Indoor Play – Page 3

National Children’s Museum welcomes visitors back

September 2, 2021

National Children’s Museum, a nationally recognized cultural and educational institution, offering interactive exhibitions exploring science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) has re-opened after being closed for 18 months! Celebrating the joy of modern childhood, the Museum sparks curiosity and ignites creativity for children and engages the whole family. Located just steps from the National Mall, National Children’s Museum fills a critical void in Washington, D.C. for interactive, child-centric learning, and is uniquely poised to develop young minds. The Museum is a unique hybrid children’s museum and science center, reimagining how a children’s museum looks and operates, and creating an immersive experience for children from birth to age 12.

The Visiting Exhibit Hall serves as a space to showcase some of the world’s most innovative and engaging traveling exhibits, designed especially for children, ensuring that the Museum is constantly reflecting the world around us. The current exhibit is: Moomin Animations – Thrills and Cuddles from September 3, 2021 – January 9, 2022.

A favorite area for my kids is the Engineering Games + Play where you will find some sports related fun mixed with science. Another interactive exhibit is the Innovation Sandbox where kids can expand their worldview by shooting bolts of lightning, making it rain, creating clouds, and more through Weather Worlds, an immersive digital experience created by Design I/O. I also got in on the fun! Children 5 years and above can climb the Dream Machine, where they will ascend into the clouds in a three-story climber and slide!

Advanced tickets are required for all visitors, including members, as there will be limited visitor capacity. Learn more about how they’re ensuring everyone has a safe and fun experience by reviewing COVID-19 policies. The museum also offers birthday parties and field trips.

Location: National Children’s Museum, Woodrow Wilson Plaza
1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20004

Hours: Thursday- Sunday
Morning session: 9:30am – 12:30pm
Afternoon session: 1:30pm – 4:30pm

Closed Monday through Wednesday and the following holidays: New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day

Photos were provided to us from the Museum’s Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Device free road trip activities and games for families

May 24, 2021

Memorial Day and summer typically mean people hit the road for vacation and this year is no exception as families may not be comfortable flying and many more will be on the road. We were eager to find some ways to occupy our kids in the car {as we plan our longest road trip yet} that invites them to put down a device for part of the trip.

Travel games: Scavenger hunt, License plate BINGO, Road trip BINGO, Guess in 10, STEM cube, 20 Q electronic game, fidgets and sensory toys

Crafts: Dry erase travel board, Wiki sticks, Vacation activity kit, No-mess glitter dot , Travel pad with a variety of games, Mess-free coloring and a Travel journal

Listen to family-friendly Podcasts and books on tape through Audible. I like to pop in my AirPods and listen to a book on tape on car rides– a bit of silence!

No need for anything–play old school games: I-Spy, 20 questions, Play the license plate game aloud, “I’m going on a trip/picnic and bringing…”, The alphabet game, Who am I? & Round-robin story telling are a few. Just google the names of them to get a refresher on the rules.

Rest stop games: Bring a ball to kick around, throw a jump rope in the car, play Simon Says and try to challenge Simon to be active

Create a playlist and have a sing-along. You can print some lyrics for kids who can read and they can sing the words.

Give your kids a camera to document their trip. Be sure to stock up on film. This also comes with a photo album they can just put the pictures right into.

Helpful to have: Car seat lap activity tray, Fill up this container with snacks, Kids travel pillow, Kids headphones that connect to each other, Travel Jane disposable urinal, Portable potty, Wet wipes, Organizer, Cooler & Tray in 1, UV Window shade

Related posts:
8 games to play in the pool + water play must haves!

Disclaimer: This road trip list full of essentials and games and contains affiliate links, which means that should you click any of the links and make a purchase I may get a small commission at absolutely no cost to you.

