Habitot aims to create a sense of welcome for all people regardless of race/ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic status, citizenship, or religion. Habitot is meant to be a “learning laboratory” for adults and children from all walks of life.
A core part of Habitot’s mission as a non-profit organization is to help parents and caregivers raise creative, curious, and confident children. A goal this large, one that attempts to reach further with each new step, comes from listening to our community, incorporating their ideas, and forming lasting partnerships. Partnerships also help extend our reach into communities with the greatest need.
We build partnerships with staff at local community agencies to work on programs together that help families find their way to Habitot. We’re excited to begin fully reactivating our family engagement and Open House events for teen parents, children with disabilities and their families, families living in shelters or transitional housing, formerly incarcerated parents and their children, and families in the child welfare system including foster, adoptive, and kinship care families.
We’re so grateful to these agencies and to the generous donors, foundations, and funders that make so many of our programs possible. It takes all of us! Please inquire about having your agency partner with Habitot by contacting familyprograms@habitot.org
• Birthday Parties for Children Living in Family Shelters
We’re pleased to announce that Habitot is the recipient of a 2024 $5,000 grant from the Lowell Berry Foundation to reactivate our birthday parties for children living in the family shelters program. Habitot will partner with ten family shelters located in Alameda and Contra Costa counties where we’ve forged past relationships. These birthday parties will take place at our museum space at 5689 Bay Street in Emeryville, and the project will serve an estimated 120 adults and children.
To refer a family to receive one of these free birthday parties, please complete this application form HERE
• Mobile Museum Reaches the East Bay Region
Between 2021 and 2024, Habitot has presented 41 Mobile Museum events in parks and at libraries, community centers, and other venues for families and children in ten cities across Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Tickets are offered on a sliding scale from $1-40 per family so that all can participate; no one is turned away for lack of ability to pay. Locations are selected for access to public transportation, and proximity to Title 1 schools and/or low income neighborhoods.
For 2024-25, the Berkeley Civic Arts Commission is funding four Mobile Museum outdoor pop-up events in San Pablo Park, Berkeley. In addition to hands-on exhibit play, Mobile Museum events give young children and their families experiences of authentic art-making (well documented to support brain development in the early years), hand eye coordination, creativity, confidence, and other skills necessary for kindergarten readiness. Events are also able to show parents how to recognize their child’s growth through art and receive information about how to facilitate their children’s creativity.
• Meeting the Needs of Children with Disabilities
At our Mobile Museum events, timed entry slots manage crowd sizes. We’ve designated one time slot as the “Mellow Hour” for families whose children need less stimulation, or wheelchair access, or other accommodations for a good experience. During these sessions, we often see neurodivergent children, including those on the spectrum, children with Down Syndrome, and children with physical disabilities like hearing impairment. We’ve presented our Mobile Museum at the Center for Early Intervention on Deafness in Berkeley annually and we’ve also presented at the California Schools for the Deaf in Fremont. Our staff with sign language training has facilitated art and play activities at these events. Currently, a drop-in music and movement class, which fosters socio-emotional development and accommodates neurodivergent children, is offered at Habitot’s museum at 5689 Bay Street, Emeryville.
“Special Times for Special Families” Open House
Tuesday, September 24, 10-1
• Celebrating Multiculturalism
Year-round, we support giving children authentic art experiences that reflect historically underrepresented artists and cultural diversity. These include activities inspired by artists like Faith Ringgold, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Mildred Howard. We host performers like storyteller Muriel Johnson, who has shared adventure tales from the African Diaspora. The art and culture of the LGBTQAI+ community, Black Americans, First Nation people, and many others are represented in our At-Home Activities. Many of our diverse staff speak different languages and visitors are welcomed in their first language.
• Museums for All
As a partnering organization with the national Museums for All Program, Habitot offers steeply discounted admission for families with EBT (electronic benefit) cards to our indoor play space at 5689 Bay Street, Emeryville.
• Field Trips
Preschool, family day care, and child development centers are some of our strongest partnerships. Many make regular visits to Habitot for field trips. Field trips take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays when the museum is closed to the public, giving exclusive use of the space. Group visits of at least 12 paying children received discounted admission. Please contact reservations@habitot.org if interested in reserving a date in advance for mid-week visits.
• Totmail
Our online newsletter, Totmail, delivers weekly at-home activities to over 5,000 households with parents of young children. This e-newsletter also includes updates about Habitot’s upcoming classes and events, news and announcements, a recommended parenting article, and a children’s book recommendation, often tied to seasonal celebrations. Anyone can have Totmail delivered to their inbox for free: Sign up
• BoxiTot Kits
During the pandemic, Habitot staff developed BoxiTot at-home play and learning kits to continue serving our audience and meet the needs of children unable to attend preschool. The kits were designed to engage parents in their children’s play and learning, and grant funds supported the distribution of these kits free to several hundred low income families. The kits are currently available for individual purchase, and sets of kits are available for purchase from agencies serving families with young children: BoxiTot Play & Learning kits
