KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Sat, Mar 14: 2026 Dallas St. Patrick's Parade & Festival
Sun, Mar 15: Wizard of Oz on Ice Presented by the Coppell Arts Center
Sat, Mar 21: Color Fun Run 2K & 5K at Wayne Ferguson
Plaza
Sat, Mar 21: The World's Only St. Paddy's Pickle Parade
Tue, Mar 24: Back to the Future: The Musical at Bass Performance Hall
Sat, Mar 28: MAC Bunny Brunch at Mansfield Activities Center
Sat, Apr 11: Coach Cox's Kid Chase at Baseball Complex- The Colony
Fri, Apr
17: Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival
Sat, Apr 18: DeSoto Public Library Everything Teen Expo 2026
Sat, Apr 25: Lewisville Colorpalooza at Old Town Lewisville |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: When I was a teenager, I had a teacher who became a mentor without ever knowing he was one. He was aware I’d been going through some difficult times, and was glad to hear I was almost on the other side. “Some people aren't lucky enough to have dealt with hard things when they're young,” he told me. Then he added the phrase that has echoed in my head
for decades: “Remember the rocks.” Life, he explained, was always going to toss boulders into my path. The trick was to recognize, early, that even if it was painful or scary, I was capable of getting around, or over, or through them. Remembering how I’d managed would help me trust myself more when the next, bigger ones appeared. As a parent, I think about
that often, about how the only way to become someone who does hard things is… to do hard things. It’s tempting to rush in and smooth every unpleasant obstacle our kids encounter. When we email the teacher, mend the friendship, rescue the forgotten homework, eliminate every discomfort, we may feel helpful in the moment, but in fact we’re quietly removing the practice stones they need. Resilience doesn’t come from being told
“You’re strong”; it comes from evidence that only they can gather, from working through manageable challenges and thinking, That was hard. And I handled it. We don’t need to manufacture their challenges—being a kid is difficult enough. And we don’t abandon them to do it all on their own, either. We just learn to pause, to weigh advice against intervention, and to let them see what they can manage. The goal is that later
in life, when something truly difficult lands in our children's path, they won’t just hope they can manage it, they’ll know. Now, many years later, when I encounter something daunting, I think back to my mentor and remember the rocks. "I do hard things," I tell myself. And it works.
—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. |
Discover the Best of Texas & Beyond Want to stay in the know on the best places to go, things to do, and experiences worth exploring? The Lone Star Low Down from Texas Lifestyle Magazine highlights top travel destinations,
family-friendly outings, local events, dining, and exclusive giveaways. Whether you’re planning weekend adventures, road trips, or looking for inspiration close to home, this is your go-to source for discovering the best of Texas and beyond. Sign up here to receive the Lone Star Low
Down. |
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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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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!
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Get ready for Mansfield’s biggest Arts Week ever, March 12–18, 2026! Experience seven unforgettable days filled with creativity, culture, and community. Dive into watercolor classes, Open Mic Night, and Into the Woods Jr., join the Community Mural
unveiling, and explore hands-on workshops, teen talent shows, opera performances, and ghost hunts. Families will love Kids Day, the Philharmonic's children’s concert, and art sessions for every age. Wrap up the week with inspiring sketching, painting, and journaling classes at the Wallace-Hall Art House. With new events added all the time, there’s something exciting every day—don’t miss a moment of the magic during Arts Week 2026!
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Creator Camp is back in Fort Worth, TX, for Summer 2026! As seen on Shark Tank, our camp transforms kids from technology consumers into active creators. We’ll be hosting our award-winning programs at The Clariden School in Southlake, just outside Fort
Worth. Running weekly from June 1 to August 7, 2026, we offer immersive experiences in filmmaking, YouTube content creation, animation, music production, game design, and coding. Campers gain hands-on experience with industry-standard tools in a fun, collaborative environment. Don’t miss this opportunity for your child to unleash their digital creativity and build real-world skills this summer!
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Put on your thinking caps as the imaginative world of the Questioneers comes alive in this hands-on exhibit!
In The Questioneers: Read. Question. Think. PLAY! questions are posed, challenges are identified, and problem-solving begins. Fly with Rosie in her cheese-copter, question how the world works while sitting in Ada’s thinking chair, build a bridge to save the class with Iggy, lead a movement with Sofia while playing a game in Sofia’s Citizen Park, and tell a story through drawings like Aaron!
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Don’t miss the opportunity to see the largest exhibit of live, exotic butterflies in North Central Texas. Exhibit visitors will have the chance to see a diverse collection of butterflies from various parts of the world, including Central, North and South
America, Africa, and Asia. The Blue Morpho (Morpho peleides), known for its striking beauty, is one of the most popular butterflies on display. Additionally, local favorites will also be showcased.
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Experience two amazing attractions for one incredible price! We’re thrilled to introduce an all-new Circus experience coming to the Epic Central lawn—and the best part? Your Epic Waters admission includes FREE access to all the big top excitement!
The Epic Circus Spectacular is Included in Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark Admission! One ticket. Two unforgettable attractions!
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Strike a pose, the Easter Bunny is here for photos! Reserve your visit now and make it an Easter Family Tradition! Bunny arrives on Friday, February 27 and will be here through April 4th. Book early to ensure your spot to see the Bunny.
