KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Tue, Jul 14: Kenmore Children's Concert Series
Tue, Jul 14: 2026
Annual Williamsville Old Home Days
Sat, Jul 18: The Genesee County Fair 2026
Sat, Jul 18: 2026 Hamburg Burgerfest
Sat, Jul 18: Life Under Logs Hike at Tifft Nature Preserve
Sun, Jul 19: Canal Fest on the River!
Sun, Jul 19: Waldfest July 20 - 24: Fashion Lab NY Summer Fashion Camp: Fashion History & Sewing for Teens Wed, Jul 22: Zoomagination: Lantern Festival at the Buffalo Zoo
Thu, Jul 23: Kids Night Mini Tours at the Martin House
Fri, Jul 24: Pajama Night, Bisons Family Campout & Fireworks at Sahlen Field Buffalo Bisons vs. Rochester Red Wings
Sat, Jul 25: Dream Builders Parent and Me: Intro to Cricut Machines
Sat, Jul 25: Stargazing in Hamburg
Sun, Jul 26: Annual Galbani Italian Heritage and Food Festival of Buffalo!
Tue, Jul 28: Kids July Cooking Club at Concord Library
Wed, Jul 29: Nature & Dinosaur Stories: Special Story Time with The Wondermakers In-Person
Wed, Jul 29: Wonderful Wednesdays At Burchfield Nature
& Art Center
Thu, Jul 30: Benjamin Berry: Circus for All
Fri, Jul 31: Help Neuroscientists Learn About Our Brain
Development!
Sat, Aug 1: DIY Sports Swag Workshop
Sun, Aug 2: America 250 Celebration at Old Fort Niagara Thu, Aug 6: Kids Free Days
Fri, Aug 7: Story Stars
Sat, Aug 8: Planetarium Movie - Mars: The Ultimate Voyage
Sat, Aug 8: Dream Builders Parent and Me: Scrappy Fabric Tassels
Sun, Aug 9: 2026 Lewiston Art Festival
Sun, Aug 9: DIY Bee Hotels (Adults & Ages 8+) at Niagara Falls State Park
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
In last week's column, I wrote about the Humble Abode, the kids-only hideout my sister and I created behind the giant azalea bush in our backyard. We dragged in chairs and treasures and made a little home in the hollowed-out
branches. At the time, I thought of it as something we had built. But of course, we didn’t create it from nothing. We were makers, yes, but we were making inside a world that was already alive. Summer is the perfect time for kids to experience that lesson up close and personal, with all their senses. The world is warm, green, buzzing, blooming, squelching, chirping, dripping, and growing almost too fast to track. Kids can smell lake water and tomato leaves, feel bark and moss
and mud, watch ants organize themselves with alarming competence, and notice that the same trail looks different after rain. Nature doesn’t need a lesson plan. It offers immediacy first: I am here. This is real. Pay attention. And then, quietly, it offers perspective. A child is legitimately the center of his or her own universe; we all are, from the inside. But Nature gently complicates that story. The robin is not singing for us. The creek does not hurry because we
are late. The sunflower turns toward the sun whether or not anyone remembers to admire it. Clouds, tides, weeds, and weather all proceed with their ancient business, reminding us that we belong to a world much larger than our schedules and preferences. That perspective should not make us feel small in a bad way, but instead help us feel rightly-sized. Humans have the wonderful ability to create, repair, improve, and beautify our little corners of the universe. But we do it
best when we understand the nature of the world we’re working within. So use this summer to include as much Outside Green Time as you can, looking up and around and in. Poke gently. Nature will do the rest.
—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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Buffalo & Erie County Public Libraries provide free, safe community spaces where children of all ages can develop a lifelong love of reading and discovery in a variety of fun and engaging ways. Today’s 37 Library locations offer easy access to hands-on enrichment programs, as well as serving as hubs for parents/guardians to connect with trusted resources, services, and other caregivers. Filled with more than just traditional and downloadable books, libraries offer MakerSpaces, board and card games, LEGO clubs, book clubs, cooking clubs, toddler times, storytimes, teen activities, and more! Library cards are free, borrowing is free, programs and Wi-Fi are free, and everyone is always we
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Summer is in full swing at Hidden Valley Animal Adventure with safari tours running daily. With more than 350 animals to see no two tours are alike. This one-of-a-kind day trip is a wonderful way to connect with wildlife hands-on. Take a guided safari bus or self-drive thru tour of the 63-acre park and come face-to-face with majestic animals from around the world like bison, elk, camels, zebras, and more with newborns arriving all the time. Select a COMBO package to include a discounted visit to the Small Animal Adventure and petting zoo. Perfect for all ages, the adventure is close by in Varysburg, New York. Reservations recommended. Order tickets online.
