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The Weekend Round-Up: February 4-5

Memories of Snowmageddon: It was two years ago this weekend that the mega snowstorm hit

 

Two years ago this month, I remember thinking that I couldn’t picture DC without two feet of snow blanketing the sidewalks, streets, front yards, and green spaces.  We temporarily replaced the stroller with a sled, and snow boots became our everyday kicks. Getting around was a massive pain in the butt, especially with a baby in an Ergo on my back and a four-year-old in my arms as I carried him over the drifts that almost came up to his shoulders.  We fell on slippery areas. We were cold.

But I look back on that time that so many of us endearingly call Snowmageddon as one of the most fun times I can remember in all my years of living here (which is a long time).  The stairs in our neighborhood park became a little sledding hill, and Capitol Hill became a big, thrilling one.  Someone built a real igloo in the park large enough for several kids to play in together. We gathered with friends for chili, Trivial Pursuit, and National Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day.  We drank a lot of beer and wine. Folks walked in the middle of the street and greeted each other with extra enthusiasm (see that part about beer and wine).

I’m merely reminiscing, not wishing for another huge storm. Though if Part Deux were to hit the area, there would be no complaining. Rather, I’d get out the sled, bundle up the kids, pull the Trivial Pursuit out of the game closet, and stock up on booze.

And on that note, here’s what’s happening over the next couple of relatively warm, sunny winter days.  Happy Weekend!

Black History Month Family DayCelebrate the start of Black History Month with the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery. Head to the Penn Quarter venues on Saturday for a day full of art, crafts, and live entertainment for the whole family. Enjoy music, dance, hands-on activities for kids, and a special tour of the related exhibition, The Black List: Photographs by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders. Main festivities take place in the Kogod Courtyard from 11:30am – 3pm, and you can see the schedule of them here.  Admission is free.

Americana ValentinesGet ready for the love-filled holiday at the National Postal Museum on Saturday afternoon.  Drop in anytime from 12 – 3:30pm for their Red, White, & Blue Valentines workshop.  Create two heartwarming cards — one for a friend, another to send to military personnel.  Beautiful materials and inspirational examples will be provided. The Postal Museum’s workshops for kids are always well done, plus the exhibits are fun to tour and you can easily gran lunch at Union Station next door, so plan to make a big outing of it.  Admission is free.

Monster Mash of Movie ShortsThe National Gallery of Art’s monthly film program for kids is all about monsters this weekend, presenting a series of animated shorts featuring furry and fun-loving ogres of all sorts, sizes, and shapes. The mash includes favorites like The Gruffalo and an adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are, along with a few others that young film-goers will enjoy.  Recommended for ages 5 and up, the program takes place on Saturday at 10:30am and Sunday at 11:30am in the East Building Auditorium and lasts about an hour.  Admission is free.

It’s a Bug, Bug WorldChocolate chirp cookies, anyone?  Try treats with crickets, see live bugs up close, and explore all kinds of interactive installations featuring all kinds of insects at the Maryland Science Center this weekend.  The brand new exhibit Harry’s Big Adventure: My Bug World opens on Saturday and runs through April 29.  On weekends only, you can enjoy extras along with the displays, like tasty bug bites prepared by a chef, an insect petting zoo, roach races, and cricket spitting.  Read more about the exhibit in this new post.

Jam along with SteveSongsThe award-winning children’s musician and PBS co-host is performing three shows at Jammin’ Java with his band on Saturday. The 10:30am is sold out, but you can still catch the 12:30pm and 2:30pm shows. Tickets are $15 for ages 1 and older. Find out more about SteveSongs and hear samples of his music here.

Super Bowl Pre-Game Warm-UpAthletes aren’t the only ones who need to warm up before the big game; fans need to get ready too!  The National Children’s Museum Launch Zone is hosting its own Super Bowl party, complete with physical drills to get little ones in top shape, paper football tournaments, and craft activities for guests to make their own fan gear. Learn about some delicious, and healthy, game-day snacks, too.  Drop in and have a ball on Saturday from 11am – 4pm. Admission is free.

The Languages of LoveGet ready for Valentine’s Day with the Smithsonian at the Freer/Sackler Galleries.  On Saturday and Sunday, the Museums of Asian Art are hosting “In Every Language Love”, an open house for all ages.  After a slideshow of images representing love in Asian art, guests can use printing blocks inscribed with the word “love” in more than a dozen Asian languages to make valentines. The free program runs from 12 – 4pm both days

Celebrate La ChandeleurOn the same day we wait for a groundhog to give us a weather report, France celebrates La Chandeleur (or “Crêpe Day”).  And Alliance Française de Washington and Hillwood Estate and Garden are observing it on Saturday with a day full of food, fun, and games. Families are invited to celebrate the holiday in festive French fashion by eating crêpes, listening to a story, and experiencing the exciting culture of Brittany, where crêpes are said to have originated. Guests can learn a customary Breton dance, make traditional Breton hats, and hear classic children’s tales told in French and English. Tickets are $15/adults, $8/ages 2-18, free for ages 2 and under, $8/Hillwood and Alliance Française Members.  The event runs from 10am – 4pm.

Auto Show – The Washington Auto Show is still going on through the weekend, and it’s an event the whole family can enjoy.  We went last Saturday, and the kids had a blast checking out all of the cars, sitting in the driver’s seats pretending to take the wheel, and even lounging in the trunk of a Mini Cooper.  There’s also the PBS Playland where kids can watch a show, play games, and meet some of their favorite characters.  Taking place at the Washington Convention Center, tickets are $12/adults, $5/kids 6-12, free for children 5 and under.

