A walk in the woods at Woodend Nature Sancutary
Monday – Make it a musical morning with the Boogie Babes as Mr. Gabe performs for the kiddie crowd. Showtime is 10:30am at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. Admission is $6/child, free for siblings 6 months and under. (And I’d guess at least some of the show will be inspired by the day’s main event.)
Later on, get your Halloween on! Head to the International Spy Museum store for Spy Fright, where you can learn tricks of the trade from make-up and disguise artist, Roger Riggle. Then you’ll be all set for a Gymboree party or trick-or-treating at Mount Vernon, Old Town Alexandria boutiques, Leesburg Outlets, Gateway DC, or the Pentagon City Mall! Details about all of these events are in the guide about Wicked Fun Ways to Celebrate Halloween in DC.
Tuesday – Visit the largest library in the world to see the #1 children’s author in the world! Jeff Kinney, author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, is coming to the Library of Congress Coolidge Auditorium from 10am – 12pm, for a one-hour program and book signing. Seating is limited for the public, so get there early! Admission is free.
Wednesday – Go for a walk in the woods and explore the grounds of Woodend Nature Sanctuary in Chevy Chase. The home of the Audubon Naturalist Society is perfect for hiking with little ones. The trails are mellow, there are several small exhibits like bees nests and bird feeding areas, and wildlife sightings are practically guaranteed. Open dawn to dusk. Admission is free.
Then from 4:30-5:30pm, take children ages 5-12 to the Shaw Neighborhood Library for a fun afternoon of music with the DC Youth Orchestra! Kids will have the opportunity to check out and play a variety of orchestral instruments with the help of the DCYO’s specialized instructors. Admission is free.
Thursday – Jump with joy at Flight Trampoline Park in Springfield, VA. This bouncy nirvana hosts Kid Flight sessions, when the whole park is open only to ages 6 and under, from 10am – 2pm Monday through Friday. Special pricing starts at $8/30 minutes ($10/hour) — and an accompanying adult jumps free! I recommend buying tickets and submitting waivers online in advance to save time when you get there.
Friday – Take the money tour at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. It’s a great outing with kids on the DCPS day off, since tours are only offered on weekdays. Tours run every 15 minutes 9am – 2pm this time of year. Admission is free, but tickets are required, and you can pick them up at the booth on Raoul Wallenburg Place starting at 8am. This post from one of our outings there has more details about the experience.
