5 Things for Families: Trolls, parks, night hikes, football health, and watery gardens

The forecast is looking significantly less Hellmouthish this weekend! Let’s get out and enjoy it before July comes and we all won’t leave our homes for fear of bursting into flames.

June 24, 2015; 8:00 AM • by Valerie Catrow

1. Summer Movies Express: The Boxtrolls

It’s still going to be hot as Hades today (the cool-off starts on Friday), so you might as well take advantage of blasting air conditioning and cheap movie tickets. Heads up: while The Boxtrolls is a completely delightful movie, some of the little ones might have a hard time with some of the more…how shall I put it…grotesque characters. Just do some Google image searches before heading over to be sure.

  • Wednesday, June 24th • 10:00 AM (show up early)
  • Regal Virginia Center, 10091 Jeb Stuart Parkway • Regal Short Pump, 11650 W. Broad Street
  • $1

2. Picnic and Music in the Park

You know what Thursday nights are for? Warming up for the weekend. Model this practice for your children with a relaxing, pre-weekend, super-casual hangout at Deep Run Park. Get dinner from one (or more!) of the many local food trucks that’ll set up shop and stick around for a performance from the Henrico Community Band.

  • Thursday, June 25th • 5:30 – 8:00 PM
  • Deep Run Park, 9900 Ridgefield Parkway
  • Free admission

3. Who’s Awake? A Family Night Hike

Ever wonder what happens at Maymont after the gates close at 7:00 PM? I mean, other than the staff snuggling the baby goats?1 Enjoy an evening hike through the grounds as you learn about Maymont’s nighttime residents and their nocturnal adaptations. And if anyone sees that dang bobcat, please take a picture and send it to me. I’m starting to think he doesn’t exist.

  • Friday, June 26th • 7:30 – 9:30 PM
  • Maymont Nature Center, Shields Lake Drive entrance
  • $8 ($6 for members); for ages four and up (register online)

4. Check Your Health Day

June is Men’s Health Awareness Month, and Bon Secours invites dads and kids to check their health and work on their fitness at That Huge Football Team’s Training Camp. Get some free health screenings done, test your agility in NFL combined drills, tour the training facilities, and maybe even meet some players. Food trucks will also be on-site to help you replenish all those calories you’re sure to burn.

  • Saturday, June 27th • 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
  • 2401 W. Leigh Street
  • Free!

5. Water Play at Lewis Ginter

Finding yourself internally raging at your friends Instragramming their pool hangouts? Those jokers2 don’t corner the market on staying cool! Bring the kiddos to Lewis Ginter and let them go nuts in the WaterPlay area out by the Children’s Garden. And I don’t think anyone would give it a second thought if you got in on the splashin’ action as well. 

  • Open daily • 9:00 AM – 4:45 PM
  • Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Avenue
  • Free with admission ($12 for adults; $11 for senior; $8 for kids ages three to 12; and free for members and kids under 3)
  1. I have no proof of that actually happening, but if it’s not, what is wrong with those guys?! ↩
  2. I was one of those jokers this weekend, you guys! It felt so wrong/awesome! ↩
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Valerie Catrow

Valerie Catrow is editor of RVAFamily, mother to a mop-topped first grader, and always really excited to go to bed.

June 24, 2015 8:00 AM 0

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