KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter
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Mon, Dec 15: Gabby's Dollhouse Live! 2025 tour - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
Thu, Dec 18: Tumble Tots Polar Party at Garden Home Recreation Center at Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District
Thu, Dec 18: Lighting + Latkes In partnership with MJCC + PJ Library at Mittleman Jewish Community Center
Fri, Dec 19: Reindeer in Rockwood
Sat, Dec 20: Elf in Concert - Oregon Symphony
Sat, Dec 20: Santa at Oak Knoll Winery
Sat, Dec 20: Wacky, Tacky, Wonderful: A Family Ornament Making Adventure at PAM CUT - Center for an Untold Tomorrow
Tue, Dec 23: Seasonal Gift Making for Youth & Families at Friends of Tryon Creek
Fri, Dec 26: Portland Youth Philharmonic presents A Popcorn Solstice
Wed, Dec 31: The Reser presents: Kids' New Year's Eve |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
When my husband and I started planning a family, we talked a lot about the kind of parents we hoped to be. Naturally, we looked back on our own childhoods. David had story after story about his parents—their quirks, what they cared about, who they were. But when I tried to do the same, I came up oddly blank. I could tell you what I loved as a kid, but not much about what made my own
parents’ hearts sing. I remembered that my dad had a garden when I was little, but I couldn’t say whether he enjoyed digging in the dirt, liked making things grow, or was just trying to save money on vegetables. That realization stuck with me. I didn’t want my kids to grow up seeing me as a blur in the background of their story; I wanted them to see me clearly: as someone who had favorite things, real interests, and a sense of enjoyment they could understand. I wanted them to
grow up expecting that adulthood could be full of that, too... all of the vivid experiences that make up the inner life of a regular person, especially the joys. I started using the phrase "live what you love" as a kind of parenting guidepost. Our kids are always watching, taking cues about what adulthood looks like. If all they ever see is grownups stressed, rushing, and tired, they’ll assume that’s the default. But if they also see us delighted by a song, energized by a
game, inspired by something we've learned, genuinely laughing with people we love... that’s powerful. It shows them that joy isn’t something you age out of, it’s something you grow into. The holidays are packed with tasks and to-do lists, but they’re also full of opportunities for joy. So tune your radar to what YOU love, and if you catch yourself smiling at paper snowflakes or belting out a corny carol, don’t downplay it. Let yourself have that moment. When your kids see the
joy you've just pushed into the room; it's a gift to their present and to their future.
—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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December 6-7, 13-14, 21-24, 26-27 Embark on a magical holiday adventure aboard the Portland Spirit the whole family will love! Since 2005, this beloved holiday tradition has delighted families with loads of festive fun on the Willamette River. The whole family will enjoy a hot plated breakfast and reserved seating while the kids are entertained by music, storytelling and magic. Tickets include a souvenir picture with Cinnamon Bear and much more!
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Every year, ZooLights dazzles visitors of all ages with wildlife-inspired light displays and a whole lot of seasonal fun. It’s the ideal place to gather friends and family, snap photos and make lasting memories. Looking for the perfect holiday date night? Bring that special person in your life to ZooLights.
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The Portland Night Market showcases many unique businesses that call Portland home. Blending food, culture, music, drinks and retail together for an adventurous evening in the Central Eastside. Come meet some of Portland's best makers and creators!
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Get ready for an amazing Winter Holiday Market at the Gladstone Community Center on December 6th from 10 am to 3 pm. With over 40 vendors offering crafts, décor, clothing, accessories, and holiday gifts, this is an event you don't want to miss!
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Northwest Children's Theater presents this timeless musical about friendship and family! With a shortened run time, this youth edition version is very accessible for young theater-goers and the perfect introduction to the world of Oz, Wicked and many other iterations of this beloved story. Now playing through January 4, weekends at 11:30am and 3pm at The Judy in downtown Portland. Most enjoyed by ages 5+ Make your holiday plans today at nwcts.org.
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The Portland area offers a delightful selection of Christmas tree farms that bring the magic of the holiday season to life. Families can enjoy the cherished tradition of selecting the perfect tree while exploring picturesque landscapes and engaging in
festive activities.
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Portland's big list of 2025 holiday events: Christmas concerts, lights, trees, nativities, and more. . . plus activities for Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's Eve. The activities we've listed here
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- Open Nature Classroom: Plants | Friends of Tryon Creek - Friends Of Tryon Creek, 11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd, Portland, OR 97219, Friday, December 5, 2025, 10 am - 12 pm
- Winter Village @ Orenco
Station - 943 NE Orenco Station Loop, Hillsboro, OR, 943 NE Orenco Station Loop, Hillsboro, OR, Friday, December 5, 2025 to Sunday, December 7, 2025, 10 am • 11:30 am • 1 pm • 2:30 pm • 4 pm • 5:30 pm • 7 pm
- Christmas Trees at Frog Pond Farm - Frog Pond Farm, 2983 SW Advance Rd, Wilsonville, OR 97070, Friday, December 5, 2025 to Sunday,
December 7, 2025, 9 am - 5 pm
- Mike Bennett's Snow Day Village - Director Park, Southwest Park Avenue,
Portland, OR, Friday, December 5, 2025 to Sunday, December 7, 2025, 11 am - 7 pm
- Open Saturday - Airway Science for Kids, East Reserve Street, Vancouver, WA, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
- Winter
Holiday Market at Gladstone Community Center - Gladstone Community Center, Portland Avenue, Gladstone, OR, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 10 am - 3 pm
- Holiday Bazaar at Elsie Stuhr Center - Elsie Stuhr Center, Southwest Hall Boulevard, Beaverton, OR, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 9 am - 3
pm
- Bard Storytime with the Bard! | Wonderwood Springs - Wonderwood Springs, 8811 N Lombard St, Portland, OR 97203, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 11 am - 12 pm
- My People's Market 2025 - Oregon Convention Center, Northeast Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, Portland, OR, Saturday, December 6, 2025 to Sunday, December 7, 2025, Please see website
- Experience EC3 Design Center - Oregon Episcopal School, Southwest Nicol Road, Portland, OR, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 1pm-3pm
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There are lots of places to have a birthday party in the Portland area! Start thinking outside the box! KidsOutAndAbout has dozens (and dozens) of ideas! Also includes the areas of Lake Oswego, West Linn, Beaverton, Clackamas, Tigard, Tualatin, Milwaukie,
Oregon City, and Hillsboro.
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2025's best places to take kids in the Portland area: In early summer each year, thousands of parents vote in KidsOutAndAbout's survey of the Top 20 Places to Take Kids. Our Top 20 results page is an annotated list of the winners, both of the top 20 slots
and of the three category winners.
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Here's to seizing opportunities to learn wherever they appear!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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