KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Sat, Jun 6: Museum of Natural History Anniversary Celebration: 130 Years of Curiosity and Discovery
Sun, Jun 7: 2026 Fall River Pride Festival - At Gates of the City - With Fall River Pride Committee
Thu, Jun 11: Caribbean Heritage Festival
Sat, Jun 13: Juneteenth Festival and Community Celebration at Hempsted Houses
Sat, Jun 13: Do Cows
Love Ice Cream? - At Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary
Fri, Jun 19: Planet KPOP: The Ultimate KPOP Tribute - At The VETS - At Providence Performing Arts Center
Sat, Jun 20: Rhode Island’s Annual PrideFest Celebration & Illuminated Night Parade 2026 - With Rhode Island Pride
Sat, Jun 20: Coventry's Semiquincentennial Parade - Coventry, RI
Sun, Jun 21: Father's Day - At Battleship Cove
Sun, Jun 21: Seekonk Speedway Monster Truck Father's Day Bash - At Seekonk Speedway
Sun, Jun 21: Summer Solstice Celebration on
the Drumlin - At Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary
Fri, Jun 26: Ice Cream and Lightning Bugs at Fisherville - Audubon Society of Rhode Island
Sat, Jun 27: Newport Pride Bike Parade & Festival - At Great Friends Meeting House - With Newport Pride
Sat, Jun 27: All Families, All Pride - Downtown Mystic CT - Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce
Sat, Jun 27: Summer Event Series: Mud Day
Sun, Jun 28: Annual Strawberry Social - At Tiverton Town Farm Recreation Complex- With Tiverton Farmers Market |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: One summer afternoon during a family camping trip in New Jersey when I was about 6 or 7 years old, a horse fly suddenly appeared next to my ear and started following me everywhere I went. I’m sure that, from its own perspective, it was just going about its business doing ordinary horse fly things, but to me it felt enormous, ominous, and purposeful. I can't remember if it
actually bit me, but I can still summon the hot panic of not being able to get away from its threatening buzz. To my small self, that fly wasn't a little distraction, it was a crisis with wings. The memory surfaced recently when my daughter Ella sent me the above photo, taken in Quintana Beach County Park, near Houston. The point was clear: Proceed, and you will be under attack, and not by any adorable Northeastern bugs you might be used to. No, these bugs were born in Texas. Beware. Sometimes that is exactly
how challenges feel, especially to kids: Problems loom much larger to them than they do to adults with decades of experience. A broken toy, a skinned knee, a mistake in front of the class, or a slight misunderstanding with a friend may be a fly in the ointment to us, but a Texas-sized monster to a child. The trick is to validate the feeling without validating helplessness. We stand beside them and say, Yes, I know, this feels huge. The bugs, even if they're not as large as they
think, are real. They watch us shoo them away and learn gradually to do it for themselves. If I had seen the sign above, my first instinct would have been to flee back to the safety of the car. And Ella said it was not exaggerating, at least not by much: The moment she stepped onto the property, giant mosquitoes descended, and they were hungry; even leggings soaked with OFF Deep Woods did not deter them. She assures me that the photo she got of the Bay-breasted Warbler was
worth all the bites on the backs of her knees. She knew better than to show me the damage. Clearly, the script has flipped.
—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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We are back at Diamond Hill Park in Cumberland for another fun season in 2026. Attendance is free, just pay for what you eat and drink. All food trucks accept cash, credit, and debit cards . Tickets are not required. Enjoy a dozen or more food trucks at each event from a rotation of over 75 food trucks. In addition to great food, there will be live bands and we will be serving up local beer and wine. Savor the experience amidst the scenic beauty of the park. Choose your perfect spot, whether it's on the grass or the gentle hills near the amphitheater or around the water feature. Don't forget to bring your chairs, picnic blankets, and lawn games for added fun.
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The Circus is here! You're invited to the most next-level family fun party on the planet. The all-new Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® is a non-stop celebration of jaw-dropping acts, laugh-out-loud fun, and memory-making moments you won't want to miss. Because this isn't just about the action on stage-it's about the fun of sharing it with the people who matter most. From wide-eyed kids to "seen-it-all" grown-ups, we've got the WOW that will amaze them all. We've taken the biggest, boldest, most joy-sparking acts in the world and transformed them into a one-of-a-kind shared experience. So grab your crew and bring your biggest energy. The Greatest Show On Earth® is throwing the world's most unforgettable party--and the best seat in the house is the one right next to you.
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Create music in a relaxed setting! No experience necessary. Michelle Kaminsky will bring specially created wood and metal xylophones of varying sizes. Some of the instruments, designed by Carl Orff, have removable bars. The rich sounds of these instruments remind one of wind chimes, except the players create the music!! Young or old, musician or not, YOU can be a part of the performance, or feel free to sit back and listen to the music that is being created.
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Join local artist, Susan Drayton for a free monthly children's workshop. These workshops are free of charge due to a generous grant from the Fall River Cultural Council and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Each month will feature a different workshop. Please see monthly post for details, parents must be present at all times.
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Observe one of nature's most magical summer displays up close! Step into the meadows of Drumlin Farm after dark and witness the magic of fireflies while learning what their flashing light really means. On this evening walk, a naturalist will guide you through Drumlin Farm's meadows as the light show begins, helping you decode the flashing signals fireflies use to find each other and diving into the science of bioluminescence. Along the way, learn about their life cycle, the habitats they depend on, and what we can all do to help firefly populations thrive. This magical summer evening will stay with you long after the lights go out.
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Make unforgettable memories with your little ones at Elmo’s Got the Moves—the all-new Sesame Street Live show! This exciting experience brings Elmo and his Sesame Street friends to the stage with singing, dancing, and favorite songs like “Sunny Days,” “Elmo’s Got the Moves,” and “Letter of the Day.” Families will laugh, learn, and play together in a heartwarming celebration that you’ll treasure long after the final song.
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Please join us for the 5th Annual Children's Festival which will be held again at the South County YMCA! This year we are again featuring “Greg Lato”, a popular award-winning children’s entertainer/songwriter, as well as face painters, pony rides, characters, field games, arts & crafts, food, a raffle, and much more! All proceeds support our community through the Wakefield Rotary Club.
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- Friendship Bracelet Fridays! (Ages 8 +)- At Knight Memorial Library - Community Libraries of Providence - Knight Memorial Library - Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI, May 29, 2026, 2:00
pm - 5:00 pm
- Food Truck Friday Roger Williams Park 2026 - Carousel Village, Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI, May 29, 2026, 5:00 pm - 8:30 pm
- Free Open Houses at the Betsey Williams Cottage - Museum of Natural History and Planetarium - Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI, May 29, 2026, 10:00 am - 3:00pm
- Xylophones and marimbas In the Park - At Providence Innovation District Park - Providence Innovation District Park, 120 Peck St, Providence, Providence, RI 02903, United States, May 29, 2026, Times Vary
- 2026 Farm Market - At Casey
Farm - Casey Farm, Boston Neck Road, Saunderstown, RI, May 30, 2026, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
- Carnivorous Plants with New England Carnivorous Plant Society, Ages 6-12 - At Boston Public Library - Central Library in Copley Square -
Boston Public Library - Central Library, Boylston Street, Boston, MA, May 30, 2026, 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
- May StoryWalk® at WEAVER - Weaver Library - East Providence Public Library, Grove Avenue, East Providence, RI, May 29, 2026 to May 31, 2026, 8am
- In the Gallery: Something of the Marvelous - Blithewold Manor, Gardens & Arboretum, Ferry Road, Bristol, RI, May 29, 2026 to May 31, 2026, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
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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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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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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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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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