Tag Archives: DC Attractions

April 2, 2017 · 6:31 pm

Where to Play on the Weekdays: April 3-7

Chat with Rio the sun conure at Buddie Ford Nature Center

Monday – Bring little ones to play at Wegmans Wonderplace in the National Museum of American History. Designed especially for children 0-6 years old, the activity center is full of fun and interesting features that cater to curious young visitors. If you’re with older kids, check out the Spark!Lab right next door. Hours at Wegmans Wonderplace are 10am – 4pm, and free admission is on a first come, first served basis, so there may be a short wait to get in. If that’s the case, there’s a whole museum to explore in the meantime!

Tuesday – Take a time trip through Baltimore’s early business days at the Museum of Industry. The Inner Harbor attraction highlights the trades and people that helped build the port city through exhibits that showcase relics from the past and recreate various industry environments. Hours are 10am – 4pm (Tuesday – Sunday). Admission is $12/adult, $7/ages 7-12, free for 6 and under.

Wednesday – Enjoy a hike and a dose of history all at once at Roosevelt Island. The trails are easy for little legs to tramp, and you can explore the Memorial Plaza to learn about the legacy of President Theodore Roosevelt. The entrance to the park is located right off the GW Parkway, just past the Roosevelt Bridge, and accessible only from the northbound lanes. Hours are 6am – 10pm. Admission is free. Get a little more of the KFDC take on it in this post about local walks in the woods with kids. (Update: Just learned the parking lot is closed at Roosevelt Island, and while you can still get there — see parking/walking recommendations on the website — you may want to opt for an alternative hike to avoid any hassle. The Walks in the Woods post above has plenty of ideas!)

Thursday – Explore the local environment from the comfort of the indoors at Buddie Ford Nature Center. The facility in Alexandria houses fascinating exhibits (including live creatures!), hands-on activities, and a staff of friendly and knowledgeable naturalists that all ages will appreciate. And if weather permits, continue the fun outdoors with a short hike at the adjacent Dora Kelley Nature Park. Buddie Ford hours are 10am – 5pm. Admission is free.

Friday – Have a wild time at the National Zoo! Check the Daily Events schedule before you go to help plan your outing — you can see an elephant training demo, meet a farm animal, watch feedings, and more — or pick your animal visits as you go. This time of year, grounds are open 8am – 7pm this, exhibit building hours are 9am – 6pm, and the Visitor Center 9am – 6pm. Admission is free, though parking in the Zoo lot for non-members is $22 (free for members). You can also try parking on Connecticut Avenue or a side street, or take Metro to Woodley Park or Cleveland Park stations then walk a few blocks.

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Filed under 2017, All ages, DC, Educational, Exhibit, Free, Indoor Play, Maryland, Museums, Nature, Outdoor, Spring, Virginia, Weekdays

Tagged as Children's Museums in Baltimore, DC Area Parks, DC Attractions, DC Hikes, DC Kids Activities, DC Museums, DC outdoors, DC Weekday Activities with Kids, DC with kids, Family Fun, Fun Things to do with Kids in the Washington DC Area, Fun with Kids in Maryland, Fun with Kids in Northern Virginia, Indoor Activities, Kid Friendly Activities, Nature Center, Story Time, Weekdays April 3-7

March 26, 2017 · 6:27 pm

Where to Play on the Weekdays: March 27-31

Exploring art at the Sackler Gallery

Monday – Visit the Sackler Gallery on the National Mall. The Smithsonian museum houses a great collection of Asian art as well as special exhibits, like the current Chinamania. Be sure to head all the way downstairs to an area full of stations that encourage visitors to touch and get a close look. Museum hours are 10am – 5:30pm. Admission is free.

Tuesday – Go to Tudor Place for Tudor Tots. The weekly program at the historic estate in Georgetown invites little ones to learn about the world around us through songs, stories, crafts, and movement, all tailored to growing tots with a different theme each session. The fun takes place 10-10:45am, and admission is $5/child (accompanying adults free).

Wednesday – Take advantage of The Beauvoir School’s Spring Break and head to their super fantastic playground, open to the public when class is not in session. It’s open all day, and admission is free.

Thursday – Explore the woods and wetlands of Huntley Meadows Park in Alexandria. Look for little creatures as you hike — turtles, frogs, fish, and birds are practically guaranteed wildlife sightings — and take in sweeping vistas of the marshland. Be sure to stop in the Visitors Center, where there are several interactive exhibits about the surrounding environment. Open daily from dawn to dusk. Admission is free.

