KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Tue, Mar 10: Easter Bags for Foster Families: KindCraft at Ball Event
Center
Wed, Mar 11: Retro Storytime: "The Fire Engine Book" at Johnson County Museum
Fri, Mar 13: Jurassic Quest x Brick Fest Live @ Iowa Events Center
Sat, Mar 14: 2026 Brookside St. Patrick's Warm-Up Parade at Various Locations around Kansas City
Sat, Mar 14: Mermaid & Pirate Swim at J. Thomas Lovell Community Center
Fri, Mar 20: Nerf Night at Harris Park Community Center
Fri, Mar 20: Littlest Listeners Club | Storytime @ The Farm at Hometown Olathe Family Farm
Sat, Mar 21: What are Animal Houses Like? at Lakeside Nature Center
Sat, Mar 21: Touch-A-Truck in Platte Landing Park
Tue, Mar 24: Operation Wildlife Presents: Tiny Raptors Big Attitude at Mid-Continent Public Library - Grain Valley Branch
Wed, Mar 25: Final Symphony: Music from Final Fantasy® at Kansas City Symphony |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
The February my daughter Ella was 1, she caught a cold that lingered for months. There were short stretches of relief, but mostly there was congestion, disrupted sleep, and a level of crankiness that turned my sunny baby into someone I barely recognized. The clouds around her felt constant, and one day, I caught myself labeling her in my head as “the crabby one.” But of course,
if I had a perpetually runny nose and no way to manage it, I’d be irritable, too! I needed to remember this wasn’t her personality, it was a season. What we needed to get through it was distraction: something fun to do "right now" and also fun things to anticipate. Aside from those who live in paradise pockets like San Diego, most of our readers are in the thick of a particularly dreary winter. The world feels heavy and gray, energy runs low, and
it’s easy to fixate on how dispirited we feel. But we need to remember that this isn't our personality, it's a season. What we need to get through it is distraction in the moment and also something positive we can place on our horizon. My family is counting down to the March 20 release of Project Hail
Mary, which stars Ryan Gosling. The movie is based on the novel by Andy Weir, who also wrote The Martian. You don't have to be a science nerd to love Weir's books (although science nerds DO love Weir's
books), because in all of them, the real hero is human ingenuity—curiosity, flexible thinking, doing what needs to be done even in extreme circumstances. When things are going awry, the answer isn’t despair, it’s problem-solving, and I always emerge from a Weir book feeling spiritually lighter. While I immerse myself in Weir and Gosling, you, of course, should do YOU! Let the art or sport that grabs you and your kids be your launch ticket to optimism now, and lift you to fun
in the future. We're glad to provide the fuel!
—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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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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Enjoy a discount all week long for any homeschool student 18 and under. A discounted rate of $6 for students – and $10 for each adult, up to two per group – provides ticketed access to all gallery areas of the Museum and Memorial along with a free National
WWI Museum and Memorial Family Guide.
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Join us for a magical first-time theatre experience!
Tomorrow is the big day: Charlie’s first day of kindergarten. But Charlie cannot go to sleep. Follow Charlie and Stuffie as they try to find courage and joy with the power of imagination and friendship.
This playful and highly interactive show welcomes children (ages 2-5) and their families into a world of wonder and imagination.
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Support local growers and makers at Lenexa's annual Winter Farmers Market. Get your favorite goodies and keep in touch with vendors on the last Saturday of the month from January through March. Expect cool season vegetables (like onions, garlic and greens),
eggs, cheese, butter, honey and beeswax body products, BBQ sauces and rubs, wine, various meats and bakery items.
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Take your family on an unforgettable adventure where music and animation come to life! Philharmonia Fantastique is a concerto for orchestra plus animated film that follows a playful Sprite as it explores the hidden wonders of the orchestra. Watch as
instruments spring to life, sounds swirl with color and the magic of music unfolds before your eyes. This imaginative journey blends orchestral power with cutting-edge animation, created by Grammy® Award-winning composer Mason Bates alongside legendary Hollywood creatives Gary Rydstrom (“Jurassic Park,” “Toy Story”) and Jim Capobianco (“Ratatouille”). Perfect for kids five and over and the grownups who love them, this high-energy concert is a must-see family event that will spark curiosity and
ignite young imaginations.
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Kansas City 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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- Kids & Crafts Storytime | Lawrence Public Library - Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St, Lawrence, KS, Friday, February 27, 2026, See website
- Storytime for Babies - Mid-Continent Public Library - Grain Valley Branch, South Buckner Tarsney Road, Grain Valley, MO, Friday, February 27, 2026, 9:30 AM
- Free Arts & Crafts Day on the Farm - Hometown Olathe Family Farm - 11000 S Woodland St, Olathe, KS, Friday,
February 27, 2026, 2 pm - 4:30 pm
- Tween Gaming at Indian Creek Library - Olathe
Indian Creek Library, 16100 W 135th St, Olathe, KS, Friday, February 27, 2026, 4:00pm - 5:30pm
- Dinosaurs: Land of Fire and Ice - 2450 Grand Blvd, Crown Center, Kansas City, MO, Friday, February 27, 2026 to Sunday, March 1, 2026, 10:00am - 6:00pm Mon-Sat | 12:00-5:00pm Sun
- Tail Wagging Readers - Lawrence Public Library - 707 Vermont St, Lawrence, KS, Saturday, February 28, 2026, 10:30 am – 11:30 am
- Lenexa Winter Farmers Market - Lenexa Farmers Market, W 87th St Pkwy, Lenexa, KS, Saturday, February 28, 2026, 10am - 1pm
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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the KC 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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Winter is here and fun options for families just keep getting better! Whether you stick with what you love or decide to try something new, KidsOutAndAbout has plenty of ideas. From Ice skating, kid-friendly museums, indoor play centers, and outdoor
activities to thinking ahead to next year's school options - we've got you covered.
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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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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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