KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
Peace can come in many textures during the holidays. For some, it’s the energizing bustle of concerts and community events, or the warmth of a crowded house full of voices and motion. For others, it’s the stillness of a walk through snow-covered woods, a soft blanket at home, or the quiet company of someone who understands them. It shifts from person to person, and
sometimes even from one day to the next. Peace can be internal, external, or, at its best, a bit of both: a sense that life makes sense, within and around us. It’s easier to feel when we’re free from hardship, but even in the midst of challenge, it’s sometimes possible to find a quiet kind of peace when we know we’ve done our best with the time and energy we’ve been given. Peace can be elusive for parents; after all, we're the ones in charge of figuring out
how to make the family rhythm and flow work for everyone, and what brings peace to our kids may look nothing like what brings it to us. Maybe your son needs to be out with friends while you crave stillness. Maybe your daughter is hoping to hide in a corner with a book while you're in full-on glitter-and-cookie mode with all the cousins. Parenting is the art of balance, of helping everyone in the family thrive by seeing who they really are and doing our best to honor it. It's not easy, and it's
never perfect, but we try. When kids feel known—when they hear “I see that you love this, that you need this, and I’ll help you find your way to it”—they flourish. That sense of being understood can be its own kind of peace. So as the season winds to a close, I wish you whatever kind of holiday rhythm helps you feel most like you. And I hope you’ll find moments to offer that same gift to those around you. When we make space for each other’s version of peace,
it’s more likely to find its way into the room.
—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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WE’RE ALWAYS TOLD TO REACH FOR THE STARS, BUT WHAT IF THE STARS COULD REACH FOR US? The stars are descending from the night sky. Set off across mysterious grounds to discover a celestial pathway of lustrous light, cosmic visions, and astral song. Immerse yourself in illuminating encounters of lighting, projection and sound, and connect with the stars before they return to the sky above. Astra Lumina at South Coast Botanic Garden is the 17th experience in the Lumina Enchanted Night Walk series.
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For children from infants to 5 year olds. Children must be accompanied by an adult. This not a drop-off program. Members free; included in paid admission. Registration is not required.
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American Icon: A Mustang Immersive Experience is a high-energy, interactive journey through the history, culture, and pop-culture legacy of the Ford Mustang. Spread across multiple cinematic rooms with large-scale projections, motion seats, and hands-on moments, the experience is designed for car lovers, families, and curious kids alike. Located in LA’s Arts District, this one-hour adventure brings six decades of Mustang stories to life in a fun, accessible way for all ages.
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Experience enchanting holiday magic for the entire family at Holiday in the Park! Featuring musical shows, twinkling lights, holiday treats, Santa, and much more at Six Flags Magic Mountain.
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Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, passengers will relive the magic of the classic story as they are whisked away on THE POLAR EXPRESS™ for a magical one-hour trip to meet Santa. Once on board, your car hosts will work their way through the coach and punch your golden ticket before hot chocolate and delicious Walker’s Shortbread are served by dancing chefs. Passengers then read along with the classic children’s book, The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg. Santa and his helpers board the train to greet passengers and each guest is given the first gift of Christmas – a silver sleigh bell. During the trip, characters on each car lead passengers in caroling and onboard entertainment just like in the film! Each guest will take home a keepsake sleigh bell in addition to the wonderful memories made on this magical trip. We have consolidated our event to one location at the Southern California Railway Museum in Perris, CA. The Fillmore & Western Railway in…
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Capistrano Lights: Mission in Lights returns to scenic Mission San Juan Capistrano on select dates between December 19 – 30. A special opening night ceremony will take place on Friday, December 19 beginning at 4:50 p.m. with the tree lighting at 5:05 p.m. The new holiday programming dates are held in anticipation of the Mission’s 250th anniversary celebrations beginning in early 2026.
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During the holiday season, get together with the Grinch™ at a Who-tacular celebration to enjoy the music and fun of Grinchmas™. Meet the maven of mischief himself, his dog Max, and favorite Whoville residents. You'll also witness the spectacular lighting of our one-of-a-kind Dr. Seuss inspired tree to join in a celebration of music, song and light. Plus much more. Put a little snark in your holiday spirit with the Grinch™!
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Movies have captivated our attention and emotions for over 100 years. Come celebrate cinema on a 30-minute guided tour of select galleries which feature the exciting, diverse, and complex stories of filmmakers from around the world. Dive into the worlds of Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer, the creative production designing duo behind films such as Barbie (2023), Beauty and the Beast (2017), and Anna Karenina (2012), and their partnership in building immersive and breathtaking worlds. Tour guides use voice amplifiers to enhance sound accessibility.
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Celebrate the season at Discovery Cube’s Winter Festival with giant slides, bumper cars, and festive photo displays. Kids can write letters to Santa, build with “ice” blocks, explore an inflatable igloo, and toss snowballs at the Snowball Toss game, while little ones enjoy the Reindeer Corral. With holiday STEM fun and activities for all ages, it’s the ultimate winter family experience.
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Searching for Serenity explores how communities can harness the healing power of art and nature. A response to 2025 wildfire disasters in Los Angeles County, this exhibition bridges creativity with personal storytelling. Participating professional and community artists share how a deep connection to nature can serve as a tool for individual transformation, renewal, and collective recovery. Searching for Serenity and its programs are generously funded, in part, by Perenchio Foundation and an endowment from Heather Sturt Haaga and Paul G. Haaga, Jr.
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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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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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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 the Valley. Here are local organizations that offer
memberships.
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KidsOutAndAbout is America'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 click
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Dallas 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! Find venues in Burbank, Calabasas,
Glendale, Hidden Hills, and San Fernando.
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2025's best places to take kids in the San Fernando Valley. Each May-June, 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 category winners: Who won for Top Arts Educator, Top Sports Educator, and Top STEM Educator?
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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