Beltway Bambinos

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

The Penguin Song will make your Bambinos waddle and shake

Now that winter is upon us, let’s embrace the cold like our black & white feathered friends from Antarctica do! Here’s the World Premiere of “The Penguin Song,” a favorite track from Marsha Goodman-Wood’s 2012 Gravity Vacation album. Marsha was delighted to partner with John Cullimore, fellow kindie musician and frontman of family band, Chibi Kodama, who directed and produced this video.

Marsha reports that she and her band, Marsha and the Positrons, are currently in the studio (finally!) recording a new CD and expect to have their record out by summer!

You can catch Marsha and the Positrons live at:

  • Eastern Market in Capitol Hill, DC for a Boogie Babes show: Thursday, February 1, 2018 at 10:30am
  • The Avalon Theatre in Chevy Chase, DC: Saturday, February 3, 2018 at 10:00am where they will be kicking off the winter family concert series! And who doesn’t love hot coffee and fresh popcorn at 10:00am while cozy in a movie theatre singing and dancing?!
  • Jammin Java in Vienna, VA: Saturday, February 17, 2018 at 10:30am

The Penguin Song video features some adorable kids doing their penguin dances, plus live footage of penguins — and who doesn’t like penguins?! Get some energy out at home tapping your toes and doing your version of the penguin dance. Since this is a lyric video, it’s also a great opportunity for young readers to practice reading (and perhaps singing) along. Enjoy!

Looking ahead…

Upon, writing various posts, I realized there were multiple occasions I’d go to post fun events for you to do and the event was already sold out.{ Enter this blog post } This will be a place for you to look ahead and reserve your spot if you’re interested in attending or save date on your calendar.

May 11, 2018: Pajama Party Movie Night: Knights, Dragons, and Magical Monster at Hillwood Estate & Museum
Enjoy a selection of award-winning, family-friendly short films featuring fanciful creatures. 5:30-8 p.m. 

May 12, 2018: Action Children’s Business Fair
Young entrepreneurs, ages 6-14, will line Connecticut Ave in Cleveland Park and set up shop, literally

May 19, 2018: Gaithersburg Book Festival

Shows-

Keep in mind our local theatre performances

 

Paw Patrol Live!: The Great Pirate Adventure at The Hippodrome
May 12 & 13, 2018

Kingman Island Bluegrass & Folk Festival: June 9

The Nextival: July 13-15

Music-

Strathmore Children’s Art Talk & Tour at the Mansion

SATURDAY, MAY 26, 2018, 10:15AM
SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2018, 10:15AM

Young art lovers can get behind the brushstrokes and into the head, heart, and history of the artists with these kid-friendly Saturday tours. Children take part in an educational guided tour of the current exhibitions followed by a hands-on art activity. Ages 7 & up. Accompanying adults are free. Reservations required.

Night Out at the Museum:
National Museum of Natural History Sleepovers

Sleepover guests will experience the museum through an interactive exploration of exhibit halls consisting of games, puzzles and challenges; exhibit-based craft projects; and sleeping under the museum’s giant North American right whale, Phoenix. Sleepovers at the National Museum of Natural History will be heldMay 18, June 1, June 29, July 6, Aug. 24 and Aug. 31.

National Museum of American History Sleepovers

Participants will solve a mystery of historic proportions during an interactive exploration of exhibit halls. When the devious diva Miss Rose steals six valuable objects from the museum, kids must discover what is missing before the evening’s end. Using their detective skills, they will collect clues to guide them to the crime scene. Along the way, they will take part in games, experiments and craft projects—and even become a presidential candidate. Sleepovers at the National Museum of American History will be held May 11, May 25, June 15 and Aug. 10.

National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center Sleepovers

Kids and their chaperones will explore the whole world of flight, from its pioneering days through the era of commercial aviation to the excitement of today’s space program. After they grab a flight checklist, they will take off for a night that includes plenty of games, art activities and close-up looks at some of the most historic and fascinating craft ever to take to the skies. Udvar-Hazy Center staff will be on hand to offer information and insights about the aviation treasures on view. Sleepovers at the Udvar-Hazy Center will be held July 14, July 28 and Aug. 18.

