Beltway Bambinos

(re) discover Washington DC through the eyes of your children

Not your typical kid gym

Need a place to escape the heat (or cold in the winter) and head indoors? Here are a couple of places that are sure to make your child happy and get some exercise when it’s too hot to be outside in the afternoon (or too cold in the winter). Most of these unique spaces offer camps, classes and birthday parties in addition to providing a space for your Bambinos to move. 

(Photo: Badlands)
Badlands Playspace– 5200 Randolph Rd. Rockville, MD 20852
Read about our fun there!

Scramble Indoor Play– 5412 Eisenhower Ave Alexandria, VA 22304
Scramble is the first European-style play center in Alexandria. Scramble offers incredible indoor play every day of the week, birthday parties Fri-Sun and a full program of summer camps for Elementary-age children this summer.

Elemeno– 709 8th St SE Washington, DC 20003
Formerly known as SkillZone. Parent coworking, SkillZone indoor play, early childhood STEM, family social events, kid-free time & private parties.

Magic Ground– 3100 14th St Northwest 3rd Level Washington, DC
See original review here.

Laugh Out Loud Stations Mega Fun Center– 6250 Greenbelt Rd. Greenbelt, MD 20770
CRAZY FUN Rides and AMAZING attractions all in one place to develop LOL Stations as the Best Indoor Theme Park and Birthday Party Place in the Washington metropolitan area, where the entire family can play together!! LaserTag, Challenge Course, Tumbler, Bumper Cars, Ball Blaster, Bouncers, 4-Level Playground, Himalaya, and much more!! Purchase a package or pay for single games.

Hyper Kidz!- 9309 Snowden River Parkway Columbia, MD 21046
Themed zones for kids ages 0-13. Other attractions include an interactive LED dance floor, laser light show, interactive screen games, bubble machine, glow-in-the-dark play, a concession stand, souvenir stand, and giant lite brite boards. Hyper Kidz encourages healthy and active social play.

(Photo: Nook)
Nook–  Nook Mosaic:Coming Summer 2018 & Nook Ballston Quarter:Coming Fall 2018
Nook is a play and learning space for the young, modern family. Not just a children’s play space, Nook is a blended play, work, and learning experience for the entire family.

Climb Zone-13200 Mid Atlantic Boulevard Suite 130 Laurel, MD 20708
Indoor rock climbing with individual walls, each with a theme. There are a few bounce houses, an area for kids 3 and under to play in, video games and a small cafe. Ages 2-5 are $12, 6 years and older $25. You can stay as long as you’d like. Outside food is permitted. You can have a birthday party here too. Put your harness on and climb aboard your favorite art whether it be Mt. Rushmore or the Alice in Wonderland themed wall, you’ll have a great time.

ZAVAZONE– 45685 Oakbrook Ct #110, Sterling, VA 20166 & 40 Southlawn Court Rockville, MD 20850
ZAVAZONE is an Indoor Adventure Park: a unique space dedicated to active fun for people from ages 5 to 105.  ZAVAZONE brings together ninja courses, ropes courses, trampolines, climbing challenges, zip lines, and more under ONE soaring roof.  It delivers a heart-pumping multi-action experience like no other.  Every visit to ZAVAZONE grants access to ALL of these exhilarating challenges, so you’re always free to create your very own active adventure. The state-of-the-art equipment is overseen by highly trained ZAVAZONE coaches who ensure safety while inspiring guests to make the leap or try a bold new move. All ZAVAZONE activities are included with admission.

Animated Child– 5167 Waterway Drive Montclair, VA 22025
Animated Child is an innovative enrichment center that encourages a child’s natural curiosity, independence and creativity. We engage children in every element of intelligence to highlight their unique way of learning. By exploring in which way a child is smart versus how smart they are, children are empowered to recognize ability within themselves. Great for ages 2-12. Open exploration times, enrichment classes, summer camps and birthday parties are available.

Sprout at Saffron – 3260 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201
The ultimate new business concept that combines your productivity (coworking), relaxation, fitness or yoga with your kids playing and learning.  Moms, dads and caregivers can catch up on work or relax in the cafe, take a fitness or yoga class while your kids are taken care of in a holistic and educational environment.  Classes vary from supervised open gym, music, ballerina classes and more! Classes are also offered for kids or adults.

