KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Wed, Dec 31: New Year’s Eve at ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo at Lincoln
Park Zoo
Fri, Jan 2: Flick & Float: Finding Nemo at Community Recreation Center- Schaumburg, IL
Wed, Jan 7: Family Fun Day at Slick City - North Aurora at Slick City Action Park - North Aurora, IL
Fri, Jan 9: Stargazing and S'mores at Rosewood Beach at Park District of Highland Park
Sat, Jan 10: A Live Presentation of 2001: A Space Odyssey with the CSO at Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Sun, Jan 11: Heller Hygge Winter PlayDate at Heller Nature Center Wed, Jan 14: Family Fun Day at Slick City - North Aurora
Sat, Jan 17: Hibernation Huddle with Stuffed Friends at Heller Nature Center
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: This Sunday marks the Winter Solstice—Robert Frost’s “darkest evening of the year.” It’s when we in the Northern Hemisphere most appreciate human inventiveness: We flip a switch, and light floods the room. It feels like magic, but it’s not. It’s the result of generations of curious, determined humans trying to make life better, brighter, safer. That’s why my
family celebrates Lightbulb Day every December 21. It’s our homegrown holiday honoring the inventors and problem-solvers whose insights fuel our lives. We toast our favorite technologies, learn some history, imagine the future. Past years’ MVPs include contact lenses, antibiotics, the internet, veterinary science,
and the Covid vaccine. This year’s front-runner: artificial intelligence. Last weekend, I had breakfast with a friend and her 13-year-old daughter, Lily. Lily said she loves math and science but struggles with how her teachers approach the humanities, especially writing. When I showed her how AI can help her learn in the way she learns best, her face lit up. So I went home and wrote a how-to article for Lily, her mom, and any of you with kids in middle school or older: How Students Can Use AI to Learn to Write (Without Giving Away their Brains). AI isn’t here to think for us. It’s here to help us think more effectively with our own minds. That’s a message worth repeating, especially to our kids. In this new AI age, the real danger isn’t
the technology itself, it’s the temptation to hand our brains over to it and say, “Here, you do all the work.” So this Lightbulb Day, I’m raising an Erlenmeyer flask, not just to the great inventors of the past, but to Lily, and to every young person learning to think with tools rather than letting tools do the thinking. Because the real magic isn’t flipping the switch; it’s understanding where the current comes from, and imagining what we’ll power with it in the
future. |
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. If you like my publisher's column, you can easily scroll through past columns in the "Notes from Deb" section of our site. |
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I'm thrilled to announce that my new book The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities (co-authored with Jamie Carter) is now published and shipping across North America! It’s packed with inspiring, true stories of everyday leaders who stepped up during the 2024 eclipse to bring people together, spark change, and strengthen their communities. Told with warmth and insight, this book makes a perfect holiday gift for the visionary, organizer, or community-builder in your life. Click the graphic to order from Amazon on print or Kindle; for other ordering options (including educator and bulk orders), or to see an annotated table of contents and the introduction, head to https://theeclipseeffect.com.
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Curious how your AI know-how compares to other parents? We surveyed over 300 of you, and the results are in! The big takeaway? You aren't alone in feeling overwhelmed. While most parents have a basic grasp of the technology, over 52% feel unequipped to actually guide their kids through it. The number one thing you requested help with was "Digital Defense"—specifically, how to spot misinformation and fake news. You can read the full, fascinating report at kidsoutandabout.com/research. Ready for round two? Help us dive deeper by taking our new, quick 13-question survey here: https://forms.gle/1nTsaG384SW8cUpL7.
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Join us for a truly enchanting evening at Brookfield Zoo Chicago as we celebrate the spirit of the season. Enjoy a delicious holiday buffet featuring all your favorite festive treats, then get ready for the highlight of the night: getting to see Santa Claus! As you explore the Zoo's illuminated grounds, immerse yourself in the holiday magic and create lasting memories with your loved ones. Seatings are available at 5:30 on December 19 and at both 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on December 20-21.
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Christmas at Cantigny returns for its third season, bigger, brighter, and more magical than ever. From Friday, November 21, through Tuesday, December 23, Cantigny transforms into a holiday wonderland filled with lights, music, food, and festive cheer for our Christmas at Cantigny celebration. NEW Magical Twist for 2025: A Wickedly Popular Christmas, Christmas at Cantigny’s Sunday evening light shows ‘flip the switch’ to feature the hues and music of Wicked (available 11/23, 11/30, 12/7 and 12/14). Guests at Christmas at Cantigny will stroll a half mile, fully accessible path through brilliantly illuminated gardens and landscapes—no dark gaps, just a seamless journey of light, color, and creativity. After Christmas, the magic continues through Saturday, January 4, with 'Lights, Camera, Action,' a show set to iconic movie soundtracks.
