{ "issueNumber": "001", "status": "Live", "weekLabel": "May 26-June 1, 2026", "checkedOn": "May 24, 2026", "featuredPickId": "international-childrens-day", "highlights": [ { "label": "Top family pick", "pickId": "international-childrens-day" }, { "label": "Best maker lab", "pickId": "durham-breakerspace" }, { "label": "Best field trip", "pickId": "morehead-planetarium-shows" }, { "label": "Best life-skills lab", "pickId": "carrboro-market-budget-challenge" }, { "label": "Best evening plan", "pickId": "epic-film-scores" } ], "picks": [ { "id": "soccer-tournament-cary", "category": "Sports + community", "marker": "SO", "title": "The Soccer Tournament in Cary", "dayLabel": "Wednesday, May 27", "dayShortLabel": "Wed+", "timeLabel": "All week", "dateLabel": "Wednesday, May 27 through Monday, June 1, 2026", "shareDateLabel": "May 27-Jun 1", "city": "Cary", "venue": "WakeMed Soccer Park", "ageFit": "Soccer fans and sports-curious families", "cost": "Ticketed", "whyItFits": "A major 7v7 soccer festival creates an easy bridge from homeschool families to broader Triangle parent life.", "arcAngle": "Use the tournament to compare formats: standard soccer, 7v7, target-score time, and why rules change strategy.", "sourceName": "Town of Cary", "sourceUrl": "https://www.carync.gov/recreation-enjoyment/sports/sports-events-and-tournaments/the-soccer-tournament-in-cary", "checkedOn": "May 24, 2026" }, { "id": "durham-breakerspace", "category": "Maker lab", "marker": "MK", "title": "This Week in the Lab: Breakerspace", "dayLabel": "Wednesday, May 27", "dayShortLabel": "Wed", "timeLabel": "3-7p", "dateLabel": "Wednesday, May 27, 2026, 3-7 p.m.", "shareDateLabel": "Wed May 27, 3-7p", "city": "Durham", "venue": "Durham County Main Library, Innovation Lab", "ageFit": "Intergenerational; preschool through adults listed", "cost": "Library program", "whyItFits": "Kids can take apart used electronics with tools and turn curiosity into a concrete engineering habit.", "arcAngle": "Before going, predict what will be inside one broken device; after, sketch the parts and what each might do.", "sourceName": "Durham County Library", "sourceUrl": "https://durhamcountylibrary.org/maker-steam-services/", "checkedOn": "May 24, 2026" }, { "id": "duke-gardens-storytime", "category": "Garden + early literacy", "marker": "GD", "title": "Discovery Drop In & Storytime", "dayLabel": "Thursday, May 28", "dayShortLabel": "Thu", "timeLabel": "10a-12p", "dateLabel": "Thursday, May 28, 2026, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.", "shareDateLabel": "Thu May 28, 10a-12p", "city": "Durham", "venue": "Sarah P. Duke Gardens, Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden", "ageFit": "Young kids with caregivers", "cost": "Free", "whyItFits": "A calm weekday outing that combines story time with self-guided discovery in a real garden setting.", "arcAngle": "Ask kids to draw one plant, label three visible parts, and retell the story on the walk back.", "sourceName": "Duke Gardens", "sourceUrl": "https://gardens.duke.edu/learn/children-and-family-programs/", "checkedOn": "May 24, 2026" }, { "id": "eno-homestead-hike", "category": "Nature + local history", "marker": "HI", "title": "Anthony Cole Homestead Hike", "dayLabel": "Friday, May 29", "dayShortLabel": "Fri", "timeLabel": "9:30-11:30a", "dateLabel": "Friday, May 29, 2026, 9:30-11:30 a.m.", "shareDateLabel": "Fri May 29, 9:30-11:30a", "city": "Durham", "venue": "Eno River State Park, Fews Ford Access", "ageFit": "Outdoor-ready kids and adults", "cost": "State park education program", "whyItFits": "A guided hike gives families a history anchor and a reason to use the Eno as an outdoor classroom.", "arcAngle": "Treat the hike as a mini primary-source exercise: what can a home site tell us about daily life?", "sourceName": "NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources", "sourceUrl": "https://events.dncr.nc.gov/eno-river-state-park-fewsford", "checkedOn": "May 24, 2026" }, { "id": "carrboro-market-budget-challenge", "category": "Life-skills lab", "marker": "LS", "title": "Carrboro Farmers' Market Budget Challenge", "dayLabel": "Saturday, May 30", "dayShortLabel": "Sat", "timeLabel": "7a-12p", "dateLabel": "Saturday, May 30, 2026, 7 a.m.