KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Sat, Mar 28: Brickwrecks: Sunken Ships in LEGO® Bricks (Opening Day) at Mystic Seaport Museum Sat, Mar 28: Easter Egg Hunt at Butterfly Farm, Lincoln
Sun, Mar 29: 2026 Bunny Brunch - At Buttonwood Park Zoo Sun, Mar 29: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents the Greatest Show
on Earth at Agganis Arena
Sat, Apr 4: Breakfast with The Easter Bunny - At Battleship Cove
Sat, Apr 4: Boston Red Sox: Hello Kitty Day at Fenway Park - Home Game VS Padres
Sat, Apr 11: Laurie Berkner LIVE! - At Greenwich
Odeum
Sat, Apr 11: A Bug’s World - At Roger Williams Park Zoo
Sat, Apr 11: Fairy
Garden Days 2026 - At the Museum of Natural History in Roger Williams Park
Sat, Apr 11: Southwick’s Zoo Opening Day
Wed, Apr 15: Family Field Days at Old Sturbridge Village
Sat, Apr 18: Boston Red Sox: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Day at Fenway Park - Home Game VS Tigers
Sun, Apr 19: Wild Kratts Live 2.0 - Activate Creature Power! - At Boch Center |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
The first time I can remember having to take a public stand on anything was in eighth grade English. We were assigned an essay on a controversial topic and told we’d present our arguments to the class. When he handed back our papers, Mr. Schmidt added a twist: no reading. We’d speak from notes. I was horrified. After school, I tried to negotiate my way out of it.
“This makes me really uncomfortable,” I told him, hoping for mercy. He looked at me over his glasses. “That’s the whole point,” he said. “To get stuff done, you have to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Don’t worry, you’ll live.” Mr. Schmidt was right. I didn’t die. And more important, I learned something that stuck: Discomfort isn’t a stop sign, it’s just part of the road, and all roads are bumpy. That lesson shaped how I've raised my kids, too. Karate
helped Madison and Ella distinguish between effort and injury. Long car rides taught them to rely on their own imaginations. Theater nudged them to stand however close to the spotlight they could manage, even when they’d rather disappear. And summer camps—those muddy, unpredictable, gloriously imperfect experiences—gave them countless chances to try something new and realize I can do this without the stigma that can accompany failing in other contexts. Growth rarely
happens inside the comfort zone, which is why I’m such a believer in giving kids opportunities to stretch beyond what feels easy. Summer programs are perfect for this, so that's why during "summer camp search season" we focus on showcasing the wide variety of camps and programs available in each area we serve. Here's
the link to the portal page. These days, as we approach the 25th anniversary of KidsOutAndAbout.com in June, I see that same principle playing out: The technology has changed, the business climate has changed, but the equation hasn’t. Discomfort still shows up right before something meaningful. And I still hear Mr. Schmidt’s voice in my head: Don’t worry, you’ll live.
—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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Artists, cartoonists, animators, writers, poets, debaters, philosophers, Thinkers of Thoughts…anyone with anything to say, this workshop is for you! Learn to make zines--handmade publications that come in an infinite number of formats and topics, made by
anyone who is passionate enough about their subject to put it out into the world. Long before the invention of the internet, people spread their ideas by simply putting them on paper and distributing them by hand. So you could say that zines are an early form of social media. All you have to do is get your work on paper and then reproduce it using the ancient forebear of modern-day “share” buttons…the Xerox machine.
This 1-hour event is free and open to tweens and teens in grades 6 through 12.
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Come enjoy the sights and sounds of the Providence St. Patrick's Day Parade!! Begins at Smith Street and Hilltop Avenue. The parade will proceed eastwards on Smith Street and end at the Rhode Island State House.
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On Friday March 20th at 4:30pm, children ages 4 and up are invited to join us in the Makerspace to plant a “cup of spring”! This activity includes planting wheatgrass in a cup and decorating the cup to look like a face. Children will be able to take these
cups home to care for, and watch the “hair” grow! Registration is required and begins on 3/6.
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Join Coventry Parks & Recreation for our FREE annual Easter Egg Hunt!
