Tag Archives: January in DC

One of the Zoo’s former pandas… the new bears debut this weekend!

Happy Weekend!

Quick links to go-to KFDC posts:
* The Great Indoors
* Off-the-Beaten-Path Museums
* Kid-Friendly Dining
* Best Outdoors in the DC Area
* Local Hikes with Kids
* Bike Rides
* Stunning Spaces
* Peaceful Places

District of Panda Party
Where: National Zoo | Woodley Park, DC
When: Starting Friday thru February 9
Admission: Free with timed-tickets
New giant pandas Bao Li and Qin Bao are making their debut, and the National Zoo is celebrating with a two-week long party that will include special family-friendly activities along with panda viewing. Admission to the Zoo is free with timed entry tickets, so be sure to reserve yours before you go to guarantee entry.

PANDAmonium
Where: National Harbor | Oxon Hill, MD
When: Through February 28
Admission: Free
National Harbor is also celebrating Bao Li and Qing Bao with extra fun and deals at National Harbor. Various retailers and restaurants will have everything from sweet treat specials to must-have retail promotions —  details here.  Read more about National Harbor in this KFDC post.

Monster Jam
Where: Capital One Arena | Downtown DC
When: Friday, 7pm | Saturday & Sunday, 1pm & 7pm
Tickets: $20+
The world’s largest and most famous monster truck tour featuring the biggest names in monster trucks will thunder its way back into DC.  Gravedigger, El Toro Loco, Megolodon, Thunder-ROAR-us, Just Get-Er-Done,  Monster Mutt Dalmation, Ramminator,  and Rammunition are among the vehicular beasts that will be tearing up the indoor terrain this year.

Winter Blast: A Family Day of Native Games
Where: American Indian Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 5:30pm
Admission: Free
This family-friendly event celebrates Indigenous games from the Arctic to Argentina. Learn to play Native games from across the hemisphere in celebration of winter. Museum staff will also engage visitors in various string games from across the Western Hemisphere, as well as a craft activity in which participants create a game based off the Penobscot ball and triangle game in the museum’s collection to take home.

Open Studio: Make a Statement
Where: Hirshhorn Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 1pm
Admission: Free
In this session of the Hirshhorn’s weekly program, explore how artists use their art to respond to the world and inspire positive change. Inspired by Loïs Mailou Jones’s Challenge—America, create your own work of art assembling a collage using magazines, newspapers, and other found objects. What message do you want to share with the world?

Paper Dreams
Where: Imagination Stage | Bethesda, MD
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10am & 11:30am
Tickets: $22.50
This charming and dreamy dance-based performance for little ones imagines two friends who live inside a wastepaper basket! Together they discover what imaginative ideas might unfold from a crumpled piece of paper–can mistakes inspire our greatest ideas? Because the show is non-verbal, it can be enjoyed by people speaking all languages and of any age.

Bike Ride + Ice Skating
Where: Around Capitol Hill & Canal Park | Navy Yard
When: Saturday, 10:30am – 12:30pm
Admission: free/bike ride, $13/skating
Join Hill Family Biking for a 3.5-mile bike ride from Maury Elementary to Canal Park Ice Rink for the 12pm skating session. They’ve negotiated a special non-profit group rate at $13 for skating and skate rental (usually $18-$21) that you pay directly to the rink upon arrival. We’ll be joining the 12pm skating session. Hot chocolate and cookies by La Dinette will be provided while you lace up along with hand warmers while you skate.

More Places Ice It
Where: Ice rinks around the area
When:  Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by rink
There are even more places to skate the day (and night) away around the area. And temps might be a little warmer than they’ve been — but bundling up still recommended.  This post has the scoop on all of them — indoor venues, too — including bonus activities while you’re there.

DC Transit Day
Where: National Capital Trolley Museum | Colesville, MD
When: Saturday, 11-4pm
Admission: $10.75/kids, $12.75/adults
Celebrate street car history in the DC area! The Trolley Museum is commemorating the 63rd Anniversary of the last day of streetcar service in the Nation’s Capital, January 28, 1962, with displays by Metro, DC Streetcar, and the Purple Line; videos; model trains by Maryland TTrackers,;Trolley Museum archive displays; and rides on DC Transit 1101.

