KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Sat, Feb 21: Get Outside This Winter: Orienteering at Cazenovia Park Mon, Feb 23: FREE Kid's Theatre Classes by 2nd Generation Theatre Academy at Isaias Gonzalez-Soto Branch Library
Sat, Feb 28: Williamsville Soup Stroll at Garrison Park
Sat, Feb 28: Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Musical at TOY at Theatre of Youth (TOY)
Sun, Mar 1: K-Pop Demon Hunters Kids Rave at Buffalo Iron Works Sat, Mar 14: Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) in Concert | Film with Live Orchestra at the BPO
Thu, Mar 19: Third Thursday March FREE ADMISSION at the Buffalo Zoo presented by M&T Bank at The Buffalo Zoo
Fri, Mar 20: Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat - Live on Stage at the Center for The Arts!
Sat, Mar 21: Puppet Festival Mississauga at Crane Creations Theatre Company
Sun, Mar 22: GCV&M Maple Sugar Festival 2026 |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: February is Children’s Dental Health Month, which means it's the perfect time to talk about LYING. The first lie my daughter Madison ever attempted was when she was about 3. "Did you brush your teeth?” I asked as she was getting ready for bed. She nodded earnestly, but I had my doubts; a check of the toothbrush revealed it was dry as the Sahara. "Looks like
we need a do-over," I said. "Try again." In a 2025 Delta Dental study of 1000 parents of kids age 12 and under, 67% of respondents reported difficulty in getting their kids to brush their teeth. And in a related but thoroughly unscientific survey, 100%
of the friends I asked told me that their own kids have lied about tooth brushing at least once. See, young children don’t experience truth as adults do; their developing minds blur the line between reality and hope, between what happened and what they would prefer had happened. Brushing is tedious, being done is better. Add a desire to please Mom, and those wires can cross. In those early years, our job is to help kids gradually separate fact from wishful thinking. You might
think that prosecuting dishonesty harshly might scare kids into telling the truth, but that often just scares them into hiding more cleverly. Our goal as parents isn't just to have kids who brush their teeth and do their own homework and someday file tax returns without creative interpretations of “business mileage,” although we do want all those things. But overall, we want kids who are brave enough to be, rather than seem to be. If they see early that
mistakes can be brought into the light and fixed with a do-over, they’re far less likely to build a life around pretending they didn't happen. So my best recommendation for Children's Dental Health Month is to model both scrupulous honesty and scrupulous teeth-brushing yourself. In case you need an immediate solution, though, I hunted down a list of kids' best tooth-brushing songs thoughtfully supplied by the American Dental Association. Grit your teeth and hum along.
—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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Escape Buffalo’s winter weather and see our tropical blooms. Exciting pops of color will breathe even more life into our lush greenhouses this winter thanks to the return of our Orchid Exhibit! Experience our expansive collection featuring hundreds of
tropical flowers. Find extraordinary epiphytes wrapping their roots into a series of beautiful displays throughout our Botanical Gardens. See incredible orchids of all shapes and sizes, learn all about these interesting flowers, and relax in our peaceful conservatory. You don’t want to miss this spectacular showcase of tropical flowers from around the world.
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The ultimate freestyle experience.
This is Monster Jam Freestyle Mania.
Get ready for the event that will change everything you thought you knew about freestyle— Monster Jam Freestyle ManiaTM, presented by Spin Master. Monster Jam® trucks team up with Freestyle Motocross bikes to deliver gravity-defying skills and thrills.
We’ve created one-of-a-kind FMX bikes for this epic team competition, each with the bold, iconic look of your favorite Monster Jam trucks, like the legendary Grave Digger®, El Toro Loco®, Sparkle SmashTM, and more.
Cheer for your favorite team as they pull off stunts you’ve never seen before. The energy, the action, the next-level thrills will keep you on the edge of your seat. It’s an adrenaline rush you can only experience live.
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Join us on February 20th for a special screening of Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away (2001). Our animation team will introduce the film and share about the historical significance of the movie. Guests are welcome to stay after the film for a discussion on
themes, animation styles, artistic choices, and more!
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This is a group for kids ages 3-6 led by a pediatric occupational therapist (OT) focusing on skills necessary to get everybody Kindergarten ready.
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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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Polar Bear Days at the Buffalo Zoo is back! Come celebrate these incredible creatures and support polar bear conservation during the winter school break. Enjoy discounted admission and family fun every day! This year’s Polar Bear Days stretch is from
February 16-20 and each day will include: $5 off Buffalo Zoo admission, $1.50 Hot chocolates, Activities, keeper talks, Sabres tickets giveaway every day, and MORE! Get your discounted Zoo tickets online or at the gate: http://bit.ly/3ZakBWl
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From Monday, February 16 through Friday, February 20, all admission to the Aquarium of Niagara is just $7.16!
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Create your own miniature dinosaur world with this fun class just for kids! This workshop includes all materials needed to build a tropical terrarium complete with dinosaur figures to bring home with them. Kids will learn about how terrariums work, how to
create an enclosed ecosystem, how to care for their tropical plant and more! This special learning experience is best suited to kids ages 5-12.
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Experience the winter season with a guided snowshoe trek on the forested trails. If conditions permit, we will see Lake Erie ice volcanoes!
