KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: Before I had kids, one of my colleagues told me that fundamentally, a parent’s job is to point. At first, you point physically: You point at the waterfall and say “waterfall,” at the moon and say “moon,” at the flower and say “flower.” You’re helping a child connect sounds to objects, words to concepts, language to reality. But later, and really all the way
through, the pointing becomes more metaphorical. Parenting is the ongoing work of connecting your child’s growing capacity to understand with a world that is, to them, forever expanding. As I had Madison and Ella, I came to think of this as being a tour guide to the world. A good tour guide needs to know the landscape, of course. But even more important, a good tour guide needs to know the traveler. What can this particular child see right now? What are they ready for? What do
they care about? What frightens them? What delights them? It's useful to remember that kids haven’t actually been here before: The world is brand-new to them over and over again, so what feels ordinary to us is often astonishing to a child. Tour guides who are doing their job well pay close attention to who their audience is and what they know, and that makes the pointing easier and more fun. Spring is the perfect season to practice pointing. In spring, the world changes fast
enough for kids to notice. Buds swell and burst. Birds return. Tiny green things push up through the dirt as if by magic. Day to day, the world becomes visibly more alive. If we point it out, kids can catch it happening in real time. And spring does not arrive quietly. It comes as an avalanche of the senses: color, smell, birdsong, mud, wind, sunlight, thunder, petals, pollen, rushing water. So maybe that’s part of the job, too: not just to point, but to lean into it. To stand
beside our kids in the rush of it all and say, Look! Here it comes.
—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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Unleash your imagination this Spring Break at LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Philadelphia! Build, create, and play in ten themed play zones packed with millions of LEGO bricks, travel through an interactive LEGO world on Imagination Express ride, and meet your favorite LEGO characters! Take part in a creative workshop class with a Master Model Builder, then experience supercharged special effects and action-packed adventure in the 4D theater. Then explore MINILAND, created from over a million LEGO bricks featuring iconic Philadelphia landmarks. Conveniently located inside the Plymouth Meeting Mall. The Ultimate Indoor LEGO® Playground Awaits! Book your tickets now!
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Spring in our Gardens isn’t rendered. It’s real. And it’s our kind of AI: Always Incredible. Every bud, bloom, and birdsong is nature-generated, crafted by sunshine and soil … not software. Color pops, leaves unfurl, and the whole landscape awakens with fresh, authentic, undeniable energy. Early spring bulbs bring the season to life, followed by flowering trees bursting into bloom. Fragrance drifts on the breeze. Radiant tulips stretch towards the sky.
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When Eric Carle was a boy, his father took him on walks in nature, peeled back the bark of a tree to show him the tiny creatures who lived underneath. “I think in my books, I honor my father by writing about small living things,” Eric Carle said. Animals and insects were a central theme in Eric Carle’s long career as a Picture Writer, a title given to him by a young reader. “To me pictures need writing and writing needs pictures. A child once called me a picture writer, and that’s a good way to describe me,” Carle wrote.
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Join us for a morning of music, movement, and splashing fun at our Minis & Music Family Swim! We’re kicking off the event with a guided music activity led by Miss Brenna from Community Music School, where little ones will explore rhythm, movement, and interactive songs designed just for 1 to 3 year old's. After the music session, families will jump in for a fun-filled family swim together in the pool! It’s the perfect way to combine creativity, connection, and water safety in one exciting event.
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The Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual spring celebration of Japanese arts and culture organized by Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia (JASGP), with tremendous support from title sponsor Subaru of America, Inc.
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Join us on Saturday, March 28th for family-friendly fun at Stenton Museum! Event includes egg hunt, crafts, and face painting! The Egg Hunt begins promptly at 1:00 PM.
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Discover the sights, sounds, and scents of the season with a fun, 30-minute nature walk designed for the whole family. Explore nature near and far with tools like magnifying glasses and binoculars while using your senses to experience the Gardens through a new lens. Recommended for adults and children.
