KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
|
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: A tumble is not a verdict; it's information. And kids are natural data analysts. That's what a mom half a generation older than me told me when I was getting ready to have kids, and I took it to heart. So I was secretly a little thrilled the summer my daughter Madison was almost 4, when she took her first big splash off a slippery log into a
creek. Here's why: To succeed in life, everyone needs to learn to stretch to the edge of their abilities... to gather courage from their toes, to calculate, to balance, to wobble, to slide... and eventually to succeed. Kids can learn this early if the grownups in their orbit help them see the mud and bruises that come from a tumble as badges to be worn proudly: a fail-until-we-succeed philosophy in action. That's how personal fulfillment happens, and it's how human progress happens,
too. Summer is childhood's best laboratory, where sensory experiences stick as lifelong learning. School has grades and rubrics and consequences; summer has grass stains and do-overs. An amusement park ride can teach the difference between fear and danger. A hands-on museum can teach that when your tower collapses, you simply vow to rebuild it taller. A farm can teach that maybe you don’t like strawberries from the grocery store, but
you do like the ones you picked yourself, still warm from the sun. A climbing gym can teach your muscles that “I can’t” really means “I can’t yet.” And summer camps are entire worlds built around trying something new with no transcript following you home. Last week, the KidsOutAndAbout.com team launched our annual Top 20 Places to Take Kids survey. It's a way to thank the people who make your community a great place to raise kids. Equally important, it’s a giant menu of local opportunities for your kids to stretch their legs, their minds, and their bravery this summer. Use it to create your summer bucket list! Then step back and set your family’s summer dial to “safe to fail.” Watch your kids climb, build, stumble, and try again.
Let them splash.
—Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities
|
|
|
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. |
|
|
|
Take a pygmy goat on a walk around the farm! This hands-on experience allows children to provide important socialization, enrichment, and exercise for our animals, helping to enhance their well-being. Pre-registration is required, and the program is open to children ages 10 and up.
|
|
|
|
Come join The Boulders for their 2026 Season! The New York Boulders, members of the Frontier League of Professional Baseball, play at the majestic Clover Stadium in Rockland County, NY. The Boulders provide affordable, family entertainment for the Lower Hudson Valley and northeast New Jersey.
|
|
|
|
Inspire your scout’s imaginations with educational play that harnesses the limitless creative possibilities of LEGO® bricks. All through May, scouts in uniform get FREE entry plus 30% off for their friends and family-up to six (6) guests. Purchase in advance to reserve your time slot.
|
|
|
|
Discover the Hudson River as a living, waking ecosystem. As the end of winter approaches, life stirs from riverbed to the surface, swimming, drifting, burrowing, and flying. Choose a favorite organism (or a few!) and help populate a floor-to-ceiling simulated water column with Hudson River creatures. Recommended for ages 6+.
|
|
|
|
Get ready for music, laughter, and interactive fun as puppet extraordinaire Chris Rowlands returns to Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo this season! A National Audubon singer-songwriter and talented puppeteer, Chris Rowlands brings an energetic blend of live music, storytelling, and whimsical puppetry to the stage. His engaging performances delight audiences of all ages while sharing themes of nature, wildlife, and environmental awareness.
|
|
|
- Mixed Media Self-Portraits - - Athens Cultural Center, 24 2nd Street, Athens, NY 12015, 9:00 AM-11:45 AM
- Weaving Wild Baskets Book Reading and Cordage Making - - Chicory Naturalist, 25 Broadway, Kingston, NY 12401, 5pm to 7 pm
- Camp Kenan Open House: Paint-a-Palooza - - YMCA Camp Kenan, 8571 Lower Lake Road, Barker, NY 14012, 10:00am to 2:00pm
- FREE ACTING/VOICE WORKSHOP. Study with a star of film and tv! - - First Presbyterian Church of
Goshen, 3PM-4PM
- Free Buddhist Temple Tours Upstate New York in Sullivan County Catskills - - Kadampa Meditation Center New York, Sweeney Rd, Glen Spey, NY, USA, 1:30PM
- Chicory Naturalist 4 year anniversary Party and Tattoo Pop-up - - Chicory Naturalist, 25 Broadway, Kingston, NY 12401, 11 to 6
- Kinderhook Farmers Market - - Village Square, Kinderhook, NY 12106, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
- Free spring mini photo session with Shoott! - Hudson Valley - - Shoott, Broadway, New York, NY,
USA, See link for times
- Camp Herrlich's Festival Friends Family Camping Event - - Camp Herrlich, 101 Deacon Smith Hill Road, Patterson, NY 12563, Friday at 7pm to Monday at 10am
- World War II Military Displays at FDR Presidential Library and Museum - - 4097 Albany Post Rd, Hyde Park, NY 12538, United States, 10 am - 4 pm
- Storytime with Amanda Marlow - - Chicory Naturalist, 25 Broadway, Kingston, NY 12401, 11:30 to 12:30
- Farmers Market at Muscoot
Farm - - Muscoot Farm, 51 New York 100, Katonah, NY 10536, United States, 9:30 am - 2:30 pm
- World War II Military Displays at FDR Presidential Library and Museum - - 4097 Albany Post Rd, Hyde Park, NY 12538, United
States, 10 am - 4 pm
- National Memorial Day Concert Live Stream - - ONLINE ONLY, 8pm EDT / 7pm CDT / 6pm MDT / 5pm PDT / 4pm AKDT
- Camp Herrlich's Festival Friends Family Camping Event - - Camp Herrlich, 101 Deacon Smith Hill Road, Patterson, NY 12563, Friday at 7pm to Monday at 10am
- Free Buddhist Temple Tours Upstate New York in Sullivan County Catskills - - Kadampa Meditation Center New York, Sweeney Rd, Glen Spey, NY, USA, 1:30PM
|
|
|
|
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!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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…
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
|
|
