KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
|
|
|
Fri, Feb 27: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in Concert at Austin Symphony
Sat, Feb 28: Lunar New Year Celebration Featuring Texas Dragon/Lion Dance Team at Spicewood Springs Branch
Sat, Feb 28: STEM Girl Day at UT Austin at Texas Science & Natural History
Museum
Sat, Mar 7: Texas Wildlife Day at Texas Science & Natural History Museum
Sat, Mar 14: St. Paddy's Day 5k and 1k Leprechaun Kids Run at Comal County Fair Grounds
Sat, Mar 21: Family History Day at French Legation Museum
Fri, Mar 27: Information Session - Magellan International School
Sat, Apr 11: ABC Zilker Park Kite Festival at Zilker
Metropolitan Park
Sat, Apr 18: 37th Annual Burton Cotton Gin Festival at Texas Cotton Gin Museum
Thu, Apr 23: Disney On Ice presents Jump In! - Cedar Park |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
February is Children’s Dental Health Month, which means it's the perfect time to talk about LYING. The first lie my daughter Madison ever attempted was when she was about 3. "Did you brush your teeth?” I asked as she was getting ready for bed. She nodded earnestly, but I had my doubts; a check of the toothbrush revealed it was dry as the Sahara. "Looks like we
need a do-over," I said. "Try again." In a 2025 Delta Dental study of 1000 parents of kids age 12 and under, 67% of respondents reported difficulty in getting their kids to brush their teeth. And in a related but thoroughly unscientific survey, 100% of
the friends I asked told me that their own kids have lied about tooth brushing at least once. See, young children don’t experience truth as adults do; their developing minds blur the line between reality and hope, between what happened and what they would prefer had happened. Brushing is tedious, being done is better. Add a desire to please Mom, and those wires can cross. In those early years, our job is to help kids gradually separate fact from wishful thinking. You might
think that prosecuting dishonesty harshly might scare kids into telling the truth, but that often just scares them into hiding more cleverly. Our goal as parents isn't just to have kids who brush their teeth and do their own homework and someday file tax returns without creative interpretations of “business mileage,” although we do want all those things. But overall, we want kids who are brave enough to be, rather than seem to be. If they see early that
mistakes can be brought into the light and fixed with a do-over, they’re far less likely to build a life around pretending they didn't happen. So my best recommendation for Children's Dental Health Month is to model both scrupulous honesty and scrupulous teeth-brushing yourself. In case you need an immediate solution, though, I hunted down a list of kids' best tooth-brushing songs thoughtfully supplied by the American Dental Association. Grit your teeth and hum along.
—Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities
|
|
|
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. |
|
|
|
Exciting Martial Arts Summer Camp!
Give your child an action-packed summer at Journey Martial Arts! Our Martial Arts Summer Camp is filled with fun, skill-building, and confidence-boosting activities. Kids will train like martial artists, break boards, play games, and make new friends—all in a safe, supportive environment.
|
|
|
|
Ballet Austin Academy – Summer Camps & Classes
Ages 15 months – 12 years
Since 1956, Ballet Austin Academy has inspired young dancers with creativity, movement, and a love for dance. This summer, your child can take center stage in a fun, supportive environment designed to spark imagination and build confidence.
Our Summer Children’s Program offers classes and camps for ages 15 months to 12 years. Dancers can start in the Young Children’s Division, a gentle introduction to dance, move to the Pre-Ballet Division for formal ballet prep, or continue in the Elementary Division, where ballet training begins. In Broadway Kids Camp, kids celebrate what makes them unique through song, dance, and a special performance for family and friends.
|
|
|
|
100 years of Discovering. Learning. Creating.
Join us as we celebrate Black History Month and the Library’s 100th Anniversary with a community cookout at the library’s first branch, the Carver Branch. This family-friendly event will feature food, music, dancing, games, crafts, and activities for all ages, along with Dominoes and Spades tournaments. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about the history of the branch and its important role in the community over the past century.
Come celebrate culture, community, and 100 years of library service with us!
|
|
|
|
Our mission for The Lunar New Year Festival is to highlight and uplift Asian-owned, creatively-aligned small businesses as well as make space for allies to support, connect with, and learn more about the diverse Asian cultures and diasporas that are part of
our local community.
This free, family-friendly event is open to all. Come celebrate!
|
|
|
|
NBA G League team owned and operated by the San Antonio Spurs. Affordable, fun family entertainment at the H-E-B Center at Cedar Park.
|
|
|
|
Community Event Returns with Lion & Dragon Dances, Pickleball Open Play, Local Vendors, and Family Fun. Austin Pickle Ranch will host its second annual Lunar New Year Party, bringing a vibrant Lion and Dragon Dance performance to Austin’s favorite
pickleball courts to celebrate the start of the Year of the Horse. After a sold-out debut in 2025, the community-driven celebration returns with an energetic evening blending sport, culture, and local flavor.
Guests will enjoy three hours of open pickleball play, as well as a traditional Lion and Dragon Dance by the Southern Sea Dragon & Lion Dance Company. The traditional Lion and Dragon Dance is believed to bring good luck and prosperity for the new year.
