KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter for the Ann Arbor / Detroit Metro Area |
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Sat, Mar 14: Bunny Hop at Summit on the Park
Sat, Mar 14:
Hatching chicks with Genesee County 4H at For-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum
Sat, Mar 21: ICON: The Voices That Changed Music at Hill Auditorium
Sat, Mar 21: Maple Syrup Festival at For-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum
Sat, Mar 28: City of Birmingham Peter Cotton Trail
Sat, Apr 4: Bunnyville at Detroit Zoo
Sat, Apr 11: Eggstravaganza at Maybury Farm (Northville Community Foundation)
Sat, Apr 25: Season Finale: Holst’s The Planets at Hill Auditorium
Sat, May 9: Young Artist Art Fair at Northville Art House
Sat, May 30: 2026 USL Detroit City FC Women's League Games |
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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Attention party animals: Celebrate your birthday at the Humane Society of Huron Valley for $50 off!
Our party program for ages 6-12 includes a shelter tour, a craft for the animals, and a meet-and-greet with the adoptable animals. Plus, the birthday kid gets to name a shelter animal! Use code **WINTER26** to get $50 off of a party booked for January, February or March. (But don’t wait – spots for Saturdays and Sundays fill before you know it!)
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Join us for summer fun at the JCC's Camp Raanana and Camp Globetrotters!
Located at the Cedar Lake Outdoor Center in Chelsea, Camp Raanana features old forest paths for nature walks and outdoor sports, an archery range and, of course, the famous waterfront right on Little Cedar Lake where campers can swim, kayak, fish and more.
We're also excited to introduce Camp Globetrotters this summer! This camp will take place at the JCC facility and offers two different programs to choose from - sports and cooking!
Though our camps have Jewish roots, all are welcome, regardless of faith or background.
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Let us help your kids have the BEST. SUMMER. EVER!
At Launch, we pack every day with awesome activities, interactive games, and creative crafts into an action-filled 4–8 hour experience your child will love. We do more than just jump — our camp builds teamwork, kindness, confidence, and positive manners in a fun, supportive environment.
Kids enjoy free play time, plus interactive activities and games that blend entertainment and learning.
Camp is open to children ages 5–13.
All counselors pass background certification and maintain a 10:1 camper ratio with a dedicated camp director.
Learn more about our camps and register here: https://launchfamilyentertainment.com/annarbor/camp/
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Join us for an exciting series just for preschoolers. Bring your munchkin (ages 3-6) to the nature center for a favorite story and related hands-on, nature-based activity. Events in the series take place on the first Friday of each month.
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Step into your scientist shoes and make a difference with FrogWatch! Join this nationwide participatory science project and become a hero for frogs and toads! Since its start in 1998, FrogWatch USA has been helping researchers track amphibian populations —
and now, you can be part of the mission. By listening for frog and toad calls in your neighborhood and reporting what you hear, you’ll provide scientists with crucial data to help protect these amazing amphibians from threats such as habitat loss, pollution and climate change. No science degree is required — just a love for nature and a free certification you can earn with the Detroit Zoo!
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Step into a world of sparkle and imagination at our 12th annual tea party. Bring your favorite doll and join us for this magical event filled with creativity, stories and fun. Participants will enjoy fairy-themed crafts, make tiny accessories for your
dolls, capture the magic with a photo in our fairy garden backdrop and share a tea party fit for fairies and friends alike. Costumes and wings are welcome - fairy sparkle encouraged!
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Every Saturday and Sunday includes Sledding with free sleds to borrow in the Sled Shed, Oversized bonfires and marshmallow roasters (lit 12-7 p.m.), Curling, Board Games inside the Shed, Riverfront Ambassadors with free activity pages, hand warmers, and
gloves, Drinks and s’mores at the Valade Shed Bar (12-8 p.m.), and Food from Smokey G’s (12-7 p.m.)
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FoolMoon returns to downtown Ann Arbor with light-filled art, street dancing, and Foolish fun! This year's theme, "Fools of a Feather", will invite winged creatures of all kinds to light up Ann Arbor’s streets! Luminary Making Workshops will be held at
Hathaway's Hideaway every Sunday in March. Join our FREE workshops to create your very own illuminated sculpture to bring to FoolMoon!
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Level up your illustrations with the addition of animation! Learn how to animate illustrations over the span of 3- 4 week projects. Classes are designed to be taken for the full three or four weeks to complete the project.
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Throughout 2026, we’re bringing you Sensory-Friendly Hours — a monthly opportunity to experience the Zoo with adjusted lighting and quieter surroundings.
These special hours, hosted once a month from opening until noon, are tailored to meet the needs of guests with sensory sensitivities and different sensory needs. During this time, the Zoo and its attractions remain open to all, with thoughtful adjustments to ensure everyone can enjoy a welcoming and accessible experience.
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Come and visit Glacier Way Cooperative Preschool. Glacier Way will host a series of Open Houses during the Winter 2026 semester. Interested families are welcome to come see our classroom, meet other families, and learn about Glacier Way.
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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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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Ann Arbor - Detroit 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…
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Families purchase shares (or half-shares, or bimonthly shares) of produce that is either picked up or delivered to them, fresh from the farm, each week during the growing season. Some farms encourage pick-your-own, in some you get to help out on the farm.
What a great field-to-table lesson for the whole family!
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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the Ann Arbor-Detroit 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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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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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Ann Arbor - Detroit 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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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Dallas 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 Detroit Metro 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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