KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: One day last week, I was driving home around 7 pm when I glanced out the passenger's window and saw a stunning rainbow stretched fully across the sky, glowing in front of dark gray storm clouds that were rushing away to the east. I was approaching a stop light. Left was the way home, where various chores awaited... but right was the way to the rainbow. My husband
was driving behind me, and I knew that if I turned right, he was going to think I had lost my mind. For a split second, practicality made its case: Don’t be silly; go home, you have stuff to do. But then another question darted into my mind: Am I a person who chases rainbows, or am I not? Once I framed it that way, the answer was easy. For kids and grownups alike, this can actually be a helpful way to make all kinds of decisions. When
the moment comes to act, it helps to ask not just What do I feel like doing? but Who am I? Am I a person who tells the truth? Am I a person who helps? Am I a person who persists when times are hard? Am I a person who stops to notice the beautiful things around me? We build identity one choice at a time for our entire lives. The clearer we are about who we want to be, the easier it becomes to know what to do in the moment, to give ourselves evidence that we are, in fact, that sort
of person. I hope the kids in your world grow up thinking of themselves as people who seek what is bright and good and full of wonder. It’s our job to show them that delight is often worth the detour.
—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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Looking for the perfect free Saturday plan? Join us at History Park San Jose (635 Phelan Ave) on Saturday, May 9th, from 10 am – 4 pm for the Family Adventure Festival: Scout-O-Rama! Northern California’s largest Scouting event open to the public features 100+ hands-on activities, including water rockets, obstacle courses, archery, knot tying, and the Pinewood Derby. Enjoy crafts, games, and interactive challenges for all ages. This year’s “World of Scouting” theme includes live entertainment like Taiko drumming, the Vietnamese Lion Dance, and School of Rock. Meet local mascots and enjoy food trucks or bring a picnic for a fun-filled family day!
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A San Jose Giants home game at Excite Ballpark is a classic Minor League experience defined by its intimate, 1940s-era setting, family-oriented entertainment, and proximity to future MLB stars
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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…
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See replicas of the batsuit worn by Michael Keaton in 1989’s Batman; the Val Kilmer Panther Batman and Sonar Batman suits; the George Clooney Batman; Christian Bale's Batman from The Dark Knight; and the Ben Affleck Bat Armor from Batman vs. Superman. Numerous replica hand props and weapons from all the films and some from the 1960s TV show starring Adam West will also be on hand.
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The Annual Earth Day Citywide Clean-Up & Community Fair is a litter pick-up event hosted at Weekes Park. Volunteers come together to collect litter and abandoned debris in various neighborhoods throughout the City. The Annual Earth Day Citywide Clean-Up will take place on Saturday, April 26, 2025. After volunteers collect litter, there will be an Earth Day themed Community Fair at the park, with local organizations hosting booths with activities. Free lunch will be provided to volunteers who register via Eventbrite by Thursday (4/24).
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Our Farmstand is open year round and stocked with already harvested veggies, flowers, heirloom dry beans and preserves all organically grown here at Blue House Farm! We also carry sourdough bread and pastries from Rosalind Bakery, local pastured eggs from Antonio & Sons Farm, chicken, pork, and beef products from our friends at Root Down Farm and Markegard Family Grass-fed, organic seasonal fruit from Frog Hollow Farm and Blossom Bluff Orchards, local honey from State Street Honey, and lots of other goodies from our coastside community!
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Come visit our campus, talk to teachers, parents and students to discover your future at DaVinci Academy!
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Designed especially for children ages 1–5 and their caregivers, Museum Mondays features stories, crafts, and activities inspired by changing themes.
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Get ready to race at this exclusive LEGO® F1® - themed ‘Build the Thrill Event’ only at LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Bay Area from April 16 – May 25!
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U-PICK days are Wednesdays & Saturdays by appointment only. Groups over ten people may reach out for alternative days & times.
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This behind-the-scenes tour will take you through a facility designed to accommodate all current and future animals at Oakland Zoo, from small birds to large tigers and grizzly bears. It features radiology and surgical suites, a small laboratory, a pharmacy, wide transportation docks, and LEED Gold certification.
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the San Jose 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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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the San Jose 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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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the San Jose area? Escape rooms are interactive, puzzle-packed experiences where you and your team work together to solve clues, unlock secrets,
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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