KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: When they were handing out high school yearbook awards, some of my classmates unofficially, though cheerfully, voted me Least Likely to Become a Professional Cheerleader. I couldn’t really disagree: After all, I was a nerd before being a nerd came into fashion, much more comfortable in a library than at a pep rally. So much for
teenage predictions! Yesterday, my daughter Ella turned 25, which means KidsOutAndAbout turns 25, too. When Ella was imminent, and her sister Madison was one-and-a-half, I was realizing just how many incredible experiences for kids and families were all around us in Rochester, NY. Back then, before web calendars were a thing, finding out about stuff happening meant you had to know where to look. So during maternity leave from my old technology consulting
firm, I decided to build a place to make invisible opportunities visible, to celebrate the people who create them, and to build audiences for these great things. We’ve grown to a dedicated team of 20 people doing work that matters, serving 52 regions with 15 million readers per year and 750,000 weekly newsletter subscribers. So yes, I’m a professional cheerleader, and I love it. I love this. I love that my job is to help build an audience for the remarkable
experiences people are bringing to life. I love that our mission is to shine a light on the concerts, camps, classes, festivals, trails, museums, libraries, theaters, and local treasures large and small that become family stories and memories. Far from slowing down, we’re heading into hyper-drive for our Silver Anniversary, so stay tuned! Thank you for being part of the journey, and for giving us so much to cheer about.
—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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Get ready to race at this exclusive LEGO® F1® -themed ‘Build the Thrill Event’ only at LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Philadelphia now through May 25th! Grab your pit pass and drivers briefing and choose your team. Get hands-on with LEGO® bricks to create a minifigure driver and build an ultimate race car, before putting them through their paces! Will you take pole position? Then take on build challenges to beat the clock, before taking part in an awesome race! Plus, visit LEGO® F1® in MINLAND, what scenes will you spot? Rev those engines and join in the LEGO® F1® fun now!
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7th-12th Grade Performance
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Celebrate the living chemistry of spring and leave with a deeper appreciation for the plants that have clothed, healed, and inspired us for generations.
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Orchestra Concordia features Philadelphia Orchestra Associate Principal Concertmaster, Juliette Kang, with cellist Thomas Kaines, performing Brahms’ Concerto for Violin and Cello. The concert will also include Hoedown by Copland and An American in Paris by Gershwin.
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Join us on the first Friday of each month for exhibition openings, artist studio tours, markets, and stunning views of the Delaware River. Support local artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs at the Artist and Artisans Market. Pick up one-of-a-kind finds at this one-stop shopping experience.
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Strawberry fun at Peddler’s Village since 1978! Celebrate berry sweet traditions at Strawberry Festival on Saturday & Sunday, May 2 & 3 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The weekend will include strawberry-themed food, beverages, live music, food trucks, kids’ activities, and shop specials. Peddler’s Village shops will be open until 8 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free.
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It’s that exciting time of the year again when our ponds fill to the brim with squirming tadpoles! Come celebrate and explore with the whole family! Join Riverbend's Educators for this annual rite of spring that happens right here at Riverbend. Learn about the lifecycle of the amphibians that live at the preserve and see the tadpoles in action. This fun event is open to individuals and to families with children of all ages.
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It's Veloci-Time! Saddle up and get ready for an adventure as the Dino-Ranchers roll into Sesame Place. Come join the fast-talking cowboy Jon and his speedy raptor Blitz as they talk about life on the pre-historic farm in this interactive, musical stage show. Then, make a reservation to meet and take a photo with Jon and Blitz! Purchase the Dino Ranch VIP Experience to get a delicious buffet meal, a meet & greet with the characters, and reserved seating at one of the Dino Ranch On Stage! shows.
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Wheaton Arts and Cultural Center, in partnership with the Authority of Cumberland County, presents the 19th annual ECO Fair: Artful Living, Handmade & Homegrown on Saturday, May 2, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine.
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Our annual Philadelphia Children's Festival features an exciting array of professional performances for the whole family. Plus, enjoy the outdoor PLAYground with hands-on activities, performers and more. The Children's Festival is rain or shine.
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Hellerick’s Adventure Farm is open for the season! Come down to the farm with your family to enjoy Barnyard Mini Golf, the Aerial Adventure and the Silo Climbing Wall, as well as all 50 unique attractions such as the tractor pull, corn shute slides, and Amish scooter racing.
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Art in Bloom celebrates the accomplishments of over 150 student artists in this exhibition of artwork created in our weekend art classes for children age 3 through grade 7, from September 2025 to April 2026. These include Michener Minis (ages 3-6 with adult), Discover Art (grades 1-4), and Explore Art (grades 4-7). During these classes, students are introduced to new skills and techniques through demonstrations, observations, and individualized attention. A great emphasis is placed upon the students’ own curiosities, interests and determination. They draw from their own interpretation of special exhibitions and permanent collections within the galleries of the Museum as well as their own personal lives and imagination.
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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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- First Friday at Cherry Street Pier - 121 North Christopher Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA, Friday, May 1, 2026, 4 pm
- First Friday: May Flowers - Science History Institute, 315 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, Friday, May 1, 2026, 5-7pm
- Dance Me a Story: Free Midday
Storytimes at the Studio - Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet, 29 North Narberth Avenue, Narberth, PA 19072, Friday, May 1, 2026, 12PM, 11:30PM
- Orchestra Concordia Free Community Concert - Orchestra Concordia, Louella Avenue, Wayne, PA 19087, Friday, May 1, 2026, 8:00
PM
- Free spring mini photo session with Shoott! - Philadelphia area - Shoott, Broadway, New York, NY, USA, Saturday, May 2, 2026 to Sunday, May 3, 2026, See link for times
- Camp Kenan Open House & Healthy Kids Day - YMCA Camp Kenan, 8571 Lower Lake Road, Barker, NY 14012, Saturday, May 2, 2026, 10:00am to 2:00pm
- Camp
Weona Open House & Healthy Kids Day - YMCA Camp Weona, Poplar Tree Road, Gainesville, NY, USA, Saturday, May 2, 2026, 10:00am to 2:00pm
- FREE Youth Choir - Singing City: Next Generation - Temple University - Presser Hall (2001 N. 13th St.) Philadelphia, PA 19121,
Saturday, May 2, 2026, 12:30PM-1:30PM
- Riverbend's Tadpole Transformations - Riverbend Environmental Education Center, Spring Mill Road, Gladwyne, PA, USA, Saturday, May 2, 2026, 10:00am-12:00pm
- ECO Fair - 1501 Glasstown Road, Millville, NJ, USA, Saturday, May 2, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Tim Kubart and the Space Cadets: Free Outdoor Concert
- Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6219, Sunday, May 3, 2026, 3 PM
- Boys Belong Ballet Open House - Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet, 29 North Narberth Avenue, Narberth, PA 19072, Sunday, May 3, 2026, 1 - 2:30PM
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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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