Busy Bees– 11 Wisconsin Circle Bethesda, MD & 6110 D Arlington Blvd. Falls Church, VA 22044
An indoor play space where everything moves, spins or flies just for kids under 48″. $15 (or a pass) will get your kiddos inside, come and go as you please. Open 9-5 everyday. Complimentary coffee, tea and wifi. They also through amazing birthday parties.

Don’t forget these indoor spaces as well:

My Gym–5110 Ridgefield Rd, Bethesda, MD 20816
Kidville– 4825 Bethesda Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814
Gymboree– Various Locations

Theater & music in and around Washington, DC

The DMV area has an abundance of live productions whether it be theater or music, there’s always something going on. Expose your Bambinos early and help develop their appreciation for dramatic arts, rhythm and sound. This summer you can also see performances involving live music and outdoor movies. We’ve added a list of well-known musicians and venues at the bottom.

Ändring av metadata kräver upphovsmannens tillstånd.

(Photo: Marmalade at Atlas Performing Arts Center)

Discovery Theater is part of the Smithsonian for Young Audiences. Shows are generally on a weekday at 10:15 and 11:30 however there are some shows that will have weekend performances. August and September they do not have shows.

In addition to The Puppet Co Main Stage, Glen Echo also features a series called Tiny Tot shows. These are geared towards the younger audience (0-4 years old) with a shorter show for $6.  Show titles vary each week.

Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center presents free performances everyday, no tickets required! Shows typically begin at 6:00pm.

[Read more…]

Washington, DC’s newest coworking playspace: Workafrolic

I had the privilege of meeting Naomi Rasmussen, founder of Workafrolic, a unique coworking playspace w/ flexible childcare and classes back when her idea was coming to fruition. She now has an amazing space located in between Eckington & Shaw which boasts three stories; top floor is a coworking space with everything you need to work successfully, main level includes a kitchen, lactation room and a separate space for childcare and a basement for older kids, classes and conference calls you may need to take.

Below is a q+a that will allow you to understand what Workafrolic offers and how you can use all it has to offer to your advantage. 

How did the concept begin?

At first, my idea was to build an indoor playspace for infants and toddlers. When my son was too young to enjoy the playground, there weren’t many indoor places outside of my apartment where he could safely explore new surroundings and I could relax knowing it was acceptable for him to be crawling around putting everything in his mouth. As the concept developed, the amenities I had in mind for the parents grew until it was a space that was equal parts for kids and adults. I ended up creating my ideal place as an urban working parent!

Explain what coworking is.

Coworking is when individuals who don’t work for the same organization work side by side in the same office space. It’s often a financially smart arrangement for businesses of all sizes since the overhead costs necessary in managing an office can get expensive. For individuals who would most likely be working from home in isolation, the coworking model has created a valuable opportunity to work in an office setting where they get access to professional networking, printers, and meeting space. The coworking model has been around for a few decades, but there has been a sharp increase in its popularity over the last several years and is now common globally.

What’s unique about Workafrolic?

Workafrolic is unique not only because it is a coworking space that has on-site child care, but because of the flexibility our version of this model affords parents. They can see availability and book child care by the hour weeks in advance or right up to the minute before they arrive. We have long hours during the week (8am-7pm) and weekend (10am-7pm) to accommodate a variety of schedules. We have monthly memberships, but we also welcome non-members to use our services on a drop-in basis. We also host classes that families can participate in together during the week and weekends, like music and family yoga.

Another unique aspect of Workafrolic is that in addition to work space we offer a convenient place for adults to take time for themselves to participate in fitness and wellness classes while their child is being looked after. Parents—and especially moms—often sacrifice their own personal time for work and family responsibilities. Not that we need a reason to have some alone time, but evidence shows that exercise makes people more productive and creative. Self-care also puts parents in a stronger position to care for kids. Integrating this element into the same space with work and family and providing child care makes it easier to fit it all in to the day since time is the reason so many of us don’t get to it.

Workafrolic’s playspace is designed for children from birth to age 6 with toys and activities that engage children at each developmental stage. We believe free play encourages creativity and independence and our playspace gives children materials and space to feed their vivid imaginations and innate desire to learn and grow. The playspace is available as an indoor area for parent-supervised play (Open Play) on the weekends and after 4pm on weekdays. We also rent out the space for birthday parties.

Can a Mom come to Workafrolic if she is nursing? What about if a child needs to nap? 

Absolutely! In fact, one of the benefits of Workafrolic is that mom and child can spend the day in close proximity and can continue their nursing routine as long as they’d like. Our rocking chairs in front of the large windows overlooking North Capitol St are a prime spot for nursing. We also have a comfortable lactation room if you’d like more privacy to nurse or pump.

