KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
The summer I was 5, my parents took our family to Cape Cod for a week. In Provincetown, we bought a kite, then headed to the dunes in North Truro, where my sister and I spent hours running full-tilt up and down the bare white hills. We’d scramble to the top, turn, and launch ourselves downward, legs windmilling, hair flying, lungs full of salt air and triumph. Invariably, we’d
fall, slap into the soft, sun-warmed sand, pop back up, and do it again. Tumbling down the dunes was gravity. Sand was friction. The kite tugging on our arms was air on the move. We didn't have words to describe these phenomena—we were little kids, not tiny physicists with notebooks. A decade later, my calculus teacher would give me the words and symbols to process motion conceptually, but experiences like this had already taught my body that I was an actor in the physics of
the world. My body understood. Summer is the perfect time for kids to learn motion from the inside out. Motion is in amusement park rides, in waves bobbing ducks and inner tubes up and down at the lake, in trains pulling you forward in one dimension and airplanes moving you through three. It’s in bikes and swings and Frisbees and trampolines and slip-and-slides, in tumbling through the days without realizing that learning is happening. As tour guides to our
kids’ universe, we can point gently: Feel how the swing slows at the top? Notice how the wave lifts you before it lets you down? See how leaning changes the bike’s path? But the point is not to turn summer into physics class. The point is to help kids notice how the world feels as they move through it. The equations can come later; now is the time for motion, and for the emotion that accompanies it. Summer’s gift is the body’s memory: wind, water, speed, balance, falling, landing, and getting up
to run again.
—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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Join us at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center for our 4th Annual Pride and Joy event, an event that celebrates the pride, resilience, and empowerment of queer individuals. This event is a gathering of love, support, and celebration for the LGBTQIA+ community, honoring their unique experiences, identities, and contributions. Come together with friends, allies, and community members to enjoy a night filled with music, performances, and fun. This is an 18+ event.
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Kids Markets will be set up at the Sewickley Night Mart, the last Friday night of every month June, July and August. Give your child the chance to run a real business for an evening in downtown Sewickley during Night Mart. From 6–9pm Friday, kids sell their own products, gain confidence, and learn money skills. Live music draws crowds while young vendors enjoy strong foot traffic in a family-friendly setting.
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The Allegheny County Summer Concert Series presents free concerts all beginning at 7:30 pm (unless otherwise noted). Local food trucks, Black Dog Winery and Hop Farm Brewing Company will be on-site at all concerts starting at 6:00 pm. Performances will take place rain or shine at open-air amphitheaters with no covered seating.
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Did you know that some fireflies can synchronize their flashes? Or that others trick different fireflies and lure them to become an evening snack? Learn about our state insect and its interesting life, as well as how to count fireflies in your own backyard. We will start with a presentation then go outside to observe and count them as night falls. Free.
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On June 27-28, 2026, come see dozens of vehicles including antique and classic cars, special use trucks, construction vehicles, and even some vintage boats on trailers. You can also ride a variety of our beautifully-restored, antique trolleys throughout the day, tour the Trolley Display Building, and see interactive exhibits in the new Welcome & Education Center!
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Join Allegheny County for a free afternoon of music, food, games, and art, to celebrate the Andy Warhol Bridge's 100th Birthday. Overlapping with festivities for America's 250th anniversary taking place throughout downtown Pittsburgh, Allegheny County is celebrating a unique part of its heritage by inviting all ages down for a free Bridge Birthday Bash.
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The Pittsburgh Congenital Heart Walk is a family friendly community event benefiting the Children’s Heart Foundation and raising awareness for congenital heart defects, the most common birth defect in children. Held at Stage AE on Sunday, June 28, the walk brings together heart families, supporters, medical teams, and local businesses for a meaningful day of hope, remembrance, entertainment, and community while funding lifesaving research for children born with special hearts.
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Looking for something different to do this summer? Spend the day making memories on the farm! Our all-inclusive ticket gets you a day full of smiles, memories, and fresh-air fun! From enjoying our family-friendly attractions to relaxing in a rocking chair on the Sundown Deck, there’s something for everyone! Take your time strolling down to the fence line of the alpaca viewing field, snap some selfies, and enjoy your new furry friends at your own pace. Spend as much or as little time as you like!
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Pittsburgh area. From Arcades to Ziplines our Big List will help you think outside the box and plan the party of your kids' dreams! KidsOutAndAbout has dozens of ideas.
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Pittsburgh 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 fingertips!
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It's almost time for fruit picking! Fruit picking is a great activity to do together as a family. It helps little ones understand where their food actually comes from, and it's a fun tradition to share every year right through the teens.
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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