Bright Spots

May 14, 2020

When COVID-19 started, businesspeople had to take a deep breath and decide how best to hold things together. Here were our two main goals for KidsOutAndAbout.com:

1) Keep readers engaged by quickly switching to displaying virtual / online events and activities to keep kids and families occupied, learning, and having fun when they can't be out-and-about interacting in their communities in person. We did this by leveraging our nationwide network of organizations that post to KOAA, giving you a window into cool activities far beyond your local area. That's still going strong.

2) Keep local organizations in each community top-of-mind with our readers even when they can't visit in real life. Their future survival will depend on your support as we all emerge from the stay-at-home situation, and it's our mission to connect you with all of the great things they do.

Given Goal #2, our annual survey of the Top 20 Local Places to Take Kids becomes that much more important. For many years, we have provided this survey at the beginning of each summer so the community can let local organizations know they're valued. (Click here to see 2019's Top 20 Places.) Our fabulous intern from Syracuse University, Danielle Llewellyn, is hard at work coordinating the 2020 survey for all 45 KOAA regions in the US and Canada. Nominations are open one more week, through May 21, and then the survey itself opens May 25 and runs through June 25. We'll announce the winners in early July.

So who are the bright points in your family's world? Please click here to submit your nomination for local organizations supplying great family experiences that deserve to be celebrated in 2020. Categories are: farm, indoor play space, museum, nature center, zoo, outdoor recreation, sports team, performing arts, arts education, and sports / physical education. Danielle will make sure your nominations appear on the survey, and the voting will start later this month! Stay tuned!