Denver KidsOutAndAbout Newsletter
February 19, 2026

Local in-person events this weekend

FREE events this weekend

Local in-person events next weekend

2026 Summer Camp Preview

Master Guide to Winter Fun

Big List of Indoor Play Centers

Local Preschools

Post your organization and events to our site (It's all FREE!)

Sun, Mar 1: Peppa Pig: My First Concert at Colorado Symphony
Fri, Mar 6: Just Between Friends of Denver
Fri, Mar 6: Wild Dreams Overnight at Downtown Aquarium-Denver
Fri, Mar 6: Make-Together: Wheel Throwing! at Tinker Art Studio
Sun, Mar 8: Sensory Inclusive Trekking Mexico at Lone Tree Arts Center
Fri, Mar 13: Celtic Celebration at Malley Recreation Center
Sat, Mar 14: Seaspiracy Movie Night at Luvin Arms Animal Sanctuary
Sun, Mar 15: Squishy Science Sunday at American Physical Society
Fri, Mar 20: 50th Annual Denver March Powwow at Denver Coliseum
Sat, Mar 21: Kids Zone: Pulp to Possibilities: The Art of Handmade Paper at Edward C. Rochette Money Museum
Thu, Mar 26: MEGA Kids Community Consignment Sale at Just Between Friends of Aurora
Sat, Mar 28: Spring Festival: Hop & Shop at Belleview Park

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

Denver Public Schools: Passionate

Every day at Denver Public Schools, the DPS experience comes to life through our students, educators, families and community. Through passionate learning, personalized support, powerful impact, prestigious achievement and being proud of who we are, these stories celebrate what it means to be part of the DPS experience.

At just 4 years old, Easton has already become a shining example of passion and kindness at Columbine Elementary. Easton’s passion shows in everything he does, demonstrating how even the youngest students can make a powerful impact on their school community. Read and watch Easton’s story. 

Learn more about SchoolChoice and how to enroll. SchoolChoice Round 2 opens on March 10. 

• Sun Valley Mobile Food Pantry – 1260 Decatur Street, Denver, CO, Friday, February 20, 2026, 9 am
• Playtime Storytime at Meadows Library – 4800 Baseline Road, Boulder, CO, Friday, February 20, 2026, 10:15 am
• Kids Zone: A Hobby for All! – Edward C. Rochette Money Museum, Denver, CO, Saturday, February 21, 2026, 11 am to 12 pm
• ¡Viva el Carnaval! / Celebrate Carnaval! - Smoky Hill Library – South Biscay Circle, Centennial, CO, Saturday, February 21, 2026, 2:30 PM – 4 PM
• Marine Biologist for a Day – Water Street, Denver, CO, Saturday, February 21, 2026, 9am - 2pm
• Far East Center Lunar New Year 2026 Welcomes Year of the Horse – South Federal Boulevard, Denver, CO, Saturday, February 21 – Sunday, February 22, 2026, 11 am - 4 pm