February Finds...
February is full of love, parades, and celebrations. Visit our home page weekly for calendar highlights so you don't miss a thing. Also be sure to tell your friends about SFkids.org. View more information by clicking on the bold items in the newsletter.
 Beyond Valentine's Day
As the chocolates are eaten, the valentines are opened, and the poems disappear into a drawer, they are all good reminders to keep the lines of communication open all year round with your child.
 Do you remember your baby's very first cry? From the moment of birth, your baby began to communicate. At first, your newborn's cries may seem like a foreign language to you. But before you know it, you will learn your baby's "language" and be able to provide him or her with what he or she needs. Read more from Kids Health.
As your child approaches the teen years and becomes more independent, staying connected may seem like more of a challenge. But it's as important as ever - maybe even more so now. Read more from Kids Health.
SFKids.org Features
In the coming months we will be featuring more and more articles written by local parents and parenting experts. If you want to submit something to be posted on the site or if there is something you would really like to see written about, please let us know by emailing webmaster@sfkids.org.
This month we have three great articles:
Kids Take the Stage!, an article about local theatre classes and camps by Suze Allen.
When What Mommy Needs is Opposite to What Kids Want: a Fresh Approach to This Conflict of Interests, by Jennie Rose.
Teaching Your Children to Have Self-Esteem, by Leanne Slaton of Parents Place.
Check Out Our New Events Page
 Our new Events Page lists a summary of great happenings going on each week. To find it, just click on the Events icon now living on our home page. Visit the Family Events Calendar to see our full listings.
 Imagine a Family-Friendly San Francisco
Join DCYF's Community Conversations to Imagine a Family-Friendly San Francisco. Throughout January and February 20 neighborhood meetings had been scheduled throughout the City to help DCYF set priorities for San Francisco's next three-year Action Plan for children, youth & families.
Everyone is welcome to attend any meeting!
Child care and snacks will be provided at all meetings. For child care reservations call (415) 934-4840. 
Remaining workshops are:
Sunset: Saturday, February 16; 10amNoon
AP Giannini Middle School, 3151 Ortega
Treasure Island: Saturday, February 16, 13pm
Shipshape Building, 11th Avenue @ Avenue M
Visitacion Valley: Wednesday, February 20, 57pm
The Village, 1099 Sunnydale Avenue
City-wide Youth Meeting: Wednesday, March 12, 45:30pm
All SF Youth are Invited to a Special Youth Conversation
City College Downtown Campus, 88 4th Street @ Mission
Participate in designing the City's next 3-year Action Plan for Youth
Sponsored by DCYF and the San Francisco Youth Commission. FREE FOOD! Raffle Prizes!
Black History Month Events
February is Black History month. There are many events around the City, particularly in our local libraries. See our calendar, www.sfpl.org, or call (415) 557-4400.
SF Public Library Mini African American Festival, February 20, 4:30pm6pm. Location: Main Library Koret Auditorium, 100 Larkin St. (at Grove). Join the children and young adults from the Tenderloin after school program in a music and dance celebration of Black History Month! For children of all ages.
Lunar New Year Celebration
Celebrate the coming of the Year of the Rat (Lunar Year 4706) and wish your neighbors Gung Hay Fat Choy (Happy New Year) by taking part in some of the great events in San Francisco. The celebrations run throughout February. The Year of the Rat is thought to be a time of opportunity and good fortune when new ventures will bring wealth and success.
Celebrations culminate with the Chinese New Year Parade, February 23rd, 5:308 pm. The parade runs from downtown S.F. at Market and 2nd Street to Kearney and Jackson in Chinatown. This is the best parade S.F. has to offer for families and it is the only one that takes place at night. The parade features bands, floats, and many children. Dont miss it! For more information call: (415) 391-9680 or see www.chineseparade.com.
There's also the Chinese Community Street Fair in Chinatown (Grant Avenue/Pacific Ave./Jackson Street) and the Chinese Cultural Center has a Spring Festival Celebration held both February 23 & 24.
There are many other events at San Francisco libraries and museums. Check our Calendar for more ideas.
It's Camp Sign-up Season
It seems like winter was just here but it's already time to start thinking about summer, and more specifically summer camp. SFkids.org has the most comprehensive list of San Francisco camps around. See our Camps Page to browse around for something your kids will enjoy.
Also be sure to come to the Summer Resource Fair, March 8th. Get information about camps, summer jobs, and more. New Location: The Concourse Exhibition Center, 8th & Brannan Streets, in San Francisco.
Spring Break Camps
Spring Break camps start registration now. See our list of School Break Camps.
New Recreation and Park Department Online Summer Program Registration
The Recreation & Park Department is implementing a NEW Camp registration process this year. San Francisco Recreation and Parks Day Camp registration is available online! You can register your child for any of the day camp programs at www.sfRecOnline.org starting Saturday, March 8 at 10am.