Most of the children who come to Workafrolic nap here. One side of our main child care space is dedicated to napping and a gate keeps wandering children from bothering the nappers. We have cots, cribs, infant swings, bouncers, and a rock ‘n play, so your little one will certainly find a comfy spot to settle into!

What can those using the working space expect?

Expect to be productive!

Workers can expect a comfortable and inviting space with everything they need at hand to tick things of their to do list. We serve complimentary hot and iced coffee and tea and sell snacks from local food businesses to munch on while you work.

You can also expect to see a lot of Dads! Many people assume moms are the parents using Workafrolic, but our clientele is pretty much half and half so dads should feel very welcome to come work here.

Location: 1707 North Capitol St NE Washington, DC 20002
Phone: 202-506-2770 

Safe Summer Fun: 11 Family-Focused Water Safety Tips + Williamsburg Great Wolf Lodge

Summertime is almost here and what better place to kick off your summer adventures by planning a family vacation to the beach, lake or a trip to the incredible Williamsburg Great Wolf Lodge? Summer is the perfect time to take your family to the waterpark resort, which was recently named by Trip Advisor as one of the Top 25 Hotels for Families in the United States! The resort features a massive indoor waterpark, as well as a bowling alley, mini golf course, outdoor ropes course, and a spa just for kids of all ages.

Great Wolf Lodge is a nationally recognized leader in water safety. Ellis & Associates, a renowned international organization focused on aquatic safety has recognized Great Wolf Lodge several years running with its top award for water safety. Since opening its first resort in 1997, Great Wolf Lodge has welcomed millions of families and accumulated a wealth of tips to help keep families safe around water.

May is National Water Safety Month, so there is no better time to share these tips with your family for a safe summer of fun!

  • Never swim alone. Always use the buddy system and be sure the area is well supervised by lifeguards before you or other family members enter the water.
  • Encourage your child to wear a life jacket. Many public pools and water parks provide life jackets for your use free of charge and it’s better to be on the safe side if your child is not a confident swimmer.
  • Never assume someone else is watching your child. Even with lifeguards nearby, you have the responsibility for your child. The best way to keep your child safe is to play right alongside them.
  • Stay hydrated. Swimming and playing takes a lot of energy, especially during the hot summer months. Drink plenty of water or sports drinks and rest in a cool location.
  • Forget the Bling. Before heading to the beach, pool or water park, avoid swimsuits that have ties, grommets or decorations that could get caught on something during water activities.
  • Skip the flip-flops. Look for sandals with a heel strap or a full-coverage slip-on water shoe that will stay in place both in and out of the water.
  • Too much sun is no fun. Be sure to limit your exposure during peak hours of 12pm-3pm and reapply waterproof/sweat proof sunscreen every 80 minutes.
  • Take a CPR course. Knowing these skills can be important in any environment. This is a skill we all can benefit from – on land and around water.
  • Read all of the signs before going on a waterslide, pool or attraction. Make sure your child meets the posted requirements. If you have questions about an attraction, ask an employee at the facility.
  • Plan ahead. As a family, decide on a meeting place to go to if anyone gets separated. Kids can take off in instant and crowded parks and beaches can make it difficult for little ones to find you.  Choose an easy-to-spot location that can be easily found by all family members.
  • If you see someone struggling in the water, call for help. Remember “Reach or Throw, Don’t Go!” Even professionally trained lifeguards don’t enter the water without having the proper flotation devices to keep themselves safe.

Related Link:
Local Splash Pads, Pools, Water Parks

MOCO Movement offers therapy services in a fully inclusive environment + GIVEAWAY

MOCO Movement Center offers world class therapy services in a fully inclusive environment, alongside a sibling or peer taking a sports or movement class. The center was founded by Dr. Andrea Santman because, “After years of providing therapy services for kids, I saw a huge need to offer classes to prep young kids for all of their physical activities ahead. Before throwing them into a sport like soccer, let’s show them the correct way to kick and handle a ball, allowing them to get comfortable before diving in full force.”

The center is equipped with everything from a synthetic ice rink, where kids can put on real ice skates and get acquainted with the skill, before trying it out on a full blown ice rink to a 15 foot climbing wall, allowing kids to test out rock climbing in a less intimidating atmosphere. The space also boasts a a basketball court, exciting obstacle course and simulated playground, where a child has endless opportunities to reach his or her goals. Class sizes range from 2-4 children allowing personalized attention and the freedom of a choose-your-own-adventure style class.  

