School Year Open Gym Hours

MONDAY-FRIDAY 12PM-1PM

5 years old & under: $7 per child per visit
Buy a pass: 12 visits for $60 *Open Gym – Adult must stay with child at all times.

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Here’s my previously-published review of Open Gym at Silver Stars:

During the spring, summer and fall months of the year, my children and I are Montgomery County park and playground groupies. We obsess over the best slides, ratio of bucket swings to babies, best trails for animal sightings, which trains are running, whether to bring the Razor or the Big Wheel. With ice currently covering most of our favorite haunts, we are feeling like Deadheads that just lost Jerry.

Thank goodness for open gyms. The means for kids to run, crawl, jump and go bat-guano crazy on a frigid day is a blessing and a necessity. One of the best places in Silver Spring to let them loose is Silver Stars Gymnastics’ Open Gym. Open Monday – Friday for one hour, 12 – 1pm, this magical place supplies limitless options for kids to get their cuckoos out.

The gym is specially designed for children of toddler through age 7. It is simultaneously adventuresome and safe. Adults are required to participate and monitor their children, so taking turns on equipment is nicely facilitated by both Silver Stars staff and caregivers. For the older kids there are trampolines, lowered balance beams, a moonbounce with slide, Tarzan swings, scaled-down parallel and uneven bars. For the toddlers there is a room full of smaller versions of those activities, climbing structures and foam shapes to inspire creativity. The size of the facility is equal to two basketball courts.

We have enjoyed attending open gym at Silver Stars as a family for the last four years. To date, we have never had a negative experience. Whether our children were viewing the action from a sling, crawling on all fours or perfecting their split leaps, every visit has been a treat.

Cost is $7 per child, or a 12 visit pass is $60. Thankfully the staff keeps your pass on file for you, and you can use your credits to host friends for rambunctious playdates. Silver Stars closes its open gym in June in order to offer summer camps, so act now to enjoy all this indoor playground has to offer.

Silver Stars also offers classes for kids aged 18 months to 7+ years.  You can try out a class without commitment for two weeks after the session start date. Trial classes cost $25 per visit and you must pre-schedule your trial class by calling 301-589-0938. Space in the class you audit is not guaranteed without payment for the entire session.

I hope to see you at Silver Stars some afternoon soon. I’ll be the blonde mom practicing her Nadia-made-for-TV-movie floor routine while her kids wait in line for the trampoline.

Silver Stars Gymnastics and Fitness Club, Inc.
2701 Pittman Drive
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 Map
Phone: 301-589-0938
Fax: 301-589-1717
www.gosilverstars.com
ssgoffice@aol.com

After a month of limbo,

Great Kids Village is kicking off their first day in the new digs with a kids concert by Melissa Green!  Melissa Green is a great children’s musician who parents enjoy too.  In fact, she’s so cool, she will be featured on the next Putamayo Kids CD, Rock & Roll Playground.

Doors open at 11:30am for play, the concert starts at 12:30pm, and they’re staying open until 6 pm.  All your kids favorite play stations, craft areas, the kid coaster, the mini grocery store, mini-golf course and everything else will be back and running for imagination learning and fun.

Moving to the former Mayorga space also means that Great Kids Village Silver Spring will soon be opening a Healthy Cafe on the premises for your snacking and lunching convenience.

So go check out the new site, groove along to Melissa Green and have a great Sunday back at Great Kids Village.  They’ve missed you and are sooooo happy to be back.

Upcoming Events at Great Kids Village Silver Spring and Columbia locations

Follow everything Great Kids Village on Facebook

Open Play Hours

**closed 4th of July**

METRO

On Tuesday, Metro system will open at 5 a.m. with limited service and may close early

OPEN GYMS

FunFit is open today for MOMS MORNING OUT until 12:30pm

Great Kids Village Silver Spring - 10am-4:30pm

Interactions Learn and Play in Kensington – Opening at 10am

Be With Me The Children’s Playseum in Bethesda is open at 9:30am.

The Family Room on Capitol Hill is open at 9am.

MUSEUMS & HISTORY

National Geographic Museum -  The museum will be open Tues. Call 202-857-7588 to confirm in case of early closure.

Mount Vernon – Open all day, but the evening music program is canceled due to impending snow.

The Newseum is open today from 9am-5pm

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 7

Be With Me The Children’s Playseum in Bethesda is open NOW and serving free hot chocolate, coffee and tea from Starbucks!  They have just started having Sunday open play, but opened several hours early today to give the families without power a place to play!  Leave a comment here before midnight tonight February 7 to receive one of FIVE free admission passes, courtesy of Be With Me’s owner. With schools very likely closed some days this week, you’ll need it!

Great Kids Village Silver Spring is opening at 11:30am this morning and will stay open as long as people keep showing up (note:  regular hours are usually ’til 6pm, but they may close early if people stay away due to snow or Super Bowl.)

