Ah, the first weekend of the new year … can we all relax now? Yeah, right! The kids still need to use up their energy. Check out top ten things to do with kids this weekend in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland.

Greater Reston Arts Center - Free Friday. Image from RestonArts.org.

FREE: Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE) Free Friday for Families – Reston, VA
Friday, January 7: 5 pm – 7 pm

Greater Reston Arts Center will host free activities this Friday evening for families with young kids! Create arts, listen to stories and explore the galleries. This free program is in partnership with InterAct Story Theatre who leads creative art workshops. Free admissions.

Greater Reston Arts Center is located at 12001 Market St, Suite 103, Reston, Virginia (map it).

Open Gym at Sport Bounce of Loudoun – Ashburn, VA
Friday, January 7: 9:30 am – 11 am and 11:30 am – 1 pm

Your kids can bounce, climb and slide at Sport Bounce of Loudoun. This Friday, open bounce time is open for kids 18 months to 6 years old for the early morning session and for kids 18 months and up for the 11:30 session. Admission fees: $10 for kids 24 months and up, $6 for toddlers 18 to 23 months and free for parents and caregivers. Siblings get $2 off.

Sport Bounce of Loudoun is located at 44710 Cape Ct, Suite 116, Ashburn, Virginia (map it).

Color Me Mine. Photo from ColorMeMine.com.

Pajama Party at Color Me Mine – Rockville, MD
Friday, January 7: 5 pm – 8 pm

Studio fee is free on Friday night if you wear your pajamas to Color Me Mine in Rockville, Maryland! Let your kids exercise their creativity by painting their own pottery. Call 301-251-2010 for more information.

Color Me Mine is located at 33 F Maryland Ave, Rockville, Maryland (map it).

Last Weekend of ICE! at Gaylord National – National Harbor, MD
Friday, January 7: 10 am – 10 pm
Saturday, January 8 – Sunday, January 9: 9 am – 10 pm

This Sunday is the last day of the sesason for the ICE! exhibit at Gaylord National in Maryland. Check out 2 million pounds of ice sculpture with “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” as the theme. Admission fees: $29 for adults 13 and up, $23 for seniors (62+), $21 for military adults, $18 for kids 4 to 12, $13 for military kids 4 to 12 and free for kids 3 and under. Military IDs are required to get the military admission fees. Get your tickets online and see my review of ICE!

Gaylord National Hotel and Conference Center is located at 201 Waterfront Street National Harbor, Maryland (map it).

Professional Bull Riders Fairfax Invitational – Fairfax, VA
Friday, January 7 – Saturday, January 8: 7:30 pm

For your older kids, check out Professional Bull Riders Fairfax Invitational at the Patriot Center this weekend. Admission fees range from $10 for kids 2 to 12 to $65. Get your tickets online.

The Patriot Center is located at 4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax, Virginia (map it).

Littles Day at Port Discovery Children’s Museum – Baltimore, MD
Saturday, January 8: 11 am – 2 pm

Fun entertainment for kids 5 and under! Check out magic and balloon sculpting with Bubbles the Clown, enjoy the Kindersinger and say hello to Pets on Wheels and participate in activities provided by the Goddard School. Admission fees: $12.95 for anyone 2 and up, and free for kids under 2. Get your tickets online.

Port Discovery Children’s Museum is located at 35 Market Place, Baltimore, Maryland (map it).

NSO Teddy Bear Concert at Kennedy Center. Image from Kennedy-Center.org.

National Symphony Orchestra Teddy Bear Concert: Fancy That! at Kennedy Center – Washington, DC
Saturday, January 8: 11 am, 1:30 pm and 5 pm

Enjoy a one-woman show by NSO violinist Marissa Regni, suitable for kids ages 3 to 5. This special program features music by Bach, Mozart and Prokofiev and images by graphic artiest Marie Cheek. Come early before the show starts for musical playtime, where kids can enjoy music and movement activities. Tickets are $18; get your tickets online.

The Kennedy Center is located at 2700 F St, NW, Washington, DC (map it).

