KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Mon, Apr 6: Break Week Fun: VolunTEENs: Library Decorations at Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library
Thu, Apr 9: Secret or Legend? at The Children's Museum at Saratoga
Sat, Apr 11: Barefoot Dance Company- Saturday Morning Family Show at The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck
Sat, Apr 18: CPH Friends Craft Supply Swap
Sat, Apr 18: Houseplant Swap at Landis Arboretum
Mon, Apr 20: African Drum Class - Old Songs
Tue, Apr 28: Say “Ciao!” Together: Italian for Beginners (Kids + Parents Welcome!) at Shenendehowa Central School District - Community Education
Sat, May 2: Family Fun Fair at Loudonville Christian School
Sat, May 2: Catskill Flyer: Spring & Summertime Rides at Catskill Mountain Railroad-Kingston Station
Sat, May 2: Camp Weona Open House - Healthy Kids Day |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: One of the best things about spring is that it turns all of us into treasure hunters. After a long winter, we adults start scanning the world for signs that life is returning: We notice the first mist of green in a forest's understory, the first brave crocus, the first daffodil. If we point out loud, kids catch on quickly, drawn by the thrill of
seeking what winter was hiding even just a few weeks ago, and they're ready to find magic behind every tree. Of course, in our part of North America, spring can be stingy in early April: The calendar may insist it’s here, but the yard is still beige, the trees are still bare, and the only things blooming outside are spreading patches of mud. But there’s no rule that says spring surprises have to come only from Mother Nature! That’s one reason I’m such a fan of egg
hunts. Last year, I wrote an extremely popular step-by-step article showing how to Turn Easter Into a Treasure Hunt, complete with a printable PDF of rhyming clues. It’s right there waiting for you, ready to make you look like a genius with practically zero effort. And if you want to kick it up a notch and invite a crowd, our article Easter Egg Hunts: Tips and Tricks for a Great Party lays out the
strategies for what may be the easiest, fastest, best-bang-for-the-buck kids’ party on Earth. Sure, egg hunts feature prominently in our culture's Easter traditions, but they needn't belong only to Easter, they're a wonderful diversion anytime, in any context. Spring is a season that proves there’s treasure everywhere. Sometimes the universe provides the fun for us. And sometimes we create it ourselves.
—Debra Ross, publisher of
KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities
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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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Review of The Sound of Music at Proctors KidsOutAndAbout's Katie Beltramo reviews The Sound of Music, at Proctors this weekend. You already know that The Sound of Music is a fantastic family-friendly story with some of the most engaging songs ever written. But should you and your kids go to the show? Of course you should! Read more about the musical as well as ideas for family discussions before and after the show in our KidsOutAndAbout review. |
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This Tuesday, APRIL 7 - School is out, so bring the family to the Palace Theatre for a FREE movie and fun activities! Doors Open at NOON for an hour of activities including face painting, crafts, giveaways & more. Then stick around for INSIDE OUT on the big screen at 1PM. Grab your Free tickets and join us!
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Spring into April with short-term music classes at The Music Studio. The celebrated music school — KOAA readers' Top Pick for Arts Education in the Capital Region — is enrolling now for its FINAL spring session for children ages 2, 3, and young 4. Classes are designed to channel a young child's energy and focus their natural love of music on learning skills and concepts, with games and activities so engaging they feel like pure fun. Or look ahead to the summer, and a full schedule of classes for children ages 2–7. Learn more at themusicstudio.com, or sign up for a FREE Mini Music Classes this April, at themusicstudio.com/mini.
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The scramble for Spring Break plans is almost over—unless you hurry. Our April Break STEAM camp (April 6–10) in Guilderland is now 98% full. As of right now, we have exactly 6 seats remaining in our Afternoon (PM) Beginner track (Ages 6–8) for Robotics & Minecraft Engineering. What is SOLD OUT: -All Morning (AM) sessions. -All Intermediate/Advanced tracks. Do not let your child miss this chance to turn their passion into purpose. We strictly limit these class sizes to give your child the personalized attention they need for deep learning. Secure the absolute last spot before the "Sold Out" sign goes up for good. Book the final PM spots here: https://steamwhiz.com/product/breakcamps2026/
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Celebrate spring at Ten Broeck! Free spring/Easter Egg Hunt in the Ten Broeck Gardens, and special pisanki (psyanky) egg art project. Recommended ages: ages 3-12 (Children 3 - 6 will have a separate area for collecting eggs).Prizes are free art and school supplies, Easter treats, snacks, and free take-home art discovery kits.