***Already occurred but will update with new dates as they become available***

February 10, 2018, 10:00am – 4:00pm: Valentine’s Day Card Workshop at National Postal Museum

Love is in the details at the annual Valentine’s Day Card Workshop at the National Postal Museum! Come out and create heart-felt handmade cards and visit the museum’s stamp store to send the cards to your loved ones with a special Postal Museum postmark. Free, no need to RSVP.

Feb. 14-19, 2018: Disney On Ice presents Frozen at Capital One Arena (also in Baltimore Jan. 31-Feb. 4)

February 17, 2018 from 10:00am-4:30pm: Discover Engineering Family Day at The National Building Museum

Celebrate National Engineer’s Week by trying out exciting, hands-on engineering experiences and talking with professional engineers of all kinds. See a complete list of all activities. Free, drop in. All ages.
MIX slime, and learn about different chemical reactions
INVENT a creative way to launch a ping pong ball into the air
EXPLORE like a real surveyor, using map and compass to find your way
DESIGN a motorized bot to walk across a table
SPIN paper helicopters and test the best design

February 17, 2018-February, 19, 2018: Celebrate Washington’s Birthday on President’s Day at Mount Vernon

February 23, 2018-March 10, 2018: Atlas Intersections Festival

The 8th annual INTERSECTIONS Festival will feature more than 100 performances in dance, music, theatre, family programming and youth development, and will be seen by over 7,000 patrons and arts lovers.

Kids in the Kitchen at YMCA Anthony Bowen presented by Junior League of Washington

February 25, 2017 (no time listed yet)

Kids in the Kitchen is an annual spring event that showcases ways kids can eat smart and make healthy lifestyle choices. Targeted to children ages 3-13, local chefs host healthy cooking demonstrations, fitness experts lead high-energy exercise sessions and certified nutritionists are on hand to answer questions. Kids in the Kitchen is a fun-filled day of games, crafts, hands-on learning, and exciting prizes – all to celebrate and promote nutritional literacy.


Magic of Spying: Tradecraft Trickery at The Spy Museum

February 25, 2017 from 11:00am-12:00pm

In the real-life world of espionage, spies often call upon the art of magic and illusion to distract the enemy, make evidence disappear, and escape unnoticed.  Join professional magician, Peter Wood, as he demonstrates the art of misdirection, sleight of hand, and other illusions used by skilled spies. This one of a kind performance, custom-designed for the Spy Museum, is guaranteed to fascinate children and adults alike. The Magic of Spying is for children ages 7 and up. One adult is required for every five KidSpy agents. Space is limited—advance registration required.

Cherry Blossom Festival

Sometime mid-March 2017 (Details to follow)

Blossom Kite Festival

April 1, 2017 from 10:00am-4:30pm

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is kicking off kite season. The seventh annual Blossom Kite Festival showcases the creativity of kite makers and skill of fliers from across the US and other countries through a variety of competitions and demonstrations, Rokkaku Battles and the Hot Tricks Showdown. Bring your own kites or children can make a kite at an activity station (while supplies last) to fly on the Public Field.

Fabergé Egg Family Festival at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens

April 8 & 9, 2017 from 10:00am-5:00pm

Celebrate spring’s arrival in Russian style! Admire the exquisite imperial eggs and other fanciful Fabergé creations collected by Marjorie Post. Enjoy festive folk music and dancing. Take part in a centuries-old egg-rolling game. Step into Fabergé’s Workshop to decorate your own Fabergé-inspired egg. $18, $15 Senior, $12 Member, $10 College Student, $5 Child (ages 6-18), free for children under 6. Please note: As with all festival days, members do not receive free admission to Fabergé Egg Family Festival and guest passes are not accepted.

