KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Fri, Mar 20: World Frog Day at Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo
Fri, Mar 20: 2026 Easter Bunny Photos at Cross County Center
Sat, Mar 21: Animals for All: Caring for Exotic Critters at Stamford Museum & Nature Center
Thu, Mar 26: New York Mets Home Game
Thu, Mar 26: SHEN YUN 2026 in New York City
Sat, Mar 28: Easter Bunny Express at Catskill Mountain
Railroad-Kingston Station
Mon, Mar 30: Family Art Workshop: April Fools’ Hats at Hudson River Museum
Fri, Apr 3: The Great Earthplace Egg Hunt
Sun, Apr 19: The Amazing Bubbles Factory at Paramount Hudson Valley
Sat, Apr 25: A Toast to the Trees at Earthplace
Sat, May 2: The Pout-Pout Fish at Emelin Theatre |
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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Nurture your child’s love for nature and animals at the Nature Center’s Summer Camp! During each week-long session, your children will enjoy outdoor adventures, create crafts, and interact with our animals.Dates: June 29th- August 28th; Time: 9 am-2
pm; Extended day is offered from 2-4 pm; Entering Grades 1st-5th; Register: https://naturecentergb.org/summer-camp/; 99 Dromore Road Scarsdale, NY 10583
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As Westchester starts to thaw out, termites start looking for new homes to invade. They’re quiet, hidden, and far more destructive than most people realize—and the surprise most homeowners discover too late is that termite damage isn’t covered by insurance.
At Suburban Pest Control, we see it every spring: small signs that turn into big, costly repairs. Now’s the perfect time for a preventive inspection before these wood-hungry pests get busy.
Protect your home before the swarms arrive. Call us to learn about our 24/7 treatment that prevents termite damage to your home.
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Spring Break STEAM/Robotics Camp: Build, Design & Take It Home. Join our STEAM/Robotics Spring Break Camp in Irvington, NY! Choose half-day or full-day, single days or the whole week to fit your family’s schedule. Kids in grades 1–5 build a new
interactive, functional robot each day and take it home, plus enjoy games, crafts, free play, and movement breaks. Our hands-on sessions encourage creativity, teamwork, confidence, and problem-solving in a fun, supportive environment. No experience needed.
Good Shepherd Early Childhood Center • March 30–April 3 • 9am–12pm, with extended care until 3pm or 5:30pm
MULTI-DAY SAVINGS AVAILABLE
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The National Scholastic Chess Foundation's summer camp in Hartsdale offers a unique blend of mental and physical enrichment to keep kids engaged and active all summer long. Students experience immersive chess learning through personalized instruction with
master tournament-playing teachers, challenging puzzles, and competitive play, while also enjoying supervised sports and physical activities led by professional PE teachers. This comprehensive mind-and-body approach produces measurable improvements in chess skills and overall well-being. What sets this camp apart is its exceptional, dedicated staff who bring diverse teaching methods that keep students excited about learning. Whether a competitive player or a complete beginner, NSCF welcomes all
levels.
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Through songs, simple stories, lap bounces, and rhymes, we support early language development and bonding in a lively and welcoming environment. This program lays the foundation for a lifelong love of books and connection.
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This fun, family-friendly program is all about turtles! In just 30 minutes, we’ll explore the fascinating differences between turtles, tortoises, and terrapins by meeting one of these amazing animals up close. Discover how these incredible reptiles survive
in different habitats, what makes their shells so special, and why they’ve been around for millions of years. Perfect for curious kids and their caregivers, this engaging session will leave you turtally amazed!
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Syrup isn’t just for pancakes! Come learn about all the ways to use maple syrup in the kitchen while cooking up a maple-themed culinary treat! This cooking class will be offered in Muscoot’s Activity Building for $20 per person, for kids ages 8+. Treats may
range from sweet to savory, so bring your appetite with you!
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Celebrate Women’s History Month by honoring the words of inspiring women from history. Create your own collage with printed images and quotations and add your voice to the conversation. Recommended for ages 4+.
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Get ready to light up the day at the ultimate K-Pop fan experience! Join us for a high-energy K-Pop Glow Party packed with nonstop music, glowing vibes, and interactive fun for fans of all ages.
Dance to your favorite K-Pop hits, compete in exciting arcade games, and unleash your creativity at our K-Pop-inspired crafts station. Come dressed to impress—our costume contest will celebrate the most iconic K-Pop looks!
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Here at Corey's Sugar Shack, we are dedicated to education, and we will be hosting Maple Tours for a charge of $5.00 during NYS Maple Weekend for anyone interested in seeing the Maple Syrup process first-hand. We encourage attendees to dress warm and wear
comfortable shoes. Each tour and tasting lasts approximately 30 minutes, and there will be plenty of our 100% pure Maple Syrup for sale at the end of each tour.
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A young girl sets out across Central Park in a frosty gale to rescue her best friend from the clutches of an evil Queen.
Through snow and ice and a slew of adventures, what follows is a timeless story — a very NYC retelling of the tale that inspired Disney’s Frozen — about the changing seasons of friendship that will warm the hearts of young audiences and their families alike. This musical is 45 minutes long and best enjoyed by audience members ages 2+.
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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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- Mindfulness for Teens at New Rochelle Public Library - New Rochelle Public Library - Library Plaza, New Rochelle, NY 10801, Saturday, 03/06/2026, 4 pm - 5 pm
- Stop In and Sketch at Hudson River
Museum - Hudson River Museum - 511 Warburton Ave, Yonkers, NY 10701, Friday, 03/06/2026, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
- Little Sprouts Storytime (Babies & Toddlers) at Bedford Hills Free Library - Bedford Hills Free Library - 26 Main Street, Bedford Hills, NY 10507, Saturday, 03/06/2026, 10:30 am - 11 am
- Sensory Storytime at New Rochelle Public Library - New Rochelle Public Library - Library Plaza, New Rochelle, NY 10801, Saturday, 03/07/2026, 2 pm - 2:30 pm
- Family Programs at Yale Peabody
Museum - Yale Peabody Museum - 170 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511, Saturday, 03/07/2026 to Sunday, 03/08/2026, See website for specific program times
- Free Buddhist Temple Tours Upstate New York in Sullivan County Catskills - Kadampa Meditation Center New York - Sweeney Rd, Glen Spey, NY, Saturday, 03/07/2026 to Sunday, 03/08/2026, 1:30PM
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Westchester County 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 Westchester 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 Westchester County 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 Westchester County 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 winners in KidsOutAndAbout's annual reader survey of the Top 20 Places to Take Kids in and around Westchester. Our Top 20 results page includes a list of your top picks, including winners in special categories! Check out your fellow readers'
favorites, and enjoy exploring the best of the region!
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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