KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
When I was a kid, a giant azalea bush stretched across our backyard, exploding into glorious pink blossoms in early May. In summer, it became something even better: a secret hideout that my sister and I named the Humble Abode. We hollowed out the dead branches behind the bush and dragged in little chairs and treasures and our dollhouse family. The Humble Abode barely qualified as
a fort, and it wasn't even secret; I'm sure my parents knew when we were back there. But it was a great kids-only space. A few weeks ago, I wrote about five summer lenses through which to plan summer: music, motion, making, nature, and food. Making—the lens for this week—reminds kids that they are not merely consumers of the world, but contributors to it. They can push value into existence. They can turn sticks, cardboard, fabric, tape, mud, blocks, gears,
sand, and flour into something that wasn’t there before. Especially for younger kids, making with the hands gives the brain evidence. I did that. I made that. I can make things happen. Summer is perfect for this because summer has time and room for mess. Pull out the science kits, the rocket kits, the LEGO bins, the soap-making sets that arrived at Christmas and then sat politely in the closet. "Upcycle" old boxes, fabric, toys, crayons, paint, buttons.
Let your kids build backyard forts, fairy houses, marble runs, cardboard cities, obstacle courses, blanket tents, museum towers, and whatever else the day and their imagination suggest. Of course, glue will drip. Sand will migrate. The kitchen table may briefly disappear under invention. (If the clutter gets overwhelming, consider a trip or two to your local science museum or maker space to save your sanity.) After all, you can’t make omelets without breaking eggs. And
you can’t make a maker without giving a child some space, some tools, some trust, and permission to begin.
—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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Celebrate 250 honors America’s 250th birthday, taking place at St. Louis’ iconic Gateway Arch. On July 3rd and 4th, two nights of world-class entertainment come together, including international headliners, a 1,500-drone aerial spectacle, fireworks over the Mississippi, a city-wide parade, an Innovation Village, and more take over downtown. All free. All open to everyone. All for the biggest celebration of America’s birthday in the Midwest.
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Saint Charles Riverfest is the City's premier Fourth of July Festival featuring live music, great food and drinks, children's activities, a carnival and more!
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Journeying from the snowy peaks of the North Mountain to the heart of Arendelle, Frozen KIDS tells the story of fearless princess Anna as she embarks on a daring adventure to find her sister Elsa, whose icy powers have accidentally trapped their kingdom in winter. Along the way, Anna teams up with rugged mountain man Kristoff, his loyal reindeer Sven, and the lovable snowman Olaf to bring back summer and heal a frozen heart.
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Enjoy a festive finale to the America 250 Celebration in Edwardsville with a festival and fireworks at the Edwardsville American Legion Post 199. It's been a Fourth of July holiday tradition for Edwardsville's American Legion Post 199 members to host an afternoon and evening of activities, capping off the night with a fireworks display. Among activities planned are several live performances, food and beverages, vendors and an appearance by a Clydesdale. The big finale is the fireworks display, which begins at 9 p.m.
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The City of Dardenne Prairie is excited to introduce a brand-new community event; Our inaugural 4th of July celebration, Liberty Rocks: A Star-Spangled Celebration of Freedom, taking place at City Hall Park. This full-day event will feature a morning parade, live music, food trucks, family activities, and a fireworks finale, bringing together residents and families from across our community.
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Join us on the 4th of July from 7pm-11pm for Electric Sky, an all-ages party on the Rooftop with a 360° view of fireworks all across the St. Louis skyline! Ticket includes General Admission on the day of the event, plus games, face painting, balloon animals and more!
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Join us on Saturday, July 4th as we celebrate America’s 250th birthday with a full morning of patriotic fun in Downtown Waterloo! Festivities will include a 2.50K Fun Run, community parade and festival on the Courthouse Square as we honor 250 years of American independence.
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Weekends are looking up at Grant’s Farm! Summer Nights, presented by Shriners Children’s, are back and better than ever with a whole new and extended drone lights show! More time, more lights, more wow, featuring brand-new animations for kids and adults alike. Fridays, Saturdays, and select Sundays from Memorial Day through Labor Day, join friends, family, or that potential special someone in the Bauernhof Courtyard and settle in for an evening of great food, cold drinks, live music, and a new drone show!
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This year our summer series is bigger and more accessible then ever. 15 Titles starting today. Normally we have just the weekday AM showtime, but we are going to have 4 showtimes for each title each week. So no matter what your schedule looks like we should have a time for you. Thanks to our sponsor for this event Sullivan Bank.
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With the help of 10 truckloads of sand, The Magic House’s backyard is being transformed once again into a beachfront park. Visitors can take a stroll along the boardwalk, search for some seashells at the shell dig, relax under a colorful beach umbrella and have the chance to build a sandcastle along-side world-champion sand sculptor Dan Belcher as he sculpts a gigantic 65-ton sandcastle! This exhibit is included in museum admission. Sandcastle Beach is sponsored by Prairie Farms.
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the St. Louis 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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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the St. Louis 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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It's almost time for fruit picking! Fruit picking is a great activity to do together as a family. It helps little ones understand where their food actually comes from, and it's a fun tradition to share every year right through the teens.
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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