Saturday, March 21-12:00pm-1:30pm (Rain Date: Sunday, March 22)
Come enjoy this community event that includes: Free pictures with the Easter Bunny, DJ Wrik, petting zoo, pony rides, and an egg hunt (over 7,000 eggs!). Food trucks Wicked Cheesy, Sam's NY System and Lemon Lane Lemonade will be joining.
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The Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce will sponsor its Annual Easter Egg Hunt for children ages 1-8, Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. in Wilcox Park, Westerly.
There will be three separate Egg Hunts, one for ages 1-2, one for ages 3 – 5, and another for ages 6 – 8. This annual spring time event will feature a visit with the Easter Bunny and plenty of candy for all in attendance. Please bring your own basket.
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Join us as we celebrate cultural heritage through music, dance, storytelling, and poetry during Celtic Celebration. Visitors to the Village will learn about Scottish and Irish heritage, and the ways it shaped 19th century New England. During this event,
guests will have the opportunity to hear fiddle tunes, bagpipes, and music by Celtic musicians. Returning this year, Cate Mahoney and Shelley Otis will be performing on the harp. As you explore the historic Village, discover a variety of demonstrations and unique activities to participate in; play a game of Rounders, an Irish game similar to baseball, or see a character presentation about an immigrant’s experience in early 19th century Ireland and America. New this year, the Village is welcoming
a team of guest Highland Cattle for visitors to meet and learn about this iconic cattle breed.
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The Mystic Irish Parade is upon its 21st year, so join us on March 22nd in your best green & Celtic cheer!
Come and see over 2000 marchers and 100 units march down the streets of Mystic!
This year we're expecting over 40,000 spectators coming out to see!
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Join us for Conservation Awareness Day at BPZOO!
Come learn all about our amazing chinchillas on Sunday, March 22, from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm.
Meet BPZOO’s rescued chinchillas in the Animal Ambassador Center.
Play interactive games and hands-on activities.
Discover the impact of mining on the chinchilla's habitat, contributing to their endangered status.
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- Friendship Bracelet Fridays! (Ages 8 +)- At Knight Memorial Library - Community Libraries of Providence: Knight Memorial Library, Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI, Friday, March 20, 2026, 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
- A Cup of Spring! (Ages 6-11) - Maury Loontjens Memorial Library - 25 Pier Market Place, Narragansett, RI, Friday, March 20, 2026, 4:30 pm 5:00 pm
- 2026 Providence St. Patrick's Day Parade
- Providence Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Committee Inc., P.O. Box 28100, Providence, RI, Saturday, March 21, 2026, NOON
- Egg
Hunt - Pawtucket Public Library - Summer Street, Pawtucket, RI, Saturday, March 21, 2026, 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
- LEGO Party
- At East Smithfield Public Library - 50 Esmond Street, Smithfield, RI, Saturday, March 21, 2026, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
- Annual Easter Egg Hunt - At Coventry Town Hall Annex - Coventry, RI - 1670 Flat River Rd, Coventry, RI, Saturday, March 21, 2026, 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
- Easter Egg Hunt 2026 - At Wilcox Park - Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce -Westerly, RI - Chamber Way, Westerly, RI, Saturday, March 21,
2026, 11:00 am
- The Winter Farmers Marketplace - At Warwick Mall - With We Be Jammin' Events - We Be Jammin Events, 1923 Post Rd, Warwick, RI, Sunday, March 22, 2026, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
- The Winter Farmers Marketplace - With We Be Jammin' Events - Warwick Mall - 400 Bald Hill Rd, Warwick, RI, Sunday, March 22, 2026, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
- 21st Annual Mystic Irish Parade - With Greater Mystic Chamber of
Commerce - Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce, Holmes Street, Mystic, CT, Sunday, March 22, 2026, 1:00 - 3:00 pm
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Providence 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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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the Providence 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 Providence 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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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Providence 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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2025's best places to take kids in and around Providence, based on KidsOutAndAbout's annual reader survey. This list provides some great ideas, but there is LOTS more to do in Providence, all year round: Our Top 20 results page only scratches the
surface!
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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