Meet at the Evangola State Park Bath House, Warm Up Room. Please arrive 10-15 minutes prior to the start of the program. Registration is required for all programs.
Please dress for the weather and wear appropriate footwear. Snowshoes and Ice Volcanos, snow permitting. This program is intended for ages 8+ and adults 18+.
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Looking for a new way to have fun outdoors? Orienteering is a sport in which a map is used to navigate a course and find the indicated markers; it can be done solo but is also a great family activity! The Buffalo Orienteering Club is holding an event at
Cazenovia Park on Saturday, February 21st at 11:15am. The event is free, but pre-registration is required by Thursday, February 19.
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Join us for some sparkly green fun! We will make green glitter slime complete with leprechaun gold, in anticipation of the month of March and St. Patrick's Day. All ages are welcome (best for 5+), but registration is required so that Miss Christine can
capture enough leprechauns and barter enough gold for everyone. Register here: buffalolib.libcal.com/event/16306343 OR call 716-882-1537.
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Shellscapes invites kids to explore color, texture, and imagination by painting on the inside of oyster shells. Drawing inspiration from the shells' natural shapes and surfaces, kids will create one-of-a-kind pieces that transform into miniature works of
art.
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Shea’s Buffalo Theatre’s Free Family Film Series is back! Join us on February 22, for Guardians of the Galaxy. 2:30 pm showtime, 1:30 pm doors open. The film is free, but reservations are required.
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- Walden Galleria Winter Kids Club Feb 16-20, 2026 - Walden Galleria, Feb 16-20, See schedule for details
- Family Game Night at Great Escape Adventures - Great Escape Adventures - Walden Galleria, Walden Galleria, Buffalo, NY, USA, Feb 16-20, varies, see below
- Want to Build a Snowman and Drink Cocoa at Letchworth? - Letchworth State Park, 1 Letchworth State Pk, Castile, NY 14427, Feb 16-18, 12 - 2 pm
- Glass Snow Family at Corning Museum of Glass - Corning Museum of Glass, Museum Way, Corning, NY 14830, Feb
16-18, 9 am - 5 pm
- AP Gorny: Different from the Rest - Buffalo & Erie County Public Library – Central Library, 1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY, USA, Feb 16-20, Central Library's hours
- Free Outdoor Ice Skating at Rotary Rink at Fountain Plaza - Rotary Rink at Fountain Plaza, Fountain Plaza, Buffalo, NY, USA, Feb 17-19, varies, see below
- Kindergarten Readiness Series - Parent Network of WNY, 1021 Broadway St, Buffalo, NY 14212, Feb 17-20, 10-11 AM
- Toddler Time - Lackawanna Public Library, Ridge Road, Buffalo, NY, USA, Feb 17, 10:30 AM
- LEGO Contest - Isaías González-Soto Branch Library (formerly Niagara Branch), 280 Porter Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14201, Feb 17-19, Library open hours- Mon 10-6, Tues 9-5, Wed 12-8, Thurs 10-6, Sat 10-6
- Scavenger Hunt - Isaías González-Soto Branch Library (formerly Niagara Branch), 280 Porter Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14201, Feb 17-19, Library Open Hours - Mon 10-6, Tues 9-5, Wed 12-8, Thurs 10-6, Sat 10-6
- Free Community Art Classes - Locust Street Art, 138 Locust St,
Buffalo, NY 14204, Feb 17 & 19, Tuesday and Thursday 3:30-6:30pm, Saturday 1-5pm
- Spirited Away (2001) Movie Screening: Presented by Locust Street Art - Locust Street Art, 138 Locust St, Buffalo, NY 14204, Feb 20, 6-8pm
- M&T Third Friday - The Buffalo History Museum, Museum Court, Buffalo, NY, USA, Feb 20, 10:00am-5:00pm
- Junior History Buffs - The Buffalo History Museum,
Museum Court, Buffalo, NY, USA, Feb 20, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Family / All Ages Craft - St. Patrick's Day Glitter Slime! - Isaías González-Soto Branch Library (formerly Niagara Branch), 280 Porter Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14201, Feb 21, 3:00PM-4:30PM
- Tune the Tale - Lackawanna Public Library, Ridge Road, Buffalo, NY, USA, Feb 21, 11:00 AM
- Monster Pit Stop - Buffalo Iron Works, Feb 21, 2:00 PM to 6:00
PM
- Free Family Film Series: Guardians of the Galaxy at Shea's - Sheas Performing Arts Center, 646 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202, Feb 22, 2:30PM showtime, 1:30PM doors open
- Free Family Film Series: The Incredibles at Shea's - Sheas Performing Arts Center, 646 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202, Feb 22, 2:30PM showtime, 1:30PM doors open
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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the Charlotte area! Use our Big List to help find the best one for your kiddos and check our events calendar to find Open Houses where you can meet teachers and tour the
schools.
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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the Buffalo area? Escape rooms are interactive, puzzle-packed experiences where you and your team work together to solve clues and complete your mission-all before time runs out! Whether you're escaping a
spooky cabin, cracking a high-stakes heist, or breaking a magical curse, escape rooms offer exciting, screen-free fun for kids, teens, and adults.
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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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