Not-So-Scary Halloween Fun for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Halloween will be a bit different this year, with the threat of COVID-19 curtailing many of the traditional family Halloween events and activities we all look forward to. The good news is a few favorites, like the Bay Area Discovery Museum's Goblin Jamboree, are taking place this year with modifications to make them safe for families. Some events are even going virtual! Due to space considerations, most of these events require advance reservations. Here's our rundown of fun and not-too-spooky Halloween events from across the Bay Area that are perfect for young children. You can find our guide to pumpkin patches even more family fun for this fall in our Halloween section, too.

• Goblin Jamboree Fundraiser
  Bay Area Discovery Museum
  October 24–31
  Celebrate the Halloween season at BADM! Goblin Jamboree has been reimagined into a week-long celebration packed with spooky programs and frightful delights. Capacity is very limited for these special themed days. Advanced ticket reservations are required. All visitors will reserve tickets for a 2.5 hour timeslot and must depart at the end of their timeslot. Goblin Jamboree is rain or shine. Event details.
• Boo at the Zoo
  Oakland Zoo
  Saturday & Sunday, October 24–31, 10 am–4 pm
  This year, Boo at the Zoo will take place over an entire week to eliminate crowding and keep everyone safe. Grab a program as you enter the zoo and follow the clues on a self-guided scavenger hunt to find all the costumed pink flamingos hidden throughout the zoo. Instead of trick or treating in the zoo this year, they will be safely handing out pre-stuffed goodie bags to all children. Zoo admission applies; advance tickets required. Event details
• Sloth-oween
  San Francisco Zoo
  October 24–November 1, 9:30 am–3:30 pm
  You're invited to come dressed in Halloween costumes (and masks!) to celebrate Sloth-oween from October 24 - November 1! Enjoy a self-guided walk around the zoo to find our five sloth-themed haunted houses, including “Franken-sloth’s Fort,” where you will learn some creepy facts about sloths. Advance reservations are required. Event details.
• Storytime Science for Kids: The Halloween Episode
  Exploratorium
  Wednesday, October 28, 1 pm
  Join the Exploratorium for Storytime Science — a storybook read-aloud followed by a simple related activity geared toward very young children. This episode is about Halloween, but it's also about sounds — all of them fun, and one a little spooky! Join in as the Exploratorium's own Vivian Altmann reads Skulls! by Blair Thornburgh, illustrated by Scott Campbell. Then, try three slightly spooky activities together: Head Harp, the Creaking Door, and the Haunted Rice. Event details
• Fairyland’s Halloween Jam
  Children's Fairyland, Oakland
  October 28–November 1
  More delightful than frightful, more kooky than spooky​, join us for Halloween Jam – five days of fall fun at Fairyland! Our festivities will be a little different this year, but we’ll still have decked-out sets to wow your little ones.​ Kids can march in our physically-distanced Monster Mash Parade and collect their own special surprise treat at the end! Admission: Guests age 1 to 100: $8 (limited-time reduced rate), Guests under age 1: FREE. Purchase tickets here.
• Drive-Thru Trick-or-Treat
  Strawberry Recreation Center
  Thursday, October 29, 3–5 pm
  Join Strawberry Recreation District for some socially distanced Halloween fun at their drive-thru trick-or-treat event. Free prizes and candy. Wear your costume! Everyone must remain in their cars. Event details
• Spooky Street Drive-Thru Halloween
  Mill Valley Community Center
  Friday, October 30, 3–6:30 pm
  Bring the kiddos to the Community Center parking lot where you'll drive through the "Spooky Street" where businesses will decorate their (socially distant) parking space (or trunk) in fun and engaging ways. Advance reservations required. More details TBA October 14. Event details
• Halloween Hoopla
  Virtual Event
  Saturday, October 31, 11–11:30 am
  Yerba Buena Center's 20th annual Halloween Hoopla goes online! This year’s free virtual program features interactive performances and fun for kids under 10 and their adults, and the return of the Yerba Buena Pumpkin Patch display. Event details.