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FREE Winter Carnival for Families!

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Another fun holiday event for families and individuals of all ages and abilities.

The Winter Fun activities include:

  • Snow Play Area
  • Petting Zoo
  • Cookie Decorating
  • Holiday Craft Stations
  • Photo Op with Santa and More!

Register by Nov. 20 for Children’s Gifts
Gifts will be provided only to registered children ages 12 and under. Participating families must register by Friday, Nov. 20, 2026, to be eligible for a gift.

Light brunch will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. This is a family and friends’ event. Parents and caregivers are responsible for supervising their children; no direct supervision is provided.

Upcoming JCP Kid’s Craft Events for November 2026!

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I’m all about fun, free (and cheap) activities for kids. JCPenney has an upcoming event that fits the bill! Check out this fun, free craft from JCPenney’s.

Visit the Kids Zone inside JCPenney on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 11 a.m. to noon and create your own 3D turkey craft.

All materials are provided but are only available while supplies last.

Plus, parents get a free 10% off coupon (and it can be combined with other JCP coupons!)

2026 Holiday Resources

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As more information about Holiday assistance programs becomes available, I will be updating this post.

Before I get into specifics, here are a few general ways that you can find some holiday help with resources that you may already take part in:

  • If you receive WIC or SNAP benefits, check with your social worker to see if they have information on holiday-help programs.
  • If you attend church/synagogue/mosque, check with your religious leader or the secretary/office staff. They may have referrals to programs offering holiday help.
  • Check with your kids’ school. Talk to the school counselor, resource teacher, or school secretary.
  • If you frequent local food charities or co-ops, they may have some resources on holiday events or toy giveaways.

Resources in San Diego County:

  • The Salvation Army does an Angel Tree program to gather gifts for children in need. For more information about this program, contact your local Salvation Army location.
  • 211 San Diego has a listing of all sorts of holiday assistance, from food to toys, and events- all free. Some programs/events require proof of need, but not all.
  • Hope for San Diego helps with many non-profits throughout the holiday season. For more information on events they sponsor, visit their website.
  • Women’s Resource Center for those residing in Northern San Diego County.
  • Foundation for Developmental Disabilities: Clients of the Regional Center whose families are facing financial difficulties can apply for help.
  • If you live in Santee and need help with food and gifts for the holiday, contact Santee Santas. Applications are done online and are available in multiple languages.
  •  Toys for Joy hosts an event in December with The Rock Church. There are not many details available on their website currently.
  • Toys for Hope is hosting an event on 12/20 at King Chavez School. More info can be found here.
  • Olive Crest: Helps Southern California families in need/crisis. They have a holiday program. More information can be found here.

Toy swaps are a great way to share old toys and get new ones.

Talk Back: If you know of any additional resources for holiday help in San Diego County, please leave a comment!

How to Host a Clothing Swap

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Y’all know I love a good clothing swap. I post as many as I can find and vet each month (I make sure they aren’t scammy, are actually free, etc.), but sometimes you want to do your own. Maybe you are in a fashion niche, a specialty size, or you want to have a specific type of swap.

Here are a few tips that made my clothing swaps a hit:

  • Pick a date.
  • Pick a location.
  • Pick a theme (ladies’ clothes, kids clothes, accessories only).
  • Pick a location.
  • Secure tables, clothing racks, and hangers to display clothes.
  • Arrange a donation partner for leftover items.

When you advertise your swap (either in a Facebook group, on Meetup, via email, however you decide), include any item limitations, such as the number of items. For a smaller swap, a sensible item limit is 5-10 items.

To cultivate the best swap possible, ask attendees to leave the stained or ripped items at home. Clothing should be ready to wear. That means no clothing that is pilled, has broken zippers, or missing buttons.

No used undergarments- for hygiene reasons. You may want to ok new undergarments or socks; that’s up to you.

On the day of, arrive early to set up tables and any clothing racks. Extra hangers may be helpful; some people may not bring clothes on hangers.

