KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: February is Children’s Dental Health Month, which means it's the perfect time to talk about LYING. The first lie my daughter Madison ever attempted was when she was about 3. "Did you brush your teeth?” I asked as she was getting ready for bed. She nodded earnestly, but I had my doubts; a check of the toothbrush revealed it was dry as the Sahara.
"Looks like we need a do-over," I said. "Try again." In a 2025 Delta Dental study of 1000 parents of kids age 12 and under, 67% of respondents reported difficulty in getting their kids to brush their teeth. And in a related but thoroughly unscientific
survey, 100% of the friends I asked told me that their own kids have lied about tooth brushing at least once. See, young children don’t experience truth as adults do; their developing minds blur the line between reality and hope, between what happened and what they would prefer had happened. Brushing is tedious, being done is better. Add a desire to please Mom, and those wires can cross. In those early years, our job is to help kids gradually separate fact from wishful
thinking. You might think that prosecuting dishonesty harshly might scare kids into telling the truth, but that often just scares them into hiding more cleverly. Our goal as parents isn't just to have kids who brush their teeth and do their own homework and someday file tax returns without creative interpretations of “business mileage,” although we do want all those things. But overall, we want kids who are brave enough to be, rather than seem to be. If
they see early that mistakes can be brought into the light and fixed with a do-over, they’re far less likely to build a life around pretending they didn't happen. So my best recommendation for Children's Dental Health Month is to model both scrupulous honesty and scrupulous teeth-brushing yourself. In case you need an immediate solution, though, I hunted down a list of kids' best tooth-brushing songs thoughtfully supplied by the American Dental Association. Grit your teeth and hum along.
—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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Save your seats by registering for FREE tickets! Each season, Plan-B Theatre creates a new play by an Utah playwright that serves 100 schools statewide throughout the school year as our Free Elementary School Tour. This year's offering is EB & FLO
by Elaine Jarvik, created specifically for grades K-3. "Flo, a fantastic flamingo who craves adventure meets Eb, a sensible seagull worried about a shrinking lake. They concoct a unique way to spread the word about the importance of Great Salt Lake and how small actions can have big effects." Join us for free public performances on February 14, 21, and 28 at 1pm in the Studio Theatre at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center (138 W 300 S, SLC). And we have cushions for your kiddos to sit on the
floor! **TICKETS ARE FREE, BUT REQUIRED**
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This February, celebrate Black History Month at Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum with “Celebrating Black Artists,” an inspiring month-long experience in our Art Studio, open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Kids will unleash their creativity as they
explore the vibrant styles of influential Black artists like Alma Thomas, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Kehinde Wiley. Through hands-on artmaking, children will connect history, culture, and imagination in a fun, interactive way. Discover how play sparks curiosity, inspires creativity, and turns every visit into a memorable learning adventure at Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum!
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The Gateway is proud to partner with Salt Lake Gallery Stroll as part of the vibrant visual art scene in Salt Lake City. Walk down Rio Grande St. and explore the new “Winter After Dark” themed windows throughout the property. Plus, stop by the installation
spaces as selected Art Shop Artists open up their “shop” just for Gallery Stroll. Join us for this stroll, and enjoy live music on the third Friday of every month from 6 pm - 9 pm. Windows will be up through the Winter 2026, if you don’t catch them at one of the monthly Art Strolls, swing on by at any time to enjoy the view!
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Feb 21, 6pm, Treehouse Museum: Kids make impressive, fun, hilarious movies! The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival is an annual video contest in which young readers create short movies that tell the entire stories of Newbery-winning books—often with a creative
twist: think "Charlotte's Web" as a horror movie, or "Holes" as a musical! In this screening, hosted by authors James Kennedy and Keir Graff, we'll show the best, funniest 90-Second Newbery movies of this year... and maybe inspire your kids to make a movie for next year!
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Discover a new passion at our Teen Hobby Fair! Explore a variety of stations dedicated to different hobbies and interests each led by an expert in their field. Meet others who share your hobbies, learn something new, or find inspiration for your next
project. It's the perfect opportunity to dive into a new world of creativity and fun! Grades 7–12.
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- Winter After Dark Art Stroll at The Gateway - 18 North Rio Grande Street, Salt Lake City, Friday, February 20, 6 pm - 9 pm
- Tinker Time - Utah STEM Action Center, South Salt Lake City, Friday, February 20, 12 - 8 PM
- Storytime at Glendale Branch - Glendale Branch, Salt Lake City, Friday, February 20, 10:30 am - 11 am
- Playtime at Glendale Branch - Glendale Branch, Salt Lake City, Friday, February 20, 11 am - 11:30 am
- Community Art Hour at the Day-Riverside
Branch Library - Day-Riverside Branch, Salt Lake City, Friday, February 20, 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
- 2026 Utah Traditional Chinese Calligraphy and Painting Exhibit at the Main Library - Salt Lake City Public Library, Salt Lake City, Friday, February 20 to Sunday, February 22, See website for details
- Kids Café | Café para niños 2026 at Hunter Library - Hunter Library, West Valley
City, Friday, February 20 to Sunday, February 22, See website for details
- Bouncing Babies - Orem Public Library - Orem Public Library, Orem, Friday, February 20, 10 am
- February Film Screenings: Sweethearts Showcase - Orem Public
Library - Orem Public Library, Orem, Friday, February 20, 6 pm
- Leap Into
Reading - Springville Library - Springville, Friday, February 20, 10:30 am
- Tiny Tot Tales - Springville
Library - Springville, Friday, February 20, 11:30 am
- Kids Café | Café para
niños 2026 at Ruth Vine Tyler Library - Ruth Vine Tyler Library, Midvale, Friday, February 20 to Sunday, February 22, See website for details
- The 15th Annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival: Ogden - Treehouse Children's Museum, Ogden, Saturday, February 21,
6pm
- Creative Lab Club: Board Game Club at the Main Library - Salt Lake City Public Library, Salt Lake City, Saturday, February 21, 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
- Lunar New Year Celebration 2026: Year of the Horse at the Anderson-Foothill Branch Library - Anderson-Foothill Branch, Salt Lake City, Saturday, February 21, 2 pm - 4:30 pm
- Teen After Hours: Hobby Fair - Orem Public
Library - Orem Public Library, Orem, Saturday, February 21, 7 pm
- Bilingual Storytime/Cuentitos bilingüe - Springville Library - Springville, Saturday, February 21, See website for details
- Lunar New Year Celebration at Millcreek Common - Millcreek Common, Millcreek, Saturday, February 21, 7 pm - 9 pm
- Playtime at the Main Library - Salt Lake City Public Library, Salt Lake City, Sunday, February 22, 2 pm - 3 pm
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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the Salt Lake City 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 Salt Lake City 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…
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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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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Salt Lake City 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 Top 20 Places to Take Kids in the Salt Lake City area. Our Top 20 results page includes a list of your top picks, including winners in special categories like Top Arts Educator, Top Sports Educator, and Top STEM Educator! Check out your fellow
readers' favorites, and enjoy exploring the best of the region!
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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