 11 from 7 to 9pm, Dr. Neufeld gives a public talk "The Truth About Consequences and the Trouble with Time-Outs: 12 Guidelines for Natural Discipline".

On Friday, March 12, from 9 am to 4 pm there will be a full-day training "Relationship Matters: Harnessing the Power of Attachment". This training session is intended for professionals, but is open to the public.
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The Ark Row Center for Enrichment is now open in Tiburon! Owner Robin Briskin has been an educator since 1974 and has opened the center with the whole community in mind, offering a wide variety of classes and programs for children, adults, and seniors.

Programs for children include Two’s Together, a preschool prep class; messy fun with Mush & Gush for ages 2 to 4; yoga for kids of all ages; and Princess Ballet for ages 3 to 5. Classes for parents include pre- and post-natal yoga; Mommies Meeting Mommies, a great get-together for moms and children; and Mama Sings, where pregnant mommies can learn to sing to their unborn children. The center will offer a series of sample classes during its March open houses on Saturday, March 13, 20, and 27 from 10 am to 2 pm. Sample classes include Family Yoga, Dance Jam for Kids, Recycled Art for the Family, and Family Theater.
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Easter is going to be here soon, and it always feels like we participate in at least half a dozen Easter egg hunts. This is probably because we actually do! Since it's a special occasion, I've made sure the children have nice, quality Easter baskets that they can use for a few years, and perhaps even keep as mementos of their childhoods. I really love the stuff offered by Pottery Barn Kids, (and who doesn't?), but I don’t always love the price tag that comes with it.

The other day, quite coincidentally, I received both the Pottery Barn Kids and the Lillian Vernon catalogues in the mail and noticed that they both offered very similar personalized Easter baskets at very different prices.

Ever wonder if homeschooling is right for you and your children? Marin mom and homeschooling parent Barbara McVeigh writes about her experiences, as well as local resources for homeschoolers, in this guest article.

Last August my daughter’s assigned first grade desk sat empty, and I felt a lump in my throat. Because instead of driving her to our local school, one noted for its academic achievements and containing her kindergarten friends from last year, we decided to take an alternative route. We went fishing that day where we got hooked… with a creative group of homeschoolers, a community growing in Marin. Our homeschooling journey began as we dived into a world filled with boundless schooling choices.
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My children love this time of year when the Easter bunny comes to town. Part of the fun is celebrating spring and the Easter season with a traditional egg hunt. This year there are  Easter egg hunts scheduled at communities throughout Marin. We'll update this list as we find out about additional events. If we've left out your favorite Marin Easter egg hunt, please let us know and we'll add it to the roster.

Please visit the appropriate links or call organizers for more info, if available, and directions.

Belvedere:

• The Belvedere Community Center is hosting an Easter Bunny Brunch on Saturday, April 3 from 10 am-noon for $15 per person (3 and under free). There will be a brunch, Easter crafts, music, face painting, carnival games, and an Easter Egg Hunt. Easter Egg Hunt will take place in the playground after the brunch and the children will be grouped by ages. To purchase tickets, call the recreation office at (415) 435-4355. For more info, go to their website.

Corte Madera:

• Corte Madera Parks & Recreation's Children's Egg Hunt, Saturday, April 3 at 10 am sharp at the Corte Madera Town Park. Juggler to follow egg hunt. For more info, call (415) 927-5073.

Fairfax:

• Fairfax's annual Easter Egg Hunt will take place in Bolinas Park at 10:00 am-noon on Saturday, April 3. Music will be provided by James K. and will take place rain or shine.  For more information please call 456-5652.

Mill Valley:

• The Mill Valley Community Center will have a Teen Zone Flashlight Egg Hunt for 6th thru 8th grades on Friday, March 26, from 7–9 pm. The night will start with dinner and games, then we will take out our flashlights and we're off for the great hunt!! If you find Golden Eggs you will receive special prizes! You can register for the hunt at the Mill Valley Community Center or their online registration using course #18510. The deadline for registration is March 19. The cost is $15 for TZ members or $19 for non-TZ members.
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Here are our picks for great events and activities for children and families this weekend. Find more events for the whole week in Marin and beyond in our new Family Events Calendar.

Friday, March 5

• Bring the kids (ages 2–4) to Fantastic Fridays: Eco-Pirates, this Friday from 10 to 11:30 am at the Crissy Field Center. TShiver me timbers, there is booty to be claimed at Crissy Field! Join me all gentle-tots o'fortune for a morning filled with fun and discovery! It's a different adventure every week, full of creative activities you can use over and over during your own family getaways! Pre-registration is recommended for all programs.. To register, call (415 561-7752 or download the form at www.parksconservancy.org. Drop-ins accepted on a space-available basis. The cost is $15.
• Marin Youth Performers, the youth division of 142 Throckmorton Theatre, presents "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" opening on Friday at 7:30 pm. Powered by over 20 lively musical numbers featuring infectiously catchy tunes, Dreamcoat is a dazzling musical driven by song and dance with never a dull moment. The Marin Youth Performers' production is lavish and lively, with colorful sets and costumes, and a large cast of charming young players from the greater Bay Area singing their hearts out!, making this a perfect family outing! Tickets are $18/adults, $14/children and $30 for reserved seating. For more info, go to their website.

Saturday, March 6

• Bring the kids to the Bay Area Discovery Museum’s World On-Stage Ethnic Performance Series 2010 presents Asheba on Saturday from 11 am-noon. Putumayo recording artist Asheba returns with a rolicking, rhythmic, joyful and interactive version of your favoritre kid's songs. this singer, songwriter and storyteller will have you dancing and jumping to the hippest children's music in the Bay Area. His show is spiced with Caribbean and World beats, inspired by his own childhood on the island of Trinidad. . Cost: Members $7; General Child $12; General Adult $14  (includes museum admission).  For more info, go to www.badm.org.
• Infants and Sleep class at The Parents Center in San Rafael on Saturday from noon to 1:30 pm. Instructor, Angelique Millette PhDc., will cover the sleep needs for a baby, the importance of a sleep schedule, twins and siblings sleeping in the same room, and SIDS research, and much more. Your pre-crawling baby is welcome. Class fee: $60 per family. Class size limited to 10 families Angelique always provides one sliding scale, and one need-based scholarship per class. Please email her at: angelique@angeliquemillette.com for more info. For info about the class, go to www.theparentscenter.com.
• Bring the family to see Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on Saturday at 1 pm and 5 pm at the San Rafael Community Center. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory performances presented by North Bay Rep—Theatre For A Cause, sponsored by the San Rafael Community Services Department. Performances for the entire family will take place at the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B Street. General admission tickets available online or by calling (415) 485-3333. Must bring receipt to will call window to pickup tickets. No refunds once tickets have been purchased. Doors open 30 minutes prior to show time. Children ages 3 and younger free. For more info, go to their website.
  
• Masque Unit Junior Theatre presents Cinderella on Saturday and Sunday at 1 and 3 pm at the Showcase Theater in San Rafael. Based on the popular Hans Christian Andersen story, Masque Unit brings to life the hilarity of an overly fashion-conscious Emperor and his royal court interacting with two swindlers posing as tailors. The catchy tunes and comedic dialogue will delight audiences young and old alike. For the entire family. Ticket Prices: $8. You can purchase tickets through the box office. 
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