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We’ve hand-picked these events to spark curiosity and help your child discover their next passion. From robotics and coding to theater and chess, seeing an activity live is the best way to “test drive” a new hobby. Some events—especially technical competitions or STEM challenges—have spectator rules, so be sure to check the official sites for details.

Jump to Year-Round STEM Learning Events or skip ahead to the April Curious Kids Calendar.

March Kids Events in the Bay Area

Mar 6–8, 2026 — Half Moon Bay

🤖 FIRST Robotics Competition: Half Moon Bay District Event
Age 10–18 | Good for observation

High-energy “varsity sport for the mind.” Watch large robots designed and programmed by teens compete in strategy-driven matches.

Mar 7, 2026 — Santa Rosa

🔬 North Bay Science Discovery Day
Age 6–18 | Interactive & observation

Large free STEM festival with robotics demos, science organizations, and hands-on experiments — an easy entry point for younger kids curious about science.

Mar 7–8, 2026 — Pittsburg

🔬 Contra Costa Science & Engineering Fair
Age 10–18 | Good for observation

Student-led research projects covering biology, engineering, and environmental science. A great way for kids to see how real scientific investigation works.

Mar 7–8, 2026 — Bay Area (regional host site)

🤖 FIRST LEGO League Challenge Championship
Age 9–14 | Good for observation

Top regional robotics teams present innovation projects and robot missions built with LEGO robotics.

Mar 7–8, 2026 — Bay Area

🤖 VEX V5 Middle School Regional Championship
Age 10–14 | Good for observation

High-precision competitive robotics where teams program robots to score points in strategic matches.

Mar 9–10, 2026 — San Jose Convention Center

🔬 Synopsys Championship (Santa Clara County Science Fair)
Age 11–18 | Good for observation

One of the most prestigious student science fairs in the U.S., featuring advanced research projects from Silicon Valley students.

Mar 13–15, 2026 — San Francisco

🤖 FIRST Robotics Competition: San Francisco District Event
Age 10–18 | Good for observation

High-energy robotics matches where student-built robots compete in alliance-based engineering challenges.

Mar 14, 2026 — Bay Area

🧠 Bay Area Regional Science Olympiad
Age 9–18 | Good for observation

Events like bridge-building, flight testing, and experimental design showcase hands-on science and engineering skills.

Mar 14, 2026 — Bay Area

🧠 DOE Regional Middle School Science Bowl
Age 11–14 | Good for observation

Fast-paced team buzzer competition covering physics, chemistry, math, and earth science.

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Mar 14, 2026 — San Francisco

🔬 Pi Day Celebration at the Exploratorium
Age 6–18 | Interactive

Hands-on math puzzles, geometry activities, and maker-style exploration celebrating π.

Mar 15, 2026 — Milpitas

🔬 Bay Area Champs: Science (Grades 1–6)
Age 6–12 | Interactive & observation

Science competition designed specifically for elementary students to build confidence in STEM.

Mar 15, 2026 — Bay Area

🔬 Golden Gate STEM Fair
Age 10–18 | Good for observation

Community-driven science fair showcasing a wide range of student innovation projects.

Mar 18, 2026 — Stanford University, Palo Alto

🔬 Meet the Makers at Stanford
Age 7+ | Interactive & observation

Graduate researchers demonstrate prototypes and lab work, giving kids a rare look inside real engineering labs.

Mar 22, 2026 — Dublin

💼 Stratford Dublin Children’s Business Fair
Age 6–13 | Interactive

Kids launch small businesses and sell products to the public — a real introduction to entrepreneurship.

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Mar 28, 2026 — Suisun City

💼 Suisun City Children’s Business Fair
Age 6–13 | Interactive

Small-scale kid-run marketplace where young entrepreneurs sell their own products.

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Ongoing Kids Learning Events in the Bay Area

Exploratorium Tinkering Studio Workshops

Randall Museum Science Saturdays

Mission Science Workshop Maker Lab

Penguins & Pajamas Sleepover - California Academy of Sciences

Chatbot Observatory Telescope Viewing Nights

ZooKids Program - Oakland Zo

Lego Monthly Mini Buildes

Apple StoreKids Create an Interactive Story & Draw Your Yo Gabba

Read full list hidden Year-Round STEM Events in Bay Area here

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April Events in the Bay Area

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Apr 4, 2026

🧠 Expanding Your Horizons Conference at UC Berkeley
— University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley
Middle / High (11–18) · Interactive & Observation
Why it’s good for kids: Hands-on STEM workshops led by scientists and engineers. Especially powerful for girls to see real female role models in technical fields and imagine themselves as future creators.
Link: https://bayareateenscience.org

Apr 4, 2026

🛍️ Acton Academy Silicon Valley Children’s Business Fair
— San Jose / Sunnyvale (TBD)
Elementary / Middle (6–14) · Interactive
Why it’s good for kids: One of the largest kid-run marketplaces in the region. Children handle pricing, branding, pitching, and real sales — strong exposure to entrepreneurial confidence.
Link: https://www.childrensbusinessfair.org

Apr 11, 2026

🎨 Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority — Coyote Valley Family Harvest & Maker Day
— Morgan Hill / South San Jose
Elementary / Middle (5–13) · Interactive
Why it’s good for kids: Blends sustainability, agriculture, and hands-on making. Encourages kids to understand production and resource cycles before digital entrepreneurship.
Link: https://www.openspaceauthority.org

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Apr 11–12, 2026

🔬 California Science & Engineering Fair
— California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks
Middle / High (12–18) · Observation
Why it’s good for kids: Showcases California’s top student research projects. Not Bay Area, but valuable for families serious about high-level science exposure.
Link: https://csef.usc.edu

Apr 17–19, 2026

🤖 FIRST Robotics Competition: Silicon Valley Regional
— Event Center at San Jose State University, San Jose
Middle / High (10–18) · Observation
Why it’s good for kids: One of Northern California’s most competitive robotics events. Feels like a professional tech expo — excellent for aspiring engineers.
Link: https://cafirst.org

Apr 24–27, 2026

🔬 City Nature Challenge
— Various Bay Area parks, trails & neighborhoods
Elementary / Middle (6–13) · Interactive
Why it’s good for kids: Kids document biodiversity using citizen-science apps. Encourages observation skills and participation in real-world scientific data collection.
Link: https://www.calacademy.org

Apr 25, 2026

🚀 NASA Ames Research Center — Space Settlement Contest Viewing
— Mountain View
Middle / High (11–18) · Observation
Why it’s good for kids: Features visionary student-designed space colony concepts. Encourages large-scale systems thinking and bold engineering imagination.
Note: Check public access/open house availability.
Link: https://settlement.arc.nasa.gov

Apr 26, 2026

♟️ BayAreaChess — Kids Spring Championship
— Santa Clara
Elementary / Middle (6–15) · Interactive & Observation
Why it’s good for kids: Strategic endurance and deep focus on display. Watching final rounds demonstrates the intensity of high-level thinking under pressure.
Link: https://bayareachess.com

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The author who create AI learning for kids articles

Mei Ling

Hi, I'm Mei Ling, and I'm 10. I got into AI because I wanted to make something that could help me with school — and now I can’t stop coming up with ideas! I love dance, the guzheng, and snacks after Chinese class. I go to P.S. 20 in Flushing, NY.

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