Growing While Standing Still

July 23, 2020

I periodically use my publisher's column to alert new readers and reintroduce long-time readers to the most popular KidsOutAndAbout pages. Our mission, since 2001, has been to connect families to local resources and activities to help kids, teens, and families be active, healthy, and engaged. Typically at this time of year I am excited to talk about local festivals and various types of summer activities like family fun on the farm, and encourage you to get out and about to the newly-elected Top 20 Places to Take Kids for 2020. I'd be pointing out that there's a ton to do on our Free Places to Take Kids page and even more on our Everything Happening this Weekend page. And we'd be starting to get you geared up for after-school classes and activities.

So much is on hold these days, and so much is changing and uncertain in the 45 regions we serve in the U.S. and Canada, that it's hard to know exactly where to point you. But since the beginning of COVID, our Thursday newsletter list has increased by almost 30% as the need for trusted local information skyrocketed. So here we are, and here you are! About 85% of you are parents, 15% are grandparents, and 82% are women.

Here are the KidsOutAndAbout pages that have been most popular these days. I hope you find them helpful, too, whether for keeping busy now or for planning for the future:

Top 20 Places to Take Kids for 2020 (voted by readers and released 2 weeks ago)
101 Day Trips Within Driving Distance
Virtual events
Virtual summer camps
Daily Live virtual experiences calendar
Local places to take kids hiking
(Limited) In-person events this weekend
(Limited) Free in-person events this weekend
(Limited) In-person summer camps
Plan for future birthday parties

Someday, again, we'll talk about indoor play centers. We'll send you to loads of performing arts events. We'll link you to family fun in the fall, and at the holidays, and to local preschools and private schools. But for now... a heartfelt welcome to the new 30%, and thanks for hanging with us, 70%! We're honored to have you all as readers! Please stick with us as we continue to celebrate both local and virtual, so that someday your kids will smile as they tell their kids the crazy adventure story of 2020.