Tractorpalooza at Heritage Farm Museum of Loudoun County – Sterling, VA
Saturday, January 8 – Sunday, January 9: 10 am – 4 pm

See antique and model tractors. Go on wagon rides with your kids, weather permitting. Go cruising on a custom toy tractor mat and watch a tractor parade at 1 pm. Admission fees: $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $3 for kids and free for kids under 2. Get a free kids’ admission if you bring a toy tractor to carry in the tractor parade.

Heritage Farm Museum of Loudoun County is located at 21668 Heritage Farm Ln, Sterling, Virginia (map it).

FREE: Raise the Rafters/Winter Music Series and Game Day at Frying Pan Farm Park – Herndon, VA
Sunday, January 9: 2 pm – 4 pm

Go on a musical journey with string trio Virginia Virtuosi. With the theme of Rhythm Around the World, your kids can discover rhythmic elements from various countries. After the musical show, check out Game Day, where you can play games such as Monopoly, Dominoes, Backgammon or Parcheesi with your kids. Both events, Winter Music Series and Game Day, will be held in the Visitor Center. Free admissions. Call 703-437-9101 for more information.

Frying Pan Visitor Center is located at 2709 West Ox Rd, Herndon, Virginia (map it).

FREE: Safari Winds at Providence Presbyterian Church, Fairfax, VA
Sunday, January 9: 4 pm

Enjoy a kids’ interactive concert. Your kids check out “how sounds work” science station and an instrumental petting zoo. Free admissions. Call 703-978-3934 for more information.

Providence Presbyterian Church is located at 9019 Little River Turnpike, Fairfax, Virginia (map it).

Ah, the holidays … hot chocolates, holiday music, Santa, so fun! Check out top 10 things to do with kids this weekend in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland. You can also check out 25 fun holiday things to do with kids in the Washington, DC metro.

Holidays in Leesburg, Virginia. Photo from LeesburgVA.org.

FREE: Holidays in Leesburg – Leesburg, VA
Friday, December 3: 6 pm
Saturday, December 4: 9 am – 4 pm
Sunday, December 5: 10 am – 4 pm

Celebrate the start of the holiday season in Leesburg! See the tree lighting on Friday, December 3rd, at 6 pm, while enjoying music by the Loudoun Chorale and the Loudoun County High School Chamber Choir. On Saturday and Sunday, check out the Holiday Fine Arts and Craft Show at Ida Lee Park Recreation Center, with more than 90 vendors selling unique handmade products.

The annual tree lighting will be held at Town Green, located at 25 W Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia (map it).
The Holiday Fine Arts and Craft Show is located at Ida Lee Park Recreation Center, located at 60 Ida Lee Drive NW, Leesburg, Virginia (map it).

More fun things to do with kids in Washington, DC metro >>

I don’t think my family can ever get sick of fun Halloween events and Fall Festivals! I posted a list of Top 13 Halloween Events and Fall Festivals in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland before, and here are 13 more. Enjoy this Fall season!

Corn maze at Summers Farm, Frederick, MD. Photo from SummersFarm.com.

Summers Farm Adventure – Frederick, MD
Open daily until November 2nd
Monday – Thursday: 1pm – 7pm
Friday: 1 pm – 5 pm
Saturday – Sunday: 10 am – 7 pm

Bounce on a jumping pillow, slide down giant slides, watch a pig race, go on a hayride, get lost in a corn maze, play in a corn crib, crawl in farm tunnels, say hello to farm animals, ride a pumpkin train, eat delicious farm food and more! Admission fees: $9.50 for weekends, $6.50 for Monday – Thursday (1 pm – 7 pm) and Friday (1 pm – 5 pm).

Summers Farm is located at 5614 Butterfly Lane, Frederick, Maryland (map it).

