Monday – Go to a special summer exhibit or museum program while you can! Several around the area will come to an end after Labor Day. Explore the Fun House at the National Building Museum. Enjoy free admission for kids to the Newseum thanks to the Summer Fun Deal (and get a deal on adult admission here). Look for fairy houses and enjoy more artistic delights at Annmarie Sculpture Garden. Visit Yoko Ono’s Wish Tree for Washington, DC, at the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden. Find details on these and even more soon-to-be over activities in the 2018 Summer Guide.
Tuesday – Head up to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor to tour the historic ships. There are four vessels that welcome visitors to explore: The USS Constellation, USS Torsk, USCGC Taney, and LV116 Chesapeake. Admission to tour two ships is $15/adult, $7/ages 6-14, free for ages 5 and under, and you can add on for just a few dollars more per ship. Read more about the experience in this KFDC post.
Wednesday – Get artsy at All Fired Up, where you can walk-in and paint your own pottery. Right now on Mondays & Wednesdays, you can get 15% off select pieces from 12-3pm, and regular pottery prices range from $6-60. Locations are in Cleveland Park and Bethesda. All ages are welcome!
You can also play outside and get a taste of Tinkergarten! The program provides wonderful, outdoor, play-based early childhood classes for children 18 months – 8 years old and their parents/caregivers to come together weekly in local parks to play, discover, and learn together. Join a FREE trial class at Belle Haven Park in Alexandria, VA, from 9:30am-10:45am. Trial classes are a great opportunity to see what Tinkergarten is all about! Register in advance here. (Note: This was originally the Thursday listing, but I had the date wrong — oops! There will also be free trial classes this Friday, August 31, and next week, September 5 and 7.)
Thursday – Stay cool on the hot day at a public outdoor pool, which will only remain open daily through Labor Day. Even better, they’re free (or a small fee if you’re not a resident of the District or county where it’s located). Check out the 2018 Summer Guide for links to public pools in the area and be sure to note open swim times, as they may vary from pool to pool.
Friday – Spend what’s one of the last days of summer break for many local kids at the beach! Several places within day trip-distance from DC are great for sand and surf. Enjoy picturesque views of the Bay Bridge along with beach fun at Sandy Point State Park. Head out to Calvert County for a day at Flag Ponds Nature Park, including some fossil hunting. Head a little further out to North Beach or Brownies Beach (Bayfront Park). You can also play paleontologist and look for prehistoric fragments along the Potomac at Purse State Park in Charles County, MD.
Hi Linda
I someone wanted to ask connect with you- are you willing to share your email address privately. I have a blog question for you but didn’t want to ask as a comment.
Hi Kristi – Feel free to email me at linda@kidfriendlydc.com.