📆 The Shortlist. Issue 23 - August 11-16, 2026
Welcome to The Shortlist! It’s your weekly snapshot of what to do with your kiddo in SF this week, plus a few highlights for the upcoming weekend. Short and sweet, every week.
All summer, keep an eye out for 🪣, it means that pick counts toward our Ultimate SF Summer Bucket List. How many can you check off?
🎒Field Trip Social Club🎒
We're starting a social club for kiddos and families, and you're invited.
It's called the Field Trip Social Club and it's exactly what it sounds like. We pick the spot, plan the outing, and you just show up to be social. Family field trips to the places actually worth going, parent nights when you need to remember you're a whole person, and a crew of SF families who do the thing instead of just saving the post. Let’s build community IRL!
So, let’s go on a field trip! Our first one will be a Friday trip to the San Francisco Zoo to see the animals and listen to live music at Sunset Fridays on Friday, August 28th 🌅. Consider this your official welcome to the club. More details in the permission slip.
📌 On the agenda 📌
Things that we are pinning to do with our kiddos this week.
All Week
$1 weekday family movies at Stonestown Galleria. (last week)
Wednesday 8/12
2:00-4:00 - Make Nature Stencil Art at a free art workshop. (Yerba Buena)
4:00-7:00 - Listen to free live music in Golden Gate Park.
5:00-6:30 - Connect with other parents at a Toddler Parents Connection Circle. (Mission)
5:00-8:00 - Go to a Drum Circle at Ocean Beach.
5:30-7:00 - Go to a free community craft night. (Mission)
7:00 - Watch the Valkyries face off the Chicago Sky at Chase Center.
Thursday 8/13
9:30-11:30 - Visit the SummerMobile at Glen Canyon Park.
10:00-10:45 - Toddlers unite for outdoor musical fun with JAMaROO Kids at Toddler Thursday. (Salesforce Park)
10:00-12:00 - Let your kiddo dig, water, explore and play in the dirt at Bean Sprouts Family Days. (Golden Gate Park)
10:30 - Go to a Baby & Me Pilates class. (Outer Sunset)
11:00-12:00 - Learn how to use a scanning electron microscope. (Pier 15)
11:00-12:15 - Moms, take a moment to breathe at a Postpartum Yoga class. (Mission)
11:30 - Go to Music & Movement with Jamaroo and have a playdate at Peek-a-Boo Factory.
11:30-1:30 - Listen to live music in Union Square.
12:00-1:00 - Practice your chess skills at Chess on the Plaza. (Downtown)
12:00-3:00 - Listen to live music in Civic Center.
1:00-2:00 - Bond with newborn parents (0-6 months) at a new parent circle. (Mission)
3:00 - Have a movie day with your kiddo and watch Luca at the Walt Disney Family Museum. (Presidio)
3:30-4:30 - Bond with parents of growing babies (6 months-2 years) at a new parent circle. (Mission)
4:00 - Grab a snack and go on a walk with the Mom Walk Collective.
4:00-6:00 - Let your bigger kiddo practice open range archery. (Mission)
4:30-6:30 - Paint from nature at Crafternoons in Union Square.
5:00-7:00 - Listen to free live music at the Ferry Building.
5:00-10:00 - Have a community dance party at Valencia Live!2026.
5:30-7:00 - Build community at a Fatherhood Group. (Inner Sunset)
6:00-8:00 - Let your bigger kiddo practice open range archery. (Mission)
Friday 8/14
10:00-1:00 - Enjoy a morning of music with your little kiddo at Little Bears Music Class for Babies, Toddlers and Preschoolers. (Chase Center)
10:30-11:00 - Go to a music Pop-Up in Golden Gate Park with JAMaROO Kids.
11:00-11:30 - Enjoy Caterpillar Puppets (Kids’ Show) at Yerba Buena Gardens.🪣
11:30-1:30 - Learn to play chess in Union Square.
12:00-12:30 -Enjoy Caterpillar Puppets (Kids’ Show) at Yerba Buena Gardens.🪣
3:00 - Have a movie day with your kiddo and watch Luca at the Walt Disney Family Museum. (Presidio)
3:30-5:00 - Let your child’s creativity and imagination run wild at a Free Day of Play. (Mission)
4:00 - See a cool car show and listen to live music at Hot August Nights in the Fillmore. 🪣
5:00-6:30 - Have a roller disco night with the kiddos. (Hayes Valley)
5:00-7:00 - Go to Sunset Fridays, an outdoor concert at the San Francisco Zoo.
5:00-9:00 - Celebrate culture and community at Chinatown Night Market. 🪣
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow-N-Fire is rolling into town this weekend and we can't wait to see trucks flip, crash, and light up the arena. Do you already have your tickets? If not, use our exclusive code for a discount and we'll see you there!
📆 Plan Ahead 📆
Things that we’re looking forward to this weekend. More to come in our weekend guide!
All Weekend
Saturday 8/15
Grab good food and drinks at the San Francisco Pizza, Bagel & Beer Festival.
Volunteer with your kiddo at Intergenerational Service: Excelsior Community Food Pantry.
Celebrate community at Glen Park Night Market. 🪣
Celebrate community at the Heart of the Richmond District Night Market. 🪣
Get your bike repaired, learn how to skateboard and explore safe routes to school at Wiggle Wheels.
Sunday 8/16
Enjoy dance at the Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival.
Enjoy live music and community at the Bliss Festival.
Go to a summer family jam with Word for WordPLAY.
Go to a dads with strollers meetup.
👀 On Our Feed 👀
Posts, threads, and content that made us stop scrolling.
See you on Friday!
P.S. Want to partner with us? Have an event we should highlight? We work with brands that parents actually want in their lives (you know, the ones that don't make us choose between "kid-friendly" and "still cool"). Email us at [email protected] if that sounds like you.
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