Tag Archives: Kid Friendly DC Activities

September 23, 2026 · 9:08 am

Tinkerfest: A Museum-Wide Celebration of Curiosity at National Children’s Museum

Every great invention starts with a “what if?” Bring your biggest ideas to National Children’s Museum‘s first-ever Tinkerfest, a celebration of curiosity, creativity, and hands-on learning, on October 4. The whole Museum (and Woodrow Wilson Plaza, too!) becomes a giant workshop, with tinkering stations, live demonstrations, and STEAM activities around every corner. Test, experiment, discover, and of course, TINKER!

Outdoors on Woodrow Wilson Plaza (free and open to the public)
Step out onto the Plaza to meet with fellow tinkerers from partner organizations for live demos, showcases, and activities from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Partners include CentroNía, Chibitronics, DC Public Library, International Spy Museum, National Building Museum, National Theatre, Sitar Arts Center, Spark!Lab, and more. National Theatre, Sitar Arts Center, Spark!Lab, and more.

From 12:30pm to 3:30pm, grab some simple tools and find out what’s inside everyday tech by taking apart old and non-functioning devices.

Indoors at the Museum (Museum admission required)
Inside, explore tinkering pop-ups all over the museum! Tinkerer-in-Residence Chitra Sharma is leading a large-scale printmaking experience where you can press, roll, and stomp over fabric to leave your mark on a piece of the final exhibit installation. More activities around the museum invite you to stitch a felt quilt block, draw a stop-motion story inside a zoetrope, trigger a chain reaction, and turn real bicycle gears into oversized spirographs. Little architects can also join STEAM Storytime with Boxitects and build a cardboard structure together. See the full Tinkerfest schedule and purchase your tickets to join the fun!

Can’t make it on October 4? The museum is offering indoor pop-ups throughout the day on October 3 as a special Tinkerfest preview!

Tinkerfest
Where: National Children’s Museum | Downtown DC
When: October 4, 2026 | 9:30am – 4:30pm
Admission: $18.95 per person; purchase tickets in advance here

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This post is sponsored by National Children’s Museum, however, I only promote events, places, and programs that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.

Step Inside Gabby’s Dollhouse at National Children’s Museum

Get ready for a paws-itively magical day! On September 7, National Children’s Museum is hosting a Gabby’s Dollhouse MEOWseum Discovery Day — a collaboration with DreamWorks Animation and the Association of Children’s Museums. This day-long event includes multiple cat-tastic activations throughout the Museum and a Meet & Greet opportunity with Gabby (registration required).

Gabby Meet & Greet
Multiple Meet & Greet sessions will span the Museum’s hours of operation from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Guests are required to register for the Meet & Greet in addition to purchasing regular Museum admission. Guests can add on a reservation for “Gabby’s Dollhouse Meet & Greet” during checkout when purchasing admission for September 7. Meet & Greet reservations are free, and only one is required per order.

Museum-Wide Themed Activations
Complementing the Meet & Greet, engaging activities will take place throughout the Museum, allowing all guests a chance to experience the joy of Gabby’s Dollhouse. Activities include:

* Gabby’s Dollhouse Storytimes: Jump into one of Gabby’s magical adventures with an interactive read-aloud.

* DJ Catnip Baby Jam + Noise Parade: A cat-tastic spin on the Museum’s musical early learner program and end-of-day parade.

* Scavenger Hunt: A paws-itively exciting challenge to find all of Gabby’s whiskered friends hidden throughout the Museum.

Countdown to Gabby
Can’t make it on September 7? For two weeks leading up to the event, National Children’s Museum will be offering daily pop-up activities inspired by Gabby’s Dollhouse themes. This Countdown to Gabby begins Sunday, August 24.

Gabby’s Dollhouse MEOWseum Discovery Day
Where: National Children’s Museum | Downtown DC
When: September 7, 2025 | 9:30am – 4:30pm
Admission: Purchase tickets in advance here

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This post is paid for by National Children’s Museum, however, I only promote events, places, and programs that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.

Curiosity is Blooming — Add a Play Break to Your Spring Break at National Children’s Museum

The Art + Tech exhibit at National Children’s Museum

Throughout April and May, National Children’s Museum is celebrating the season with expanded hours, new offerings, and spring-themed programs that invite kids and their families to engage in unique, playful, and environmentally-focused learning experiences!

Expanded Spring Break Hours
When: April 12-19
National Children’s Museum will be expanding their normal operating hours to 9am – 6pm daily with a bonus opening on Tuesday, April 15. You can reserve your tickets here.

Story Art Series
When: April 14-18
This is the Museum’s final Story Art Series program inside its tinkering space. With Earth Day around the corner, the program will teach the importance of sustainability and caring for the environment through the repurposing of materials in upcycled art. Inspired by Barney Saltzberg’s “Beautiful Oops!” and “Not a Box” by Antoinette Portis, kids will turn various materials from past Story Art Series programs — including yarn, tissue paper, and letters—into something new and beautiful.

Collaborative Cherry Blossom Tree
When: Throughout the month of April
The Cherry Blossom Tree is a temporary community art piece that allows little arborists to tap into their creativity as they tinker with various materials to make unique blossoms to add to the collaborative piece.

“Rose Weaves a Garden” Book Launch and Storytime
When: May 10
Children’s book author and illustrator Rashin Kheiriyeh will be reading her new book “Rose Weaves a Garden,” a beautiful story about the power of cultural traditions and multigenerational learning. Museum guests can meet the author and engage in a complementary activity that demonstrates the same art and technique of rug-weaving found in the story. This program is at no additional cost.

Seasonal STEAM Storytimes
When: Wednesdays in April and May at 2:30 pm
The Museum’s weekly early learner program will be focusing on spring-themed stories and extension activities that celebrate the bounty of the Earth! Kids can immerse themselves in the cultural significance behind DC’s beloved cherry blossoms with an interactive read-aloud of “When the Sakura Bloom” by Narisa Togo, or they might learn about environmental awareness through the colorful world of Dr. Seuss’s “The Lorax”. Recommended for ages 1-4.

The Weather Worlds green screen exhibit

And don’t miss…

* Spring Tinkering Programs: The Museum’s tinkering hub will feature sustainability-focused activities.

* Weather Worlds + Climate Action Heroes: The Museum’s environmental science–focused exhibits. See firsthand how your actions control the weather in the Weather Worlds greenscreen experience and take a flow quiz to discover your inner Climate Action Heroes persona and how you can positively impact the community and the world. Hot tip: There’s a digital version of the quiz at climate-heroes.org, and you can sign up for monthly missions!

* The Outdoor Sound Garden Exhibit: Located just outside the Museum’s entrance on Wilson Plaza, these colorful floral instruments (that double as public art!) offer visitors a chance to perform as they explore the concepts of rhythm and harmony.

* Visiting Exhibits: Through May 11, experience Animationland and dive into the world of storytelling using storyboarding, sound effects, stop-motion, and more. Then starting May 24, Wild Kratts®: Ocean Adventure! will be coming to the Museum!

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This post is paid for by National Children’s Museum, however, I only promote places, programs, and events that I genuinely believe in and think will appeal to KFDC readers.