Play N' Learn: The Playground Super Store in Chantilly has been a local favorite for Northern Virginia families to play.  The giant showroom has many play structures, a couple of trampolines, and air hockey/ foosball tables for kids to have fun.  Plus there is a very clean restroom with a changing table.  We love that there are now two time slots that require advanced signup online, so it never gets crowded.  It's a fun, relaxed atmosphere and great place for a play date meet up.  The Chantilly, VA location is convenient to many places in Northern Virginia.  Here's some things to know:

• Play for free at  Chantilly, VA location  is on Thursdays excluding holidays. There are two slots available: Early Slot (10 AM-11:30 AM) and Late Slot (11:45-1:15 PM)
• Reservations ARE REQUIRED. No walk ins allowed.
• Time slots shown are arrival times. You may arrive anytime during the time slot and play for up to 1.5 Hours.  Please sign up here.
• It is FREE to signup and play…just be sure to bring your ticket with you or show it on your phone. 
• Complete the Waiver form before arriving to save time.
• Please limit your free plays to no more than 3 times per month so everyone has a chance to enjoy.
• Watch your children carefully!  Unlike outdoor playgrounds, which have soft surfaces cushioned with mulch, this is a playground showroom.  
• Find out more about this and other great indoor play options in the area in your Kid Trips Northern Virginia book.  Now updated for 2014! 

Grab your tiaras and doubloons and join us for Disney Junior Live On Tour! Pirate & Princess Adventure. Mickey and Minnie are taking their seats too at this never-before-seen live show featuring your favorite characters from Disney Junior's hit series, Sofia the First and Jake and the Never Land Pirates. Get swept up in the excitement as Sofia and her family prepare for a royal celebration that helps us all learn the true meaning of being a princess with a special appearance from Cinderella.

Then it's off to Never Land where Jake and his swashbuckling friends Izzy and Cubby, with a little help from Peter Pan, battle Captain Hook to unlock treasure hidden inside a mysterious volcano. It's danger and dueling on the high seas as Jake discovers what it takes to be a true hero. Filled with new music, amazing effects, thrilling action and endless surprises, your whole family will sing, shout, and soar into the action when Disney Junior Live On Tour! Pirate & Princess Adventure sails into your hometown.

Special bonus! Starting ten minutes before every performance join loveable Doc McStuffins for a special pre-show!  You can help Doc take care of one of her beloved toys with her own special brand of love and magic. Free to all ticket holders.


SHOW TIMES:
Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014 at the Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA
1:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m.

TICKET INFORMATION:
Ticket Prices:  $52 VIP, $35, and $22
Service charges, facility and handling fees may apply.

3 Ways to To purchase:
1. Visit www.ticketmaster.com
2. Visit the Patriot Center Box Office,
3. Call Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000


ENTER TO WIN 4 FRONT ROW TICKETS TO THE 4 PM SHOW!

I received complimentary house-level tickets for my family to the show for sharing this promotion and running this contest. All opinions are my own. 

There is nothing like a January snowfall to remind us that winter is far from over!  And while the charm of the snow can be enchanting, the reality is the cold weather can catch up with the young and old alike and make for a less than comfortable family-friendly day.  After you have built your snowman, spent hours sledding and have thrown a few snowballs, it might be time to find some more climate friendly activities for your crew.

And we have tons of options for you!  To start, the Kid Trips Northern Virginia book lists many local museums and hidden gems in Northern Virginia as well as Washington DC.  

Check out some of our Top Ideas to Discover Winter Fun in DC and Beyond below:

Enrich your child's life this new year, and introduce them to a foreign language.  The area's leading language learning centers, Language Stars, are hosting special Open House Weeks January 6-18, 2014.  During this time, stop into any of the seven Language Stars locations in the DC/NoVA/MD area to see what all the fun is about.  Parents can take their children to one-free trial class and receive a $10 iTunes gift card.  Plus, if you enroll during Open House Weeks, you will receive a $100 off discount on the cost of tuition.  

The Language Stars centers in the Washington D.C. Metro area offer year-round programs teaching foreign language immersion classes for children. Classes are available in Spanish at all  locations, and some locations may also offer Mandarin, French, German and (Italian coming soon!)

Find out more about Language Stars' unique programs and enter to win a free month of classes below:

Remodeling or finishing your basement is a great opportunity to have more living space in your home.  Because the structure is already there to work with, you just have to decide how you want your basement to look.  Do you want a media room, game room, in-home gym, guests room, additional living space, or a mixture of various things?  The possibilities are endless and it’s a great way to use an otherwise unused space in your home.  The basement we’re going to look at was in a 1960’s home in Arlington, VA that uses the space in various ways with a contemporary style.

For the first time since 2011, Monster Jam® returns to the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. for two days on  January 24 and 25, 2014.
 
These custom-designed monster trucks weigh in at a minimum of 10,000 pounds and sit atop massive 66 inch tall tires. Generating almost 2,000 horsepower, these giants are capable of speeds up to 100 miles per hour. Audiences will be amazed as they whirl around and fly 130 feet into the air. 

More details below