KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
For much of the country, it's been the hardest winter in recent memory: cold, monochrome, relentless. The kind of season that reminds us how little control we really have. We do our best to manage routines and moods and expectations, but parents feel it most. February stretches long and flat after the excitement of the holidays, before the lift of spring. You're still packing
lunches, wrangling homework, managing emotions (your kids’ and your own)... all while the cold keeps the family cooped up. This is the season of endurance. Of course, endurance isn’t about being stoic or silent or superhuman; it’s about continuing, even when things are hard. It’s about showing up for your people, your plans, and yourself, day after chilly day. And it’s about knowing that if you’re feeling the drag right now, you’re not alone. Many of us are moving through it
together. Even for those who don't live in Nature's Refrigerator, February can still bring its own version of stuckness: that long stretch between holidays, where kids are restless and routines feel stale. Sometimes, by February, our gray matter feels just as gray as the weather. When that happens, help is allowed! Check out our article and outsource the brainstorming to KidsOutAndAbout: Stuck Inside This Winter? 20 Creative Indoor Activities for Kids is packed with creative, practical, low-effort ways to keep your family engaged (and sane) when outside play isn’t an option. And it shows you how to tap your favorite AI to be your thought partner to personalize it for your family. February
Gray doesn’t need to be conquered; it just needs to be lightened a bit. So whether you're "out and about" or "in and not at all about," we're here to brighten the rest of your winter!
—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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Play, explore, and discover the joy of music.
From first notes to bold new musical goals, MacPhail’s summer camps are designed to help young musicians ages 3–18 grow skills, explore creativity, and make music together. Led by world-class teaching artists, camps welcome students looking to deepen their skills, try something new, or play alongside other passionate musicians. From songwriting and electronic music to classical, jazz, rock, and more, there’s a camp designed for
every interest and skill level. Day camps run June–August in downtown Minneapolis. Financial assistance is available. Learn more at macphail.org/camp.
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NO SCHOOL DAY - Eden Prairie, St. Louis Park, Wayzata, Minneapolis, Prior Lake & Savage
Get ready for a sweet and cosmic adventure this Valentine’s Day! Artists will create their very own alien planet filled with love using frosting, candy, and a sprinkle of imagination. A fun, hands-on experience that’s out of this world—and straight from the heart!
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An Interactive Experience at Children's Theatre Company, February 13-April 5
Pull back the curtains and step into a fort-building wonderland—where theatrical elements, evolving light and soundscapes, old sofas, crazy lampshades, and towering towers of cardboard boxes set the scene for creative play. Build the tallest fort, the longest fort, or tons of cozy little forts. Design a castle, a neighborhood, or maybe even a whole city.
Your imagination leads the way as you play freely, connect deeply, and create shared stories—together, in real life.
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Join us for our first Star Party of the year, kicking off Space Fest! Outside, we’ll have our telescopes set up to observe our favorite deep-space objects (weather and temperature permitting). Inside, you can explore hands-on activities and catch a
special, short planetarium show.
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Celebrate Carnevale Venetian-style at the Italian Cultural Center! Immerse yourself in the magical atmosphere at the ICC Youth School's Annual Event. Discover the history and meaning of Carnevale, catch glimpses of the Doge's Masquerade Ball, try tasty
treats, and decorate your own mask. The event is free, but we ask that you register to help us plan.
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Bring Your Kids! A comedy show for kids and their grown ups. Music! Comedy! Ridiculousness! Perfect for ages 5 and up. Featuring generalized silliness and absolutely NO chickens. Shows in Minneapolis & ACROSS THE RIVER in beautiful St Paul!
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NEW for Valentine’s Weekend: Love at Big Rock: Under the Lights
Event Features Love-Themed Light Displays, Cozy Fireside Tents, Horse Drawn Carriage Rides and Countless Ways to Skip the (BORING) Dinner Date for Something MORE at Big Rock Creek
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Join us during Space Fest for a special late afternoon Sensory Friendly Saturday! Explore the entire museum, make crafts, and play games while learning about our special planet.
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Bundle up and be well in winter! Come relax, move, and connect in nature on February 15 and 16. Enjoy wellness activities and wintry fun that will keep you warm outdoors. At the Minnesota Zoo, we love winter! Animals are adapted to the cold season – let’s
join them! Throw on your woolly winter coat and head outdoors to relax and reconnect with nature. Thanks to sponsor YMCA of the North, wellness activities are included with your Zoo admission on February 15 and 16. While the kids are on break from school, come warm your hearts with the wildlife.
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Experience a global celebration of culture with live dance and music performances, arts and crafts, cultural booths, and a diverse pop-up café offering delicious international foods from around the world.
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Join us indoors at the annual Flower Show! The Arboretum's annual Spring Flower Show is back! Get an early taste of spring with thousands of blooms, including spring bulbs, orchids and tropicals on display throughout the Visitor Center buildings. This
year's show explores the theme of water, drawing inspiration from Minnesota's lakes, rivers, wetlands and the life they support. Please reserve your gate admission on the website.
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A bilingual musical based on P.D. Eastman’s beloved classic, bursting with playful, high-speed energy as dogs drive, swim, play baseball, and race to the big dog party!
Like a pop-up book that comes to life, Go, Dog. Go! • Ve Perro ¡Ve! is a heart-warming spectacle of music, color, language, and delight. With dialogue in both English and Spanish and plenty of expressive, physical storytelling, this show is easy to follow and enjoy, whether you speak English, Spanish, or another language entirely.
Perfect for early learners, first-time theatre-goers, and families looking for a joyful shared experience, Go, Dog. Go! • Ve Perro ¡Ve! is sure to have audiences howling with laughter.
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1839, Talladega, Alabama. 1939, Hamburg, Germany. In this powerful, music-filled drama, the stories of Jewish children hiding from Nazi persecution and African-American children fleeing slavery unfold in parallel. As Jewish children plan an escape to
Denmark, they draw courage from the legend of Brave Mary, a teenage runaway slave on the Underground Railroad—uniting two histories through resilience, hope, and survival.
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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the Minneapolis - St. Paul 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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The Minneapolis / St. Paul area has tons of indoor playgrounds, recreation centers, bounce houses, escape rooms, rock climbing, ropes courses, swimming, roller skating, gyms, and other ways to be active...regardless of the weather! Need some ideas?
KidsOutAndabout has dozens of ideas. Send us an email if you don't see your favorite.
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Minneapolis/St. Paul 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 winners in KidsOutAndAbout's survey of the Top 20 Places to Take Kids in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. 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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