KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: When I was a teenager, I had a teacher who became a mentor without ever knowing he was one. He was aware I’d been going through some difficult times, and was glad to hear I was almost on the other side. “Some people aren't lucky enough to have dealt with hard things when they're young,” he told me. Then he added the phrase that has echoed in my head for decades:
“Remember the rocks.” Life, he explained, was always going to toss boulders into my path. The trick was to recognize, early, that even if it was painful or scary, I was capable of getting around, or over, or through them. Remembering how I’d managed would help me trust myself more when the next, bigger ones appeared. As a parent, I think about that often, about how the only way to become someone who does hard things is… to do hard
things. It’s tempting to rush in and smooth every unpleasant obstacle our kids encounter. When we email the teacher, mend the friendship, rescue the forgotten homework, eliminate every discomfort, we may feel helpful in the moment, but in fact we’re quietly removing the practice stones they need. Resilience doesn’t come from being told “You’re strong”; it comes from evidence that only they can gather, from working through manageable challenges and thinking, That was hard.
And I handled it. We don’t need to manufacture their challenges—being a kid is difficult enough. And we don’t abandon them to do it all on their own, either. We just learn to pause, to weigh advice against intervention, and to let them see what they can manage. The goal is that later in life, when something truly difficult lands in our children's path, they won’t just hope they can manage it, they’ll know. Now, many years later, when I encounter something
daunting, I think back to my mentor and remember the rocks. "I do hard things," I tell myself. And it works.
—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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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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iD Tech: The World's #1 STEM Summer Camp! BattleBots® Camp? You can only get it here. Roblox Camp? We've got that and more in our Summer '26 lineup. Register today at the top-rated tech camp for 25 years and counting! iD Tech is the very best
experience built around your child—their interests, their skill level, their goals for the future. Trusted by 75+ of the world’s top universities and over 1,000,000 parents, iD Tech is where kids and teens learn from the best—coding, game dev, robotics, and more. The future starts at iD Tech!
Click here for more information about your local iD Tech opportunities! Virtual camps are also available!
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Journey down the rabbit hole with the Canadian Children’s Opera Company’s enchanting production of Alice in Wonderland. Inspired by Lewis Carroll’s beloved 1865 novel, this spectacular opera invites audiences to follow Alice through a vibrant Wonderland
straight from her imagination. Through a whimsical score and stunning visuals, this playful retelling will spark wonder in audiences of all ages. Featuring over 100 children and youth of the CCOC, accompanied by a professional chamber orchestra.
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Arcadia Earth is a multi-sensory journey that combines creative art installations and exciting technology to inspire visitors to take action towards a more sustainable future. This immersive experience showcases the beauty of our planet and the impact of
human actions on the environment. Our goal is to inspire visitors to be part of the solution for creating a better world.
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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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Based on the beloved comic strip by Charles M. Schulz, this musical comedy chronicles the adventures of Charlie Brown and the entire Peanuts gang. Through hilarious scenes and toe-tapping songs, they explore life’s great questions–all while playing
baseball, struggling with homework, swooning over crushes, and celebrating the joy of friendship.
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Celebrate the city we love as Celebrate Toronto takes over Nathan Phillips Square for Toronto’s 192nd birthday with an unforgettable festival.
Explore 120+ local vendors and artisans, indulge in food stalls spotlighting flavours from across the city’s many cultures, and soak in the energy of live performances happening throughout the evening.
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After touring over 100 cities in 24 countries and entering CNN's list of “Must-See” exhibitions, Art of the Brick is coming to Toronto. The exhibit immerses the visitor in a cheerful and colorful world. The artist used more than a million bricks, creating
over 130+ works of art that can make adults and children smile and reflect.
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Bundle up and join us for a family-friendly birding walk in Toronto’s High Park to spot peculiar winter ducks.
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Welcome to TD Community Sundays at MOCA! Enjoy free admission to the museum all day and a drop-in workshop. It’s a great chance for all ages to explore MOCA’s exhibitions together.
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Lighting up the new year with six new stories!
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The Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival is a sure sign of spring. Come out and tap into nature! At Bruce’s Mill Conservation Park and Kortright Centre for Conservation.
Enjoy demonstrations, activities … and, of course, real maple syrup! Special family-fun activities on weekends, March break and Easter weekend.
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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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Bird Kingdom is the World’s Largest Free-Flying Indoor Aviary. Discover hundreds of tropical birds as you explore the pathways throughout the multi-level rainforest. Meet friendly parrots and exotic animals at Bird Kingdom’s Animal Encounters. Lorikeet
Landing provides an unforgettable experience where you may feed and interact with the playful Lorikeet parrots. Just minutes from the cascading Niagara Falls, Bird Kingdom fits into your nature-inspired day trip. Open (and warm) every day of the year, with excellent reviews landing Bird Kingdom in the Tripadvisor Hall of Fame. Bird Kingdom is an adventure that is fun for all ages!
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- Sharks at ROM - Royal Ontario Museum, Queens Park,
Toronto, ON M5S 2C6, Friday, March 6 to Sunday, March 8, 10 am - 4 pm
- 2026 ILLUMINITE - Downtown Yonge, Old Toronto, Toronto,
ON, Friday, March 6 to Sunday, March 8, 10am-10pm
- 2026 Lunar Lanterns - Varley Art Gallery of Markham, Main Street Unionville, Unionville, ON, Friday, March 6 to Sunday, March 8, 12am
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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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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 Toronto 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 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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