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Get ready for the event that will change everything you thought you knew about freestyle - Monster Jam Freestyle Mania™! For the first time ever in Albany, where Monster Jam® trucks team up with Freestyle Motocross (FMX) bikes to deliver gravity-defying skills and thrills. Cheer for your favorite team at MVP Arena on Friday, April 3 and Saturday, April 4, 2026 as they pull off stunts you’ve never seen before – highlighted by the new truck Albany debut appearance of Bailey Circuit™. The energy, the action, the next-level thrills will keep you on the edge of your seat. It’s an adrenaline rush you can only experience live!
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Join us for our Annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Zoo at Bailiwick Animal Park — one of our favorite family traditions of the year! This special ticketed event includes a zoo-wide egg hunt, a pony ride for each child, time to visit the animals, and a special appearance by the Easter Bunny! Spots are limited and this event fills quickly each year — advance tickets are required.
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It's spring, and that means some of our favorite places to go are opening for the season! Check out our list of amusement parks, ice cream shops, adventure parks, and more! Hooray for spring!
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iD Tech: The World's #1 STEM Summer Camp! BattleBots® Camp? You can only get it here. Roblox Camp? We've got that and more in our Summer '26 lineup. Register today at the top-rated tech camp for 25 years and counting! iD Tech is the very best experience built around your child—their interests, their skill level, their goals for the future. Trusted by 75+ of the world’s top universities and over 1,000,000 parents, iD Tech is where kids and teens learn from the best—coding, game dev, robotics, and more. The future starts at iD Tech! Click here for more information about your local iD Tech opportunities! Virtual camps are also available!
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- Photos with the Easter Bunny at Colonie Center Shopping Mall - Colonie Center, Central Avenue, Albany, NY, Friday, March 30 to Sunday, April 4 - See website for details
- Free Buddhist Temple Tours Upstate New York in Sullivan County Catskills - Sweeney Rd, Glen Spey, NY, Friday, April 3, Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, April 5 - 1:30 PM
- Easter Egg Hunt & Spring Arts Program 2026 - Albany County Historical Association, Albany, NY, Friday, April 3 - 11 am - Noon
- Wiggly Wanderers
9:30am - Moreau Lake State Park, Old Saratoga Road, Gansevoort, NY, Friday, April 3 - 9:30 AM
- School's Out, Museum's In - Shaker Heritage Society, Meeting House Rd, Albany, NY, Friday, April 3 - 11:30am - 12:15pm
- Easter Egg Hunt! - Walker's Farm, Home, & Tack - U.S. 4, Fort Ann, NY, Saturday, April 4 - 10 am
- Woodland pool walk - 105 Bloody Hollow Road,
Austerlitz, NY, Saturday, April 4 - 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- Free International Call for Art 6x6 - Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo), 137 East Ave, Rochester, NY, Saturday, April 4 - 12pm - 5pm
- Sunday School - Bethlehem Lutheran Church - Delmar, NY, 85 Elm Ave, Delmar, NY, Sunday, April 5 - 9:45 am
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Albany area is back! You can search by date, age, or categories like day/overnight, sports, drama, music, theatre, arts & crafts, technology, robotics, horseback riding, preschool, & more. Our
guide puts summer fun right at your fingertips!
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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the Charlotte 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 Capital Region? Escape rooms are interactive, puzzle-packed experiences where you and your team work together to solve clues, unlock secrets, 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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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Albany 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 best places to take kids in the Capital District as voted by New York parents! Parents vote, we do the math, and the result is the Top 20 Places to Take Kids! But there is LOTS more to do in Albany than even just this wonderful list: visit
KidsOutAndAbout.com to see our events calendar, find seasonal activities, get ideas for the perfect day trip and MORE.
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Have a wonderful weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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