KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
The February my daughter Ella was 1, she caught a cold that lingered for months. There were short stretches of relief, but mostly there was congestion, disrupted sleep, and a level of crankiness that turned my sunny baby into someone I barely recognized. The clouds around her felt constant, and one day, I caught myself labeling her in my head as “the crabby one.” But
of course, if I had a perpetually runny nose and no way to manage it, I’d be irritable, too! I needed to remember this wasn’t her personality, it was a season. What we needed to get through it was distraction: something fun to do "right now" and also fun things to anticipate. Aside from those who live in paradise pockets like San Diego, most of our readers are in the thick of a particularly dreary winter. The world feels heavy and gray, energy
runs low, and it’s easy to fixate on how dispirited we feel. But we need to remember that this isn't our personality, it's a season. What we need to get through it is distraction in the moment and also something positive we can place on our horizon. My family is counting down to the March 20 release of Project Hail Mary, which stars Ryan Gosling. The movie is based on the novel by Andy Weir, who also wrote The Martian. You don't have to be a science nerd to love Weir's books
(although science nerds DO love Weir's books), because in all of them, the real hero is human ingenuity—curiosity, flexible thinking, doing what needs to be done even in extreme circumstances. When things are going awry, the answer isn’t despair, it’s problem-solving, and I always emerge from a Weir book feeling spiritually lighter. While I immerse myself in Weir and Gosling, you, of course, should do YOU! Let the art or sport that grabs you and your kids be your launch ticket
to optimism now, and lift you to fun in the future. We're glad to provide the fuel!
—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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The all-new 2026 Camp Invention® program, Spark, is coming to curious kids in your community this summer! Rising K-6 campers will collaborate with friends to tackle hands-on, open-ended challenges. They’ll team up with robotic capybaras, ride the waves of
entrepreneurship, uncover the power of protecting their ideas and build a DIY space rocket! Each experience is designed to spark confidence, build persistence and create unforgettable summer memories. Visit invent.org/save/camp to secure your spot! Register using CIFUN25 by 3/31 to save $25 or CIFUN20 by 4/28 to save $20 when you register. Interest-free payment plans are available, making camp affordable for all families.
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The Experiments in Sound series includes regional performers and musicians that invite you to listen, participate and imagine.
Lights and music turn on nightly from 5:00 PM to 12 Midnight Sonic Runway is a light-art installation that visualizes the speed of sound created by a team of artists including lead artist Rob Jensen, co-lead Warren Trezevant, and design by Stockhausen.
Free and open to the public.
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This laser spectacle, set to the music from K-Pop Demon Hunters, is nonstop fun for all ages!
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Lion dancers! Martial arts! Taiko drums! Celebrate the Lunar New Year in Redwood City and welcome good fortune! The 15th annual celebration, presented by the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department and Redwood City International, features lion
dancers, martial artists, taiko drummers, other live performances, and kids arts and crafts for this vibrant celebration of the Year of the Horse. Plus, folks can enjoy FREE ADMISSION to the San Mateo County History Museum where they can continue to explore local exhibits!
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Bring the family to our Train Club Open House celebrating Bay Area Rail, Short Lines, and Transit! See BART, Amtrak, and local freight trains brought to life in miniature on our large operating layout. It’s a fun, indoor event for all ages. Join us February
28 & March 1, 10AM–4PM at 645 Loring Ave, Crockett. Admission is $5 and kids 16 & under are free.
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Our enthusiastic staff will organize games, relays, crafts & supervised free play. Pizza is provided. Let us entertain your kids while you enjoy an evening out!
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Join us for a special storytime in the Wonder Cabinet Forest.
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Abba-mania reigns supreme as the eight-piece production show The Abba Concert Experience starring Summer Night City performs all the greatest hits of one of the world's most beloved pop Super-Groups of the 70's: ABBA!
From the smash pop stage musical Mamma Mia to all the international pop chart faves that made this ensemble famous, you'll hear (and see) all the costumes, and lights of the original ABBA shows, duplicated to near perfection.
This family friendly show is a delight for all ages and features many of the songs you've come to know and love over the years - plus some you may have forgotten!
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Louis Pearl has been thrilling audiences around the world for over 30 years with the art, magic, science and fun of bubbles. He is a favorite at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where he has enjoyed twelve years of sell-out success.
Louis explores the breath-taking dynamics of bubbles, combining comedy and artistry with audience participation and enough spellbinding bubble tricks to keep everyone mesmerized. From square bubbles, bubbles inside bubbles, fog-filled bubbles, giant bubbles, bubble volcanoes, tornados and trampolines to people inside bubbles, the Amazing Bubble Man conjures shrieks of laughter and gasps of amazement from all ages.
approx. 75 minutes, with no intermission
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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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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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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the San Jose 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!
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2025's Best Places to Take Kids in San Jose survey winners: What are the best places to take kids in the Bay Area? Each summer, thousands of parents vote in the KidsOutAndAbout survey of the Top 20 Places to Take Kids. Who won the top spot? Click through to
find out!
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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