virginia – Page 2

nook– a modern indoor play space

July 26, 2017

nook™ is a modern indoor play space for kids that parents can enjoy too. They have removed the overstimulating, chaotic elements of the typical crowded play place to create more room for your child’s imagination and a relaxed space for you to watch it unfold.

The photos on nook’s social sites don’t do this place justice. I was expecting a small space with minimal things for kids to do. I WAS WRONG! The space is huge and the options are endless. We spent over 2 hours there and the only reason we left was because we had to pick up older brother at camp.

nook’s mission is to create opportunities for children to develop their imagination, confidence, and social skills through play. Designed by an award-winning architecture and product design studio, nook is divided into several different play areas or “nooks”, each with its own play theme. You’ll find nooks for art, music, reading, building, climbing, and sensory play. To keep up with your child’s growing imagination, play themes in each nook will change periodically throughout the year.

My daughter was drawn to the dress-up area that had costumes and a mirror (to check out your new look). Once she had a favorite on– an owl, she went exploring and found a climbing structure that ended with a ball pit! After bouncing around we played with art supplies; stickers, dot paint, play dough, cookie cutters and markers. There was an interactive music class being held at 10am and again at 10:45am which admission in the summer covers the cost of. There was an adorable tent setup with camping supplies inside. The train table was taken to a new level as it was built into a wall with small wooden buildings alongside. Animal crackers, popcorn, cheerios and coffee are complementary and you can enjoy them with your Bambinos at the center table reading one of the many books they have displayed. There is even a nook for infants with a rocker, soft rug and baby toys. Everything felt so pristine, modern, white and tan. The feeling was comfortable and it was apparent there were regulars there who had formed friendships by being members.

As mentioned above, they also offer a variety of classes to provide endless opportunities for development, discovery, and learning. nook has included the cost of the class in your admission cost for the summer only.

nook is designed specifically for 0 to 4 year olds. One parent or caregiver must accompany their child at all times.

Details:

2905 District Ave, Suite 115 Fairfax, VA 22031

Nook Ballston Quarter: Coming Soon

Monday-Thursday, 9am to 5pm, Friday-Sunday, 10am to 3pm

A reservation is required on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings. Purchase a pass online and call 703-270-6388 to reserve your spot.

Prices:
1 day pass: $20
10 day pass: $150
Membership: $120/month

The space is available for birthday parties, play dates, baby showers, or any reason to gather.

2017 Guide to summer camps around Washington, DC

January 4, 2017

Once again I publish the annual summer camp guide and there is snow in the forecast. But alas, it’s time to start thinking about your summer plans…in January, as registration has started for some. We’ve highlighted some camps with detailed information and included links to other notable camps at the bottom of the post. As always, add to this post by commenting with your own suggestion– first or second hand. Here’s to a fun and busy summer!

p_hero_int_soccer_17 (Photo: Headfirst Summer Camp)

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Eggstravaganza 2015 in the Washington, DC area

March 20, 2015

Egg hunts galore! Whether it be a festival, farm or egg hunt (we’ve left brunch for you to figure out!) your child will have a blast and maybe even get to experience more than one of these events. Options begin this weekend and run through Easter. Happy hunting.

March 21, 22, 28, 29, April 4 & 5 (Times vary): Ticonderoga Farms – Spring Easter Festival
(26469 Ticonderoga Rd, Chantilly, VA)
Ticonderoga Farm’s Bunny will be joining everyone at the farm. Hopping around and posing for picture opportunities during our weekend hours and playing with our favorite friend Chickadee. Together hiding eggs for all the children to enjoy finding, especially the golden eggs that provide extra fun prizes for those who find them. Egg hunts will be held at 11:00am and2:00pm. Cost is $11.95. Giant slides, mazes, animals, face painting and much more will be there!

March 28, 29, April 3, 4, 6, 10, 11, 12 (Closed Easter Sunday): 20th Annual Bunnyland at Butler’s Orchard
(22200 Davis Mill Road Germantown MD 20876)
Enjoy a hayride down the Bunny Trail, race the Rubber Duck Derby, hunt for colorful eggs (we provide the basket!), exchange eggs for a goodie basket to take home, visit with the farm’s very own Country Bunny, ride pedal tractors, play in Hayromp and Playground, hop in inflatables, ride the giant slides, see bunnies, lambs and chicks, get your face painted and ride a pony. $8.75 per child and $6.75 per adult.

March 28 11:00am-2:00pm: Eggstravaganza at Four Mile Run
(4109 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria VA 22305- Many other locations, see link above)
Kids will be visited by the Easter bunny and there will be several Easter egg hunts. National Community invites all families to come together for live music, refreshments and many family friendly activities. Nature Center animal petting, face painting, piñata, games, photo booth, raffle and a mobile art lab will entertain all. Admission is free and registration for the egg hunts will begin on site at 10:45 am. The Eggstravaganza is co-sponsored by the City of Alexandria.

