KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
This Sunday marks the Winter Solstice—Robert Frost’s “darkest evening of the year.” It’s when we in the Northern Hemisphere most appreciate human inventiveness: We flip a switch, and light floods the room. It feels like magic, but it’s not. It’s the result of generations of curious, determined humans trying to make life better, brighter, safer. That’s
why my family celebrates Lightbulb Day every December 21. It’s our homegrown holiday honoring the inventors and problem-solvers whose insights fuel our lives. We toast our favorite technologies, learn some history, imagine the future. Past years’ MVPs include contact lenses, antibiotics, the internet, veterinary
science, and the Covid vaccine. This year’s front-runner: artificial intelligence. Last weekend, I had breakfast with a friend and her 13-year-old daughter, Lily. Lily said she loves math and science but struggles with how her teachers approach the humanities, especially writing. When I showed her how AI can help her learn in the way she learns best, her face lit up. So I went home and wrote a how-to article for Lily, her mom, and any of you with kids in middle school or
older: How Students Can Use AI to Learn to Write (Without Giving Away their Brains). AI isn’t here to think for us. It’s here to help us think more effectively with our own minds. That’s a message worth repeating, especially to our kids. In this new AI age, the real
danger isn’t the technology itself, it’s the temptation to hand our brains over to it and say, “Here, you do all the work.” So this Lightbulb Day, I’m raising an Erlenmeyer flask, not just to the great inventors of the past, but to Lily, and to every young person learning to think with tools rather than letting tools do the thinking. Because the real magic isn’t flipping the switch; it’s understanding where the current comes from, and imagining what we’ll power with it
in the future.
—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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I'm thrilled to announce that my new book The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities (co-authored with Jamie Carter) is now published and shipping across North America! It’s packed with inspiring, true stories of everyday leaders who stepped up during the 2024 eclipse to bring people together, spark change, and strengthen their communities. Told with warmth and insight, this book makes a perfect holiday gift for the visionary, organizer, or community-builder in your life. Click the graphic to order from Amazon on print or Kindle; for other ordering options (including educator and bulk orders), or to see an annotated table of contents and the introduction, head to https://theeclipseeffect.com.
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Curious how your AI know-how compares to other parents? We surveyed over 300 of you, and the results are in! The big takeaway? You aren't alone in feeling overwhelmed. While most parents have a basic grasp of the technology, over 52% feel unequipped to actually guide their kids through it. The number one thing you requested help with was "Digital Defense"—specifically, how to spot misinformation and fake news. You can read the full, fascinating report at kidsoutandabout.com/research. Ready for round two? Help us dive deeper by taking our new, quick 13-question survey here: https://forms.gle/1nTsaG384SW8cUpL7.
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Join Mr. Luan as he takes you on an energetic and humorous storytime ride! Songs will be sung, character voices will be many! In this program, the stories really do come to life! Oh, yeah: we do a little dancing too!
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Children 0-5 years old and their caregivers are invited to join us for Odi Buddies! We will sing songs, do rhymes, fingerplays, shake our shakers and have fun! This is a great opportunity for children and their caregivers to socialize and connect, learn and play, and explore their local library.
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Mellano Farm Stand is open Thursday through Sunday, from 10:30 AM to 5:00 PM, unless otherwise noted for special closures.
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Popular annual East County Christmas festival returns for 19 nights of holiday joy
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Come learn more about different animals and how they benefit our world. The event will include a live presentation, meet & greet*, storytime, special craft, and more! Pre-registration is not required. Free with Museum admission. Opportunities to meet the animals are limited and timed tickets will be provided upon check-in.
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Our 31st annual Victorian Christmas Teas will be held six days a week (closed on Wednesdays) from Thursday December 4th thru Tuesday December 23rd. These teas will be served indoors and are also available To Go. These very special teas feature a set menu includes a variety of finger sandwiches, savories, tea breads, scone with curd, jam and whipped cream, and a selection of seasonal desserts, or we also have a special children’s menu for children under 12. We can also prepare Vegetarian and Gluten Free versions of this Tea with advance notice, so let us know your specific needs.
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Enjoy an evening out and drop your kids off at our next Parents' Night Out event! The kids will enjoy 3 hours of fun, games, activities, and zipline rides!!! Pizza for dinner is included. Don't wait to sign-up! Space is limited.
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Celebrate Christmas at Casa Romantica’s annual nighttime event with thousands of twinkling holiday lights and festively decorated property and gardens.
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Bring the family to meet Santa at Christown Spectrum in Phoenix! From November 28 through December 24, 2025, enjoy festive photo experiences, themed nights, and free visits with Santa. Walk-ups are welcome, or reserve your spot online for a magical holiday tradition.
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Christopher Dragon, conductor Devin DeSantis, vocalist Introducing: Lena Palke, as Noel the Elf Special appearance by Ken Johnson Jonathan Gilmer, director Mike Tutaj, projection design Amanda Zieve, lighting design San Diego Master Chorale San Diego Children's Choir San Diego Musical Theatre Academy San Diego Symphony Orchestra
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Take out your calendar - you have a lot of scheduling to do to fit in all the incredible Holiday Break camps taking place in and around our area! If we're missing a camp that should be on this list, please email us to let us know.
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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 in and around San Diego. Here are local organizations that offer
memberships.
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Ring in the New Year with a little help from KidsOutAndAbout! Our Big List of family-Friendly celebrations is just what you need to find ball drops, fireworks displays, NOON Year's Eve fun, activities, parties and more! If your favorite isn't on the list be
sure to send us an email and we'll add it pronto.
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Where to Cut Your Own Christmas Trees in the San Deigo Area November & December are times of contrast: The gray days outside herald the coming of the holidays, so we make ourselves warm and cozy
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KidsOutAndAbout is San Diego's online guide to everything for kids, teens, and families! The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, so
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the San Diego 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 San Diego as voted by parents. Who won the top spot? An indoor play center, museum, farm, nature center, sports team? Click through to find out, as well as favorite Arts Educator, Sports Educator, and STEM educator! Plus
there is LOTS more to do in San Diego!
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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