KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Mon, Feb 16: Presidents' Day: Kid's Apple Pie Workshop at Lyman Orchards
Tue, Feb 17: Homeschool Open House at The Bushnell
Fri, Feb 20: Polar Bear Picnic at Grace Farms
Fri, Feb 20: Let’s Sing Taylor – A Live Band Celebrating Music of Taylor Swift at Toyota Oakdale
Theatre Sat, Feb 21: Winter Weekend in Norfolk 2026
Tue, Mar 3: World Wildlife Day at Connecticut's Beardsley
Zoo
Sat, Mar 7: Indian Rock Nature Preserve Annual Pancake Breakfast and Maple Sugaring Demonstration 2026
Sun, Mar 8: First County Bank Maple Sugar Fest Sundays! at Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Sat, Mar 14: Morning Session: St. Patrick's Day Rainbow Search at Trumbull Nature & Arts Center
Sat, Mar 21: Hocus
Pocus Lotions and Potions at Trumbull Nature & Arts Center
Fri, Mar 27: We Can Do It: A Celebration of Women's History at The Bushnell
Sat, Apr 25: Earth Day Celebration at Grace Farms |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
For much of the country, it's been the hardest winter in recent memory: cold, monochrome, relentless. The kind of season that reminds us how little control we really have. We do our best to manage routines and moods and expectations, but parents feel it most. February stretches long and flat after the excitement of the holidays, before the lift of spring. You're still packing
lunches, wrangling homework, managing emotions (your kids’ and your own)... all while the cold keeps the family cooped up. This is the season of endurance. Of course, endurance isn’t about being stoic or silent or superhuman; it’s about continuing, even when things are hard. It’s about showing up for your people, your plans, and yourself, day after chilly day. And it’s about knowing that if you’re feeling the drag right now, you’re not alone. Many of us are moving through it
together. Even for those who don't live in Nature's Refrigerator,* February can still bring its own version of stuckness: that long stretch between holidays, where kids are restless and routines feel stale. Sometimes, by February, our gray matter feels just as gray as the weather. When that happens, help is allowed! Check out our article and outsource the brainstorming to KidsOutAndAbout: Stuck Inside This Winter? 20 Creative Indoor Activities for Kids is packed with creative, practical, low-effort ways to keep your family engaged (and sane) when outside play isn’t an option. And it shows you how to tap your favorite AI to be your thought partner to personalize it for your
family. February Gray doesn’t need to be conquered; it just needs to be lightened a bit. So whether you're "out and about" or "in and not at all about," we're here to brighten the rest of your winter!
—Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build
Strong Communities
*Rochester, NY ☺️ |
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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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Game, Set, Summer! Beat the Heat and Rain with TennisCT’s Premier Indoor Summer Camps!
Give your child a summer full of fun, fitness, and friendships at TennisCT’s premier junior tennis camps! Whether your child is a beginner learning the fundamentals or an advanced player refining their skills, our indoor camps at Kings Highway Tennis Club in Darien, Fairfield Tennis, and Trumbull Racquet Club offer programs designed for kids ages 4–16 to learn, play, and grow in a safe, structured and engaging environment. Our camps feature expert
coaching, custom training for all levels, state-of-the-art facilities and fun activities to make sure kids stay motivated, social, and excited to play every day.
Secure your child’s spot today for an unforgettable summer experience. Learn more at www.tennisct.com!
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Turn February Winter Break into a hands-on adventure at the Connecticut Science Center. Slide across the Sock Skating Rink, explore more than 165 interactive exhibits, and enjoy giant-screen movies and engaging LIVE science demonstrations. Escape to
Connecticut’s only year-round tropical Butterfly Encounter, experience the mind-bending Forest of Illusions for a limited time, and make your Winter Break days full of curiosity, discovery, and fun. With hands-on exhibits, interactive experiences, and plenty of opportunities to explore together, there’s something to spark curiosity in every member of the family. Whether you’re visiting for a single day or coming back again and again, February Winter Break is the perfect time to experiment,
discover, and play together.
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February is Maple Sugaring Time at the Dudley Farm Museum! Every February, weather permitting, volunteers at the Dudley Farm make their way to the maple sugaring house in the woods behind the new Quinnipiac Dawnland Museum and Munger Barn. There, the
century old “cooker” is fired up, maple sap collected, and the slow process of turning gallons of maple sap into maple syrup is done the way the Dudley family did it for over 100 years. We welcome visitors to join us to learn more about how syrup was made 100 years ago. You can even help out if you’d like. Warm yourself by a wood fire, listen to a few tall tales and watch the watery sap slowly turn into liquid gold.
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Experience the beauty and solitude of the lower Connecticut River during this wonderful time of year! It is so different than it is any other time of the year. There are no other vessels on the water, and with no leaves on the trees, our wildlife viewing is
easy and fun. RiverQuest has a heated cabin, but we suggest that you dress in warm layers since the best views will be from the open decks. Don’t forget your camera and binoculars! …No binoculars? No worries, we have plenty on board for you to borrow! We will also provide complimentary coffee and tea.
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It all begins when the temperature rises above freezing during the day and falls below freezing at night. These conditions trigger the sap to begin to flow up the tree. A healthy tree can produce a gallon of sap a day on a good day. It takes 40 gallons to
make 1 gallon of syrup. No experience is needed for tapping and all ages are welcome to come and help out. Tree tapping day is all outdoors and very weather dependent. Those interested in taking part in tapping day should watch for further announcements on Flanders’ website and Facebook page.
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Celebrate love, friendship, and kindness with a day of heartwarming fun! Join a special tour, design a friendship bracelet, and create a mixed-media valentine for someone special. Grab a complimentary bag of popcorn and stay for a free screening of The Wild
Robot at 2pm.
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Feel the love at The Apple Barrel Farm Market and celebrate Valentine's Day on February 7th & 14th from 10 AM - 4 PM!
Decorate your own Valentine's Day cake (advance tickets required), treat yourself to free sweet treat tastings, and get crafty at a Valentine's Day card-making station.
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The endearing and captivating tale of the little girl who could not stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents. Her overindulgence lands her in the doctor’s office diagnosed with Pinkitis, and much to her delight, she turns pink from head
to toe!
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- Eco Art & Upcycle Valentine's Crafts at Ansonia Nature Center - 10 Deerfield Lane, Ansonia, CT 06401, Saturday, February 14, 2026, 1 pm - 2 pm
- Kid's Valentine's Day Party at
Lyman Orchards - 32 Reeds Gap Road, Middlefield, CT 06455, Saturday, February 14, 2026, 10 AM - 4 PM
- Maple Tapping Day at Flanders - 5 Church Hill Road, Woodbury, CT 06798, Saturday, February 14, 2026, 9:30 am and 11 am
- Little Red Barn Live Music at Bishop's Orchards - 1355 Boston Post Road, Guilford, CT, Saturday, February 14, 2026, 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
- Family Programs at Yale Peabody Museum - 170 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511,
Saturday, February 14, 2026 and Sunday, February 15, 2026, See website for specific program times
- Second Saturdays for Families: Hearts and Arts at Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art - 600 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06103, Saturday, February 14, 2026, ACTIVITIES 10AM–2PM | FREE ADMISSION ALL DAY
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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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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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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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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Fairfield County 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 Fairfield County Kids: Once again, our readers have spoken! Thousands of parents voted in the KidsOutAndAbout survey of the Top 20 Places to Take Kids. Our Top 20 results page includes a list of your top picks, including winners
in special categories like favorite spot for indoor play, favorite nature center, favorite museum, and much more!
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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