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Things to do this weekend with kids in San Jose

What's actually on in the next few days, with times and ages.

San Jose has the biggest spread of indoor kid space in the Bay Area, which makes it the reliable choice on a hot or wet weekend.

What's on for kids in San Jose

Within a short drive of San Jose

  • Santa Clara City Library Comic Con

    Sat, Oct 10 · 10:00 AM · Santa Clara City Library - Central Park · santa clara · 4 mi away · Ages 0–12

  • St. Mary's Country Fair

    Thu, Oct 8 · 5:00 PM · St. Mary's · los gatos · 8 mi away · Ages 5+

    Join for carnival rides, food, games, and live music! The event promotes community spirit and has something for everyone, including a Kid Zone with arts and games.

  • St. Mary’s Country Fair

    Thu, Oct 8 · 5:00 PM · St. Mary's Church · los gatos · 8 mi away · Ages 5–15

    Join us for St. Mary’s Country Fair featuring carnival rides, food, games, and live entertainment. The event includes a variety of attractions such as the Kid Zone, face painting, mini golf, and fun rides.

Activity ideas that work any day in San Jose

  • Build a Marble Run Wall

    Build a Marble Run Wall

    Design and build an amazing marble run right on your wall. This activity lets you experiment with angles, gravity, and problem-solving to create a long, winding path for marbles. Kids this age enjoy the challenge of engineering something that works, making adjustments, and seeing their ideas come to life as the marble successfully races from top to bottom. It's a satisfying blend of creativity and logical thinking. Start by gathering materials like cardboard tubes, plastic cups, and cardboard pieces. Use painter's tape to attach your ramps and tunnels to a wall or door, beginning at the top. Test each section as you go, adjusting angles and placement until your marble flows smoothly. To stretch the activity, try using different sizes of marbles or adding obstacles like spinning platforms or "trap doors" that the marble has to navigate.

    9-12 · Indoor · 75 min

    Open
  • Giant Cardboard Coloring Mural

    Giant Cardboard Coloring Mural

    Unleash your inner artist on a massive scale! We'll unfold a giant cardboard box and work together to cover it in a huge, colorful drawing.

    4,5,6,7,8 · Indoor/Outdoor · 75 min · About $0–$15

    Open
  • Learn to Knit or Finger-Knit

    Learn to Knit or Finger-Knit

    Discover the calming rhythm of knitting as you create a soft scarf or a stylish headband. This activity helps build patience and fine motor skills, offering a tangible reward for your effort. It's satisfying for kids to see a simple string transform into something useful and beautiful, showcasing their ability to master a new craft. Start by choosing between traditional needle knitting or the faster finger-knitting method. You'll learn the basic stitches, practicing until you feel comfortable. For a fun challenge, try using two different colors of yarn to create stripes, or experiment with chunky yarn for a quicker project.

    9-13 · Indoor · 60 min

    Open
  • Make a Short Documentary

    Make a Short Documentary

    In this activity, you'll create a short documentary film by interviewing a grandparent about their childhood. It's a satisfying project because you get to learn fascinating stories from someone special and then use your creativity to bring those stories to life on screen. You'll develop interviewing and storytelling skills, and make a cherished family memory. Start by preparing questions for your grandparent about their early life. Next, record your interview, paying attention to clear audio and good lighting. Then, you'll use a simple video editing tool to choose the best moments from the interview, adding pictures or old family photos if you have them. To stretch this activity, consider adding a voice-over narration or a simple title sequence.

    10-13 · Indoor · 120 min

    Open

Questions parents ask about San Jose

What can you do with a toddler in San Jose on a rainy day?
San Jose is the easiest Bay Area city for this: large indoor children's venues plus a library system with storytimes across most branches every week. The indoor list for San Jose shows what's scheduled.
Are these activities free?
Library and city park programs are free; the larger indoor venues are ticketed per person, and weekend slots sell out first. Anything ticketed links out to the organizer so you can check the price before you go.
How often is this page updated?
Event listings refresh automatically from local sources, so past dates drop off on their own.
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