December in the DMV is packed with holiday attractions! But families with special needs children may struggle with accessibility or sensory overload, so planning is a must. To save you time, we’ve done the research for you! Here are some of our favorite DC-area holiday events for kids with special …

ICE! is back at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center with an all-new theme featuring the 1957 Dr. Seuss classic “How The Grinch Stole Christmas.” Holiday revelers should grab their cozy parkas for this family outing! Enter a colorful wonderland of sculptures, scenes and slides all hand-carved by artisans …

  Friday, December 6 Light Yards: Featuring an interactive light installation on the waterfront curated by international award-winning artists, this annual nighttime holiday festival returns for the fifth year at The Yards Park. Washington, DC; FREE; Through December 23; 6 – 10 p.m. “CSI: Christmas Scene Investigators”: Christmas is soon …

Among the many things that children look forward to during the holiday season is discovering whether Santa has rewarded their “nice behavior” with a favorite toy (or two!) under the Christmas tree. But what happens when a child is hospitalized during the holidays and unable to be home on Christmas …

Got a kid to buy for and no clue what to get? Steven Aarons is your guy. As owner of Barstons Child’s Play, which has stores in Chevy Chase, Arlington, McLean and Rockville, Aarons gets as excited as any child about toys. “We believe in a lot of open-ended play,” …

There’s never a shortage of family-friendly events happening in the DMV, and that’s especially true during the holiday season. From festive lights and icy adventures to enchanting ballets and (believe it or not) a waterskiing Santa, December around the district is a magical time for children of all ages. Whether …

Friday, November 29 “The Nutcracker” Virginia National Ballet School students dance alongside international professionals in this classic holiday production. Watch the Nutcracker come to life in a performance full of mesmerizing choreography and gorgeous sets. Hylton Performing Arts Center, Tickets: $25-$37, 2 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. Native American Heritage Day The …

Every Thanksgiving, before my family gorges on turkey with gravy and marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes, we go around the table and share something we’re thankful for. I would bet you have a similar family tradition. But are your responses as broad and generic as ours? Most of us say that we’re …

My husband and I may have surprised our two boys this summer with a staycation in D.C., but we actually got the idea from them. For nearly a year since a canceled flight unexpectedly kept us overnight in Savannah, Georgia, they’d been asking when we’d be able to sleep in …

If you send a text message to Jamie Maier after midnight, there’s a good chance she’ll respond right away. Maier, a family law attorney in Rockville, routinely stays up until 2:30 or 3 a.m. despite knowing she’s going to be woken up four short hours later by her five-year-old son …