By Victoria Gaffney
The holidays are over, and New Year’s resolutions are only just getting underway, but that doesn’t mean you need to sit at home avoiding the cold air just beyond your doorstep. Plenty of fun activities wait for you and the kids right around the corner.
Nothing fills you with a warm fuzzy feeling during the winter months quite like the face of a furry friend. So don’t let the chilly weather keep you from encountering all sorts of animals this winter at Leesburg Animal Park. Come meet a pair of two-toed sloths, ring-tailed lemurs and chinchillas, and head over to the reptilian quarters where you’ll encounter iguanas, snakes, a bearded dragon and poison dart frogs.
Even during the cold months, children can play on an indoor playground, embark on a journey of creativity in the Discovery Room doing arts and crafts and be amazed at a theater for live animal shows and exhibits. From Friday through Sunday, weather permitting, the outdoor areas open up as well; there, children can pet and feed animals and even take pony and wagon rides.
Children and seniors can get an explorer pass for $9.95, and adults can purchase one for $11.95. There are also children’s V.I.P. passes, which include pony rides. There are party rooms available as well.
Leesburg Animal Park
19270 James Monroe Highway
Leesburg, VA, 20175
703-433-0002
Playground on Ice at the Ashburn Ice House
Ice skating, bubbles and colors — oh my. Who said you had to be an accomplished skater or a big kid to lace up your skates and have a good time on the ice? At Ashburn Ice House, even young children will have their share of fun when the rink is transformed into what they call a playground on ice. Every Wednesday from 11 a.m.-noon, children 8 years old and under can come for an exciting hour filled with all sorts of activities. Tickets are $6 per child. The best part: Parents can come with their own skates in hand and skate for free.
The Ashburn Ice House
21595 Smith Switch Road
Ashburn, VA, 20147
703-858-0300
For more family-friendly entertainment, check out out January calendar.
