KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Tue, Dec 30: Creative Kids Day Camp - Winter Wonderland at The Kids Creative
Space
Wed, Dec 31: Noon Year's Eve Pajama Party Countdown - Lenexa Public Market
Wed, Dec 31: 5th Annual Noon Year's Eve Party - Bonner Springs City Library
Sun, Jan 4: Teen Gaming Tournament at Lawrence Public
Library
Mon, Jan 5: Safe Sitter® Essential Babysitting and CPR Classes at Olathe Library Indian
Creek
Fri, Jan 9: Mario Kart Tournament at Lee's Summit Parks and Recreation
Tue, Jan 13: Down on the Farm at Olathe Library Indian Creek
Sat, Jan 17: 'Jungle Book' at Midwest Trust Center at Johnson County Community College
Thu, Jan 22: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark™ in Concert at Kansas City Symphony
Fri, Jan 23: Nerf
Night (ages 12+) at Harris Park Community Center |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: This Sunday marks the Winter Solstice—Robert Frost’s “darkest evening of the year.” It’s when we in the Northern Hemisphere most appreciate human inventiveness: We flip a switch, and light floods the room. It feels like magic, but it’s not. It’s the result of generations of curious, determined humans trying to make life better, brighter,
safer. That’s why my family celebrates Lightbulb Day every December 21. It’s our homegrown holiday honoring the inventors and problem-solvers whose insights fuel our lives. We toast our favorite technologies, learn some history, imagine the future. Past years’ MVPs include contact lenses,
antibiotics, the internet, veterinary science, and the Covid vaccine. This year’s front-runner: artificial intelligence. Last weekend, I had breakfast with a friend and her 13-year-old daughter, Lily. Lily said she loves math and science but struggles with how her teachers approach the humanities, especially writing. When I showed her how AI can help her learn in the way she learns best, her face lit up. So I went home and wrote a how-to article for Lily, her mom, and any of
you with kids in middle school or older: How Students Can Use AI to Learn to Write (Without Giving Away their Brains). AI isn’t here to think for us. It’s here to help us think more effectively with our own minds. That’s a message worth repeating, especially to our kids.
In this new AI age, the real danger isn’t the technology itself, it’s the temptation to hand our brains over to it and say, “Here, you do all the work.” So this Lightbulb Day, I’m raising an Erlenmeyer flask, not just to the great inventors of the past, but to Lily, and to every young person learning to think with tools rather than letting tools do the thinking. Because the real magic isn’t flipping the switch; it’s understanding where the current comes from, and
imagining what we’ll power with it in the future.
—Debra Ross, publisher
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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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I'm thrilled to announce that my new book The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities (co-authored with Jamie Carter) is now published and shipping across North America! It’s packed with inspiring, true stories of everyday leaders who stepped up during the 2024 eclipse to bring people together, spark change, and strengthen their communities. Told with warmth and insight, this book makes a perfect holiday gift for the visionary, organizer, or community-builder in your life. Click the graphic to order from Amazon on print or Kindle; for other ordering options (including educator and bulk orders), or to see an annotated table of contents and the introduction, head to https://theeclipseeffect.com.
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Curious how your AI know-how compares to other parents? We surveyed over 300 of you, and the results are in! The big takeaway? You aren't alone in feeling overwhelmed. While most parents have a basic grasp of the technology, over 52% feel unequipped to actually guide their kids through it. The number one thing you requested help with was "Digital Defense"—specifically, how to spot misinformation and fake news. You can read the full, fascinating report at kidsoutandabout.com/research. Ready for round two? Help us dive deeper by taking our new, quick 13-question survey here: https://forms.gle/1nTsaG384SW8cUpL7.
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Sar-Ko Aglow in Lenexa is one of the Kansas City metro’s best holiday light displays. Miles of light strands and thousands of colorful bulbs brighten this favorite park each winter. Take a nighttime stroll around Rose’s Pond Dec. 5, 2025–Jan. 19, 2026, to view the stunning spectacle and its reflections on the water. Whether at dusk or dark, Sar-Ko Aglow makes a picture-perfect scene for family photos.
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Join us for a relaxing afternoon of creativity and fresh air at the farm! Every Friday from 2PM-4:30PM, we're hosting Free Arts & Crafts Day — a casual, drop-in event perfect for all ages. We’ll provide a variety of seasonal craft supplies and inspiration stations to get those creative juices flowing.
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Get in the spirit of the giving season at Lenexa's annual Holiday Farmers Market. High-quality ingredients and craftsmanship from local vendors will help make your holiday meals and gifts feel extraordinary. We’ll provide a traditional scene of warmth and good cheer during two special shopping days inside Lenexa City Hall. SNAP benefits accepted.
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Celebrate the season at Kansas City’s coziest indoor market! Join us December 20–21 for The Indoorsy Holiday Special, featuring 50+ of KC’s most creative makers, artists, vintage sellers, and food vendors, all bringing their best festive finds and giftable goods. Sip something warm, shop small, and soak up all the holiday magic, all INDOORS, all local, all cozy.
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- Free mini photo session with Shoott! - KC - Shoott - Shoott,
Broadway, New York, NY, USA, 12/21/2025, See link for times
- Hallmark Christmas Movie-thon - 2450
Grand Blvd, Crown Center, Kansas City, MO 64108, Friday, December 19, 2025 to Sunday, December 21, 2025, 11:00 AM
- Festive Fridays at Hallmark Visitors Center - 2450 Grand Blvd, Crown Center, Kansas City, MO 64108, 12/19/2025, 1:00PM-2:30PM
- Free Arts & Crafts Day on the Farm
- Hometown Olathe Family Farm - Hometown Olathe Family Farm, 11000 S Woodland St, Olathe, KS 66061, 12/19/2025, 2 pm - 4:30 pm
- Littlest Listeners Club | Storytime @ The Farm - Hometown Olathe Family Farm, 11000 S Woodland St, Olathe, KS 66061, 12/19/2025, 12 pm - 1 pm
- TRC's Pajamas & Pastries with Santa - Turner Recreation Commission - Turner Recreation Commission, 831 S 55th St, Kansas City, KS
66106, 12/19/2025, 6 pm - 8 pm
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Take out your calendar - you have a lot of scheduling to do to fit in all the incredible Holiday Break Camps taking place in and around our area! If we're missing a camp that should be on this list, please email us to let us know.
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Ring in the New Year with a little help from KidsOutAndAbout! Our Big List of family-Friendly celebrations is just what you need to find ball drops, fireworks displays, NOON Year's Eve fun, activities, parties and more! If your favorite isn't on the list be
sure to send us an email and we'll add it pronto.
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EXPERIENCES create memories much more than stuff does. As you're considering gifts for family and friends, consider giving the gift of a family membership to one of our local attractions in and around Kansas City. Here are local organizations that offer
memberships.
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Kansas City offers a delightful selection of Christmas tree farms that bring the magic of the holiday season to life. Families can enjoy the cherished tradition of selecting the perfect tree while exploring picturesque landscapes and engaging in festive
activities.
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KidsOutAndAbout is Kansas City's online guide to everything for kids, teens, and families! The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, and
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Kansas City 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 Top 20 Places to Take Kids in the Kansas City Area, as voted by thousands of parents! Our Top 20 results page includes a list of your top picks, including winners in special categories like Top Arts Educator, Top Sports Educator, and Top STEM
Educator!
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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