KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Sat, May 23: Festival of Roses at Wyck's Rose Garden
Mon, May 25: Red, Wild & Blue Day - Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
Tue, May 26: Hearth Week Fire, Flavor & History - Historic Rittenhouse Town
Sun, May 31: Vintage Market - The Westmoreland Museum of American Art
Fri, Jun 5: 2026 Dollar Bank Three Rivers Arts Festival
Thu, Jun 18: Prehistoric Adventures At Brightside Academy Summer Camp
Sat, Jun 20: Family Fun Cruise - Gateway Clipper
Fleet
Tue, Aug 11: High School Musical Summer Camp |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
For 25 years, one of my core missions with KidsOutAndAbout has been to make invisible things visible, to celebrate what local communities offer families. Everyone is busy, and local treasures are easy to miss. Our job is to point, spotlight, nudge, and say Look here. Try this. Bring the kids. But there’s another kind of invisibility worth fixing:
The people who create these experiences rarely get to see their full impact. They track tickets sold and kids enrolled, but may never hear that your child talked about their field trip for six months, found courage on their stage, or simply felt welcome exactly when they needed it. That’s why our annual Top 20 Places to Take Kids survey matters. Each summer, we ask readers to vote for their favorite local places to take kids.
The results help families see what other families love. The ranking and comments help local organizations see that their work matters. So your three minutes becomes both a recommendation and a thank-you. The survey is simple: Click on your three favorite local destinations. Then also, optionally, nominate favorites in special categories—like arts, sports, and STEM education—and leave comments that we’ll pass along to the people who make these experiences
happen. So please click here to vote in the 2026 edition of the survey. Help families find the places they’ll love, and help the people behind those places know they’re making a difference. The survey will be open until June 20.
—Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities
P.S. If you're interested, check out the 2025 list here to see
who won last year. |
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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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Presenting Summer Theatre Camps for kids of all ages! Whether your kids are looking to explore something new or continue developing their performing skills, our summer camps provide a welcoming and supportive environment to learn, collaborate, and shine. Our High School Musical Summer Camp is designed for older students (10-17) and focuses on building performance skills through a full-scale musical experience, while Theatre in the Park offers our younger students (7-12) a fun and creative introduction to theatre through games, storytelling, and outdoor exploration. Click here for more information and to register: https://www.pittsburghperformancesociety.com/summer-camps
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The Temple Ohav Shalom Center for Early Learning is offering two weeks of summer camp for children ages 2–6 during the weeks of June 8 and June 22. Camp Perach is designed for children ages 2–3.5 and meets Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00 AM–12:00 PM. Camp Gan is for children ages 3.5–6 and meets Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM–12:00 PM. We are also now enrolling children ages 2–6 for the 2026–2027 school year in our part-time preschool and optional afternoon enrichment programs. Learn more about our dedicated, experienced educators and our child-led, Reggio Emilia-inspired approach at centerforearlylearning.org
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Spend an unforgettable and fun week this summer diving into the world of glass. SiO2 Teen Boot Camp is designed for young people in grades 6-12 (ages 12-19) to take over the Pittsburgh Glass Center studios from July 13-17. It gives students the rare hands-on opportunity to learn the many facets of glass in one of the top facilities in the country. Working with experienced instructors, students explore glassblowing, flameworking, kilnforming, coldworking, and more. Scholarships and payment plans are available.
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Give your child a summer to remember at Seneca Hills Bible Camp & Retreat Center in Polk, PA! Campers ages 5–18 build friendships, grow in faith, and enjoy classic camp adventures like swimming, zipline, high ropes, archery, campfires, worship, team games, Bible studies, wilderness challenges, and more. Overnight camps, EDGE wilderness trips, and “Camp With Me” programs offer an option for every camper. Carefully-screened staff create a safe, caring, Christ-centered experience. First-time campers can use code KIDS2026 for $100 off a full week or $50 off a half week. Call 814-432-3026 or visit senecahills.org to learn more.
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A Dreamy Forest Romance! Step into the enchanting world of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, an ethereal ballet that celebrates the transformative power of love. Based on William Shakespeare’s iconic comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream weaves a tale of quarrels and reconciliations between Oberon and Titania, the fairy king and queen, and the romantic misadventures of two mortal couples—all under the mischievous spell of Puck. Audiences will be captivated by the romantic, whimsical story, stunning costumes and lush scenery. With exceptional choreography and a recognizable and vibrant Felix Mendelssohn score brought to life by the PBT Orchestra, this production will be pure magic.
