KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Tue, Jun 9: UWB Collaboratory Repair Cafe - June
Tue, Jun 9: Curiosity Club: Magnets | Vashon Library
Thu, Jun 11: Fish Tales at the Point Defiance Marina
Fri, Jun 12: Community Access Skate Night at the Everett Community Ice Rink
Fri, Jun 12: The Taming of the Shrew | Studio East
Sat, Jun 13: Youth Student Art Show | Picket Fence Art Studio
Sat, Jun 13: Summer Street Festival - Crown Hill Village
Sat, Jun 13: Beach Naturalist Shore Stroll at Olympic Sculpture Park
Sat, Jun 13: Sensory-Friendly Hours at Pacific Science Center
Sun, Jun 14: Family Game Day! at Blue Highway Games |
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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Friday, May 29, 2026: The TACOMA, WA screening of the 15th annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival! Hosted by James Kennedy (author of The Order of Odd-Fish and more) and Tacoma’s own Doug Mackey. At Grant Center for the Expressive Arts (2510 N 11th St). 5 pm. Get your FREE tickets at https://90secondnewbery.com/events.
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HONK! Fest West is an accessible community music festival driven by the energetic performances of street bands in public spaces. Bands at HONK! Fest West travel from all over the country to temporarily transform streets in various neighborhoods with a free showcase of various musical styles. The bands represent traditions ranging from New Orleans second line brass bands, punk rock marching bands, European Klezmer, Balkan and Romani music, Samba, Maracatu, as well as the passion and spirit of Mardi Gras and Carnival!
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Moomins’ Sea Adventures brings Moominvalley to life with illustrations and life-sized characters from the stories. In the center of the exhibit is an interactive island complete with a lighthouse and rowboats that invites visitors to imagine adventures of their own. Designed for visitors of all ages, the exhibition invites play, exploration, and emotional connection.
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Prepare for liftoff! Artemis Adventure with LEGO Bricks launches you into the world of space exploration, challenging you to think, build, and problem solve like an astronaut. Inspired by NASA’s Artemis missions, this all-ages exhibition combines real-world science with the limitless creativity of LEGO bricks.
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See Point Defiance from a kids’ point of view. Early walkers and confident toddlers are invited to join Park Guide Jenn on a child-led hike through Point Defiance Park. Connect with nature and enjoy a quick lesson on plant safety and taking care of the environment. Free! No pre-registration required.
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- Public Peapod Program - The Center for Wooden Boats - The Center for Wooden Boats - 1010 Valley Street, Seattle, WA 98109, United States, May 29, 2026 to August 30, 2026, Hours vary--please see website
- The 15th Annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival: Tacoma - Grant Center for the Expressive Arts - North 11th Street, Tacoma, WA, USA, May 29, 2026, 5PM
- 2026 HONK! Fest West - Multiple locations around Seattle, WA - Multiple locations around Seattle, WA, May 29, 2026 to May 31, 2026, See website
- Pictionary Game Night: Free Family Event with Pizza! - Northwest Art
Center - Duvall, WA, USA, May 29, 2026, 6:00pm-8:00pm
- Free spring mini photo session with Shoott! Seattle-Tacoma area - Shoott - Broadway, New York, NY, USA, May 29, 2026 to May 31, 2026, See link for times
- Tots on the Trail at Point Defiance Park - Fort Nisqually Picnic Shelter - Point Defiance Park, Tacoma, WA, May 29, 2026 to August 28, 2026, 10 am
- Zine
& Comic Workshop | Puyallup Public Library - Puyallup Public Library - 324 South Meridian, Puyallup, WA 98371, United States, May 30, 2026 to June 27, 2026, 11 am - 2 pm
- Chess Club for Kids and Teens - Shoreline Library - Shoreline Library - 345 Northeast 175th
Street, Shoreline, WA 98155, United States, May 31, 2026, 1 pm - 3 pm
- Used Puzzle Exchange! - Blue Highway Games - Blue Highway Games - 2203 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109, United States, May 31, 2026 to October 25, 2026, 11am - 3pm
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Seattle 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! In addition to Seattle there are
locations in Mercer Island, Bellevue, Kirkland, Newcastle, Shoreline, Renton, Lake Forest Park, Redmond, Kingsgate, Kenmore, and SeaTac.
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Seattle 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 Seattle area? 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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