Sort clothes as they arrive, by size and category, depending on how organized your swap is. This also gives you the chance to weed out anything that is not in good shape.  These items can be donated or returned to the person who brought it.

November 2026 Clothing Swaps

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I love clothing swaps- if you have read my blog, you know it’s one of my favorite ways to refresh the kids’ wardrobes (and my own). Now that the kids have grown into adult-sized clothing, I’m always looking for a good swap with clothes in all our sizes.

And, as always, if you are looking for more information about clothing swaps, check out my post (with other San Diego, CA area resources)  here.

November 6, 2026 2-3pm
Let’s Go Girls Monthly Clothing Swap
Golden Hills Park (Near the restrooms)

November 7, 2026 1pm-4pm
Baddie Clothes Swap
Mujeres Brew House 1983 Julian Avenue San Diego, CA 92113

November 8, 2026 10am – 1pm
City of La Mesa Clothing and Toy Swap
La Mesa Library 8074 Allison Ave La Mesa, CA 91942
November 12, 2026 6pm – 7:30pm
Conscious Closets: Clothing Swap & Sewing Workshop
Magdalena Ecke YMCA 200 Saxony Rd Encinitas, CA 92024

November 12, 2026 3pm–5pm
Clothing Swap
Potrero County Library 24883 Potrero Valley Road Potrero, CA 91963

November 28, 2026 10am-2pm
Water and Kindness Clothing Swap and Community Fair
Pop Up Winona 4951 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92115

The Good Loop hosts clothing swaps in Southern CA frequently, but has nothing currently planned. I recommend following them on Instagram to stay in the know.

 

2026 Halloween and Fall Fun Events in San Diego, CA

Abby H.1 Comment

It’s that time of year: Spooky Season! I’ll be decorating the house this week, once the heat breaks, and we’ve already started on Halloween costumes!

My kids have always loved wearing their costumes as much as possible, so we’re always on the lookout for fun Halloween events.

Here are just a few events that are free and seasonal.

10/09/2026

10/17/2026

10/18/2026

10/23/2026:

10/24/2026:

10/25/2026

10/30/2026:

10/31/2026

SanDiego.org has a listing of events all over the county. Some may not be free.

Talk Back: If you know of any free Halloween or Fall events that are free and family-friendly, please leave a comment!

October 2026 Clothing Swaps!

Abby H.

I love clothing swaps- if you have read my blog, you know it’s one of my favorite ways to refresh the kids’ wardrobes (and my own). Now that the kids have grown into adult-sized clothing, I’m always looking for a good swap with clothes in all our sizes.

And, as always, if you are looking for more information about clothing swaps, check out my post (with other San Diego, CA area resources)  here.

October has many great swaps, including Halloween costume swaps!

Porchlight Halloween costume swap

  • Date: Saturday, Oct 3, 2026
  • Time: 1–3 PM
  • Location: 8878 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, Suite F (behind Denny’s & Mic Drop Comedy)
  • Details: Please bring clean, gently used kids’ costumes, dress-up clothes, accessories, and costume pieces in good, wearable condition.

Daydreamers Landing  Halloween clothing and costume swap

  • Date: Sunday, October 4, 2026
  • Time: 2pm-6pm
  • Location: Daydreamers Landing, 8575 Los Coches rd #1, El Cajon, CA
    Details: Bring your gently used Halloween costumes and outfits (shirts, dresses, pajamas, etc.) and give them new life!

Goth Clothing Swap at San Diego Goth Picnic

  • Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
  • Time: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
  • Location: Pioneer Park (1521 Washington Place, San Diego)
  • Details: Free, all-ages community swap. Bring clean, gently used items and a blanket to display them.

Slow Down Swap Party at SD Climate Week

  • Date: Thursday, October 8, 2026
  • Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
  • Location: Garden of the Sky at the University of San Diego
  • Details: Hosted by I Love A Clean San Diego during Climate Week, featuring a free clothing swap (limit 1 grocery bag of donations), a fix-it clinic, and an upcycled fashion show

Women’s Clothing Swap in La Mesa

  • Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
  • Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
  • Location: The Chapel at Grossmont (5651 Water St, La Mesa, CA 91942)
  • Details: Free swap for women’s clothing, shoes, and accessories. Items should be freshly laundered. [1]

New-to-You Clothing Swap in Spring Valley

 

The Good Loop hosts clothing swaps in Southern CA frequently, but has nothing currently planned. I recommend following them on Instagram to stay in the know.

