KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Sat, Jun 27: Summer Kick Off Party
Sat, Jul 4: Everett 4th of July 5K
| Run 2 Be Fit
Sat, Jul 4: 5K Edmonds 4th of July Run & 1k Family Fun Run
Sat, Jul 4: 4th of July Parade in Downtown
Burien
Sat, Jul 4: Bellevue Family 4th
Mon, Jul 6: The Concert Truck - Renton | Coulon Park
Tue, Jul 7: Issaquah Concerts on the Green: Prom Date Mix Tape
Wed, Jul 8: Music in the Park with Mariachi - Family Fun Extravaganza
Thu, Jul 9: Meet Real Farm Animals with Animal Encounters
Thu, Jul 9: Village Fun Days
Fri, Jul 10: The Teddy Bear Picnic at Swope Park
Fri, Jul 10: Ballard SeafoodFest 2026 |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
The summer I was 5, my parents took our family to Cape Cod for a week. In Provincetown, we bought a kite, then headed to the dunes in North Truro, where my sister and I spent hours running full-tilt up and down the bare white hills. We’d scramble to the top, turn, and launch ourselves downward, legs windmilling, hair flying, lungs full of salt air and triumph. Invariably, we’d
fall, slap into the soft, sun-warmed sand, pop back up, and do it again. Tumbling down the dunes was gravity. Sand was friction. The kite tugging on our arms was air on the move. We didn't have words to describe these phenomena—we were little kids, not tiny physicists with notebooks. A decade later, my calculus teacher would give me the words and symbols to process motion conceptually, but experiences like this had already taught my body that I was an actor in the physics of
the world. My body understood. Summer is the perfect time for kids to learn motion from the inside out. Motion is in amusement park rides, in waves bobbing ducks and inner tubes up and down at the lake, in trains pulling you forward in one dimension and airplanes moving you through three. It’s in bikes and swings and Frisbees and trampolines and slip-and-slides, in tumbling through the days without realizing that learning is happening. As tour guides to our
kids’ universe, we can point gently: Feel how the swing slows at the top? Notice how the wave lifts you before it lets you down? See how leaning changes the bike’s path? But the point is not to turn summer into physics class. The point is to help kids notice how the world feels as they move through it. The equations can come later; now is the time for motion, and for the emotion that accompanies it. Summer’s gift is the body’s memory: wind, water, speed, balance, falling, landing, and getting up
to run again.
—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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Each week brings new adventures during the Summer Splash! Festival of Fun! Our event calendar is filled with exciting activities and special guests that spark creativity, curiosity, and wonder.
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Woven in Wool: Resilience in Coast Salish Weaving showcases both historical and contemporary woven items, including blankets, tunics, hoods, and skirts. Journey through the seasonal cycle of weaving, from gathering materials and spinning wool to dyeing with natural ingredients and weaving intricate designs. Along the way, learn firsthand from weavers and gain insight into the deep cultural and scientific knowledge embedded in every strand.
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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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Save the date! Our gem, mineral, rock and jewelry show will be the last weekend in June 2026, June 27-28. This FREE event is great for families, and free parking is available. We welcome individuals interested in geology, mineralogy, paleontology, gems, and related lapidary arts to join us. The club aims to stimulate interest in studying the earth sciences, lapidary arts, and related subjects. All are welcome, and membership is open to everyone.
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We are so thrilled to be hosting our annual summer Gobble Up event at Lake Union Park again this year! Since its beginnings in 2017, Gobble Up has grown to be one of our most beloved festivals of the year, as it provides all of our fabulous small batch food producers the chance to get their delicious products into your hands (and bellies)! The summer version of this show will be taking place at Lake Union Park, where you’ll be able to enjoy the summer weather, an amazing view of the lake, and the chance to shop with 75+ of our fantastic foodie small businesses and food trucks, under the sun! YES PLEASE!
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Capitol Hill's largest event is back! PrideFest Capitol Hill spans six blocks of Broadway, Barbara Bailey Way, and Cal Anderson Park, featuring three stages, vendors, food, and fun for all ages. Best of all? It's FREE for all.
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Celebrate midsummer with us at our Strawberry Moon Festival, a Litha-inspired gathering held on the eve of June’s full moon. This is a time of light, abundance, and shared magic... An invitation to come together in community, honor the season’s sweetness, and welcome the energy of growth and connection.
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PrideFest Seattle Center is BACK! Follow the Pride Parade to the biggest festival day all year at the Seattle Center, with hundreds of vendors, 100+ artists on three stages, dancing in the fountain, food, family, and fun for all ages. Best of all? It's FREE for all.
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The Concert Truck is rolling back into Seattle! Celebrating its fifth SCMS residency, the truck will bring four different chamber music programs to 20+ locations across the city from June 18-July 6, 2026. This concert hall on wheels brings the joy of chamber music right to you—perfect for families, first-time listeners, and chamber music lovers looking for a fun, relaxed way to experience live music. Free and open to the public. Registration not required.
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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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The Seattle Area's Pick-Your-Own Fruit Listed below are farms in and near Seattle that offer pick your own fruits, berries, and vegetables. And... to make the most of your experience, check out our
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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