Visit Glenstone Museum in Potomac, Maryland

May 19, 2021

Glenstone Museum is located in Potomac, Maryland and is a private museum with art located outdoors as well as indoors. Glenstone offers nearly 300 acres of landscape fully integrated with the architecture and art. The landscape includes paths, trails, streams, meadows, forests and outdoor sculptures throughout the grounds. I snagged a last minute ticket and happily spent the day alone at Glenstone last week. Visitors should be prepared to spend considerable time on foot so be sure and wear comfortable walking shoes. I stayed outdoors while I was there, walking from sculpture to sculpture and admiring the landscape and foliage but the indoor exhibits are also now open. At Glenstone, architecture is as essential as artwork and nature, providing a minimal design to complement the collection and visitor experience. You will see a nice combination of art, nature and architecture. You can wander about without a map or grab one when you enter (or even scan a qr code). I enjoyed just strolling and finding the works of art myself, enjoying the long walk along boardwalks, in the woods and through meadows.

The museum is open in a limited capacity on visitor days (Thursday-Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.). Scheduled visits are required, and admission is free. August visits will be released on June 1st at 10:00 a.m. All visitors must be 12 or older and all minors (ages 12-17) must be accompanied by an adult at all times. This museum offers a place for peace and it offered a space to really take in the art and just be one with nature. It was a welcomed trip away from my kids to enjoy art and being outside without the typical screaming and chattering. I passed by about 15 people while I was there– truly an escape!

Port Discovery Children’s Museum announces opening of temporary exhibit Animationland

May 5, 2021

Port Discovery Children’s Museum is celebrating the grand opening of the temporary exhibit, Animationland, locally sponsored by M&T Bank & in collaboration with OMSI, on Saturday, May 22nd from 10AM – 4PM and Sunday, May 23rd 11AM – 4PM.

Families and children are invited to explore Animationland, an immersive world diving into storytelling and animation all while using science! Children will learn about the magic of storytelling and animation by learning the basics through hands-on interactives including storyboarding, sketching, stop-motion movie making and more!

Featured Exhibit Activities Include:

Create Your Own Storyboard – Children will learn how simple geometric shapes create animated characters by practicing creating characters featured inside the exhibit, or they get ultra-creative and make their very own unique character!
Be a Foley Artist – Children will master the art of sound effects as they become a Foley Artist inside the Foley Studio! Children will use noise-making tools to create unique sound effects and add them to their original animation.
Make Stop-Motion Magic – Children will learn the magic behind stop-motion movies by creating one themselves! Children can stop by the Plan & Pose Interactive to get creative and start in your very own stop-motion animation, featuring fun props and more!
Capture the Memories – Snap a family pic in the Prickle Desert or Comfort Peaks photo ops to enjoy your adventure through Animationland together for years to come!

As the premier children’s museum in the mid-Atlantic, Port Discovery Children’s Museum educates children and inspires life-long curiosity. The play-to-learn philosophy opens the door for children to discover and explore the world around them and to lead smarter, healthier, more engaged lives. The Museum, a 501(c)(3) non-profit institution, offers three floors of educational, interactive exhibits and programs and is ranked among the Top Children’s Museums in the United States.

The current hours at Port Discovery are –
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 10AM – 2PM
Friday: 10AM – 4PM
Saturday: 10AM – 4PM
Sunday: 11AM – 4PM

The do have summer hours that will be announced in June.

See a full webpage about cleaning policies and procedures at Port Discovery here. There is a re-opening plan that gives a full overview of all the measures they’ve taken.

Spy Academy and The Lost Treasures of Atlantis; an immersive online theatre experience

March 13, 2021

Not too long ago we were going to local performances at our favorite theatres, exposing our children to the arts. We are so happy Imagination Stage has adapted their art into something we can watch from home, for now and in this latest show, they definitely completed the mission!

For its second foray into the world of virtual theatre, Imagination Stage meets this unique moment with Spy Academy & the Lost Treasures of Atlantis, an immersive online experience best for children ages 5+. The show–part escape room, part spy adventure, and part online game–engages children in an interactive performance as meaningful as it is delightful. Our children– excuse me, Cadet Cheese and Cadet Spygirl are ages 6 and 9 and both really enjoyed this performance as it was interactive and suspenseful all while observing the actors in their element which was silly and entertaining. This was a Zoom they were actually engaged in and fit the bill for something they had been missing.