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Adopt-a-Dino Scavenger Hunt! Come to the library anytime during library open hours June 1st through August 31st to look for a dinosaur stuffy hidden in the children's section. Bring the dino to the desk to sign adoption paperwork & care promises. (Dinos need to be read to every day!) Bring your new friend home! For ages 0-12 years old. Only one dino friend per child this summer! Open hours are: Monday 10am-6pm Tuesday 9am-5pm Wednesday 12pm-8pm Thursday 10am-6pm Saturday 10am-6pm
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Join us as we celebrate Christmas in July, presented by Frost Artisan Bakery, with a Bisons Cookie Cutter Giveaway to the first 2,000 fans through the Swan St. Gate (5pm). Additional details to be announced! Every Honda fridaynightbash! includes the Resurgence Brewing Happy Hour (5-6:30 PM) as well as postgame Fireworks. | Presented By Honda, Frost Artisan Bakery
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Learn about the animals that call New York, and this park, home! View and feel furs and skulls of different animals and learn fun facts! Meet at the Nature Center next to the swimming pool parking lot. Please arrive 10-15 minutes prior to the start of the program. Registration is required for all programs. Programs are free. Parking is limited and parking fees ($8.00) may apply. Parent or guardian must attend with any children.
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In this orientation & safety class, parents and kids will team up to create a custom design and bring it to life using our Cricut machine. Kids will leave with their design on a t-shirt, while parents can choose a t-shirt or custom mug. Laptops provided!
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The annual carnival will return with rides, games, raffles, food, drink, live music and entertainment throughout a weekend of family fun!
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Your child has the opportunity to experience superheroes like never before Join 3 superheroes as they kick off with their visit with special superhero introductions, superhero story time and superhero training! Once at the station, your little ones have the chance to take photos and meet with our superheroes! We will board the train where the superheroes will mingle with guests, bestow superhero masks to children in attendance and wrap up with leading all attendees in a special superhero oath! This super event is perfect for little superhero fans age 3 to 7, but all ages are welcome!! Train ride will include a visit from America's Hero, Spider Hero & Wonder Hero!
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Help us celebrate our 20th anniversary. Join us for a day of fun at the Perry Chalk Art Festival! Watch trained artists create pastel masterpieces, cheer teens competing for chalking prizes, and let youngsters chalk to their heart's content while you enjoy the live music, ample shopping opportunities and food trucks! ~ Chalk Artist: Erika Lolita
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Enjoy family-friendly movies under the stars on Old Falls Street! Movies will begin at dusk, and concessions will be available for purchase. We have plenty of seating available, but guests are welcome to bring their own blankets and chairs.
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Join us at Canalside on July 11th and 12th for this two-day live painting event! Art Services Inc., on behalf of Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation, along with Buffalo Waterfront, invites artists, muralists, and creatives to apply for Canalside Mural Fest! This temporary mural festival will transform Canalside into a vibrant “living gallery” while celebrating New York State's role in the Revolutionary Era and how it has evolved over the past 250 years.
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Experience a formal 18th century tea in our historic threshing barn and sample the teas that were tossed overboard during the Boston Tea Party, alongside a variety of sweet and savory treats.
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Bring your kiddos to Adventure Landing on July 11th to meet a couple of their favorite dog characters! They'll be able to give some big hugs while you take plenty of pictures. Free Admission.
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In this workshop, kids can design and print their own wearable artwork. Younger participants can choose from a variety of pre-made stamps to create bold, playful designs, while older kids can try carving their own stamps with parent or guardian supervision. Supplies to Bring: A shirt for printing. Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate (this workshop does involve using sharp tools with supervision; parent or guardian attendance is required).
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Try orienteering, a great outdoor activity for the whole family! Get outside and enjoy one of our beautiful county parks while finding markers placed throughout the park.
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Join us for an immersive living history weekend and experience what life was like in both the British and Patriot encampments during the Revolutionary War. Features of the weekend will include: drill and arms demonstrations, children's activities and experiences, demonstrations of the roles played by the women of the army, skirmishes, America250 lecture, open hearth cooking demonstrations, and much more!
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2026's best places to take kids in WNY as voted by New York parents! Parents vote, we do the math, and the result is the Top 20 Places to Take Kids! But there is LOTS more to do in Buffalo than even just this wonderful list: visit KidsOutAndAbout.com to see
our events calendar, find seasonal activities, get ideas for the perfect day trip and MORE !
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It's almost time for fruit picking! Fruit picking is a great activity to do together as a family. It helps little ones understand where their food actually comes from, and it's a fun tradition to share every year right through the teens.
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Nothing says SUMMER quite like going to an amusement park with your family! We've put together a great list of ones you can visit within driving distance of Buffalo. So, pack the sunscreen, load up the car, and head out on a grand adventure!
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in WNY is back! You can search by date, age, or categories like day/overnight, sports, drama, music, theatre, arts & crafts, technology, robotics, horseback riding, preschool, & more. Our guide puts
summer fun right at your fingertips!
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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