KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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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 Mon, Feb 16: Aviation Exploration February School Break Camp - EAST AMHERST at Stutelage Innovations
Mon, Feb 16: 2026 Polar Bear Days at the Buffalo Zoo
Fri, Feb 20: Kindergarten Readiness
Series at Parent Network of WNY
Sat, Feb 21: Get Outside This Winter: Orienteering at Cazenovia Park
Sun, Feb 22: Monster Jam Freestyle Mania at the Keybank Center |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
When Madison and Ella were young, I made it a point to stretch their comfort zones in small, manageable ways. They’d order their own food at restaurants, they'd arrange their own homeschool work schedules, they'd try activities where they didn’t know anyone. I did my best not to step in unless invited. Over time, they started trusting their own ability to
navigate the world without me. That, of course, was the point. But the better they got at being independent, the more I started to feel a quiet kind of discomfort. They were moving outward—into the world, into themselves—and I could feel the shift. There’s a concept in astrophysics called red shift. When a star or galaxy moves away from us, the light it emits stretches, shifting toward the red end of the spectrum. The farther away it moves, the redder the
light appears. It’s how we know the universe is expanding. The movement doesn’t mean the light is gone—just that it’s arriving to us in a new form, from farther away. I think about that a lot as my kids are no longer orbiting so closely. I still see their light; it just looks different now. I’m learning to recognize their new wavelengths. The trick, I think, is not to see red shift as loss, but as evidence of motion. The fact that I feel the stretch means the universe is doing
what it’s supposed to do: expanding, evolving, moving outward. I remind myself that this kind of shift is a mark of success. Increased wavelength, decreased frequency... it's all part of the natural order of things. Light travels and stretches, and love does, too.
—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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Get ready to dive into the magical world of Pinocchio with Locust Street Art for a nostalgic movie screening experience like no other!
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Sunday, Jan 25, 10 am - 4 pm. Free admission for all kids 12 and under! Discount applied automatically at checkout. Visit the Botanical Gardens while the kids are off from school! Explore the beautiful Botanical Gardens to discover, learn, and play! Admission is free for all kids 12 and under. Travel through our tropical conservatory and learn about plants from around the world.
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Our tables are provided free of charge 7 days a week for all to come and enjoy their favorite game or play one from our gaming library. Feel free to bring your lunch. Tables are first come, first serve.
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Kids can learn 6 basic crochet stitches. For children with their adults. The fourth Saturday of the month at 10:30am from September - May, not on holidays. Please call 716-892-8089 or register in person at 2580 Harlem Rd Cheektowaga, NY 14225.
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Work with your fellow Scouts to to solve a science mystery using real forensic techniques like fingerprint analysis, DNA testing, and chromatography. From lifting prints to analyzing chemical traces, you'll discover how science helps solve crimes and mysteries. Can you crack the case?
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Drop in to explore some unique ways to make art. The focus is on the process, not the finished picture, so it's fun for everyone, from the most petit painters to the more advanced artists!
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Visit our Botanical Gardens on select dates for a unique art-making experience inspired by the lush greenery and vibrant plant life of our conservatory. Through themed art activities, immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and textures of the Botanical Gardens while crafting your own botanical-inspired craft. Bring your imagination to life, all needed materials are provided. Join us for a relaxing, fun-filled day of art, nature, and creativity.
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Looking for a Family friendly way to get moving during the winter? Contra dance is a form of folk dancing that is low impact and fun! Ages 5-105! All are welcome! Live Music! Every dance is taught by a caller and walked through before we start dancing. Lots of smiles and laughter! PLEASE click MORE INFORMATION for details on LOCATION!
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Let’s SNOW, Buffalo! Join us on the rink at Buffalo RiverWorks for our January open ice skates, presented by Independent Health! Show your Independent Health member ID for FREE admission and discounted $4 ice skate rentals! Non-members: $5 admission; $5 skate rentals.
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Enjoy ice skating with your friends and family at the Rink in East Aurora! Your kids will have a blast while you show them how it's done and you'll all get a great, fun workout! Skate rentals are available on a first come/first served basis. Our admission window will be open 30 minutes prior to each public skate. For holiday and weekend night skates, we recommend getting here early especially if your group will need rentals.
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- Pinocchio (1940) Movie Screening: Presented by Locust Street Art - Locust Street Art, Locust Street, Buffalo, NY, Friday, January 23, 2026, 6-8PM
- Free Outdoor Ice Skating at Rotary Rink at Fountain Plaza - Fountain Plaza, Buffalo, NY, Friday, January 23 - Sunday, January 25, 2026, varies, see below
- Toddler Time -
Lackawanna Public Library, Ridge Road, Buffalo, NY, Friday, January 23, 2026, 10:30 AM
- Free Community Art
Classes - Locust Street Art, 138 Locust St, Buffalo, NY, Saturday, January 24, 2026, Tuesday and Thursday 3:30-6:30pm, Saturday 1-5pm
- Family Board Game Day at Kenmore Library - Kenmore Branch Library, Delaware Road, Kenmore, NY, Saturday, January 24, 2026, 9:30 am - 5 pm
- Pint-Sized Picassos at the Central Library - Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY, Saturday,
January 24, 2026, 1:30 - 2:30 pm
- Teen Haunt IRL - Lackawanna Public Library, Ridge Road, Buffalo, NY, Saturday,
January 24, 2026, 1:00 PM
- Curled Up with a Good Book at Niagara Falls State Park - Niagara Falls State Park, 332 Prospect St, Niagara Falls, NY, Saturday, January 24, 2026, 6 pm
- Family Game Night at Great Escape Adventures - Great Escape Adventures - Walden Galleria, Walden Galleria, Buffalo, NY, Friday, January 23 - Sunday, January 25, 2026, varies, see below
- Holiday Wrapping Paper
Donation Drive at Kenmore Library - Kenmore Branch Library, Delaware Road, Kenmore, NY, Friday, January 23 - Sunday, January 25, 2026, all day
- Snore & More: A Family Sleepover Event at Explore & More - Explore & More - The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children's Museum, 130 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, Friday, January 23 - Sunday, January 25, 2026, during regular hours
- Glass Snow Family at Corning Museum of Glass - Corning Museum of Glass, Museum Way, Corning, NY, Friday, January 23 - Sunday, January 25, 2026, 9 am - 5 pm
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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in and around Buffalo? Escape rooms are interactive, puzzle-packed experiences where you and your team work together to solve clues, unlock secrets,
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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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