Tag Archives: Weekdays October 22-26

October 21, 2018 · 7:02 pm

Where to Play on the Weekdays: October 22-26

See the inner workings of Peirce Mill in Rock Creek Park

Monday – Enjoy the great fall weather at River Farm. The American Horticulture Society’s headquarters overlooking the Potomac River in Alexandria are as lovely as they are fun. The kids will love playing in the delightful Children’s Garden, and you’ll all love exploring the grounds. Hours are 9am – 5pm. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

Tuesday – Celebrate Spain through storytelling at Capitol View Interim Library. The free session begins at 10:30am and is best for ages 2-5. It’s part of the Kids Euro Festival, a wonderful program from the EU Delegation to the US that brings two weeks of free art & cultural adventures to DC. See what else is on the schedule this week here.

Wednesday – Catch a performance of Blue at Imagination Stage. Recommended for ages 1-5, showtime is 10:30am, and tickets are $12.

Thursday – Take kiddos to Cox Farms for their Fall Festival! It’ll be a great place to spend the DCPS day off from school and enjoy TONS of autumn fun! Hours are 10am – 6pm, and admission is $10.

Friday – Head to Peirce Mill in Rock Creek Park for As the Wheel Turns, a program where guests of all ages can learn about the power of water and its connection to food on a mill tour. Drop in from 10am – 4pm. Admission is free. Read about a KFDC adventure at Peirce Mill.

Where to Play on the Weekdays: October 22-26

A roomful of wildlife exhibits at the Rock Creek Nature Center

Monday: Take the kids to play amid the lovely wooded setting of Cabin John Regional Park. They can climb, swing, jump, slide, and run on the sprawling Adventure Playland. Go from 3-8pm for Halloween festivities — take a ride on the “EyeSpy” Halloween Train and enjoy related hands-on activities and movies. Admission is free early on, $5 for the Halloween fun after 3pm.

Tuesday: Discover the underwater world at DC’s National Aquarium. Located in the lower level of the Dept. of Commerce building, it’s a perfect place for little ones to see colorful fish, sharks, turtles, and more. Admission is $9.95/ages 11 and up, $4.95/ages 3-11, free for 2 and under. Open 9am – 5pm.

Wednesday: See a show especially for little ones. Mid-week Tiny Tots shows are back at The Puppet Co. with Teddy Bear’s Picnic. The lights stay on and doors stay open during these performances for the youngest audiences. Showtime is 10-10:30am. Tickets are $5 for everyone, including babies. After the performance, plan to hang out at Glen Echo Park for some fun on the playground.

Thursday: Learn about the area’s wildlife and enjoy hands-on activities at the Rock Creek Nature Center. With all kinds of animal and plant exhibits, plus a Discovery Room full of books and toys, there is plenty to keep kids engaged. If weather permits, hike a trail on the grounds around the center, too. Open Wednesday – Sunday, 9am – 5pm.

Friday: If you still haven’t made it to a fall festival, weekdays are a great time to go, when crowds thin out and admission prices are often lower. Take a hayride, pick out a pumpkin, jump and slide, visit farm animals, and more. This post has recommendations of where to enjoy the seasonal fun.

The 5th Annual Kids Euro Festival: A Month of Cultural Adventure in DC

From Greece: A puppet show about a dragon and his crocodile friends.

You don’t have to cross an ocean to introduce your kids to European art and culture. Thanks to the French-American Cultural Foundation, the 27 EU embassies, and more than 30 American cultural institutions, Europe is coming to us via the Kids Euro Festival with four weeks of continental artistic adventures.

From October 17 through November 13, the festival will present more than 200 FREE family-friendly, Euro-themed events all around the DC-metro area. Mimes, storytellers, dancers, and puppeteers are just a few of the exciting acts on the schedule. Public libraries, DC embassies, The Kennedy Center, National Gallery of Art, National Children’s Museum, Shakespeare Theatre, La Maison Française, National Geographic, Strathmore, and Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, and local schools are among the many performance venues.

The festival, designed for children ages 2-12, is the largest of its kind in the country. All 27 countries in the European Union are represented in the shows that highlight national cultural traditions and art.

Just about all of the performances on the first day take place at schools, but there are Millennium Stage shows at the Kennedy Center Thursday and Friday evenings, October 18 & 19, that are open to the public. And the open invite continues for several weeks after that.

Some events require reservations, so be sure to visit the Kids Euro Festival website for details, including the complete schedule of performances, age recommendations, and registration info. You can also “like” the Facebook page and follow them on Twitter for updates on events.