KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Thu, Apr 2: Hop To The Movie at Town of Harrisburg,
NC
Sat, Apr 4: Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt - Matthews United Methodist
Tue, Apr 7: Charlotte SHOUT! 2026
Sun, Apr 12:
Spring 2026 FLAG FOOTBALL at Carolina Panthers NFL Flag
Sat, Apr 18: Come-See-Me Festival 2026
Sun, Apr 19: Panda Fest Charlotte 2026
Sat, Apr 25: 'Tawba Walk Arts & Music Festival at Oak Street Mill
Sat, Apr 25: Hooked on Cornelius 2026 at Robbins Park
Sat, Apr 25: Run The Burg 5k, Fun Run & Health Expo at Harrisburg Town Center |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: Before I had kids, one of my colleagues told me that fundamentally, a parent’s job is to point. At first, you point physically: You point at the waterfall and say “waterfall,” at the moon and say “moon,” at the flower and say “flower.” You’re helping a child connect sounds to objects, words to concepts, language to reality. But later, and really all the way through, the
pointing becomes more metaphorical. Parenting is the ongoing work of connecting your child’s growing capacity to understand with a world that is, to them, forever expanding. As I had Madison and Ella, I came to think of this as being a tour guide to the world. A good tour guide needs to know the landscape, of course. But even more important, a good tour guide needs to know the traveler. What can this particular child see right now? What are they ready for? What do they care
about? What frightens them? What delights them? It's useful to remember that kids haven’t actually been here before: The world is brand-new to them over and over again, so what feels ordinary to us is often astonishing to a child. Tour guides who are doing their job well pay close attention to who their audience is and what they know, and that makes the pointing easier and more fun. Spring is the perfect season to practice pointing. In spring, the world changes fast enough for
kids to notice. Buds swell and burst. Birds return. Tiny green things push up through the dirt as if by magic. Day to day, the world becomes visibly more alive. If we point it out, kids can catch it happening in real time. And spring does not arrive quietly. It comes as an avalanche of the senses: color, smell, birdsong, mud, wind, sunlight, thunder, petals, pollen, rushing water. So maybe that’s part of the job, too: not just to point, but to lean into it. To stand beside our
kids in the rush of it all and say, Look! Here it comes.
—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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Still need Spring Break plans? Join us for Levine Museum’s Charlotte Game Changers Sports Spring Break Camp for ages 8-11, from April 6-9, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM at Hornets Nest Park Indoor Pavilion. Campers will enjoy a week of action-packed activities, including creating their own sports teams, learning about famous athletes, participating in a "pit-stop" tire-change relay, tackling the Panthers 360 obstacle course, and engaging in relay races. Cost is $70 per individual day or $250 for the full four-day camp. Attend one day or all four. With only 16 spots available, campers get a more personalized, engaging experience. Few spots remaining; register now!
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Families are invited to participate in our exciting Dino Egg Hunt at Catawba Science Center on March 28. Check-in begins at 7:30 am in both the South and North lobbies, with the great dino egg search running from 9 am – 10 am. Little paleontologists will search for eggs hidden throughout the museum’s main building (excluding the DINO exhibit). Some eggs will be extra special, so keep an eye out for prize eggs hidden throughout the museum! Join us for a prehistoric twist on a classic tradition. Pre- Registration is required.
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REE Movie Night at the Downtown Park! Grab your blankets, popcorn, and ohana for a magical evening at our Movie Night in the Park featuring the live action Lilo & Stitch! Join us for a stitch-tastic Movie in the Park featuring Lilo & Stitch! Come early for hula dancers, themed crafts, and food trucks before the movie begins! It’s the perfect way to end your week! Food trucks and a treat truck will be on-site!
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Hop on over to Wilhelm Park for this annual event! Perfect for children ages 3-10 and their families, participants can enjoy an afternoon filled with fun, including arts & crafts, egg hunts, a DJ, a glitter tattoo artist, inflatables, and concessions. And of course, Hop Into Spring wouldn't be complete without a visit from Peter Cottontail! Be sure to bring a basket for the egg scramble! Participants are also welcome to bring outside food and drink. Alcohol, pets, tobacco products (including vapes), glass containers or bottles, and open flames are prohibited. No registration required.
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Join us for the 2nd Annual Waxhaw Spring Festival at the Museum of the Waxhaws, where community, creativity, and sunshine come together for a perfect spring day! Enjoy local food trucks, unique shopping from talented artisans, and fun activities for all ages. Come hungry, shop local, and make memories at Sunny Day Market’s Waxhaw Spring Festival! We can’t wait to celebrate the season with you.
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The all-new 2026 Camp Invention® program, Spark, is coming to curious kids in your community this summer! Rising K-6 campers will collaborate with friends to tackle hands-on, open-ended challenges. They’ll team up with robotic capybaras, ride the waves of entrepreneurship, uncover the power of protecting their ideas and build a DIY space rocket! Each experience is designed to spark confidence, build persistence and create unforgettable summer memories. Visit invent.org/save/camp to secure your spot! Register using CIFUN25 by 3/31 to save $25 or CIFUN20 by 4/28 to save $20 when you register. Interest-free payment plans are available, making camp affordable for all families.
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- Free Fun Fridays at Johnston YMCA - Yscholars, Johnston YMCA, 3025 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205, Friday, 03/27/2026, 10:00am
- Movies In The Park - Town of Waxhaw - Town of Waxhaw, Waxhaw Downtown Park, Givens Street, Waxhaw, NC, Friday, 03/27/2026, Activities begin at 5 pm, movie starts at sundown
- Free spring mini photo session with Shoott! - Charlotte - Shoott, Broadway, New York, NY, Sat 03/28/2026 - Sun 03/29/2026, See link for times
- Spring Artisan Market 2026 - Anne Springs Close Greenway - Anne Springs Close Greenway - Lake
Haigler, 2573 Lake Haigler Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29715, Saturday, 03/28/2026, 9 am - 2 pm
- Hop Into Spring - Town of Cornelius, NC - Town of Cornelius, NC, 19018 Smith Circle, Cornelius, NC, Saturday, 03/28/2026, 11 am - 1 pm
- Easter Eggstravaganza - Pleasant Plains Christian School, 3316 Pleasant Plains Rd, Matthews, NC 28105, Sunday, 03/29/2026, 2 pm
- Waxhaw Food Truck Friday -
Museum of the Waxhaws, Waxhaw Highway, Waxhaw, NC, Sunday, 03/29/2026, 5 pm - 8 pm
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Charlotte area 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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CSAs are becoming more popular each year! Farm-to-table fresh weekly produce is a wonderful option for families, to connect kids with what they eat and the wider community.This is KidsOutAndAbout's big list of local community-supported agriculture.
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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 Charlotte 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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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Charlotte 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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2025's Top 20 Places to Take Kids in the Charlotte Area, as voted by thousands of parents! Our Top 20 results page includes a list of your top picks, including winners in special categories like Top Arts Educator, Top Sports Educator, and Top STEM
Educator!
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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