SF Children & Nature

Library on the JFK Promenade
2025-06-23 16:00 - 19:00, 2025-06-30 16:00 - 19:00, 2025-07-07 16:00 - 19:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Corner of JFK Promenade and Conservatory Drive West, JFK Promenade & Conservatory Drive West, San Francisco, CA, United States
This summer, the San Francisco Public Library invites you to visit the Bookmobile at the JFK Promenade! Every Monday from June 2 to August 11, you can find the library on wheels at the corner of JFK Promenade and Conservatory Drive West from 4 to 7 p.m. Stop by to browse books, borrow materials, and take part in free activities for all ages.
Learn more >>

Alebrijes & Nahuales at Yerba Buena Gardens
2025-06-24 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-06-25 08:00 - 17:00, 2025-06-26 08:00 - 17:00 | Yerba Buena Gardens, 750 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA, 94103
Come out to experience Colossal Creatures in Bloom at Yerba Buena Gardens. Inspired by the captivating world of Mexican magical realism, this extraordinary exhibition showcases seven monumental original works from Mexico, each towering 20 feet tall. The exhibition which runs from May 10 – June 22, pays tribute to the exceptional craftsmanship of Mexican artisans and celebrates Mexico’s rich cultural heritage.
Fantastic Animals from Mexico: Alebrijes and Nahuales is a nationwide tour, engaging thousands in public spaces across the United States. In partnership with local communities and institutions, the exhibition will foster arts accessibility, highlight local diversity, and promote cultural exchange.
FREE activity. Learn more >>

Activity: Gardening Club
2025-06-24 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-07-01 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-07-08 13:00 - 14:00 | Excelsior Branch Library, 4400 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA, 94112, United States
Have fun planting seeds, watering plants and finding bugs in the Excelsior patio garden. Take planted seeds home and create your own urban garden. For children and their caregivers. Note: This event is cross-posted from the SF Public Library website. Please check the original posting for full details and any cancellations: https://tinyurl.com/SummerStride-Nature

Activity: Gather and Garden
2025-06-26 11:00 - 12:00 | Portola Library, 380 Bacon Street, San Francisco, CA, 94134, United States
Gather and garden every other Thursday with activities, adventure and more! Explore and enjoy Portola’s own community garden. Note: This event is cross-posted from the SF Public Library website. Please check the original posting for full details and any cancellations: https://tinyurl.com/SummerStride-Nature

Books in the Park: Catch the SummerMobile at Potrero Hill Rec Center
2025-06-27 09:30 - 11:30, 2025-07-04 09:30 - 11:30 | Potrero Hill Rec Center, 801 Arkansas St., San Francisco, CA, 94107, United States
Calling all campers and summer explorers! The SF Public Library’s bookmobiles are hitting the road and making weekly summer stops at four city recreation centers from June 9 – August 14.
Come browse, check books out, and play in the park!
Weekly Stops:
+ Mondays, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Minnie & Lovie Ward Rec Center
+ Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Sava Pool
+ Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Glen Canyon Park
+ Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Potrero Hill Rec Center
Learn more >

Activity: Creepy and Crawly Critters with Little Explorers Petting Zoo
2025-06-27 15:00 - 16:00 | Ingleside Branch, 1298 Ocean Ave, San Francisco, California, 94112, United States
Get to know reptiles, amphibians and insects. Touch, hold and observe these cold-blooded critters while learning about different species, habitats and characteristics of each animal. Space Limited. Reservations required: (415) 355-2898 (starting June 1).Program by: Little Explorers Petting Zoo Note: This event is cross-posted from the SF Public Library website. Please check the original posting for full details and any cancellations: https://tinyurl.com/SummerStride-Nature

Activity: Farm Animals with Little Explorers Petting Zoo
2025-06-28 10:00 - 12:00 | North Beach Branch Library, 850 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, California, 94133, United States
Meet and greet 20 animals, including an alpaca, a potbelly pig, a tortoise, goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, and bunnies. For children and their caregivers. Program by: Little Explorers Petting Zoo Note: This event is cross-posted from the SF Public Library website. Please check the original posting for full details and any cancellations: https://tinyurl.com/SummerStride-Nature

Workshop: Birding with Golden Gate Bird Alliance
2025-06-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Ortega Branch Library, 3223 Ortega St, San Francisco, California, 94122, United States
Improve your birding skills or get started in birdwatching with some friendly, expert help from Golden Gate Bird Alliance.Dress in layers and wear comfortable shoes. Limited binoculars available. Space limited. Reservations required: (415) 355-5700 (starting June 1). Program by: Golden Gate Bird Alliance Note: This event is cross-posted from the SF Public Library website. Please check the original posting for full details and any cancellations: https://tinyurl.com/SummerStride-Nature

