KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Sat, May 2: Round & Square Dance at York Central School
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 Fri, May 22: Butterfly Experience at the Botanical Gardens
Sat, May 23: Cosmic Adventure at the Museum
Sun, May 24: Season Opener Train Ride with the Return of Steam Engine #18 the Arcade & Attica Railroad
Sun, May 24: Opening Weekend at Olcott Beach Carousel Park Mon, May 25: Season Opener Train Ride with the Return of Steam Engine #18 the Arcade &
Attica Railroad
Thu, May 28: Elmo's Got The Moves at Artpark - Tickets On Sale Now
Sat, May 30: Butterfly Release at the
Botanical Gardens
Sun, May 31: Men's Vintage Baseball Game
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: When they were handing out high school yearbook awards, some of my classmates unofficially, though cheerfully, voted me Least Likely to Become a Professional Cheerleader. I couldn’t really disagree: After all, I was a nerd before being a nerd came into fashion, much more comfortable in a library than at a pep rally. So much for teenage
predictions! Yesterday, my daughter Ella turned 25, which means KidsOutAndAbout turns 25, too. When Ella was imminent, and her sister Madison was one-and-a-half, I was realizing just how many incredible experiences for kids and families were all around us in Rochester. Back then, before web calendars were a thing, finding out about stuff happening meant you had to know where to look. So during maternity leave from my old technology consulting firm, I decided
to build a place to make invisible opportunities visible, to celebrate the people who create them, and to build audiences for these great things. We’ve grown to a dedicated team of 20 people doing work that matters, serving 52 regions with 15 million readers per year and 750,000 weekly newsletter subscribers. So yes, I’m a professional cheerleader, and I love it. I love this. I love that my job is to help build an audience for the remarkable experiences people are
bringing to life. I love that our mission is to shine a light on the concerts, camps, classes, festivals, trails, museums, libraries, theaters, and local treasures large and small that become family stories and memories. Far from slowing down, we’re heading into hyper-drive for our Silver Anniversary, so stay tuned! Thank you for being part of the journey, and for giving us so much to cheer about.
—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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Every day at Aurora Waldorf School, we inspire children to love learning for its own sake, giving them a gift that will last a lifetime. With expertise, dedication, and warmth, our teachers provide a screen-free rigorous education that fully integrates the fine and practical arts with the sciences, mathematics, humanities, movement, and athletics. Our Pre-K through 8th Grade curriculum includes global and local cultural traditions - including seasonal festivals and celebrations - and ample time outdoors on our 13-acre wooded campus. A daily, free student shuttle from Buffalo and district bussing within 15 miles are available. @aurorawaldorfschool
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Your Adventure Begins Now! Girl Scout Camp encourages you to explore the outdoors, try something new, and build skills that last a lifetime. Whether you’re discovering the wildlife in your own backyard, swimming in a lake for the first time, or being a citizen scientist and observing bees in your neighborhood park, every outdoor adventure grows your “I’ve got this” attitude. And once you unlock that confidence, you’ll aim as high as the stars you see outside your cabin window. Head to https://www.gswny.org/en/camp-and-outdoors/summer_camp.html for the full list of 2026 programs.
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Fashion History & Sewing for Teens Design the past. Create the future. Calling all creative teens! At the Buffalo History Museum, campers explore how fashion tells America’s story - then design their own. Inspired by the GLAM-erica 250 exhibit and the museum’s textile archives, participants study historic garments and transform thrifted pieces into bold, modern designs. Perfect for beginners and aspiring designers alike, this camp blends creativity, sustainability, and storytelling into a meaningful, hands-on experience. Space is limited - join us for a week of style and self-expression! July 20–24, 2026 | 9 AM–3 PM Ages 12–17 | $495
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These Friday night evenings for all ages offer twilight talks with astronomers, observations of celestial objects from the roof deck (weather permitting), and access to all four floors of the Museum.
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Take an open-air safari bus tour or self-drive through our 63 acre park for an up close and personal experience to view and feed exotic animals such as camels, zebra, llama, emu, bison, and many more. Leave time to walk among, pet, and feed smaller, friendly animals in our Small Animal Adventure. Fun for the whole family. Tours run 10:30am to 3:30pm. Park grounds are open 10am to 5pm. Order tickets online. Purchase a COMBO (park tour with SAA) for best value. Kids age 2 and under go free. The adventure is closer than you think.
