KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Sat, Dec 13: Handmade Holiday Bazaar at Connecticut Science Center
Sat, Dec 13: Second Saturdays for Families: Winter Solstice at Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
Sat, Dec 13: Build-a-Train
Family Workshop at Fairfield Museum and History Center
Wed, Dec 17: Clue at Palace Theater - Waterbury
Sat, Dec 20: Winter Weekend at Mystic
Aquarium
Sun, Dec 21: Glow Hartford Holiday Light Festival & Market at Connecticut Convention Center
Mon, Dec 22: Christmas Sing-A-Long Night with DJ Heartbeat at 1741 Pub & Grill at Lyman Orchards Golf Course
Fri, Dec 26:
Kwanzaa Lighting Celebration - Downtown New London Association
Sat, Dec 27: Vacation Santa Visits Mystic
Aquarium
Mon, Dec 29: Wild Side of Winter at Roaring Brook Nature Center
Sat, Jan 10: Night in the Museum at
Old Sturbridge Village
Thu, Feb 5: George Washington Carver and Friends at The Bushnell |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
When my husband and I started planning a family, we talked a lot about the kind of parents we hoped to be. Naturally, we looked back on our own childhoods. David had story after story about his parents—their quirks, what they cared about, who they were. But when I tried to do the same, I came up oddly blank. I could tell you what I loved as a kid, but not much about what made my own
parents’ hearts sing. I remembered that my dad had a garden when I was little, but I couldn’t say whether he enjoyed digging in the dirt, liked making things grow, or was just trying to save money on vegetables. That realization stuck with me. I didn’t want my kids to grow up seeing me as a blur in the background of their story; I wanted them to see me clearly: as someone who had favorite things, real interests, and a sense of enjoyment they could understand. I wanted them to
grow up expecting that adulthood could be full of that, too... all of the vivid experiences that make up the inner life of a regular person, especially the joys. I started using the phrase "live what you love" as a kind of parenting guidepost. Our kids are always watching, taking cues about what adulthood looks like. If all they ever see is grownups stressed, rushing, and tired, they’ll assume that’s the default. But if they also see us delighted by a song, energized by a
game, inspired by something we've learned, genuinely laughing with people we love... that’s powerful. It shows them that joy isn’t something you age out of, it’s something you grow into. The holidays are packed with tasks and to-do lists, but they’re also full of opportunities for joy. So tune your radar to what YOU love, and if you catch yourself smiling at paper snowflakes or belting out a corny carol, don’t downplay it. Let yourself have that moment. When your kids see the
joy you've just pushed into the room; it's a gift to their present and to their future.
—Debra Ross, publisher
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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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Bring your middle and high school students to a STEM Career Showcase, a conference-style field trip day designed to expose your students to the diversity of STEM employment opportunities available in Connecticut. Professionals from all educational backgrounds and career paths join us to share their experiences, illuminate pathways, and help students visualize themselves in STEM careers. Your students will explore a variety of STEM career pathways through hands-on activities, workshops, and demonstrations!
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It's the most wonderful time of the year, and the Lyman Homestead is sparking with holiday cheer! Capture the spirit of the holidays and enjoy a festive horse-drawn wagon ride, plenty of photo ops and a stroll through the Lyman Homestead.
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Join us for an immersive celebration of living Indigenous traditions, featuring the powerful voices and resonant rhythms of four Indigenous Northeastern Drum Groups! Experience living culture as each drum group brings its own unique songs, languages, and practices—woven together in a shared celebration of Indigenous identity, resilience, and joy.
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Join us for a Christmas celebration in Downtown Bethlehem, CT. (Junction of Route 61 and Route 132). The festival is free to attend, and highlights include over 70 craft vendors selling handcrafted items just in time for holiday shopping, photos with Santa, a hayride, a free scavenger hunt, free musical entertainment, and a 5K Road Race on Saturday morning and a classic vehicle decorating contest in the afternoon. Plus, a multitude of delicious food choices to make everyone’s visit complete.
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Santa’s Elf Entourage will be back at the Indian Rock Nature Preserve for three weekends in December, 2025. Celebrate the holiday season with s’mores, caroling, cookies, hot coco, crafts, and of course, visiting with the farm animals. Be sure to bring your own camera to capture the magic, no photographer will be on-site. Proceeds from this event will benefit Environmental Learning Centers of CT’s education programs at Indian Rock Nature Preserve and Barnes Nature Center.
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- Holiday Stroll North Pole at Lounsbury House - Lounsbury House - 316 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT 06877, Friday, December 5, 2025, 6 pm - 9 pm
- Bethlehem Christmas Town Festival - The Green, Bethlehem, CT, Friday, December 5, 2025, 5 pm - 9:30 pm
- Little Red Barn Live Music at
Bishop's Orchards - 1355 Boston Post Road, Guilford, CT, Friday, December 5, 2025, 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
- Bethlehem
Christmas Town Festival - The Green, Bethlehem, CT, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 9:30 am - 4 pm
- Free Mini Photo Session with Shoott! - Broadway, New York, NY, Saturday, December 6, 2025, See link for times
- Free First Saturday at Lyman Allyn Art Museum - December - Lyman Allyn Art Museum - 625 Williams Street, New London, CT 06320, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 10 am - 5 pm (Admission is FREE all day, and from 11 am – 1 pm you can
participate in a special project)
- Annual Santa Farm Event at Auerfarm - 4-H Education Center at Auerfarm - 158 Auer Farm Road, Bloomfield, CT 06002, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 10 am - 1 pm
- Cromwell Mayor's Tree Lighting - Cromwell Town Green, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 4:30 - 5:30 P.M.
- Little Red Barn Live Music at Bishop's Orchards - 1355 Boston Post Road, Guilford, CT, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
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The Hartford area offers a delightful selection of Christmas tree farms that bring the magic of the holiday season to life. Families can enjoy the cherished tradition of selecting the perfect tree while exploring picturesque landscapes and engaging in
festive activities.
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KidsOutAndAbout is Hartford's online guide to everything for kids, teens, and families! The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, and
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Hartford 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 Hartford Kids, as voted by KidsOutAndAbout.com readers! Our Top 20 results page includes a list of your top picks, including winners in special categories like Favorite Arts Educator, Favorite Sports Educator, and Favorite STEM
Educator!
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Wishing you and your family health and happiness!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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