Leesburg Animal Park’s Pumpkinville – Leesburg, VA
Daily until November 7: 9 am – 6 pm

Hay wagon rides, kids’ hay maze, giant hill slides, moon bounces, scarecrow decorating, pumpkin patch, straw tunnels, rope swings and more at Pumpkinville! They also have special activities on weekends only, such as mini tractor rides, camel rides and kids’ zip line. Costume contest and trick-or-treating on Halloween weekends and Pumpkin Olympic during the last weekend of Pumpkinville. Admission fees: $13 per person for weekends, $8.50 per person for weekdays and free for kids under 2 years old. Get your tickets online. Get a coupon online for weekday admissions. Fees include free admissions to Leesburg Animal Park so you can say hello and hand feed animals.

Leesburg Animal Park is located at 19270 James Monroe Highway, Leesburg, Virginia (map it).

Hayride at Ticonderoga Farms, Chantilly, VA. Photo from Ticonderoga.com.

Ticonderoga Farms Fall Festival – Chantilly, VA
Daily until November 10: 9 am – 6 pm

Bamboo maze, hay rides, hillside slides, log cabin and hay forts, face painting, antique tractors, fire pits, petting zoo and more. Admission fees: $8.95 per person on weekdays, $14.95 per person on weekends and free for kids under 2.

Ticonderoga Farms Fall Festival is located at 26469 Ticonderoga Road, Chantilly, Virginia (map it).

Historic Halloween Spooktacular at Tudor Place – Washington, DC
Saturday, October 23: 10 am – 12 pm

Enjoy early American children’s games and crafts at the historic Tudor Place in Washington, DC. Create your own delicious Halloween treats, listen to spooky Halloween tales, paint some pumpkins and more. Get your kids to wear their Halloween costumes so they can participate in the Spooktacular Halloween Costume Parade! Admissions: free for members, all others are $3 for adults and $10 for kids. Get your tickets online.

Tudor Place is located at 1644 31st St NW, Washington, DC (map it).

FREE: Annandale Fall Festival and Parade – Annandale, VA
Saturday, October 23: 10 am – 5 pm

Check out more than 70 craft, business and food vendors at Annandale Fall Festival. Kids’ activities include games, music, treasure hunt, moon bounce, face painting and a reading tent. They also have a riding bull and a NASCAR simulator! Both festival and parade start at 10 am and parade ends at noon. Free admissions.

Annandale Fall Festival is held in Little River Shopping Center located at 7414 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, Virginia (map it).

Pumpkins at Homestead Farm, Poolesville, MD. Image from Homestead-Farm.net.

Pick-Your-Own Pumpkins at Homestead Farm – Poolesville, MD
Daily in October: 9 am – 6 pm

Hayrides are available on weekends! During the week, you can still walk to the pumpkin patches. Say hello to farm animals and check out their farm market, where you’ll find apple cider, local honey, various preservers and already-picked pumpkins. Hayrides are $3 per person and pumpkins are sold separately.

Homestead Farm is located at 15604 Sugarland Rd, Poolesville, Maryland (map it).

Hardly Haunted Hayrides and Boo at the Farm – Herndon, VA
Hardly Haunted Hayrides: Friday, October 22; Tuesday, October 26; Thursday, October 28; Friday, October 29: 5:30 pm, 6 pm and 6:30 pm
Boo at the Farm: Thursday, October 28 – Friday, October 29: 5:30 pm and 7 pm

Hardly Haunted Hayrides: go on Halloween-themed wagon ride at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon, Virginia. Boo at the Farm: Get dressed in your favorite Halloween costume and go trick-or-treating for goodies! Meet farm animals and listen to Halloween tales in the barn. Admission fees for Hardly Haunted Rides: $5 for Fairfax County residents and $7 for non-residents. Admission fees for Boo at the Farm: $8 for Fairfax County residents and $10 for non-residents.

Frying Pan Farm Park is located at 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon, Virginia (map it).

Maryland Renaissance Festival, Annapolis, MD. Image from RennFest.com.

Maryland Renaissance Festival Chivalry Weekend – Annapolis, MD
Saturday, October 23 – Sunday, October 24: 10 am – 5 pm

Visit this 25-acre English Tudor village to bring you and your family back to an era of chivalry. Check out more than 130 craft shops showcasing hand-made arts and crafts and pick from over 40 food outlets. Plenty of entertainment for the family,including a strolling magician, a mime, a dog show, a swordswallower and a kids’ knighting ceremony. See their full entertainment schedule. Stop by the Customer Service Pavilion to get more information on their children’s program. Admission fees: $18 for adults (16 – 61), $15 for seniors (62+), $8 for kids (7 – 15) and free for kids and under.

