KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Fri, Feb 20: Mozart 360 at Charlotte Symphony
Orchestra
Mon, Feb 23: Nature Book and Look at McDowell Nature Center
Tue, Feb 24: SustainabiliTEEN! Eco-Friendly Teen Program at ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center Sat, Feb 28: Beethoven Lives Upstairs at Charlotte Symphony Orchestra
Sat, Feb 28: Celebrate, Elevate & Thrive Together: A Black History Month Family Experience at Sugar Creek Library
Sat, Mar 7: Coppélia presented by Charlotte Youth Ballet
Wed, Mar 11: LGBTQ+ Teen Talks at ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center
Sat, Mar 14: Carmina Burana at Charlotte Cirque & Dance Center
Sat, Mar 14: Charlotte St Patrick's Day Parade 2026
Mon, Mar 16: Pajama Storytime: Celebrate St. Patricks Day! at Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library – Beatties Ford
Road Fri, Mar 20: Encanto in Concert at Charlotte Symphony Orchestra
Sat, Mar 21: Donuts with Duck & Bunny at Veterans Park - Huntersville, NC
Mon, Jun 15: Teen Summer Leadership Camp from Over the Counter Improv |
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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Gather around the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra for an up-close view of a great composer at Mozart 360! Hear Mozart's early works and iconic musical moments from Don Giovanni, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, and more in a unique concert in the round on
February 20 & 21. Resident Conductor Christopher James Lees, soprano Melinda Whittington, and the CSO bring Mozart’s music to life for audiences of all ages at Booth Playhouse.
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Coppélia is a fun, family-friendly ballet featuring student dancers from across the Charlotte area alongside professional artists from around the world. This lighthearted story follows Swanilda and Frantz as their curiosity leads them into the workshop of
the quirky inventor Dr. Coppélius—and a playful adventure unfolds. With lively dancing, colorful characters, and a family-friendly ticket price, this classic delight is perfect for audiences of all ages. Join us on Saturday, March 7 at 11am or 4pm, or Sunday, March 8 at 2pm.
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Charlotte’s largest and most organized children’s consignment sale has been outfitting families across the Southeast for 15 years, drawing shoppers from as far as Maryland and Tennessee for a can’t‑miss shopping frenzy. Filling 80,000 square feet at
Independence Hall in the Park Expo & Conference Center, the sale features more than 100,000 items—clothing, toys, baby gear, books, furniture, and more—enough clothing to stretch over half a mile on a single rack. Consignors earn 60–78% of sales, far more than typical shops. With free parking, free admission, VIP presale options, and payment flexibility, TTB KidZ is the ultimate one‑stop seasonal shop.
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History, drama, and music come to life at Beethoven Lives Upstairs! Join the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, February 28 at Knight Theater for a one-hour family matinee full of Beethoven's incredible music. In the theatrical concert, young
Christoph learns about Beethoven's life through letters from his uncle as Resident Conductor Christopher James Lees and the CSO perform Moonlight Sonata, Für Elise, the great Fifth and Ninth Symphonies, and more. The music is magically woven into the drama based on true incidents from the extraordinary composer's life.
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Welcome to Family Madrigal! Join the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra for a one-of-a-kind cinematic experience at Encanto in Concert on March 20 & 21. Telling the tale of an extraordinary family living in a magical house in the mountains of Colombia, the
entire feature-length Disney movie plays on the big screen at Belk Theater while the CSO performs the score live on stage.
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Welcome to The Flick, one of the last theaters in Massachusetts still projecting 35mm films. Here in the run-down theater, three underpaid employees sweep up stale popcorn and debate about cinema. Their tiny battles and not-so-tiny heartbreaks play out in
the empty aisles, becoming more gripping than the lackluster, second-run movies on screen. Winner of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, The Flick is a hilarious and heartfelt cry for authenticity in a fast-changing world.
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Join us for Stories Told in Panels; the graphic novel book club for preteens! In February, we will be discussing Ghost by Shawneé Gibbs. For as long as she can remember, Chelsea Grant has tried everything she can think of to distance herself from the
disastrous damage her father does to her social life. It's not easy to shake her reputation as Ghost Girl when Dad keeps advertising his business as a "paranormal removal expert" in big, bold, loud letters all over New Orleans! This year, Chelsea's all grown up, attending one of the most prestigious high schools in the city, and she's finally made friends with the popular crowd. Things are looking up—until a night on the town backfires spectacularly, landing her in hot water at home. Her
punishment? Working for her dad at Paranormal Removal…
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Ring in the Year of the Horse with an unforgettable celebration of culture, creativity, and community! Join Charlotte Chinese Story Time for our 2026 Children’s Lunar New Year Showcase—an afternoon filled with vibrant performances by young artists across
the Charlotte area. Bring your family and friends and celebrate the Year of the Horse together with music, dance, culture, and community pride. We can’t wait to welcome you on February 21, 2026 at Fullwood Theater! This event is proudly sponsored by ASC Culture Blocks, a community partnership funded by Mecklenburg County.
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- SCNP: Friday Fire and S'mores (drop-in) - Stevens Creek Nature Preserve, 15700 Thompson Road, Mint Hill, NC 28227, Friday, 02/20/2026 and Saturday, 02/27/2026, 10:30am to 12:00pm
- Coloring & Cocoa -
15222 York Road, Charlotte, NC, Friday, 02/20/2026, 11:15am-4:15pm
- Fairy and Gnome Home Building - 15222 York Road, Charlotte, NC, Friday, 02/20/2026, 1pm-3:30pm
- SCNP: Animal Meet and Greet - Stevens Creek Nature Preserve, 15700 Thompson Road, Mint Hill, NC 28227, Sunday, 02/22/2026, 1:30pm to 2:30pm
- Nature Play Lab - 15222 York Road, Charlotte, NC, Sunday, 02/22/2026, 1pm-2:30pm
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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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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 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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