Washington FAMILY Magazine Ultimate FAMILY Resource

As director of an after-school program for elementary school students in Northern Virginia for three years, it was my job to keep 60 kids on task five days a week. So I know a few things about keeping little ones safe and occupied. What follows are a few suggestions to …

You probably knew that this past Wednesday was Earth Day, but did you know it’s also National Park Week? While it would be more exciting to explore our country’s amazing national parks in person, there are plenty of virtual park adventures to experience from the comfort of home. And you’ll …

A few months ago, we couldn’t imagine that our children wouldn’t be able to go to parks, playgrounds or nature centers. And yet, here we are. No time like the present to find new ways for them to connect with nature. The benefits of playing outside have been widely studied, …

Spring is in the air, and the natural world is waking up from winter. With Earth Day just around the corner, this is the perfect time to share a book about nature with your child. Celebrate the return of the flowers and warm weather while teaching your child about the …

As we approach the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, raising eco-conscious kids by helping them to understand how they can have a positive impact on our planet couldn’t be more important or relevant. As headlines about plastic waste, devastating wildfires and species decline mount, youth around the world are stepping …

When schools closed back in March, Suann Song noticed that her 13-year-old son was struggling without structure in his day. So the founder and creative director of Appointed, the DC-based desktop paper goods brand, designed a weekly schedule for him to fill out each day. It proved to be so …

Activities that stimulate a child’s senses are important for the development of important skills, such as motor skills, social skills and even language, math and science skills. And this Butterfly Sensory Bin stimulates lots of senses—perfect for little hands and growing minds. Picking up beads with tweezers and then threading …

After one month of social distancing, it’s getting harder and harder to distinguish between weekdays and weekends. One way we’ve found to differentiate the two is to make sure there’s some family fun scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Here are seven ways to add some excitement to your home life …

If your family’s got puppy fever, you’re not alone! Animal shelters have been reporting an increase in puppy adoptions since the start of the coronavirus pandemic last month. And with all of that extra time at home, experts say it’s the perfect time for many families to bring home a …

Jaelynn as a washing machine