KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Fri, Jan 16: Mozart’s Mass With the BPO
Mon, Jan 19: Kids Day at the Botanical
Gardens
Wed, Jan 21: Afternoon Cozy Crochet at Town of Collins Public Library
Sat, Jan 24: Owl Moon at Genesee Country Village & Museum
Sun, Jan 25: Make Your Own Glass Windchime at Corning Museum of Glass (Ages 4+})
Fri, Jan 30: Orchid Exhibit at Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens
Sat, Jan 31: Beaded Lizard Family Workshop at Buffalo Museum of Science
Sun, Feb 1: St. Benedict School Open House Fri, Feb 6: Shostakovich No. 5 With the BPO
Sat, Feb 7: Storytime at the Botanical Gardens Sat, Feb 14: The Winter Warriors at Old Fort Niagara
Sat, Feb 14: Winter Break: Arty Party Time! at Corning Museum of Glass
Sat, Feb 14: BPO Little Kids With the BPO |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
If it weren’t for a Polish pastry, I might not exist. When my great-grandmother Karolina Stelmach was a teenager in a small village in Poland, she was told she’d be entering an arranged marriage. But her heart belonged to Sylvester Nowakowski. So she left... on her own, by boat... and made her way to America. She found work in a restaurant, where she made her
family’s signature dessert: chrusciki. One day, a “distinguished gentleman” insisted on meeting the pastry chef, and he offered her a better-paying job in his own kitchen. She took it, saved enough to bring Sylvester over, and they married. Which means if chrusciki didn’t exist, neither would I. Stories like this do more than entertain. According to psychologist Robyn Fivush, interviewed on a recent episode of the Hidden Brain podcast, they help kids develop identity,
resilience, and self-worth. The more children know about their family’s past—not just the “big” stories like crossing oceans, but even the day-to-day moments and struggles—the more connected and grounded they become. Fivush and her colleagues at Emory University found that kids who know more family stories have higher self-esteem, greater emotional understanding, and a stronger sense of meaning and purpose. But it’s not just the information that matters...it’s the telling. When we sit down and
share what came before, we help kids feel like they’re part of something bigger, and that they belong. No AI can replicate that. A chatbot can write a story, sure. But it can’t tell your kids how Grandma’s meatloaf could’ve doubled as a construction material, or how two little girls in the 1950s turned a couple of ice cream cones into a front-porch endurance contest. So this year, make a point of telling your kids about your family's shared history: about
mistakes, about perseverance, about love, about dessert. Connection doesn’t have to be complicated: Just pull up a chair, pass the cookies, and pass down the stories.
—Debra Ross, publisher
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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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Winter Faire 2025 is Saturday, January 17, 2026 from 10 am - 3 pm. Come one, come all to the most magical event of the year at Aurora Waldorf School! Our beloved Winter Faire is a school tradition, a day of magical entertainment open to all! Enjoy craft activities, storytelling, a visit to the enchanted castle, jump rope making, and more! There will also be maple cotton candy, a delicious lunch for purchase, and shopping. This is a must-loved Buffalo southtowns event, celebrated for decades at AWS! Grab your tickets early and don’t miss this affordable, family-friendly event!
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Now is the time to enroll for 2026-2027! Explore our NEW half-day or full-day Pre-K options for 3 & 4 year olds, as well as 3 or 5 day per week Montessori Pre-K. You & your child will have the opportunity to tour the school, meet teachers & current families, & enjoy a doughnut & coffee/juice. Grades K - 2 are such important, formative years for your child, be sure to take this opportunity to explore these classrooms as well & learn how our Catholic values shape tomorrow's leaders. RSVP at the link below to visit us Sun., Jan. 25th from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm. Hope to see you there, walk-ins also welcome!
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Our Mozart Festival opens with the "Prague" Symphony No. 38, composed on the heels of The Marriage of Figaro's tremendous success. Rich in complex subtleties and lyrical sophistication, it spans a full spectrum of emotion. Mozart's unfinished "Great" Mass in C minor—his most exalted and personal work—was deeply influenced by the Baroque traditions of Bach and Handel. Its original movements journey from somber to soaring, with later 20th-century revisions completing the piece.