MOCO Movement Center’s Early Intervention program focuses on children at the development critical ages of 0 – 3 years. MOCO understands the importance of working with your child on a daily basis to accomplish their milestone goals. Their early intervention trained pediatric therapists have years of experience in development, childhood skills/occupations, language development and social interactions that impact growth and learning. 

At MOCO, they use their expert knowledge of development in conjunction with the natural environment to encourage play and engage children to reach their developmental milestones. They work closely with parents and caregivers to develop goals, create plans of care and collaborate on strategies that support family and child-centered objectives, which encourage continued therapy even at home. They utilize a variety of environments including playgrounds, home and other community settings to encourage participation and support generalization of skills across all areas and settings.Their goal is to help children reach their developmental milestones so that they can move and play more independently, build social relationships through play and communication, and successfully transition and participate in school activities with peers.

Classes at MOCO are offered for babies through age 12. Children use thought, strength, and balance on MOCO’s giant obstacle courses designed with oversized blocks, tight-rope-style lines, trampolines, and suspension equipment to acquire foundational skills, including self-confidence and social interaction, and build sport and fitness skills. Classes provide a unique structured, child-driven curriculum guided by highly-trained staff including expert athletes, medical and educational specialists.

Summer Camp is offered to babies-age 10, half day as well as full day. The summer camp includes movement, music, arts & crafts, science, sports, state-of-the-art equipment, and an inclusive environment. Camps are non-therapeutic and do not have therapeutic goals, however, throughout the day they incorporate a variety of fine and gross motor skills and activities that encourage cooperative group environments.  Birthday Parties are also a hit at MOCO Movement!

My children have taken a few classes here; Kids in Motion and Sports Fundamentals. The students/teacher ratio is unbelievable, the facility has a plethora of equipment and the fact that my 7 & 3 year old can take a class together is priceless. My kids leave the building and before we are in the car they are asking when they can come back. The teachers are extremely hands-on and take great care in having children go through movements and skills the appropriate and safe way. I don’t know of any other facility like this that welcomes all children to work alongside one another, no matter their need or skill level.

Location: 5268A Nicholson Lane Kensington, MD 20895

Giveaway: MOCO Movement is giving away one month of classes to a Bambino who is age 3 months to 10 years old (only one child per family). Enter on Beltway Bambinos Facebook page and Like MOCO Movement’s Facebook page– Bonus entry for commenting on Instagram. Winner will be announced May 30, 2018.

Kidville Bethesda keeps Bambinos wanting to go back for more {and more}

Kidville Bethesda offers award-winning gym, art, dance, music, preschool classes and summer camp for children aged newborn – five years old. Their customizable birthday parties are a blast for 1-8 years old and they even offer haircuts for kids of all ages. I brought my first child here for his first few haircuts; it was the perfect environment for an apprehensive first-timer. Kidville also allows you to try a trial class before committing to a series of classes, click here for more info. They are conveniently located in downtown Bethesda, sandwiched in between coffee shops and delicious restaurants at 4825 Bethesda Ave.

My three year old sampled a few classes and has left her wanting to go back at any dull moment we have. She loved the Big Muscle Workout and the Kidville Gymnasts classes. She was able to get acclimated with all of the colorful, fun equipment and meet other classmates before the class started. The classes began with a warm-up, followed by some strength and skills obstacles. She was constantly moving and had a smile on her face the whole time {you can watch your child from various windows} or leave to get that cup of joe if your child is old enough for one of their “drop-off” classes. The teachers are up-beat, get to know your child, professional and energetic.

You can browse their website by age to see the lengthy list of classes appropriate for your Bambinos. When you sign up for classes you also gain entry to the Playspace, which is like open gym time and typically has at least an hour window of time each day of the week if not more. Click here for a schedule of classes.

Exercising with your Bambinos in and around Washington, DC

We’ve found a variety of ways parents can focus on becoming healthier and stronger and this time it allows you to be with your Bambinos. Sometimes it’s hard to find childcare or leave your new baby at home to go workout, so the below classes encourage you to have your best audience in tow. As always help us add to our growing list if you know of a great class that should be added.

 

                                                                                                                                                                             

FIT4MOM is dedicated to the Strength In Motherhood™. By providing classes and support for moms in every stage of motherhood. Through FIT4BABY’s prenatal fitness classes, Stroller Strides, Body Back, and Our Village, women have the opportunity to have a workout and support that is flexible around motherhood. All the classes can be modified for prenatal moms.