-12 p.m.", "shareDateLabel": "Sat May 30, 7a-12p", "city": "Carrboro", "venue": "Carrboro Town Commons", "ageFit": "All ages", "cost": "Free to visit; bring a shopping budget", "whyItFits": "A real market gives families a practical math, food, and local-systems lab without needing a formal class.", "arcAngle": "Give kids a small budget, compare unit prices, choose one seasonal ingredient, and plan how to use it.", "sourceName": "Carrboro Farmers' Market", "sourceUrl": "https://www.carrborofarmersmarket.com/visit-us", "checkedOn": "May 24, 2026" }, { "id": "international-childrens-day", "category": "Weekend family pick", "marker": "CU", "title": "Annual International Children's Day", "dayLabel": "Saturday, May 30", "dayShortLabel": "Sat", "timeLabel": "10a-3:30p", "dateLabel": "Saturday, May 30, 2026, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.", "shareDateLabel": "Sat May 30, 10a-3:30p", "city": "Raleigh", "venue": "City of Raleigh Museum", "ageFit": "All ages", "cost": "Free", "whyItFits": "A broad, low-friction culture outing with books, crafts, and performances in the center of Raleigh.", "arcAngle": "Pair it with a simple field notebook: one performance remembered, one new word heard, one question to look up at home.", "sourceName": "City of Raleigh", "sourceUrl": "https://raleighnc.gov/parks-and-recreation/events/annual-international-childrens-day", "checkedOn": "May 24, 2026" }, { "id": "native-plants-for-birds", "category": "Library + nature", "marker": "BI", "title": "Native Plants for Birds", "dayLabel": "Saturday, May 30", "dayShortLabel": "Sat", "timeLabel": "10a-12p", "dateLabel": "Saturday, May 30, 2026, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.", "shareDateLabel": "Sat May 30, 10a-12p", "city": "Raleigh", "venue": "State Library of North Carolina, Government and Heritage Library Reading Room", "ageFit": "All ages / general public", "cost": "Free", "whyItFits": "A compact way to connect backyard ecology, birds, and state library resources without a long drive.", "arcAngle": "Make a family bird-habitat checklist: food, water, shelter, native plants, and one next action at home.", "sourceName": "State Library of North Carolina", "sourceUrl": "https://events.dncr.nc.gov/department/library-north-carolina/calendar", "checkedOn": "May 24, 2026" }, { "id": "morehead-planetarium-shows", "category": "Space field trip", "marker": "SP", "title": "Morehead Planetarium Saturday Shows", "dayLabel": "Saturday, May 30", "dayShortLabel": "Sat", "timeLabel": "10:30a-5:30p", "dateLabel": "Saturday, May 30, 2026, 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.", "shareDateLabel": "Sat May 30, 10:30a-5:30p", "city": "Chapel Hill", "venue": "Morehead Planetarium and Science Center", "ageFit": "Choose show by age and attention span", "cost": "Ticketed", "whyItFits": "A flexible science field trip with multiple one-hour shows, including Magic Tree House Space Mission and Carolina Skies.", "arcAngle": "Have kids write one space question before the show and one new explanation after it.", "sourceName": "Morehead Planetarium and Science Center", "sourceUrl": "https://moreheadplanetarium.org/calendar/category/planetarium-shows/day/2026-05-30/", "checkedOn": "May 24, 2026" }, { "id": "library-comic-fest", "category": "Older kid library pick", "marker": "CO", "title": "Library Comic Fest", "dayLabel": "Saturday, May 