Washington FAMILY Magazine Ultimate FAMILY Resource

  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 …

Friday, November 22 Sugarloaf Crafts Festival Just in time for holiday shopping, more than 450 talented artisans will be selling their wares, including jewelry, home décor, clothing and more, at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Check out the specialty food vendors and entertainment for kids. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tickets: $8 …

Beth Tober’s motivation to run derived from entering and training for races. But after amassing an entire drawer full of medals and race T-shirts, she felt her motivation flagging. “Why am I still just running?” she remembers thinking. “There’s got to be something more to it than this.” Her longtime …

Vaping, Juuling, e-cig(arette)s … whatever the name, at this point, experts and doctors all agree that it’s not something kids should be doing. It’s been more than a year and a half since Baltimore’s Child looked at vaping in this column, and we’re sorry to report the situation has grown …

We didn’t know we needed it until it got here: For those in search of a refreshing alternative to their current social scene, grab a friend and share a kava shell at sPACYcLOUd, D.C.’s only kava bar/streetwear store/skate shop. The shop, located in Adams Morgan, has been serving up kava …

Four pediatric hospitals in the Baltimore-Washington area ranked among best in the region by US News & World Report.

Don't miss all the fun happening in D.C., Maryland and Virginia this month.

How to help your child deal with nightmares and bad dreams.