KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: A tumble is not a verdict; it's information. And kids are natural data analysts. That's what a mom half a generation older than me told me when I was getting ready to have kids, and I took it to heart. So I was secretly a little thrilled the summer my daughter Madison was almost 4, when she took her first big splash off a slippery log into a
creek. Here's why: To succeed in life, everyone needs to learn to stretch to the edge of their abilities... to gather courage from their toes, to calculate, to balance, to wobble, to slide... and eventually to succeed. Kids can learn this early if the grownups in their orbit help them see the mud and bruises that come from a tumble as badges to be worn proudly: a fail-until-we-succeed philosophy in action. That's how personal fulfillment happens, and it's how human progress happens,
too. Summer is childhood's best laboratory, where sensory experiences stick as lifelong learning. School has grades and rubrics and consequences; summer has grass stains and do-overs. An amusement park ride can teach the difference between fear and danger. A hands-on museum can teach that when your tower collapses, you simply vow to rebuild it taller. A farm can teach that maybe you don’t like strawberries from the grocery store, but
you do like the ones you picked yourself, still warm from the sun. A climbing gym can teach your muscles that “I can’t” really means “I can’t yet.” And summer camps are entire worlds built around trying something new with no transcript following you home. Last week, the KidsOutAndAbout.com team launched our annual Top 20 Places to Take Kids survey. It's a way to thank the people who make your community a great place to raise kids. Equally important, it’s a giant menu of local opportunities for your kids to stretch their legs, their minds, and their bravery this summer. Use it to create your summer bucket list! Then step back and set your family’s summer dial to “safe to fail.” Watch your kids climb, build, stumble, and try again.
Let them splash.
—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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Young Adventurers Camp offers a nurturing environment for early learners, with themed activities, water days, crafts, field trips, lunch, and optional rest time. Traditional Camp provides K–8 campers a classic summer filled with activities, trips, treats, and flexible schedules, plus leadership opportunities and optional tutoring. Specialty Camps for grades 1–8 deliver immersive, week-long experiences in cooking, STEM, coding, arts, music, and theater. Athletic Adventurers Camps keep K–8 campers active through sports programs led by skilled coaches. All camps emphasize fun, growth, and confidence, with full-day options including meals and engaging experiences tailored to each child’s interests and developmental level.
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In the Naturally Creative Summer Camp, elementary students explore a variety of fun arts and music activities, with a nature theme, including: - Art through sculpture, drawing, painting and other creative forms.- Music through drumming, chimes, ukulele, and choir. This is a camp for all campers who are interested in music or art: with or without prior experience. The camp is held June 22 – 26th, concluding with a showcase of the campers’ artwork and musical performances on Friday afternoon. The Steele Creek location is at 9401 South Tryon Street, Charlotte. For more information, email Director Joni Turner at [email protected] |
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Our Leadership Summer Camp offers a dynamic blend of nonstop action, personal growth, learning, and adventure, all close to home. Each day brings something new with engaging daily activities and themed weekly experiences in a supportive, non-competitive environment that encourages teamwork and collaboration. Campers participate in obstacle courses, scenario-based quests, team challenges, leadership and financial skill-building, engineering projects, fitness, confidence development, mind games, construction, spy activities, self-defense concepts, and relay races. Designed for children ages 6 and up, our coed program is highly structured, socially focused, and both physically and mentally engaging. We are a nut-free, allergy-conscious facility, and campers should bring their own lunch and snacks.
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Celebrate MeckDec Day at the Charlotte Museum of History with a full day of Revolutionary-era experiences included with admission. Explore engaging living history demonstrations across the homesite, take part in hands-on activities, and immerse yourself in the story of independence through our newest exhibit, American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition.
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Happy World Turtle Day! Have you ever wondered what secrets turtles are hiding within their shells? Well, wonder no more - our investigations have brought these mysteries to light and we're eager to share. This family-friendly program includes the chance to interview some of these enigmatic creatures yourself.
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Polk Lore explores the horticultural practices of three groups of people who did not have a common background but lived in a common environment. This project interrogates how the Scots-Irish, Indigenous People and Enslaved Africans comingled their knowledge from each of their unique cultural backgrounds to manipulate the natural resources for their benefit.
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- Free Museum Admission for Active Duty Military Families - NC Museum of Dolls, Toys & Miniatures - 440 South Salisbury Avenue, Spencer, NC 28159, May 22, 2026, 10:00AM to 04:00PM
- SCNP: World Turtle Day (drop-in) - 15700 Thompson Road, Mint Hill, NC 28227, May 22, 2026, 1:00pm to 3:00pm
- Family Campout - Town of Cornelius Parks & Recreation - Robbins Park, West Catawba Avenue, Cornelius, NC, May 22, 2026, 6:30 pm on May 22 to 8 am on May 23
- Free Village Park Movie Series - Village Park, West C Street, Kannapolis, NC, May 22, 2026, 8:45
p.m.
- Memorial Day Celebration at The US Whitewater Center - U.S. National Whitewater Center - 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy, Charlotte, NC 28214, May 23, 2026 to May 24, 2026, See website for details.
- LNP: Family Hiking Club - Quest at Latta Nature Preserve, Sample Road, Huntersville, NC, May 23, 2026, 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
- Gastonia Farmers Market - Gastonia
Farmers Market - 410 East Long Avenue, Gastonia, NC 28054, May 23, 2026, 7:30 am - 12:30 pm
- Free spring mini photo session with Shoott! - Charlotte - Shoott - Broadway, New York, NY, USA, May 24, 2026, See link for times
- Memorial Day Celebration at The US Whitewater Center - U.S. National Whitewater Center - 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy, Charlotte, NC 28214, May 23, 2026 to May 24, 2026, See website for details.
- LANO Quarterly Bird Count - Lake Norman State Park - Lake Norman State Park - 759 State Park Road, Troutman, NC 28166, May 24, 2026, 7:00am to 8:00am
- National Memorial Day Concert Live Stream - ONLINE ONLY, May 24, 2026, 8pm EDT / 7pm CDT / 6pm MDT / 5pm PDT / 4pm AKDT
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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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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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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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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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