The Family Room on Capitol Hill is open 12-6pm.

The Newseum is open today from 9am-5pm as usual.  The staff all spent the night at the museum on Friday night so they could be open yesterday too.

We Love DC has a list of open restaurants in The District.

Know of a place that’s open for families today?  Mention it in the comments, help your fellow parents and be entered to win a free pass to Be With Me in Bethesda!

So here are some indoor play options that are open today to help you kill the snow day – call a friend and get to playing!

FunFit – Open gym in Rockville is starting at 11:30am-2pm.

Interactions Learn and Play in Kensington – Open gym from 12pm noon – 5:30pm.

Great Kids Village in Silver Spring and Columbia – Both the new Silver Spring and former-Playwise Kids Columbia locations, 10am-5:30pm

The Little Gym Silver Spring – Opens at 11am, regular classes as scheduled.  Call 301-681-7005 to take a free trial class. 11:30am Funny Bugs for 3-4 years, 4:30pm Funny Bugs/Giggle Worms for 3-5 years, 5:45pm Beasts/Super Beasts 19 mos-3 years, 6:30pm Giggle Worms/Good Friends 4-6 years.  Again, call first to make sure they have room for your child and to reserve your space for one free class.

Silver Stars in Silver Spring and Bowie – Both the Silver Spring and Bowie locations have Open Gym today from 12-1pm.  In Silver Spring the age range is 7 and UNDER, in Bowie it’s 12 and UNDER.  Bowie also has Open Gym from 2-3pm today.

I wrote a piece for The Washington Post Weekend section about some new, fab indoor play spaces you should definitely check out with your kids!

Need to entertain the kids this winter? A few Washington area indoor activities.
By Jessica McFadden
The Washington Post
Weekend
Friday, January 22, 2010
Just because the temperatures have dropped doesn’t mean that your kids’ energy levels have. On the contrary, without long periods of outdoor play and running around, your little maniacs may seem even more manic than usual. These indoor play options provide the cure, as well as treat another frequent ailment: acute restless parent syndrome. 
Full Article Here

Special thanks to Christina of Interactions Learn and Play, Gina Seebachan and staff of Be With Me – The Childrens Playseum, Carlos Alcuaz of the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, Andrew and Paula Ross of Great Kids Village, Sarah Beale and Enica Thompson of the National Zoo, Erin Black of The Torpedo Factory, and fellow parents Rachel Posell, Erin Hutson and others for lending their words and time.  

Photo by Sarah Gowing and courtesy GKV. 

Is your new year’s resolution to spend more time with your kids?  Or are you searching for some interesting (and warm!) indoor educational activities for your family?  Try these fun offerings in January! (OK, the first one is partly outdoors, but all the rest are inside…promise!)

Sunday January 3rd – Three Kings Day at the GALA Hispanic Theatre (Fiesta de los tres reyes magos)
Christmas is still going strong, so keep up that tree and playing the carols on your iPod – the Wise Men haven’t yet arrived!  At the Tivoli on 14th Street NW on Sunday, experience this popular holiday event. Featuring the Magi, live animals, local performers, a parade through the neighborhood, and gifts for every child. After the outdoor procession, families will be entertained by a bilingual presentation of the Christmas story through song, dance and storytelling. Best of all, it’s free for the entire family (but the bringing of one gift per child in your family is requested.)
 
Tickets for the event will be distributed at the GALA box office at 12pm noon on Sunday on a first-come, first served basis. Parking is available at a discount in the Giant Food parking garage on Park Road,
NW (validation at the theater). A procession with the Three Kings and live animals will begin at 1:30 pm
at the corner of Park Road and 14th Street, NW and continue through the neighborhood, concluding at the theater around 2pm.  Then the performance begins, but even if you don’t get tickets to the theater show, the outdoor procession is supposed to be great.  After the show, churros and hot cocoa will be served and every child receives a gift from The Magi (which is why you’re asked to bring a gift with you.) For more information, call 202-234-7174.

Tiny Tots Puppet Shows at The Puppet Co. in Glen Echo Park
Beginning at age 9 months until, well, my son’s currently in kindergarten (and still enjoys them), my kids have been enraptured by these age-appropriate puppet shows for the very young by puppeteer Bob Brown.  At just $5 per person and a great tolerance for fidgety kids new to live performances, we always find a Tiny Tots performance a stress-free and reasonable way to spend a winter morning.  And there’s a wide variety of January shows so you can attend more than once this month if your kids dig it too! 
Saturday January 2 10am & 11:30am – Snow Show
Sunday January 3 10am & 11:30am – Winter Wonderland
Saturday January 16 10am – Magic Toyshop
Wednesday January 27 10am – Winter Wonderland
Saturday January 30 10am – Penguin’s Playground
You can either purchase tickets online or call and make a no-obligation reservation for your spot by calling 301-634-5380.