10th Annual Eggstravaganza at Tudor Place

April 8, 14 & 15, 2017 from 10:00am-12:00pm

Rolling green lawns, bright spring blooms, and the elegant mansion on a hill serve as backdrop for the 10th year of this festive annual attraction. Join the Easter Bunny for a special day as children of all ages enjoy games, crafts, an Egg Hunt, and thrilling Egg Roll Contest, down the grand South Lawn. Bring your own basket, spoon, and one hard-boiled egg per child. Member child: $7 | Non-member child: $10 | Accompanying adult: $5

Tudor Place Family Member Presale: January 3–31
Tickets on sale to the general public February 1

Maryland Day :March 24-26, 2017

Sleepover at the National Archives

A night of adventure awaits at the National Archives! Join us for a special sleepover at the National Archives Museum in Washington, DC, and spend the night next to America’s most precious treasures: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. During the event, kids ages 8-12 along with their adults will explore our nation’s treasured records, meet author Kathleen Krull and comic book artist Carolyn Belefski, sleep in the Rotunda near the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, and make memories to last a lifetime. Guests also will be treated to movies in the museum’s William G. McGowan Theater before turning in for the night, and will enjoy breakfast – including pancakes flipped by Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero! – and more activities the next morning.

Nov. 4, 2017 at 11:00am:  Saturday Family Story Session at Strathmore
Local storytellers teach kids how to weave narrative tales, instilling a love of learning with every word. Music, movement, art, and interactive play: it’s all about understanding other people, enjoying different cultures and boosting imagination and creativity. Recommended for ages 3–8.
Nov. 5, 2017 from 10:30am-12:30pm: Forest Hills Playground Harvest Hoedown
(Rescheduled due to rain)
Nov. 12, 2017 from 2:00pm-8:00pm: Tree Lighting & Fireworks Show at National Harbor
Santa’s Frosty Follies, Holiday Movie, Santa at the Carousel, Tree Lighting & Fireworks
Nov. 24- Dec. 2, 2017:  Tenley WinterFest
Tenley WinterFest is an eight-day celebration of the holiday season designed to showcase local businesses, community groups, and the neighborhood – all with a unique Tenleytown flair and lots of yetis.

Nov. 26, 2017 at 5:30pm: Kids Pajama Jam Party at AMP Strathhmore
Get ready to ring in the holidays with a special festive Pajama Jam! Described as “the best-sounding band in children’s music” (NPR’s All Things Considered), three-time Grammy nominees Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could are here to shake, dance, and groove their way through classic holiday favorites and new holiday jams alike! Their rootsy, accordion-laced take on children’s music is energetic, spirited, and will provide the perfect soundtrack for your holiday.
Dec. 2, 2017 from 1:00pm-4:00pm: Bethesda’s Winter Wonderland
Celebrate the holiday season in Veterans Park in downtown Bethesda with a variety of performances, live ice sculpting, a visit from Santa Claus and more!
Dec. 2 at 4:00pm: Wolf Trap Holiday Sing-A-Long
Kick off the holiday season with family and friends at Wolf Trap’s 2017 Holiday Sing-A-Long! This musical celebration hosts a performance by the United States Marine Band and a Sing-A-Long of Christmas carols and Hanukkah songs with local choir and vocal groups from the metropolitan Washington area.

Dec. 9 from 10:00am-4:00pm: Annual Holiday Card Workshop at the National Postal Museum
Kick off the holiday season by creating heartfelt, handmade cards at the National Postal Museum’s Annual Holiday Card Workshop! We’ll have pretty papers, vintage stamps from around the world and lots of other supplies to inspire your creativity as you create one-of-a-kind holiday greetings. After making your cards, visit the museum’s stamp store to send your cards to friends and family with a special Postal Museum postmark!

Dec. 9 & 10, 2017: Dollar or Less Day in Baltimore
In the spirit of the Holidays, Baltimore area attractions will open their doors the weekend of December 9 & 10, 2017 and offer free or $1 admission.

Dec. 9 at 3:00pm: Woodshop for Kids at the Building Museum
Use a drill to craft a wood toy you can give as a gift or enjoy yourself.

Dec. 9 at 11:00am: Kids Gingerbread House Workshop at DBGB

December 10 and 17 from 1:00pm-2:30pm: Gift Making workshop for kids at Little Loft Art Studio
Calling all elves! Make your own gifts this season! Our handmade gifts are designed to be practical as well as thoughtful, and they’re a great conversation piece to hear about your child’s creative process and artistic choices. Sign up for one or both. Join in – or drop off and do some holiday shopping in the neighborhood while you wait. Shop small this season – support local businesses! Hot chocolate and holiday music provided. Ages 5-10, $32/day
Sign up for one only or both.

