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This page sponsored by:
Segway of San Francisco and Florey's Book Co.
Send them on a scavenger hunt. Give your child a
list of items to find in nature, such as a rock, dandelion, leaf or
something a bird would eat. Have the kids draw pictures of what they
find and finish the hunt by tallying up how many things they ticked
off the list.
Chalk it up to fun. An inexpensive box of
colored chalk can keep the kids busy for hours. Have younger kids
draw pictures on the sidewalk or driveway. For the older children,
try a game of Tic Tac Toe or hopscotch: draw a hopscotch pattern
with eight squares. Players toss a marker (try a stone or button)
into a square and then hop over it on one foot.
Bet on bug races. See how many critters the kids
can spot—without actually picking them up--in the backyard for a
short time period, such as five minutes, says Penny Warner, author
of Kids Outdoor Parties (Meadowbrook Press). “Add up how many bugs
they see and give them a sketch pad to sketch as many as they can.
Then have them share their artwork.”
Knock ’em over with backyard bowling. Find
household items that will tumble over easily, such as empty cereal
boxes, empty soda cans and small stuffed toys and align them in a
row like bowling pins, suggests Warner. Then, using a smaller ball
for older kids and a bigger ball for the young ones, have the
children roll the ball. They score a point for each object they
knock down.
Play Kick the Can. A variation on Hide and Seek,
this game works best with at least three kids. One person is
designated “it” and will guard the “can” (an empty coffee can or
ball) which is set in an open space. While the other players hide,
the “it” counts to 20 (or higher) and then tries to find and tag the
other players. If captured, players must go to “jail”. Any player
who hasn’t been caught can run in and kick the can, setting all of
the captured players free. If the “it” finds everyone, he wins the
game.
Create an outdoor canvas. Hang an old sheet on a
clothesline or tape paper to a fence for your budding artist to
paint on. Encourage them to try painting with different kinds of
brushes, says Warner. “Try dipping grass into paint and swishing it
on paper, then try painting with a leaf or a twig. The kids can also
try painting rocks and creating little people or bugs with them.”
Host a mini-Olympics. Get the kids competing in
running and wheelbarrow races, obstacle courses, water balloon
tosses and jumping competitions, suggests Hall. Finish off the fun
with a mini-Olympic awards ceremony to honour all of the athletes.
Buy medals at the local dollar store or make your own with
construction paper, coloured pencils and string.
Location
540 Crespi Drive in Pacifica (located behind the Pacifica
Community Center)
Hours
Monday through Saturday from 9:00am to sunset and Sunday
10:30am to sunset (park will be closed in the event of unsafe
conditions, special events and vandalism). Entering the park prior
to opening or after closing is considered trespassing.
Rules
No entry when gates are locked or prior to opening or after
closing. Helmet, knee pads and elbow pads are required at all
times. Failure to wear those items is a violation of Pacifica
Municipal Code 4-10.117B and subject to citation as an infraction.
For a complete list of rules
click here.
Pacifica is home to one of the best fishing piers in the state.
Because of the number and quality of the fish caught off Pacifica's
shores, the pier has earned a number one ranking among anglers in
the Bay Area. Although fishing can be good year round, many consider
the summer months to be the best when salmon and striped bass can be
caught. No admission is charged and no fishing license is required
at the Pacifica Municipal Pier.
Hours
Basic hours of operation are from sunrise to sunset.
Climate
The pier is 1,140 feet long and fronts directly on Sharp
Park Beach, an area that can see strong winds and punishing waves
which can cause closure of the pier will little or no notice.
Facilities
The pier has lights, fish cleaning stations, benches,
restrooms and a coffee house/snack bar directly in front of the
entrance. Free parking is located on adjacent streets and in a
nearby lot. Handicapped parking is also available, with
pier accessibility via a ramp leading to the south side of the pier.
Directions
Travel Highway 1 to Pacifica, take the Paloma
Avenue/Francisco Boulevard exit, take Paloma west to Beach
Boulevard, turn left and travel south to the pier.
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