KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: When I was a teenager, I had a teacher who became a mentor without ever knowing he was one. He was aware I’d been going through some difficult times, and was glad to hear I was almost on the other side. “Some people aren't lucky enough to have dealt with hard things when they're young,” he told me. Then he added the phrase that has echoed in my head for decades:
“Remember the rocks.” Life, he explained, was always going to toss boulders into my path. The trick was to recognize, early, that even if it was painful or scary, I was capable of getting around, or over, or through them. Remembering how I’d managed would help me trust myself more when the next, bigger ones appeared. As a parent, I think about that often, about how the only way to become someone who does hard things is… to do hard
things. It’s tempting to rush in and smooth every unpleasant obstacle our kids encounter. When we email the teacher, mend the friendship, rescue the forgotten homework, eliminate every discomfort, we may feel helpful in the moment, but in fact we’re quietly removing the practice stones they need. Resilience doesn’t come from being told “You’re strong”; it comes from evidence that only they can gather, from working through manageable challenges and thinking, That was hard.
And I handled it. We don’t need to manufacture their challenges—being a kid is difficult enough. And we don’t abandon them to do it all on their own, either. We just learn to pause, to weigh advice against intervention, and to let them see what they can manage. The goal is that later in life, when something truly difficult lands in our children's path, they won’t just hope they can manage it, they’ll know. Now, many years later, when I encounter something
daunting, I think back to my mentor and remember the rocks. "I do hard things," I tell myself. And it works.
—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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Join Blippi and Meekah live on stage at the Palace Theatre in Albany - this Sunday, MARCH 8 at 3pm - in a high energy live show packed with music, laughter, and surprises. This brand-new interactive adventure invites families to put on your orange glasses
and unlock the spark of curiosity inside us all, showing that everyone can Be Like Blippi!
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Let’s Sing Taylor - A Live Band Experience - the ultimate tribute to the music of Taylor Swift. Coming to the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on March 28th! We can show you incredible things, including the most faithful and lively covers of Queen
Taylor’s expansive and sacred catalog. Taking the country by storm, we’re bringing the communal experience of celebrating Taylor’s music in a live setting to Swifties near and far.
So, let the games begin. Calling all Swifties to sing your hearts out and sport your Taylor- inspired attire. You can show up at our party any time.
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Experience the sweetest weekends of the year! Maple Open House Weekends invite you to step onto the farm, explore New York’s rich sugarmaking traditions, and taste pure maple syrup in all its delicious forms, fresh from the source. Visit verified maple
producers on March 21-22 & March 28-29, 2026, and see firsthand how maple sap transforms into liquid gold. Don’t miss this chance to savor the region’s freshest maple delights! Click here to find participating producers.
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Summer Minecraft Camps are Selling Out!
Is your child (ages 6-13) obsessed with Minecraft? STEAMwhiz turns screen time into brain power with our 2026 "Galactic" STEM curriculum! Students will master MC Modding (Sci-Fi Gadgets!), coding Mars Rovers, and Redstone engineering, returning to school sharper and more confident.
Warning: The 2026 STEAM season is moving much faster than predicted. Our most popular Summer weeks are already on waitlist status, and remaining sessions (June 29th – August 7th) are filling daily.
Secure your child's summer schedule now to avoid going on the waitlist and missing out on their preferred weeks.
Register now: steamwhiz.com/summer2026/
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Discover what makes Saratoga Independent School special at our Spring Tour Days, March 16–20! Designed for prospective families, these tours offer a meaningful peek inside our vibrant learning community, serving students in PreK through 8th grade.
You’ll explore our classrooms, learn about our strong academic program, and experience the caring culture at SIS. Visit our 60 acre campus, see students engaged in learning, and have your questions answered in a welcoming, relaxed setting. Whether you’re just beginning to explore options or ready to make a change, we invite you to come see SIS in action. Registration is required. We look forward to welcoming you!
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In 2025, Kevin McKrell’s artwork exhibition "Old Men in Hats" was one of the most exciting to grace the walls of the Irish American Heritage Museum in years. Earlier this year Kevin donated one of the most powerful works from that collection, An Ghórta
Mhóir. Kevin's generosity is only exceeded by his remarkable talents and love for the Irish American Heritage Museum. On March 6, 2026 at 7 pm, Kevin will help IAHM kick-off the 2026 St. Patrick's season with the greatest of grace and the finest of styles, with a concert in Albany's most intimate venue, IAHM's Flanagan Theater.
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We’re kicking off Clermont’s celebration of the Semiquincentennial with a series of presentations about Clermont at the brink of revolution. Join Interpretive Programs Assistant, Emily Robinson, for a talk about the Livingstons of Clermont in 1776 and the
events that spurred them towards independence. Enjoy some liberty-tea punch and gingerbread cookies as we follow the international incidents and familial circumstances that eventually brought the British to our doorstep.
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The popular Hannaford Kidz Expo returns as a FREE, family event with something for everyone, including character meet-and-greets, face painting, bounce rides, arts and crafts, mini-golf, and even a reptile room. For the grownups! You'll find everything your
kids need in one convenient location: summer camps, health care, sports clubs, amusement parks, dance studios, and more!
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BOUNCE HOUSE, GAMES, PRIZES, FOOD, RAFFLES AND MORE!
The jolly festival of Purim is celebrated in late winter/early spring. It commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia from Haman’s plot “to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews in a single day. Purim means “lots” in ancient Persian. The holiday was thus named since Haman had thrown lots to determine when he would carry out his diabolical scheme.
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The all-new 2026 Camp Invention® program, Spark, is coming to curious kids in your community this summer! Rising K-6 campers will collaborate with friends to tackle hands-on, open-ended challenges. They’ll team up with robotic capybaras, ride the waves of
entrepreneurship, uncover the power of protecting their ideas and build a DIY space rocket! Each experience is designed to spark confidence, build persistence and create unforgettable summer memories. Visit invent.org/save/camp to secure your spot! Register using CIFUN25 by 3/31 to save $25 or CIFUN20 by 4/28 to save $20 when you register. Interest-free payment plans are available, making camp affordable for all families.
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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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- Barbie™: A Cultural Icon Exhibition at the New York State Museum - New York State Museum, 222 Madison Ave, Albany, NY, Friday, March 6, 2026 to Sunday, March 8, 2026, 10 am - 2 pm
- Discover the Pine Bush at
Karner Barrens - Discovery Center Parking Lot, New Karner Road, Albany, NY, Saturday, March 7, 2026, 11 am
- Hannaford Kidz Expo - New York State Office of General Services, Albany, NY, Saturday, March 7, 2026, 10 am to 4 pm
- Saturday Story Time - Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public Library - 475 Moe Road, Clifton Park, NY, Saturday, March 7, 2026, 10:00AM-10:30AM
- Birding Walks - Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park - Scout Road, Gansevoort, NY, Saturday, March 7, 2026, 8:00 AM
- America 250: The Livingstons of Clermont in 1776 at Clermont - Clermont State Historic Site, Clermont
Avenue, Germantown, NY, Saturday, March 7, 2026, 3 pm
- Reading with Greta at Troy Public Library - 100 2nd Street, Troy, NY, Saturday, March 7, 2026, 11 am to 12 pm
- Sunday School - Bethlehem Lutheran Church - 85 Elm Ave, Delmar, NY, Sunday, March 8, 2026, 9:45 am
- Free Buddhist Temple Tours Upstate New York in Sullivan County Catskills - Kadampa Meditation Center New York - Sweeney Rd, Glen Spey, NY, Sunday, March 8, 2026, 1:30PM
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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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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 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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