Dec. 17 at 11:00am AND 2:00pm: 1, 2, 3 Andres plays at Bender JCC
Join for a magical holiday story, song and dance benefiting the Greater DC Diaper Bank

Dec. 17 from 1:00pm-4:00pm: Family Afternoon at the Building Museum
Construct paper house lanterns and handmade books to create feelings of home.

Jan. 15 at 11:00am: New Orchestra of Washington (NOW) Family Concert
Bring the whole family to enjoy a special family concert! The colorful program will engage listeners both young, and young at heart. After the concert, you may opt to stay, for the instrument petting zoo and pizza lunch. If you are looking for something to do on a cold holiday, this is it!

February 3, 2018 from 1:30pm-3:30pm: Q, the Witch and the Magical Orb at Maryland Ensemble Theatre

come see a FUN Company play – Q, the Witch and the Magical Orb! Afterwards we’ll have snacks and make art around the themes of the play, and play theatre games–all for free!  Recommended for ages 3-7.

February 3, 2018 from 10:00am-5:00pm: La Chandeleur Day at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens

La Chandeleur, also known as Crêpe Day, marks the halfway point between winter and spring.  In France, families celebrate by eating crêpes, which are round and golden like the springtime sun. Snack on a tasty treat of sweet crêpes. Hear classic French tales inspired by scenes from La Fontaine fables that are pictured on tapestries covering chairs from France displayed in the mansion. Explore Hillwood’s French treasures through interactive, docent-led, family-friendly gallery talks and a printed activity guide. Decorate a plate with fanciful designs and flourishes inspired by Hillwood’s French Sèvres porcelain.

Programs at Strathmore for Bambinos

Strathmore has so much to offer to not only adults but for Bambinos as well. They have summer camp for kids and teens, a fun backyard summer concert series we attend every year, an annual Uke Festival and Bambinos can be a part of the  Strathmore Children’s Chorus or the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra. Below are a few series currently taking place. Here is a full listing of children’s programs at Strathmore, just scroll to the bottom of the link and you’ll see an ongoing calendar so you won’t miss anything. 

Saturday Family Story Sessions

Our popular Saturday Family Jazz Sessions series continues this fall with a new, story-telling twist. Saturday Family Story Sessions is 4 weeks of fun! Local storytellers teach kids how to weave narrative tales, instilling a love of learning with every word. Music, movement, art, and interactive play: it’s all about understanding other people, enjoying different cultures and boosting imagination and creativity. Recommended for ages 3–8.

Everyone needs a ticket! All attendees, including accompanying adults, must have a ticket.

Children 2 years old and under will be admitted for free, but they do require a ticket to help us manage attendance and be sure we don’t go over our maximum allowed capacity. If you plan to bring a child 2 years old or younger to this performance, please call our ticket office to reserve a special free ticket at 301.581.5100.

Upcoming Shows:

  • Saturday, October 28, 2017, 11am
  • Saturday, November 4, 2017, 11am

For more information read, Go Tell It In The Mansion

Children’s Art Talk & Tour

Young art lovers can get behind the brushstrokes and into the head, heart, and history of the artists with these kid-friendly Saturday tours. Children take part in an educational guided tour of the current exhibitions followed by a hands-on art activity. Ages 7 & up. Accompanying adults are free. Reservations required.

Upcoming Dates:

  • Saturday, November 25, 2017, 10:15am
  • Saturday, January 27, 2018, 10:15am
  • Saturday, April 7, 2018, 10:15am
  • Saturday, May 26, 2018, 10:15am
  • Saturday, June 30, 2018, 10:15am

                                                                              (Lisa Loeb pictured above from a Pajama Jam show we attended)
Kids Pajama Jam Party at AMP by Strathmore    

Upcoming Shows:

Everyone needs a ticket! Children 1 year old and under will be admitted for free, but they do require a ticket to help us manage attendance and be sure we don’t go over our maximum allowed capacity. If you plan to bring a child 1 year old or younger to this performance, please call our ticket office to reserve a special free ticket at 301.581.5100. A limited quantity of free tickets will be available. No strollers, please.