The audience which has no more than 15 households per performance, takes on the role of cadets at a spy academy. They are being taught by Pat, a live facilitator. When Pat gets notification that some of the academy’s adult spies need help evading the villainous Dr. Levinious as they search for the Heart of the Dragon, Pat recruits all of the cadets to help them by solving various puzzles and problems. Enter your household! Pat is played by nimble and comedic improvisational actors Jasmine Jones, Matthew Pauli or Amanda Haddock (at different performances), and directly urges the participation of the cadets in a “create your own adventure”-style exploration of numerous challenges. (Ssshhh: the adults in the household will have received instructions in advance to secretly prepare some key props to have nearby for their cadets.)

We were emailed documents to print out including an introductory letter to the cadets, activities and clues to use during the performance, and a certificate to be awarded to the cadets after the mission is completed. We put these in envelopes or hid them throughout our house. Silly enough, it was something my husband and I actually had fun doing as we knew this was so unique that our kids would be shocked to find these in real time as they watched the show– at one point Pat told viewers to check their front door for a package and to our kids surprise there was a small package waiting there for them to use with the show! Our kids think it was a ‘black bag job’ and didn’t ask if it was up who left the materials for them, which made it fun. However, if you do not have a printer Pat does an amazing job to share everything on screen and reassure those who may not have the items at home to have no fear and presents alternatives.

The artfully filmed segments of the spies getting into and out of jams in far-flung locations were filmed in all the nooks and crannies of Imagination Stage’s Bethesda facility, including against the back wall of the stage, which was transformed into an enormous green screen to allow for exciting special effects. Our cadets were amazed when we told them where it was filmed and how. They are eager to get back to seeing performances in-person but they both agreed that this was an amazing alternative!

Details:
Spy Academy & the Lost Treasures of Atlantis runs through May 23, 2021

Ticket cost: $25 per household

Run time: Roughly 45 minutes

You can even purchase a private performance if you have a cadet’s birthday approaching! Call the Box Office for more details 301-280-1660.

Cast and Creative Team:
Edima Essien- Newscaster
Danielle Gallo-Tank
Amanda Haddock-Facilitator
Jasmine Jones-Facilitator (swing)
Miss Kitty-Specs
Matthew Pauli-Facilitator
Ryan Sellers-Levinious/Locksmith
Strother Gaines-Concept and Co-Director
Doug Robinson-Playwright
Jeffrey Eagle-Co-Director and Producer
Chris Mariles-Director of Photography
Ted Hogeman-Sound Operator
Paige Smith Lee-Editor
Madison Booth-Costume Designer
Katie Moshier-Stage Manager

Also, be sure to check out Imagination Stage Summer Camp!

Covid-era gift guide: ideas for crafts, technology, home and outdoors

November 30, 2020

We hope you find this gift guide helpful as we have highlighted items that will entertain your children through the winter as we prepare to spend more time indoors as well as some gifts for your home (or others). Check out these stocking stuffers, all under $10!

For your home:

This steam mop is my favorite purchase during quarantine. Easy to use, I have now put my kids in charge of cleaning the floors! It eliminates 99.9 percent of germs and bacteria with the natural power of steam. I add essential oils to bring an inviting smell in, a bit of olive oil and sometimes a light cleaning product from Branch Basics into my water.

Solo Stove has allowed us to be outside on cool nights! It comes in various sizes and is smokeless (if you have dry firewood). Don’t forget marshmallow and hot dog skewers for the bonfire.

A lot of our friends have stepped up their outdoor spaces with a projector and screen so they can show movies outside alongside their bonfire and/or heat lamp. Whatever allows us to get out of our house in 2020, right?

Seriously don’t know why I didn’t get this sooner. The iRobot Roomba is a vacuum that intelligently maps & cleans an entire level of your home- set it and go! A cheaper option is the Eufy which also cleans hardwood and carpet.

Instant Pot is worth the hype and comes in various sizes. I just wish I had a cabinet it could be stored in.

