Category Archives: Preteens

April 3, 2019 · 11:19 am

Giveaway: Enter to Win a Week of Summer Camp with RDUTennis!



Want to serve up some summer fun for your kids? Sign them up for a camp that they are sure to love! RDUTennis launched in the DC area just a few summers ago and has since grown into one of the area’s premiere tennis programs for kids, with instruction now offered during aftercare at many local schools along with their seasonal camps.

Once again, tennis camps will be offered for ages 5-14 at American, Catholic, and Trinity Washington Universities throughout the summer. Both full-day and half-day camps will be available at all three locations — and the American University location is the only tennis camp in Northwest DC to run from 8:30am – 5:30pm (and that doesn’t include aftercare).

While tennis is the main focus of camp, kids can enjoy a variety of other activities, too. Campers can participate in soccer, basketball, arts & crafts, and swimming. And for the first time this year, swimming will be offered everyday for full-day campers as well as for half-day participants at the AU location.

Also if you’re still looking for Spring Break activities for your kids, camp is being held April 15-18 at Trinity Washington University — a great opportunity to experience RDUTennis ahead of the summer sessions.

For more camp details, including descriptions, pricing, schedules, and registration, visit the RDUTennis website. Inquiries can also be addressed to Brian Rosenthal at brian@rdutennis.net.

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Giveaway: For a chance to win a week of camp with RDUTennis at the American University location this summer, simply leave a comment below, telling me your child’s (or your) favorite pro tennis player — past or currently playing. To be eligible, be sure to follow RDUTennis on Facebook. Get an extra chance to win by entering on the KidFriendly DC Facebook Page. This giveaway will run through Wednesday, April 17, 2019, then a winner will be drawn at random and notified shortly thereafter. Good luck!


This post is sponsored by RDUTennis LLC, however, I only promote programs, services, and events that I genuinely believe in and think would appeal to KFDC readers.


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Filed under 2019, Camp, DC, Giveaway, Gradeschoolers, Preteens, Seasonal, Sports, Summer, Tweens, Weekdays

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May 8, 2017 · 8:42 pm

You Are Cordially Invited to Enter a Giveaway from the Youth School of Etiquette

etiquette-ad

The Youth School of Etiquette is getting ready to offer a new series of classes for boys and girls ages 7-14. And you are cordially invited to enter a giveaway for a chance to win a session for your child!

Taking place on Saturdays May 20 & 27 and June 3 & 10, this educational program is about more than just saying “please” and “thank you” and using the correct silverware at the dining table. Full of fun and interactive activities, the program’s mission is to prepare children and youths for the future, and inspire in them excellence, self-esteem, and social responsibility for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world.

Classes are held at Cabin John Middle School in Potomac, MD. A Boys Ambassador Club will run from 1-2:30pm, and a Boys & Girls Class from 2:30-4pm. Both will cover the following over the course of the series:
• Manners and Social Etiquette
• Meetings & Friendships
• Manners at School & in Public
• Peer Pressure and Sticky Situations
• Respect for Self & Others
• Social Media Etiquette & Safety
• Posture, Poise, & Grooming
• Sportsmanship

The cost per session is $245, and you can register online here.

Visit the Youth School of Etiquette online to learn more about their programs and mission. And for a chance to win a session for your child, enter the giveaway below.

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Giveaway: For a chance to win a free session of classes with the Youth School of Etiquette, simply leave a comment below. Get an extra entry by also entering on the KidFriendly DC Facebook page (you need to “like” it first). This giveaway will run through Saturday, May 13, 2017, then a winner will be drawn at random and notified shortly thereafter. Good luck!


This post is sponsored by the Youth School of Etiquette, however, I only promote programs and places that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.


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Filed under 2017, Class, Educational, Giveaway, Gradeschoolers, Maryland, Preteens, Professional Service, Sponsored Post, Weekend

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March 21, 2017 · 12:40 pm

Hunt for Harry Potter in the National Gallery of Art with Watson Adventures

A couple of wizards at work on their clues

A couple of wizards at work on their clues



I love discovering new ways to explore old favorites. Like many Washingtonians, we’d been to the National Gallery of Art countless times, but never on a scavenger hunt, nor with Harry Potter as inspiration for a tour.

When I first learned about Watson Adventures’ Wizard School Scavenger Hunt, I was immediately intrigued. Not only does our crew love a good clue-driven search, we’re also big Harry Potter fans. Not to mention it takes place at a magnificent museum, where wandering through the galleries even without a purpose is fantastic.

Does one of these paintings reveal an answer?

Does one of these paintings reveal an answer?

This scavenger hunt is also a competition, adding a whole other fun and challenging element to the adventure. You sign up as a team, which can be a family/youth or all-adult, and compete against other groups. You’re all on a mission to find art that echoes characters, places, and enchanted objects in the famed Harry Potter books and movies in search of answers to 24 questions. There are clever Harry Potter-themed clues to help you locate each one, but many of them are tricky to decipher and take some sleuthing and careful examination of the art to figure out!

Exploring the galleries armed with clues

Exploring the galleries armed with clues

Every team has the same questions, but ordered differently for each group to stay spread out, though we did run into other teams searching for the same art a couple of times. You have 90 minutes to complete the hunt, which takes place throughout most of the West Wing of the NGA. And that hour and a half goes by quickly — we were scrambling for those last few clues to finish before the hunt time was up!

The search covers a lot of museum ground

The search covers a lot of museum ground

So excited to come across the guy they always sing about (Alexander Hamilton)

So excited to come across the guy they always sing about (My name is Alexander Hamilton…)

One point is given for every question answered correctly. The team that comes up with the most creative name also gets points. And you lose points if you’re not back to the starting place before the hunt time is up. The teams (one family/youth, one all-adult) that have the most points win.

Someone is feeling stumped

Someone is feeling stumped

Waiting for the announcement of the winners

Waiting for the announcement of the winners

As the Hogwarts crew might say, this adventure is bloody brilliant! It’s unique, fun, and exciting, and something the whole family can do together. All four of us contributed to the effort, and while we didn’t win, we had such a great time together completing the task. On top of that, we all agreed that it made us take a much closer look at some of the art that we often casually stroll by, something we’ll keep in mind on our next visit.

Want to see the clues? Go sign up!

Want to see the clues? Go sign up!



So, is your family ready to prove yourselves wizards among muggles? If so, here’s what you need to know about Watson Adventures:

* The Wizard School Scavenger Hunt is hosted monthly at the National Gallery of Art. The next one takes place Saturday, April 8, at 2pm. Sign up here.
* Cost is $17.50/ages 17 and under, and $19.50/adults
* While the website recommends this for ages 10 and up, I’d say about ages 8 and up can enjoy it. Sasha (8) loved it, and a couple of her 2nd grade classmates were there and had a great time, too.
* Watson Adventures also hosts scavenger hunts with other themes at different locations. Most are geared toward adults (think KidFree!), but Secrets of Georgetown is also for teens.
* Scavenger hunts are hosted in other cities, too. Visit the website to see where.


Disclosure: Our family received complimentary admission for the Wizard School Scavenger Hunt from Watson Adventures, however, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own, and I only promote programs, places, and services that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.


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Filed under Art, Competition, DC, Gradeschoolers, Museums, Parents, Preteens, Teens, Tweens, Weekend

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