Living In LoCo: kids

Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Youth Sports Opportunities in Loudoun

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Youth Sports Opportunities in Loudoun

If you're moving to Loudoun, you may wonder what there is for kids to do... well, the list is so plentiful, we have to break it down into segments. Here's a list we compiled on the Leesburg, Va Facebook fan page of area sports opportunity for kids. If you're moving here, you might just want to "fan" that page on Facebook... you'll get a real feel for the heart of the community there.

In the meantime, enjoy this list of places where your kids can get involved in local sports!

(And remember, if you're looking to move here... as a local REALTOR, I'd love to help you~Click HERE to go to my web page!)

BASKETBALL

Loudoun Co Parks & Rec: http://www.loudoun.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=700

Loudoun Freedom (travel, girls): http://www.loudounfreedom.com/

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Snow Day Fun for the Whole Family!

Some days you wake up and this is what you see from your front door. Within minutes, the kids are bouncing off the walls and you haven't even finished your coffee. Oh, Joy! Another day in paradise.

Okay, so do what you can. Pick a house project (clean up the family room) altered with a fun project (snowball fight). You are more likely to get a few things done and keep the kids from driving you crazy if you give them NO UNSTRUCTURED TIME, and rewards for what they don't like to do and you are thankful for.

Indoor Activities:

Of course, there are always the good old fall backs...

* Board Games * Cooking Projects * Watching Movies * Reading Books * Make S'mores (if you don't have a fireplace to roast marshmallows, use the microwave! * Make hot chocolate *

But, Snow Days should be special. Do something special!

* Watch Home Movies * Start A Scrap Book * Organize A Photo Album * Go online and start Ancestry Research * Play dress up w/the kids (you can do this and secretly be having them try on clothes so you know what needs to go to charity) * Have an 'At Home Spa Day' * Have a Video Game Competition with the WHOLE family * Blast the stereo and have a dance party * Make sock puppets and do a puppet show * Do a puppet show (stuffed animals are great for this), a home version of your favorite game show, a play, a dance show, a shadow show, a stand up comedy show (Favorite childrens book make great screen plays, older kids can enhance the story a bit; for the comedy show, look up jokes on line) * Bird watch - cardinals and blue jays are usually seen in our neighborhood on snow days and they look particularly beautiful with fluffy feathers and against the white background. * Make snow Ice Cream or edible snowflakes or snowmen (Click HERE for recipes)* Bring the snow indoors and do experiments - melting, freezing, coloring it, build a mini snowman indoors - and keep it in the freezer for a hot summer day! *

Outdoor activities:

Again, there are the oldies but goodies:

* Build a snowman * Have a Snowball Fight * Make a Family of Snow Angels * Make an igloo * Go sledding *

Since the oldies but goodies can't be done everyday, don't skimp on them! But, throw in some new stuff:

* Get out the sandbox toys and make snow castles and such * Get out squirt bottles and water guns, add food coloring to the water and have the kids decorate the snow (finally! yellow snow that doesn't stink) * Decorate a tree with strings of popcorn, or make a bird feeder (take a disposable cup from the trash, smear peanut butter on it, add stuff birds and squirrels eat - bread crumbs, bird seed, raisins, popcorn, nuts (we always end up with extra crushed walnuts and stuff after the holidays, then hang it from a tree or something you can see from inside). * Go for a nature hike and see whoever you see - and take photos *

For mommies and daddies that might have trouble getting in the mood, face it, you're going no where. What's wrong with skipping the coffee and having a mamosa for breakfast... or heating some red wine and adding mulling spices for a tasty afternoon treat? You might find you have a little more fun being silly with the kids when you really don't care if there are dishes in the sink.

I have given you several ideas for fun today, and every snow day. But, whatever you do, promise me you'll do two things:

* TASTE the snowflakes - catch them on your tongue if they are still falling, pick them up like a kid in your hand and take a bite if they are on the ground. It'll get you in the mood.

* Take pics and record video clips - put it on a DVD entitled Snow Days - and add to it EVERY snow day.