March 28, April 3 & 4th 10:30am: 8th Annual Eggstravaganza! at Tudor Place
(1644 31st St NW, Washington, DC 20007)
Rolling green lawns, bobbing spring blooms, and the elegant mansion on a hill serve as backdrop for this festive annual attraction. Join the Easter Bunny and children of all ages for an Egg Hunt (starting 10:30 a.m.) and thrilling Egg Roll Contest down the grand South Lawn (10:45 a.m.). Decorate eggs, play games from the past, take photos with the Easter Bunny, and make the 5½-acre gardens your play space for the morning. Please bring:a basket (for Egg Hunt), one long-handled spoon per child (for Egg Roll), and one hard-boiled egg per child (for Egg Roll). Non-Member Child: $10 | Accompanying Adult: $5.

April 3-5 (times vary): The Lee-Fendall House Easter Egg Hunt
(614 Oronoco Street Alexandria, VA)
The museum’s garden will be filled with hundreds of colorful toy-filled Easter eggs! Other activities include games, crafts, refreshments, and photos with the Easter Bunny. All children of elementary school age or younger (children aged 0-12) are eligible to participate in the Easter Egg Hunt. Older children and adults are welcome to enjoy the other activities. Tickets are $12 for children aged 0-12, and $5 for all others.

April 3 10:00am-3:00pm: Meadowside Nature Center’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt
(5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD)
Children ages 2 through 12 can search for real (hard-boiled) eggs hidden in the meadow, then dye and decorate the eggs they find. There will be other spring-related activities throughout the day, including bunny hat and frog puppet crafts, ‘egg’ games, live animals and a meet-and-greet with Otus the Owl mascot. Register in advance for the 30-minute hunting sessions. Admission: $8 per child.

April 3 & 4: Bunny Breakfast and Train Ride at B & O Railroad Museum
Join us for our annual Easter Bunny breakfast buffet in the Roundhouse. Enjoy story time with Choo Choo Blue, the museum’s mascot, take a carousel ride, and have your photo taken with our guest of honor! Then “All Aboard” for an exclusive train ride with the B&O Bunny! $34 for adults & $26 for children ages 2 and up. To purchase tickets contact Dana Kirn at 410-752-2462 x 221. (No sales after 3pm on April 1.)

April 4 7:30am-9:00am: Madame Tussauds Washington, D.C. Easter Egg Hunt
(1001 F St NW, Washington, DC 20004)
There is limited availability in each session, so please book fast! Once a session is full, no more tickets will be available for that time. So, if you are unable to attend the White House Easter Egg Roll, then come along and meet all 44 US Presidents and hunt for goodies along the way! Tons of eggs will be hidden throughout our Presidents Gallery. Once children have collected the empty eggs, they can then trade them in at the end of the hunt for an Easter gift bag full of fun goodies (1 per child). Admission is $25 for adults (13 and older) and free for children (12 and under). Price of admission will include FULL access to Madame Tussauds Washington, D.C., an Easter egg hunt through the Presidents Gallery, 1 gift bag per child, a meet & greet with the Easter Bunny, access to an on site petting zoo, and Easter storytelling and crafts! All children must be accompanied by an adult and there is a maximum limit of 4 children for every 1 adult.

April 4 (times vary): Cottontail Express at Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad
(315 Railroad Ave, Elkins, WV 26241)
Bring the kids dressed in their Easter best to meet Peter Cottontail on the Train. Join the Easter parade of animals in a mad search for that hippity, hoppity Bunny. This hop down the rails includea face painting, singing and general merriment. 1.5 hour roundtrip. Departs Elkins Depot 11 am and 1 pm. Adult – $40, Children (Age 4 – 11) – $35, Under 4 – Free. Reserve your spots now.

April 4 10:00am-12:00pm Easter Eggstravaganza at Rose Field
(2609 Dumbarton Street NW, WDC 20007)
The Easter Eggstravaganza is one of the most *EGGciting* Easter events in the area, this is a time for kids and families to come out and enjoy a fun-filled FREE event. There will be an Easter bunny, Easter Egg hunt, face painting, balloon animals, concessions, music, a moon bounce, games and much more! Come out and enjoy the festivities with us!

