Kids Books To Read Before Visit To Pumpkin Patch In Clarendon

CLARENDON, VA — An early to mid-October visit to a pumpkin patch near Clarendon can only be enhanced with a good beforehand read. The kids will be more enthused about picking out the perfect one for carving with a better understanding of pumpkin basics.

Name: Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill's 27th Annual Pumpkin Patch
Address: 3606 Seminary Road, Alexandria VA
Season opening/closing dates: Oct. 4-31
Attractions: Pumpkins of various sizes are offered, with prices starting at $1 and up based on size. In addition, homemade soups, including a vegetarian variety, baked goods, and knit wear are also for sale.
Hours: Monday-Friday, 12-6 p.m.; Weekends, 10-6 p.m.
Pricing: Free
Phone: 703-657-0999
Website: 27th Annual Pumpkin Patch

Name: Reston Farm Garden Market Fall Festival
Address: 10800 Baron Cameron Ave., Reston, VA 20190
Season opening/closing dates: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, Sept. 25-Nov. 1 and Columbus Day (Oct. 12).
Attractions: Pumpkin boon bounce, bouncy slides, inflatable corn maze, train rides, and farm animals.
Hours: Timed entries for 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m. Enjoy 90 minute visits.
Pricing: $2o per child; entrance for one adult is paid with child's ticket, $5 for on additional parent or guardian; children age 2 and under free with a paid child's ticket.
Phone: 703-657-0999
Website: Reston Farm Garden Market

Name: Cox Farms Self-Driven Hayride
Address: 15621 Braddock Road, Centreville, VA 20120
Season opening/closing dates: Sept. 25-Nov. 2.
Attractions: Experience a hayride from inside your own vehicle. Check vehicle requirements before purchasing tickets.
Hours: Friday and Monday, 2-6 p.m. (last entry 5:15 p.m); Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (last entry 5:15 p.m.); November hours, closing at 5 p.m. (last entry 4:15 p.m.)
Pricing: $15, good for one vehicle of up to eight people.
Phone: 703-830-4121
Website: Cox Farms Centreville

Name: DePaul's Urban Farm
Address: 2599 Chain Bridge Road, Vienna, VA 22181
Attractions: Buy seasonal plants, pumpkins, apples and cider.
Hours: Open daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Pricing: Free.
Phone: 703-537-0744
Website: DePaul's Urban Farm

Name: Maryland Corn Maze
Address: 389 Gambrills Road, Gambrills, MD 21054
Season opening/closing dates: Sept. 19-Nov. 8
Attractions: Hayrides, pumpkins, petting zoo, kettle corn, corn dogs, corn maze, and everything fall.
Hours: Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Pricing: $11-14 Group rates available.
Phone: 240-398-6430
Website: Maryland Corn Maze

KC Edventures, an organization that encourages children's learning through providing information on fun activities, has sorted out recommended kids fall reads by genre and age group in their 2019 list of "12 perfect pumpkin books for kids."

The recommended reads include "From Seed to Pumpkin," which teaches the science behind how seeds grow; "The Pumpkin Book," detailing the growth of pumpkins and "The Very Best Pumpkin," about a boy named Peter who finds and cares for a pumpkin all summer long.

Here are five of the other books on the list, all available for order on Amazon.

• Pumpkin Pumpkin
• It's Pumpkin Time!
• The Runaway Pumpkin
• Pumpkin Soup
• The Pumpkin Fair