Doors open 60 minutes prior to the show. Seating will be available in the back of the house, but we plan to leave plenty of floor space for dance and play! AMP is located at Pike & Rose.

Now Playing: New Music for All

We don’t have Sirius XM in our car and every other time I try to connect my Bluetooth to Pandora, it fails me. So, we rely on good old fashioned CD’s from talented musicians. We are sharing our favorite “kid music”– which more times than not, adults actually find fun and amusing more so than the Bambinos. These artists are creative and make children’s music fun to listen to. Lucky for us, a lot of these musicians make their way to Washington, DC more than once a year. Keep an eye out for upcoming shows.

Zoom a Little Zoom: A Ride Through Science, brought to you by the music geniuses Cathy Fink & Marcy Marker. Great music comes first with the “Constellation Jig”, a Klezmer treatment to the hibernating “Bobo the Bear” and western swing of “Why Does the Sun Shine?”. Boogie-woogie to “What Makes the Lightning?” or learn how to sound like a cricket with “What Is An Insect?”. The new album includes an Activity Guide for each song by Lynn Baum (former head of School Programs at the Museum of Science in Boston), downloadable from the CD. The guide, which features ideas easy to replicate at home or school using household materials, will be available for free download soon.  In upcoming performances and videos, these activities will come alive – experiments and all.

Latin Grammy-winning 123 Andrés takes listeners on an imaginary trip to South America with his newest album release, La luna. The soothing Andean sounds and the delicately composed songs drift listeners of any age to a dream world. Here, a gentle pirate searches for poetic new words, sheep wander on a hillside, and a little blue horse gallops down from the clouds to carry children to sleep.These new and traditional songs, sung mostly in Spanish and featuring a variety of instruments, provide the perfect companion for nap time, bed time, gentle playtime, and even a peaceful drive around town. A few upcoming shows will be on May 5 & May 7 in Washington, DC.

 

Mr. Gabe, our very own local musician performs regularly around town. Our review from when the CD first launched can be found here.

 

Joanie Leeds and the Nightlights is “A real genre-bender, containing elements of folk, Southern rock, hip hop, pop and punk presided over by a singer whose sheer command of vocal artistry is second to none.” We were fortunate enough to see her this past summer at Strathmore Backyard Theatre.

Jack Forman is a Grammy nominated family musician & on-air host of Sirius XM’s Kids Place Live. Forman presents an album of 12 songs directly inspired by kid-calls on Live From the Monkey House, conversations with Recess Monkey fans, and dinner-table jokes that spin out of control. You’ll love it!

 

Lisa Loeb who we all know from way back who had the popular hit, Stay (I Missed You) is now entertaining her fans children. We got the chance to see her live in October at Strathmore AMP. She also has a great children’s CD called Nursery Rhyme Parade that we love.

Laurie Berkner turned her most popular songs into fun, dance remixes that will be recognized by all! She performed locally in January at Gordon Center for Performing Arts.

Mister G is a Latin, Grammy winning, kids bilingual singer! He debuted the songs from Mundo Verde/Green World at the National Climate March in Washington, DC which kicked off his extensive US tour. The songs breathe life into the global environmental message from various angles that are accessible and relevant to both children and adults.

Other albums you may find of interest that we have in our collection–

The Not-Its! come to Wolf Trap

Written by children’s music blogger Carolyn Ross. View her monthly live music and arts calendar for families across the Washington, D.C. metro area at Kindiemusicdc.

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“All politics is local.” A saying familiar to those in Washington D.C. and all around the beltway where bambinos and their parents live and work.  So what does a kids music band out of Seattle have to say about that? Well, quite a lot actually!

As we look toward the 2016 Presidential elections, The Not-Its! are hoping both kids and adults are listening to their message of speaking up and speaking out.  The band’s new album title: Are You Listening? echos this sentiment, as do the lyrics from the single named for our own town, Washington D.C.

A bit like the travelouge, Places to Go With Kids in Washington D.C., “Washington D.C”. by the Not-Its! starts out all about monuments and ruby red slippers at the Smithsonian, but then spirals quickly into a kind of punk activist’s lesson asking what many in the national electorate seem to be saying these days, “D.C. do you hear me, D.C. are you tuned in to me?”

