DC is an amazing city. No matter your interests, it has something for you. This past year my family has really taken advantage of our city's amenities, and I thought it would be useful to my local readers to highlight some of our favorites.
INDOOR:
1. The Building Musuem- A large, beautiful building with hands-on kids activities.
2. The Natural History Museum- Hall of Mammals is great. Dinosaurs can be a bit scary.
3. Leland Community Center- Sorry DC, Montgomery county takes the prize for this clean community center that offers up affordable sports, arts and toddler programs. Additionally, they have open gym time and a nice playground.
4. Noyes Children's Library- Again, sorry DC, Montgomery county libraries have more books, cleaner spaces and librarians that know children's books.
5. Rock Creek Nature Center & Plantetarium- They have nice children's programming.
6. Family Days at any of the art museums. They are free and it is a Fabulous way to introduce young children to art museums. Our Favorites are National Gallery- East Wing, (the IM Pei building) and the Corcoran.
7. Free theater Saturday mornings at the National Theater.
8. Chuck E Cheese- during the week at 9 am, before the crowds get there
Outdoor- Although, most people do not think of DC as a nature lovers paradise, Rock Creek Park and the Potomac offer up an amazing amount of hikes even our toddlers can do.
1. Hains Point
2. Roosevelt Island- only go in the spring or Fall. Summer is too hot & buggy
3. Any of the trails in Rock creek, particularly ones leading into...
4. The National Zoo
5. Great Falls- MD side
6. Clemyjontri park- this is the BEST park I have ever been to. Period. Full stop.
7. Watermine Water park in Herndon, VA
8. Eating popsicles at the Scupture garden in between the National Gallery of Art & Natural History Musuem- though Hirshorn scultpture garden is nice too.
9. Homestead Farm for apple or berry picking.
Places to cool off on hot DC summer days:
1. See above- Watermine park
2. Spray fountains next to Clydes & Giffords ice cream on Wisconsin Ave & Western
3. The fountain in the circle of the Hirshorn Museum. It goes low, then high, then LOOK OUT!
4. The Avalon movie theater- Saturday morning children's matinees. The best are the days they show Scholastic DVDS.
ok, sorry to my most loyal readers, all who live outside of the Beltway (like thousands of miles outside), but this list was on my mind. Does anyone have any places to contribute that I missed?
-Linda
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
To Gift or not to gift. That is the question.
I can't remember who was called the "Me" generation, but it seems that my generation is trying to help our children become the "Give-back" generation. I think it is a positive and wonderful thing that my children are expected to give Tzedakah (roughly translated as charity or justice) each week at their school, have made sandwiches for the homeless and marched in various rallies and fundraisers around town. We are trying not to spoil our children and to give them a sense of appreciation at their good fortune.
However, are we going too far when we disallow presents at birthday parties? A few months ago, my sister-in-law attended a "birthday party" in her hometown of Denver. I put the birthday party in quotes, because there were no invitations. An email was sent telling guests to meet at the Denver Children's museum. The birthday family did not rent the party room, they did not have a birthday cake, and they requested no presents. All this fuss, just for a three year old! My 3 year old niece was confused; she walked into the Museum's party space where another toddler was celebrating with cake and invited herself to celebrate with them.
Recently we attended 2 birthday parties where it was requested that no birthday presents be given. At one party, we were instructed to bring a wrapped book for an exchange. Each child left the party with a new book- goody bags and birthday presents taken care of! At the other party, the invitation clearly stated no presents, but each party guest left with a treasure box full of goodies.
So, what's going on here? Are modern-day parents, frightened of articles in Parenting magazines about 10 year olds with iPods, PS2s, X-Boxes and cell phones, reacting by shunning gifts. Are we so worried that we are spoiling our own children, we won't allow others to give them gifts?
Could it be simply that playrooms are full to the brim with more toys than our children can possibly play with. I know I certainly don't want more toys to have to clean up. So, now, what is a parent to do? Personally, I want others to buy my kids gifts for their birthdays. My boys take such pleasure in unwrapping them. Plus, it has been a whole year since their toys were updated, and they have gone through a lot of developmental changes. The 40 piece puzzles need to upgrade to 100 pieces, Candyland should be swapped for Scrabble, and Bob the Builder is out; make way for soccer balls.
Granted, buying presents for a whole class is an expensive proposition. Perhaps the money spent buying a stranger's child a present would be better spent buying one for my own children, whose interests and closet I am familiar with.
Nate's party invitations will go out in a month or so, and I don't want to be the only venal mom not putting a "no gift" policy on his invitation. Any thoughts? What is going on in your community.
However, are we going too far when we disallow presents at birthday parties? A few months ago, my sister-in-law attended a "birthday party" in her hometown of Denver. I put the birthday party in quotes, because there were no invitations. An email was sent telling guests to meet at the Denver Children's museum. The birthday family did not rent the party room, they did not have a birthday cake, and they requested no presents. All this fuss, just for a three year old! My 3 year old niece was confused; she walked into the Museum's party space where another toddler was celebrating with cake and invited herself to celebrate with them.
Recently we attended 2 birthday parties where it was requested that no birthday presents be given. At one party, we were instructed to bring a wrapped book for an exchange. Each child left the party with a new book- goody bags and birthday presents taken care of! At the other party, the invitation clearly stated no presents, but each party guest left with a treasure box full of goodies.
So, what's going on here? Are modern-day parents, frightened of articles in Parenting magazines about 10 year olds with iPods, PS2s, X-Boxes and cell phones, reacting by shunning gifts. Are we so worried that we are spoiling our own children, we won't allow others to give them gifts?
Could it be simply that playrooms are full to the brim with more toys than our children can possibly play with. I know I certainly don't want more toys to have to clean up. So, now, what is a parent to do? Personally, I want others to buy my kids gifts for their birthdays. My boys take such pleasure in unwrapping them. Plus, it has been a whole year since their toys were updated, and they have gone through a lot of developmental changes. The 40 piece puzzles need to upgrade to 100 pieces, Candyland should be swapped for Scrabble, and Bob the Builder is out; make way for soccer balls.
Granted, buying presents for a whole class is an expensive proposition. Perhaps the money spent buying a stranger's child a present would be better spent buying one for my own children, whose interests and closet I am familiar with.
Nate's party invitations will go out in a month or so, and I don't want to be the only venal mom not putting a "no gift" policy on his invitation. Any thoughts? What is going on in your community.
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