San Francisco Bay Area family weekend planner
Things to do with kids in Santa Cruz
Family-friendly things to do in Santa Cruz in 2026: 190 kid-friendly events plus 18 parks, museums and venues. Next up: Thursday, October 8, 2026. Plan a weekend with FamHop.
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- Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park
- The Diversity Center
- Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
- Seymour Marine Discovery Center
- Santa Cruz Surfing Museum
- Santa Cruz Cinema
- Curves
- Santa Cruz Athletic Club
- Te Hau Nui School of Hula and Tahitian Dance
- Pacific Edge
- Patagonia Outlet
- Bookshop Santa Cruz
- Down Works
- REI
- Santa Cruz Gear Exchange
- Santa Cruz Running Company
- Streetlight Records
- Sylvan Music
- Storytime and Stay & Play @ Downtown
- Wings Birth Certificate & Notary Services
- Preschool Story Time @ Live Oak
- Housing Matters Drop in Hours & Miracle Messages
- Afternoon STEAM: Minecraft @ Branciforte
- Pokemon @ LOLA
- R.E.A.D.: Reach Every Amazing Detail @ Downtown
- R.E.A.D.: Read Every Amazing Detail @ Live Oak Library Annex
- Encompass Outreach Worker Office Hours
- Reading Circle
- Make & Explore @ Live Oak
- Dyslexia Awareness Storytime & Activity
- Seacliff Street Fair
- Chess Club with Gjon
- Spooky Sugar Cookie Decorating Workshop
- Infant/Toddler Storytime at Capitola
- Storytime and Stay & Play at Downtown
- Encompass Outreach Worker Office Hours
- Tales to Tails at Garfield Park
- Baby Time and Stay & Play
- Making Music with MusicalMe!
- Toddler Time @ Live Oak
- Pop Up Library at Felton Farmer's Market
- R.E.A.D.: Reach Every Amazing Detail @ Live oak
Family-friendly spots in Santa Cruz
OutdoorsSanta Cruz Mission State Historic ParkCultureThe Diversity Center
CultureSanta Cruz Museum of Natural HistoryCultureSeymour Marine Discovery Center
CultureSanta Cruz Surfing Museum
CultureSanta Cruz CinemaWellnessCurves
WellnessSanta Cruz Athletic Club
WellnessTe Hau Nui School of Hula and Tahitian Dance
WellnessPacific Edge
ShoppingPatagonia Outlet
ShoppingBookshop Santa Cruz
ShoppingDown Works
ShoppingREI
ShoppingSanta Cruz Gear Exchange
Place photos via Wikimedia Commons, Unsplash, and venue sources.
Upcoming family events in Santa Cruz
ThuOct 8
- 10:30 AMStorytime and Stay & Play @ DowntownFor ages 0-5 Join us for Storytime featuring songs, rhymes, and stories designed to help preschoolers, toddlers and babies develop early literacy skills.
- 10:30 AMWings Birth Certificate & Notary ServicesWings provides free birth certificates and notary services for people experiencing homelessness.Free
- 11 AMPreschool Story Time @ Live OakSongs and Stories Come join Librarian Julie for stories, songs. egg shakers and a craft for preschoolers and their caregivers.Free
- 1 PMHousing Matters Drop in Hours & Miracle MessagesHousing resources and other services for those experiencing homelessness.
- 3 PMAfternoon STEAM: Minecraft @ BranciforteLearn how to craft, build, and survive in the world of Minecraft.edu.
- 3 PMPokemon @ LOLAPokemon Game Bring your decks and get ready to play This is an informal drop in session for children who want to play Pokemon.
- 3 PMR.E.A.D.: Reach Every Amazing Detail @ DowntownReading Instruction R.E.A.D. is one-on-one reading comprehension instruction for grades 1-12.
- 3 PMR.E.A.D.: Read Every Amazing Detail @ Live Oak Library AnnexReading Help R.E.A.D. is one-on-one reading and comprehension instruction for readers 1st through 12th grade.
FriOct 9
- 1 PMEncompass Outreach Worker Office HoursConnecting people to social services, county mental health and more.Free
- 2 PMReading Circlewith the Monterey Bay Aquarium Join Aquarium staff for some bilingual, ocean-learning fun through stories, songs, and movement.Free
- 3 PMMake & Explore @ Live OakS.T.E.A.M Projects. Explore Your World Every week we will have a new project idea for you to build or explore. When it's warm, look for us…
SatOct 10
- 10:30 AMDyslexia Awareness Storytime & ActivityCelebrate different ways of learning and experiencing the world with a special storytime focused on dyslexia awareness.
- 11:30 AMSeacliff Street FairVisit the Santa Cruz Public Libraries booth in the kids' corner at the Seacliff Street Fair!Free
- 2 PMChess Club with GjonDowntown Library Youth Chess Club. Open to players ages 6 to 18. Instructor is Chess Master Gjon Feinstein. Professional chess instruction…
- 2 PMSpooky Sugar Cookie Decorating WorkshopTeens Only Get ready for a frightfully fun afternoon of creativity and sweet treats at the Branciforte Branch!
MonOct 12
- 10:30 AMInfant/Toddler Storytime at CapitolaStorytime Stay and Play Come for the songs, stay for the play!
- 10:30 AMStorytime and Stay & Play at DowntownJoin us for Storytime for ages 0-5 featuring songs, rhymes, lap bounces, and stories.
- 1 PMEncompass Outreach Worker Office HoursConnecting people to social services, county mental health and more.Free
- 3:30 PMTales to Tails at Garfield ParkPractice reading to a certified therapy dog!
TueOct 13
- 10:30 AMBaby Time and Stay & PlayBaby Story Time is a sweet introduction to stories, songs, rhymes, and lap play, thoughtfully designed to nurture early literacy and bonding.
- 11 AMMaking Music with MusicalMe!Bilingual We will sing, move, and play musical instruments together in Spanish and English.Free
- 11 AMToddler Time @ Live OakPuppets, Songs and toys, Oh My! Come join Librarian Julia for stories, songs lots of fun for little ones and their caregivers. Playtime is…Free
- 1:30 PMPop Up Library at Felton Farmer's MarketThe Felton Farmers' Market reopens on May 5 from 1:30PM - 5:30PM every Tuesday.Free
- 3 PMR.E.A.D.: Reach Every Amazing Detail @ Live oakBilingual Instruction/Enseñanza de la lectura bilingüe R.E.A.D. is one-on-one reading comprehension instruction for grades 1-12.