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Oh no, Corduroy’s button has gone missing, and he can’t go home with kindhearted Lisa without it! Join the beloved teddy bear as he takes a rollicking ride up the escalator and begins a delightfully destructive romp through every section of the department store. Will he find his button at the top of a teetering store display? Will Lisa ever get to bring him home, or will the bumbling security guard catch him first? Where, oh where, is Corduroy’s BUTTON? Recommended Ages: 3 and up. Show Run-Time is 60-Minutes, plus our post-show 10-minute talk-back. **Sensory-Friendly Performance is Sunday, May 3 at 10AM. To purchase tickets for this performance, click the link below and use code: SENSORY25
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Stop by our Playspace on select Saturdays for an educator-led Storytime featuring nature-themed books and props. Each session features different books designed to stimulate young minds and deepen the connection between people and plants. This program will take place indoors and is recommended for Early Childhood, ages 5 and under. We encourage caregivers to park their strollers in House 7 before joining Storytime to accommodate space.
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Join me in celebrating the start of May and Cinco De Mayo!! In this class, participants will receive 6 cookies, which will include a variety of the festive themed cookies pictured here! We’ll go step by step to show you the sugar cookie way, including our usual class techniques of working with royal icing to base flood cookies, how to create wet-on-wet designs, and how to use stiffer designs to create texture and finishing touches on your cookies. You’ll also receive our royal icing recipe to practice your cookie decorating skills at home! Minimum age for this particular class is 8 years old. Every person in the room must register to participate, if you bring a child, you must have a registration for them and for you, in order to participate. This helps with spacing and seating in the room.
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Celebrate the spring season with a bouquet you create yourself! Kids will learn exciting folding and cutting techniques to transform a variety of colorful papers into beautiful, everlasting flowers. You'll leave class with your own unique spring arrangement, ready to brighten any room!
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Welcome Hawk Creek's newest ambassadors, the rare New Guinea Singing Dogs, for their public debut at Wild Earth Day, to be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, and Saturday, May 9!
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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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At the Buffalo Museum of Science, we are committed to bringing people together by uplifting and celebrating the cultures that are all around us. We are excited to learn and share with you through our new Celebration Series, where we invite local cultural ambassadors, scientists, and community partners to celebrate the diversity of WNY!
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- Camp Kenan Open House - Healthy Kids Day - YMCA, YMCA Camp Kenan, 8571 Lower Lake Road, Barker, NY 14012, 05/02/2026, 10:00am to 2:00pm
- Camp Weona Open House - Healthy Kids Day - YMCA, YMCA Camp Weona, Poplar Tree Road, Gainesville, NY, 05/02/2026, 10:00am to 2:00pm
- Yarn Club at the Eden
Public Library - Eden Public Library, 2901 E Church St, Eden, NY 14057, 05/02/2026, 10 am - 12:30 pm
- Free Community Art Classes - Locust Street Art, 138 Locust St, Buffalo, NY 14204, 05/02/2026, Saturday 1-5pm
- Scavenger Hunt - Isaías González-Soto Branch Library (formerly Niagara Branch), 280 Porter Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14201, 05/02/2026, 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, 05/02/2026, 11:00 AM
- Comics and Illustration: Tech Arts for Girls (Spring) - Squeaky Wheel Film & Media Art Center, Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 05/02/2026, 10:00AM
- Peaceful Playtime at the Central Library - Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY, 05/02/2026, 3 - 4 pm
- Dungeons & Dragons: Underwood - Isaías González-Soto Branch Library (formerly Niagara Branch), 280 Porter Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14201, 05/02/2026, 1:00PM-5:00PM
- Guess How Many Contest! - Isaías González-Soto Branch Library (formerly Niagara Branch), 280 Porter Avenue,
Buffalo, NY 14201, 05/02/2026, Open hours
- Saturday Academy - Southside Elementary School, 430 Southside Pkwy, Buffalo, NY 14210, 05/02/2026, 9am
- 1st Sunday Kite Fly at Gratwick Park - Great Lakes Kitefliers Society, 1200 River Road, N. Tonawanda, NY 14150, 05/03/2026, 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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