Family Workshop
Where: Folger Theatre | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Saturday, 11:30am & 1pm
Admission: Free
The Folger invites families to join us once a month for workshops on the world of Shakespeare and beyond! There are two sessions available with recommended ages: 11:30am–12:30pm (ages 4-7) and 1–2pm (ages 8-14). Register in advance.  Read more about the Folger here.

Family Workshop: The Peacock Room
Where: National Museum of Asian Art | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 11am-12:30pm & 1:30-3pm
Admission: Free
In this Art & Me workshop geared toward ages 3-8, kids will take a tour of the Asian Art Museum’s famous Peacock Room, which is full of precious large pieces, then learn from Smithsonian conservators how to safely move and care for large-scale artworks. They’ll then put that into practice and have fun creating and moving their own works.

Tina – The Tina Turner Musical
Where: National Theatre | Downtown DC
When: Friday, 7:30pm | Saturday & Sunday, 2pm & 7:30pm
Tickets: $51-139 (find discount)
An uplifting comeback story like no other, TINA – The Tina Turner Musical is the inspiring journey of a woman who broke barriers and became the Queen of Rock n’ Roll. Set to the pulse-pounding soundtrack of her most beloved hits, this electrifying sensation will send you soaring to the rafters.

What the Constitution Means To Me
Where: Round House Theatre | Bethesda, MD
When: Fri, 8pm | Sat, 2pm & 8pm | Sun, 2pm
Tickets: $50-89
As a teenager, Heidi Schreck traveled across America, earning her college tuition by winning constitutional debate competitions. Now, as an Obie Award-winning playwright, she takes a closer look at the Constitution and its effects on four generations of women in her family. What the Constitution Means to Me is a profoundly personal look at our nation’s most debated document and how it could evolve to fit our modern times. Recommended for teens and older.

Lunar New Year Celebration
Where: Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom DC
When: Saturday, 6pm (tickets available at 4:30pm)
Admission: Free
At this Millennium Stage session, prepare to welcome the Year of the Snake with lion dancing and musical performances.  The event will also feature Stephanie Chou, a Chinese American jazz composer, saxophonist, and singer.  Remaining Standing Room Only tickets will be available day-of at 4:30pm.

NCAA Bball 
Where: Colleges around the DC Area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by game
We’re in the thick of college basketball season.  And with so many universities in the area, there’s always some good hoops action going on around town. Here are some games to catch this weekend:
* Maryland women vs UCLA on Saturday at 2pm (Go, Terps!)
* GW men vs St. Louis on Saturday at 2pm
* Catholic women vs Wilkes on Saturday at 2pm
* George Mason women vs  GW on Saturday at 3pm
* Catholic men vs Wilkes on Saturday at 4pm
* American men vs Colgate on Saturday at 4pm

Building Readers Club
Where: National Building Museum | Judiciary Square, DC
When: Sunday, 10am – 12pm
Admission: Free
Join the Building Readers Club for a Scale Adventure! Explore how scale and size impact the world we design and build. With hands-on activities, creative crafts, stories, and more, participants will discover just how big (or small) the world can be! If kids are not signed up for the Club already, register here for free. The program is designed for children 10 and under + caregivers.

The People’s Holiday: A Love of Literacy
Where: NMAAHC | National Mall, DC
When: Sunday, 11am
Admission: Free, but be sure to RSVP
The National Museum of African American History & Culture is celebrating MLK Day late because of the inauguration. At this special Community Day, there will be a service project to make literacy packets for pre-readers across DC. Learn about the power of the thank you note — and be encouraged to write one with a fountain pen. Using the prose of Dr. King and others, attendees can create a poetry collage. Plan to explore the museum, too, for an insightful and enriching experience. Be sure to read the KFDC Guide to visiting the museum with kids before you go.

Petting Zoo Hosts Kids & Family Festival
Where: Shipgarten | Tyson, VA
When: Sunday, 12-6pm
Admission: Free
Bring the whole gang for an afternoon of family-friendly fun. Little ones can enjoy free face painting and arts & crafts, a magic show and balloon animals, and a fun & furry petty zoo experience. Plus, there will be live music, drinks, and more for adults. Dogs are more than welcome, too.

