Clemyjontri Playground

This park is truly amazing and hopefully you have already been there!  My pictures are very limited because the park is enormous.  But if you click on the Fairfax County link above, they actually have some great pictures and they have a small explanation of each section.  Some information that might be helpful is that if you have more than one small child you might want to consider bringing another adult.  There are so many places to go in this park and it is really hard to watch more than one child since it can be very crowded and there are so many places to wander.  The other important factor is the weather.  On a hot day this park can get VERY hot so you might want to try and get there in the early morning when the sun hasn't been out as long.  As you can see it is very stroller friendly.  There is a bathroom as well.  According to the web site the Carousel in the middle of the park opens every day starting May 31. But it is only open from 9:30 - 1 pm during the week.  Weekends it is open from 9:30 - 6:30 pm.  The fee is $1.50 to ride.  There is also a very large picnic pavilion if you would like to bring lunch. Go check it out!

Ashburn Park (Dinosaur Park)

We finally made it to Dinosaur Park in Ashburn recently.  I had heard a lot about it but it is a bit of a drive from Reston.  The park is wonderful and my kids loved it!  I tried to get some pictures that showed the layout but it is a really big park that has several different structures.  It is shaped like a circle so everything is fairly close together.  I loved the shade the trees provide and there is a picnic area as well.  It is all mulch so regular strollers might have a tough time but there is a path that is on the side.  I also failed to get pictures of the swing sets. There are at least 2 of them with toddler swings too! Hopefully this link will help you get there: http://maps.google.com/maps/place?cid=13348122675655718407&q=ashburn+park+ashburn+va&gl=us

Frying Pan Park

So much to do...How do you choose? These are the words on the brochure at Frying Pan Park in Herndon. I completely agree. I wish my pictures did it more justice but it was a little cloudy that day.
When you drive into the farm there is a mailbox with brochures in it - take one! They are very helpful. It also has a newsletter that explains the events that season. When you park you should be able to see the great playground next to the country store. The playground is wonderful and usually you can see horses from it.
The country store is adorable and has some really unique items. You also check in there if you want to take a hike. They have backpacks that you can borrow and use for your hike with children. It contains a map you can follow, and other fun things (bug magnifying containers).
If you don't want to hike (not for strollers), you can go see the farm animals: horses, chickens, peacocks, rabbits, goats, pigs, sheep, and cows. There is also a wagon ride ($3) that takes you through the woods and fields of Frying Pan Park. During the ride, you learn about the plants and animals that live there.
The web site shows the hours of operation and the 2008 birthing schedule :)

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens

The last time I visited these gardens was about two years ago and I thought it was so beautiful. Last week was the second time and- WOW - I think I went at a perfect time. It seemed like so many of the gardens were in bloom and they were so amazing. Here is a list of the gardens that are blooming at different times of the year. The gardens are located in Vienna and admission is $5 for you (age 18 - 54) and free for the kids. We had a wonderful time walking around, looking at the flowers, seeing the turtles and the fish in the water, and saw some great birds. My kids love being outside and they were able to run ahead of me but I knew they were safe and I could usually see them. This is a great place to walk or jog and get lots of exercise. Here is their web site.

Udvar-Hazy Center - National Air and Space Museum

This morning we made our way to the Air and Space Museum out in Chantilly. It took me about 15 minutes to get there once I was on the toll road. It truly is a fun place to go, especially for little boys. My sister and I had four boys with us, all under the age of 7. We parked right next to the fountain in front (the easiest place to unload small children because of the sidewalk area and the distraction of the fountain). They admired it for a while, threw pennies in (they could have done that for hours) and then we were on our way. The National Aviation and Space Exploration Wall of Honor is beautiful and a great 'runway' for the kids. By the way, parking is $12 but the museum is free to all visitors. There is a bag check in front where they tell you that drinking throughout the museum is ok, but snacks can only be eaten in the McCafe area. Which is where we usually finish our museum visit. Kids will probably be very excited to get a McDonald's Happy Meal after they run and walk around the museum!
We decided to go straight to the Donald D. Engen Observation Tower where you can watch the airplanes take off and land at Dulles Airport.
After the observation tower we headed downstairs to see the other exhibits. As you can see from the picture there is so much space and we actually did not lose any children, thank God! The boys were so interested in all the planes and interactive touchscreen computers that we were there for about an hour and a half before we realized we should end the trip (meltdown time). We enjoyed eating our lunches (half packed, half McDonalds - it is a little pricey) and then we said hello and goodbye to the gift shop and made our way to the car (with another stop at the fountain).
Oh this is important! The bathroom facilities all have changing table areas and are SO clean!
So go check it out, if you click on these pictures you can zoom in and get a better idea of the place. Have fun!

Fairfax Corner Sprayground

I am a new fan of "spraygrounds". If you are a parent you probably know exactly what this is but may not have heard the word for it yet. According the the Washington Post article it is a play area of fountains. The article highlights several in the area. Two parks it mentions in Arlington are right off of 66 so it might be worth a stop in or out of the city!
You definitely need to see the one in Fairfax Corner though- The same man who designed the fountains at the famous Bellagio Hotel in Vegas designed these fountains. Click here for hours and more pictures of the fountain. They are especially wonderful for parents with multiple young children. It is less stressful than going to the pool!

Movies!

Some days you really just want to see a movie - maybe when it is in the 90s outside or raining or you just feel like some popcorn! Fairfax Corner has "G" rated movies every Saturday and Sunday morning at 10 am. This month the new Thomas movie is playing and I think my boys will love it. Tickets are $3.50 and you can get a discount at the concession stand as well. Enjoy!

Here is a link that will give you more info. There is also great shopping at Fairfax Corner. Check out their web site for all the stores.

Jammin Java

This is one of my favorite places to go with the kids. It is so fun to hang out, sip coffee, and watch your child dance and sing along to performers. Actually my children didn't dance for a while, they just stared, but now that they are older they participate a lot more. They have shows every weekday morning at 10:30. It is located in Vienna so it takes a little while to get there but it is worth it. All the singers are so much fun and really have a great love for kids. I am amazed at their patience! I believe it is $5 a child and then a few bucks less with each additional child. Here is the schedule.

Loudoun Gym

I recently went to an Open Gym at the Loudoun Gymnastics center and my boys loved it. There is a carpeted area that you see in the picture but also trampolines to jump on and even a foam pit! It is a large place so if you have more than one child you may want to bring some help, it is hard to keep track of your kids. Open Gym times vary so just check their calendar. The cost is 8 or 9 dollars an hour (it lasts only an hour) depending on the season. It is conveniently located near Dulles Town Center so maybe you can get some shopping in after your toddler passes out in the stroller :)

Sport Bounce of Loudoun

Last week we had a playgroup event at the new Sport Bounce in Loudoun. It isn't too far a drive and your kids will love it if they enjoy trampolines and slides.

It is especially great if your children need to run and jump and the weather is terrible!

Quick note: If you have more than one child try to get them to stay together since it is so difficult keeping track of them once they enter the inflatable structures. I don't like losing my children so I had a couple stressful moments when I couldn't see them. They absolutely loved it though and napped very well afterward!

There are Open Gym Times Monday - Friday. This is the schedule and directions.