KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Fri, May 1: Youth Week in Langley City
Sat, May 2: Fingerling
Festival
Fri, May 8: Mother’s Day Traditional Pow Wow
Sun, May 10: SuperMOM Walk/Run
Thu, May 14: Cloverdale Rodeo & Country Fair
Sat, May 23: Vancouver Anime-Fest
Sat, May 30: OWL Orphaned Wildlife Open House Fundraiser
Thu, Jun 11: FIFA Fan Festival™ Vancouver
Sat, Jun 13: Farm Fair
Sat, Jun 20: Surrey Nature Centre Open House
Sat, Jun 27: Pollinator Palooza |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
When my kids were little, one of our favorite nature activities was also one of the simplest: We’d head out onto a trail, stop among the trees, and play the Listening Game. The rules were easy: Close your eyes. The first time you hear a sound, any sound at all, put up one finger. Then add another for each new sound you notice. After a minute or two, someone says, “Open
your eyes,” and everyone compares fingers and talks about what they heard. It’s a small exercise in attention, but it changes how kids experience the world. The invisible becomes visible... not to the eyes, exactly, but to the mind. Things that were just out of range suddenly move onto our radar. Nature is full of motion and music, and this game helps us tune ourselves to it. The free Merlin Bird ID app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology takes that magic one step further: Tap Sound ID, and suddenly the songs around you appear on your screen as a voiceprint and a bird name and an image that shows you what to look for. And what a moment ago was only background atmosphere becomes a Carolina Wren, or an Eastern Whip-poor-will, or the Common Yellowthroat pictured above,
singing his heart out for a girl with a camera. That’s one of the great tasks of childhood, and of the adults who love children: to help hidden things come into view. Before we know something, it is almost as if it isn’t there. But once it is named, we have a new way to see. There are suddenly new dimensions to our universe, helping us transform even more mysteries into things that are ours. And we never really experience the woods—or the field, or the river, or
the ocean, or the city, or our backyard—the same way 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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Vancouver Aquarium AquaCamps offer your children 5 to 12 years of age a fun and educational experience while offering opportunities to make friends for a lifetime. Our 5 day camps are filled with hands-on activities, animal observations, crafts and time to run around outside to fully engage your children in an environment that encourages active learning. Children will learn about local and exotic animals, life cycles, food webs, adaptations, ecosystems and sustainability.
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Fraser Valley Stage Production Society is bringing ....The Wizard of Oz. Before "Wicked", before "The Wiz" and other countless retellings, there was the great and powerful, "The Wizard of Oz". This show delights in all of the charm, music and fun that made the original movie a timeless classic. This is a family production.
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Every Sunday, kids can get out of the house and score a movie ticket and Snack Pack (popcorn, drink, choice of candy treat) for one great, low price. Every movie, every Sunday. Landmark Cinemas' Kid's Day – turn the average Sunday into a movie-filled Funday. Check your favourite Landmark Cinemas for showtimes.
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Step into a breathtaking floral wonderland with our one-of-a-kind Tulip Forest! Wander through a sea of colorful blooms as vibrant tulips surround you in a magical, woodland-inspired setting. Whether you're capturing the perfect springtime photo or simply soaking in the beauty of nature, this enchanting experience is unlike any other in Canada. New this season, discover our show stopping Giant Teapot, a whimsical centerpiece nestled within the forest, creating an unforgettable photo moment and adding even more storybook charm to your spring visit. Visit us during Spring at the Farm or BAE Days to immerse yourself in this magical floral experience!
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Get creative and design your dream lip product! Join us and customize lip gloss and balm made from plant oils, butters, and beeswax. Mix and match food grade flavour oils, cosmetic grade pigments and create your own unique combination. We've got a range of flavour options, from classic Vanilla to Blue Raspberry, Chocolate, Strawberry, Mint, and Honeydew Melon. And to add that perfect pop of colour, choose from a range of cosmetic grade pigments or shimmery micas. Each group will make and take home 5 lip glosses and 5 lip balms. No experience required and all supplies are included.
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This April, join us for a day of nature education and connecting with local ecosystems in Stanley Park. We'll have nature walks, information booths, and hands-on activities to learn more about our planet and commit to taking action for the Earth!
