KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
|
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: One of the best things about spring is that it turns all of us into treasure hunters. After a long winter, we adults start scanning the world for signs that life is returning: We notice the first mist of green in a forest's understory, the first brave crocus, the first daffodil. If we point out loud, kids catch on quickly, drawn by the thrill of seeking what
winter was hiding even just a few weeks ago, and they're ready to find magic behind every tree. Of course, in certain parts of North America, spring can be stingy in early April: The calendar may insist it’s here, but the yard is still beige, the trees are still bare, and the only things blooming outside are spreading patches of mud. But there’s no rule that says spring surprises have to come only from Mother Nature! That’s one reason I’m such a fan of egg
hunts. Last year, I wrote an extremely popular step-by-step article showing how to Turn Easter Into a Treasure Hunt, complete with a printable PDF of rhyming clues. It’s right there waiting for you, ready to make you look like a genius with practically zero effort. And if you want to kick it up a notch and invite a crowd, our article Easter Egg Hunts: Tips and Tricks for a Great Party lays out the
strategies for what may be the easiest, fastest, best-bang-for-the-buck kids’ party on Earth. Sure, egg hunts feature prominently in our culture's Easter traditions, but they needn't belong only to Easter, they're a wonderful diversion anytime, in any context. Spring is a season that proves there’s treasure everywhere. Sometimes the universe provides the fun for us. And sometimes we create it ourselves.
—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. |
|
|
|
Sing and dance to the beat with free outdoor concerts held downtown on the first Friday of every month from April through October but skipping July! Classic rock, blues, oldies and more fill the waterfront area in historic Downtown Fernandina Beach.
|
|
|
|
Come out to the county fair and explore what Clay County has to offer! This year we are celebrating 40 Years! Since 1987 the Clay County Agricultural Fair has provided Clay County and Northeast Florida with an event that's both fun and educational in a family atmosphere. In fact, the Fair vision says it all "A Family A*Fair". The Fair strives to be the showcase for Clay County's agricultural, educational, civic and commercial interest. It provides an opportunity for citizens to work and have fun together. Volunteers are the lifeblood of the fair. Their dedicated support of sharing time and talents is vital to the fair's success.
|
|
|
|
Parents get the night off—while Bravoz takes care of the fun! Drop the kids off for an evening of high-energy, fully supervised play, and enjoy a few stress-free hours to yourself. Whether it’s date night, errands, or just quiet time, we’ve got you covered. Kids will enjoy unlimited All The Action play, pizza and drinks, and organized games and activities—all led by our trained BravoZ team in a safe, structured environment.
|
|
|
|
Join us at Vystar Veterans Arena as we cheer on the Jacksonville Icemen this season! Each home game features promotional events to double the fun, be sure to check out the schedule when buying tickets to see what each night entails!
|
|
|
|
Enjoy some time with family and friends creating some fun and tasty treats in this Easter cooking class! Register now and hop into the studio for a deliciously fun time!
|
|
|
|
One of the most outstanding achievements of the Mandarin Community Club, a local non-profit organization, is the annual Mandarin Art Festival held every Easter weekend since 1968. Founded in 1968 by Judge Westberry and a group of local artists, it's the longest running event of its kind in northeast Florida. The Mandarin Art Festival, a high-quality juried fine art event, enjoys thousands of visitors who return year after year for their favorite artists or to see the array of creations by artists new to the festival. For many this has become an Easter weekend tradition. Many generations of Mandarin children have enjoyed and remember the Easter Egg Hunt which was as part of the weekend activities. And, many of those children may have had their artistic talent recognized in their school’s artwork submissions in the Children’s Art Show at the Art Festival.
|
|
|
|
Enjoy a bountiful farmhouse pancake breakfast with all the trimmings. Afterwards let the children play on the playground, ride the cow / horse train and visit the farm animals! Our menu will consist of pancakes made by the farmer and his son, fruit, farm raised sausage, ham, fruit filled muffins & hash brown casserole made by the farmer’s wife, coffee, milk, and juice. Tickets will go on sale March 7th. Limited to the first 125 people.
|
|
|
|
Join us for the 67th Annual St. Augustine Easter Parade on Saturday, April 19th stepping off at 9am. The parade starts at the Oldest Jail on San Marco Avenue and continues south on Avenida Menendez along the bayfront, west on Cathedral Place, and north on Cordova Street, ending at the Visitors Center. Bring the whole family for this fun Easter tradition!
