KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Tue, Feb 24: Urban Forestry Presents: Black Tree Bedtime Stories in Gresham at Multnomah County Library
Thu, Feb 26: BUGS! at Albina Library
Fri, Feb 27: Monster Jam at Moda Center
Sat, Feb 28: Ants Ants Ants at Walters Cultural Art Center
Sat, Feb 28: CREATE: Mosaic Coasters at Beaverton City Library
Wed, Mar 4: Teen Volunteer Night at Cedar Mill Branch
Sun, Mar 8: Family Series: Dinosaurs! at Oregon Symphony
Tue, Mar 10: Family Trivia Night at West Linn Public Library
Fri, Mar 13: Gem Faire in Hillsboro at Westside Commons and the Wingspan Event & Conference Center
Fri, Mar 13: School's Out Camp: Weird Science! at Kids Club Fun & Fitness
Sat, Mar 14: My Way Matinee: Hoppers at Bridgeport Village |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
For much of the country, it's been the hardest winter in recent memory: cold, monochrome, relentless. The kind of season that reminds us how little control we really have. We do our best to manage routines and moods and expectations, but parents feel it most. February stretches long and flat after the excitement of the holidays, before the lift of spring. You're still packing
lunches, wrangling homework, managing emotions (your kids’ and your own)... all while the cold keeps the family cooped up. This is the season of endurance. Of course, endurance isn’t about being stoic or silent or superhuman; it’s about continuing, even when things are hard. It’s about showing up for your people, your plans, and yourself, day after chilly day. And it’s about knowing that if you’re feeling the drag right now, you’re not alone. Many of us are moving through it
together. Even for those who don't live in Nature's Refrigerator, February can still bring its own version of stuckness: that long stretch between holidays, where kids are restless and routines feel stale. Sometimes, by February, our gray matter feels just as gray as the weather. When that happens, help is allowed! Check out our article and outsource the brainstorming to KidsOutAndAbout: Stuck Inside This Winter? 20 Creative Indoor Activities for Kids is packed with creative, practical, low-effort ways to keep your family engaged (and sane) when outside play isn’t an option. And it shows you how to tap your favorite AI to be your thought partner to personalize it for your
family. February Gray doesn’t need to be conquered; it just needs to be lightened a bit. So whether you're "out and about" or "in and not at all about," we're here to brighten the rest of your winter!
—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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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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Pete the Cat and company rock out in this fast-paced, globe-trotting musical adventure based on the smash hit book series. Most enjoyed by ages 4 and up.
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Love is in the air—and on the rails! Celebrate Valentine's Day with a steam train ride at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center!
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BOLD is thrilled to host a special children’s storytime with Layne Maheu and Chris Satterlund, cofounders of Go Spellfish.
This extra-special storytime will feature a brand-new game called Go Spellfish!
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- All Ages Storytime | Oak Lodge Library - Oak Lodge Library, Southeast Concord Road, Oak Grove, OR 97267, Saturday, February 14, 2026, 10:30 am & 11:30 am
- All Ages Storytime |
Gladstone Public Library - Gladstone Public Library, 525 Portland Ave, Gladstone, OR 97027, Saturday, February 14, 2026, 10:30 am - 11 am
- Dungeons and Dragons - Cedar Mill Library - Cedar Mill Library, 1080 Northwest Saltzman Road, Cedar Mill,
Portland, OR 97229, Saturday, February 14, 2026, 1pm - 3pm
- Rainbow Family Storytime | Albina Library - 3605 Northeast 15th Avenue, Portland, OR 97212, Saturday, February 14, 2026, 10:15 am
- Teen Adventurers Club | Beaverton City Library - Beaverton City Library, 12375 SW 5th St, Beaverton, OR 97005, Saturday, February 14, 2026, 3 pm - 5:45 pm
- Dance Lab: Little
Movers, Big Feelers with Ms. Sunny! | Lake Oswego Public Library - Lake Oswego Public Library, 706 4th Street, Lake Oswego, OR 97034, Saturday, February 14, 2026, 10:30 am
- Guide Dogs for the Blind Graduation on Campus - Guide Dogs For the Blind, Southeast Kelso Road, Boring, OR, Saturday, February 14, 2026, 1:30 -
2:30 p.m.
- Curious George Party | Beaverton City Library - Beaverton City Library, 12375 SW 5th St, Beaverton, OR 97005, Sunday, February 15, 2026, 2 pm - 3 pm
- POP CLUB Double Coupon Day - POP Club, Montavilla Farmers Market, 7700 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97215, Sunday, February 15, 2026, 10 AM - 2 PM
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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the Portland area! Use our Big List to help find the best one for your kiddos and check our events calendar to find Open Houses where you can meet teachers and tour the
schools.
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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the Portland area? 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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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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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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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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