KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
If it weren’t for a Polish pastry, I might not exist. When my great-grandmother Karolina Stelmach was a teenager in a small village in Poland, she was told she’d be entering an arranged marriage. But her heart belonged to Sylvester Nowakowski. So she left... on her own, by boat... and made her way to America. She found work in a restaurant, where
she made her family’s signature dessert: chrusciki. One day, a “distinguished gentleman” insisted on meeting the pastry chef, and he offered her a better-paying job in his own kitchen. She took it, saved enough to bring Sylvester over, and they married. Which means if chrusciki didn’t exist, neither would I. Stories like this do more than entertain. According to psychologist Robyn Fivush, interviewed on a recent episode of the Hidden Brain podcast, they help kids develop
identity, resilience, and self-worth. The more children know about their family’s past—not just the “big” stories like crossing oceans, but even the day-to-day moments and struggles—the more connected and grounded they become. Fivush and her colleagues at Emory University found that kids who know more family stories have higher self-esteem, greater emotional understanding, and a stronger sense of meaning and purpose. But it’s not just the information that matters...it’s the telling. When we sit
down and share what came before, we help kids feel like they’re part of something bigger, and that they belong. No AI can replicate that. A chatbot can write a story, sure. But it can’t tell your kids how Grandma’s meatloaf could’ve doubled as a construction material, or how two little girls in the 1950s turned a couple of ice cream cones into a front-porch endurance contest. So this year, make a point of telling your kids about your family's shared history:
about mistakes, about perseverance, about love, about dessert. Connection doesn’t have to be complicated: Just pull up a chair, pass the cookies, and pass down the stories.
—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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10th Anniversary Celebration at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center The August Wilson African American Cultural Center proudly presents the 10th anniversary celebration of the Poetry Unplugged series with this year’s edition, Poetry Unplugged: Still Dreaming!, sponsored by Citizens—a powerful evening of spoken word honoring the enduring life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This milestone event brings together an extraordinary lineup of Pennsylvania-based poets who will speak truth to power, illuminate today’s ever-shifting social climate, and remind us of the collective resilience found in Dr. King’s dream.
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KITTY BINGO – a charity event you don’t want to miss! Seating starts at 7:05, first ball drops at 7:30! Arrivals before our 7:00 PM lounge closing time may be subject to a $5.00 lounge entry fee.
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The wonder of winter comes to life at Winterfest, The Frick Pittsburgh's annual celebration of this snowy season. Experience the magic of a new year with festive offerings for Frick fans of all ages!
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Children 0-5 can explore a variety of stations on their own time. Possible stations include sensory baskets, ball pit, water table, light table, Kinetic sand, Playdoh, seasonal sensory bins, and more! No registration necessary, just come to the program room to join the fun!
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Using beads, bobbles, and other found materials, create your own fish mobile inspired by artist Alexander Calder.
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Photojournalism is work and it is livelihood, it is craft and it is documentation, it is a way to be in the world and to share the world, it is a way to resist oppression while insisting on the fullness of life. Black Photojournalism presents work by nearly 60 photographers chronicling historic events and daily life in the United States from the conclusion of World War II in 1945 to the presidential campaigns of 1984, including the civil rights movements through the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.
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Join us for our Kids’ Winter Reading program! Kids ages 0-18 years can sign up beginning 1/5 and the program runs until 3/21. Read 10 chapter books or 50 picture books and receive a free scoop of ice cream from Scoops in Bellevue!
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The Baldwin Library and Ms. Sarah invite you to join us for a sing-along to the second act of Wicked! We'll be popping popcorn for you to enjoy while you watch the show. Get ready for a wickedly good time!
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Penguins on Parade is dependent on many conditions and may be canceled for the safety of our resident birds. Please check back regularly to see if Penguins on Parade will be available on your weekend of interest. Waddling back into weather-permitting weekends this winter, enjoy our Pittsburgh Zoo penguins taking a walk outside the Aquarium. Fun for everyone!
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JOIN US FOR OUTDOOR ICE SKATING AT PPG PLACE IN PITTSBURGH! We are an outdoor ice skating rink in the center of the crown jewel of the Pittsburgh skyline, PPG Place.
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- Sensory Playtime at Pleasant Hills Public Library - Pleasant Hills Public Library - Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA, Friday, January 16, 2026; Friday, January 23, 2026; Friday, January 30, 2026, 10:30 - 11:30 am
- Drop-In Beading -
Pleasant Hills Public Library - Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA, Friday, January 16, 2026; Friday, January 23, 2026; Friday, January 30, 2026, 2:30 - 3:30 pm
- Carnegie Lab at Carnegie Museum of Art - Carnegie Museum of Art - 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Friday, January 16,
2026; Friday, January 23, 2026; Friday, January 30, 2026, 10 am - 1 pm
- Little Bookworms at Baldwin Library - Baldwin Borough Public Library - Wolfe Drive, Pleasant Hills, PA, Friday, January 16, 2026; Friday, January 23, 2026; Friday, January 30, 2026, 10:30 - 11:30 am
- Black
Photojournalism at Carnegie Museum of Art - Carnegie Museum of Art - 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Friday, January 16, 2026 to Sunday, January 18, 2026, Friday–Wednesday: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Thursday: 10 a.m.–8 p.m.
- Kids Winter Reading 2026 at Andrew Bayne Memorial Library - Andrew Bayne Memorial Library - 34 North Balph Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15202, Friday, January 16, 2026 to Sunday, January 18, 2026, Monday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Tuesday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Wednesday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Thursday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Friday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- SENSORY EXPLORERS - Bethel Park Public Library - Bethel Park Public Library - 5100 W Library Ave, Bethel Park, PA 15102, Saturday, January 17, 2026, 10:30 - 11:30 am
- Reading to Rabbits - Pleasant Hills Public Library - 302 Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, Saturday, January 17, 2026, 11:00
am - 12:00 pm
- Baldwin Library Sing-a-Long! Wicked For Good - Baldwin Borough Public Library - Wolfe Drive, Pleasant Hills, PA, Saturday, January 17, 2026, 12 - 3 pm
- Story Saturdays at Carnegie Museum of Art - Carnegie Museum of Art - 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Saturday, January 17, 2026; Saturday, January 24, 2026; Saturday, January 31, 2026, 10 am - 5 pm
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EXPERIENCES create memories much more than stuff does. As you're considering gifts for family and friends, consider giving the gift of a family membership to one of our local attractions in and around Pittsburgh. Here are local organizations that offer
memberships.
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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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2025's best places to take kids in and around Pittsburgh, based on KidsOutAndAbout's annual reader survey. Plus there is LOTS more to do in and around Pittsburgh beyond the Top 20: Get great ideas here at KidsOutAndAbout.com!
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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