Category Archives: Museums

February 25, 2019 · 8:57 am

Giveaway: Enjoy a Day Out with Thomas at the B&O Railroad Museum!

All aboard, little train enthusiasts! Thomas the Tank Engine™ is returning to the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, rolling in to the “station” on their annual Day Out With Thomas tour. The crew from the Island of Sodor will be stopping there from April 26-28 and May 3-5. And TWO lucky KFDC readers can win a Family 4-Pack of tickets to go on April 26!

A Day Out With Thomas ticket includes all kinds of locomotive-themed fun. Along with all-day admission to the B&O Railroad Museum and fun live entertainment, you get to take a scheduled 25-minute train ride behind Thomas the Tank Engine™ and enjoy all of these activities and programs:

• Photo opportunities with Sir Topham Hatt
• Thomas Imagination Station of interactive play
• Carnival Games
• Moon bounce
• Kid’s climb-on train
• Craft & tattoo stations
• Interactive B&O Railroad Museum exhibits
• Free rides on the Museum’s carousel

Tickets to a Day Out With Thomas are $26 and available for purchase online. Of course, you can also try to win them through the giveaway below.

* * * * *

Giveaway: For a chance to win one of the Family 4-Packs of tickets to Day Out With Thomas on Friday, April 26, 2019, with a 1pm train ride time, simply leave a comment below telling me what activity you and your kids enjoyed most in February. Get an extra chance to win by entering on the KidFriendly DC Facebook Page, too. This giveaway will run through March 15, 2019, then a winner will be drawn at random and announced shortly thereafter. Good luck!

112 Comments

Filed under 2019, Annual, DC, Exhibit, Giveaway, Maryland, Museums, Special Event, Spring, Ticket Giveaway, Trains, Weekdays, Weekend

Tagged as B&O Railroad Museum, Baltimore Family Activities, Day out with Thomas, DC Special Events, Fun Things to do with Kids in Washington, Fun with Kids in Maryland, Spring 2019, Ticket Giveaway

February 18, 2019 · 5:43 pm

Where to Play on the Weekdays: February 19-22

Hands-on fun and learning at the Air & Space Museum

Tuesday – Take tots to story hour at East City Bookshop on Capitol Hill — the weekly book readings are perfect for ages 1-4. The session starts at 11am, and admission is free. After, stay to browse the inventory, then head next door to Labyrinth to check out their great selection of games and puzzles or grab a bite at one of many nearby eateries. If you’re with older kids on the break from school, take advantage of their availability and the off-peak season at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. During February and March, passes are not needed for weekday admission, so this is a great time to go! Hours are 10am – 5:30pm, and admission is free.

Wednesday – Enjoy mountains of indoor adventures at Badlands Play Space. From active fun to creative explorations to learning experiences to relaxation options, including a cafe, the enormous facility in Rockville has it all! Hours are 9am – 6pm (Tuesday – Sunday). Admission is $20/child, $12.50/toddler, $5/adult.

Thursday – Head to a local go-to for fun and educational recreation: The National Air & Space Museum! It’s filled literally floor-to-ceiling with fascinating exhibits and amazing artifacts from of flight and space. Stop in the fantastic “How Things Fly” gallery with loads of cool interactive stations. And the Flights of Fancy story time for little ones begins at 11am with a flight-themed reading and hands-on activity. Museum hours are 10am – 5:30pm. Admission is free.

Friday – Explore and play at Potomac Overlook Nature Center in Arlington. You can see turtles, snakes, and other creatures and learn about the area’s natural environment through exhibits and hands-on activities. If weather permits, head outside to hike the trails and take in views of the Potomac. Hours are 10am – 5pm, Tuesday – Sunday. Admission is free.

Create Your Own Valentines at the National Postal Museum this Weekend!

Homemade love is in the air at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum’s annual Valentine’s Day Card Workshop! Taking place this Saturday, February 9 and Sunday, February 10, the open-house event is a perfect opportunity for visitors of all ages to have fun and get creative as they make their own Valentines.

All of the supplies are provided by the museum. Choose from a superabundant array of patterned papers, rubber and postage stamps (of course), gems and other 3-D embellishments, special cut-out scissors, washi tape, stickers, markers of every color (with a surplus red and pink!), lots of hearts decor, and more. Just come ready to be creative and have fun!

Once finished, cards can be placed in envelopes, addressed, and adorned. In keeping with educating children about the postal service and how mail works, kids can pop their own cards in an official USPS mailbox in the adjacent post office. Of course, visitors are encouraged to explore the whole museum and everything else it has to offer (which I highly recommend — it’s full of exhibits that appeal to both kids and adults)!

The workshop takes place in the museum’s lower-level Atrium, which, for those new to the National Postal Museum, is full of various postal transports from over the years, including a real train car, semi-truck (yes, kids can climb in and pretend to drive!), a horse-drawn carriage, and airplanes hanging from the ceiling. The layout of the card-making stations and supply tables fosters sharing, friendliness and a sense of community. And the museum’s pleasant staff and volunteers are always available to answer questions, provide examples of beautiful completed cards, or help in any other way.

In this modern, digital era, a handmade card can be hard to come by, so this event offers a perfect way for kids to express their love for friends and family with a heartfelt note of affection and appreciation. They can also experience firsthand the satisfaction of crafting their very own unique creations from start to finish, and the pure joy of giving that creation to someone special.

Valentine’s Day Card Workshop
Where: National Postal Museum | 2 Massachusetts Avenue NE, DC
When: February 9 & 10, 10am – 4pm
Admission: FREE