KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
If it weren’t for a Polish pastry, I might not exist. When my great-grandmother Karolina Stelmach was a teenager in a small village in Poland, she was told she’d be entering an arranged marriage. But her heart belonged to Sylvester Nowakowski. So she left... on her own, by boat... and made her way to America. She found work in a restaurant, where
she made her family’s signature dessert: chrusciki. One day, a “distinguished gentleman” insisted on meeting the pastry chef, and he offered her a better-paying job in his own kitchen. She took it, saved enough to bring Sylvester over, and they married. Which means if chrusciki didn’t exist, neither would I. Stories like this do more than entertain. According to psychologist Robyn Fivush, interviewed on a recent episode of the Hidden Brain podcast, they help kids develop
identity, resilience, and self-worth. The more children know about their family’s past—not just the “big” stories like crossing oceans, but even the day-to-day moments and struggles—the more connected and grounded they become. Fivush and her colleagues at Emory University found that kids who know more family stories have higher self-esteem, greater emotional understanding, and a stronger sense of meaning and purpose. But it’s not just the information that matters...it’s the telling. When we sit
down and share what came before, we help kids feel like they’re part of something bigger, and that they belong. No AI can replicate that. A chatbot can write a story, sure. But it can’t tell your kids how Grandma’s meatloaf could’ve doubled as a construction material, or how two little girls in the 1950s turned a couple of ice cream cones into a front-porch endurance contest. So this year, make a point of telling your kids about your family's shared history:
about mistakes, about perseverance, about love, about dessert. Connection doesn’t have to be complicated: Just pull up a chair, pass the cookies, and pass down the stories.
—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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DreamWeek San Antonio (DWSA) is an annual, multi-day summit dedicated to celebrating humanity by creating environments for civil and civic engagement. Its core purpose is to foster the exchange of ideas and dreams for the common good, ultimately revealing the inherent “community genius” within San Antonio.
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Come join us for 3 weekends filled with top entertainment, handmade crafts, fantastic food, games and fun! Rain Shine or Cold
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One by one we can make a difference and shine light in the world! This week in the Wondershop we will be painting our hands and remembering how we too can make a difference. A keepsake to hang in our homes to remind us throughout the year.
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Little Land’s Sensory Art Exploration program is intended to provide children with an experience that engages multiple senses at once, while also exposing them to the seven primary elements of art: color, shape, line, texture, space, form and value. Sensory experiences help kids learn about their environment, build neural connections that support learning and creativity, and support language development, cognitive growth, motor skills, and social interaction. We know that opportunities for this type of play are declining, which is why places like Little Land are so important for little ones. Each week is themed, and themes vary from course to course, giving families the chance to attend year round and experience new material.
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Enjoy the Premier Combo Package for $21.50 every Friday from 10 AM to 12 PM. Climb, zip, and explore Sky Trail®, Sky Rail®, and Clip ‘n Climb® at the Shops at Rivercenter.
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MLK Kids Event Join the Dunbar Heritage Association for a celebration of the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Discover new books, art, videos, and crafts, and create your own poster for the upcoming annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day March, along with other fun crafts to learn and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This is a family friendly event. We’ll have lots to do for children ages 3 through 18! All craft materials and snacks will be provided.
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Join us at the Herff Farmers Market Farmhouse each month for a captivating storytime brimming with enchanting tales, lively tunes, creative crafts, and delicious treats!
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Get ready to move, spin, and test your curiosity! At STEM in Motion, you’ll dive into hands-on challenges that reveal the science behind everyday movement. It’s an exciting way to explore the science of movement—one discovery at a time.
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It’s a sloth-eriffic soiree! If you love cute, cuddly, super-slow sloths, we’ve got the perfect class for you. Join us as we learn to paint a sleepy sloth with an adorable flower crown. To make the evening even more fun, we’ll turn it into a PJ party, too, so be sure to wear your jammies to class.
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- MLK Kids Event - San Marcos Public Library, East Hopkins Street, San Marcos, TX, Saturday, January 17, 2026, 10:30 am- 1:30 pm
- Herff Farm Storytime - Herff Farm, Herff Road, Boerne, TX, Saturday, January 17, 2026, 10:30--11:15 am
- Family Storytime - Mammen Family Public Library, 131 Bulverde Crossing, Bulverde, TX, Saturday, January 17, 2026, 10:30 - 11 am
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EXPERIENCES create memories much more than stuff does. As you're considering gifts for family and friends, consider giving the gift of a family membership to one of our local attractions. Here are local organizations that offer memberships.
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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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Planning a kids birthday party in the San Antonio area? Here are lots of ideas for where to have it! If there is a resource that we have missed, please email us to let us know, and we'll add it
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2025's best places to take kids in San Antonio and the surrounding area: Early each summer, thousands of parents vote in the KidsOutAndAbout 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 catgory winners.
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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