KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Thu, Jan 29: Homeschool Explorations: Exploring Frank Lloyd Wright in Asia (for students age 6-11) at The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation - Taliesin West
Fri, Jan 30: Jurassic Quest x Brick Fest Live @ Pima County Fairgrounds
Fri, Jan 30: Pony Express at City of Scottsdale Tourism and Events
Sat, Jan 31: Asian Festival 2026
Sun, Feb 1: El Puente Fest at Cultural Coalition
Sat, Feb 7: Free Movies at the Boardwalk: Coco
Wed, Feb 11: Dungeons & Dragons
for Teens at Ironwood Library
Sat, Feb 14: Girls in STEM: Stellar Science at Arizona Science Center
Mon, Feb 16: Lunar New Year Celebration at Sam Garcia Library (All Ages) ed, Feb 18: First Day of Robotics Academy for Future Innovators
Thu, Feb 19: Movie Night: Cactus Hotel at Desert Foothills Land Trust
Fri, Feb 20: The Six Triple Eight - Movie Showing at Ironwood Library
Sat, Feb 21: Kids Market- Casa Grande Farmers Market
Sat, Feb 21: Arizona Matsuri 2026 at Steele Indian School Park
Sat, Feb 28: 2026 Melrose on 7th Avenue Street Fair |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
When Madison and Ella were young, I made it a point to stretch their comfort zones in small, manageable ways. They’d order their own food at restaurants, they'd arrange their own homeschool work schedules, they'd try activities where they didn’t know anyone. I did my best not to step in unless invited. Over time, they started trusting their
own ability to navigate the world without me. That, of course, was the point. But the better they got at being independent, the more I started to feel a quiet kind of discomfort. They were moving outward—into the world, into themselves—and I could feel the shift. There’s a concept in astrophysics called red shift. When a star or galaxy moves away from us, the light it emits stretches, shifting toward the red end of the spectrum. The farther away it moves, the
redder the light appears. It’s how we know the universe is expanding. The movement doesn’t mean the light is gone—just that it’s arriving to us in a new form, from farther away. I think about that a lot as my kids are no longer orbiting so closely. I still see their light; it just looks different now. I’m learning to recognize their new wavelengths. The trick, I think, is not to see red shift as loss, but as evidence of motion. The fact that I feel the stretch means the
universe is doing what it’s supposed to do: expanding, evolving, moving outward. I remind myself that this kind of shift is a mark of success. Increased wavelength, decreased frequency... it's all part of the natural order of things. Light travels and stretches, and love does, too.
—Debra Ross, publisher
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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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A volcano awakens. A city disappears. Step into history with nearly 150 artifacts from Pompeii, frozen in time by Mount Vesuvius. POMPEII: THE EXHIBITION finishes its North American tour at the Arizona Science Center, located in Phoenix, AZ. The exhibition examines the lives of residents of Pompeii before and after the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius on August 24th, 79 A.D.
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The BEST of the local organic harvest every week is brought straight from our family farm to you Ahwatukee! Amazing award winning pies, tons of variety of local honeys, seasonal veggies and fruit, amazing all natural preserves and pickles. We are in front of Century 21 on the north west corner of 40th St and Chandler Blvd.
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Discover Nature Play at the Children’s Garden! Unplug and reconnect with nature! Join us for Nature Play at the Children’s Garden, where families can escape the screens and dive into the wonders of the great outdoors. Every Saturday, from November to April, bring your kids to explore, play, and learn using nature-based activities. Free with admission, no registration required.
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Join us for the inaugural Scottsdale Book Festival, a one-day, citywide celebration of books, literacy, and storytelling. Experience the joy of reading as we bring together literary enthusiasts from every corner of the community. With more than 200 authors, publishers, and exhibitors, plus food vendors and live entertainment, this free festival invites families, educators, and book lovers of all ages to gather at the Scottsdale Civic Center for a full day of imagination, discovery, and connection. Explore the festival grounds to meet authors, uncover new voices, and enjoy stories spanning every genre — from fiction and nonfiction to YA, children’s books, poetry, and more.
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- Music & Movement | Ironwood Library - Ironwood Library, 4333 E Chandler Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85048, Friday, January 23, 2026, 9:30 am; Saturday, January 24, 2026, 9:30 am
- Tween & Teen Craft Zone: Shrinky Dinks | Georgia T. Lord Library - Goodyear Library, 14455 W Van Buren Suite C-101, Goodyear, AZ 85338, Friday, January 23, 2026, 2 pm - 3 pm
- Family Storytime at Pecos Park
- Pecos Park, South 48th Street, Phoenix, AZ, Friday, January 23, 2026, 9:30 am - 10 am
- Kids Craft Corner: Sledding Craft | Georgia T. Lord Library - Goodyear Library, 14455 W Van Buren Suite C-101, Goodyear, AZ 85338, Saturday, January 24, 2026, 1 pm
- MakersBase | Ironwood Library - Ironwood Library, 4333 E Chandler Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85048, Saturday, January 24, 2026, 3 pm - 4 pm
- Open House Sunday Series - At The Outlet, Inc., 3004 North 16th Street, Phoenix, AZ, Sunday, January 25, 2026, 3
- 5 pm
- NSCW 2026 - Music Video Shoot - At The Outlet, Inc., 3004 North 16th Street,
Phoenix, AZ 85016, Sunday, January 25, 2026, 2 pm
- POWER IN MOTION: SUNDAY OPEN HOUSES POP UP SESSIONS - At The Outlet, Inc., 3004 North 16th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85016, Sunday, January 25, 2026, 3-5 pm
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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the Phoenix area? Escape rooms are interactive, puzzle-packed experiences where you and your team work together to solve clues, unlock secrets,
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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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There are lots of places to have a birthday party in the Phoenix area! If there is an attraction that we have missed, please email us to let us know, and we'll add it promptly. Thank you! And you can
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2025's winners in KidsOutAndAbout's survey of the Top 20 Places to Take Kids in the Phoenix 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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