Northern Virginia Living

• As you travel on the plane or in the car to your new home, bring your favorite stuffed animal to keep you company.
• Remember to bring a night light or flashlight for the hotel room.
• Make sure you have your favorite bedtime stories.
• Bring a small bag of toys, games, coloring books, and crayons, maybe even a puzzle, to keep you busy while Mom and/or Dad helps the packers unload the truck at your new house.
• When the movers pack your stuff, ask them to label your boxes with your name so you’ll know where your special things are.
• Have Mom or Dad take some pictures of your best friends, and take these photos with you to your new home. This will help from being lonely until you make new friends in your new neighborhood.
• Give your pets some hugs, and take good care of them during the move. Reassure them that they’ll like their new house.
• Tell your friends you are moving, and get their addresses and phone numbers so you can write to them or give them a call.
• Say goodbye to your teachers and let them know you learned a lot from them.
• Remember, moving can be an adventure! Put on a happy face and understand that everyone wants you to love your new house and neighborhood.

There are many sources for finding out about fun and educational activities for kids around Alexandria, Kingstowne, Springfield, Lorton and the Washington D.C. metro area. A few of our favorites are:

Every Friday in the Washington Post is the Weekender. It is a section devoted to what’s happening that week and the upcoming weeks in our area. They have festivals, plays, movie reviews and usually an article on side trips to take close by that are a little out of the ordinary. They have the schedules for interactive displays at museums and much more. Check it out!

There is a magazine called Washington Parent. It has a ton of info on everything from the variety of summer camps to kid’s book reviews, discounts on circus tickets, local day adventures, kid’s theatre and music opportunities just to name some. Each month they give you plenty of stuff to get through the month with a lot of fun times. They are also online at www.WashingtonParent.com

Click on our Parks and Recreation section and get the links to all the local parks. Those of you new to our area will be amazed at all there is going on. There is every sport you can imagine in addition to learning new things and making new friends. We need a nap just thinking of all the things you’ll be getting a chance to do!