In the future, start each snow day with watching the videos from the previous show days - this gets more special once there are multiple years of clips, especially when they are back to back and you can see the progression of their growth in such rapid succession. Then, when the kids move out of the house, have the clips put together with a sound track and a real movie made of it - and give them a copy to keep. I bet they will continue to watch it on the morning of EVERY snow day all of their lives, and even show it to their children....thinking how much they love you every second.

I bet you watch it even more often, snow day or not. It will be an always treasured video, I PROMISE.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Groundhog Day FUN!

Here are some fun "Groundhog Day" crafts and activities to do with the kids.

Start out the day with a special Groundhog's day breakfast of Peeping Groundhogs and Sunny-side up Eggs. Peeping Groundhogs are made by taking canned biscuits and balling them up in your fist, then plopping them onto a cookie sheet. Take a half a link sausage and stick it in the middle of the biscuit - with only the top sticking out. (This represents the groundhog's head.) Then bake until biscuits are done. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese, if desired. Over breakfast, talk about the tradition of Groundhogs day.

After breakfast, have the kids make a Groundhog day mask. Then, get a large box (one they can climb into) and have the kids decorate it as the Groundhogs "house". Have each child take turns playing "Groundhog" (think Jack in the box, without the crank). Experiment with a flash light or lamp (the sun) and pillows (clouds). This way, you can discuss how the sunshine and clouds affect whether the Groundhog sees his shadow. You can also experiment with the light source being closer or further from the Groundhog, and with the Groundhog being closer or further from the ground - see what happens to the size of his shadow.

If you do not have a box large enough for this, consider using a smaller box and making a Groundhog puppet - use the same concepts, but on a smaller scale. Sock puppets are GREAT for this - and the more stained the sock the better!

Also, do an activity involving their OWN shadows.

Practice making shadow hand puppets.
Have the children sit in a chair and create shadows using a lamp or flashlight and then tracing the shadow to create a silhouette.
Or, my favorite - do a shadow dance. Put a spot light (flashlight/lamp) behind a sheet. Then, have the kids dance between the lamp and sheet while you record a video to watch back.

For dinner, there are a couple schools of thought:

* Serve your favorite meal which includes ground port sausage (get it? ground hog?). Or, if you are more like me...

* Eat like a Groundhog... salads all around! If you're kids don't like salad, dress it up... make it like a party platter with raw veggies and dip.

Even if you skip the dinner options for Groundhog day, don't skip dessert: Make a bowl of chocolate pudding, add chocolate whipped cream (if you have it), and sprinkle "dirt" - ground up chocolate graham crackers or oreo cookies (not the white middles -just the cookie part) - on top. Then, put a popsicle stick with a picture of a groundhog in the middle. Ta-da! A groundhog coming out of his hole!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

A Cheap Play Date At Sports Bounce

I am always on the lookout for new places to try and things to do with my kids. With the economy being what it is, however, we have to watch our entertainment budget.... you may have noticed this theme with my earlier posts.

On Facebook, I've become a "fan" of "Moms Like Me - things to with your children in the greater Dulles area" (note the missing word "do" is not a typo here). They give out lots of ideas, although not all are cheap options. However, they pass on the deals when they're found, and you can, too.

There, I learned about a special promotion at Sports Bounce of Loudoun. You know the kind of place (like Pump It Up or Jumping Jacks), its an indoor, "inflatibles" playground, filled with moon-bouncy kinds of things. They offer classes/playgroups, open play times, special events and host birthday and other parties.

Usually, these places are rather expensive. But, this particular day they were offering a PJ Party midday for little ones for only $5; so I took my son.

It was a surprise. I picked him up unexpectedly at preschool and we went. He had a blast! There, you'll find moon bounces of different shapes and sizes, many with mazes and slides of different sizes. They also had 2 playrooms that featured toys for playing ball, building, twirling, and all sorts of activities. They truly had something for everyone. My son loved it, and is begging to go back.

To learn more about Sports Bounce of Loudoun, click on this link to go to their site.

To learn about other budget sensitive kids/family activities in and around Loudoun, stay tuned to this blog and check out our previous posts on these topics:

- Where kids eat free in Loudoun

- Go to the movies (for less)

- Rust Nature Sanctuary

- The Girl Scout Leader Experience

- Shows at Ida Lee

Again, here at LivingInLoCo.blogspot.com we share with you highlights about the quality of living, based on my family's personal experience. We hope you enjoy learning about the area. If there are topics you'd like to see discussed or highlighted, please email me at vchrisner@kw.com. I'd like to be your source of information for living in Loudoun!