Free Demo Classes at Funfit All Next Week Monday January 4 – Saturday January 9th! 
At the Rockville Center, Funfit will be training new teachers and our kids are all invited to join them for as many classes as you would like!  And there’s even some special Winter Enrollment bonuses for stopping by:  if we sign up for a winter session class next week when we come by for a free class, we’ll get $10 off our family enrollment fee plus $10 OFF the first month of the Family Plan (with unlimited open gym playtimes) or 1 week free.

Fireside Story Times on Mondays in January at the Locust Grove Nature Center in Bethesda
Storytimes snuggled up by a fire, toasting marshmallows and nature-learning – has a better combination ever been devised?  Every Monday in January from 11am-12pm, for kids 3 years and up, just $5 per kid and adult, online registration required.  The Locust Grove Nature Center is located in Cabin John Regional Park at 7777 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20817.

Preschool Songs and Storytimes on Tuesdays at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn
Every Tuesday from 11am-11:45am, bring your little ones by the Arts Barn for storytelling, singalongs and creative learning.  No reservation is required, and the Arts Barn is located at 311 Kent Square Road, the Kentlands, Gaithersburg, MD.

Friday Afternoon Aviator Club at the College Park Aviation Museum
Every Friday afternoon from 2pm-4:30pm, kids in prekindergarten on up can join in the fun, hands-on aviation themed activities. Free with museum admission which is $4/adults, $3/seniors, $2/ages 18 & under (and every kid goes home with a goody bag full of penny toys, always a hit!)

and mark your calendars for 

LEGO Aircraft Building Day on Saturday January 23 at the College Park Aviation Museum
Kids design their own aircrafts out of LEGOS provided by the museum and take home a picture of their creation, and top designs will be displayed through out the museum!  From 11am-4pm on 1/23.

Featuring The Great Zucchini (woot woot!)
DATE: December 31, 2009
TIME: 2 Separate Shows 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 3- 5 p.m.
LOCATION: 8504 Fenton Street, Silver Spring, MD 20910
COST: Admission $10 per person over 2 years old
Buy tickets here 
THE FUN: Sparkling Cider Toast, Facepainting, Crafts and Open Play on the Brand-New Equipment

TO WIN TICKETS – NEW GIVEAWAY PROCEDURE
Please email me at apissgiveaways@gmail.com to be entered to win one of the five family 4-packs of tickets to the New Year’s Eve party, courtesy of the party hosts.  Please put Great Kids Village in the email title, thanks!

I haven’t seen it, but I’ve heard from Andy himself that this brand new playspace has 5 distinct exhibits for kids’ imaginations and bodies to play, including a make-believe stage and mini grocery store, a special area for toddlers and a birthday party room too.

I’m excited to check it out with my kids, and of course crack up to our favorite kids’ comic, The Great Zucchini .  And guess what kids’ band will be playing a show at the site on January 10th?  None other than Rocknoceros! (When I get more details on times for this concert I’ll post…but if you’re a rabid fan like Tech Savvy Mama, you can pick up tickets now to ensure your spot.)

After the New Year’s Day blowouts, the times and prices for open play at the site will be:

HOURS
Monday 11:30am – 5:30pm
Tuesday through Friday, 10:00am – 5:30pm
Extended hours for Neighbors (members)-only Thursdays until 7pm.Saturdays 9:30am – 7:00pm
Sundays 11:30am-6:00pm.


PRICES
One Day Passes
$9.95 per child ages 2-10
$6.95 for toddlers ages 13-24 months
Adults 10 and up and babies 12 months and younger are free through February 28, 2010.

Best of luck in winning tickets to the New Year’s Eve party!  Again, remember to email me at apissgiveaways@gmail.com to be entered!

Tomorrow, Wednesday December 9th is FunFit in Rockville’s Holiday Safe Winter Open House.  Starting at 9:30am and continuing on well into the evening,  this fun fitness and play center for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and kids is open all day FREE!  And there’s going to be firefighters and firetrucks too, as well as big discounts on signing up for winter classes, winter and summer camps, and birthday parties (we’ve had one here – way before I started this blog – and it was faboo for my son and his pals.)  There’s even an adult exercise class offered at 7:30pm and Family Yoga in the evening too! 

FunFit also has a rocking indoor open gym every Monday from 2-3:30pm, Wednesday 10am-2pm (perfect for little ones and playgroups that like to get out before naptime), and Fridays 1:30pm-5:30pm (except on the 4th Friday of the month, when it’s extended to 7:30pm.) Rates for open gym are listed here, and if you sign up for a FunFit class you get FREE unlimited open gym all winter long!  

So here’s the schedule of activities and class demonstrations at the Winter Open House – no registration is necessary to participate in the fun tomorrow and special needs kids are always welcome to participate in all activities: 

So if you were racking your brain on where to play tomorrow, now you know to head to FunFit for free, fabulous fun.

FunFit 

17511 Redland Road
Rockville, Maryland 20855