Online registration takes just a few minutes
No more waiting in line
It's fast, easy, & convenient
If you don't have internet access, walk-in registration will be available during open registration, Saturday, March 8 at 10am through Friday, March 21, at neighborhood registration sites.
You are required to create a Recreation & Park Department (RPD) Family Account prior to enrolling your child in any RPD Camp or Program.
To complete the Family Account you will need the following:
Proof of age: Copy of your child's birth certificate or passport (for anyone 18 years of age or under).
Proof of residency: A utility bill that matches your address to your name.
State of California-issued driver's license or identification card. Your utility bill must match the name on your ID or CDL.
Emergency contact information: names and numbers of whom to contact in case of an emergency.
Proof of immunization (for children under 5 years of age).
Email address (if you have one).
There's Snow in Them Thar Hills!
There's tons of snow in the Sierras, so take full advantage of it while you can. A snow trip doesn't need to be expensive either. Check out our article on Family Snow Adventures for ideas about where to go, what to bring, how to stay safe, and more.
SFK Tips:
1) Find $10 kid lift tickets at Homewood and Squaw Valley.
2) Sports Basement has the cheapest adult lift tickets to put more cash in your pocket for kids tickets.
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Summer Resource Fair
Save the Date!
Saturday, March 8: 10am- 3pm
Families can get information about camps, classes, sports, summer school, and services from 200 exhibitors. FREE
Youth ages 14 to 18: Check out JOBS SPACEincluding mini-workshops on everything youth need to get employed this summer! FREE
Fun & games for kids!
Free massages for moms (and dads)!
New Location: The Concourse Exhibition Center, 8th & Brannan Streets, in San Francisco.
FREE round trip shuttle buses from Market and 8th Street and from 3rd and Palou. Click here for more information.
Hot Picks This Week:
Our Family Events Calendar contains hundreds of listings of local family-friendly events; here are just a few highlights.
Friday 2/15
Storytime at Bird and Beckett Books and Records at 11am every Friday. FREE
Mother and Baby Support Group at Natural Resources, at 11:30am. $10-$15.
Movie Night at Destination Art for kids- no parents allowed! 6:30-9pm. $15
Saturday 2/16
Family Day at Musuem of the African Diaspora, 14 pm, adults $10, youth $5, children under 12 are free.
Kids night out at the following YMCAs: Stonestown, Mission and Presidio.
Chinese New Year Carnival at Walter U. Lum Place, Washington and Clay Streets. 10am10pm. FREE
Cash for College Workshops: 2/16 & 2/23 FREE
Sunday 2/17
Lunar New Year Celebration: The Year of the Rat at SF Zoo. 10am5pm Free admission to all born in the Year of the Rat (1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008).
San Francisco Tamburitza Festival with Croatian food and music! $15 adults, children free.
Childhood Matters every Sunday morning on 98.1 KISS FM. This week Are We Overmedicating Our Children? A growing number of toddlers and young children are being prescribed medications for issues ranging from attention problems to mood disorders. Are we too quick to medicate our children? Tune in at 9am.
Monday 2/18
School's out! Click here for a few fun things to do on President's Observation Day!
Mark Your Calendar Now...
February 20: Lunar Eclipse viewing at the Randall Museum. FREE
February 21: Sleepytime Yoga for Preschoolers and their Families at Marina Branch Library. FREE
February 23: Crissy Field Camp sign- up day.
February 23: Parents for Public Schools (PPS) Latino Parent Celebration at James Lick Middle School. FREE
February 27: Choosing a Preschool Workshop at Parents Place.
March 4-7: San Francisco Middle School Science Fair at the Randall Museum. FREE
March 6: No More Diapers workshop at Parents Place.
March 6- 22: Beauty and the Beast at School of the Arts (SOTA). Join the cast for an "Enchanted Tea" prior to select Saturday and Sunday matinees.
March 8: Noe Valley Branch Library Grand Re-Opening Celebration. FREE
March 9: Daylight savings time begins.
March 11: SFUSD fall enrollment 2008-09 letters are sent to families. You must respond to accept the school offered to you!
March 17 - 21: SFUSD Parent/Teacher Conference Week
Inside SFkids.org
Looking for a class for your child?
Looking to meet other parents? See our list of parent Yahoo groups.
San Francisco Free Museum Day List
Search for activities by your child's age. See our age pages on the left side of the home page.
Just Added to SFkids.org
The Princess Project
Tutu School
Airtime
SFkids Parent Tip:
Parents needing more support for their child with special needs can find more resources on our Special Needs page. Don't miss our feature on SF Little League Challenger Program.
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