KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Mon, Mar 2: First Day of Creative Art Classes for Kids on Mondays (March) at Picket Fence Art Studio
Wed, Mar 4: Bird Science Exploration at the Renton Library
Thu, Mar 5: Emerald City Comic Con 2026 at Seattle Convention Center
Sat, Mar 7: Bug Bonanza! Family Workshop at Bellevue Botanical Garden
Sat, Mar 7: Carnation Farms Meat & Greet: a Hands-on Visit with Sheep and Cattle
Sun, Mar 8: Northwest Record Show at Seattle Center
Tue, Mar 10: Snow White at Kirkland Performance Center
Sat, Mar 14: Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead: Diving Bells - Puget Sound Navy Museum
Thu, Mar 19: March Art Walk Edmonds
Sat, Mar 21: Spring for Local Market at Infinity Farm Issaquah |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: February is Children’s Dental Health Month, which means it's the perfect time to talk about LYING. The first lie my daughter Madison ever attempted was when she was about 3. "Did you brush your teeth?” I asked as she was getting ready for bed. She nodded earnestly, but I had my doubts; a check of the toothbrush revealed it was dry as the Sahara.
"Looks like we need a do-over," I said. "Try again." In a 2025 Delta Dental study of 1000 parents of kids age 12 and under, 67% of respondents reported difficulty in getting their kids to brush their teeth. And in a related but thoroughly unscientific
survey, 100% of the friends I asked told me that their own kids have lied about tooth brushing at least once. See, young children don’t experience truth as adults do; their developing minds blur the line between reality and hope, between what happened and what they would prefer had happened. Brushing is tedious, being done is better. Add a desire to please Mom, and those wires can cross. In those early years, our job is to help kids gradually separate fact from wishful
thinking. You might think that prosecuting dishonesty harshly might scare kids into telling the truth, but that often just scares them into hiding more cleverly. Our goal as parents isn't just to have kids who brush their teeth and do their own homework and someday file tax returns without creative interpretations of “business mileage,” although we do want all those things. But overall, we want kids who are brave enough to be, rather than seem to be. If
they see early that mistakes can be brought into the light and fixed with a do-over, they’re far less likely to build a life around pretending they didn't happen. So my best recommendation for Children's Dental Health Month is to model both scrupulous honesty and scrupulous teeth-brushing yourself. In case you need an immediate solution, though, I hunted down a list of kids' best tooth-brushing songs thoughtfully supplied by the American Dental Association. Grit your teeth and hum along.
—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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Summer camps at The Center for Wooden Boats give young people the chance to learn, explore, and build confidence on Seattle’s waterfront. From beginner sailing for first-time sailors to hands-on woodworking and boatbuilding camps, our programs combine
skill-building, teamwork, and outdoor adventure. Campers learn to sail small boats, work safely with tools, solve problems, and develop independence in a supportive, welcoming environment. Camps run throughout the summer for ages 5–14, with experienced instructors and a strong focus on safety, curiosity, and fun. Scholarships are available to ensure cost is not a barrier. Explore sessions and enroll now to give your child a summer they will remember.
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Northwest Art Center will provide the art studio, supplies, ideas, art demos, supportive environment, soda and snacks completely FREE of charge. Our mission is to bring teens together in a safe and nurturing environment where they can explore their
individuality through art.
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The Northwest Flower & Garden Festival is returning to the Seattle Convention Center February 18-22, 2026. Join us for 5 days of flower and garden inspiration!
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Bremerton's Admiral Theatre and Kitsap Bank proudly present the 2026 Stages For All Ages: School Day Series production of Don't Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus! The Musical! This production is directed by Admiral Theatre Producing Artistic Director Richard
Padro and stars a talented cast of regionally-based actors. For casting inquiries, email richard@admiraltheatre.org.
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The Village at Totem Lake invites the community to attend its annual Lunar New Year Celebration on Saturday, February 21, 2026, from 1pm to 4pm. This vibrant event welcomes the Year of the Horse with an afternoon of cultural performances, activities, and
more.
• Traditional Lion Dance by Mak Fai
• Martial Arts Demo
• Crafts and Cultural Activities
• Wheel of Lunar Luck
• Village-wide Scavenger Hunt
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- Lap Sit Baby Story Time | Redmond Library - Redmond Library, 15990 Northeast 85th Street, Redmond, Friday, 02/19/2026 to Saturday, 02/20/2026, 12 pm - 1 pm
- Celebrate Black History Month at
People's Community Center - People's Community Center, Tacoma, Friday, 02/19/2026 to Sunday, 02/22/2026, See website
- Family Story Time - Shoreline Library - Shoreline Library, 345 Northeast 175th Street, Shoreline, Saturday, 02/20/2026, 10 am - 10:30 am
- Celebrate Black History Month at People's Community Center: Open Art Activities for Youth - People's Community Center, Tacoma, Saturday, 02/20/2026, 5 pm - 7 pm
- Artist Hangout, A Club for Teens - Northwest Art Center, Duvall, Saturday, 02/20/2026, 6-8pm
- Free Dental Screenings - Hands On Children's Museum, 414 Jefferson St NE, Olympia, Saturday, 02/21/2026, 2–4 pm
- Hilltop Healthy Kids and Family Carnival at
People's Community Center - People's Community Center, Tacoma, Saturday, 02/21/2026, 12 pm - 4 pm
- Lunar New Year Celebration at The Village - The Village at Totem Lake, Kirkland, Saturday, 02/21/2026, 1pm-4pm
- Saturday Family Concert: Bug Friend - Town Hall Seattle, 8th Avenue, Seattle, Saturday, 02/21/2026, 11:00AM
- PNA's 2026 Lunar New Year Celebration - 6532 Phinney Avenue North, Seattle, Saturday, 02/21/2026, 12 pm - 4 pm
- Chess Club for Kids and Teens - Shoreline Library - Shoreline Library, 345 Northeast 175th Street, Shoreline,
Sunday, 02/22/2026, 1 pm - 3 pm
- All Ages BINGO Game Night! | Sammamish - Sammamish Library, 825 228th Ave SE, Sammamish, Sunday, 02/22/2026, 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the Seattle 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 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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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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2025's best places to take kids in the Seattle area. Each May-June, 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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