Our air purifier is a 3-part filtration system that captures 99% of common airborne pm 2.5 pollutants such as allergens, odors, smoke, mold spores, dust mites and pet dander.

Add some green to your home and add a snake plant or palm. We have gifted this succulent subscription box to a friend and they delivered gorgeous succulents.

Get active and outside:

My kids are begging for rollerblades or rollerskates and I’m not opposed.

Socker boppers are another fun way for kids to get out some energy with theses inflatable boppers which can used in a variety of ways.

Another item on my kids list this year is a hoverboard. Perhaps it’s due to the marathon we just had watching Back to the Future.

Micro scooters are great– they come in a variety of sizes and styles and my kids have loved each one they’ve had. The mini-deluxe is perfect for ages 2-5 and the maxi deluxe is the next scooter for ages 5-12 while this micro is great for the older kids who have better balance.

If you have space outside a ninja obstacle course is a great way to get your kids outdoors and burning energy.

Balance stepping stones are great for smaller kids to set up in the yard while developing balance, collaboration and concentration skills

Dueling stomp rocket allows two friends to stomp rockets as high as they can into the sky.

Arts and crafts:

This playhouse allows kids to doodle & decorate a cardboard castle and other designs. A perfect indoor activity that will provide plenty of fun for winter.

Don’t let the word painting steer you away from this. My six year old received this for her birthday and in one day created all of the 12 designs– she LOVED it and it is an activity that allowed her to be completely independent while creating. Grab this big gem diamond painting!

3-D printing pen is the first in a 3D printing device!

Light-up tracing pad is a favorite in our house. It has a variety of designs featuring 1 graphite pencil, 12 short colored pencils, 10 tracing sheets, 10 blank sheets, and 1 graphite pencil.

The art case that comes with everything your budding artist needs and you can keep it all in the carrying case.

Grow n glow terrarium is another favorite in our house. It is an indoor activity for kids that allows them to craft, plant, water and grow your own mini ecosystem. Just add water for a unique science experience!

Aquabeads give your child a chance to place the beads following the template and spray with water to complete! Flip the tray to remove the design, wipe dry and continue creating with Aquabeads!

Build and paint a wooden car (or rescue vehicles) with 42 pre-cut & sanded wooden pieces to make 3 cars, sand paper.

Tech:

Oculus Quest 2 transports your movements directly into VR with intuitive controls. Get the best seat in the house to live concerts, games, groundbreaking films, exclusive events and more.

Echo Dot for kids lets kids ask Alexa to play music, read stories, and call approved friends and family. The included year of Amazon Kids+ (FreeTime Unlimited) gives them access to thousands of hours of kid-friendly Audible books, interactive games, and educational skills.

Fuji film instax mini camera + accessories is an awesome gift for kids who enjoy snapping photos. Photos immediately are printed and can be added to the photo albums.

VTech KidiZoom Smartwatch is great for kids 4+. They can take photos, learn to tell time and play games on this watch. It comes in a variety of colors.

Powerbeats wireless earphones: Up to 9 hours of listening time with secure ear fit. Apple Airpods Pro are another good option in fact these are my favorite as they are noise reducing and I can pop them in while my kids are doing virtual school if I need to cancel out the noise.

Wireless karaoke microphone is a handheld karaoke microphone which is small in size and easy to hold. Kids can practice and share favorite songs using music apps (YouTube , Pandora, Spotify..)

Osmo starter kit: Children interact with actual hand held pieces & an iPad, bringing a child’s game pieces & actions to life (No WiFi necessary for game play).

A bluetooth speaker is great to have when you go outdoors as it is bluetooth compatible. We brought this one along on our beach trips this summer and it worked great. A cheaper option is this Bose one.

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

Volunteer in and around Washington, DC

November 13, 2020

This year instead of highlighting what opportunities are available, we have listed organizations you can contact to inquire about how you can get involved. While there are many places that have suspended in-person volunteer opportunities, most still accept donations and have other creative ways you can offer your service.