KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: February is Children’s Dental Health Month, which means it's the perfect time to talk about LYING. The first lie my daughter Madison ever attempted was when she was about 3. "Did you brush your teeth?” I asked as she was getting ready for bed. She nodded earnestly, but I had my doubts; a check of the toothbrush revealed it was dry as the Sahara. "Looks like
we need a do-over," I said. "Try again." In a 2025 Delta Dental study of 1000 parents of kids age 12 and under, 67% of respondents reported difficulty in getting their kids to brush their teeth. And in a related but thoroughly unscientific survey, 100%
of the friends I asked told me that their own kids have lied about tooth brushing at least once. See, young children don’t experience truth as adults do; their developing minds blur the line between reality and hope, between what happened and what they would prefer had happened. Brushing is tedious, being done is better. Add a desire to please Mom, and those wires can cross. In those early years, our job is to help kids gradually separate fact from wishful thinking. You might
think that prosecuting dishonesty harshly might scare kids into telling the truth, but that often just scares them into hiding more cleverly. Our goal as parents isn't just to have kids who brush their teeth and do their own homework and someday file tax returns without creative interpretations of “business mileage,” although we do want all those things. But overall, we want kids who are brave enough to be, rather than seem to be. If they see early that
mistakes can be brought into the light and fixed with a do-over, they’re far less likely to build a life around pretending they didn't happen. So my best recommendation for Children's Dental Health Month is to model both scrupulous honesty and scrupulous teeth-brushing yourself. In case you need an immediate solution, though, I hunted down a list of kids' best tooth-brushing songs thoughtfully supplied by the American Dental Association. Grit your teeth and hum along.
—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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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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Looking for their summer adventure? Whether your student is looking to deepen their skills, try something new, or play alongside other passionate young musicians, there’s a camp for them. Our weeklong day camps offer opportunities for instrument discovery
and musical exploration, performance and ensemble training, composition, songwriting, music creation, and more. Discover their new passion this summer. Day camps run June–August in downtown Minneapolis.
Financial assistance is available. Don’t wait – camps are filling quickly! Learn more at macphail.org/camp.
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Everyone is invited to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the grand finale of Minnesota’s 40th Anniversary MLK, Jr. Holiday Celebration, broadcast live from the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul.
Join us on Monday, January 19th, 2026, at 10:00am. for a powerful morning of artistry, storytelling, and reflection as communities from across Minnesota come together in the spirit of justice, unity, and collective care.
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Experience the winter woods aglow at Shepard Farm and help shine light on local need!
Bring one non-perishable food item to enjoy a self-guided luminary hike through the woods. Stop by the Education Center to drop off your donation and warm up by the bonfire with a cup of hot cocoa.
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Join us for a Lunar New Year Celebration presented by Niko Niko. This year is the year of the Horse. The Horse symbolizes energy, independence, and forward momentum. The Horse is associated with passion and perseverance, encouraging bold action, personal
growth, and progress—making it a year that favors initiative, travel, and pursuing ambitious goals.
Our annual Lunar New Year festivities are open to everyone and include artistic performances, cultural presentations, and fascinating activities—plus special décor and photo backdrops to mark the occasion.
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Tech Fest is our annual family-friendly engineering and technology fair. At Tech Fest, kids and their grown-ups can explore hands-on activities, build together, and meet inspiring STEM role models. It’s a fun and exciting introduction to engineering,
offering opportunities for problem-solving and real-world connections.
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Join us at Hyland Lake Park Reserve for a fun filled winter festival! Enjoy a variety of free outdoor activities and adventures designed for kids—and kids at heart.
Come play, explore and embrace the magic of the great outdoors!
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The world’s most beloved blue engine is rolling into St. Paul! Inspired by the popular children’s series and featuring engines and destinations from Thomas & Friends™, this interactive exhibit engages children and families in foundational skills that
foster STEM literacy through playful learning experiences.
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The 2026 Urban Expedition series continues with a celebration of Caribbean culture as we highlight Trinidad and Tobago! Enjoy authentic music, dance, crafts, and cuisine during this immersive program favorite. Don’t forget to bring your passport and collect
the final stamp of the season!
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The Rock and Roll Playhouse presents The Music of Chappell Roan for Kids - Pink Pony Party! at First Avenue on Sunday, February 22, 2026.
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Join us at Merriam Park Library on February 20, and Red Balloon Bookshop on February 21, for a special storytime inspired by If You Give A Mouse A Cookie. Librarians and dancers from Ballet Co.Laboratory to present a one-of-a-kind reading that will get you
dancing.
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Show & Tell is an exuberant, hands-on exhibition designed just for kids!
Built around five exploratory zones—Play, Make, Find, Read, and Watch—Show & Tell encourages young people to approach contemporary art with creativity and imagination. Where Cas Holman’s Critter Party (2024) offers a sculpture to touch, climb on, and modify, Caroline Kent’s colorful abstractions inspire kids to create their own collages to project in the gallery. A porthole wall reveals a trove of hidden surprises, from a miniature Spoonbridge and
Cherry to a family of funky creatures. And in the comfy “Watch” zone, a varied selection of short films prompts curiosity and conversation.
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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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Come to Choo Choo Bob's Train Store for a Train-Tastic story time! It’s educational & interactive! Come hear stories, songs and jokes about…TRAINS! Chugga, chugga! Choo Choo! See you there, Engineers!
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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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- Student Matinee: WITNESS: Eyes Still on the Prize II - Northrop, 84 Church St SE, Minneapolis, Friday, February 20, 2026 to Sunday, February 22, 2026, 10:15am & 12:45pm
- FunLab at George Latimer Central Library - Saint Paul Public Library - George Latimer Central Library, 90 West 4th Street, Saint Paul, Friday, February 20, 2026, 3:30pm-4:30pm
- Light
up the Night Luminary Hike - Dodge Nature Center - Dodge Nature Center, 365 Marie Ave W, West Saint Paul, Friday, February 20, 2026, 6 - 7:30 pm
- Celebrate Lunar New Year with Mall of America® - Mall of America, 2131 Lindau Lane, Bloomington, Friday, February 20, 2026 to Sunday,
February 22, 2026, 12:30 pm – 5:30 pm
- Mill City Farmers Market - Mill City Farmers Market, 704 S 2nd St,
Minneapolis, Saturday, February 21, 2026, 10am-1pm
- Open House Preschool-Grade 12 - The International School of Minnesota, 6385 Beach Rd, Eden Prairie, Saturday, February 21, 2026, 11:00AM - 1:00PM
- Winter Play Day - Hyland Lake Park
Reserve - Richardson Nature Center, 8737 E Bush Lake Rd, Bloomington, Saturday, February 21, 2026, 11 am - 8 pm
- Lunar New Year Celebration - Mall of America, 2131 Lindau Lane, Bloomington, Saturday, February 21, 2026 to Sunday, February 22, 2026, 12:30 pm – 5:30 pm
- Sundays at Landmark: Urban Expedition - Trinidad and Tobago - Landmark Center, West 5th Street, Saint Paul, Sunday, February 22, 2026, 1:00
PM - 3:00 PM
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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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