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Join a Park Naturalist for a guided dark evening walk, explore Deveaux woods at night. Please bring a flashlight. Meet at the parking lot next to the dog park and playground at DeVeaux Woods State Park. Please arrive 10-15 minutes prior to the start of the program. Registration is required for all programs. Please bring a flashlight and dress for the weather. Programs are free. Parking is limited and parking fees may apply.
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Players are welcome! Dungeons & Dragons: Underwood is a homebrew fantasy role playing game set in the late-medieval/early renaissance period, circa AD 1565. Ages 8+, adults without children are welcome. Easy to play, no experience needed. Come to one or more sessions. Community member-led, ask library staff for more info.
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Get ready for some fiber fun! In this hands-on class, young artists will discover the joy of embroidery. Using safe, blunt needles and soft burlap, they'll learn foundational stitches to create their very own multimedia stitched masterpiece. It's a fantastic way to develop fine motor skills, unleash creativity, and make art you can touch! Meet in Studio B, Knox Building.
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Enjoy the Aquarium of Niagara's lowest admission rate of the year when you visit over Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. Admission is just $7.16 -- that's more than 60% off!
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YMCA Camp Weona’s Winter Kids Camp Weekend is a cozy, adventure‑filled escape where kids can unplug, explore the snowy outdoors, and make new friends. From sledding and winter hikes to crafts and campfire fun, it blends classic camp magic with the excitement of the season. It’s a perfect way for kids to stay active, build confidence, and enjoy a memorable winter getaway.
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Winter is here and with it brings plenty of migrating waterfowl and gulls.Join us and explore what lays on the great Niagara River corridor. Meet at the Welcome Center inside Niagara Falls State Park. Please arrive 10-15 minutes prior to the start of the program. Programs are free. Please dress for the weather. Binoculars are encouraged but not necessary. The closest parking is Parking Lot 1 inside Niagara Falls State Park. Parking is limited and parking fees may apply. Materials will be provided. You are more then welcome to bring your own craft supplies. Parking is limited and parking fees may apply.
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- Flashlight Frolic (8+) at DeVeaux Woods State Park - DeVeaux Woods State Park, Niagara Falls, Saturday, January 17, 5:30 pm
- Free Outdoor Ice Skating at Rotary Rink at
Fountain Plaza - Fountain Plaza, Buffalo, Friday, January 16 to Sunday, January 18, varies, see below
- Glass Snow Family at Corning Museum of Glass - Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, Friday, January 16 to Sunday, January 18, 9 am - 5 pm
- Holiday Wrapping Paper Donation Drive at Kenmore Library - Kenmore Branch Library - Kenmore, Friday, January 16 to Sunday, January
18, all day
- Wildlife Rockstars at CountryMax - CountryMax Stores - Rochester/Buffalo Area,
Saturday, January 17, 12:00PM to 2:00PM
- Idols vs. Demons K-Pop Party - Lackawanna Public Library, Buffalo,
Saturday, January 17, 1:00 PM
- Pint-Sized Picassos at the Central Library - Saturday, January 17, 1:30 - 2:30 pm
- Family Board Game Day at Kenmore Library - Kenmore Branch Library - Kenmore, Saturday, January 17, 9:30 am - 5 pm
- 3rd Sunday Kite Fly at Gratwick Park - Great Lakes Kitefliers Society - 1200 River Road, N. Tonawanda, Sunday, January 18, 12 - 4 pm
- Feathers in Frost (Adults & Ages 8+) at Niagara Falls State Park - Niagara Falls State Park, Niagara
Falls, Sunday, January 18, 11 am
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EXPERIENCES create memories much more than stuff does. As you're considering gifts for family and friends, consider giving the gift of a family membership to one of our local attractions. Here are local organizations that offer memberships.
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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 Buffalo and WNY 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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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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