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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SHEN YUN’S unique artistic vision expands theatrical experience into a multi-dimensional, deeply moving journey. Featuring one of the world’s most ancient and richest dance systems—classical Chinese dance—along with dynamic animated backdrops and all-original orchestral works, Shen Yun opens a portal to a civilization of enchanting beauty and enlightening wisdom.
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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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Is there a rebel in your family? This new program celebrates Women’s History Month at the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum. Families will discover how history and science connect through hands-on fun!
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Our Annual Easter Egg Hunt is a much anticipated, springtime family event that kicks off each year of upcoming fun and activities at our Family Farm! Join us for four days of outdoor, egg-hunting fun for children ages 8 and under! Our youngest guests are able to hunt at their own pace in a special, fenced-off section with their parents/caregivers, while our older participants can set off on an adventurous hunt in the orchard! All youngsters can enjoy a one-on-one visit with the Easter Bunny! We also provide each child with a basket for collecting eggs. Please note, we do not allow any outside baskets or bags.
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Shake off that winter chill and celebrate spring with a visit from the Easter Bunny! Passengers will visit with the friendly Easter Bunny before returning to Kingston. Our train ride includes an Easter Egg Hunt for a perfect activity that’s fun for younger children and adults. Please allow 90 minutes for the complete train ride experience. ALL ABOARD THE EASTER BUNNY EXPRESS!
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Come out and see us for our Annual Open House at Brookside Maple & Farm! We'll show you how we make NYS Maple Syrup as we participate in Maple Weekend 2026! Maple Weekend has been a family tradition in NYS since approximately 1995 and gives families the opportunity to tour their local sap houses and to learn all about maple production in NYS! Maple Weekend is an event that runs for two consecutive weekends, and we're just one of the many Maple Producers in NYS that participate in this great event. Be sure to check out the Maple Weekend FB page and website for more information!
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Over the course of three centuries, hundreds of people worked at Clermont to keep the Livingston family comfortable. For nearly 100 years, the mansion was run by a mostly enslaved staff. By the 1830s, this staff was completely replaced by paid labor. Though many of their stories were lost, recent research has revealed new details about those who worked for the Livingston family. Join us as we uncover some of the stories of those who served.
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Join us for the Newburgh Farmers Market. The Winter Market is every Saturday through April 25, from 10 am – 2 pm in the Safe Harbors Ritz Theater Stagehouse (100 Ann St, Newburgh). Support local farmers and get some local goodies!
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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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- Celebrate Earth Day with the Meridian Waste Children’s Coloring Contest! ***Contest entry ends April 13, 2026, at 11:59 PM EDT - Meridian Waste - Submit your
artwork online., Friday, March 27, 2026 to Sunday, March 29, 2026, Any time.
- Free Buddhist Temple Tours Upstate New York in Sullivan County Catskills - Kadampa Meditation Center New York - Glen Spey, NY, Saturday, March 28, 2026, 1:30PM
- Safe Harbors of the Hudson Newburgh Winter Farmers Market - Safe Harbors of the Hudson & The Cornerstone Residence - 111 Broadway, Newburgh, NY 12550, Saturday, March 28, 2026, 10 am - 2 pm
- Free spring mini photo session with Shoott! - Hudson Valley - Shoott - Broadway, New York, NY, Sunday, March 29, 2026, See link for times
- Future Teller Worksop - Kinosaito Arts Center - 7th Street, Verplanck, NY, Sunday, March 29, 2026, 1pm-4pm
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Hudson Valley 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…
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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the Hudson Valley 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 Hudson Valley? 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 Hudson Valley 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 winners in KidsOutAndAbout's annual survey of the Top 20 Places to Take Kids in the Hudson Valley. Our Top 20 results page includes a list of your top picks, including winners in special categories like Favorite Art Educator, Favorite Sport Educator,
and Favorite STEM Educator!
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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