KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
For much of the country, it's been the hardest winter in recent memory: cold, monochrome, relentless. The kind of season that reminds us how little control we really have. We do our best to manage routines and moods and expectations, but parents feel it most. February stretches long and flat after the excitement of the holidays, before the lift of spring. You're still packing
lunches, wrangling homework, managing emotions (your kids’ and your own)... all while the cold keeps the family cooped up. This is the season of endurance. Of course, endurance isn’t about being stoic or silent or superhuman; it’s about continuing, even when things are hard. It’s about showing up for your people, your plans, and yourself, day after chilly day. And it’s about knowing that if you’re feeling the drag right now, you’re not alone. Many of us are moving through it
together. Even for those who don't live in Nature's Refrigerator,* February can still bring its own version of stuckness: that long stretch between holidays, where kids are restless and routines feel stale. Sometimes, by February, our gray matter feels just as gray as the weather. When that happens, help is allowed! Check out our article and outsource the brainstorming to KidsOutAndAbout: Stuck Inside This Winter? 20 Creative Indoor Activities for Kids is packed with creative, practical, low-effort ways to keep your family engaged (and sane) when outside play isn’t an option. And it shows you how to tap your favorite AI to be your thought partner to personalize it for your
family. February Gray doesn’t need to be conquered; it just needs to be lightened a bit. So whether you're "out and about" or "in and not at all about," we're here to brighten the rest of your winter!
—Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build
Strong Communities
*Rochester, NY ☺️ |
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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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Playroom is open Fridays 6:00pm-9:00pm and will include the play tower, inflatables, basketball courts, and the upstairs turf field. The cost is $12/child.
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Tickets On Sale Now! Relive the magic of Titanic on the big screen with a live performance! Featuring the Chicago Philharmonic conducted by Emil de Cou, with uilleann pipes & whistles soloist Eric Rigler (from the original soundtrack), and the
incredible voices of Uniting Voices Chicago. Experience James Cameron’s Titanic like never before, with the soaring score of James Horner performed live to picture at The Auditorium.
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Join us for an enchanting evening at the Sweetheart Dance! This special night invites kids to bring their adult sweetheart for an unforgettable celebration. Enjoy a delightful array of snacks and light refreshments, followed by a selection of scrumptious
desserts. Throughout the evening, there will be fun games and crafts to spark creativity and laughter. Dance the night away with our lively DJ, and don’t forget to strike a pose at our photo booth to capture all the magical moments!
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Come enjoy a special teatime at American Girl celebrating Galentine’s Day! Reserve your spot today for a special teatime with your girl where you will enjoy a full teatime experience, including dainty tea sandwiches and assorted sweet treats with a pot of
tea. Plus, each child will enjoy a Galentine’s craft activity at the table.
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The MCA is a great place for families to connect with contemporary art. Every second Saturday of the month, October through May, enjoy free admission and interactive events that redefine the way that children and families explore and create art together.
Designed for children under 12 and their grown-ups, MCA Family Days invite our youngest visitors to be the museum’s artists, thinkers, and collaborators. Witness an artist’s first creation. Experience inspiration spark from play and wonder. Do something nearly unheard of in a contemporary art museum—sit on comfy pillows and eat free snacks. Every second Saturday, joyfully disregard the boundaries between adult and child, artist and visitor, museum and studio, teacher and learner. Admission is
free to Family Day attendees. ASL interpretation is provided.
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For 5 Saturdays only, warm up with us INDOORS from 10am to 2pm in the 1st Floor Gymnasium at Broadway Armory (5917 N. Broadway). The indoor market will feature 50+ food vendors, artists, and artisans selling prepared foods, baked goods, winter produce, warm
drinks, local treats, art, gifts, and more! Entry to the market is free. Vendors will have individually priced goods for purchase (and maybe some free samples!)
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Drop the kids off at Rosewood Beach Interpretive Center to explore science and nature with our naturalists, while you enjoy a nice dinner or anything else you might have planned for Valentine's Day. We'll create glowing experiments and crafts, to have our
very own glow party. We'll even feed them pizza!
Pre-registration required. This is a drop-off program, so parents are not required to register or attend.
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Join us for Seol 2026, a Lunar New Year Celebration at the Korean Cultural Center of Chicago!
This festival features a fun, family-friendly theme inspired by K-Pop Demon Hunters. Enjoy exciting K-pop performances, including “Golden” and “Soda Pop,” and try learning the choreography yourself! Get creative by making your own magpie-and-tiger artwork, try on traditional Hanbok, and learn Sebae, the traditional Korean New Year bow.
Celebrate the New Year with warm Tteokguk (rice cake soup), and enjoy Yachae-jeon (vegetable pancakes) and Sujeonggwa (traditional Korean cinnamon punch), along with other delicious Lunar New Year treats. You’ll also have the chance to play a variety of traditional Korean games.
Bring your family and friends and join us for a joyful Korean Lunar New Year celebration!
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Enjoy free admission to the American Writers Museum on the third Sunday of each month! Free admission grants you access to all our exhibits, including our special exhibit American Prophets: Writers, Religion, and Culture. And at 11:30 am, grab the little
ones and join us for a special Little Squirrels Storytime!
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Lace up your skates and hit the ice! Public Skate at Fifth Third Arena offers a fun and welcoming experience for skaters of all ages and skill levels. Whether you're gliding for the first time or a seasoned skater, our sessions provide the perfect
opportunity to enjoy the ice with family and friends. We have rental skates available for all ages and sizes, making it easy for everyone to enjoy the ice. We only offer hockey skates sizes 8j-16 Adult
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- Join the Mall Walker Club at North Riverside Park Mall - North Riverside Park Mall, 7501 West Cermak Road, North Riverside, IL 60546, Saturday, February 13 - Sunday, February 14, Monday – Saturday 9AM – 8PM; Sundays 10AM – 6PM
- Family Days at the MCA: February - Museum Of Contemporary Art Chicago, 220 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, Sunday, February 14, 11 am - 3 pm
- Edgewater Indoor Market 2026 - Broadway Armory Park, North Broadway, Edgewater, Chicago, IL, Sunday, February 14, 10 am - 2 pm
- Family Day: Rooted in Clay at the Smart Museum of Art - Smart Museum of Art, South Greenwood Avenue,
Chicago, IL, Sunday, February 14, 10 am - 1 pm
- R.I.P. (Remove Invasive Plants) Stewardship at Little Red School House Nature Center - Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, 9800 Willow Springs Rd, Willow Springs, IL 60480, Sunday, February 14, 10 am
- February Free Museum Day at the American Writers Museum - American Writers Museum, Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, Sunday, February 15, 10 am - 5 pm, check the schedule for special events throughout the day
- Sunrise Hike at Little Red School House Nature Center - Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center,
9800 Willow Springs Rd, Willow Springs, IL 60480, Sunday, February 15, 6:45 am
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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the Chicago area! Use our Big List to help find the best one for your kiddos and check our events calendar to find Open Houses where you can meet teachers and tour the
schools.
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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the Chicago area? Escape rooms are interactive, puzzle-packed experiences where you and your team work together to solve clues and complete your mission-all before time runs out! Whether you're escaping a
spooky cabin, cracking a high-stakes heist, or breaking a magical curse, escape rooms offer exciting, screen-free fun for kids, teens, and adults.
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Winter is here and fun options for families just keep getting better! Whether you stick with what you love or decide to try something new, KidsOutAndAbout has plenty of ideas. From Ice skating, kid-friendly museums, indoor play centers, and outdoor
activities to thinking ahead to next year's school options - we've got you covered.
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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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