DramagamiThe Capitol Hill Arts Workshop is sill celebrating it’s 40th anniversary with 40 days of free events.  And there’s one this Saturday especially for kids that combines origami with storytelling, drama, and fun.  Or, as CHAW calls it: Dramagami! Learn to fold three animals in each workshop and create a mini-play about the animals. Leave with your newly folded animals and a story you can act out at home with them. As you fold the animals, let your imagination go wild as you create a whole world for the animals as you activate your body and voice with a little play creation. The class will take place from 10-11:30am and is recommended for ages 7 and up. Space is limited, so registration is required – go here to sign up.

In Theatres NowThere are several children’s productions on stages this weekend – P. Nokio at Imagination Stage, Peter and the Wolf and Tiny Tots at The Puppet Co., Teen Ensemble: Romeo and Juliet at Synetic Theatre, Saturday Morning at the National, and The Wings of Ikarus Jackson at The Kennedy Center.  Get details and ticket info on all of them in this post about winter entertainment.

Winter WalksA slight drop in temps doesn’t mean you have to shun the outdoors, especially on a sunny day.  Get some exercise and enjoy the crisp weather on a nature walk – there are plenty of great places in the area where you can hit the trail with the kids.  This post from awhile back lists some of the ground we’ve covered.

Rock Creek RecreationTake advantage of having one of the nation’s largest natural urban parks right in our backyards. Rock Creek Park is teeming with recreational and educational opportunities for all ages. Take a hike, stop by the horse center, visit the National Zoo, check out the nature center, see historical sites, or enjoy one of many free ranger-led programs.

And it never hurts to keep these posts, loaded with ideas for indoor and outdoor recreation, handy:

The Best Places in the DC Area to Enjoy a Beautiful Day Outdoors with the Kids

Rainy Day Recreation (ie, Indoor Fun)

 

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Filed under All ages, Art, Class, DC, Educational, Free, Live Entertainment, Maryland, Museums, Music, Outdoor, Park, Seasonal, Theatre, Virginia, Weekend, Winter

An Infestation of Fun at the Maryland Science Center

A vibrant welcome to Harry's Big Adventure: My Bug World!

 

A few days ago, I told Owen I would take him to the Maryland Science Center on his day off from school Friday.  Then, not even three hours later, I received an invitation to attend an opening reception for a new exhibit there Thursday evening.

It had to be a sign. Of what, I wasn’t sure, but that didn’t even matter.  I did know that we would be going to the reception to check out the new exhibit.  After all, it wasn’t a school night since Owen had the next day off, and it sounded like something he would absolutely love: Harry’s Big Adventure: My Bug World. I’ve mentioned many a time how much my kids love the insect stuff (as recently as earlier this week when I posted about the Natural History Museum), so I knew this would be a treat for him.

The dino exhibit with Inner Harbor lights in view

What I didn’t realize is what a treat it would be for both of us. We’d never been to the Maryland Science Center before, so this was quite an introduction — the lobby filled with food stands offering tasty bites, a DJ playing pop music, the Dinosaur Mystery and TerraLink areas open to guests, and, best of all, a first-look at the brand new bug exhibit upstairs.

Harry’s Big Adventure is a multi-sensory experience that immerses visitors into the world of bugs through cool displays, fun games, and interactive experiences. It all starts at the entrance, which is tunnel with screens on the walls showing close-up videos of bugs and insects. That leads to a roomful of installations for guests to explore:

Water Habitat: Insects found in swamps and waterways are at home in the Water Habitat, where guests can become a part of the insects’ world through a half-sphere bubble underneath the aquatic environment.

Forest Habitat: Visitors can immerse themselves among the trees in the Forest Habitat, where they’ll meet ants, millipedes and termites.

Virtual butterflies

Meadow Habitat: Virtual butterflies fly throughout the Meadow Habitat, landing on guests’ shoulders and fluttering away as they move and dance in front of a projection screen.

Croplands: Visitors can experience the sights and sounds of an insect swarm and learn more about why these swarms are so important for insects – and potentially threatening to humans.

Bug Art: Guests can express their creativity by building their own bugs, making a rubbing of insects found throughout the exhibit or drawing their favorite character from Harry’s Big Adventure.

Checking for bugs around the house

House Habitat: Kids can don a Terminix hard hat for a pest inspection mission to find common home invaders, including bed bugs, roaches and rodents. Owen loved this one as he pretended to be an exterminator, walking around the house in a white coat, clip board in hand, marking off the problem bugs he found.

There were also opportunities to hold live insects, see how far you could spit a cricket (yup, I did it), watch roach races, and taste insect delicacies like chocolate “chirp” cookies served up by Bug Chef.  And these weren’t exclusive to the reception; every weekend, the exhibit will come alive with all of these extras.

We will definitely be going back to visit the bugs again — and to explore the rest of the Center.  If the few exhibits we saw were this good, we can’t wait to see what else we’ll find there.

If you plan to go:

– The Maryland Science Center is located at 601 Light Street at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

– It’s closed on Mondays, and hours vary by day and time of year, so check the schedule here.

– Admission is $14.95/adults, $11.95/ages 3-12, $13.95/seniors, and rates are slightly higher if you see an IMAX.  If your family plans to make multiple visits in a year, you might consider a membership, as it pays for itself in just a couple of visits.

Harry’s Big Adventure: My Bug World runs from February 4 through April 29. Additional experiences noted above will be available on weekends only.

– An IMAX theatre and planetarium present a variety of shows and films throughout the day.

– Beaker’s Cafe in on the premises for a bite to eat, but there are also plenty of restaurants nearby on the Inner Harbor.

 

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Filed under All ages, Educational, Gradeschoolers, Maryland, Museums, Preschoolers, Preteens, Toddlers, Tweens, Weekdays, Weekend