KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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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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For over 30 years, Stamford’s longest-running and only nonprofit, theatre-producing company has offered opportunities to ACT OUT! We offer an exciting lineup for kids (grades K+), teens, and adults in acting, improv, musical theatre, dance, script writing, AND MORE! Spring Session Runs April 13 to June 13, 2026 Full-day summer workshops: June 22 through August 14, 2026 for students entering Grades K thru 12 in the 2026/2027 school year. Scholarships, payment plans, and sibling discounts. (See our website for details.) For questions, contact our Education Director, Brian Bianco at brian@curtaincallinc.com, or 203-329-8207 x700.
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For Persian Jews, the holidays of Purim and Nowruz reflect thousands of years of continuous history in the region and a vibrant diasporic culture that endures around the world today. In honor of these holidays, join us for the third annual Spring Equinox Festival, a celebration honoring Persian culture and the Spring Equinox, featuring Persian music, food, and activities, with free Museum admission!
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Our Storytime and a craft program held on select Friday mornings at Barnes Nature Center will continue throughout the fall! Children will enjoy a Story followed by a craft that is topic related. These programs will be led by Retired school teacher and Volunteer, Diane Benson.
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In Memory of Louise W. Willson. Free admission to children ages twelve and under when accompanied by an adult.
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How did early 19th-century women see themselves? How did society view the woman’s sphere? How do we view their lives today? Join Old Sturbridge Village as we acknowledge and celebrate extraordinary and everyday women in the early 19th century. Visit the historic houses of OSV to learn about how women ran their households, managing the essential work of clothing construction, cooking, laundry, and more.
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Join us in celebrating the opening of Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO® Bricks with a special opening day event on Saturday, March 28. Drop in from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to participate in a collaborative LEGO® mosaic build guided by members of ConnLUG, a Connecticut-based LEGO® fan group, in the lobby of the Thompson Exhibition Building at the North Entrance. Builders of all ages are encouraged to help create a shared work of art inspired by the exhibition. To continue the fun, pick up a Brick Bingo sheet at the Museum entrance and explore the historic Seaport Village in search of hidden LEGO® minifigures!
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Hop on over to Hollow Park for a fun-filled morning at Woodbury Parks & Rec's Spring Egg Hunt! Bring your basket and get ready to collect those eggs! There will be a special appearance by the Easter Bunny and plenty of opportunities for photo taking!
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Spring starts here! Climb aboard one of our historic trolley cars and ride down the scenic Branford Electric Railway to visit the Easter Bunny at the Shore Line Trolley Museum. It’s the perfect early-season family tradition filled with smiles, photos, and holiday fun.
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Make your own seed bombs at Magic Wings! Join us to learn how to make your own seed bombs from scratch and take home your creations to add to your home gardens or grow in pots. All supplies are included. Come ready to get your hands dirty and have some fun! Everyone will go home with a minimum of four seed bombs.
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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 spring mini photo session with Shoott! - Connecticut - Shoott - Shoott, Broadway, New York, NY, USA, 03/27/2026, 03/29/2026, See link for times
- Celebrate Earth Day - Meridian Waste Children’s Coloring Contest (contest entry ends April 13) - Meridian Waste - Submit your artwork online., 03/27/2026 to 03/29/2026, Any time.
- First AMI Montessori Infant Program - Willow Tree Montessori, 03/27/2026 to 03/29/2026, 8:30 - 3:30pm
- Children’s Free Week in the Museum at White Memorial Conservation Center 3/23- 3/29 - White Memorial Conservation Center, 80 Whitehall Rd, Litchfield, CT 06759, United States, 03/27/2026 to 03/29/2026, 9 am - 5 pm
- Family Programs at Yale Peabody
Museum - Yale Peabody Museum, 170 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511, United States, 03/26/2026, 03/28/2026 to 03/29/2026, See website for specific program times
- Take or Make Craft at Southbury Public Library - Southbury Public Library - Southbury Library, Poverty
Road, Southbury, CT, USA, 03/28/2026, All day
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Fairfield County 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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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the Fairfield County 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 Fairfield COunty 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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