KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Sat, Dec 27: K-Pop Demon Hunters Skate Party (All Ages): 4pm to 6pm at Rolla Skate Club
Wed, Dec 31: Noon Year's Eve Party! at Fraser Valley Regional Library - Ladner Pioneer
Wed,
Dec 31: New Year’s Eve Public Skate at Bill Copeland Sports Centre
Fri, Jan 9: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets™ in Concert at Orpheum Theatre
Sat, Jan 17: OPEN HOUSE at Terra Early Learning
Sat, Jan 31: The Great Canadian Family Sing-A-Long at Cloverdale Ice Arena, Surrey
Sat, Feb 21: Kenneth Gordon Maplewood School Open House - Feb 21, 2026
Sat, Feb 28: Coldest Night of the Year at Various locations throughout the Vancouver and Toronto areas
Sat, Feb 28: Silk Road Music: Lunar New Year Celebration at Gateway Theatre |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
This Sunday marks the Winter Solstice—Robert Frost’s “darkest evening of the year.” It’s when we in the Northern Hemisphere most appreciate human inventiveness: We flip a switch, and light floods the room. It feels like magic, but it’s not. It’s the result of generations of curious, determined humans trying to make life better, brighter, safer. That’s
why my family celebrates Lightbulb Day every December 21. It’s our homegrown holiday honoring the inventors and problem-solvers whose insights fuel our lives. We toast our favorite technologies, learn some history, imagine the future. Past years’ MVPs include contact lenses, antibiotics, the internet, veterinary
science, and the Covid vaccine. This year’s front-runner: artificial intelligence. Last weekend, I had breakfast with a friend and her 13-year-old daughter, Lily. Lily said she loves math and science but struggles with how her teachers approach the humanities, especially writing. When I showed her how AI can help her learn in the way she learns best, her face lit up. So I went home and wrote a how-to article for Lily, her mom, and any of you with kids in middle school or
older: How Students Can Use AI to Learn to Write (Without Giving Away their Brains). AI isn’t here to think for us. It’s here to help us think more effectively with our own minds. That’s a message worth repeating, especially to our kids. In this new AI age, the real
danger isn’t the technology itself, it’s the temptation to hand our brains over to it and say, “Here, you do all the work.” So this Lightbulb Day, I’m raising an Erlenmeyer flask, not just to the great inventors of the past, but to Lily, and to every young person learning to think with tools rather than letting tools do the thinking. Because the real magic isn’t flipping the switch; it’s understanding where the current comes from, and imagining what we’ll power with it
in the future.
—Debra Ross, publisher
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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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I'm thrilled to announce that my new book The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities (co-authored with Jamie Carter) is now published and shipping across North America! It’s packed with inspiring, true stories of everyday leaders who stepped up during the 2024 eclipse to bring people together, spark change, and strengthen their communities. Told with warmth and insight, this book makes a perfect holiday gift for the visionary, organizer, or community-builder in your life. Click the graphic to order from Amazon on print or Kindle; for other ordering options (including educator and bulk orders), or to see an annotated table of contents and the introduction, head to https://theeclipseeffect.com.
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Curious how your AI know-how compares to other parents? We surveyed over 300 of you, and the results are in! The big takeaway? You aren't alone in feeling overwhelmed. While most parents have a basic grasp of the technology, over 52% feel unequipped to actually guide their kids through it. The number one thing you requested help with was "Digital Defense"—specifically, how to spot misinformation and fake news. You can read the full, fascinating report at kidsoutandabout.com/research. Ready for round two? Help us dive deeper by taking our new, quick 13-question survey here: https://forms.gle/1nTsaG384SW8cUpL7.
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Each weekend highlights a classic element of the holidays. Snack on woodstove baked treats, take in the holiday décor and watch some holiday heritage demonstrations. With a new theme each weekend, you can visit multiple times to fill your holiday cup!
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Experience the Labyrinth of Light- The labyrinth has long been used for meditation, prayer and sites of ritual in various cultures around the world. Created with over 500 pure beeswax candles, the winter solstice labyrinth invites you to warm yourself in a self-guided ceremony intended to help release old attachments and envision new possibilities as the darkest night of the year births a new season.
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Get ready for a hilarious holiday romp in The Grinch Who Stole Chilliwack, the pantomime! Watch as the Grinch, with his bumbling sidekick Max, tries to ruin Christmas for the Wacks down in Chilliwack by stealing everything from decorations to the town’s famous corn. But the clever Wacks of Chilliwack, led by the unstoppable young Patty Wack, are ready to outwit him at every turn, turning his schemes into a comedy of errors. Full of slapstick humor, heartwarming moments, and plenty of holiday cheer, this pantomime will have the whole family laughing, singing, and dancing along—because even the grumpiest Grinch can’t resist the magic of Christmas!
