KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: Before I had kids, one of my colleagues told me that fundamentally, a parent’s job is to point. At first, you point physically: You point at the waterfall and say “waterfall,” at the moon and say “moon,” at the flower and say “flower.” You’re helping a child connect sounds to objects, words to concepts, language to reality. But later, and really all the way through, the
pointing becomes more metaphorical. Parenting is the ongoing work of connecting your child’s growing capacity to understand with a world that is, to them, forever expanding. As I had Madison and Ella, I came to think of this as being a tour guide to the world. A good tour guide needs to know the landscape, of course. But even more important, a good tour guide needs to know the traveler. What can this particular child see right now? What are they ready for? What do they care
about? What frightens them? What delights them? It's useful to remember that kids haven’t actually been here before: The world is brand-new to them over and over again, so what feels ordinary to us is often astonishing to a child. Tour guides who are doing their job well pay close attention to who their audience is and what they know, and that makes the pointing easier and more fun. Spring is the perfect season to practice pointing. In spring, the world changes fast enough for
kids to notice. Buds swell and burst. Birds return. Tiny green things push up through the dirt as if by magic. Day to day, the world becomes visibly more alive. If we point it out, kids can catch it happening in real time. And spring does not arrive quietly. It comes as an avalanche of the senses: color, smell, birdsong, mud, wind, sunlight, thunder, petals, pollen, rushing water. So maybe that’s part of the job, too: not just to point, but to lean into it. To stand beside our
kids in the rush of it all and say, Look! Here it comes.
—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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For over 50 years the Carden family has been bringing an astonishing and awe-inspiring show to people across the country. From amazing feats of athleticism with our aerial acrobats, to our magnificent elephants, awesome tigers, and so much more for the entire family. We want to invite YOU to be our guest and revisit the magical memories of your childhood, while creating new ones with your own kids that will last a lifetime.
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BLOOM Saturdays are your invitation to make a day of it at the Garden. Every Saturday from March through May, the grounds come alive with themed programming that blends children’s activities, food trucks, a full bar, and live performances into one easy, joy-filled spring tradition. Each Saturday offers something new to discover, from cultural celebrations and hands-on art to music, dance, storytelling, and special guest appearances, all set against the backdrop of peak seasonal blooms. Come for an hour or stay all day. No two Saturdays are ever the same.
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Join us for a Palm Sunday Celebration! We'll start with a short service at Evergreen Pres. Church at 11 AM, then we'll have a parade to Williamson Park around the corner at 11:30 AM! There will be an easter egg hunt, field games, and a picnic. This event is free to attend and open to the entire community! BYO lawn chair/blanket, field games, picnic lunch, and easter basket!
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Tennessee residents will enjoy free Zoo admission every Tuesday, year-round, from 9 a.m. until gates close. Reservations are free, limited weekly, and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are valid only for the date reserved and will be released each Wednesday for the following Tuesday and must be reserved online through our website.
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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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- 5 Fridays of Jazz - Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, 3030 Poplar Ave Memphis, TN, 38111, Saturday, March 28, 6:30pm - 8pm
- Celebrate Earth Day - Meridian Waste Children’s Coloring Contest (Contest entry ends April 13) - Submit your artwork online., Friday, March 27 to Sunday, March 29, Any time.
- Every Saturday, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is FREE from 10am - 12pm! - Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, 1934 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104, Saturday, March 28, 10am - 12pm
- Embracing Autism - Memphis Public Library - Raleigh Branch, 3452 Austin Peay Hwy., Memphis, TN, 38128, Saturday, March 28, See website for details.
- Kids Market at Germantown Easter Eggstravaganza - Cordova, TN 38016,
Saturday, March 28, 9:00AM
- Annual Eggstravaganza - Hope Church Memphis, 8500 Walnut Grove Rd, Cordova, TN 38018, Saturday, March 28, 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
- Opening Day at T.O. Fuller State Park (Baseball) - Meet at: T.O. Fuller Day Use Area, Saturday, March 28, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
- Palm Sunday Celebration! - Evergreen Presbyterian Church, Overton Park Avenue, Memphis, TN, Sunday, March 29,
11:00 AM
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Memphis 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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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the Memphis 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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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the Memphis 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.
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Memphis 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 best places to take kids in Memphis, based on KidsOutAndAbout's annual reader survey. Check out our most recent winners list, then check out our calendar and resource lists for lots more to do in Memphis!
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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