Save the Date
Fri, May 10: Red Butte Garden Spring Plant Sale
Thu, May 16: Great Salt Lake Bird Festival at Davis County Legacy Events Center
Fri, May 17: 2019 Living Traditions Festival at Liberty Square
Sat, May 18: Night Lights Event: Salt Lake City at Utah Motorsports Campus
Fri, May 31: Ogden Music Festival at Fort Buenaventura
Fri, Jun 14: 2019 Park City Kids Adventure Games at Canyons Village at Park City - Utah
*Some events may have additional dates. Click through to see more information.
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
My daughter Ella turns 18 on Monday, which means so does KidsOutAndAbout.com! I usually take the last week of April to mark the occasion and update our readers on the state of KOAA, and this year is no different, even though, yeah, it feels awfully different.
Ella's arrival on the planet in 2001 was my catalyst for creating KidsOutAndAbout.com as a community resource for my adopted home city of Rochester NY: We had so many family-friendly opportunities, but no single place to find out about them all, so I created one. The web was just a toddler when we launched—there were no such things as interactive web calendars back then, and people were hungry for information (can you imagine?!?). KidsOutAndAbout grew up along with Ella, as I was home schooling her and her sister Madison while gradually adding employees to the business. We expanded first to other regions in New York state, with Buffalo, Albany, Westchester County NY, and the Hudson Valley, and, later, Long Island. Then came Connecticut, with Fairfield County and Hartford. We added Providence, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and the DC metro area, and then in the Southeast we added Charlotte and Research Triangle NC, as well as Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Tampa. In the midwest, we're now in Ann Arbor / Detroit, Nashville, Memphis, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis / St. Paul, St. Louis, and Kansas City. In Texas, we have sites for Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Ft. Worth, and Mid-Cities. In the Mountain states, we're in Denver, Salt Lake City, and Phoenix. In 2017, we added the Canadian sites of Toronto and Vancouver. We currently have 4 million unique visitors each year; about 85% parents, 15% grandparents, 82% women. Many of you have been there since the beginning, and your kids have grown up with my kids. Thanks for all of your feedback throughout the years, and for being along for the ride. (Drop me a line to wave hello if you're one of our long-time readers!)
Just because we seem to be all grown up doesn't mean we're not going to keep growing. In fact, in 2017, we added a sister site targeted to grownups, called BeyondTheNest.com, for adults who want to know about local arts, entertainment, and recreation beyond the family-oriented activities. This year, while Ella heads to the Rochester Institute of Technology for college, we'll be adding seven new regions in California, plus Portland, OR and Seattle, WA. We also have an app that works in all regions (we have an iPhone app and are about to release one for Android).
KidsOutAndAbout stays afloat—we have two dozen team members—exclusively by accepting local advertising that parents appreciate, celebrating all of the opportunities for you and your kids, without annoying clutter. It's always free to create an organization listing and post to our calendar, but you'll notice that some businesses will appear a little more prominently both on the site and in this newsletter. Please patronize them; they're the economic force that lets you continue to know everything that's happening in your area. And if you like receiving our weekly newsletter, please forward it to your friends so they, too, can sign up; that would mean the world to me.
Turns out that 18 years ago was the perfect time to launch both a kid and a web network! I'm proud of both and excited for the next chapters.
With gratitude,
Debra Ross, publisher
Summer at the Salt Lake County Library!
Spend your summer at the Salt Lake County Library where you can keep your body and mind active and learning. We have thousands of free programs and events for learners of all ages and stages, as well as millions of books, movies, music and magazines for “traditional” and digital library enthusiasts. Salt Lake County Library has a little something for everyone and we look forward to connecting with you and your family this summer.
Programs: thecountylibrary.org/calendar
Locations: thecountylibrary.org/locations
Catalog: thecountylibrary.org/catalog
Everything else: thecountylibrary.org
YMCA Camp Mill Hollow and Roger are tons of fun!
YMCA Camps Roger and Mill Hollow are where kids go to discover their full potential, meet new friends, play, and create memories that will last a lifetime. Kids will fall in love with camp through skits, songs, campfires, s’mores, arts and crafts, hiking, games, and more. But both programs are about more than fun; they help bridge that summer learning gap through outdoor education and exploration. Environmental education helps children reconnect to the natural world in a digital age, giving them the space to develop a sense of self and a sense of place. Join the other 79% of parents who say their kids developed self-confidence at camp by registering yours today.
To register, go to utahymca.campmanagement.com/enroll.
WOODLAND FAIRY FESTIVAL AT GARDNER VILLAGE
The Gardner Village Woodland Fairy Festival is back! With something enchanting to discover around every turn, there’s fun to be had. It’s like your own charming forest hidden in the heart of the city. With tiny houses and bitty scenes in our center court area and around every turn, you’ll make big memories with these seasonal guests. Enjoy the A to Z Fairy Quest, Wishing Bridge, Find your Fairy Name game, Fairy Tea Parties and all of the delightful activities hosted by our local shops. Visit life-size fairy wings for awesome photo opps!
Click here for more information.
Open Studio! at Neighborhood Art Center
Open Studio is a drop-in art time for all ages. We have screen printing, clay, paint, our workshop room, sewing, and more! Projects are constantly changing so there is always something new to try.
Click here for more information.
Easy Mother's Day Gifts That Kids Can Make or Do Themselves
Kids love to make homemade gifts, and mothers love a homemade gift for Mother's Day. In theory. But in practice, the littlest kids don't have too many skills for crafting yet, and older ones can get frustrated trying to make their artistic vision become reality. And while mothers are overjoyed with the thought and effort put into any gift, they also only have so much space in the house to display it all. Read on for ideas like a decoupage vase, homemade jewelry, flowers for the garden, a lip scrub. . . moms will love these easy, kid-made crafts, and kids will be proud!
Click here for more information.
A Week-by-Week Guide to Summer Camps Near You
Looking for a summer camp for your child? Look no further! Dozens of summer camps post: day camps, sports, drama, music, theatre, arts & crafts, technology, preschool, & more!
Summer 2019 camps are organized by week, by age, or by topic so you can find the perfect camps for your family!
Click here for more information.
