For nine months, order was maintained. Routines were followed, homework done and everyone had a job to do.
For 75 percent of the year, you know where your children are during the day: school. It’s that blissful period where their energies are focused and curiosity quenched.
Now that June is here, we’ve entered a wild land. Summer is here, school is out and the natives of your home are restless.
They’ve got energy, and you’ve got sanity to burn. Here are a few activities that will take care of both.
Movies
Nothing keeps the ankle-biters occupied like two or three hours of quality entertainment on the big screen. Check out the Cry-Baby Matinee at the Angelika Film Center in the Mosaic District. Tickets cost $6 for the weekly 11 a.m. screening. Children under 5 get in free.
Farm it Up
While it’s always effective to let your kids roam through the great outdoors, it’s even better if they learn while they’re there.
Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon offers a number of educational programs, including seeing the working farm’s newest animal arrivals at Kidwell Barn. There are classes for kids as young as 3 and full-day camps for children 5-15.
Bounce it Out
If your kids are more of the rambunctious sort, let them bounce out their energy. Kids Choice Sports Center in Annandale already offers multiple sports camps throughout the summer, but its piece de resistance may be the 22-foot bounce slide. Other moon bounces are available for birthday parties or just your weekday frivolity.
For more kid-friendly and family entertainment this summer, check out northernvirginiamag.com/family. —Carten Cordell
(June 2015)