The event will also feature bites from local favorite Sip Pho, including a Banh Mi charcuterie board. Guests will meet other Austin-based vendors including Bug & Bear’s Kitchen and Kessho. JOOLA will provide door prizes.
|
|
|
|
Small Schools of South Austin, a collaborative group of small school owners is hosting its 2nd Annual Small Schools Fair, a FREE event showcasing over a dozen unique and alternative educational programs serving infants through adolescents across South
Austin! The fair will feature a Barefoot Books Book Sale and music with Mr. Sean's Music. Children welcome and encouraged to attend. Visit IG @smallschoolsofsouthaustin for more!
|
|
|
|
In a short time, Q2 Stadium has quickly become one of the best, most compelling and vibrant stadiums to watch professional sports not only in the state of Texas, but across the entire North American professional sports landscape. Come on out and cheer for
the Austin FC!
|
|
|
|
Daddy & Me Swim! Enjoy warm open swim and special bonding time for dads and little swimmers. Splash, play, and make memories together!
|
|
|
|
Calling all Pokémon fans in 2nd–6th grade!
Join us for a fun, come-and-go club where kids can trade cards, share their favorite Pokémon, and connect with other fans. Each meeting may look a little different — we might play Pokémon-themed games, do a directed drawing, swap cards, or just hang out and talk all things Pokémon!
Whether you’re a seasoned trainer or just getting started, this club is the perfect place to make new friends and have tons of Pokémon fun. Come catch the excitement!
|
|
|
|
Young tots and caregivers join us in making animal crafts, reading about our animal friends and exploring the zoo by stroller or little feet! 8 sessions Jan – May.
|
|
|
|
Enjoy live, local talent, great food, delicious drinks and unforgettable sunsets. Perfect for the whole family!
|
|
|
|
Enjoy FREE museum admission all day during H-E-B Free Fourth Sundays, held the fourth Sunday of every month.
|
|
|
|
Practice reading with Ruby! Ruby is a great listener and will listen to anything you want to read to her - or if you're not quite ready to read, she loves to hear you describe pictures in picture books to her too. She's happy to listen to people of any age,
but ages 4-10 will probably enjoy reading to her the most.
You need to sign up for a 10-minute time slot in person beforehand (sign-up sheet is near the catalog computer in the children's area). Ruby will take walk-ins on the day of if there are open time slots or no-shows.
|
|
|
- Black History Month Story Walk - City of Lakeway, Lakeway, TX, Friday, February 20 to Sunday, February 22, all day
- Information Session - Magellan International School - Magellan International School, Northwest Hills, Austin, TX, Friday, February 20 to Sunday, February 22, 9:30 am
- Family Storytime - Georgetown Public Library, Georgetown, TX, Friday, February 20, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 9:30, 10:15. and 11 am
- Texas
America250 Reading Challenge - Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Austin, TX, Friday, February 20 to Sunday, February 22, all day
- Preschool Storytime - Bastrop Public Library, Bastrop, TX, Friday, February 20, 10:30 am
- Baby Lapsit (0-18 months) - Buda City Hall & Library, Buda, TX, Friday, February 20, 10:30-11 am
- Lunar New Years Craft - Little Walnut Creek Branch - Austin Public Library, Austin, TX,
Friday, February 20, 3:30-4:30 pm
- Music/ Movement Storytime - Liberty Hill Public Library, Liberty Hill,
TX, Friday, February 20, 10:15 - 11 am
- Open Gaming- Nintendo switch fun! - Dripping Springs Community Library, Dripping Springs, TX, Friday, February 20, 4:30-5:30 pm
- Pokemon Club - Dripping Springs Community Library, Dripping Springs, TX, Friday, February 20, 4:15-5:15 pm
- Live Music on Lake
Travis - Grant Hudson - Volente Beach Resort & Waterpark, Leander, TX, Friday, February 20, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
- Soccer Stars Free Demo Day - Ages 1-10 at Lakeline Park - Soccer Stars, Cedar Park, TX, Saturday, February 21, 10:00AM
- Introduction to the Youngest Children's Community - Austin Montessori School - Sunset Trail Campus, Austin,
TX, Saturday, February 21, 9 am
- 2nd Annual Small Schools Fair - upRising - a church without walls, Austin, TX, Saturday, February 21, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Community Volunteer Event: Stephenson Preserve - Stephenson Nature Preserve And Outdoor Education Center, Austin, TX, Saturday, February 21, 9 am- 12 pm
- Read with Ruby the Therapy Dog! - Dripping Springs Community Library, Dripping Springs, TX, Saturday, February 21, 10:30 am- 12 pm
- Baby Time with Ms.
Melissa - Pflugerville Library, Pflugerville, TX, Saturday, February 21, 10:30 am
- Pokémon
Club - Round Rock Public Library - RRPL, Round Rock, TX, Saturday, February 21, 9-10:30 am
- H-E-B Free Fourth Sunday - H-E-B, Austin, TX, Sunday, February 22, 1-5PM
- The Lunar New Year Festival 202- Year of The Horse - Austin, TX, Sunday, February 22, 11 am- 5 pm
- 100 Year Black History Community Cookout - Carver Branch, Austin Public Library, Austin, TX, Sunday, February 22, 12-3 pm
- Koblenz Karneval - Sister cities of Austin, Austin, TX, Sunday, February 22, 1PM-3PM
|
|
|
|
Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the Austin 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the Austin 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Planning a kids birthday party in the Austin area? Here are lots of ideas for where to have it! If there is a resource that we have missed, please email us to let us know, and we'll add it promptly.
|
|
|
Enjoy the weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
|
|