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Through its inspiring story, beautiful music and charming choreography, The Nutcracker is a celebration of the joyous holiday season. The Nutcracker takes us on an unforgettable journey with young Marie as she travels from her home on Christmas Eve to the Kingdom of Snow and the Land of the Sweets, featuring George Balanchine's Sugar Plum Fairy Pas de Deux. For adults, its a time to relive cherished memories of childhood. For children who wait with breathless anticipation for the holidays to arrive, it is the opportunity to create new memories. For everyone, it is a time for sharing and giving among family and friends.
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The popular Nancy Meyers rom-com The Holiday, starring Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, and Jack Black, heads to The Auditorium this festive season. The live-to-film experience with the Chicago Phil takes the Christmas classic and the score of world-renowned composer Hans Zimmer to new heights. An unforgettable live holiday experience? Much like the Santa Ana winds, all bets are off. Anything can happen.
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Take part in a morning bird walk with a twist! Help survey the birds along the feeders and trails at Heller Nature Center while playing Bird Bingo. As we record the species we spot, you’ll mark them off on your card. Every bird bingo earns you a chance to win a fun, bird-themed prize! Pre-registration required. All participants must register for the program. Children must be accompanied by a paid registered adult. Program is partially outdoors so please dress for the weather.
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Stay overnight at Griffin Museum of Science and Industry! Enjoy a rare chance to explore the Museum after everyone else has gone home. Join us overnight for our Snoozeum experience! Spend the evening exploring the Museum, take part in a scavenger hunt, explore the Coal Mine or U-505 on a tour, catch a big-screen adventure in the Giant Dome Theater, then curl up next to an iconic exhibit. The Museum is yours for the night! Snoozeums are for children ages 6-12 and their adult (18+) chaperones (one required for every five children). Snoozeums begin at 6 p.m. and end at 9 a.m. the following morning. You can experience the Museum at your own pace with Build-n-Play activities and a scavenger hunt exploring our world famous exhibits. Snoozeums include next-day General Admission, so you can follow up your overnight with a day of exploration.
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- Festival of Lights & Tree Sale at Cosley Zoo 2025 - Cosley Zoo, North Gary Avenue, Wheaton, IL, Friday, December 19, 2025 to Sunday, December 21, 2025, 9 am - 9 pm
- Join the Mall Walker Club at North Riverside Park Mall - North Riverside Park Mall, 7501 West Cermak Road, North Riverside, IL, Friday, December 19, 2025 to Sunday, December 21, 2025, Monday – Saturday 9AM – 8PM; Sundays 10AM – 6PM
- Free mini photo session with Shoott! - Chicago - Shoott, Broadway, New York, NY, Saturday, December 20, 2025 to Sunday, December 21, 2025, See link for times
- Teen Saturday Studios: Glass Architecture at Harold Washington College - Chicago Architecture Center, 111 E.
Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL, Saturday, December 20, 2025, 11 am - 2 pm
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EXPERIENCES create memories much more than stuff does. As you're considering gifts for family and friends, consider giving the gift of a family membership to one of our local attractions in and around the Chicago area. Here are local organizations that
offer memberships.
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Take out your calendar - you have a lot of scheduling to do to fit in all the incredible Holiday Break camps taking place in and around our area! If we're missing a camp that should be on this list, please email us to let us know.
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Where to Cut Your Own Christmas Trees in the Chicago area November & December are times of contrast: The gray days outside herald the coming of the holidays, so we make ourselves warm and cozy
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KidsOutAndAbout's 2025 holiday events list for Chicago is loaded with our traditional 101 ideas for local holiday fun. Santa sightings, Christmas concerts, lights, trees, nativities, and more. . . plus activities for Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's
Eve.
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Chicago area. From Arcades to Ziplines our Big List will help you think outside the box and plan the party of your kids' dreams! KidsOutAndAbout has dozens of ideas!
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2025's Top 20 Places to Take Kids in the Chicago Area, as voted by thousands of parents! Our Top 20 results page includes a list of your top picks, including winners in special categories like Top Arts Educator, Top Sports Educator, and Top STEM
Educator!
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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