KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Sat, Apr 18: Planetarium Show: Queen City Skies Thu, Apr 23: Spring
Family Movie (rated PG) at Isaias Gonzalez-Soto Branch Library
Fri, Apr 24: Trading Card Night at
Sahlen Field Buffalo Bisons vs. Columbus Clippers Sat, Apr 25: Earth Day in ACTION at the Aquarium
Sat, Apr 25: NY ReLeaf Tree Expo
Sun,
Apr 26: Toddler & Me Seed Starting at Badding Farm
Tue, Apr 28: FeedMore WNY’s Farm Market On Wheels at
the Newstead Library
Sat, May 2: Safari Tours At Hidden Valley Animal Adventure!
Sat, May 9: Corduroy at TOY at Theatre of Youth (TOY)
Sun, May 10: Mother's Day Brunch Aboard the Arcade & Attica Railroad
Sun, May 10: Mother’s Day Down on the Farm at Kelkenberg Farm of Clarence Fri, May 15: America’s 250th Celebration
with Fireworks at Sahlen Field Buffalo Bisons vs. Worcester Red Sox
Sat, May 16: Vernal Pool and Wetlands Hike at Tifft Nature Preserve
Sat, May 16:
Dino ROAR @ Stokoe Farms 2026 - special 20% off discount code
Sun, May 17: Butterfly Experience at the Botanical
Gardens
Mon, Jun 29: An Amazing Summer with Just for Kids: Grand Island Summer Club |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: When my kids were little, one of our favorite nature activities was also one of the simplest: We’d head out onto a trail, stop among the trees, and play the Listening Game. The rules were easy: Close your eyes. The first time you hear a sound, any sound at all, put up one finger. Then add another for each new sound you notice. After a minute or two, someone says, “Open your
eyes,” and everyone compares fingers and talks about what they heard. It’s a small exercise in attention, but it changes how kids experience the world. The invisible becomes visible... not to the eyes, exactly, but to the mind. Things that were just out of range suddenly move onto our radar. Nature is full of motion and music, and this game helps us tune ourselves to it. The free Merlin Bird ID app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology takes that magic one step further: Tap Sound ID, and suddenly the songs around you appear on your screen as a voiceprint and a bird name and an image that shows you what to look for. And what a moment ago was only background atmosphere becomes a Carolina Wren, or an Eastern Whip-poor-will, or the Common Yellowthroat pictured above,
singing his heart out for a girl with a camera. That’s one of the great tasks of childhood, and of the adults who love children: to help hidden things come into view. Before we know something, it is almost as if it isn’t there. But once it is named, we have a new way to see. There are suddenly new dimensions to our universe, helping us transform even more mysteries into things that are ours. And we never really experience the woods—or the field, or the river, or
the ocean, or the city, or our backyard—the same way again.
—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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Eight-Week Series. Saturdays, April 18, 25; May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; June 13, 2026. Does your child have a creative passion? Have they ever dreamt of selling the things they make? Then get ready for a super fun and educational experience! Join the Buffalo AKG for our nine-week Mini Makers Market Series, designed to turn young artists into confident entrepreneurs. The series culminates in a market that is open to the public, giving your child the exciting, real-world opportunity to sell their creations and pocket the profits!
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Join us at the Buffalo Cherry Blossom Festival as we present a Trivia-O called the Mirror Lake Map Adventure. The activity is free with the intent of introducing newcomers to the joys of navigating with a map. Participants will use a custom-made map to navigate the grounds of the History Museum, the Japanese Garden, and the environs of Mirror Lake as they answer questions about locations on the map. Our table and tent will be located just to the left of the Lincoln statue on the SE side of the History Museum.
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This mini-garden is the perfect size for your mini-me! Bring the kiddos in any time between 9:30 am - 4 pm, Monday, April 13th-Sunday, April 19th to plant their very own miniature garden, filled with a miniature plant, mini animals or dinosaurs, decorative moss and stones! For just $12 you will get everything you need to create: a container, a plant, figurines, moss, stones, and soil to accent and nurture the environment. *Registration is NOT required for this event
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Junior History Buffs is a program at The Buffalo History Museum that engages children ages 4-11 in age-appropriate history lessons, songs, stories, crafts and games.