Commanders Watch
Where: Around the DC area
When: Sunday, 3pm
Admission: Free (but plan to spend on food/drinks)
Huge game for the Commanders on Sunday as they play the Eagles in the NFC CHampsionship. If you want to get out of the house to watch with fellow and sister fans, several places around the area are showing the game and offering food and drinks specials. This article has a round-up of them, and some of the places are family-friendly.

***MORE GOOD STUFF***

* Washingtonian just published the annual list of  DC’s 100 Very Best Restaurants.

* Perfect timing for Metropolitan Washington Winter Restaurant Week starting on Monday, January 27, and running through February 2.

* How about some extra treats with your ice skating? This Friday from 4:30-7:30pm at Canal Park Ice Rink, Roda, the concierge car maintenance service, will be offering free hot chocolate and hand warmers to skaters.

* There are some bands coming to local venues that t(w)eens would enjoy seeing (Beach Bunny was one that caught my eye.) Read about a KFDC t(w)een concert experience.

* It’s a good time to prep for Valentine’s Day… how cute are these cards for classmates? Or these that come with little building kits? Or these fun plushies?

* If you don’t have a Costco membership but want one, Groupon has a deal on the Gold Star Membership package right now.

*  An OpEd on the TikTok ban — written by a teen.

* 10 Happy Things for January 💙

Do some art-making inspired by the Belief + Doubt installation

Happy Weekend!

Quick links to ideas galore for local activities:
* The Great Indoors
* Off-the-Beaten-Path Museums
* Kid-Friendly Dining
* Best Outdoors in the DC Area
* Local Hikes with Kids
* Baltimore with Kids
* Bike Rides
* Stunning Spaces
* Peaceful Places

Inside Action
Where: Around the DC area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by place
It’s another cold weekend, so if you want to be indoors, but want some active fun or something with an engaging mission, you’ve got options. From pickleball and roller skating to tennis and ping pong to escape rooms and scavenger hunts to an indoor waterpark, find all kinds of ways to get your fun and game on.

The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Where: Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre | Arlington, VA
When: Friday, 7pm |Saturday & Sunday, 3pm
Tickets: $15/adult, $13/child
Encore Stage & Studio, know for its by kids for kids theatre, presents this production…  Once upon a time, a king leaves his twelve daughters in their bedroom each night. In the morning, their shoes are worn out from dancing! Desperate to know what they are up to, the king enlists the help of potential suitors to find out. Dance along with us in this lively production. Recommended for ages 4 and older.

Caps vs Canadiens
Where: Capitol One Arena | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Friday, 7pm
Admission: Ticket prices vary (check for discounts)
Hockey, anyone?  The Capitals are playing at home on Friday evening as they host the Montreal Canadiens. Go early to grab a bite in the Penn Quarter neighborhood  — this post about kid-friendly eats in DC has suggestions for places to go.

Tuck Everlasting
Where: Imagination Stage | Bethesda, MD
When: Friday & Saturday, 7:30pm | Sunday, 3pm
Tickets: $15
What would you do if you had all eternity? Eleven-year-old Winnie Foster yearns for a life of adventure beyond her white picket fence, but not until she becomes unexpectedly entwined with the Tuck Family does she get more than she could have imagined. When Winnie learns of the magic behind the Tuck’s unending youth, she must fight to protect their secret from those who would do anything for a chance at eternal life. As her adventure unfolds, Winnie faces an extraordinary choice: return to her life, or continue with the Tucks on their infinite journey. Recommended for all ages.

The Phillips Plays: Wintry Landscapes
Where: The Phillips Collection | Dupont Circle, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 1pm
Admission: $20/adult, free for kids
Take a family-friendly tour of Breaking It Down: Conversations from the Vault at 11am to learn about Arthur G. Dove, one of Duncan Phillips’s favorite artists. Then, in the workshop, inspired by Dove’s Rain or Snow, create a mixed-media, wintery landscape. In addition to exploring art materials and methods in the studio, families can enjoy the carpeted, creative-play area with blocks, books, toys, and games.

Open Studio: Words Matter
Where: Hirshhorn Museum | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 1pm
Admission: Free
Pop into the Hirshhorn for their weekly art-making series. Explore the power of words and how we can use them for creative expression through Barbara Kruger’s Belief + Doubt. Make a statement by combining newspapers, magazine clippings, and other print materials into your own miniature installation.

