The Best of the Bay
For the Toddler Set
Reviewed by Dixie
Jordan
Copyright 2002 by Parents' Press
Play Around the Bay: A Guide to
Bay Area Outings with Young Children, edited by Robin
Bennett (3rd edition, tcb café publishing, San Francisco,
2003, $15.95 paperback).
Pack up your diaper bag and head out to enjoy the day with
this handy 192-page guide, a group project of the San Francisco
Mothers of Twins Club (SFMOTC), updated and reissued for today's
parents of under-5's.
Club members provided the moms'-eye views of nearly 200 family-friendly
destinations, including such useful details as the presence of
absence of bathrooms, whether access is available for single
and double strollers, whether children's play areas are fenced
and/or gated, and age recommendations (often broken down into
infants, crawlers, early walkers, toddlers and preschoolers).
While the book hits almost all the expected high points (Tilden
Park's Little Farm, the Exploratorium, virtually all of the region's
zoos, miniature trains, and children's museums), what really
sets it apart are the neighborhood park and playground listings.
Ready to venture beyond your local favorite? You'll find dozens
of carefully described sandboxes, slides and climbing structures
to choose from. There's no attempt to be all-inclusive - these
are the best of the Bay Area's playgrounds, each recommended
by real parents with real kids.
Since contributors were mainly SFMOTC members, it's not surprising
that San Francisco itself gets the most attention. Marin County,
central Contra Costa County, and the Peninsula seem well represented;
coverage of other urban areas, southern Alameda County, and the
South Bay is a bit skimpy when it comes to the playground scene.
Nonetheless, this is an extremely useful book, providing much
information that's not available anywhere else.
It's fresh off the printing press in mid-October. Ask your
local bookstore to order Play Around the
Bay if it's not in stock, or contact the publisher at
www.cafeandre.com or
(415) 263-6800.
By the way, there's a book signing of Play
Around the Bay on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2002, at 7:30 p.m.
at Books Inc., 2251 Chestnut St., San Francisco. Call the store
at (415) 931-3633 for more information on the signing event.
-Dixie M. Jordan
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