Maryland Renaissance Festival is held at 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, Maryland (map it).

Halloween Slime Spectacular Family Event at Curiosity Zone – Ashburn, VA
Wednesday, October 27: 5:30 pm – 6:15 pm
Friday, October 29: 5:30 pm – 6:15 pm and 6:30 pm – 7:15 pm

Get ready to be all slimy! Make spider slime, bouncing eyeballs and swamp muck with your kids at Curiosity Zone’s Halloween Slime Spectacular Family Event. Halloween costumes are highly encouraged. Recommended for kids ages 2 and older. Admission fees: $7.50 per person, free for kids under 2 years old. Get your tickets online.

Curiosity Zone is located at 43135 Broadlands Center Plaza, Ashburn, Virginia (map it).

Fall Festival and Halloween Party at musiKids – Bethesda, MD
Thursday, October 28: 4 pm – 5:30 pm

Costume parade, scarecrow show, “corn” maze, Fall craft, trick or treat walk, pumpkin bowling, bat catching, apple bobbing and more. Recommended for kids ages 18 months to 5 years. Admission fees: $10 for Fall 2010 students, $15 for non-students and $5 for all siblings. RSVP to info@musikids.com or 301-215-7946.

musiKids Bethesda is located at 4900 Auburn Ave, Bethesda, Maryland (map it).

Halloween event at Port Discovery, Baltimore, MD. Image from PortDiscovery.org.

Port Discovery’s Family FALLoween Festival – Baltimore, MD
Saturday, October 30: 10 am – 5 pm

This special event at Port Discovery Children’s Museum in Baltimore combines visual art programs and musical performances. Fun activities for kids include dance performances, sing along songs, making your own fuzzy skeletons, moonbounce, circus games and more. Admissions: $12.95 per person, free for kids under 2 years old. Get your tickets online.

Port Discovery Children’s Museum is located at 35 Market Place, Baltimore, Maryland (map it).

Wolf Trap 5K and Fun Run, Vienna, VA. Photo from WolfTrap.org.

Wolf Trap’s Run for the Arts – Vienna, VA
Saturday, October 30: 8 am – 12 pm

Participate in a fun 1-mile run/walk or 5k run at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia. After the race, enjoy family activities, such as kids’ Halloween costume contest, face painting, pumpkin painting, trick-or-treat stations and live music by the Junkyard Saints. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for kids. Register online.

The Filene Center at Wolf Trap is located at 1551 Trap Rd, Vienna, Virginia (map it).

Twilight Tales – Accokeek, MD
Saturday, October 30: 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Go on a quarter mile journey led by lantern in the National Colonial Farm in Accokeek, Maryland. Recommended for kids ages 8 and up. If you have younger kids, take them to the Education Center instead, where they can participate in Halloween-themed activities. Admission fees: $10 for non-members and $7 for members. Save 50% on tickets by purchasing them online by October 23rd.

The National Colonial Farm at Accokeek Foundation is located at 3400 Bryan Point Rd, Accokeek, Maryland (map it).

Well hello, Fall! You’re finally here … chilly mornings, apple picking, pumpkin festivals, so fun! Enjoy the cooler weather this weekend without the rain with your family. Here are this weekend’s top 10 fun things to do with kids in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland.

Adam Reed Tucker with LEGO® Architecture models. Courtesy of Adam Reed Tucker. Photo from nbm.org.

LEGO Architecture: Towering Ambition at National Building Museum – Washington, DC
Friday, October 1 – Saturday, October 2: 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday, October 3: 11 am – 5 pm
This exhibition is open through September 5, 2011

Get ready to be awed by 15 buildings from around the world that are made from LEGO bricks at LEGO Architecture: Towering Ambition exhibit at National Building Museum. You’ll get to create a building from LEGO, too, and place your model on a large scale map of city! Admission fees: $5 per person, free for kids under 3 and members of National Building Museum. Get your tickets at the door; go in the morning since this exhibit is extremely popular.

