Tag Archives: Spring 2023

June 6, 2023 · 11:17 am

Five Things for Today: June 6, 2023

Celebrate World Ocean Day at the Natural History Museum!

1. This Thursday, June 8, is World Ocean Day, and the National Museum of Natural History is celebrating with a day of special programming in the Sant Ocean Hall. Join ocean scientists and artists for all kinds of interactive experiences. Check out ocean collection specimens and create ocean-inspired art at a family play date, meet penguin puppets throughout the day, chat with experts, view stunning projections on the Hall’s giant globe, be among the first audiences to see NOAA’s new animation series, Teek and Tom…and more! All of it is free and open to the public. See the day’s full schedule here.

2. Another fun way to celebrate World Ocean Day: Search for fossilized shark teeth! This KFDC post has details on some of the best places for the pursuit within day-trip distance from DC.

3. The USDA Farmers Market just reopened for its 2023 season — and it’s more than just a weekly stop for fresh fruits and veggies. Open every Friday through September 29, the market also has offerings especially for children. Produce Pals, a tent with crafts and fun activities that teach kids about the benefits of fruits and vegetables, welcomes young market-goers to explore. Kids can also meet market vendors, enjoy pretend play in a kid-size farmers market stand, learn about growing produce in The People’s Garden, and play games to win produce-themed goodie bags.   It all takes place Fridays from 10am – 2pm at the corner of 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW (note that this is a new location). Admission is free — but, of course, plan to stock up on produce, cheese, bread, and other locally made food!

4. My go-to (non-museum) DC spots with out-of-town guests.

5. 10 (and then some) Happy Things for June!

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Filed under 2023, DC, Five Things, Spring, Summer

Tagged as DC Culture, DC Festivals, DC Kids Activities, DC Lifestyle, DC with kids, DMV Events and Activities, Family Friendly Activities in DC, Fun Things to do with Kids in the Washington DC Area, June 2023, Kid Friendly DC, Places to Go with Kids in DC, Spring 2023, Summer 2023, World Ocean Day DC

May 30, 2023 · 11:17 am

Five Things: May 30, 2023

Hangin’ at a past DC Truck Touch

1. Get revved up for DC’s Annual Truck Touch this Saturday, June 3! I’ve always called it the Mac Daddy of these kinds of events — hosted by the DC Department of Public Works, it’s the biggest of them all and includes activities beyond climbing on the various vehicles. This year, there will be electric vehicle races and demos by the students who built them, plus basketball, tennis, and fitness activities, and more. In the past, there have been Segways to test-ride and mounted police horses to meet, and hopefully they’ll be back this year. The event takes place at RFK Stadium, Lot 8 (2400 East Capitol Street SE – enter off of Independence Avenue SE) from 8am – 1pm. Reserve a spot in advance here. And get a glimpse of a past DC Truck Touch here.

2. This Thursday, June 1, is National Dinosaur Day, and one way to celebrate it is at the immersive experience, Dinos Alive. From June 1-4, there will be special interactive activities to celebrate all things dino. Visitors will get to enjoy all the wonders of the experience, plus extras like a fossil dig and scavenger hunt, challenging young adventurers to think like a paleontologist. There are also opportunities to ride a dinosaur, swim alongside prehistoric sea creatures in the digital aquarium, explore the natural habitat of the ancient creatures, and more. Dinos Alive runs though the summer (but the special activities are just this coming weekend) at Rhode Island Center in DC. Hours are Wednesday & Thursday 10am – 6pm, Friday 10am-7pm, Saturday & Sunday 9am – 8pm with entry times on the half-hour. Admission starts at $18.20

3. If you want to celebrate dinos without an admission fee, head to the Hall of Fossil at the National Museum of Natural History. It may seem like an obvious spot, but it never hurts to be reminded of the world-class FREE museums right in our backyards — and how lucky we are to have them.

