Tag Archives: Northern Virginia Parks

April 27, 2014 · 8:14 pm

Where to Play on the Weekdays: April 28 – May 1

We heart Yards Park

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

Tuesday – Let the kids bounce, climb, swing, tumble, and slide at the PG Sports & Learning Complex Gymnastics Center. The hour-long open play session begins at 11:30am, and admission is $6/child. (This also takes place on Wednesday at the same time.)

Wednesday – See a show especially for little ones at The Puppet Co. During the theatre’s Tiny Tots series, the lights stay on, and doors remain open during these performances for the youngest audiences. Old McDonald’s Farm is this week’s production. Showtime is 10am. Tickets are $5 for everyone, including babies.

Thursday – Take a tour of the Capitol! Even if you can’t get on a tour day-of, there still are exhibits and statues to see in the Visitor’s Center, which is open 8:30am – 4:30pm daily. Both admission to the Center and tours are free. And something fun to do after (or before): Walk the tunnels between the Capitol and Library of Congress to show the kiddos a “secret” way to get from building to building.

Friday – Splash around in the sprays at Yards Park! The sublime recreation space in the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood is expected to have its water features running at the start of May. If not, hang out in the grassy areas, stroll the boardwalk, take in the views, and have a picnic by the water. Or grab some lunch at one of the many new nearby eateries. Admission to the park is free.

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

Tagged as DC Children's Theater, DC Kids Activities, DC outdoors, DC Parks, DC Weekdays April 28 - May 2, kids in DC, Northern Virginia Parks, Port Discovery, Things to do with Kids in DC, Things to do with Kids in Maryland, Things to do with kids in Northern Virginia

March 16, 2014 · 6:43 pm

Where to Play on the Weekdays: March 17-21

Indoor “wildlife” viewing at Potomac Overlook Park

Monday – You can’t beat a movie on a foul-weather day, and even better when it’s on the really big screen. You’ve got your choice of several playing right now: Flight of the Butterflies 3D, The Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D, and Titans of the Ice Age 3D, and Jerusalem 3D are all playing at the Natural History Museum’s Johnson IMAX Theatre. And the Air & Space Museum’s Lockheed Martin IMAX Theatre presents Hidden Universe 3D, Hubble 3D, The Dream is Alive, and To Fly! Tickets are $9/adults, $8/seniors, $7.50/youth. Be sure to check schedules for showtimes.

Tuesday – Venture up to Baltimore to see some of the most wonderful, whimsical art around at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. The colorful, quirky works — some of them interactive — can be appreciated by art buffs of all ages. Hours are 10am – 6pm Tuesday – Sunday. Admission is $15.95/adults, $13.95/seniors, $9.95/students & children 7 and up, free for ages 6 and under.

Wednesday – Catch a performance of Inside Out at Imagination Stage. The show recommended for ages 1-5 is about two children use their imaginations to turn their room into a wonderland of mess! A “free play” session follows. Showtime is 11:45am. Tickets are $10.

Thursday – Explore and play at Potomac Overlook Park in Arlington. Hike the short trails and let the kids romp on the playground, then visit the nature center where you can see turtles, snakes, and other creatures in terrariums and discover more about the natural world in the Kids Cave. Hours are 10am – 5pm. Admission is free.

Friday – Visit the National Arboretum on one of the two weekdays it’s open to the public (it’s closed Tuesday – Thursday). Go for nature walks through the woods, visit the Washington Youth Garden, romp in open green spaces and at the old Capitol columns, and enjoy one of the loveliest outdoor spaces in the city. Hours are 8am – 5pm, and admission is free.

Where to Play on the Weekdays: March 10-14

A little play house is one of many delights in the River Farm Children’s Garden

Monday – Explore the grounds and play in the gardens, specifically the Children’s Gardens, at River Farm. The American Horticulture Society’s headquarters overlooking the Potomac River in Alexandria are as lovely as they are fun. Hours are 9am – 5pm. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

Tuesday – Visit the animals, take a tractor-pulled wagon ride, play on kid-sized tractors, romp on the playgrounds, and much more at Frying Pan Farm Park. The locale in Herndon is a guaranteed hit with kids, and parents always rave about it, too. The park is open daily from dawn to dusk, the farm is open 9am – 5pm, wagon rides 10am – 4pm. Admission is free, though the wagon rides cost a little extra.

Wednesday – Discover the history of flight at the College Park Aviation Museum. Guests can view early airplanes up close, dress up like aviators, create flight-inspired art, and more. Keep an eye on the runway right outside the floor-to-ceiling windows — you might see planes take off and land at the College Park Airport, the oldest continuously operating airport in the world! Open daily 10am – 5pm. Admission is $4/adults, $2/children, free for ages 2 and under.

Thursday – Venture up to Baltimore for Thrifty Thursday at Port Discovery. From 1-4:30pm it’s just $8 (regularly $13.95) to explore the many levels full of awesome hands-on exhibits. if you don’t want to wait until the afternoon to go, it’ll be open at 9:30am.

Friday – Go play at Clemyjontri, the brilliantly colored, sprawling playground in McLean that accommodates kids of all abilities. Hours are 7am to dusk, and admission is free.