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Habitot Children's Museum
Good-for-Kids Rating
BabiesToddlers & Pre-KSchool-Age KidsPre-Teens & Teens
Children's Museum
Habitot Children's Museum Description
Take Pee-Wee's Playhouse, Sesame Street and your local Gymboree class and roll them into one and you've got some idea what Habitot, an award-winning hands on play museum for young children, is like. Created by a team of educators who must have been TeleTubbies in another life, Habitot is nonstop crazy, goofy fun. Be sure to check out our other Berkeley vacation ideas.
Kid Tips
Babies: Habitot is designed with the youngest children in mind; even so it isn't the best for those in between the sitting and walking stages, i.e. rug rats. They're liable to be trampled by over-enthusiastic two-year-olds.
Toddlers & Pre-K: Don't even think twice, Habitot is heaven for the under-six set. Where it gets tricky is for little ones who aren't yet steady on their feet -- they can get bowled over by all the energy and enthusiasm -- literally. Also, don't let kids wear their nicest clothes, and come prepared for mess; a typical morning at Habitot ends with everyone wet and paint-spattered.
School-Age Kids: The official cut-off age for Habitot is age 7, though we've spotted 8- and 9-year-olds there. It really is aimed at younger kids, and some of the regular activities at Habitot may seem "babyish" for kids over 5. If you have older kids with you, give it a try anyhow -- the curators keep up a constant stream of special exhibits and events that often have more appeal for school-age kids. Black History Month, Girl Power, Lunar New Year -- whatever happens to be going on at the moment, there's likely an art or cultural activity to commemorate it. And all kids love playing with clay, a Habitot staple.
Planning Notes
- Call ahead to ask about crowds: Habitot is so wonderful, the only problem is, well -- everyone thinks it's wonderful. So it gets really, really crowded, and very, very loud. (Think hundreds of screaming four-year-olds on sugar, and you've got the idea.) If possible, plan your visit at a time when it's less crowded, which tends to be either first thing in the morning, from 9:30 to 10:30, or at the end of the day from 3:30 to 4:30. Helpfully, Habitot has a hotline you can call to assess the crowd situation before you go. Hint: Check if there are any birthday parties happening. Recorded crowd report: 510-647-1111 x35.
Just the Facts
Hours: Monday - Thursday, 9:30 to 12:30 only. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 9:30-4:30. During the summer months (April - September), the museum is closed on Sunday, except for private parties. Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day.
Fees: Under $10
Recommended Time: 1 - 2 hours
