KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Tue, Aug 4: Mini Golf Family Fun - Family Fun Extravaganza
Tue, Aug 4: Issaquah Concerts on the Green: Drop it like it's Yacht
Wed, Aug 5: Salish Sea Storytime - August | Harbor WildWatch
Fri, Aug 7: Edmonds Block Party 2026
Fri, Aug 7: 2026 Sunflower Festival at Mountainview Blueberry Farm
Sat, Aug 8: Covington KidsFest at Covington Community Park
Tue, Aug 11: Issaquah Concerts on the Green: Harmonious Funk
Fri, Aug 14: KIDSTAGE Anastasia the Musical
Fri, Aug 14: Family Dance Party - Family Fun Extravaganza
Fri, Aug 14: Movie Night at Legacy Square - Black Panther |
Sometimes, paradise itches. While on vacation recently, I discovered an almost-perfect trail adjacent to our rental house: flat, sandy, well-maintained, and, that morning, completely empty except for my family, Penny, and Skye. The dogs raced ahead and back as we wandered at a gentler pace. But the farther we ventured from civilization, and the more times we lingered to check out a surprising little stream
or colorful mushroom, the more the mosquitoes flocked. And when we got back to the house, I found a tick on Penny. Software people have an old joke: “It’s not a bug; it’s a feature.” After 25 years of publishing on the internet, I can confirm that anything complicated you create with software requires plenty of debugging. Bugs are part of the creative process, whether the creator is a human being or Nature itself. They’re built-in features of a world busy being alive. An
entirely bug-free life would be a pretty sterile one. Kids take their cues from us about what counts as a good experience, which is why I advocate looking at life through rose-colored lenses. Was the picnic still fun if it rained? Was the trip worthwhile if someone got cranky? Did the missed turn spoil the adventure? If one inconvenience earns the whole day a rating of RUINED, we teach children that delight is fragile and reality perpetually defective. They may start waiting
for perfect conditions before letting themselves have fun... and that is a lot of power to hand a mosquito. Tweezer out the ticks. Then keep walking.
—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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Celebrate art, creativity, and community at Bellevue Arts Fair Weekend! Discover handcrafted works from 250+ artisans at The Bellevue Arts Museum Arts Fair, held in partnership with The Bellevue Collection and the Arts Market, hosted with the Bellevue Downtown Association.
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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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For 40 years, Renton River Days has been more than a festival; it’s a tradition woven into the heart of the community. Families, neighbors, and visitors gather along the Cedar River to celebrate what makes Renton special: connection, culture, and shared pride.
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Urban Craft Uprising was founded in the winter of 2005 to showcase the work of independent crafters, artists and designers — to provide a unique, high quality, hand-crafted alternative to “big box” stores and mass produced goods. At our Summer Show, you can now find 130+ makers all selling handmade goods both indoors and out, including jewelry, housewares, clothing, toys, bath & body products, candles, and so much more!
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Gear up for mini golf! This summer, the Olympic Sculpture Park transforms into a one-of-a-kind mini golf course, bringing together sports and art on the waterfront.
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Joseph is a dreamer. Betrayed and enslaved, he rises again with faith, forgiveness, and a dazzling colorful coat. Set against the backdrop of a summer camp, this beloved family-friendly tale bursts with pop, gospel, calypso, and rock. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s musical comedy classic invites all generations to experience a vibrant, heartfelt celebration of hope.
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Join us for UTSAV MELA 2026, a spectacular celebration of India’s Independence Day filled with culture, community spirit, and patriotic pride! Experience a vibrant day bringing together families, friends, artists, entrepreneurs, and community leaders to honor India’s rich heritage and unity in diversity.
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Kids of all abilities can explore our children's play area located in the Side Gallery, adjacent to the Great Gallery. Young intrepid flyers can strap into flight harnesses to test their piloting skills in one of two hang gliding simulators. An aircraft instrumentation area helps kids learn what it takes to control a flying machine. Sit in the cockpits and operate the controls of a real Rotorway Scorpion helicopter, Thorp T-18 homebuilt aircraft, and a P-47D replica. Conduct high-speed aerodynamic experiments examining the performance of a variety of shapes in a wind machine.
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Celebrate your family’s special moments with Shoott’s FREE 30-minute outdoor photo sessions! Whether it’s summer vacation photos, family portraits, birthday milestones, or simply capturing everyday joy, our talented local photographers make the experience easy and fun. You only pay for the photos you love, with no upfront cost or sitting fee. Receive a gallery of beautifully edited images within days and choose your favorites. Book your session at shoott.com and create lasting memories!
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2026'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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Nothing says SUMMER quite like going to an amusement park with your family! We've put together a great list of ones you can visit within driving distance of Seattle. So, pack the sunscreen, load up the car and head out on a grand adventure!
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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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