Exploring the Farmers Market with Kids: A Fun and Educational Adventure!

Are you looking for a delightful and enriching family outing? Look no further than your local farmers market! With an abundance of fresh produce, vibrant colors, and a range of food and craft options, the farmers market is a wonderful place to take your kids for an exciting and educational experience. So, grab your bags and get ready to dive into the vibrant world of locally sourced delights!

Engaging the Senses

Visiting the farmers market offers a sensory feast for children. As you stroll through the aisles, your kids will be captivated by the vivid array of fruits and vegetables, their enticing aromas, and the multitude of textures. Encourage them to touch, smell, and sometimes even taste the samples. This hands-on experience will foster their curiosity, deepen their understanding of where food comes from, and awaken their taste buds to new flavors.

Learning Opportunities

The farmers market is a rich educational playground for children. Engage them in conversations with farmers and artisans, who are passionate about their products and eager to share their knowledge. Encourage your kids to ask questions about the produce, farming practices, and even recipe ideas. These encounters will not only expand their vocabulary but also build their appreciation for the hard work that goes into growing and creating the food they enjoy.

Farm-to-Table Connection

In a world driven by technology, it's easy for kids to become disconnected from the origins of their food. A trip to the farmers market offers a direct farm-to-table experience, bridging this gap. Engage your children in conversations about the benefits of buying local, supporting small businesses, and the positive impact it has on the environment. This connection empowers them to make conscious choices and builds a foundation for a more sustainable future.

Nurturing Creativity

As you explore the farmers market, take the opportunity to engage your kids' creativity. Encourage them to create a shopping list and assist in choosing ingredients for a meal they would like to prepare together at home. This hands-on involvement fosters their culinary skills and nurtures their imagination as they envision the dishes they will create. It's a wonderful way to involve them in meal preparation, develop a love for cooking, and cultivate healthy eating habits.

Supporting the Community

Visiting the farmers market with your kids provides an opportunity to teach the importance of supporting local businesses and the wider community. Explain how the money spent at the farmers market.

SATURDAY

Alameda, year round, 9am-1pm, 710 Haight Ave.
Berkeley, year round, 10am – 3pm, Center Street @ M. L. King, Jr. Way
Brentwood, year round, 9am - 1pm, 655 First St.
Castro Valley, year round, 9am-1pm, BART Station at Redwood Rd. and Norbridge Ave.
Daly City, year round, 9am-1pm, 133 Serramonte Center
Danville, year round, 9am - 1pm, 205 Railroad Ave.
El Cerrito, year round, 9am - 1pm, 3060 El Cerrito Plaza
Forest Knolls, year round, 10am-7pm, 6700 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
Foster City, year round, 9am-1pm, 1010 Metro Center Blvd
Fremont, year round, 9am-1pm, 37592 Niles Blvd
Hayward, 9am-1pm, 777 B St, Hayward
Healdsburg, 8:30am-12pm, April 12 - December 20, West Plaza Parking Lot
Hercules, April – October, 10am-2pm, 501 Bayfront Blvd
Larkspur, year round, 9am-2pm, Marin Country Mart
Morgan Hill, year round, 9am-1pm, 3rd St. & Depot St.
Napa, year round, 8am-12pm, 1100 West Street
Noe Valley Town Square, year round, 8am-1pm, 3861 24th St., San Francisco
Oakland, year round, 9am-2pm, Splash Pad Park
Oakland, 9am-2pm, opens July 12, 4521 Telegraph Ave.
Orinda, year round, 9am-1pm, Orinda Way
Palo Alto, year round, 8am-12pm, Gilman Street, between Forest Ave and Hamilton Ave.
Petaluma, May 3 - November 22, 2-5pm, 4th St & D St
Pinole, year round, 9am-1pm, 798 Fernandez Ave
Pleasanton, year round, 9am-1pm, 46 W Angela St.
Point Reyes, June - November, 9am-2pm, Toby’s Feed Barn, 11250 California 1
Redwood City, April to November, 8a-1p, 53 Perry St.
Santa Clara, year round, 9am - 1pm, Jackson Street and Homestead Road
San Francisco, year round, 9am-1pm, 725 Greenwich Street
San Francisco, 7am-3pm, 100 Alemany Boulevard, Bernal Heights
San Francisco, year round, 8am-2pm, Ferry Building, Embarcadero and Market Streets
San Francisco, year round, 9am-1pm, 1700 O'Farrell St.
San Jose, May 3rd -Nov. 15th, 9am-1pm, 945 Piedmont Rd.
San Jose, year round, 9am - 1pm, 14900 Camden Ave.
San Jose, year round, 9am-1pm, 577 Dana St.
San Jose, year round, 9am-1pm, 5585 Cottle Rd.
San Jose, year round, 9am-1pm, 1425 Lincoln Ave.
San Jose, year round, 9am - 1pm, Willow Glen Elementary, 1425 Lincoln Ave.
San Leandro, year round, 9am–1pm, Bayfair Center, 15555 E 14th St,
San Mateo, year round, 9am - 1pm, 1700 W Hillsdale Blvd
San Ramon, 9am–1pm, City Center Bishop Ranch
Santa Clara, year round, 9am - 1pm, Jackson Street and Homestead Road
Santa Rosa, year round, 8:30am - 1pm, 1501 Farmers Lane
Santa Rosa, year round, 8:30am-1pm, Luther Burbank Center
Saratoga, year round, 9am - 1pm, West Valley College, Parking Lot 3
South San Francisco, year round, 9am-1pm, 781 Tennis Dr.
Sunnyvale, year round, 9am-1pm, Murphy Avenue at Washington
Union City , year round, 9am–1pm, 30940 Watkins St.
Vacaville, year round, 8am-12pm, CreekWalk Plaza at Andrews Park
Vallejo, 9am-2pm, 400 Georgia St.
Walnut Creek, year round, 9am-1pm, Mitchell Dr. & N Wiget Ln.