Stroller Strides® is a functional, total-body conditioning workout designed for moms with kids in tow. Each 60-minute workout is comprised of strength training, cardio and core restoration, all while entertaining little ones with songs, activities and fun!

Stroller Barre® is a 60-minute cardio and strength interval class designed to improve posture, stability, and mobility. The workout combines moves inspired by barre, ballet, Pilates, fitness, and yoga to help you regain your posture and alignment and strengthen your body from the inside out! Stroller Barre will help you reconnect with your body, increase flexibility and develop the core strength needed for motherhood.

FIT4BABY® is designed specifically for moms-to-be. All exercises are carefully selected to prepare your body for the many changes you will experience during pregnancy. You can begin FIT4BABY at any point during pregnancy as the workouts are scientifically- based, purposeful and designed to accommodate your changing body. The 60-minute workout includes cardio, strength, balance, and flexibility training and ends with a relaxing meditation; everything you need during this precious time!

 
 
At Stroller Strong Moms DC, they are proud to Sweat Like a Mother, or as they like to call it, SLAM, six days a week! That is six different opportunities for you to get in a challenging and unique workout that is multi-level, constantly varied, and most importantly, fun! There are five instructors, and each of our instructors hold nationally-recognized accreditations such as American Council on Exercise group fitness instructor certifications, Registered Yoga Teachers, and Road Runners Club of America certified running coaches. Classes take place outdoors, using entire park spaces (weather permitting). All in the company of your stroller and child, classes are designed so everyone has fun!
 
Created by Zumba® and BabyFirst for kids ages 0-4, the Zumbini® program combines music, dance and educational tools for 45 minutes of can’t-stop, won’t-stop bonding, learning, and fun!
 

Strong Mama is a Prenatal/Postnatal fitness class designed to get every mama feeling strong! Exercises will be tailored for each stage of pregnancy and postpartum recovery so you can work at your own pace and ability. This class will combine strength (with or without dumbbells)  and cardio endurance exercises to give a complete body workout.

Baby Mombo

Baby Mombo is a baby wearing dance fitness class designed to help parents sweat and smile with their little one! During this 45-minute high-energy class, babies will be wrapped in love while they feel the rhythm of their parents getting fit! Not sure if you can keep up? This class will be taught with multiple levels of intensity to match what is comfortable for you and your baby. Everyday is different, so do what feels right for you during every song in every class!

Zumbini

Zumbini® is a music and movement class for children, 0 to 4 years, to attend with their fun-loving caregiver. We combine original Zumba®-style music with dancing, acoustic singing, rhythmic instruments, scarves, balls, and more to create this fun and engaging 45-minute class. In addition to a love of music and movement, we want children to develop stronger bonds with their caregivers and socialization with new friends. There are many opportunities to sing together, dance together, and laugh together throughout this class.

Don’t want to even think about bringing your Bambino because you worry they won’t mesh well with the above classes?

Check out local gyms that will babysit your little ones while you get an hour (or more) of workout time to yourself!

We also have found many yoga with bambino classes.

Is your child ready for more art opportunities? Red Panda Art Studio is here to help with process-based opportunities and more

This Guest Post is written by Stephanie Shevitz, founder of Red Panda Art Studio and an art teacher with over 8 years of experience. Stephanie’s goal in creating Red Panda Art Studio is to develop classes and camps where children can channel their inner artist while exploring and creating freely.  Stephanie teams up with instructor, Sandra Rodrich to teach weekly art classes to ages 2 to 8. 

Creating Opportunities for Process-Based Art in your Child’s Day!

In parenting, we hear a lot of buzzwords- play-based, child-led, free-range, etc. and in the children’s art world, the current buzzword is “process-based.” Trends change constantly, but process-based art will stick around. Process-based art places the emphasis on the creative journey, not the end product. It gives children room to explore, experiment, and make their own decisions. We can encourage open-ended exploration by highlighting the creative choices that children make during the art activity, as opposed to focusing on the finished picture. It’s about asking “how did you make this?” instead of “what did you make?”

