KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Mon, Jun 29: 2026 Brownsburg Lions Club Fourth of July Extravaganza - With Brownsburg Lions Club
Tue, Jun 30: 2026 Lebanon City Market : Celebrates America’s 250th - The Heart of Lebanon Wed, Jul 1: Naturally Messy: Slime & Goo - At Zion Nature Sanctuary - With Zionsville Parks & Recreation
Wed, Jul 1: Wacky Wednesdays 2026- Gill Family Aquatic Center
Wed, Jul 1: More to Explore in Muncie: David Owsley Museum of Art - At Muncie Children's Museum
Thu, Jul 2: $6 First Thursdays at The
Children's Museum of Indianapolis
Thu, Jul 2: 2026 Star Spangled Symphony - At Conner Prairie - Featuring The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
Fri, Jul 3: 2026 CarmelFest
Sat, Jul 4: Indy-Pendence Day - With Indy Eleven Vs Charleston Battery FC
Sat, Jul 4: Independence Day Social
Sat, Jul 4: 2026 July 4th Fest in Lawrence
Sat, Jul 4: 2026 Edinburgh Firecracker Festival - With Edinburgh Parks and Recreation
Sat, Jul 4: 2026 July 4th Fireworks Festival -
Noblesville
Sat, Jul 4: 2026 July 4th Parade - Noblesville
Tue, Jul 7: Art in the Park: PICKLEPALOOZA - With
Laffyette Parks & Recreation
Thu, Jul 9: Community Fun Days! FREE! - At Circle K Fieldhouse at NexusPark - With Columbus Parks & Recreation |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
The summer I was 5, my parents took our family to Cape Cod for a week. In Provincetown, we bought a kite, then headed to the dunes in North Truro, where my sister and I spent hours running full-tilt up and down the bare white hills. We’d scramble to the top, turn, and launch ourselves downward, legs windmilling, hair flying, lungs full of salt air and triumph. Invariably, we’d
fall, slap into the soft, sun-warmed sand, pop back up, and do it again. Tumbling down the dunes was gravity. Sand was friction. The kite tugging on our arms was air on the move. We didn't have words to describe these phenomena—we were little kids, not tiny physicists with notebooks. A decade later, my calculus teacher would give me the words and symbols to process motion conceptually, but experiences like this had already taught my body that I was an actor in the physics of
the world. My body understood. Summer is the perfect time for kids to learn motion from the inside out. Motion is in amusement park rides, in waves bobbing ducks and inner tubes up and down at the lake, in trains pulling you forward in one dimension and airplanes moving you through three. It’s in bikes and swings and Frisbees and trampolines and slip-and-slides, in tumbling through the days without realizing that learning is happening. As tour guides to our
kids’ universe, we can point gently: Feel how the swing slows at the top? Notice how the wave lifts you before it lets you down? See how leaning changes the bike’s path? But the point is not to turn summer into physics class. The point is to help kids notice how the world feels as they move through it. The equations can come later; now is the time for motion, and for the emotion that accompanies it. Summer’s gift is the body’s memory: wind, water, speed, balance, falling, landing, and getting up
to run again.
—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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This weeks featured guest is Blair Clark! Blending jazz, soul, R&B and a touch of pop, Clark brings an electric sound and dynamic presence that keeps audiences engaged from the first note to the last. Experience an unforgettable evening where music, and wildlife come together at the Indianapolis Zoo.
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Back for 2026, our drone and fireworks spectacular delights young and old again and again! 500 synchronized drones — some carrying pyrotechnics — will light up the night for an unforgettable experience. Holidays in the Sky will run from Saturday, June 20 through Monday, August 3, 2026. That’s 45 nights of drones and fireworks (weather permitting)!
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Celebrate the red, white, and blue at this family-friendly event. Live music, fireworks, biergarten, food trucks, craft vendors, inflatables, and more!
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Summer's best tradition is back! From thrilling rides and classic fair food to live music, adorable animals, and fun for all ages around every corner—the Marion County Fair is this summer’s can’t-miss event for the whole family.
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Toddler Treks are a perfect way to introduce our youngest audience to nature! Each month toddlers and their caregivers will meet at a different park to explore a theme through play, hands-on activities, and outdoor experiences. Older siblings are welcome to attend, but activities are geared towards 4 and under. Dress for the weather and be prepared to get moving!
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Happy Birthday America! Join us outdoors at Celebration Plaza in White River State Park to celebrate America’s milestone birthday! Bring family and friends to discover the science behind fireworks, collaborate on a community mural and enjoy hands-on activities all afternoon. Stay afterwards for the White River State Park’s Star Spangled Sky drone show! More details coming soon.
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Shop locally raised or grown food, flowers, and handcrafted goods, enjoy live music, and more at the Shelbyville Public Square each Saturday from May 9 to Sept. 26, 8 a.m. to noon. Meet your local farmers, buy healthy foods, collect local art! You won't be disappointed! Farmers Markets are a great way to teach your kids about the farm to table experience. They can learn to eat healthful foods grown locally, as well as experience local flavor from around Indiana. Fresh air, fresh food & good old fashioned family fun! Come support local artisans, listen to live music and create cherished memories. We can't wait to welcome you and your family to this vibrant gathering of community, culture and flavor. See you there!
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At Indian Market, experience thrilling cultural performances, purchase award-winning art, and eat great food all in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. A rare cultural experience created 34 years ago, Indian Market celebrates exceptional, handcrafted art and cultural items and the outstanding American Indian and First Nation artists who create it. Artists will display their artwork in booths inside the museum and in tents on the front lawn.
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As Greenwood’s marquee community event, Freedom Festival draws more than 50,000 people to Craig Park every summer to celebrate the American Spirit. Held on the last Saturday in June, the festivities include a parade, local food and beer. Indiana's best fireworks show concludes the evening.
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Join us for Franklin’s premier fine arts festival, a vibrant day celebrating creativity, community, and culture! Ethos features a juried art show with dozens of talented artists offering original, high-quality work for sale.
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Indianapolis 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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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Indianapolis 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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It's almost time for fruit picking! Fruit picking is a great activity to do together as a family. It helps little ones understand where their food actually comes from, and it's a fun tradition to share every year right through the teens.
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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