4. The New York Times’ Wirecutter reviewed and ranked the best bug repellants. (Spoiler: This one is their top pick.)

5. The newest resident at the National Zoo 😍

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Filed under 2023, DC, Five Things, Spring, Summer

Tagged as DC Culture, DC Festivals, DC Kids Activities, DC Lifestyle, DC Spray Parks, DC Swim Spots, DC with kids, DMV Events and Activities, Family Friendly Activities in DC, Fun Things to do with Kids in the Washington DC Area, June 2023, Kid Friendly DC, Places to Go with Kids in DC, Spring 2023, Summer 2023

May 23, 2023 · 10:19 am

Five Things: May 23, 2023

Ballpark Boathouse in the Navy Yard

1. ‘Tis the season to go with the flow! Kayaks, canoes, stand up paddle boards, and more vessels for recreation on the water are available to rent all around the area. Boating in DC has several locations in the District, a few NoVa Parks offer it, and there are also some places in Maryland where you can paddle local waterways. This post about local places to rent paddling gear has all the details. (PS: Depending on where and when you go, you may recognize a certain KFDC teen helping you get set up with your boat! 🙂)

2. In case you weren’t aware, tickets for the National Gallery of Art’s Jazz in the Garden summer music series are now distributed by lottery for each weekly concert. The lottery is currently open for the June 2 Tabago Bay performance — through May 26, you can register to try to reserve up to four passes,. Results will be announced May 29 at 10am.

3. How awesome does this nature-inspired LEGO exhibit at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley look? Perfect for a summer day trip or even an overnight, since it’s about a two-hour drive out there.

4. Gear up for the game of the moment!

5. Maycember 😂 (Hang in there, it’s almost over.)

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Filed under 2023, DC, Five Things, Spring, Summer

Tagged as DC Culture, DC Festivals, DC Kids Activities, DC Lifestyle, DC Spray Parks, DC Swim Spots, DC with kids, DMV Events and Activities, Family Friendly Activities in DC, Fun Things to do with Kids in the Washington DC Area, Kid Friendly DC, May 2023, Places to Go with Kids in DC, Spring 2023, Summer 2023

May 16, 2023 · 11:36 am

Five Things: May 16, 2023

Spray play at Turkey Thicket in Brookland

1. Yesterday, the DC Department of Parks and Rec opened 16 spray parks throughout the city! From 12-4pm daily, kids can splash around, stay cool, and have fun at the locations equipped with fountains and more water features. The rest of DC’s spraygrounds will open Saturday, May 27. Use this map to find a spray park close to you.

2. And since others are getting the water fun started, it’s a good time to (re)share this round-up of swim spots beyond the pool, all within a couple hours’ drive of the city. Beaches, lakes and rivers, and swimming holes are included, and there have been some additions since last swimming season, so be sure to check it out and bookmark!

3. Starting this Thursday, May 18, you can once again watch a monthly movie at Audi Field! The stadium will transform into an outdoor cinema as Movies on the Pitch presents films on the stadium’s jumbotron screen, all of them family-friendly. The lineup: DC League of Super-Pets on May 18, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever on June 22, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish on July 6, Minions: The Rise of Gru on August 27, and Jurassic World Dominion on September 7.

4. These are perfect — practical and pretty — for the spray park and swim season.

5. Love this recent Washington Post essay… reminds me of this very early KFDC post.

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Filed under 2023, DC, Five Things, Spring, Summer

Tagged as DC Culture, DC Festivals, DC Kids Activities, DC Lifestyle, DC Spray Parks, DC Swim Spots, DC with kids, DMV Events and Activities, Family Friendly Activities in DC, Fun Things to do with Kids in the Washington DC Area, Kid Friendly DC, May 2023, Places to Go with Kids in DC, Spring 2023

May 9, 2023 · 11:50 am

Five Things: May 9, 2023

Bonsais at the National Arboretum

1. Have you been to the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum within the National Arboretum? Now is a great time to visit and see the pretty little trees. There is a special exhibit on view leading up to World Bonsai Day this Saturday when there will be docent-led tours of the museum along with a children’s activity table. Of course, the rest of the Arboretum is always fantastic to explore. Read more about it here, here, and here.

2. The Rock Creek Horse Center was one of our favorite places to visit when our kids were little — back then, we could just pop in and see the horses and even get the kids a pony ride. While you can’t just stop by whenever these days, they do offer opportunities to meet ponies, see the stables, and take a short trail ride through the woods. There are a few dates coming up for Pony Meet and Greets and Behind the Scenes Tours of the stables. (And Pony Rides will probably open up this summer… bookmark the site to check back for available dates!)

3. A couple of restaurant recs… Levi and I recently dined at Supra for the first time and really enjoyed our Georgian feast. And Ruta, the first Ukranian restaurant in DC, just opened on Capitol Hill!

4. A few easy, last minute Mother’s Day gifts: Tickets to a see Ali Wong; a New York Times Cooking subscription; a book about DC’s weird, wonderful, and obscure places; a pretty splash-proof tote bag for summer. And special plans to celebrate will make her day, too!

5. Serving meals to young children or working in an upscale restaurant? 🙂