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Celebrating 40 Years of Panto at Metro Theatre! From the team behind last year’s Ovation Award–winning Cinderella! comes Jack and the Beanstalk, Metro’s 40th Holiday Pantomime! A night at the panto might just be the most fun you’ll have at the theatre all year. If you’ve bean-stalking Metro for a while, you know our panto is our silliest-and most beloved-tradition. Boo the villain, cheer the heroes, and laugh ’til the cows come home! That’s RIGHT! There is a cow! And the result is udder nonsense! Follow our hero, fear the giant, love our dancing cow PLUS a talking goose, amazing sets, incredible costumes, terrible jokes and the audience-favourite “The 12 Days of Christmas” it is the perfect side dish for your season of joy! Does any of it make sense? How rude! Who needs sense when your goose can lay a golden egg? Make sure to secure your tickets early as the best seats sell quickly!
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This event is a celebration of winter adaptations at the Fraser River, featuring two weeks of activities. First, you can explore animal survival through challenges and games. Then, you will investigate plant adaptations using science experiments and interactive matching games to uncover seasonal secrets.
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Celebrate community and creativity at Cloverdale Christmas Tree Fest! Experience this community tradition that brings together local businesses and organizations for some friendly competition to decorate the best holiday tree! Wander through the museum’s grand foyer, transformed into a dazzling winter wonderland of creatively decorated trees. Cast your vote for your favourite display and be entered for a chance to win a $100 VISA gift card!
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The Festival presents four Saturdays of fabulously festive and absolutely free concerts on Dundarave Beach. With the support of our Festival Founders, the District of West Vancouver and the Government of British Columbia, the Dundarave Festival has become one of the principal funders of arts and culture in our community during the Christmas season.
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Joyfully dive into the holiday season with our inflatable obstacle course and festive deck games for a chance to win some fun prizes. Family rates apply. Children 7 years old and under must be accompanied by an adult.
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LIVE music and lighting the 5th Hanukkah Candle, accompanied by traditional sufganiyot (donuts), arts & crafts for kids, and a movie screening for teens. Bring a dish to share, potluck style.
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What has become a popular Shadbolt holiday season tradition, the B3 Kings return to deliver some classic Christmas groove to make your season bright! Formed in 2002 for a Christmas concert at Cory Weeds’ Cellar Jazz Club, the B3 Kings were such a huge hit that the concert has become an annual sensation - and the band has toured extensively in BC and Alberta. The quartet is anchored by Canadian vocal sensation, Denzal Sinclaire (who also doubles as the band’s drummer). Denzal is known internationally as a jazz star, with his praises sung by the likes of Diana Krall and Cassandra Wilson. Hammond B3 organist, Chris Gestrin is responsible for bringing the funk with his wicked organ grooves and creative arrangements of the Christmas classics. Cory Weeds is a renowned tenor saxophonist with an expressive sound rooted in Jazz tradition. Guitarist Bill Coon is as funky as they come, but brings with him a wonderful jazz sensibility that compliments the quartet beautifully.
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Behind the Gate Theatre Company in conjunction with the Kilby Historic Site present “The Nutcracker,” the story behind the beloved ballet. Performed in Reader’s Theatre style with festive music peppered throughout. This performance is suitable for all ages. Runtime is 90 minutes. Tickets are for festival seating so plan to come early to secure the best seats. Doors open at 6:30PM. Please note that this performance takes place at Memorial Hall (290 Esplanade Ave) in Harrison Hot Springs.
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Step into a brand new multi-sensory journey, a luminous world where fantasy and nature intertwine. Walk through glowing lanterns and enchanting displays that captivate and awe. Wonder awaits around every corner.
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Take out your calendar - you have a lot of scheduling to do to fit in all the incredible Holiday Break Camps taking place in and around our area! If we're missing a camp that should be on this list, please email us to let us know.
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EXPERIENCES create memories much more than stuff does. As you're considering gifts for family and friends, consider giving the gift of a family membership to one of our local attractions in and around the Vancouver area. Here are local organizations that
offer memberships.
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- CP Holiday Train-British Columbia - CP Holiday Train, various stops in Canada and United States, BC, check website, Dec 19-20
- Deck the Halls Christmas Drop-In, Historic Stewart Farm, Surrey, 4-7 pm, Dec 20-21
- Dundarave Festival, Dundarave Beach, West Vancouver, see website for details,
Dec 20
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Ring in the New Year with a little help from KidsOutAndAbout! Our Big List of family-Friendly celebrations is just what you need to find ball drops, fireworks displays, NOON Year's Eve fun, activities, parties and more! If your favorite isn't on the list be
sure to send us an email and we'll add it pronto.
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Vancouver 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 and around Vancouver, based on KidsOutAndAbout's annual reader survey. There is LOTS more to do in and around Vancouver even beyond the Top 20...Get great ideas here at KidsOutAndAbout.com! What is listed below are just
the starting point: Browse through our site and calendar to find lots more, and be sure to click on Everything That's Free.
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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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