KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Austin Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
In last week's column, I wrote about the Humble Abode, the kids-only hideout my sister and I created behind the giant azalea bush in our backyard. We dragged in chairs and treasures and made a little home in the hollowed-out
branches. At the time, I thought of it as something we had built. But of course, we didn’t create it from nothing. We were makers, yes, but we were making inside a world that was already alive. Summer is the perfect time for kids to experience that lesson up close and personal, with all their senses. The world is warm, green, buzzing, blooming, squelching, chirping, dripping, and growing almost too fast to track. Kids can smell lake water and tomato leaves, feel bark and moss
and mud, watch ants organize themselves with alarming competence, and notice that the same trail looks different after rain. Nature doesn’t need a lesson plan. It offers immediacy first: I am here. This is real. Pay attention. And then, quietly, it offers perspective. A child is legitimately the center of his or her own universe; we all are, from the inside. But Nature gently complicates that story. The robin is not singing for us. The creek does not hurry because we
are late. The sunflower turns toward the sun whether or not anyone remembers to admire it. Clouds, tides, weeds, and weather all proceed with their ancient business, reminding us that we belong to a world much larger than our schedules and preferences. That perspective should not make us feel small in a bad way, but instead help us feel rightly-sized. Humans have the wonderful ability to create, repair, improve, and beautify our little corners of the universe. But we do it
best when we understand the nature of the world we’re working within. So use this summer to include as much Outside Green Time as you can, looking up and around and in. Poke gently. Nature will do the rest.
—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 Variety Texas for Activate Inclusion Day, a free family festival celebrating play, connection, and belonging for children of all abilities. Enjoy a live bilingual dance party with Tío Tóto, adaptive soccer and basketball activities, improv games, face painting, lawn games, free sno-cones, and an Instrument Petting Zoo. Every child will receive a free Variety Texas One Ball for All soccer ball. Designed for elementary-aged children, siblings, parents, grandparents, and friends, this inclusive event features a sensory-friendly space, accessible facilities, accessible parking, and ASL interpretation. Registration is free but required. Come play, explore, and connect!
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The bells are ringing, and one of the most powerful musicals ever written is coming to the Gaslight-Baker stage! Based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel and featuring the soaring music of Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, The Hunchback of Notre Dame tells the unforgettable story of Quasimodo, the bell-ringer hidden away in the towers of Notre Dame, and the courageous Esmeralda, whose kindness changes his world forever. Filled with breathtaking music, stunning visuals, larger-than-life characters, and an emotional story of love, hope, courage, and belonging, this epic production is a theatrical experience you won’t want to miss. Whether you’re a longtime fan or discovering the story for the first time, The Hunchback of Notre Dame will leave you inspired, moved, and talking about it long after the final curtain. This production is expected to be one of the highlights of our season, so don’t wait! Secure your seats today and experience the magic, music, and majesty of The Hunchback…
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The Sound of Music follows the spirited nun, Maria, who brings joy to the stern Captain von Trapp and his seven children through the power of music. They must unite as they face the challenges of love and the threat of war. This beloved musical celebrates hope, family, and the magic of song.
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Skip the babysitter and still have a night out! Meanwhile, your kids experience a fun-filled night away from their parents. Every night’s activities are a little different, but we’ll always play climbing games and end the night with pizza and a movie.
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Join Texas Science & Natural History Museum to celebrate all things dino! Enjoy family-friendly educational activities, explore the museum’s interactive Discovery Center and newly updated Paleontology Gallery, and bring fossils for in-person identification by a paleontologist. Check out a 33-foot cast replica of a full tyrannosaur skeleton and see a wide assortment of paleontology specimens. Plus, get 20% off select dinosaur-themed merchandise in the Museum Store! All activities included with admission.
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ComedySportz - the clean comedy competition show - perfect for date night, family night, solo night. This 90-minute hilarious comedy show features games, scenes & songs improvised on-the-fly by our crack comedians, certain to make your face and belly ache from laughter. Got a group? Select your own seats to sit together. Tell us if you're having a birthday, anniversary, or work party and we'll help you celebrate!
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This Second Saturday you pull the strings—become a puppeteer! Join guest artist Kade Conklin to bring your own character to life. Join us on the second Saturday of every month for a fun and creative art-making experience at The Contemporary Austin! The whole family is invited to explore new materials, techniques, and ideas together.
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Join us for the annual Buda Summer Musical on the Great Lawn! This FREE, family-friendly presentation is brought to you by the Visit Buda team, The City of Buda, and Inspired Minds Art Center. When a tornado carries Dorothy from Kansas to the magical Land of Oz, she sets off down the Yellow Brick Road to find the Wizard who can help her get home. Along the way, she meets a Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion, and together they learn that courage, heart, and wisdom were inside them all along.
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Join us for a birthday party to celebrate the Museum’s namesake, the 38th Lieutenant Governor of Texas Bob Bullock, with crafts, games, and FREE exhibit admission.
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Join Families in Nature for a morning of giving back and outdoor adventure! We’ll paddle around Lady Bird Lake while helping keep our waterways clean by collecting litter along the shoreline and from the water.
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Austin’s most magical camp since 1993 — making memories and teaching life skills and confidence through magic, juggling, puppets, and fun! Fantastic Magic Camp is a fully inclusive day camp for children between the ages of 5 and 12. Campers learn magic, juggling, puppets, and a host of varied circus and variety arts skills. The day ends with a show by a magician, juggler, clown, puppeteer, ventriloquist, or storyteller, but most often a magician! 2026 camp weeks are in July.
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2026's best places to take kids in Austin as voted by Texas 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 Texas 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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Nothing says SUMMER like an amusement park! Austin parents have lots of options! If there is a resource that we have missed, please email us to let us know, and we'll add it promptly. Thank you!
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Austin 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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Fruit picking is a great activity to do together as a family. It helps little ones understand where their food actually comes from, and it's a fun tradition to share every year right through the teens. Here's where you can go around Austin for strawberry
picking, cherry picking, blueberry picking, raspberry picking, peach picking, and other pick-your-own opportunities for fruit.
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Enjoy the weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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