National Building Museum is located at 401 F Street Northwest Washington, DC (map it).

Open Bounce Time at JW Tumbles – Herndon, VA
Friday, October 1: 12 pm – 5 pm
Sunday, October 3: 10 am – 12 pm

Check out new inflatables at Herndon JW Tumbles! These inflatables are recommended for kids ages 2.5 to 10. Sorry, no adults on the inflatables. Siblings outside of the appropriate age range can still play in the gym at regular open gym pricing. Admission fees: $12 for members, $14 for non-members and siblings are half off. This open bounce time is parent-supervised.

JW Tumbles is located at 12950 Highland Crossing Dr, Herndon, Virginia (map it).

Sport Bounce of Loudoun. Photo from SportBounce.com.

Open Gym at Sport Bounce of Loudoun – Ashburn, VA
Friday, October 1: 9:30 am – 11 am and 11:30 am – 1 pm

Your kids will love bouncing around and going down giant inflatable slides at Sport Bounce of Loudoun! There are two open gym times on Friday: early morning (9:30 am – 11 am) is for kids ages 18 months to 6 years and late morning (11:30 am – 1 pm) is for kids ages 18 months and up. They have a moonbounce just for the little ones and two play rooms for kids. Admission fees: $10 per child for kids 2 years and up, $6 for toddlers (18 to 23 months) and free for anyone over 16 years old and under 18 months old. Siblings each receive $2 off.

Sport Bounce of Loudoun is located at 44710 Cape Ct, Suite #116, Ashburn, Virginia (map it).

Waterfront Festival at Washingtonian Center – Gaithersburg, MD
Friday, October 1: 6 pm – 9 pm

Enjoy live music at the plaza, find special savings by local merchants, check out open houses and other special events. The Little Gym also has a Parent Survival Night where you can drop off your kids, ages 3 to 8, and go on a date with your partner from 6 pm to 9:30 pm. Call 240-361-3334 to register.

Washingtonian Center is located at 9811 Washingtonian Blvd, Gaithersburg, Maryland (map it).

FREE: Taste of Bethesda – Bethesda, MD
Saturday, October 2: 11 am – 4 pm

Sample food from over 55 restaurants, check out live entertainment on four stages and visit the kid’s corner for face painting, arts and crafts. Free admissions. You can sample food by purchasing taste tickets at the event; food servings cost one to four tickets and a bundle of four tickets cost $5.

Taste of Bethesda is held along Norfolk, Fairmont, St. Elmo, Cordell and Del Ray Avenues in Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle (map it).

Uncle Rock. Photo by Hillary Harvey, from UncleRock.com.

Uncle Rock at Jammin’ Java – Vienna, VA
Saturday, October 2: 10:30 am

See family-friendly performance by former stay-at-home dad, singer-songwriter, actor and teacher Robert Burke Warren, aka Uncle Rock. His CDs have gotten raves from the New York Times, LA Times and Parenting Magazine. His songs draw inspiration from great kids’ authors, such as Maurice Sendak, Woody Guthrie and Shel Silverstein. Admission fees: $8 per person, free for babies younger than 12 months. Get your tickets online.

Jammin’ Java is located at 227 Maple Ave E, Vienna, Virginia (map it).

FREE: Vienna Oktoberfest – Vienna, VA
Saturday, October 2: 11 am – 7 pm

Enjoy great food and live music at Vienna Oktoberfest! They also have free activities for kids, a children’s entertainment stage and a festival marketplace. Free admissions.

Vienna Oktoberfest is held at Vienna Town Green, located at 144 Maple Ave E, Vienna, Virginia (map it).

FREE: Peanuts Family Day at National Portrait Gallery – Washington, DC
Saturday, October 2: 11:30 am – 3 pm

Swing by National Portrait Gallery this Saturday to enjoy a friends-and-family day, inspired by Charles M. Schulz and his characters from Peanuts. Get your kid’s picture taken with Snoopy, participate in workshops by a cartoonist-in-resident at the Schulz Museum in California and join Sean Lane the Bay Jazz Project to play percussion instrument. Free admissions.