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Come down to Highmark Stadium to watch a professional soccer match right here in Pittsburgh! Are you bringing the entire family to see the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC match? We’ve got fun and entertainment for everyone! At the Family Fun Zone, located in the tailgate zone during the game, you’ll find extra entertainment for your children, such as a bounce castle, a mini soccer field, food trucks, and much more.
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Movies Under the Stars is a free outdoor cinema experience where teens and adults can enjoy watching crowd-favorite films on the big screen beneath the night sky. On Friday, May 15th, 2026 the film will be Song Sung Blue. Activities start at 7:00 pm, and movies are scheduled to begin at dusk, generally around 8:30 pm. Closed captioning is available upon request.
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For a limited time at Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, prehistoric creatures are taking over the landscape! Take a walk through time and discover 14 sculptures made entirely from recycled metal and found objects, transforming old scraps of steel into engaging works of art.
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Over 25 species at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium are species of concern: animals in danger of extinction. Let’s honor our residents and their wild counterparts! Learn about the importance of protecting threatened and endangered species at volunteer touch tables throughout the park. Party for the Planet, celebrated as several conservation-focused events April-June, encourages guests and communities to take action for healthier habitats. AZA-accredited Zoos and Aquariums like Pittsburgh are leading the way to bring opportunities for their visitors to learn, to become inspired, and to get involved!
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2 Hours of FREE Rides from 11am-1pm! Then, from 1pm to Close: Buy 1 All-Day Fun Pass at regular price & Get $10 Passes for the Rest of Your Group! Must be purchased on same transaction at Ticket Booth.
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Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage (AAPI) at The Westmoreland with an inspiring day of cultural discovery and creativity. Enjoy dynamic performances, explore hands-on art activities for all ages, and experience the vibrant traditions that honor AAPI communities.
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Join Perfectly Polite at Periwinkle Fox for a charming morning designed to help children build confidence, practice polite conversation, and learn the foundations of good manners. Taught by certified children's etiquette expert Betsy Rogerson, the class will be a fun introduction to kindness and table manners, all while enjoying yummy muffins!
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You are invited to join us for the very first Sensory Friendly Hours event at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum! Explore the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in a sensory modified setting with quieter streetcars, lowered exhibit sounds, and soft lighting. Advanced registration is not required for this event. Tickets will be available at our regular admission prices.
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Murder, mystery, and mayhem take center stage in this razor-sharp thriller! When a refined evening turns deadly, secrets unravel and no one can be trusted. Filled with clever twists, witty tension, and edge-of-your-seat intrigue, Dial M for Murder is a classic crime story that proves the perfect plan is rarely what it seems.
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Join the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian to welcome Kanepo Ka Lua, the museum’s new Western cardinal marker, to Washington, DC with a hoʻolauleʻa (Hawaiian celebration). Free, Saturday, May 16, 11 AM–5 PM.
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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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- Carnegie Lab at Carnegie Museum of Art - Carnegie Museum of Art, 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, 05/15/2026, 10 am - 1 pm
- Little Bookworms at Baldwin Library - Baldwin Borough Public Library, Wolfe Drive, Pleasant Hills, PA, 05/15/2026, 10:30 - 11:30 am
- Teen Summer Prop Team at Pleasant Hills Public Library - Pleasant Hills Public Library, 302 Old Clairton Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, 05/15/2026, 2:45 - 3:45 pm
- Movies Under the Stars - Song Sung Blue - South Park Amphitheater, Farmshow Drive, South Park
Township, PA, 05/15/2026, 7:00 PM
- Public Star Party - Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh - Mingo Creek Park Observatory, Shelter 10 Road, Finleyville, PA 15332, 05/15/2026 - 05/16/2026, Events start approximately 90 minutes before sunset
- Story Saturdays at Carnegie Museum of Art - Carnegie Museum of Art, 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, 05/16/2026, 10 am - 5 pm
- Movies Under the Stars - Solo Milo - North Park Boathouse, Pearce Mill Road, Allison Park, PA, 05/16/2026, Dusk
- Free spring mini photo session with Shoott! - Pittsburgh area - Shoott, Broadway, New York, NY, 05/17/2026, See link for
times
- Camp Weona Open House - Camp Clue Quest - YMCA Camp Weona, Poplar Tree Road, Gainesville, NY, 05/17/2026, 1:00pm to 4:00pm
- Sunday Fun Day: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Celebration - The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, 221 North Main Street, Greensburg, PA 15601, 05/17/2026, 10 am- 3 pm
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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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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the Pittsburgh? 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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