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Homeschool families with kids ages 4 -12 are invited to the Library for a little science FUN! We meet on the 3rd Friday of each month from 11 am - 12 pm. Can't wait to see you!
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Bring your own blanket, get cozy, and settle in for an afternoon of family fun! You’re welcome to bring your own snacks, and healthy options—including popcorn, fruit, and beverages—will also be available for purchase. All ages welcome (content appropriate for children 5+). For more information about CAM Family Movie Day, discount codes, or to suggest films for future programming, please contact the Evan Wright at [email protected] |
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In this exciting class, junior artists will explore light and color by creating a beautiful stained-glass style painting! Participants will learn to use a special combination of paints and materials to design and finish their artwork right onto a piece of plexiglass. You'll go home with a dazzling, transparent masterpiece to display!
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The Rock And Roll Playhouse plays music of Grateful Dead and more for kids at Buffalo Iron Works on Saturday, April 18th! Featuring Dead Alliance Buffalo. All Ages – Kids under 1 free!
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Open Play is a great way to spend some quality time with the kids. A healthy mix between kid and adult obstacles will ensure a good challenge and a great time for all! 60-minute sessions available. We cherish our near perfect safety record here at 'The Factory' and feel we owe it to our customers to keep it that way, so we kindly ask that participants ages 3-5 be accompanied by a participating adult. You do NOT need a membership or previous class participation to attend, all are welcome!!
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Pack up your kids and their friends and bring them to Gratwick Park for this monthly event! Kites of all shapes and sizes are flown to the delight of everyone. Pick up some tips and tricks and make plans to start flying kites with this fun group next time.
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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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- M&T Third Friday: Free Admission at the Buffalo History Museum! - M&T Bank - The Buffalo History Museum, Museum Court, Buffalo, NY, USA, 04/17/2026, 10:00am-5:00pm
- Junior History Buffs - The Buffalo History Museum, Museum Court, Buffalo, NY, USA, 04/17/2026, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Homeschool Board
Gaming at the Newstead Library - Newstead Public Library, 33 Main Street, Akron, NY 14001, United States, 04/17/2026, 1 - 3 pm
- Homeschool Science Hour at the Library - Newstead Public Library, 33 Main Street, Akron, NY 14001, United States, 04/17/2026, 11:00AM
- NYS Alternative Assessment - Parent Network of WNY, 1021 Broadway St, Buffalo, NY 14212, United States, 04/18/2026, 10 am-12 pm
- Pint-Sized Picassos at the Central Library - Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY, USA, 04/18/2026, 1:30 - 2:30 pm
- Family Board Game Day at Kenmore Library - Kenmore Branch Library, Delaware Road, Kenmore, NY, USA,
04/18/2026, 9:30 am - 5 pm
- Scavenger Hunt - Isaías González-Soto Branch Library (formerly Niagara Branch), 280 Porter Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14201, United States, 04/18/2026, Library Open Hours - Mon 10-6, Tues 9-5, Wed 12-8, Thurs 10-6, Sat 10-6
- Tune the Tale - Lackawanna Public Library, Ridge Road, Buffalo, NY, USA, 04/18/2026, 11:00 AM
- Game Design: Tech Arts for Girls (Spring) - Squeaky Wheel Film & Media
Art Center, 2495 Main St Suite 310, Buffalo, NY 14214, United States, 04/18/2026, 10:00AM
- Young Historians Huddle at the Central Library - Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY, USA, 04/18/2026, 10 - 11 am
- Peaceful Playtime at the Central Library - Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY, USA, 04/18/2026, 3 - 4 pm
- Free
Community Art Classes - Locust Street Art, 138 Locust St, Buffalo, NY 14204, United States, 04/18/2026, Tuesday and Thursday 3:30-6:30pm, Saturday 1-5pm
- FREE Trial Private Dance Lessons - 5225 Sheridan Drive, Williamsville, NY 14221, 04/18/2026, Contact Miss Lexi for
availability!
- Fruition: Growing the Gift of Seed - Fruition Seeds - Genesee Country Village & Museum, Flint Hill Road, Mumford, NY, USA, 04/19/2026, 1 - 3 p.m.
- 3rd Sunday Kite Fly at Gratwick Park - Great Lakes Kitefliers Society - 1200 River Road, N. Tonawanda, NY 14150, 04/19/2026, 12 - 4 pm
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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