Hello again!

Welcome to the fourth edition of The Little Loop by Clovie. If you’re new here, please say hello!

This past weekend was an interesting one — poor air quality, one sick kid, but had a nice turnaround on Sunday with a family outing to a new restaurant that reminded me why I’m obsessed with my kids.

We’ve got some low to mid 80s this weekend, so the list leans two directions: find water and shade, or drive out to the local farmland to see some cute animals and shop local produce.

The TLDR: It’s National Carousel Day at Rio Lakefront on Saturday. It’s a big Farm weekend in MoCo. And the Great Zucchini is doing a free morning show in Silver Spring on Saturday. If you have a two to five year old, you already know the name. If you do not, you will after Saturday.

Growing Clovie

A quick look at what is new since last week.
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This week we had an intro call with another local magazine that's interested in featuring Clovie in an upcoming publication. We are loving how excited the community has been since Clovie entered the MoCo scene!
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On the site itself, we redid the Directory page so its easier to browse top classes. We also linked Google into the sign-up/in process, so you can get to your account in one click. Small stuff, but it adds up, and it is all built to get you from "what do we do today" to out the door faster.

Just Show Up

​South Germantown SplashPark (Boyds)​
​Daily · 10am to 6pm · $7 per person, ages 2 and up​
The biggest splash pad in the county, with a 280-jet water maze that will genuinely wear them out. I will actually be there Saturday morning for a birthday party, so if you spot a slightly frazzled mom near the water maze, come say hi. There is an 18-hole mini golf course right next to it if you want to make a morning of it.

​Brookside Gardens (Wheaton)​
​Daily · Gardens sunrise to sunset, conservatory 10am to 4pm · Free​
Fifty acres, free, with a Children's Garden and a conservatory for when you need air conditioning. It sits inside Wheaton Regional Park, so the train, the carousel, and a big playground are all a short walk away. Bring a stroller and a snack and let the morning go where it wants.

On the Calendar

​Parks Playhouse Junior: The Great Zucchini (Silver Spring)​
​Saturday, July 25 · 10 to 11am · Free · Ages 2 to 5​
The Great Zucchini was in The Little Loop Newsletter last week, but since he's performing on a Saturday, I had to share. TGZ has been the DC area's go-to kids' performer for 25 years, and this is a free outdoor show at North Four Corners Local Park. Bring a blanket, some snacks, and low expectations for how much sitting still will happen. ASL interpretation provided. He is on Clovie too, if you want him for a birthday later.

​National Carousel Day at Rio Lakefront (Gaithersburg)​
​Saturday, July 25 · Carousel 10am to dusk, activities 12 to 3pm · Free to attend, rides and food cost extra​
Rio throws a whole party around its lakefront carousel: a bubble zone, giant lawn games, a photo booth, and a BurgerFi cookout with $2.50 sliders. The first 250 guests who show an Eventbrite RSVP get a free gelato pop, and carousel ticket books are discounted for the day. Park in the DICK's House of Sport garage for the closest walk. Proceeds from carousel rides go to Shady Grove Medical Center.

​Montgomery County Farm Tour and Harvest Sale (Agricultural Reserve)​
​Saturday and Sunday, July 25 and 26 · Times vary by farm · Free to tour, some activities cost extra​
Twenty-six farms across the county open their gates for the weekend. Animals, produce, flowers, and enough fresh air to justify the drive. Pick two or three farms rather than trying to do all of them, check each farm's page for hours before you go, and download Visit Montgomery's Adventure Planner app for the digital passport if your kid likes a mission. Butler's Orchard and Homestead Farm are on the list!

Clovie is an all-in-one platform to find & book kids classes, camps, and birthday parties in Montgomery County, MD.​
- Found something you love this weekend? Forward this to a friend who is always asking what to do.
- Not subscribed yet? Sign up here.​
- Are you a kids business and want to be featured in The Little Loop Newsletter? Email us at hello@cloviekids.com.
- Browse the full directory at cloviekids.com and come find us on Instagram @clovie.kids.

Less Planning. More Playing.

Carole / Founder, Clovie