Hello!

It's the 10th edition of The Little Loop Newsletter by Clovie. We made it to double digits, woohoo! There are a lot of new faces this week, welcome welcome. I love hearing from you, so please send me a note on what you're looking for that would make your kids' activity search easier.

We are two weeks into the toddler bed. Still only positive things since the move (knock on wood). He came into our room last night at 3:00 AM but got him back to his room pretty quickly. So I guess no news is good news on this front.

Really the biggest update since last week...we pulled the trigger on potty training with said 3-year old. My husband and I really dragged our feet on this one (diapers are so convenient!). His whole world turned upside down when his little sister was born, so we avoided it, and also didn't want to deal with it while we were sleep-deprived zombies. But we officially started this past Saturday and sent him to school yesterday in underwear. HUGE, I know. Three days, 2 accidents. Is that a record? Where's our trophy?!

TLDR this week: The carousel and free art show at Glen Echo Park, the last weekend of boat season at Lake Needwood, DC's brand new National Geographic Museum of Exploration, the Kentlands/Lakelands 5K, and Kensington's Labor Day Parade & Festival. Plus another Clovie update per usual.

Growing Clovie

In case you've been living under a rock, Clovie was featured in Bethesda Magazine!!!! The paparazzi has finally died down thankfully. I was absolutely floored last week and continue to be with the outpouring love and support from friends, family, parents, businesses, and all of you. The feedback really solidified that parents are looking for a solution to finding kids activities easily and in one place, and Clovie solves that for them. There's still so much to do, but this was a real high. Thank you!

Just Show Up
​No tickets, no plan. Just go.

​Glen Echo Park's Labor Day Weekend (Glen Echo)​
​All ages · Free · Friday to Monday, Sept 4-7 · No reservation​
The 1921 Dentzel carousel runs 11am to 5pm all four days, and the 55th Annual Labor Day Art Show fills the Spanish Ballroom Saturday through Monday, noon to 6pm, free to browse. The Puppet Co. is also running Little Red Riding Hood and the 3 Little Pigs Saturday and Sunday if you want to turn it into a full outing.

​Lake Needwood Boats (Rockville)​
​All ages · Boat rentals from $5+, Needwood Queen tour $5/person · Last weekend of the season, through Labor Day · Photo ID required for rentals​
This is the final weekend the boathouse is open for the year. Rent a pedal boat, or skip the paddling altogether and hop on the Needwood Queen for a slow 20-minute pontoon loop around the lake, an easy win with kids who aren't ready to captain their own boat yet.

On the Calendar
​Times and dates worth planning around.

​National Geographic Museum of Exploration (Downtown DC)​
​All ages, timed entry · ~$30 adults, ~$23 kids 5-17, free under 4 (still needs a reserved ticket) · Open daily, 9am to 8pm · Reservation required​
DC's newest museum, opened this June. The outdoor courtyard is the pick for younger kids: six touch-and-play "ecosystem" zones built for hands-on exploring, plus a dedicated Learning Launchpad space for kids inside.

​Kentlands|Lakelands 5K (Gaithersburg)​
​All ages · $17+ for kids fun runs · Saturday, Sept 5, 8:00am · Registration required​
The Tot Trot (200m) and Kids Dash (500m) both start at 8:00am on Main Street, right before the main 5K at 8:30am. It's the 33rd year of this neighborhood tradition, with live entertainment on the course and a post-race festival after.

​Kensington Labor Day Parade & Festival (Kensington)​
​All ages · Free · Monday, Sept 7, 10:00am to 2:00pm · No reservation​
The parade runs from Plyers Mill Road to Noyes Library, then the party moves to Armory Avenue for food vendors, live music, and bounce houses. Rain or shine.

Loved this one? Forward it to a friend who is always asking what to do this weekend.

New here? Subscribe at cloviekids.com/subscribe, and check out past issues here. Follow us @clovie.kids.

Find the best kids classes, camps, and party entertainment in Montgomery County & DC Northwest at cloviekids.com.

P.S. Run a local kids business? List it free at cloviekids.com/join, or email hello@cloviekids.com to be featured in The Little Loop or explore partnership opportunities.

Less Planning. More Playing.

Carole
Founder, Clovie