National Portrait Gallery is located at 801 F St NW, Washington, DC (map it).

Pumpkin Festival at Butler's Orchard. Photo from ButlersOrchard.com.

Pumpkin Festival at Butler’s Orchard – Germantown, MD
Saturday, October 2 – Sunday, October 3: 10 am – 5 pm
Festival is every Saturday and Sunday in October, opening day is Saturday, October 2

Enjoy this fun Fall event with your kids! Go on a hayride, jump in the hayloft, visit barnyard buddies, get lost in twisted pumpkin corn maze and more. Live music is from 12 pm to 4 pm. Admission fees: $10 per person, free for kids under 2.

Butler’s Orchard is located at 22200 Davis Mill Rd, Germantown, Maryland (map it).

National Zoo’s Autumn Conservation Festival at National Zoo – Front Royal, VA
Saturday, October 2 – Sunday, October 3: 10 am – 3 pm

Talk with world-famous scientists about animals and their environment, get behind-the-scenes looks at some of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) Front Royal’s endangered animals, enjoy live music and go on draft horse wagon rides. Lunch and beverages are available for sale. Fees: $30 per car pass for up to 6 passengers. Additional passengers are $5 each at the gate. Get your car passes online.

Autumn Conservation Festival is held at Remount Rd, Front Royal, Virginia (map it).

Where did the sun go this morning? No worries! You can still have fun with the kids on this rainy day. Here are several open play times in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland that you can go to today.

At Play Cafe – Reston, VA
Open play time at At Play Cafe today is from 9:30 am to 7 pm. Fees: $8 for the first child and $6 for each additional sibling. Babies under 8 months are free. Read my review of At Play Cafe.

At Play Cafe is located at 2254B Hunters Woods Plaza, Reston, Virginia (map it).

The Family Room – Washington, DC
Open play time at the Family Room today is from 9 am to 6 pm. Fees: $10 for the first child and $5 for each additional sibling. If you stop by after 3 pm, fee is $5 per child. Call 202-640-1865 for more information.

The Family Room is located at 411 8th St SE, 2nd Floor, Washington, DC (map it).

FunFit Family Fitness - Rockville, MD
Open play time at FunFit Family Fitness today is from 10 am to 2 pm. Fees for members: $7 per child, $6 for each additional sibling and $15 per family maximum. Fees for non-members: $9 per child, $8 for each additional sibling and $20 per family maximum.

FunFit Family Fitness is located at 17511 Redland Rd , Rockville, Maryland (map it).

JW Tumbles - Arlington, VA
Open play time at JW Tumbles of Arlington today is from 9 am to 1 pm. Fees: $6 for members enrolled in a class, $8 for members not enrolled in a class and $10 for non-members. Call 703-531-1471 for more information.

JW Tumbles of Arlington is located at 2499 N. Harrison St, Arlington, Virginia (map it).

MoBu Kids – Falls Church, VA
Open play time at MoBu Kids today is from 12:30 pm to 5 pm. Call 703-241-PLAY for more information.

MoBu Kids is located at 442 South Washington St, Falls Church, Virginia (map it).

Pump It Up – Leesburg, VA
Pop in play time at Pump It Up today is from 1 pm to 2:30 pm. Fees: $10 per child. For kids ages 2 to 12. Call 703-443-1400 for more information.

Pump It Up is located at 73 Lawson Road SE, Leesburg, Virginia (map it).

Sport Bounce of Loudoun – Ashburn, VA
There are two open gym times at Sport Bounce of Loudoun today: from 10 am to 11:30 am (for kids 18 months to 6 years) and from 12 pm to 1:30 pm (for kids 18 months and older). Fees: $10 for the first child (2 and older), $8 for each additional sibling (2 and older), $6 for kids ages 18 to 24 months. Call 703-729-9522 for more information.

Sport Bounce of Loudoun is located at 44710 Cape Ct., Suite #116, Ashburn, Virginia (map it).