As parents of young children, we often teach them to stop and think about what to say when someone gives you a gift. Or how to apologize for bad behavior. But when was the last time you encouraged your bambinos to tell you what they might have to say to the leaders of our country?

Other Are You Listening? highlights include Kid of the Week a song about basking in the glow of classroom leadership, and Bird on A Wire a kind of introspective song that reminds us to think of our feathered friends when it comes to lunch.

Get tickets for The Not-Its! performance on July 26 & July 27, 2016 at Theatre-in-the-Woods and experience these positive jams in person.

 

Things to know before you go to a Theatre-in-the-Woods performance;

  • There is free parking
  • Plan for about a 5-10 minute walk from the parking lot to the performance area
  • Bathrooms are located near the parking lot
  • Only water is allowed in the performance area
  • Strollers can be brought up to the entrance of the performance area
  • All performances start at 10:30 a.m. and last about 45 minutes
  • Seating is not assigned

See a full schedule of performances at Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods this summer at Wolf Trap.

Lisa Loeb plays at Wolf Trap Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods

Interview with Lisa Loeb written by children’s music blogger Carolyn Ross. View her monthly live music and arts calendar for families across the Washington, D.C. metro area at Kindiemusicdc.

Remember the song about the wayward meatball, On Top of Spaghetti from you summer camp days? Singer-songwriter Lisa Loeb, who opens Wolf Trap’s summertime Theatre- in-the-Woods series June 21, remembers well this example of storytelling in music. Finding herself in a position to write a souped-up version of sorts, she wrote about a pancake. Along with co-collaborators on the nostalgic summer camp songs album, Camp Lisa, she shares a similar message of perseverance through the point of view of a pancake that never quite makes it from the griddle to the plate like everyone expects, but makes a fine breakfast anyway.

[Read more…]

Encore Stage and Studio presents Snow White

Prince and Snow White

What: Snow White

When: January 8, 2016 – January 17, 2016

Where: Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre
125 S. Old Glebe Road
Arlington, VA. 22204

Why: Snow White is a beautiful young princess who lives with her jealous stepmother, the Queen. When the Queen discovers that Snow White is truly “the fairest of them all,” she devises a plan to continue her reign permanently. After being banished to the woods, Snow White happens upon seven new friends that give her a place to call home. Your family will enjoy this musical adaptation of the classic fairytale. You won’t hear the name Grumpy or Sneezy and you won’t hear any familiar songs. The songs are so catchy, creative, fun and brilliant– they work as good as the songs in the classic. Your children will love the “theatre for kids by kids” approach and may leave the play asking to be enrolled in classes so they can perform in the next play. Recommended musical for ages 4 and older.

I especially love Encore’s mission– “to build life-long appreciation for live theatre by involving young people in all aspects of theater arts- onstage, backstage, in the classroom, and in the audience. Encore strives to educate and entertain by offering productions each season that are by and for young people, and through enriching classes, camps, and workshops. We believe that participating in live theatre builds problem-solving skills, teamwork, creativity, literacy, and self-confidence. We are cultivating the next generation of active and engaged art lovers.”

Details:
Running time is 1 hour and 40 minutes with an intermission

Tickets can be purchased here. Price is $15 for adults, $10 for children

(All photo credit: Photo by Larry McClemons)

Music Video Premiere!

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Check out the premiere of the first official music video for DC singer/songwriter Marsha Goodman-Wood on the fantastic kids’ music blog Zooglobble on Thursday, January 7, 2016 at 11AM EST. Danielle De Koker’s wonderful, whimsical illustrations tell the tale in this storybook-style animation of the song “Sheep Don’t Wear Shoes” from Marsha’s debut CD of songs about science and how the world works, “Gravity Vacation“. The video was made by kids musician and video producer, Patricia Shih and will be available on Marsha’s YouTube Channel following the premiere.

Need more convincing to be at your computer at 11:00AM tomorrow? Read the blog “We’ll Eat You Up, We Love You So” for a review about the song Sheep Don’t Wear Shoes.

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