|
|
|
|
Grab your basket and hop on over to beautiful Jordan Park to join us for our annual egg hunt. Egg Hunt will begin promptly at 10 a.m.
|
|
|
|
Spring Jubilee on Saturday April 4th from 11-2pm at the Lil' Voyagers Academy (Doctors Village). A day of family fun! Reserve a free reminder ticket for a chance to win $25 market bucks to spend at the event.
|
|
|
|
Come meet our farmers in town and learn about the joys of the farmer's market -- taste and community! Come and taste the difference between grocery store and farmer's market with our samples and then take our brief tour of the market to meet the farmers and learn about how they grow our food. This event is at the Riverside Arts Market and will take you "behind the scenes" to see the community side of the market.
|
|
|
|
Join us for an exciting Easter Eggstravaganza filled with smiles, sweets, and spring fun! Enjoy and Easter Egg Hunt, Build-Your-Own-Ice Cream, and Photos with the Easter Bunny! Limited spots available -- first com, first served!
|
|
|
|
Bring the whole family and enjoy our full from-scratch Sunday Brunch Menu along with festive food and drink specials crafted just for the day. Whether you're craving something sweet, savory, or a brunch cocktail (or two), we’ve got you covered. We’ll also be hosting our annual Easter Egg Hunts, with proceeds benefiting Once Upon a Rom Jax — so you can celebrate while giving back to a great cause.
|
|
|
|
|
|
iD Tech: The World's #1 STEM Summer Camp! BattleBots® Camp? You can only get it here. Roblox Camp? We've got that and more in our Summer '26 lineup. Register today at the top-rated tech camp for 25 years and counting! iD Tech is the very best experience built around your child—their interests, their skill level, their goals for the future. Trusted by 75+ of the world’s top universities and over 1,000,000 parents, iD Tech is where kids and teens learn from the best—coding, game dev, robotics, and more. The future starts at iD Tech! Click here for more information about your local iD Tech opportunities! Virtual camps are also available!
|
|
|
- Five Points Funky Fridays - 5 Points Association, 1021 Park Street, Jacksonville, 04/03/2026, 4PM - 8PM
- Sounds on Centre 2026 - 102 Centre Street, Jacksonville, 04/03/2026, 6:00PM
- 5 Points Funky Fridays - 5 Points Association, 1650 Margaret St, Jacksonville,
04/03/2026, 4PM - 8PM
- Free spring mini photo session with Shoott! - Jacksonville - Shoott, Broadway, New York, 04/04/2026 - 04/05/2026, See link for times
- *FREE* International Call for Art - 6x6 - Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo), 137 East Ave, Rochester, 04/04/2026, 12pm- 5pm Wednesday through Sunday, and 12pm-9pm on Fridays
- Springfield Farmers & Arts Market - 1352 North Main Street, Jacksonville, 04/04/2026, 11AM - 5PM
- 2026 Mandarin Art Festival - Mandarin Community Club, Mandarin Road, Jacksonville, 04/04/2026 - 04/05/2026, Sat 10 am - 5 pm | Sun
10 am - 4 pm
- Riverfront PALOOZA at Riverfront Plaza - Artist Square Amphitheater, Riverside Avenue, Jacksonville, 04/04/2026, 10:00AM - 2:00PM
- 67th Annual St Augustine Easter Parade - 500 San Sebastian View, St. Augustine, 04/04/2026, 9:00AM
- Atlantic Beach Easter Egg Hunt -
716 Ocean Boulevard, Atlantic Beach, 04/04/2026, 10AM - 1PM
- Jax Pop Con Vol. 3 - Jacksonville Public Library, North Laura Street, Jacksonville, 04/04/2026, 10AM - 4PM
- Spring Jubilee at Lil' Voyagers Academy (Doctors Village) - Lil' Voyagers Academy, 111 Doctors Village Drive, Fruit Cove, 04/04/2026, 11:00AM
- Slow Food First Coast Tour de Farm Farmer's Market - Slow Food First Coast, St. Johns County, 04/04/2026, 12:00am-3:00pm
- Easter Eggstravaganza at Frozen Fusion - Frozen Fusion, 10503 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, 04/05/2026,
11AM - 2PM
|
|
|
|
The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Jacksonville 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…
|
|
|
|
|
Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the Jacksonville 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the Jacksonville 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Jacksonville 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!
|
|
|
Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
|
|
