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).

I received a request from one of our readers to list things to do with kids on Christmas day in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland. There aren’t many places open on Christmas Day, so I included events for the day before Christmas, too. Have a wonderful Christmas weekend!

The water-skiing Santa, National Harbor, Maryland. Photo from WaterskiingSanta.com.

FREE: The Water-Skiing Santa and His Kneeboarding Reindeer – National Harbor, MD
Friday, December 24: 1 pm

See Santa and his friends like you’ve never seen them before! Santa will be water skiing, his reindeer will be kneeboarding, the grinch will be jet skiing, Frosty the Snowman will be in a dinghy and more. Best viewing area is in National Harbor, Maryland, next to the Wilson Bridge.

See a map of National Harbor.

Open Play Time at JW Tumbles Playzone – Arlington, VA
Friday, December 24: 9:30 am – 3 pm

Bounce, climb and play at JW Tumbles in Arlington, Virginia! Admission fees: $6 for currently enrolled members, $8 for members who are not enrolled in any classes and $10 for non-members. Siblings get 50% off.

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

Gaithersburg Winter Lights Festival – Gaithersburg, MD
Friday, December 24: 6 pm – 10 pm

See more than 380 illuminated vignettes and 65 animated displays this Christmas eve! This drive is 3.5 miles long, through beautiful Seneca Creek State Park. Check out various themes throughout the drive, including North Pole, Toyland and Penguin Cove. Admission fees: $15 per car, $20 for 15 – 19 passenger limos and vans, $30 for 20-passenger vans and $70 for buses. They accept cash only, so don’t forget to stop by the ATM before you go!

Seneca Creek State Park is located at 11950 Clopper Rd, Gaithersburg, Maryland (map it).

ICE! Exhibit at Gaylord National, National Harbor, MD

ICE! featuring How the Grinch Stole Christmas – National Harbor, MD
Friday, December 24: 10 am – 10 pm
Saturday, December 25: 9 am – 10 pm

Visit this 15,000-square-foot indoor winter wonderland at Gaylord National Hotel! This year, ICE! features How the Grinch Stole Christmas. See holiday scenes, Christmas icons and more ice sculpture maintained in a nine-degree facility. Dress warm, it’ll be 9 degrees in there! Winter coats will be provided. Weekend admissions: $29 for adults, $23 for seniors (62+), $18 for kids 4 to 12 and free for kids 3 and under. See my review of ICE! and get your tickets online.

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

Bull Run Festival of Lights – Centreville, VA
Friday, December 24 – Saturday, December 25: 5:30 pm – 10 pm

Check out Christmas lights from the comfort of your car. New this year is Santa’s Enchanted Lights, where you’ll see over 40,000 animated lights set to music. See the video below for a preview! Admission fees: $20 per car or van (1 – 14 people), $30 per van (15 – 34 people) and $55 per bus (35 or more people).

Bull Run Regional Park is located at 7700 Bull Run Dr, Centreville, Virginia (map it).

I hope you and your kids are enjoying the snow this holiday season! Here are top 10 things to do with kids in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland this weekend. Also check out more family-friendly holiday activities.

Seasons of Lights at Discovery Theater. Image from DiscoveryTheater.org.

Seasons of Light at Discovery Theater – Washington, DC
Friday, December 17: 10:15 am, 11:30 am and 1 pm

Celebrate various holidays at this fun-filled interactive celebration. Explore the customs of Devali, Ramadan, Sankta Lucia, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Las Posadas, Christmas and a First Nations tradition of the Winter Solstice. Call 202-633-3030 to check on ticket availability.

Discovery Theater is located at 1100 Jefferson Drive, SW, Washington, DC (map it).

See more fun things to do with kids this weekend >>

As a follow up to my earlier post on family-friendly holiday activities, here are 15 more fun holiday things to do with kids in Washington, DC, metro. Have a happy holiday!

Norwegian Giant Model Train at Union Station, Washington, DC. Image from Norway.org.

FREE: Norwegian Giant Model Train at Union Station – Washington, DC
Daily until January 3, 2011

Each Norwegian model train is a replica of a current or a historic Norwegian train, hand-crafted by an expert model builder. Free admissions.

Union Station is located at 50 Massachusetts Ave, NE, Washington, DC (map it).

See more fun holiday things to do with kids >>

ICE! Exhibit at Gaylord National, National Harbor, Maryland

This year, the ICE! exhibit at Gaylord National in National Harbor, Maryland, features “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” Whether or not you’re into Dr. Seuss, you’ll be in awe seeing the amazing work of ice artists from the town of Harbin, China, who transformed 2 million pounds of ice into the town of Who-ville.

Our family had a chance to visit the ICE! exhibit recently and despite the freezing cold, we all had a fun time. We actually spent the entire day at Gaylord National, where we had brunch with Santa after visiting the ICE! exhibit, rode the Potomac Express and got splashed by water during the fountain shows. We had such a blast that our family plans to make it a yearly tradition from now on! Here are some tips if you’re planning on going to see ICE! this holiday season.

More on ICE! at Gaylord National >>