Let’s Go Girls SD also hosts clothing swaps frequently. Check out their Instagram page.

October is Kids Go Free Month 2026 Edition!

Abby H.

October is a great time to be a kid in San Diego!

This October 1-31, kids 12 and under receive free admission at many arts, cultural, and science museums and historical sites in San Diego County.

For those of us with curious kids, this is perfect! Kids can get into over 40 museums in the San Diego area for free with paying adults (all the info can be found here).

Some of the participating organizations include:

Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Fleet Science Center (Galleries only)
Heritage of the Americas Museum
Japanese Friendship Garden
Living Coast Discovery Center
Maritime Museum of San Diego
Marston House Museum & Gardens
Mingei International Museum
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
Museum of Making Music
Museum of Photographic Arts
San Diego Air & Space Museum
San Diego Automotive Museum
San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
San Diego Chinese Historical Museum
San Diego History Center
San Diego Model Railroad Museum
San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat)
Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center
Timken Museum of Art (it’s always free for everyone, FYI)
Women’s Museum of California

A full list can be found here. Oh, and as part of free October, Kids can get into the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park free when accompanied by a paying adult!  Other Kids go free attractions include: Legoland, Sea World, and the USS Midway!!

*Some museums charge fees for special exhibitions, programs or films. Some museums may limit offer use to once per month per guest. Purchase of a Balboa Park Explorer Pass does not qualify as a paid adult admission for the Kids Free in October program.

2026 San Diego County Fall Fire Station Open Houses!

Abby H.

As someone who grew up in San Diego County, I know that it’s always fire season.

Teaching our kids fire safety is key. It’s more than stop, drop, and roll. I was so excited when I saw a PeachJar flyer about upcoming local fire station open houses. These are a great way for kids (and families) to learn more about fire safety and check out the local fire station.

Most of these dates coincide with National Fire Prevention Week, October 4–10, 2026. This year, the theme is preventing fires caused by lithium-ion batteries in everyday items like phones, laptops, and e-bikes.

City of Santee Fire Station 4:
When: Saturday, October 10, 2026 10 AM – 2 PM
Where: 8950 Cottonwood Ave, Santee, CA 92071

City of Carlsbad Public Safety Open House:
When: Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: City of Carlsbad Safety Training Center- 5750 Orion St, Carlsbad, CA 92010
This event will feature live demonstrations and tours with the police, fire, and public works departments.

City of Coronado Fire and Police Departments
When and Where: Sunday, October 6, at their Public Safety Open House. The free event kicks off National Fire Prevention Week and takes place between 11 am and 2 pm around the main Fire Station (6th Street) and the Police Department (7th Street) on D Avenue.

City of Chula Vista Fire Station 5:
When: Saturday, October 10, 2026, 9 AM – 2 PM
Where: 341 Orange Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91911

Deer Springs Fire Protection District (Station 3):
When: Saturday, October 10, 2026, 10 AM – 1 PM
Where: 10308 Meadow Glen Way East, Escondido, CA 92026

 

Talk Back: If you know of any other Fire Station or public safety open houses in San Diego County, please leave a comment!

8/29/26 Free Teacher Supply Event (San Diego, CA)!

Abby H.

If you are a San Diego, CA area teacher, check out this awesome free event!

Date: August 29, 2026

Time: TBD

Address: 1069 Graves Ave. Suite 100, El Cajon, CA 92021
Stock up for the new school year — for free! ECS Federal Credit Union is hosting a Teacher Supply Drive exclusively for ECS member educators. Gather supplies for your classroom, enjoy some bites, WIN AMAZING RAFFLE PRIZES, and explore resources from vendors and partners!
All supplies are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Selection may vary.