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Join us for Discovery Day, a free, family-friendly event where young explorers ages 3–12 can learn about nature in spring through fun activities and hands-on exploration. Children and their guardians are welcome to embark on a self-guided nature scavenger hunt with our themed checklist or simply enjoy the trails at their own pace.
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Put on your Easter bonnet and head over to Giggleberry Fair for your Photos with the Easter Bunny! All ages are welcome.
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Hop into spring with a magical Bunny Brunch at Philadelphia Zoo! Gather your family and friends for a festive morning filled with delicious food, animal fun, and special holiday surprises. Enjoy a seasonal brunch buffet featuring family favorites while the kids delight in photo opportunities with the Easter Bunny and a visit from an Ambassador Animal. After brunch, explore the Zoo and visit your favorite animals—it’s the perfect way to celebrate the season together. Choose from one of two sessions on each date: 10 AM–12 PM or 1 PM–3 PM.
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Join us for our second annual AHMEC Spring Egg Hunt! Everyone's favorite rabbit pilot, Heli Hopper, has invited his friends along to share some springtime fun! We'll have three different egg hunts for groups ages 1-12 and golden eggs will be hidden with extra special prizes! We'll also be joined by some of our friends from local community organizations with fun activities for all! Meet some animal ambassadors, learn about plants (and get some seeds to take home for your garden this year), and do some great hands-on activities and crafts. Don't miss out!
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Introduce your little ones to Swedish Easter traditions. Children can make Swedish Easter crafts, dress up as Swedish Easter witches, enjoy face painting, and take part in an egg hunt.
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This one-hour guided tour features the Easter story illustrated through medieval works of art in stained glass, sculpture, and painting. The biblical narrative involves tremendous sadness, followed by great joy; key episodes highlighted on this tour include the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and the Ascension of Christ into heaven. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED
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We are Jurassic Quest, the largest & most realistic traveling dinosaur experience in North America! Jurassic Quest is ROARING into a city near you! Step into a world where dinosaurs come alive! From towering giants to adorable baby dinos, your family will walk beside incredible creatures, hear them roar, and see them move just as they did millions of years ago. The adventure doesn’t stop there - kids can become junior paleontologists as they dig for fossils, ride life-sized dinosaurs, train raptors, and explore our new LEGO-themed play zones, where prehistoric fun meets creative building!
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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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- Free spring mini photo session with Shoott! - Philadelphia area - Shoott - Broadway, New York, NY, See link for times, Fri 3/27 - Sun 3/29
- Celebrate Earth Day with the Meridian Waste Children’s Coloring Contest! ***Contest entry ends April 13, 2026, at 11:59 PM EDT - Meridian Waste - Submit your artwork online., Any time., Fri 3/27 - Sun 3/29
- PEEPS® in the Village - Peddler’s Village - Peddler's Village - Peddler's Pub, Peddlers Village, Lahaska, PA, Time vary, see website., Fri 3/27 - Sun 3/29
- Bird
Walks at Newlin - Newlin Grist Mill Park - Cheyney Road, Glen Mills, PA, 9-11am (Nov-Mar), 8-11am (Apr-Oct), Sat 3/28
- Habitat Stewards at Newlin Grist Mill - Newlin Grist Mill Park - Cheyney Road, Glen Mills, PA, 1-3pm, Sat 3/28
- 2026 Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia - Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia - 5070 Parkside Avenue Suite 2104, Philadelphia, PA 19131, 10 am - 5 pm, Sat 3/28 - Sun 3/29
- The Stenton Egg Hunt at Stenton Museum - Stenton Museum - 4601 North 18th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 1:00 PM, Sat 3/28
- Philly Egg Hunt - Roxborough Area
- Epic Church Philadelphia - Multiple locations in Philly, Philadelphia, PA, 10:00AM, Sat 3/28
- Philly Egg Hunt - King of Prussia Area - Epic Church Philadelphia - Multiple locations in Philly, Philadelphia, PA, 2:00pm, Sat 3/28
- Easter Egg Hunt + Crafts! - 235 N 4th St, Philadelphia, PA 19106, 11:30 to 1:00, Sun 3/29
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Philadelphia 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…
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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the Philadelphia? 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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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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