KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: Before I had kids, one of my colleagues told me that fundamentally, a parent’s job is to point. At first, you point physically: You point at the waterfall and say “waterfall,” at the moon and say “moon,” at the flower and say “flower.” You’re helping a child connect sounds to objects, words to concepts, language to reality. But later, and really all the way
through, the pointing becomes more metaphorical. Parenting is the ongoing work of connecting your child’s growing capacity to understand with a world that is, to them, forever expanding. As I had Madison and Ella, I came to think of this as being a tour guide to the world. A good tour guide needs to know the landscape, of course. But even more important, a good tour guide needs to know the traveler. What can this particular child see right now? What are they ready for? What do
they care about? What frightens them? What delights them? It's useful to remember that kids haven’t actually been here before: The world is brand-new to them over and over again, so what feels ordinary to us is often astonishing to a child. Tour guides who are doing their job well pay close attention to who their audience is and what they know, and that makes the pointing easier and more fun. Spring is the perfect season to practice pointing. In spring, the world changes fast
enough for kids to notice. Buds swell and burst. Birds return. Tiny green things push up through the dirt as if by magic. Day to day, the world becomes visibly more alive. If we point it out, kids can catch it happening in real time. And spring does not arrive quietly. It comes as an avalanche of the senses: color, smell, birdsong, mud, wind, sunlight, thunder, petals, pollen, rushing water. So maybe that’s part of the job, too: not just to point, but to lean into it. To stand
beside our kids in the rush of it all and say, Look! Here it comes.
—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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Fri, March 27, Dinosaurs! The Making of Life on Our Planet features a panel of behind-the-scenes stories from the explorers, filmmakers, scientists, and adventurers that created some of the most eye-catching footage of the Netflix docu-serie. "The Nature of Things" host Anthony Morgan speaks to the events that reshaped our ecosystems to the creatures that survived (or did not) along the way, plus live music by artists from The Royal Conservatory. Make sure to come early to explore artifacts from the ROM!
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Making Home in Scarborough is a vibrant pop-up installation celebrating memory, identity, and belonging through cultural traditions and objects we hold dear to our hearts in generations past, present and future. Co-created through conversation and care, community members were invited to share a meaningful object, rooted in a heartfelt story. All speak to how home is made not only in buildings or borders, but in the places, people, and practices that give life meaning.
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Looking Glass Adventures is open all week with extended hours for the holiday. Dive into our exciting, family-friendly escape rooms — perfect for kids, teens, and adults. All games are private — just your group, and you can save $15 off your booking with code MARCHBREAK2026. Spots fill fast, so book your adventure now!
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Need a break? Dinner out with friends? Time to watch a movie in your PJ’s? Let us help! Bring your kids to us for a fun evening of supervised crafts, games, pizza and of course play!
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Hop on by in celebration of Easter. Go on an egg hunt through the Museum’s heritage buildings, snap a pic at the photo station, create a themed craft, explore exhibit galleries and more! Required parent/guardian free of charge.
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Hop on down to Joseph Brant Museum for a Visit with the Easter Bunny! Families can book a 5-minute private visit with the Easter Bunny and have their photo taken by Henry’s Camera. Henry’s will be providing each family with one digital image and a “Free Instant 8×10 Print” voucher for use at an in-store kiosk. Parents are also welcome to use their own cameras. Children will have the opportunity to take part in a scavenger hunt throughout the galleries and complete a Spring-themed craft.
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Downey’s Farm is EGG-cited to welcome back the Easter Bunny and his helpers will be back on the farm.
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Hop on over for Easter photos with Max & Ruby! Saturday, March 28th and Saturday, April 4th · 1 – 4pm. Kids who visit Max and Ruby will receive a FREE 4” x 6” photo with a frame and an Easter Bunny activity book!
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Chickadeedee Puppet Theatre School in Toronto’s Leslieville neighbourhood invites children to discover the playful world of puppetry through creative, hands-on workshops led by professional puppeteers. This March, families can join a series of free sessions where kids design puppets, invent characters, and explore storytelling in a lively theatre studio. Advance registration is required and spaces are limited.
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Head out on an eggventure in Toronto's High Park! Discover which animals lay eggs, their cool adaptations, and the challenges they face.
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Westfield Heritage Village Conservation Area is a living history museum and conservation area. As one of Ontario’s most interesting historical destinations, it boasts a stunning collection of over 35 restored historical buildings, nestled within 204 hectares of conservation land featuring woodlands, meadows, and trails.
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Brampton Recreation invites you to Buzz into Spring at our exciting FREE community events! Join us on March 21 at Save Max Sports Centre and March 29 at Cassie Campbell Community Centre for a fun-filled celebration welcoming the spring season. Families can enjoy interactive activities, entertainment, and opportunities to connect with the community. This inclusive, family-friendly event is free and open to all we can’t wait to celebrate the start of spring with you!
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Join us for an egg-citing adventure with vendor market, face painter, music and sing-along, egg and spoon race, balloon artist and more.
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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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- Celebrate Earth Day: Meridian Waste Children’s Coloring Contest (Contest entry ends April 13) - Submit your artwork online, March 27-29, Any time.
- The Sally Stavro Family Series: Adventure of the Little Rooster - Tarragon Theatre, Toronto, March 28, 11:30
- Free Puppet Theatre Workshops for Kids This March Break - Toronto Puppet Theatre School Chickadeedee, Toronto, March 28, 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM
- Hop on over for Easter photos with Max & Ruby! - Yorkgate Mall, North York, March 28, 1pm - 4pm
- Sunday Tech Time at Toronto Public Library - Alderwood - Toronto Public Library - Alderwood Branch, Etobicoke, March 29, 2 - 3 pm
- Free Sunday at Bata Shoe Museum - Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, March 29, 12 - 5 pm
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Toronto 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 Toronto 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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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Toronto 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 Toronto, based on KidsOutAndAbout's annual reader survey. Our Top 20 results page is an annotated list of the winners, both of the top 20 slots and of the category winners. But there is LOTS more to do in and around
Toronto!
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Wishing you and your family health and happiness,
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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