Open House
Peirce Mill | Rock Creek Park, DC
When: Saturday, 10am – 2pm
Admission: Free
Explore the historic Peirce Mill, Rock Creek Park’s only remaining grist mill. Stop in to see and hear what life in the mill was like during the 1800s. Talk to a ranger, learn about local history, and get tips for suggested hikes in the surrounding area — maybe even hit the trail to the Nature Center, where you can catch a planetarium show. See more about Peirce Mill in this KFDC post.

Stellar Star Show
Where: Nature Center | Rock Creek PArk, DC
When: Saturday, 11am
Admission: Free
Head to Rock Creek Nature Center to enjoy a ranger-led program in the only planetarium — the only one in all of National Park Service! The 30-minute Stellar Star Show is all about the planets and the night sky.  Plan to explore the rest of the Nature Center while you’re there and maybe even go for a hike on the nearby trails, too.

Paper Dreams
Where: Imagination Stage | Bethesda, MD
When: Saturday, 10am | Sunday, 10am & 11:30am
Tickets: $22.50
This charming and dreamy dance-based performance for little ones imagines two friends who live inside a wastepaper basket! Together they discover what imaginative ideas might unfold from a crumpled piece of paper–can mistakes inspire our greatest ideas? Because the show is non-verbal, it can be enjoyed by people speaking all languages and of any age. DC Theatre Arts called Paper Dreams “an enchanting production that…educates and entertains and sparks inquiry into the creative process for young and old alike.”

Havana Hop
Where: The Kennedy Center | Foggy Bottom, DC
When: Saturday, 11am, 1:30pm, & 5pm | Sunday, 1:30pm & 4pm
Tickets: $25
Young Yeila dreams of being a superstar, but her lack of confidence gives her awful stage fright. With advice from her mother and mentors, Yeila begins to find her roots, gain confidence, and be her amazing self! Travel with Yeila as she visits her grandmother in Cuba to add salsa flavor to her own hip hop style. The audience gets to dance along in this dynamic participation play where one actress creates three generations of lively women. Recommended for ages 2-12.

Books Alive!
Where: Highland Elementary School | Wheaton, MD
When: Saturday, 11am & Sunday, 12pm
Admission: Free
Celebrate the new year withInterAct Story Theatre and their Books Alive program. Artistic Director Ali Oliver-Krueger will lead kids and adults in exploring a story together through movement, drama, and song. Everyone’s a part of the story in this family workshop. Best for ages 4 & up.

Drop in Arts & Crafts
Where: Anacostia Community Museum | Anacostia, DC
When: Saturday, 12-2pm
Admission: Free
Drop-in at the museum for an array of arts & crafts for the whole family. Do some mask making, angel and crown decorating, and more winter arts & crafts Plan to check out the current exhibition A Bold and Beautiful Vision: A Century of Black Arts Education in Washington, DC, 1900-2000, too.

STEAM Saturday
Where: National Building Museum | Judiciary Square, DC
When: Saturday, 1-3pm
Admission: $10/adult, $7/child
Join the museum for STEAM activities related to the Brick City LEGO exhibition. Hands-on fun challenges children to think creatively and experimentally using principles of design thinking and engineering. The program is targeted towards children in grades 2nd-8th and their caregivers, and occurs monthly on the second Saturday. Registration strongly encouraged.

Wizard School Scavenger Hunt
Where: National Gallery of Art | National Mall, DC
When: Saturday, 2-4pm
Admission: $18/age 10-17, $24/adult
Join Watson Adventures on a unique Harry Potter-themed scavenger hunt that kids and adults will love! Follow in the footsteps of young wizards on a field trip to the National Gallery in search of art that echoes characters, places and enchanted objects in the famed Harry Potter books and movies. The hunt is not a variation on Harry’s adventures, but instead references to the books provide a bridge to many strange and wonderful works of art. This hunt is designed for kids and adults to do together — kids must be accompanied by an adult. Read about this super fun adventure in this KFDC post.