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Bee-est friends Betty Bee and Billy Bee are lost in the Fort Worth Botanic Garden — and they need your help to find their way home.
Join us in the Fuller Garden for an all-new storybook exploration of nature and sound. This family-friendly adventure pairs a charming narrative with a classical music soundtrack performed in partnership with The Cliburn, creating an experience that’s equal parts imaginative and musical.
Follow along as Betty and Billy make their way through the garden, discovering the sights and sounds of spring. It’s a hands-on, ears-open journey the whole family can enjoy together.
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March 7, 2026: Yeehaw! Bring your boots and buckles for a Texas-style celebration in Carrollton, y'all! This exciting event features a beer garden with local craft brews, live Texas music to get everyone’s toes tapping, a mouthwatering food village to
satisfy every Texas craving, and photo ops with an iconic live longhorn. It’s a Lone Star experience not to be missed.
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How about a fun, creative start to your weekend? Bring your family to the Coppell Arts Center on the first Saturday of every month for a free make-and-take craft! Stop by anytime between 9 AM to 12 PM to create your craft.
Kids will receive a do-it-yourself craft kit that they can assemble and customize at art stations inside the Coppell Arts Center. A parent must accompany all children at all times. For children ages 3 - 12.
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Bilingual Family Storytime will take place Saturday mornings at 10:30 AM, featuring stories and songs in both English and Spanish to celebrate language, culture, and family reading. Visit the library’s website for complete details.
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Little Farmer Fridays are interactive programs designed for preschoolers and their grown-ups. Most appropriate for children ages 2 to 5 years old, our programs offer families the opportunity to hear a story, make a craft, meet the animals, enjoy a wagon
ride, and have fun on our 4.5-acre farm.
Gates open at 10am. Stations are open during our two-hour, come-and-go style program and close at 12 pm. After the program is over, guests are welcome to enjoy time on their own until we close at 2 pm. You are welcome to bring a picnic lunch, snack, and/or drinks.
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A fun-filled opportunity for your infant/toddler to explore their world through instructor-guided experiences. Each month, your baby will have a chance to crawl, climb, jump and learn while building vocabulary, motor skills and social and emotional
awareness. “Diapers and Donuts” is a great way to play with your baby while supporting their developmental needs.
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Engage with your little one as we explore stories, songs and activities that help enhance muscle development to rock, roll, crawl and walk!
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Here is an opportunity for caregivers and children to get together for free play using our developmentally appropriate toys for children 1-4 yrs. old. Tickets are not required but space is limited.
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Welcome to OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterpark, where 404 suites, 14 food and beverage outlets, arcade, spa, and more await you. Located in Downtown OKC, OKANA curates experiences just for you, we’re far enough away from home to feel like a real escape but
close enough to home to be accessible, affordable, and almost certainly your new favorite weekend getaway ;-). Switch it Up and spend Spring Break at OKANA: Use promo code SPRING when you book and save an extra 20% on your stay. And since we recently eliminated resort fees from our bookings, too, there’s never been a more affordable time to visit. Make your Spring Break iconic - make it OKANA.
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- Texas America250 Reading Challenge - Texas State Library and Archives Commission, 1201 Brazos St, Austin, Texas 78701, Friday, March 6 to Sunday, March 8, all day
- Book Babies - 901 Conover Drive, Grand Prairie, TX, Friday, March 6, 11-11:45 am
- Preschool Storytime - Nicholas P Sims Library, West Main Street, Waxahachie, TX, Friday, March 6, 10-11 am
- Little Explorers - Arlington Public Library - George W. Hawkes
Downtown Library, South Center Street, Arlington, TX, Friday, March 6, 10-11:30 am
- Family Storytime - Arlington Public Library - Southeast Branch, Southeast Green Oaks Boulevard, Arlington, TX, Friday, March 6, 10:30-11:15 am
- Children's Playtime - Bedford Public Library, 2424 Forest Ridge Dr, Bedford, TX 76021, Friday, March 6, 11-11:30 am
- Bounce Time (Age 0-3)- Colleyville Public Library - Colleyville Public Library, 110 Main St,
Colleyville, TX 76034, Friday, March 6, 10:15-11:15 am
- Lego Club - Kennedale Public Library, West 3rd Street,
Kennedale, TX, Friday, March 6, 3:30-5 pm
- TEXFest 2026 - Historic Downtown Carrollton, Elm Street, Carrollton,
TX, Saturday, March 7, 3 - 9 pm
- Saturday Make & Take Crafts - Coppell Arts Center, 505
Travis St, Coppell, TX 75019, Saturday, March 7, 9 am
- Cuentos & Stories - DeSoto Public Library, 211 E Pleasant Run Rd, DeSoto, TX 75115, Saturday, March 7, 10:30-11 am
- Family Storytime at Lewisville Public Library - Lewisville Public Library, 1197 West Main Street, Lewisville, TX 75067, Saturday, March 7, 11- 11:30 am
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Mid-Cities 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 Midcities 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 theMid-Cities? 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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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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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Mid-Cities 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 Mid-Cities 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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