Kick off the flip flops and enjoy a day at Flag Ponds
Tuesday – Visit Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, where the water lilies and lotus flowers are beginning to bloom — it is gorgeous! There will be a big festival to celebrate it in a couple of weeks, but it’s also nice to enjoy without the crowds. Meander through the park to see ponds full of giant lily pads and dazzling flora, walk out on the boardwalk and peer over to watch snapping turtles in the water below, and take in views of the acres of marshland. And did I mention this is all right in NE DC? Hours are 9am – 5pm. Admission is free.
Wednesday – Make it a beach day at Flag Ponds Nature Park. Swim in the Chesapeake, build sandcastles on the shore, have a picnic, spot wildlife in the woods, and definitely do some fossil hunting — the park is a great place to search for shark teeth and other prehistoric remnants. Hours are 9am – 4pm (beach closes at 3:30pm), admission is $6/car.
Thursday – Catch a bilingual kids’ concert by Moona Luna at Strathmore’s Backyard Theatre for Children. The annual summer music series for kids kicks off this week and will take place every Thursday through July. Performances are at 9:30am and 11:30am. Tickets are $8. Enjoy some evening entertainment, too, as the Capital Fringe Festival begins! The first day of performances includes the all ages show Once Upon a Bedtime by Silver Finch Arts Collective at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. Showtime is 6pm, and tickets are $17.
Friday – Enjoy free admission for kids to the Newseum while you can! The annual Summer Fun Deal, which runs July 1 – Labor Day, waives the entrance fee for youth with one paid adult admission. The deal benefits kids ages 7 and up most, since children 6 and under always get in free, and much of the Newseum’s collection will be better appreciated by older children. Adult tickets are $22.95. For a museum outing with little ones, head to National Postal Museum, a fantastic but often overlooked museum full of interactive exhibits that all ages can enjoy. Hours are 10am – 5:30pm, and admission is free.
*Plan ahead for summer weekends!* Check out Ruddy Duck Adventures packages that explore all kinds of cool fun in Solomons, MD. And KidFriendly DC readers can get a discount using the code KFDC!
