Seeing the holiday season through the eyes of a child can help us gain a new perspective on old traditions. When was the last time you felt the thrill of sledding down a hill? Marveled at twinkling lights? Or tried something unexpected, like visiting a water park in the winter?!
This year, The Gardner School presents our favorite winter activities for families living near Herndon, Ashburn, Manassas, and Arlington. Take this list, check it twice, and start creating family traditions that celebrate the magic, beauty, and possibility of winter in Northern Virginia.
Snickers Gap Tree Farm
Create a family tradition of choosing and cutting down your Christmas tree at Snickers Gap Tree Farm. Named the Best Christmas Tree Farm in Virginia, the farm offers Douglas fir and Colorado blue spruce trees to choose as the centerpiece of your holiday decorations. Be sure to stop by the famous Snack Shack for hot dogs, hot soft pretzels, hot chocolate, cider, peanuts, chips, drinks, candy, and more.
Harris Pavilion Skating
Bundle up and head to Harris Pavilion for a seasonal ice skating adventure. During the rest of the year, the pavilion is a popular concert venue. In the winter, it transforms into a skating rink for families. Adorable penguin skate assists are available for preschoolers learning to skate and working on their balance.
Lake Fairfax Park Sledding
Head for the hills at Lake Fairfax Park for a day in the snow. The park in West Fairfax offers plenty of green space for sledding, picnic areas, and restrooms. Young preschoolers will love riding on a pull slide pulled by mom or dad, while older children may be brave enough to try on their own!
Community Menorah Lighting
Mark the beginning of Hanukkah with the Community Menorah Lighting presented in partnership with Chabad of Loudoun County. This annual event offers live entertainment, hot apple cider, and gelt—chocolate candy wrapped in gold foil—dropped from the top of a fire engine.
Virginia Railway Express Santa Train
All aboard the Santa Train at the Virginia Railway Express! Preschoolers will enjoy meeting Santa while Santa’s helpers hand out candy canes, coloring books, and more. Passengers will also hear an important message about railway safety as part of Operation Lifesaver’s “Look, Listen, Live” campaign. Tickets for the Santa Train go on sale November 27 and are expected to sell out fast!
Super, Awesome & Amazing
Change things up with a surprise trip to a water park in the middle of winter! The Super, Awesome & Amazing indoor water park is perfect for all ages and promises to turn any drab winter day into a summer vacation. Preschoolers will have fun splashing, running through sprayers, and watching large buckets dump water everywhere!
Festival of Lights and Carols
Be there when the city’s Christmas tree lights up the night at the Festival of Lights and Carols! While the tree lighting is the center of this free community event, you’ll also find live holiday music, s’mores, hot apple cider, plenty of crafts and activities for children, and a chance to have a photo taken with Santa.
Hylton Performing Arts Center
Encourage your budding arts patron with an outing to the Hylton Performing Arts Center. This year’s winter production, “Giraffes Can’t Dance,” tells the story of a clumsy giraffe who loves to dance using puppets, African rhythms, and dancing! A sensory-friendly performance is scheduled for children who prefer dimmed lights and lowered sound levels.
Adventurous Learning for Every Season
With three locations throughout Northern Virginia, The Gardner School offers curriculum-based lessons and hands-on learning experiences for infants, toddlers, twos, preschoolers, and kindergarteners. Contact us today to learn more about how our rich learning environment can support your child’s physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth.