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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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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In Memory of Louise W. Willson. Free admission to children ages twelve and under when accompanied by an adult.
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Climb aboard for a 1 hour and 20-minute train ride through the beautiful Litchfield Hills as they reawaken after a cold, long winter's nap. Passengers on these trains enjoy a stop at the Bunny Patch where children will have the chance to help rescue the Easter Bunny's rubber duck friends! All children will have the opportunity to meet the Easter Bunny himself, as well as receive a chocolate-filled egg from his very own collection.
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Get ready for an EGGstraordinary Easter adventure with a day full of festive fun! Meet the Easter Bunny – The Easter Bunny will be hopping around for photos from 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Egg-citing Crafts & Surprises – Kids can complete up to five creative craft activities and receive a special Easter egg with a surprise inside for each activity completed. Historic Trolley Rides – Travel back in time on a historic trolley while learning about its role in transportation history. Easter Movie & Exhibits – Visit the theater for a kid-friendly Easter movie, browse static trolley exhibits, and explore historical artifacts inside the Visitor Center. Fire Truck Museum Access – Admission includes entry to the Connecticut Fire Museum, where you can check out antique fire trucks and firefighting equipment.
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Join us for a weekend of MAPLE MADNESS and 100% wholesome family fun at our annual Eastern CT Maple Festival. We have lots of family activities, children's crafts and games, bouncy houses, carnival games and contests to keep kids of every age entertained. Your favorite food trucks, lots of maple flavored treats, jams, honey, spices, candles, soap, jewelry, clothing, baskets, pet treats, bread, baked goods, cannoli, fudge, cotton candy, kettle korn, fried dough, knitted items, toys, handmade cutting boards, and so much more! There will be maple sugaring demonstrations, presentations on the history of maple syrup, cooking with maple syrup, information on agriculture and all that is beautiful in the Last Green Valley.
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Egg Hunt begins promptly at 10:00 a.m. at the Riverfront Park (200 Welles Street, Glastonbury) on April 5, 2025. Event will be held rain or shine. Over 6,000 eggs will be hidden. Every egg contains a treat or prize for you and your dog including gift certificates and other surprises. Cost is $10/dog. Dogs must be on leash with up-to-date rabies tag or certification. No aggressive dogs please.
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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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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 - Shoott, Broadway, New York, NY, USA - 03/27/2026, 03/29/2026, See link for times
- Children’s Free Week - Museum @ White Memorial Conservation Center 3/23-3/29 - White Memorial Conservation Center, 80 Whitehall Rd, Litchfield, CT 06759 - 03/27/2026-03/29/2026, 9 am - 5 pm
- Family Programs @ Yale Peabody Museum - Yale Peabody Museum, New Haven, CT - 03/26/2026, 03/28/2026-03/29/2026, See website for specific program times
- Eastern
CT Maple Festival - The Windham Region Chamber of Commerce, Willimantic, CT - 03/28/2026-03/29/2026, 10 am - 4 pm
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Hartford 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 Hartford 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 Hartford 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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