For real estate information, visit my real estate blog: http://www.therealestatewhisperer.blogspot.com/ or Search for Homes or Find the Value of your Home at http://www.vickychrisner.com/

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Feeling a little "LoCo"? Go out for a change!

PLEASE NOTE: This post has been updated and is being republished!

Maybe you've felt a little "loco" today and just need a break from the "same old - same old"; or maybe you've got something to celebrate (if you look hard enough there's ALWAYS something to celebrate). Consider gathering the kids and going out for dinner tonight. Kids eat free (somewhere) every night of the week here in Loudoun.

EVERYDAY
Green Turtle - for the summer, kids eat free everyday with purchase of an adult meal.
Preet Palace - kids under 5 eat free from the buffet every day of the week!

MONDAY

Tropical Smoothie - with a combo meal

Mediterranean Breeze - ALL DAY long
Eggspectatons - Kids under 12 eat free w/purchase of adult entree
The Dock at Lansdowne - With purchase of adult meal

TUESDAY

Picante - The Real Taco!
Red, Hot and Blue - 5 to 8pm w/purchase of adult entree
IHOP -w/ an adult meal from 4:00- 9:00

Main Street Wings -w/ an adult meal

CiCi’s Pizza – w/ one adult buffet for dinner (plus free tattoos!)

Moe’s -w/an adult meal from 5:00 to close

Dock at Landsdowne - With adult meal

Applebee’s - kids eat for .99

Friendly's
Chick-Fil-A - With the purchase of an adult meal.
Lone Star Steakhouse - Two kids eat free off of the kid's menu all day w/the purchase of any entree.
Mezza Grille Mediterranean - Kids eat free all day on Tuesdays w/the purchase of an adult entree.

WEDNESDAY
Bob Evans
Los Toltecos - Kids under 10 eat free every Wednesday evening.
The Original Steakhouse & Sports Theatre - For every one adult entree purchased, two children eat free on Wednesdays.

THURSDAY

Moe’s -with an adult meal from 11:00-4:00pm

FRIDAY

Spicy Pickle w/adult meal

SATURDAY

Spicy Pickle w/ adult meal
Chicken Out Rotisserie Kids eat free every Saturday & Sunday with the purchase of an adult entree.

SUNDAY

California Tortilla -with an adult meal from 4:00- 7:00pm

Moes - w/ adult meal 11 to 4
Chicken Out Rotisserie Kids eat free every Saturday & Sunday with the purchase of an adult entree.

Other Noteworthy Notes:

The Web - I've linked to each of the main web sites for these restaurants. Check out the locations and see if there are other specials advertised there.

Social Media is catching on - most of your favorite businesses are testing the waters with Fan pages on

Facebook - visit their fan page to see if they have any specials advertised only there. I've found lots of Facebook only specials. Right now, TGIFs has 2 incentives (1) a "BYOB/bring your own buddies" coupon (all your buddies get $5 off their entrees) and (2) By Joining their "GIVE ME MORE STRIPES" club, you get a "skip the line" pass and a "free appetizer or free dessert" coupon.

There's a website where you can buy coupons for select restaurants: http://www.restaurants.com/ Often, you still have to spend a minimal amount, so they are not true "gift certificates", but my friends have used this site and find that it's well worth it.

Birthday Clubs / Kids Clubs - many local restaurants offer birthday clubs or kids clubs. Check their web sites to find out.

And, for more info…check out these websites:

http://www.kidsmealdeals.com/
http://www.our-kids.com/public/s/?f=2&s=136
http://www.our-kids.com/public/t/?f=2&s=105

Most importantly - please add comments for any places I may have missed. This is an "improved" version of a list I am circulating that was passed to me. So, your additions or comments are important.

Enjoy!

Living In LoCo

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Youth Sports Opportunities in Loudoun

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Youth Sports Opportunities in Loudoun

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Snow Day Fun for the Whole Family!

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Groundhog Day FUN!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

A Cheap Play Date At Sports Bounce

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Feeling a little "LoCo"? Go out for a change!

The Better Planet

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