Activity: Gardening
2025-06-28 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-07-05 11:00 - 12:00 | Merced Branch Library, 155 Winston Dr, San Francisco, California, 94132, United States
De–stress and enjoy the fresh air. Garden with us. For ages 13–18. Note: This event is cross-posted from the SF Public Library website. Please check the original posting for full details and any cancellations: https://tinyurl.com/SummerStride-Nature

Bloom and Play at Yerba Buena Gardens
2025-06-28 11:00 - 14:00 | Yerba Buena Gardens, 750 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA, 94103
Join Support for Families, SOMACC, Wu Yee, WAFRC, and Glide for a day packed with joy, creativity, and connection at Bloom & Play SF — a celebration for families of all kinds!
This is a free event for families to play, laugh, and make memories together. Come meet your community, connect with local organizations, and experience a day full of fun and smiles!
Get your face painted
Dance to music and family-friendly tunes
Explore your creative side with arts & crafts
Enjoy a FREE lunch for the whole family
Plus games, giveaways, and more activities!
Learn more >

Summer Soirée at Yik Oi Huang Peace and Friendly Park
2025-06-28 11:00 - 15:00 | Yik Oi Huang Peace and Friendship Park, 251 Leland Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94134, United States
Celebrate kids at our summer fair with carnival games and art activities. Explore a beautiful local park with family and friends!
Hosted by: FCC Portola, Visitacion Valley Family Resource Center, FACES SF, and Family Connection Centers
Learn more and register for this FREE event >

Meet the Animal Keepers @ Randall Museum
2025-06-28 11:30 - 12:30, 2025-07-05 11:30 - 12:30 | Randall Museum, Museum Way, San Francisco, CA, 94114, United States
Venture into the Randall Museum’s live animal exhibit, Wild in California, and join one of the animal keepers in an open discussion about the museum’s wildlife residents. Learn how the keepers care for the animals and how and where these creatures live in the wild. Kids and families will meet some of the animals up-close and can ask the keeper questions to find out more about their favorites. Visitors can meet a snake, check out a barn owl, or maybe even touch a tortoise.
This is a FREE drop-in event on Saturdays at 11:30am.
Learn more >

Workshop: Birding with Golden Gate Bird Alliance
2025-06-30 17:00 - 19:00 | Corner of JFK Promenade and Conservatory Drive West, JFK Promenade & Conservatory Drive West, San Francisco, CA, United States
Improve your birding skills or get started in birdwatching with some friendly, expert help from Golden Gate Bird Alliance. Dress in layers and wear comfortable shoes. Limited binoculars available. Program by: Golden Gate Bird Alliance Note: This event is cross-posted from the SF Public Library website. Please check the original posting for full details and any cancellations.

Swing into Stories @ Garfield Playground
2025-07-01 09:30 - 12:00 | Garfield Playground, 3100 26th St, San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
The Library’s YouthMobile is coming to the park! Movement and play are essential building blocks in fostering literacy and a love of reading. Join us for a high-energy storytime in our beautiful outdoors!
The YouthMobile offers a diverse selection of children’s library materials available for check-out with an SFPL library card. From the City’s only kid-focused bookmobile, we circulate materials, create library cards and provide the public with information about library services and programs. Come aboard and see what we have!
Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m.–12 noon.
Storytime at 10:30 a.m.
+++
1st Tuesday of the month
Garfield Playground (Treat & 26th Streets)
2nd Tuesday of the month
Koret Playground (Golden Gate Park, by the carousel)
3rd Tuesday of the month
Helen Wills Playground (1401 Broadway at Larkin)

4th Tuesday of the month
Redwood Grove Playground (McLaren Park, 200 John F. Shelley Dr.)
More info >

Social: Library Day at the New Farm
2025-07-05 11:00 - 16:00 | Main Library, 100 Larkin St, San Francisco, California, 94102, United States
The New Farm will be buzzing with live music, art and crafts, book giveaways, and of course, goats and chickens. Plus, the Bookmobile will be there! “It’s a farm. It’s a chicken grazing field. It’s an environmental education center. And it might just be the coolest new music venue in all of San Francisco.” –SF Gate on The New Farm Live Music: Featuring Bay Beats Artists 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. Note: This event is cross-posted from the SF Public Library website. Please check the original posting for full details and any cancellations: https://tinyurl.com/SummerStride-Nature

