KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
For much of the country, it's been the hardest winter in recent memory: cold, monochrome, relentless. The kind of season that reminds us how little control we really have. We do our best to manage routines and moods and expectations, but parents feel it most. February stretches long and flat after the excitement of the holidays, before the lift of spring. You're
still packing lunches, wrangling homework, managing emotions (your kids’ and your own)... all while the cold keeps the family cooped up. This is the season of endurance. Of course, endurance isn’t about being stoic or silent or superhuman; it’s about continuing, even when things are hard. It’s about showing up for your people, your plans, and yourself, day after chilly day. And it’s about knowing that if you’re feeling the drag right now, you’re not alone. Many of us are
moving through it together. Even for those who don't live in Nature's Refrigerator, February can still bring its own version of stuckness: that long stretch between holidays, where kids are restless and routines feel stale. Sometimes, by February, our gray matter feels just as gray as the weather. When that happens, help is allowed! Check out our article and outsource the brainstorming to KidsOutAndAbout: Stuck Inside This Winter? 20 Creative Indoor Activities for Kids is packed with creative, practical, low-effort ways to keep your family engaged (and sane) when outside play isn’t an option. And it shows you how to tap your favorite AI to be your thought partner to personalize it for your
family. February Gray doesn’t need to be conquered; it just needs to be lightened a bit. So whether you're "out and about" or "in and not at all about," we're here to brighten the rest of your winter!
—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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Let romance bloom with timeless jazz tunes in the Ballroom featuring Tiffany Austin. Bring your Valentine for this unforgettable concert experience, where intimate table seating and sultry sounds evoke the iconic sounds of yesteryear.
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Peppa Pig, along with Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig, George and new baby sister Evie, are coming to Walnut Creek for PEPPA PIG: MY FIRST CONCERT - a fun, interactive introduction to a live orchestra for ages 18 months and older. Join Peppa and George to learn all
about the different sounds that instruments make together! Enjoy some of your favorite music from the show played by a live orchestra and discover some other exciting orchestral pieces perfect for children. Plus, some little piggies can join Peppa and her family to make music of their own!
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Come to Garden Party and join Farmer Emily to help us maintain a thriving edible garden. Through hands-on science and art activities, you will learn more about sustainable gardening practices you can use beyond our walls in your own home garden. There might
even be something to harvest for your next meal!
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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 this Black History Month for a discussion of Groundbreaking Magic: A Black Woman’s Journey Through The Happiest Place on Earth with author Martha Blanding and moderated by Disney historian Marcy Carriker Smothers. Groundbreaking Magic tells the
story of how Blanding became the first Black tour guide at Disneyland in 1971 and went on to achieve a half-century long career with The Walt Disney Company, earning the prestigious Disney Legend distinction in 2024.
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Meet us in the S.T.E.A.M. Room, adjacent to Ella's Art Studio, every weekend from 1:00pm – 3:00pm to enjoy and explore an experience in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math! Toys and materials will be available in this space for your child to
engage with at their own pace. A CMOSC staff member will be there to provide expertise and an enhanced experience with the materials.
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Love learning about new habitats? Curious about wildlife? Our Junior Rangers at the Refuge program is perfect for your family! Join us each month as we explore the Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge through fun, educational activities.
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Come experience the national parks! All National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone (other fees, including timed entry or reservation fees, may apply).
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This is an exciting opportunity to witness our animals engaging in all kinds of activities! Join us to catch our animal keepers doing animal enrichment activities, taking animals for walks, or even doing training sessions!
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Join museum staff for a lively story followed by fun activities. Storytime is open to all ages, but is primarily designed for toddlers and preschoolers.
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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.
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- Toddler Plus Storytime - Main Library - Children's Department, Main
Library - Children's Department, Friday, 02/13/2026, 10:30am
- Family Storytime - Alameda Free Library - West End Library, 788 Santa Clara Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501, Saturday, 02/14/2026, 10:30am
- Family Storytime - Main Library -
Children's Department, Main Library - Children's Department, Saturday, 02/14/2026, 10:30am
- Family Storytime - Main Library, Main Library, Sunday, 02/15/2026, 12:30pm
- Junior Rangers: Refuge Bird Beak Buffet - San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society - PO Box 234, Newark, CA 94560, Sunday, 02/15/2026, 10:30am-12:00pm
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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the San Francisco area! Use our Big List to help find the best one for your kiddos and check our events calendar to find Open Houses where you can meet teachers and tour the
schools.
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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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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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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…
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2025's best places to take kids in the San Francisco Bay 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 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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