KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Fri, Mar 20: World Frog Day at Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
Sat, Mar 21: Animals for All: Caring for Exotic Critters at Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Sun, Mar 22: 21st Annual
Mystic Irish Parade
Thu, Mar 26: SHEN YUN 2026 in New York City
Thu, Mar 26: Kick Start Your Spring
Vegetable Garden at Lachat Town Farm
Fri, Mar 27: EverWonder's Annual Egg Scramble Sat, Mar 28: Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows™ Part 2 in Concert at The Bushnell
Sat, Mar 28: Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO® Bricks (Opening Day) at Mystic Seaport Museum
Fri, Apr 3: 2026 EGG HUNT at Castle Hill Farm
Thu, Apr 16: After-School STEAM Classes! at MakeInspires Darien
Wed, Apr 22: Community Service Day: Earth Day 2026 at Flanders
Sat, Apr 25: Earth Day Celebration at Grace Farms
Sat, May 2: Woodbury Parks & Recreation Mother~Son Spring Dance
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: For much of the country this year, March simultaneously is bringing hope that spring may in fact return to North America AND the awareness that every car is at risk for the foreseeable future. All winter long, water seeps into asphalt cracks, freezes, expands, melts, and freezes again, and bit by bit the driving experience becomes a game called Avoid the
Crater. But lately I’ve started seeing the repair trucks out there again, their bright-vested workers moving methodically from hole to hole with their shovels. Every time I pass them, it gives me a lift, not just because it means someday soon I'll start seeing flowers out in the real world, but also because potholes are one of those perfect reminders of what humans do. Playrooms, projects, and paperwork start out neat, but over time, weather, wear, gravity, and
procrastination take their toll. No matter how strict the system, order gradually slides toward chaos. And then humans step in and make it right again. I saw the cycle in action at the KidsOutAndAbout office last week: Our storage room had slowly become a museum of random supplies, half-filled bins, and Christmas decorations that had been tossed in with a hopeful Future Us will deal with this someday. Fortunately, my colleague Michelle, who works in our data department,
is also a genius organizer. A few hours after Future Michelle stepped in and applied logic and elbow grease, the little room had transformed from a cluttered cave into a serene space. The quickening of the seasons seems to bring that same energy into our homes: Closets get sorted, garages get swept, junk drawers finally meet their match. It feels good, not just because the space looks better, but because fixing things reminds us of something important: Disorder is normal, but
it’s not permanent. Humans can step in and bring brightness back. So here’s to spring cleaning, organized shelves, and freshly patched roads. Our tires, and our spirits, roll much more smoothly because humans fill potholes.
—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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Give your child an unforgettable summer at the Temple Sholom Selma Maisel Nursery School! Rising 2’s, 3’s, 4’s and Kindergarteners will enjoy a variety of outdoor activities such as water play, nature scavenger hunts, bubble shows, Olympic games and
imaginative play on the multi-level playground. Indoor summer favorites include STEAM, music, art, gymnastics, interactive learning in the Animal Discovery Room, and Shabbat with Temple Sholom’s clergy. Led by experienced and professional teachers and staff, summer sessions are offered as five, two-week sessions from June 9 through August 14 at Temple Sholom (300 East Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, CT). To learn more, contact 203-622-8121 or david.cohen@templesholom.com.
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Learn to Skate at The Rinks at Shelton with our Late Winter 2026 session. Programs are available for first-time skaters ages 3–5 in Snowplow Sam and for skaters ages 5 and up, including adult-only classes. First-time participants receive free skate rentals,
and classes run weekly with multiple day and time options.
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Auerfarm invites you to a unique pancake breakfast experience! Auerfarm wants you to join us in celebrating the maple season with a hands-on learning experience and a pancake breakfast! Start your day off right with a hearty farm-styled breakfast and sample
our freshly made maple syrup. Then, get a tour of our maple trees, and watch as our farm educators tap the trees and collect sap. Then follow the steam to the sugar shack to watch the sap get boiled down into maple syrup! While at the sugar shack say hello to our animals!
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Find the 7 colors of the rainbow using a special map along the TNAC trails. At each color flag you'll find objects that tell a story about Irish culture or history. Families will receive lucky clover seeds, potting soil, and a small pot to decorate and take
home. One clover kit will be given to each family, along with "gold" coins for the wee ones.
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Come and enjoy the festivities and show your green at the annual Milford St. Patricks Day Parade! Your family will thank you for bringing them to this fun event! The St. Patrick’s Day Parade will begin at 1 p.m. and will start at the Wasson Field parking
lot on West Main Street, and marchers will make their way through the traditional downtown parade route to the North Broad Street gazebo.
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Head over to the driving range at Lyman Orchards Golf Course for a beautiful night full of stargazing with the Astronomy Society of New Haven. The event will take place on Saturday, March 14th from 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM.
During the event, you'll be able to see the two biggest planets in our solar system and their largest moons, as well as galaxies, clusters, and nebulae. Blankets, chairs and red flashlights are recommended while enjoying the breathtaking astronomical views and educational experience.
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We have some exciting news! The 2026 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New London, CT will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2026. The parade’s theme is, “Everyone Is Irish for a Day” This event is sponsored by the City of New London, the Downtown New London
Association and produced by Neff Productions. This year’s parade will consist of local bands, civic groups, Irish civic organizations, and youth groups. The parade kick off at the corner of Bank and Tilley Streets, proceed north on Bank Street, turn left up State Street and then proceed onto Washington Street. The route this year is approximately ¾ of a mile and is more compact than the previous parade routes in the city, which provides greater viewing for the public. The review stand will be at
Parade Plaza, located at the corner of Bank and State Streets.
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Join us for an indoor St. Patrick’s scavenger hunt! Follow the clues to the pot of gold! Children are welcome to join staff and volunteers at the Harry C. Barnes Memorial Nature Center on Sunday, March 15th, for an ongoing St. Patrick’s Day craft activity
to take home.
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- Downtown New London Irish Flag Raising - State Street, New London, CT, Friday, March 13, 2026, 5 pm
- FREE! Youth Open House at the YMCA of Greenwich - 50 East Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830, Saturday, March 14, 2026, 12 p.m.
- Open Day at New Pond Farm Education
Center - 101 Marchant Road, Redding, CT 06896, Saturday, March 14, 2026, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
- Second Saturdays for Families: Craft Connections at Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art - 600 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06103, Saturday, March 14, 2026, 10am–2pm
- Take or Make Craft at Southbury Public Library - Poverty Road, Southbury, CT, Saturday, March 14, 2026, All day
- Milford St. Patrick's Day Parade - Bridgeport Avenue, Milford, CT 06460, Saturday, March 14, 2026, 1 pm
- Astronomy Night (free): Stargazing
at Lyman Orchards - 32 Reeds Gap Road, Middlefield, CT 06455, Saturday, March 14, 2026, 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
- Family Programs at Yale Peabody Museum - 170 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511, Saturday, March 14, 2026 and Sunday,
March 15, 2026, See website for specific program times
- Challenge Camp Information Session - 715 North Avenue, New Rochelle, NY 10801, Sunday, March 15, 2026, 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
- Greater New Haven St. Patrick's Day Parade! - New Haven, CT 06510, Sunday, March 15, 2026, Step-off is 1:30 pm
- New London St. Patrick's Day Parade - State Street, New London, CT, Sunday, March 15, 2026, 1 pm (rain or shine)
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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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