Friday – See a show on strings at The Puppet Co., where The Three Billy Goats Gruff begins its month-long run this week. Showtime is 11am, and tickets are $12. If the weather is nice, plan to stay at Glen Echo Park, where the theatre is located, for some fun on the playground and a picnic lunch — BYO fare or buy food from the Praline Bakery on premises.

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Filed under All ages, Art, DC, Educational, Exhibit, Free, Live Entertainment, Maryland, Museums, Nature, Outdoor, Park, Play, Spring, Theatre, Virginia, Weekdays

Tagged as DC Area Parks, DC Attractions, DC Children's Theatre, DC Kids Activities, DC Museums, DC Playgrounds, DC Weekday Activities with Kids, DC with kids, Family Fun, Fun Things to do with Kids in the Washington DC Area, Fun with Kids in Maryland, Fun with Kids in Northern Virginia, Indoor Activities, Kid Friendly Activities, Story Time, Weekdays March 27-31

March 12, 2017 · 4:48 pm

Where to Play on the Weekdays: March 13-17

Doing some sketching at the National Gallery of Art

Monday – Say oui to Yoga in French! This new program from Bilingual Villages, which offers language immersion playgroups and activities for families, is a series of five weekly classes, but you can drop in for single sessions, too. Designed for children ages 2-5 and their caregivers, classes are led by a certified Yoga instructor who is also a native French speaker. Classes run every Monday March 13 – April 10 from 9:30-10:15am. Admission is $20/session or $89 for all five. Bilingual Villages is located at 10518 A Connecticut Avenue, Suite 3 in Kensington, MD.

Tuesday – If the weather forecast is completely off and snow is a no-go… Head up to the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore to for Pi Day (3.14)! It’ll be a celebration of the mathematical constant Pi — and the sweet, circular baked dessert! Enjoy all kinds of Pi- and pie-related activities throughout the day along with all of the ongoing fun, engaging exhibits at the children’s museum. The program runs from 10am -2pm, museum hours are 10am – 5pm. Admission is 24.95/adult, 18.95/ages 3 and up, free for 2 and under. Read more about the Maryland Science Center in this KFDC post.

And if it snows, well, get out and enjoy our first (and probably last) real snow of the season! No word yet on whether sledding will be permitted on Capitol Hill (not that a ban ever stopped us before), but I’ll keep you posted.

Wednesday – Go to Story Time in the ReSource Room at the National Archives. The monthly series welcomes children aged 3-5 with accompanying adults to enjoy a book reading, participate in group activities, and create a craft — all with a an Amelia Earheart theme, perfect for celebrating Women’s History Month. The session takes place 10-11am in the Boeing Learning Center. Admission is free.

Thursday – Spend the morning at wacky magic show as The Great Zucchini performs at Jammin Java. Doors open at 10am and the fun begins at 10:30am. General admission tickets are $5. Smoothies, juices, acai bowls, and the coffee menu will be available for purchase, too.

Friday – Get an art fix at the National Gallery of Art! The recently reopened East Building is full of contemporary art with bold colors and captivating designs. Be sure to stop in the Alexander Calder room on the 4th floor, where mobiles of all shapes and sizes will dazzle little ones, and don’t miss the giant blue rooster on the roof. The West Building houses more classical works, the collections featuring many of the masters, including the only Leonardo da Vinci painting on public view in the US! Hours are 10am – 5:30pm. Admission is free.

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Filed under All ages, Art, Class, DC, Educational, Exhibit, Free, Indoor Play, Live Entertainment, Maryland, Museums, Theatre, Virginia, Weekdays, Winter

Tagged as Baltimore with Kids, DC Attractions, DC Kids Activities, DC Museums, DC Weekday Activities with Kids, DC with kids, Family Fun, Fun Things to do with Kids in the Washington DC Area, Fun with Kids in Maryland, Fun with Kids in Northern Virginia, Indoor Activities, Kid Friendly Activities, Story Time for Preschoolers, Weekdays March 13-17

March 5, 2017 · 6:46 pm

Where to Play on the Weekdays: March 6-10

Go to Story Time, then sort mail in the Railway Mail Car at the Postal Museum

Monday – Go for Story Time at the National Postal Museum. Occurring the first Monday of every month, the program includes a book reading and activities for little ones in the museum’s education space. Stay after to explore the rest of the museum, full of interactive exhibits that all ages can enjoy. Story Time is at 10:30am and repeated at 11am. Admission is free. Read more about the museum in this KFDC post.

