KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: For much of the country this year, March simultaneously is bringing hope that spring may in fact return to North America AND the awareness that every car is at risk for the foreseeable future. All winter long, water seeps into asphalt cracks, freezes, expands, melts, and freezes again, and bit by bit the driving experience becomes a game called Avoid the
Crater. But lately I’ve started seeing the repair trucks out there again, their bright-vested workers moving methodically from hole to hole with their shovels. Every time I pass them, it gives me a lift, not just because it means someday soon I'll start seeing flowers out in the real world, but also because potholes are one of those perfect reminders of what humans do. Playrooms, projects, and paperwork start out neat, but over time, weather, wear, gravity, and
procrastination take their toll. No matter how strict the system, order gradually slides toward chaos. And then humans step in and make it right again. I saw the cycle in action at the KidsOutAndAbout office last week: Our storage room had slowly become a museum of random supplies, half-filled bins, and Christmas decorations that had been tossed in with a hopeful Future Us will deal with this someday. Fortunately, my colleague Michelle, who works in our data department,
is also a genius organizer. A few hours after Future Michelle stepped in and applied logic and elbow grease, the little room had transformed from a cluttered cave into a serene space. The quickening of the seasons seems to bring that same energy into our homes: Closets get sorted, garages get swept, junk drawers finally meet their match. It feels good, not just because the space looks better, but because fixing things reminds us of something important: Disorder is normal, but
it’s not permanent. Humans can step in and bring brightness back. So here’s to spring cleaning, organized shelves, and freshly patched roads. Our tires, and our spirits, roll much more smoothly because humans fill potholes.
—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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Celebrate your child’s big day with hands-on engineering fun at The Works Museum! Families love the easy-to-supervise open floor plan, where guests can build with LEGO-style bricks, design K’NEX racers, look through a giant kaleidoscope, launch paper
creations into the air, and more. Each party can also include a staff-led, guided engineering project that doubles as a one-of-a-kind party favor for every guest.
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The Great Big Jamboree is launching its very first year, and you’re invited! Created in collaboration with the The Okee Dokee Brothers, this family music and arts festival brings live music, creativity, and outdoor fun together at Hyland Hills Ski Area in
Bloomington on May 23rd! Designed for kids and grown-ups alike, it’s a day of music, creativity, and connection in a beautiful outdoor setting. Get your tickets now at www.thegreatbigjamboree.com! If the full ticket price makes attending difficult for your household, you’re invited to enter the Sliding Scale Ticket Lottery for a chance to receive discounted tickets. Learn more and apply by April 17 at https://bit.ly/jamboree-lottery.
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Celebrate your party animal! Host your most unforgettable birthday party at Animal Humane Society! Invite your friends and family for fun animal activities like games, an adoption center tour, and an animal visit led by AHS staff, then spend time opening
gifts, eating cupcakes (if you choose to bring them) or visiting in our education room. We’ll provide decorations and invitations, and each guest receives a goody bag to take home! Start planning your special day today!
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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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Visit the Bell Museum and help us continue the Pi Day chain we started in 2019—let’s see if we can beat our record of 500 links!
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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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Join The Museum of Russian Art for a day-long celebration of the opening of "Cats and Dogs in Soviet Art: Workers, Teachers, Friends," an exhibition of artwork showing the many roles animals play in everyday life. Visitors of all ages are invited to explore
the galleries, enjoy family-friendly activities, and celebrate. Wear animal-themed clothing or accessories and enjoy free museum admission all day!
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Come join in on this parade whether as an onlooker or a participant!
The parade route will be from Nicollet Ave and 6th St to Nicollet Ave and 12th St!
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Join Music Director Thomas Søndergård as we dive into pieces that, through purposeful orchestration by the composer, take widely known stories and put their own unique spin on them through symphonic music. This one-hour relaxed concert format is designed
for audiences of all ages, including individuals with autism or sensory sensitivities. Kids' tickets are FREE with the purchase of an adult ticket, through the Hall Pass program.
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Ultimate Fun for Kids: Parents Night Out at Urban Air Plymouth! Need a night off? Drop the kids off at Urban Air for an evening of excitement while you enjoy some well-deserved time to yourself! At “Parents Night Out,” kids ages 6-13 will have a blast with
action-packed activities in a fun and safe environment. For just $39.99, they’ll get Ultimate Access, or upgrade to Platinum Access for $44.99 for even more thrills.
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Do you have plans that don’t include your little ones? Do you want to see a movie that isn’t animated or enjoy a dinner that doesn’t include french fries? Sign your kids up for their own night out.
Let's build a Leprechaun's dream mansion together! We'll use all sorts of art supplies to create a cozy home for our little friends. And of course, no Leprechaun mansion is complete without a stunning rainbow and a pot of gold.
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Warm up a winter morning with PJs and pancakes at the Minnesota Zoo. At your Breakfast at the Zoo from, 8:30 – 10 a.m., enjoy a build-your-own pancake bar. You can top your stack of flapjacks with butter, maple syrup, fresh berries, fruit preserves, candied
pecans – and whipped cream, of course. Plus: turkey sausage links, scrambled eggs, crispy breakfast potatoes, orange juice, and steaming hot coffee. *Dairy free, Gluten-Free, Vegan pancakes are available. Eat up, then enjoy family-friendly activity stations, story time, and games.
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March 15, 2pm, Minneapolis Central Library: Kids make great movies! The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival is an annual video contest in which young readers create short movies that tell the entire stories of Newbery-winning books—often with a creative twist:
think "Charlotte's Web" as a horror movie, or "Holes" as a musical! In this screening, hosted by authors James Kennedy and Jacqueline West, we'll show the best, weirdest, funniest 90-Second Newbery movies of this year... and maybe inspire your kids to make a movie for next year!
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Day of Irish Dance is an annual celebration of the vibrant community of Irish dancers across Minnesota produced by Irish Arts Minnesota (IAM) in partnership with Landmark Center.
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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 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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- FunLab at George Latimer Central Library – 90 West 4th Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102, Friday, March 13, 2026, 3:30pm-4:30pm
- Opening
Day Celebration: Cats and Dogs in Soviet Art – The Museum of Russian Art – 5500 Stevens Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55419, Saturday, March 14, 2026, 10:00am-5:00pm
- The 58th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade – The Minneapolis St. Patrick's Day Association – 509
Mill Street Northeast, Minneapolis, MN 55421, Saturday, March 14, 2026, 1:00pm
- The 15th Annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival: Minneapolis – Minneapolis Central Library, Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN, Sunday, March 15, 2026, 2:00pm
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the MSP 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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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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