30", "dayShortLabel": "Sat", "timeLabel": "2-4p", "dateLabel": "Saturday, May 30, 2026, 2-4 p.m.", "shareDateLabel": "Sat May 30, 2-4p", "city": "Chapel Hill", "venue": "Chapel Hill Public Library", "ageFit": "Teens and adults", "cost": "Registration required", "whyItFits": "A creative afternoon built around comics, fandom, panels, cosplay, art, and hands-on activities.", "arcAngle": "Turn it into a narrative-design prompt: one hero, one setting rule, one conflict, and a four-panel scene.", "sourceName": "Chapel Hill Public Library", "sourceUrl": "https://www.chapelhillpubliclibrary.org/events/upcoming", "checkedOn": "May 24, 2026" }, { "id": "epic-film-scores", "category": "Music under the stars", "marker": "MU", "title": "Epic Film Scores", "dayLabel": "Saturday, May 30", "dayShortLabel": "Sat", "timeLabel": "8p", "dateLabel": "Saturday, May 30, 2026, 8 p.m.", "shareDateLabel": "Sat May 30, 8p", "city": "Cary", "venue": "Koka Booth Amphitheatre", "ageFit": "Families who can handle an evening concert", "cost": "Ticketed; kids 12 and under free on lawn", "whyItFits": "Familiar film music makes a symphony outing more approachable for kids who are new to live orchestral music.", "arcAngle": "Pick one theme and ask what the composer does to make a scene feel brave, tense, or magical.", "sourceName": "North Carolina Symphony", "sourceUrl": "https://ncsymphony.org/series-category/summerfest/", "checkedOn": "May 24, 2026" } ], "sourceQueue": [ { "category": "Field trips", "target": "Museums, nature centers, galleries, parks, farms, and civic sites", "sourceName": "NC Museum of Natural Sciences calendar", "sourceUrl": "https://naturalsciences.org/calendar/" }, { "category": "Library and STEAM", "target": "Story times, homeschool labs, crafts, LEGO, maker, and book clubs", "sourceName": "Durham County Library kids and families", "sourceUrl": "https://durhamcountylibrary.org/for-kids-and-families/" }, { "category": "Chapel Hill / Carrboro", "target": "Kids, family, trails, public art, community, and library events", "sourceName": "Town of Chapel Hill events", "sourceUrl": "https://www.chapelhillnc.gov/Events-directory" }, { "category": "Raleigh city events", "target": "Parks, performances, exhibits, special events, and civic programming", "sourceName": "City of Raleigh events", "sourceUrl": "https://raleighnc.gov/events" }, { "category": "Cary", "target": "Family-friendly town events, arts, outdoor programs, and recreation", "sourceName": "Town of Cary calendar", "sourceUrl": "https://www.carync.gov/connect-engage/calendar" }, { "category": "Apex", "target": "Town events, downtown festivals, arts programs, and family-friendly civic programming", "sourceName": "Town of Apex events", "sourceUrl": "https://www.apexnc.org/events" }, { "category": "Holly Springs", "target": "Town events, programs, parks, cultural center listings, and community activities", "sourceName": "Town of Holly Springs events and programs", "sourceUrl": "https://www.hollyspringsnc.gov/2851/Events-Programs" }, { "category": "Fuquay-Varina", "target": "Town calendar, arts center events, downtown programming, and community listings", "sourceName": "Town of Fuquay-Varina calendar", "sourceUrl": "https://www.fuquay-varina.org/calendar.aspx" }, { "category": "Music and stages", "target": "Symphony, amphitheater, theater, and performance options that can work for families", "sourceName": "North Carolina Symphony concert calendar", "sourceUrl": "https://ncsymphony.org/concert-calendar/" } ], "checklist": [ "Every pick includes date, city, venue, age fit, cost signal, source link, and last-updated traceability.", "Discovery tips stay separate from public listings until a primary source confirms them.", "Each item should be easy for a parent to say yes or no to quickly." ] }