Tuesday – See an all-ages art exhibit with scientific themes and enjoy some reading time at the National Academy of Sciences. The organization is hosting Igniting the Imagination, an exhibition of 28 children’s book illustrations from the collection of the Mazza Museum in Findlay, Ohio. The show looks at the power of images and stories to ignite the imagination of young people, and all of the works in the show relate to science, engineering, or medicine in some way. Copies of the books will be on hand in the gallery for families to read along with comfy couches and chairs. The exhibit will be on view March 6 through August 7. Hours are 9am – 5pm, and admission of free. The Academy is located at ~~500 Fifth Street NW~~ 2101 Constitution Ave NW.

Wednesday – Play the day away at Anacostia Park. The locale stretching along the Anacostia River in SE DC is full of opportunities for recreation with a pirate-themed playground; two other playgrounds; a skating pavilion; a nature center; tennis courts; and fields for playing ball or tossing a Frisbee. Plus, you can walk, run, or bike along the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail or just find a table or nice spot in the grass to relax, have a picnic, and take in the views. Hours are dawn to dusk, 11am – 5:45pm for skating, and 10am – 2pm at the Education Center. Admission is free.

Thursday –Let Arts on the Horizon entertain little ones with Nutt and Bolt, a new production about robot rivals who realize that by working together the world becomes full of possibilities. Showtime is 10:30am. Tickets are $9 (free for 12 months and under). The show runs from March 8-25 at The Lab at Convergence located at 1819 N. Quaker Lane in Alexandria, VA.

Friday – Roam around the lovely grounds, view wildlife in the ponds, visit the Korean Bell Garden, and check out exhibits in the Visitor Center at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, VA. Hours are 10am – 6pm. Admission is $5/adults, $2.50/ages 7-17 and seniors, free for ages 6 and under.

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Filed under All ages, Art, DC, Educational, Exhibit, Free, Live Entertainment, Museums, Nature, Outdoor, Park, Play, Theatre, Virginia, Weekdays, Winter

Tagged as DC Area Parks, DC Attractions, DC Kids Activities, DC Museums, DC Weekday Activities with Kids, DC with kids, Family Fun, Fun Things to do with Kids in the Washington DC Area, Fun with Kids in Northern Virginia, Indoor Play Spaces, Kid Friendly Activities, Story Time for Preschoolers, Weekdays March 6-10

February 26, 2017 · 8:16 pm

Where to Play on the Weekdays: February 27 – March 3

It’s a jungle in there at the U.S. Botanic Garden

Monday – Let imaginations run wild with pretend play at the Playseum in Bethesda. Little ones can visit the pet shop, bake in the kitchen, dress up in costumes, enjoy story time, and do some art projects — all possibilities in the many themed rooms and crafts areas. Hours are 10am – 5pm. Admission is $9/person.

Tuesday – Cruise over to the U.S. Navy Museum, where there will be a special program about sailors’ lives aboard ship during World War II from 11am – 1pm. You can also see the museum’s amazing collection of model ships, peer into a real periscope, sit in the gun seats of old fighter planes, view naval artifacts hundreds of years old, and much more. Hours are 9am – 5pm. Admission is free. Be sure to note requirements for access to the base and museum.

Wednesday – Drop in for an open play session at SkillZone, a brand new children’s activity center in the heart of Capitol Hill. Welcoming little ones from babies up through 6 years old, the space includes slides, towers, racing ramps, and water play with a section just for toddlers. Hours are 10am – 6pm (M/W/Th/F & 11am – 4:30pm Sat/Sun). Admission is $20/1st child, $15/siblings, free for infants.

Later on… Do you think BIG thinks? And dream BIG dreams? Do you LOVE Dr. Seuss? If so, join Northeast Neighborhood Library from 3:30-5:00pm for an afternoon of crazy crafts, silly snacks, and goofy games! There will also be music, giveaways, a reader’s theater, and birthday cake in honor of the man who loved words, rhyming, and imagination. RSVP is required! Stop by the Children’s Desk on the second floor or call 202.698.0183 to RSVP.

Thursday – If you can’t make it to the Wednesday event, celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday on the actual day by visiting your local library. There are special programs at many of them — story times, crafts, and more — that pay tribute to the beloved children’s book author. This post has background on our early experiences at and links to area libraries.

Friday – Visit the U.S. Botanic Garden, where there’s plenty to enjoy both indoors and out. Walk amid tropical rainforest, desert, and woodland flora, and see the beautiful collection of orchids in the annual exhibit. If weather permits, take a stroll through the National Garden outside, too. Hours are 10am – 5pm. Admission is free. Read more about the USBG here and here. Hours are 10am – 5pm. Admission is free.