Social: Climate Action Book Club and Plastic-Bag Flowers
2025-07-06 14:00 - 15:00 | West Portal Branch Library, 190 Lenox Way, San Francisco, California, 94127, United States
Learn how to make plastic-bag flowers, check out some climate action books and add books, podcasts and other media to our recommendation wall. Choose your own adventure from our Green Teens Library: Books, Podcasts, and Action Tools Resource List. For ages 11–18. Program by: San Francisco Environment Department Note: This event is cross-posted from the SF Public Library website. Please check the original posting for full details and any cancellations: https://tinyurl.com/SummerStride-Nature

Swing into Stories @ Koret Playground (Golden Gate Park)
2025-07-08 09:30 - 12:00 | Koret Playground @ Golden Gate Park, Koret Children's Quarter Playground, Martin Luther King Jr Dr & Bowling Green Dr,, San Francisco, CA, 94117, United States
The Library’s YouthMobile is coming to the park! Movement and play are essential building blocks in fostering literacy and a love of reading. In partnership with the SF Rec & Park, we bring stories and song to our City’s beloved parks. Join us for a high-energy storytime in our beautiful outdoors!
The YouthMobile offers a diverse selection of children’s library materials available for check-out with an SFPL library card. From the City’s only kid-focused bookmobile, we circulate materials, create library cards and provide the public with information about library services and programs. Come aboard and see what we have!
Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m.–12 noon.
Storytime at 10:30 a.m.
+++
1st Tuesday of the month
Garfield Playground (Treat & 26th Streets)
2nd Tuesday of the month
Koret Playground (Golden Gate Park, by the carousel)
3rd Tuesday of the month
Helen Wills Playground (1401 Broadway at Larkin)

4th Tuesday of the month
Redwood Grove Playground (McLaren Park, 200 John F. Shelley Dr.)

More info >

Presentation: Climate Talks—Reuse Revolution
2025-07-08 15:30 - 17:00 | Main Library, 100 Larkin St, San Francisco, California, 94102, United States
Do you want to take climate action, one boba cup at a time?Join us for a fun and eye-opening conversation about how your favorite drinks can actually be part of the solution. Learn why single-use culture is fueling climate change and how we can make a difference by switching to reusable cups. Bring your friends and take part in a city-wide reusable boba cup challenge! Afterwards, youth and young adults are encouraged to head over to the San Francisco Environment Department for casual mixer. Note: This event is cross-posted from the SF Public Library website. Please check the original posting for full details and any cancellations: https://tinyurl.com/SummerStride-Nature

Climate talks: Reuse revolution part one
2025-07-08 15:30 - 18:00 | Main Library, 100 Larkin St, San Francisco, California, 94102, United States
Do you want to take climate action, one boba cup at a time?
Join SF Environment this Plastic-Free July for Climate Talks, a two-part discussion about reuse, led by youth speakers and advocates! Each session covers reuse and climate action.
Part one kicks off with a fun and thought-provoking discussion on how your favorite drinks can be part of the solution to reduce waste. Learn how single-use culture fuels climate change and how you can make a difference by bringing your own cup to your go-to boba shop.
What to expect:

A youth-led discussion on how single-use plastics impact our health, wildlife, and communities.

A post-event mixer hosted by SF Environment to meet other young environmentalists and professionals

Space is limited! Please RSVP early to secure a spot.

Presentation: Climate California Docuseries
2025-07-08 17:30 - 19:00 | Main Library, 100 Larkin St, San Francisco, California, 94102, United States
Episode 6 of the PBS docuseries “Climate California”, “RPG”, is about the importance of play in the environmental movement. What if the tools to address climate change are insufficient to the task? Join us as we see Mycelium Youth Network, Intersectional Environmentalist, Un Mar de Colores, and the California Doughnut Economics Coalition search for new ways to engage the public in environmental work. Maybe it’s time we took play… a little more seriously. Note: This event is cross-posted from the SF Public Library website. Please check the original posting for full details and any cancellations: https://tinyurl.com/SummerStride-Nature

Workshop: Beeswax Candles with Planet Bee Foundation
2025-07-09 13:00 - 14:00 | Bernal Heights Branch Library, 500 Cortland Ave, San Francisco, California, 94110, United States
Make natural beeswax-based candles. For ages 11-18. Space limited. Reservations required: (415) 355-2810. Program by: Planet Bee Foundation Note: This event is cross-posted from the SF Public Library website. Please check the original posting for full details and any cancellations: https://tinyurl.com/SummerStride-Nature
