KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Sorry for the second send this morning, everyone! The first one had a glitch that erased much of the content. —Deb |
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Save the Date
Sat, Apr 25: 15th Annual Earth Day - Rock the Green at Harley-Davidson Museum
Sun, Apr 26: Festa Italiana 2026 at Henry Maier Festival Park Sun, May 3: Art in the Gardens 2026 at Friends of Boerner Botanical Gardens
Fri, May 15: Mai Fest 2026 at Marketplatz II
Fri, Jun 5: ART
64 at Village of Wauwatosa
Sun, Jun 7: West Allis A La Carte FESTIVAL
Fri, Jun 12: Polish Fest 2026 at Henry W. Maier Festival Park
Sat, Jun 13: Milwaukee Water Lantern Festival 2026 at Veterans Park
Fri, Jun 19: Greek Fest 2026 at Wisconsin State Fair Park
Sat, Jul 11: Family Festival at Piala's
Sat, Jul 18: Falls Lavender Fest at Village Park-Menomonee Falls Sun, Jul 19: Picnic in the Park Train - East Troy Railroad Museum |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
As I write this column, three Americans and one Canadian are hurtling home from a trip around the Moon, inside a machine that had better do exactly what it’s supposed to do. For years, every person involved in the mission obsessed over every detail at every stage until as little as possible was left to chance. “Failure is not an option,” an ethos long associated with our quest to
explore outer space, makes perfect sense when we're talking about Artemis II. But decades ago, the attitude leaked out of the space program and into everyday life, and that was a mixed blessing. When I was a teenager, “failure is not an option” might as well have been tattooed on my brain: For me, not only was failure not an option, but anything below an A grade wasn’t an option, either. I was so afraid of not being perfect that if I felt unprepared for a test, I’d stay home
“sick.” I looked successful from the outside, but because I was working so hard to avoid mistakes, I played it safe. So I didn't actually accomplish much aside from some sharp-looking letters on a report card. It took me years out in the real world to realize that real accomplishment usually looks less like gliding and more like bumping into things until you find the way through. So these days, failure and I are best buddies: I've replaced "failure is not an option" with
"nothing ventured, nothing gained" as I inch toward and away from success each day. Even writing my column each week is an act of resilience: I add and then murder my words until they say what I mean, and I'm always aware in the end that it could be better. One of my goals when I was homeschooling Madison and Ella was to make failure safe and ordinary... cheerful, even... a sign of progress. Kids need chances to try things that might flop: recipes that taste weird, projects
that collapse, math problems they have to redo, conversations they wish they’d handled better. I wanted them to understand that when the stakes are low, failure is not a tragedy, it’s just how learning works. It doesn't usually feel fun, or comfortable. But it's the only way to fly.
—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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Make unforgettable memories with your little ones at Elmo’s Got the Moves—the all-new Sesame Street Live show coming to Milwaukee Sunday, May 10th at the Miller High Life Theatre! This exciting show will have kids and parents alike out of their seats and moving and dancing along with Elmo and his Sesame Street friends as they dance, stretch, and play along to fan-favorite songs, including “Sunny Days,” “Elmo’s Got the Moves,” and “Letter of the Day.” Tickets start at just $35!
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MKE Rep Arts Camp is for all youth artists, not just performers. Open to ages 7 to 15, this summer camp is a place to explore all aspects of your creativity with the support of professional artists. Design your perfect artistic adventure at one of two state-of-the-art facilities! Explorers experience every corner of the arts, from Shakespeare to sewing to makeup and everything in between! With a schedule of five unique classes, specialize in one area or sample them all! Or become a “Generator” and master world-building from the ground up! Learn the essential skills for creating an immersive experience: set design, costume construction, character development, special effects and more!
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Girl Scout summer camps are a great way for you to seek challenges, explore on adventures, learn new skills, make new friends, and develop a deep appreciation for nature. There’s an adventure for everyone! At GSWISE Day Camp, campers enjoy camp during the day and go home at night. At Camp Alice Chester Overnight Camp, campers enjoy classic camp activities – or embark on adventure trips. And, at Day Camps by Community, campers participate in progressive activities with their local Girl Scout community. Girl Scout camp is open to campers in grades K-12 – whether you’re a current Girl Scout or not!
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In Honor of Dr. Alfred Bader Join us for a free day celebrating local legends! Enjoy a full day of activities inspired by all of the Milwaukee gems who make our city the place to be, create, and thrive. Explore Gertrude Abercrombie: The Whole World Is a Mystery, discover the newly installed Modern Wing, wander through the collection galleries, make art, enjoy live performances, and connect with the creative energy that makes this city one-of-a-kind.
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A Swiss girl named Heidi visits her eccentric aunt and uncle in the alps. Meanwhile a brave father, William Tell, tries to teach his son about freedom and tyranny. But when a wicked despot maneuvers to oppress the mountain people, it takes courage and an unexpected hero to save the day.
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Join us every Friday for our Family Friday Open Gyms! Children will be able to get all of their energy out just before lunch and nap time! Bounce on our trampolines, swing, climb, and run around for an hour and a half of FUN! Members are $8.00, Nonmembers are $10.00. At Infinite Gymnastics, we create a nurturing and motivating space where children grow in confidence, character, and skill. Our program uses gymnastics as a foundation to teach valuable life lessons—hard work, perseverance, teamwork, leadership, and sportsmanship.
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In the beautiful mountainous kingdom of Arendelle, Princesses Anna and Elsa grow up sheltered inside their castle, isolated from the world. When Elsa is crowned queen, the magical powers she has desperately tried to conceal take control, and she flees into the mountains. As a ferocious winter descends, Anna sets off on an epic journey to find Elsa and bring her home — with the help of hardworking ice harvester Kristoff, his loyal reindeer Sven, and a happy-go-lucky snowman named Olaf. Full of magic, humor, and a stunning musical score, Frozen is a powerful tale of sisterhood, acceptance, and finding the real meaning of true love.
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After Chase, Marshall, Skye and the gang save Adventure City with their Mighty Pup Powers, it’s time for the paw-some-est street party ever. But when Supervillain Scientist Victoria Vance feels left out of the festivities, she unleashes her latest invention to crash the party and steal the spotlight for herself! Can the Mighty Pups, armed with their super-charged powers, outsmart Victoria to ensure Adventure City’s biggest bash goes off without a hitch? It’ll take the power of paw-sitivity and mighty teamwork to foil her plans and keep the party pumping!
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Milwaukee 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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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee 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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