SUNDAY

Alamo, year round, 9am-2pm, 120 Alamo Plaza, Alamo
Belmont, year round, 9am-1pm, 1201 El Camino Real
Campbell, year round, 9am-1pm, E. Campbell Ave
Cloverdale, April – November, 9:30a-1p, Downtown Plaza
Cupertino, year round, 9am-1pm, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd
El Sobrante, year round, 10am-2pm, 5166 Sobrante Ave
Forest Knolls, year round, 10am-7pm, 6700 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
Fremont, year round, 9am-2pm, 4039 Bay St.
Kensington, 9am-2pm, Oak View Ave at Colusa Cir.
Livermore, year round, 9am-1pm, 206 S. J St., Downtown Livermore
Martinez, year round, 9am-1pm, 700 Main St.
Milpitas, year round, 8am-1pm, 882 Great Mall Dr.
Moraga, year round, 9am-1pm, Moraga Rd & Moraga Way
Mountain View, year round, 9am-1pm, 600 West Evelyn Ave.
Newark, year round, 9am-1pm, 2086 New Park Mall
Oakland, year round, 11am-4pm, Jack London Square
Oakland, year round, 9am–1pm, 5300 Claremont
Oakland, year round, 9am–1pm, Montclair Village, Moraga & La Salle,
Oakland, 8am–3:30pm, Avenida de la Fuente
Oakland, 10am-2pm, 18th St and Peralta St
Palo Alto, year round 9am-1pm, California Avenue at El Camino
San Carlos, year round, 9am-1pm, Laurel Street & Cherry Street
San Francisco, year round, 7am-4pm, Fulton Plaza (Larkin and Fulton), San Francisco
San Francisco, year round, 9am-2pm, 244 Clement St. Inner Richmond
San Francisco, year round 9am-2pm, Outer Sunset, 37th Avenue at Ortega to Quintara
San Francisco, year round, 9:30am-1:30pm, Fort Mason Center
San Francisco, year round, 9am-2pm, 1377 Fell St.
San Francisco, year round, 7am-4pm, UN Plaza
San Francisco, year round, 9am - 1pm, 1315 8th Ave.
San Francisco, 9am-1pm, Stonestown, 501 Buckingham Way
San Jose, year round, 8am-12pm, 23 N White Rd.
San Jose, year round, 9am-1pm, 4055 Evergreen Village Sq.
San Jose, year round, 9am-1pm, 1375 Blossom Hill Road
San Jose, May 5th – October 27th, 8am-12pm, 357 E. Taylor Street
San Jose, year round, 9am-1pm, Thornwood Drive & Winfield Blvd.
San Rafael, year round, 8am-1pm, Marin Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Dr.
Walnut Creek, year round, 9am-1pm, Locust Street between Cole and Lacassie St

MONDAY

Forest Knolls, year round, 10am-7pm, 6700 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
Pleasant Hill, year round, 4-7pm, June-August, Berean Church, 5299 E University Ave.

TUESDAY

Alameda, year round, 9am-1pm, 710 Haight Ave
Berkeley, 2pm – 6:30pm, Adeline Street and 63rd Street
Concord, year round, 10am - 2pm, 2175 Willow Pass Rd.
Dublin, 10am - 2pm, April 15th - November 25th, 3100 Dublin Blvd
El Cerrito, 9am - 1pm, 3060 El Cerrito Plaza
Healdsburg, 9am-12:30pm, May 13 - September 30, Downtown Plaza
Mill Valley, June-Nov, 10am-2:30pm, Strawberry Village, 800 Redwood Blvd
Napa, returns April 1 - December, 8am-12pm, 1100 West Street
Novato, May 6th - October 28th, 4 - 8pm, Sherman between Grant Ave. + De Long Ave
Novato, June 4th - November 26th, 10am-2pm, 6 Hamilton Landing
Oakland, 11am–7pm, Fruitvale Village, Avenida de la Fuente
Petaluma East Side, year round, 9:30am-1:30pm, 320 N McDowell Blvd.
San Francisco, year round, 10am-2pm, Ferry Building, Embarcadero and Market Streets
San Jose, year round, 10am-2pm, 250 International Circle
San Mateo, May 6th - Oct. 21st, 3-7pm, 194 W 25th Ave
San Ramon, Opening May 7th, 2024, 10 am to 2 pm, City Center Bishop Ranch
Sonoma, May – August (5-8pm), September (4:30-7:30pm), Sonoma Plaza
Stanford, year round, 10am-2pm, 459 Lagunita Drive

