December means the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, family gatherings and the winter break for school age children. What to do…?

Winter family fun:

Wondering what to do with the children during the winter break? There are lots of activities in Northern Virginia you can do with the little (and not so little) ones. You can visit any one of Virginia’s parks such as Great Falls Park or Balls Bluff—visit www.nvrpa.org for more information.   Another “idea” website is www.our-kids.com which has information on children’s theater, museums such as the Smithsonian in DC and the Udvar-Hazy Space museum in Dulles. Other fun activities include ice skating (visit the Ashburn Ice house at www.ashburnice.com) bowling (King Pinz in Leesburg and Bowl America in Sterling), sledding, and indoor pools and water parks (Claude Moore and Ida Lee). There are also dozens of local festivals that can be fun for all ages (visit www.dc.about.com for local listings and schedules).

Outdoor Play and Winter Wear:

The old rule of thumb for older babies and younger children is to dress them in one more layer than you would an adult. Use layers—layers—layers: several thin layers will work better than 1 bulky coat and make active play more enjoyable. Remember to bring children indoors for frequent breaks to prevent hypothermia and frostbite. When enjoying activities such as sledding, skating and skiing/boarding, remember safety items such as helmets and other gear appropriate to the activity—this includes you mom and dad!
Don’t forget the sunscreen! While we think of sunscreen for the pool and beach, remember that the sun can burn in the winter too!

Christmas Decorating Safety:

There are many ways you can help ensure a safe holiday. Start with decorating. If you plan to use an artificial tree, make sure it is Fire Resistant. Live trees should be healthy and absorb water when it gets home. Keep all decorations away from heaters and fireplace embers. Check your decorator lightsfor frayed wires, loose connections and broken bulbs or sockets. Keep fragile, sharp objects ?and small chocking hazards out of reach for the smaller ones. Place candles in appropriate holders and out of reach. Decorating outdoors? Use only outdoor approved electrical decorations.

Great Gatherings:

The holidays are a time of gatherings and going to see family and friends. If you are having a big gathering at home, consider asking someone to be a “mother’s helper” and watch the children while you cook, clean and entertain. If you are going out, remember to leave all important numbers easily accessible with the babysitter—including the National Poison Hotline 1-800-222-1222. When visiting family and friends, keep in mind that not all homes are childproofed the same. Keep an eye on the little ones as they tend to find all sorts of things interesting—especially the food on the table that may not be appropriate for them just yet! If you are traveling for the holidays, there are a couple of things you can do to minimize the stress for you and your child. These include packing their favorite toy or blanket and sticking to nap and sleep schedules. A well rested child means a less cranky child (and a less cranky parent too)!

We remain thankful for your continued support and trust. We wish you a Happy Holiday Season and healthy December!