Habitot Children's Museum in Berkeley, CA 94707

The winner of our 2008 Parents' Picks quest to find the best Museum for Little Kids in the Bay Area, Habitot is a hands-on learning center in Berkeley that features a toddler garden, where kids can pull wooden carrots out of holes, a padded tunnel that's a blast to crawl through, and a miniature cafe and grocery store, among other delights.

The museum also hosts many special exhibits throughout the year, including a Fire Station display that invited kids to step into the role of a fire fighter, and explore it in the way they know best - by touching, climbing, moving things around, and jumping on it.

Classes: Offers a rich selection of classes for children and parents. Among the kids programs: art, ceramics & clay, drama, science, music, dance & movement, carpentry, and cooking, and infant massage. Classes for parents include CPR Training, Toilet Training, Raising Children in Multiracial Families, and Handling Parent Anger. Free drop-in parent or caregiver support groups meet weekly.

Three different birthday party options are offered: museum rental (up to 40 children, fee is $395 for two and a half hours); birthday room rental (up to 8 children, $16.50 per child with a $99 minimum for one and a half hours); or a private party (up to 30 children, fee is $325 for two hours).

Habitot also hosts week-long seasonal camps in the winter and spring. Every week includes: storytelling, art, music, dance, free play with toys, and dramatic play with costumes and props. Nutritious snacks are also served daily.