Bay Area-Mom Preethi Harbuck Shares Her Go-To Kid Picks

Local mom Preethi Harbuck shares her favorite family friendly prodcuts and places.

Harbuck and her family are always in search of their next adventure.

When not sharing adorable family photos to her nearly 25,000 Instagram followers or trekking to a new country, supermom of five Preethi Harbuck is busy exploring the world—without even stepping outside. Harbuck, also known by the handle @localpassportfamily, is the founder of Global Children’s Book Club, a family-focused group that teaches both children and parents about the world’s many cultures and traditions. “We wanted to create opportunities for our family and others to connect with those different perspectives and experiences,” Harbuck says. The club features 26 picture books, one for each letter of the alphabet and about a different country, as well as crafts, recipes, movement activities and other programming to keep kids busy. Although she launched the book club in response to lockdowns and subsequent travel bans across the globe, its staying power is strong, with resources free and readily available for families who are eager to learn. “Our family typically travels fairly regularly around the world, and we’re grateful for the knowledge, insight and education we gain from those experiences, but we obviously didn’t have that option this year,” she says. “[The club] is such a wonderful and enriching experience, and we invite anyone else to participate.” Here, the Bay Area-based mom shares her go-to activities and local spots.

The Asian Art Museum

“We love heading up to San Francisco for the wealth of cultural activities during non-pandemic times. We’re big fans of the San Francisco Ballet and love frequenting various theaters and museums. The de Young Museum is a favorite, as are the Asian Art Museum and California Academy of Sciences. Further south, the Center for the Performing Arts has had fantastic programming the past couple of years.”

Deli sides from Mendocino Farms

“We love making Indian or Tex-Mex at home and also love picking up food at Mendocino Farms, Chaat Cafe, Willow Street Pizza and Madras Cafe.”

Products from Tubby Todd

“Tubby Todd bath products are my favorite for the whole family—they’re even super gentle on sensitive baby skin.”

Magna-Tiles

“We don’t keep a ton of toys in the house, so the ones that do make the cut are simple, classic and encourage lots of imaginative play. Magna-Tiles are great for this!”