KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
|
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: A tumble is not a verdict; it's information. And kids are natural data analysts. That's what a mom half a generation older than me told me when I was getting ready to have kids, and I took it to heart. So I was secretly a little thrilled the summer my daughter Madison was almost 4, when she took her first big splash off a slippery log into a
creek. Here's why: To succeed in life, everyone needs to learn to stretch to the edge of their abilities... to gather courage from their toes, to calculate, to balance, to wobble, to slide... and eventually to succeed. Kids can learn this early if the grownups in their orbit help them see the mud and bruises that come from a tumble as badges to be worn proudly: a fail-until-we-succeed philosophy in action. That's how personal fulfillment happens, and it's how human progress happens,
too. Summer is childhood's best laboratory, where sensory experiences stick as lifelong learning. School has grades and rubrics and consequences; summer has grass stains and do-overs. An amusement park ride can teach the difference between fear and danger. A hands-on museum can teach that when your tower collapses, you simply vow to rebuild it taller. A farm can teach that maybe you don’t like strawberries from the grocery store, but
you do like the ones you picked yourself, still warm from the sun. A climbing gym can teach your muscles that “I can’t” really means “I can’t yet.” And summer camps are entire worlds built around trying something new with no transcript following you home. Last week, the KidsOutAndAbout.com team launched our annual Top 20 Places to Take Kids survey. It's a way to thank the people who make your community a great place to raise kids. Equally important, it’s a giant menu of local opportunities for your kids to stretch their legs, their minds, and their bravery this summer. Use it to create your summer bucket list! Then step back and set your family’s summer dial to “safe to fail.” Watch your kids climb, build, stumble, and try again.
Let them splash.
—Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities
|
|
|
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. |
|
|
|
Give your child the gift of a second language! Alliance Française San Francisco, a local nonprofit, offers enriching French programs for children and teens: lively After-School French classes (online), engaging Teen Classes with AP French Exam Prep (online), fun Saturday Classes for ages 4–10 (onsite), and exciting Bilingual French Summer Camps. Our expert instructors use proven communicative methods in a welcoming, multicultural environment — because learning French is more than a language, it's a passport to the world. Supporting our community since 1889. Financial aid available. Use code KIDS50 for $50 off your first registration. Enroll today at afsf.com
|
|
|
|
Join us for a week at CHRS Summer Camp in either June or July - students in grades 6-10 can explore broadcasting, podcasting, electronics, radios, and wireless communications through hands-on projects. Guided by seasoned industry professionals, campers will collaborate with peers, use professional and vintage recording equipment, and learn how to create engaging content for specific audiences and distribution platforms. The program blends creativity, practical skills, and curiosity in a fun, interactive environment designed to inspire and learn!
|
|
|
|
From the earliest hand-drawn cartoons to today’s blockbuster CGI films, all animation begins with an artist and an idea. The Cartoon Art Museum’s new exhibition, A Treasury of Animation, showcases original production art following the evolution of animation from the 1920s onward. The first major exhibition drawn from the Cartoon Art Museum’s vast permanent collection since its reopening in Fisherman’s Wharf, A Treasury of Animation features historic never-before-seen work. “Our permanent collection houses thousands of animation cels and concept drawings,” says CAM Curator Andrew Farago, “but only a small portion of that artwork can be shown at any given time. This exhibition is an opportunity for us to show off the best of the best from the museum’s archives.” Highlights include background paintings, cels and production art from beloved films like Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Fantasia and theatrical shorts starring icons like Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry and…
|
|
|
|
Potter the Otter invites kids on a healthy adventure with friends to catch the speedy Rainbow Racer and earn a place on the water polo team. Along the way, visitors explore fun, hands-on activities that highlight the power of drinking water, eating fruits and veggies, and staying active. From shopping for produce and building a balanced plate to splashing in Bubbling Brook and racing pedal boats, families can discover how healthy choices help everyone feel their best!
|
|
|
|
The Walt Disney Family Museum continues its celebration of the 70th anniversary of Disneyland with the debut of Happiest Place on Earth: The Disneyland Story, an original special exhibition curated by award-winning producer and Disney Legend Don Hahn with museum Director of Collections and Exhibitions Marina Villar Delgado. Inspired by the 2025 book, The Happiest Place on Earth: The Incredible Story of Walt Disney’s Disneyland, published by Disney Editions and written by Hahn and historian Christopher Merritt, this treasure trove of Disney history will take guests behind the scenes of one of the most groundbreaking endeavors of the 20th century—the creation and opening of Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Happiest Place on Earth: The Disneyland Story will be on view beginning Friday, November 14 in the museum’s Lower Lobby and Theater Galleries.
|
|
|
|
Toddler Plus Storytime is a 20-30 minute program using stories, songs, fingerplays, and movement to help young children ages 2-3 years old develop word and sound recognition, gain background knowledge of how the world works, and encourage families to build social connections with other parents and children. Toddler Plus Storytime is a bit longer and more complex than what is typically presented during Toddler Storytime and is perfect for children about to enter preschool.
|
|
|
|
Pik-Yor-Self - Strawberries, Olallie berries, Boysenberries, and Apples are available in our Pik-Yor-Self program. Experience the most fun part of growing fruits, here at the Ranch! Combined with fresh air, sunshine and a little sweat, it's a whole lot of fun for the kids and the entire family. Don't forget your camera.
|
|
|
|
Join us for two wonderful weekends of community, culture, beauty, tradition, and joy. Experience lively performances, storytelling, music, games, food, and art as we uplift the vibrant beauty and rich diversity within the Asian and Pacific Islander diaspora.
|
|
|
|
In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, pick up your Passport to the Islands, visit each week, and collect your stamps as you journey through Polynesia—where vibrant stories, traditions, and island flavors come to life at Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park. Each weekend brings educational storytelling, live performances, and specialty food offerings inspired by the islands.
|
|
|
|
K-pop “stans” around the Bay Area and beyond are invited to come to San Francisco Zoo & Gardens on Saturday, May 23, when the Zoo transforms its spacious Elinor Friend Playground area into a K-POP paradise with high-energy performances by favorite local groups, and fun, themed activities from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The first ever K-pop event features DJ music by Peter Lo, and is in partnership with KPOP Nara. Among the local groups performing are K-Pop-Up SF, Ruby Slippers Dancers, Off the Grid, One Motion, Eclipse, Enjoy Dance Studios, Rae Studios and Montage Dance Productions. Throughout the day, guests can enjoy Random Dance Play (RDP) set to popular K-pop songs, customize and decorate photo and trading card holders at the top loader decoration station, get their own custom caricatures and faces painted, and indulge in special food items.
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are lots of places to have a birthday party in the San Francisco area! Start thinking outside the box! KidsOutAndAbout has dozens (and dozens) of ideas! In addition to venues in San Francisco, there are places in Oakland, Alameda, Pacifica, San
Leandro, Walnut Creek, Hayward, Dublin, and San Ramon.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the San Francisco 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!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the San Francisco? 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.
|
|
|
Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
|
|