WEDNESDAY

Corte Madera, year round, 12-5pm, Corte Madera Town Center, Hwy 101 & Tamalpais
Cotati, June - September, 4:30 - 7:30pm, La Plaza Park
Fairfax, May - October, 4 - 8pm, Bolinas Park
Forest Knolls, June-Oct, 12pm-7:30pm, 6700 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
Palo Alto, May 7th - November 5th, 9:30am-1:30pm, 3801 Miranda Ave
Petaluma, June-Aug, 4:30pm-8pm, Petaluma Theatre District
San Francisco, year round, 7am-4pm, Fulton Plaza (Larkin and Fulton), San Francisco
San Francisco, April 2-Nov. 19, 3-7pm, 270 Noe Street and Market
San Francisco, year round, 7am-4pm, UN Plaza
San Geronimo, June-Oct, 1pm-7:30pm, 6700 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
San Jose, year round, 9am-1pm, 4055 Evergreen Village Sq.
San Jose, year round, 9am-1pm, 1375 Blossom Hill Road
San Jose, year round, 9am-1pm, 751 South Bascom Ave.
San Jose, May 15 – September, 4-8pm, Santana Row
San Leandro, 3pm-7pm, April 2nd - October 8th, 300 Estudillo Ave
Santa Rosa, year round, 9am - 1pm, 1501 Farmers Lane
Santa Rosa, year round, 8:30am-1pm, Luther Burbank Center
Saratoga, February 5 - December, 2-6pm, 12770 Saratoga Avenue

THURSDAY

Antioch, March 27th - November 20th, 9:30am-1:30pm, 4501 Sand Creek Rd.
Benicia, 4-8pm (April-August) and 4-7pm (September-October), First Street between B and D Streets
Berkeley, 3pm – 7pm, Shattuck Avenue @ Vine Street
Brisbane, year round, 2pm-6pm, 11 Old Country Rd.
Concord, year round, 4pm - 8pm, 2175 Willow Pass Rd.
Cotati, June 5 - September 25, 4:30 - 7:30pm, La Plaza Park
Daly City, year round, 9am-1pm, 133 Serramonte Center
Dublin, 4-8pm, April 3rd - September 25th, 3100 Dublin Blvd
Fairfield, 3pm - 7pm May 2nd and runs until September 26th, 2024, County Green
Forest Knolls, year round, 10am-7pm, 6700 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
Guerneville, 3-7pm, June - August, 4th and Church St
Livermore, April to October, 4pm - 8pm, Carnegie Park, 2155 3rd St.
Los Altos, May 1st - Oct. 9th, 4-8pm, 200 State St.
Los Gatos, year round, 9am-1pm, Town Park Plaza
Oakland, 11am–7pm, Fruitvale Village, Avenida de la Fuente
Petaluma, May-Sept, 4-8pm, Walnut Park
Ross Valley, May-Oct, 3pm-7pm, US Post Office parking lot, Lagunitas and Ross Commons
San Francisco, year round, 10am-2pm, Ferry Building, Embarcadero and Market Streets
San Francisco, 3-7pm, March - November, Mission Community Market, Bartlett and 22nd Streets
San Rafael, year round, 8am-1pm, Marin Civic Center, 10 Ave of the Flags
San Rafael, May - August, 5:30pm-8:30pm, 4th Street between A and Lootens Street

FRIDAY

Cupertino, year round, 8am–12pm, 10455 Miller Ave
Forest Knolls, year round, 10am-7pm, 6700 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
Gilroy, year round, 10am–2pm, 9400 No Name Uno Rd
Los Gatos, May - Oct, 3-7pm, 23845 Summit Rd
Mill Valley, year round, 9:30am-2:30pm, CVS Pharmacy parking lot, 759 E Blithedale
Oakland, year round, 8am–2pm, 9th Street at Broadway
Richmond, 8am–5pm, 24th & Barrett Ave
Rohnert Park, June 6 - August 29 (closed July 4), 5 - 8pm, 500 City Center Drive
San Jose, May 16 – Dec 19, 10am-2pm, South First St. btwn Salvador and William
Santa Clara, year round, 8:30am-1:30pm, 710 Lawrence Expy.
Sonoma, year round, 9am–12:30pm, 284 First St. West
Stanford, year round, 10am-2pm, 459 Lagunita Drive