Sightlines Saturday: Kung Fu Panda
Where: American Art Museum | Penn Quarter DC
When: Saturday, 4-6pm
Admission: Free
In connection with the exhibition Sightlines: Chinatown and Beyond and a celebration of the National Zoo’s new pandas, the American Art Museum presents a free screening of the beloved animated classic Kung Fu Panda. Follow the adventures of Po Ping, a clumsy but enthusiastic panda, who dreams of becoming a kung fu master and is improbably selected to fulfil an ancient prophecy. Make time to experience Sightlines, too — the exhibition showcases the historical, cultural, and creative connections of Asian Americans to DC.

Hoops, NCAA-Style
Where: Universities around the DC Area
When: Throughout the break
Admission: Ticket prices vary
With so many schools in the area, there’s always some good college hoops action going on. Here’s where you can check out schedules and look for tickets:
Maryland men vs UCLA on Friday at 8pm (Go, Terps!)
GW women vs Duquesne on Saturday at 12pm
Georgetown men vs UConn on Saturday at 2pm
George Mason men vs UMass on Saturday at 2pm
Howard men & women vs Morgan State on Saturday at 2pm & 4pm
American men vs Bucknell on Saturday at 4pm
Catholic men & women vs on Saturday at 2pm & 4pm

Sonic Symphony
Where: Warner Theatre | Downtown DC
When: Saturday, 8pm
Tickets: Look for resale here
Get ready to run down memory lane at Sonic speed! Sonic Symphony is an immersive live experience that celebrates more than three decades of music from SEGA’s iconic mascot. From the classic 8-bit and 16-bit tunes to rock bands and EDM, this concert will take you on a musical journey through the colorful world of Sonic the Hedgehog. Relive your favorite Sonic moments, brought to life by a full symphony orchestra. Sonic Symphony will be an electrifying tribute to the music that has defined generations of gamers, old and new.

DC-Area Performing Arts Camp Fair
Where: Arena Stage | Southwest DC
When: Sunday, 11am – 3pm
Admission: Free
If you’re looking for summer camp options for your theater kid, you can check out a variety of them on Sunday at the first-ever DC Area Performing Arts Camp Fair. Hosted at Arena Stage, more than a dozen camps will be providing information, family-friendly activities, and sample classes that offer sneak peeks into the creativity and fun kids can expect in Summer 2025. It’s free to attend, but registration is recommend.  RSVP here.

Moonshot Studio
Where: The REACH | Kennedy Center
When: Sunday, 11am – 4pm
Admission: Free
Get creative at this studio within The REACH at the Kennedy Center, where all are groups are welcome and encouraged to partake in various art projects and activities. The recommended age is 5 years old and above, but anyone can join.

Wizards vs Thunder
Where: Capitol One Arena | Penn Quarter, DC
When: Friday, 6pm
Admission: Tickets start at $14
The Wizards are playing at home on Sunday evening — watch them work take on the Oklahoma City Thunder. Plan on pre-game fun in Penn Quarter at the National Portrait Gallery/American Art Museum and grab a bite after — there are plenty of family-friendly places to go in the neighborhood.

Fun at Fairfax Parks
Where: Parks throughout Fairfax County, VA
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
The Fairfax County Park Authority hosts all kinds of events on weekends for guests of all ages.  Go on a full moon hike.  Join a snowflake tea party.  Enjoy a geocaching adventure.  And more! Details and registration for these and other activities this weekend (and beyond) are available here.

***MORE GOOD STUFF***

* How to help victims of the devastating LA wildfires.

* Start planning for the MLK Day of Service. Look for volunteer opportunities here and here, and check this KFDC post for ongoing ways to help out with kids.

* Kiddos fave “PAW Patrol Live! A Mighty Adventure” is coming to EagleBank Arena February 1-2, and you can currently save 20% on select tickets with the code PUP20!

* And plan for even more live entertainment coming to local theatres this winter.

* Backyard or patio hangs might sound absurd this time of year, but they can actually be quite fun and cozy with the right outdoor winter set up.

* We spent last weekend in NYC and had a great stay at this hotel. I’d read that it was a good one with teens (it was), and we saw plenty of families with younger children, too.

* I haven’t really worn scarves during the last couple of mild winters, but now that we’re in a cooold one (and after seeing them all over NYC), I’m wrapping up again and looking for a new cute one like this ombre scarf, something bright and colorful, or a simple, pretty knit.

* Always a great page to visit.