April 4 10:30am-12:30pm: 10th Annual Stead Park’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt
(P St NW between 16th and 17th Sts)
Hunt for Eggs by Age Group (please bring own basket)
Photos with the Easter Bunny • Coloring Table • Snacks & Beverages. This year we will be dividing the park into 3 areas for ‘hunting’ by age group (0-3, 4-6 & 7-10). We will have volunteers from the Foundry holding age group signs, so please help your child get to the appropriate spot so that all the children have a chance to find eggs. Children must be chaperoned by a parent or guardian. This is a popular (free) event, so we are requesting an RSVP. This event is free, but please bring a baby item to donate to the Homeless Children’s Playtime Project.

April 4 1:00pm-3:00pm: Easter Eggstravaganza at Lincoln Park
(East Capitol Street between 11th and 13th Street Washington, DC 20003)
Two Easter Egg Hunts, life-size Easter Bunny, cotton candy, face painting, games, prizes and bike raffle (one girl’s, one boy’s). Everything is free.

April 5 8:30am: Rosedale Conservancy
(35th St NW and Newark Street NW, Cleveland Park)
The Rosedale Conservancy will host the annual Easter Egg Hunt on Easter morning. Please bring your little ones armed with baskets. Meet at 8:30am at the Farmhouse, up the steps from the 35th and Newark Street gate.

April 5: Easter Brunch and Egg Hut at Pinstripes

April 5 12:00pm: Eggstravaganza 2015 at Walter Pierce Park
(b/t N Ontario Pl & N Lanier Pl)
The event is free and open to the public.

Summer Spray and Splash (and boathouses) in Washington, DC

August 4, 2014

We’ve got you covered for summer splashing and swimming. Cool off at one of these amazing outdoor waterparks and splashparks.

(Yards Park)

Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole (Reston, VA)

This family water park captures the excitement of the Old West’s Gold Rush with attractions tailored for all ages. The Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole offers more than an acre of slides, flumes, sprays, showers, floatables, and an interactive water playground. Careen off covered wagons, float on wild animals and dash through showers tipped from water-filled ore carts. The activity pool is encircled by Rattlesnake River, a 725 foot lazy river you can enjoy a relaxing float as the current gently nudges you along.

Ocean Dunes Waterpark (Arlington, VA)

Enjoy a day at the beach at Ocean Dunes Waterpark, Arlington’s favorite place cool off and have fun! Located within Upton Hill Regional Park, Ocean Dunes is loaded with fun features for adults and kids. Ocean Dunes includes a 500-gallon dumping bucket, water slides, waterfalls and squirters! Visitors will find themselves amidst dune grasses and the feeling of being at the beach, but without the drive! Next to the park is a 18 hole mini-golf course and 6 batting cages.

Great Waves Waterpark (Alexandria, VA)

Great Waves offers some of the most unique and fun water attractions in Northern Virginia! Whether you’re zipping down the speed slides, shooting through the tube slides or body surfing in the massive wave pool, you’ll enjoy hours of water fun the whole family can enjoy! And we certainly didn’t forget the little ones – our Kids Zone is a great place for you and the kids to cool off while having a great time – whether it be speeding down the rock slide at the Lagoon, or relaxing in the waterfalls at Minnow Bay. And don’t forget about the giant splash pad!

Atlantis Waterpark (Centreville, VA)

Discover all the fun of the fabled lost continent at Atlantis Waterpark, Centreville’s biggest and best waterpark! Loaded with fun features for your campers and kids, Atlantis includes a 1,000 gallon dumping bucket, water slides, waterfalls and squirters! Visitors will find themselves amidst mermaids, dolphins, Greek architecture and images of the deep! And keep your eyes peeled for the mighty Neptune himself!

Water Park at Bohrer Park (Gaithersburg, MD)

Enjoy a summer day at the Water Park! Intended for recreational swimming, the main pool is like a dream vacation on an island resort with palm trees, multiple slides, floatable animals, and a “tumble bucket” water feature for children to enjoy. The pool also has a zero-depth entry, making it accessible to all.

Chesapeake Beach Water Park (Chesapeake Beach, MD)

At the resort community of Chesapeake Beach, less than an hour from Washington, DC, you can have a splash-in fun- in- the- sun time in our eight water slides, fountains, waterfalls, a lagoon, kids activity pool and more, guaranteed to treat everyone to a cool time! Prices listed here, twilight hours offer a discount and Calvert Chesapeake residents also get a discounted rate.

Special Harbor Spray Park at Lee District RECenter (Fairfax, VA)

If you like running through the sprinkler, you’ll love Special Harbor spray ground at Lee District Park in Franconia. The fully accessible complex features Chesapeake Bay-themed attractions including a spraying osprey nest, Chessie the sea serpent, misting sunflowers and a lighthouse. The beach area is quieter with softer bubblers and interactive water tables. The computerized water maze and dumping crab basket provide more lively activity. Children will also enjoy the fully accessible tree house and the accessible Tiki Village playground in the nearby Family Recreation Area.