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Shake off the winter blues and step into the lively world of French-Canadian and Métis culture at the 16th annual Vive les Voyageurs Festival, happening on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at Fort Langley National Historic Site. Since 2010, this beloved festival has filled the fort with the music, stories, and traditions of the fur trade era. Spend the day exploring demonstrations, chatting with Métis elders, enjoying traditional Indigenous dishes at Ancestor Café, and tapping your feet to lively voyageur tunes.
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Celebrate Earth Day is a popular, annual community festival that brings together multiple local environmental, business, and community organizations to create a family-friendly, artistic, inclusive, and interactive event celebrating nature & the outdoors, family & community, and green innovation & technology. Activities include a Special Farmers’ Market, Repair Cafe, Electric Vehicle Display, Food Trucks, Cycle Recycle Free Bike Draw, and both stage and roving entertainers.
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Sensory-Friendly Mornings are inclusive events for individuals and families with neurodiverse or accessibility needs. Guests can explore our exhibits and galleries in a comfortable, welcoming and less crowded environment.
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While the parents enjoy a well-deserved night out, the children get to come to play, watch a movie, and spend time with us!
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St. Michaels University School is hosting a Kindergarten open house designed for each family to spend intimate time observing current classes and talking with Kindergaretn teachers.
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Spend an evening in our museum and relax by making your own art trading cards to trade, give away, or keep for yourself. Art trading cards are a movement of creating miniature pieces first started in 1997 when Swiss artist Vanci Stirnemann invited guests to create mini art cards to trade with him, it’s now practiced around the world!
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Bring your friends and family for a cozy evening of fun, laughter, and film. Grab your snacks from Sixty2Sixty Eats before the show. It’s the perfect way to relax, unwind, and enjoy some good company. Don’t miss out—we can’t wait to see you there!
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- Our Connection to Hockey - Museum of Surrey, 17710 56A Avenue, Surrey, BC V3S 5H8, Friday, April 17, 2026 to Sunday, April 19, 2026, see website
- MashUp: Trading Card Making - Mackin House Museum (Coquitlam Heritage Society), Brunette Avenue, Coquitlam, BC, Saturday, April 18, 2026, 4:00pm - 8:00pm
- Open House at St. Margaret’s School - St. Margaret's School, 1080 Lucas Avenue, Victoria, BC V8X 3P7, Friday, April 17, 2026, 8:30 am- 2:30 pm
- Family Movie Nights- Killarney Community Centre - Killarney Community Centre, 6260 Killarney St,
Vancouver, BC V5S 2X7, Friday, April 17, 2026, 6 pm
- Preteen Night- Mount Pleasant Community Centre - Mount Pleasant Community Centre, 1 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC V5T 3H7, Friday, April 17, 2026, 6-8 pm
- Friday Night Youth Lounge Drop-In - False Creek Community Centre, 1318 Cartwright St, Vancouver, BC V6H 3R8, Friday, April 17, 2026, 6-9 pm
- Portobello West
Spring Market 2026 - Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre, Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver, BC, Saturday, April 18, 2026 to Sunday, April 19, 2026, 10AM-5PM
- Family Storytime with DUPLO® - Surrey Libraries – City Centre Branch, 10350 University Dr, Surrey, BC V3T 4B8, Saturday,
April 18, 2026, 11 am - 12 pm
- Youth Jam Session - Surrey Nature Centre, Green Timbers Way, Surrey, BC, Saturday, April 18, 2026, 4:00 - 6:00 pm
- Celebrate Earth Day in Maple Ridge - Memorial Peace Park, 224 Street, Maple Ridge, BC, Saturday, April 18, 2026, 10 am- 2 pm
- Stanley Park Earth Day - Lumbermen's Arch, Vancouver, BC, Saturday, April 18, 2026, 10:30 am- 4 pm
- Code & Play - Aldergrove Library, 26770 29 Avenue, Aldergrove, BC V4W 3B8, Saturday, April 18, 2026, 2-3:30 pm
- Family Storytime -
Richmond Public Library, Brighouse Branch, Minoru Gate, Richmond, BC, Sunday, April 19, 2026, 10:30-11 am
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Vancouver 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 Vancouver 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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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the Vancouver 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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Wishing you and your family health and happiness!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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