I’ve gotten several great emails recommending places for active toddlers to go and see minature trains and other fun exhibits this holiday season. Since I also get new readers nearly every day from Google searches like “Where to take a toddler in Maryland” or “What to do with a toddler in D.C.” or “Northern Virginia toddler fun” I’m going to pass these ideas on to you!
1. Broookside Gardens in Silver Spring, MD, has not only one of the largest light displays this year, but also a holiday train setup in the Conservatory. Admission is free during the day, and $15 per car to see the lights and trains after 5:30 p.m.
2. The Fire Museum of Maryland in Lutherville, MD, is reported to be a really cool destination, with a minature train garden display through the end of the year. Admission is $7, $6 for seniors and firefighters, and $4 for kids over 2.
3. There’s a great listing of area light shows, as well as tons of other great activities for little ones, at Our Kids.com.
4. The Chromatics, our favorite a capella singing group, will present their annual holiday show at Greenbelt Arts Center on Saturday and Sunday. By day they are engineers and scientists at Goddard Space Flight Center, but by night (or mid-afternoon, in this case), they use their beautiful voices to teach and entertain. Fun for the whole family!
5. For my non-D.C. area readers, I have a musical suggestion for the little ones too … Noggin.com has streaming music videos from Laurie Berkner, Dan Zanes, Lisa Loeb, and a brand new one featuring Curious George that apparently is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Or even cheese. Widget loves it. We often take a music break in the afternoon to cuddle and watch a video or two, and Noggin has a good interface, with thumbnail pictures by the songs so that even preverbal toddlers can choose which songs they want to hear by pointing or saying “hat” or “pig” as desired.
Have a great holiday season — and don’t forget to start thinking about those FMLA responses!
