KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: One summer afternoon during a family camping trip in New Jersey when I was about 6 or 7 years old, a horse fly suddenly appeared next to my ear and started following me everywhere I went. I’m sure that, from its own perspective, it was just going about its business doing ordinary horse fly things, but to me it felt enormous, ominous, and purposeful. I can't remember if it
actually bit me, but I can still summon the hot panic of not being able to get away from its threatening buzz. To my small self, that fly wasn't a little distraction, it was a crisis with wings. The memory surfaced recently when my daughter Ella sent me the above photo, taken in Quintana Beach County Park, near Houston. The point was clear: Proceed, and you will be under attack, and not by any adorable Northeastern bugs you might be used to. No, these bugs were born in Texas. Beware. Sometimes that is exactly
how challenges feel, especially to kids: Problems loom much larger to them than they do to adults with decades of experience. A broken toy, a skinned knee, a mistake in front of the class, or a slight misunderstanding with a friend may be a fly in the ointment to us, but a Texas-sized monster to a child. The trick is to validate the feeling without validating helplessness. We stand beside them and say, Yes, I know, this feels huge. The bugs, even if they're not as large as they
think, are real. They watch us shoo them away and learn gradually to do it for themselves. If I had seen the sign above, my first instinct would have been to flee back to the safety of the car. And Ella said it was not exaggerating, at least not by much: The moment she stepped onto the property, giant mosquitoes descended, and they were hungry; even leggings soaked with OFF Deep Woods did not deter them. She assures me that the photo she got of the Bay-breasted Warbler was
worth all the bites on the backs of her knees. She knew better than to show me the damage. Clearly, the script has flipped.
—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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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!
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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.
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Join us as we explore books that highlight the unique traits of different types of life. Though we are all unique, we all belong in the community of living things!
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Witness a feeding frenzy in real time while our expert educators share information about what it takes to feed the aquarium’s largest animals!
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The Cartoon Art Museum celebrates its 40th anniversary year with Sunday Funnies, a showcase of original artwork from the Cartoon Art Museum's permanent collection. This retrospective features classic comic strips from the dawn of the comics medium to the present day, from comic strip pioneers like San Francisco's Jimmy Swinnerton and Krazy Kat creator George Herriman to legendary cartoonists Walt Kelly (Pogo) and Charles M. Schulz (Peanuts) to contemporary classics like Stephan Pastis's Pearls Before Swine and Dana Simpson's Phoebe and Her Unicorn.
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When you visit The Cherry Pit, you're not just picking cherries; you're hand-selecting the freshest, juiciest fruit straight from the tree. You cannot experience this kind of freshness from store-bought cherries. Biting into one of our large, sweet cherries will keep you coming back each year for more.
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Drop by the Randall Museum’s Art Room and get creative with your kids. Art instructors guide a different hands-on art activity each week. All ages are welcome to participate. Afternoon Art is a great way to get a taste of the Randall Museum’s arts and crafts programs. All children under 8 must be with a paying participating adult.
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Drop older kids off for after-hours fun at the Schulz Museum! Kids will have the Museum to themselves for a pizza dinner, games, art, crafts, and cool activities designed just for them. Recommended for ages 10–13 years old.
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The annual Redwood Mountain Faire brings together a wide range of music styles on two stages. The Faire benefits a wide range of nonprofit and service organizations and is organized by the Valley Women's Club of the San Lorenzo Valley.
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These outdoor performances are perfect for families. Upcoming showings include Free to Be… You and Me. Food and drink are sold onsite by the Friends of the Palo Alto Children’s Theatre. All Summer Hot Dog Productions take place in the “Secret Garden” at the Children’s Theatre.
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Strawberry u-pick is first come, first served. We do not accept reservations, and there is no entrance fee. Please note that DOGS ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE FIELD, but are permitted in the parking and picnic area on leash.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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