KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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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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Learn about the discovery of magnets and magnetism. Find out where we find magnets in everyday life, and explore how magnets work. Curious kids will explore magnetism through a series of experiments. Each activity challenges curious kids to work with magnets in various ways, explore polarity, attraction and repulsion, and use their critical thinking skills to complete various challenges.
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Story Saturday is a monthly story time that takes place in Extraordinary Ordinary Things, our decorative arts and design collection galleries. Each month, assistant curator Alyssa Velazquez will read a different children’s book. After the story, Jena Schieb, manager of youth programs, will lead an art-making activity designed for children ages 12 and under.
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Make an bright bouquet to fight the winter blues! Make a bright bouquet on a canvas using egg cartons, paint, pipe cleaners, and other crafty materials! We supply the crafting materials, lights snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages. You bring your smile and creativity.
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Are you looking for a fun and friendly storytime for you & your little one? Well look no further! Join Ms. Sarah each Friday morning for Little Bookworms storytime! Each week Ms. Sarah will pick a special book to read and have some fun activities related to the story. We hope to see you there!
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Today’s teenagers are growing up in a world where environmental issues are an undeniable reality. Challenges like climate change, deforestation, pollution, and biodiversity loss are calling for innovative solutions. Teens worldwide are stepping up as environmental stewards for good reason – the future belongs to them – and the Zoo is looking for some interested students who are passionate about protecting our planet!
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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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Witness the 1967 creation in Pittsburgh’s Hill District of Freedom House Ambulance Service – America’s first mobile Emergency Medical Unit.
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Fall in love with endless beauty as new displays highlight Phipps' incredible orchid collection and classically trained bonsai. The beautiful gardens of Phipps provide the perfect warm escape from Pittsburgh's winter chill! You’ll be captivated by romantic displays in this year’s Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show: Blooming with Love. Gorgeous displays featuring an array of beautiful orchids and fascinating bonsai fill the glasshouse. Join us to celebrate love while immersing yourself in ephemeral and entrancing nature. You’re sure to leave with your heart feeling warm!
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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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Fresh off the (webbed) heels of International Penguin Awareness Day: Waddle on over to the National Aviary and celebrate everyone’s favorite flightless feathered friends: penguins! Meet the colony of African Penguins in Penguin Point while learning how you can help penguins and other marine life every day.
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This merit badge workshop is open to any youth in grades 6th - 12th grade and is designed to help BSA Scouts meet requirements for the Environmental Science merit badge, an Eagle Required badge. We will be covering requirements 1, 2b, 3c, 4b, 5b, 7b, 8a, 9, and 11.
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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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- Sensory Playtime at Pleasant Hills Public Library - Pleasant Hills Public Library, Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA, Friday, January 23, 10:30 - 11:30 am
- Drop-In Beading - Pleasant Hills Public Library, Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA, Friday, January 23, 2:30 - 3:30 PM
- Kids Winter Reading 2026 at Andrew Bayne
Memorial Library - Andrew Bayne Memorial Library, 34 North Balph Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15202, Friday, January 23 to Sunday, January 25, Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Little Bookworms at Baldwin Library - Baldwin Borough Public Library, Wolfe Drive, Pleasant Hills, PA, Friday, January 23, 10:30 - 11:30
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- Carnegie Lab at Carnegie Museum of Art - Carnegie Museum of Art, 4400 Forbes
Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Friday, January 23, 10 am - 1 pm
- Babypalooza! Free class for Babies at Romp n' Roll Pittsburgh! - Romp n' Roll Pittsburgh, Hamilton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, Friday, January 23 to Sunday, January 25, Times vary based on the day of the week
- Train-tastic Playtime - Pleasant
Hills Public Library, 302 Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, Saturday, January 24, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
- Story Saturdays at Carnegie Museum of Art - Carnegie Museum of Art, 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Saturday, January 24, 10 am - 5 pm
- Open House at Archangel Gabriel Catholic School - Archangel Gabriel Catholic School, 5720 Steubenville Pike,
McKees Rocks, PA 15136, Saturday, January 24, 1 - 4 pm
- Teen Choice - Carnegie Library of Main (Oakland) - Carnegie Museum & Library, Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, Saturday, January 24, 3 - 4 pm
- Prospective Families Open House - Holy Cross Academy - Holy
Cross Academy, Siebert Road, Pittsburgh, PA, Sunday, January 25, 11 am - 1 pm
- Playdate at the Library -
Carnegie Library of Allegheny - 1230 Federal Street, Pittsburgh, PA, Sunday, January 25, 10:30 - 11 am
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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the Pittsburgh 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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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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