Here are a few simple tips to use when setting up a creative table in your home:

  1. Start with things that are already of interest to your child and try to bring the art to those ideas. For instance, have a child that loves sea animals? Leave out a few sea animal figures, markers, and paper. See if your child will feel motivated to try and sketch his or her favorites!
  2. Use everyday items in unconventional ways. Legos are great for paint stamping squares, rectangles, and little circles. Recyclables (paper towel rolls, food pouch tops, egg cartons) can all be transformed into endless different creatures.
  3. Art is about making materials interact- much the way chemical reactions are a part of science. Try combining the two- add baking soda to one paint color and vinegar to another, and watch the colors mix and the reaction occur as they are combined together.
  4. Try to limit the amount of materials available at one time. Rotate available materials often.
  5. Don’t be afraid to create and collaborate with your child!
  6. Contain the mess: emphasis that art materials are only to be used at a pre-approved table and invest in a few trays. Start with less messy materials and work your way up to incorporating paint without supervision. Using only water-based supplies will cut down your stress level– and the mess!

For ages 2-3:

  • Use sensory experiences. Play dough is a great tool to use with younger children. Set-up a color mixing activity by rolling red, yellow, blue, and white playdough into small balls. Encourage children to pick two different colors at a time to mix. Watch how they create an endless amount of new colors.
  • Encourage “small world” play. Set out under the sea, jungle animal, or bird figures. Include some other materials (felt, paper scraps, playdough) that children can use to build a home for the figures.
  • When using markers or crayons, change up the size of paper or art material. Put out various sized pieces of paper. Use different color paper as well.
  • Color sorting collages: set up a few different circles, pom poms of different colors, colored circle stickers, and washi tape. Let the kids sort the different colored materials onto different bases. Glue pens, glue sticks, or glue stickers work well for limiting mess!
  • Encourage development of fine motor skills: set out pipe cleaners stuck into a styrofoam base and have beading materials available (large buttons or foam shapes).
  • Create color mixing in ziploc bags: fill a bag with two paint colors on opposite sides of the bag. Tape the bag closed. Your artist will be ready to squish the bag, mix the colors, and see what happens!
  • Contact paper collages: set out a small square of contact paper along with paper shapes and tissue paper squares. The cutouts will stick directly to the contact paper.

For ages 4-6:

  • Experiment with watercolor “resist” techniques. Put out a white oil pastel, encourage your child to write a secret message or make a design. Watch how the white oil pastel appears as soon as you paint over it with watercolors.
  • Test out still-life drawings. Put out a flower in a vase or for a “virtual” still-life- display a picture. Set out different art materials to encourage your artist to try and draw the image.
  • Use old magazines and newspapers for collage materials. Set out magazines (animal magazines are great for this purpose), scissors, and glue.
  • Encourage upcycling: put out paper towel rolls, egg cartons, washi tape, and scissors.
  • Card making: set out fancy patterned paper, glitter glue, scissors, and markers. Have a few cards folded from white cardstock ready to serve as the backdrop for creations.
  • Model Magic™ creations: model magic™  serves as a great sculpture base. Set out a small ball along with wiggly eyes, pipe cleaners, feathers, and modelling clay.

For ages 7+:

  • For this age, I recommend putting out these groups of materials and seeing where your artist takes the activity.
  • Grid paper, highlighters, and scissors
  • Shape templates, rulers, paper, highlighters, and permanent markers
  • Felt, sequins, and puffy paint
  • Watercolors, watercolor paper, oil pastels, and salt or lemons. Salt and lemon juice react to the watercolors creating a crystal-like effect.
  • Model magic™, wiggly eyes, modelling clay, pipe cleaners, and scissors
  • Strips of jewelry wire and fancy beads

As an art teacher, I occasionally hear parents say that their children are just not into art. It’s possible that they haven’t been introduced to art that speaks to them yet. Art for children should be a sensory-based experience that challenges their ideas about what art is and who they are as artists.

Is your child ready for more art? We would love for you to check out our class offerings at Red Panda Art Studio. Our children’s class and camp options are designed to engage creativity, enhance imagination, and explore artistic abilities– with an overall focus on having fun and collaborating with peers.  

We currently offer Wednesday and Thursday morning classes for 2-4 year olds, Thursday afternoon classes for 4-8 year olds, and private at-home group classes for all ages. New sessions for all ages start the week of April 2, 2018.

Interested in checking us out? Come to our Open Studio/Spring Class Preview on March 22, 2018 from 4:00-5:15PM at the Wisconsin Place Community Center (5311 Friendship Blvd, Chevy Chase, MD). Ages 2-8 welcome. $25/child. Use code BELTWAYBAMBINOS when checking out on our website for 20% off this preview! Keep an eye out for summer camp dates as they will be announced very soon.

logo design courtesy of New Leaf Design