websites, products, resources, and adventures for young families in Loudoun County and beyond
From the category archives:
Today is the last day of the Loudoun County Fair and I have failed to visit once again. The fair seems to hit on a busy week for my family every year, but I plan to go and report back next year. In the meantime I am hoping some local families can fill us in via the website comments feature?
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Dulles 28 Centre
22000 Dulles Retail Plz
Dulles, VA 20166 (map it)
(703) 904-0001
One glimpse of this play area and I came to the conclusion that the chain stores of America have realized that some of the best ways to reach folks with small children is to provide a place where our kids can safely play while we sip a beverage and take a minute to regain our sanity, and have clean bathrooms with changing tables nearby.
I made an unplanned stop because the play area looked like a fun place to kill some time, and then made an unplanned purchase at Starbucks when we needed a potty stop. (Their master plan is working.)
This play area is the perfect place for pint-size mulch-eaters to lower their fiber intake — no mulch! This outdoor playground is surrounded first by a fence, then benches, then snack spots (Starbucks, PotBelly, Cold Stone… and Pei Wei if you’re willing to walk another 50 yards), and after that the parking lot. It offers fresh air without any actual contact with nature. My two year-old had fun, there were other kids to play with — even in the afternoon when most kids are home napping — and the place seemed well maintained. I especially appreciated the latching gate which reduces the likelihood of kids straying into the parking lot.
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Watching the expansion of Lansdowne and Lansdowne Town Center was one of our first Loudoun experiences… I am pleased to report that something good has come of this bit of suburban sprawl. The fountains and the live music on the green are some of suburbia’s most redeeming qualities. (And with the addition of Go Bananas Toys there is one more place to find hula hoops in Loudoun County...)
Their summer concert series seems to be advertised only by poster. Since it is not captured on Lansdowne Town Center’s website we have added it to our community calendar.
The joy on my kids’ faces when we arrive at this fantasy land of spraying water and happy children set to music (on Wednesdays during the summer anyway…) is one of those things that my words cannot begin to capture. It’s up there with Christmas morning, waking up on the day of a long-anticipated plane trip, or being told that their stingy mother is going to buy them something.
Frolicking in the fountains was only done by tot-sized law breakers and their guilty parents last year. (You can read more about it at Suburban Fizz.) Many thanks go to all those involved in making the fountains safe and legal for our kids this year. I want the folks at Lansdowne Town Center to know that the fountains and concerts are the reason we spend our hard-earned money at their shops. Thank you for listening to your community!
I also want the performers we have enjoyed the last few weeks (Westpole and Steven Palmer Band) to know that, even though our backs are turned to the stage so we can supervise our children, we appreciate and enjoy the music. It must be a rather thankless endeavor to play to an audience that keeps its distance and half of its attention elsewhere, but the music is a key part our experience. Thank you for providing the soundtrack to our summer evenings!
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We apparently missed hula hoop season and cannot be the only ones. The same thing happened to us with backyard toddler pools a few years back, and I knew I wasn’t alone because of all the freecycle wanted posts.
According to the calls I made tonight the following stores have or may have hula hoops:
According to the rest of the calls (and stops) I made, the following stores are out, maybe for the season:
Hula hoops are harder to come by than one might think. For those of you beyond Loudoun County I suggest checking high-end toy stores and sporting good stores first. When in doubt, call ahead.
I hope that someone finds this post useful, and that the rest of you get a good laugh at my family’s commitment to buying hula hoops tonight. If you are able to take this post seriously and have hula hoop availability updates to share, please comment below!
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15789 Temple Hall Lane
Leesburg, VA (map it)
703-779-9372
Temple Hall Regional Farm, just north of Leesburg, brings out the cute side in kids. They have a playground, lots of animals, hayrides, clean porta-potties, and more. Jogging or off-road strollers or carriers work best for transporting little folks not up to walking, but I have seen some hard core moms make even cheap umbrella strollers work.
In trying to describe it I came up with an analogy:
Temple Hall Farm is to Leesburg Animal Park
as Eagle Tree Farm is to Great Country Farms
Basically, it is a cheaper farm animal experience less likely to overstimulate the whole family and empty your wallet than some of the private petting zoos. It is a great location for a field trip.
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If co-sleeping, baby wearing, cloth diapering (CD), extended nursing, or gentle discipline (GD) are terms that ring a bell for you, and you are in Loudoun County, then the Leesburg attachment parenting meetup group might be a good fit for you.
This local group — the name says Leesburg, but there are members from all over the county — is still relatively new and definitely has room for more active members.
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The Leesburg/ Ashburn Stay at Home Moms Meetup Group is fantastic. I have connected with wonderful mothers who I admire in all of the groups I have joined over the years, but never before did I see so many in the same group sharing with and supporting each other. There are moms of all ages and all parenting styles in this group and the group has a great energy…. active, friendly, and easy to jump into. Kudos to the dedicated (volunteer) organizer and the many active members and assistant organizers for all they have done and continue to do to keep this group’s momentum. I am so glad to have found you!
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GreenerLoudoun is a blog for all you local folks interested in greening your lives. It covers a wide range of topics — from information on reuse and recycling, to how our choices affect local wildlife, to educational events suitable for children. The blog is interspersed with fascinating photographs, as well. Have a look!
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