Beltway Bambinos

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

Big Top Arrives at the National Harbor- Big Apple Circus Giveaway

Big Apple Circus; the show dedicated to spreading wonder and whimsy, is back in the DMV for its second year! From February 14-March 24, 2019 the Big Apple Circus will transform National Harbor into a surreal wonderland for families!

Children will love the wildly creative acts of strength at this year’s show, featuring performers (literally) bouncing off the walls in trampoline acts; double wide trapeze acts with seven high-flying performers and two catchers; a gravity-defying horizontal juggling act; and, of course, the beloved rescue horses and dogs trained by seven-year Big Apple Circus veteran Jenny Vibel.

We love the inclusivity of this Circus too. Big Apple Circus will offer Circus of the Senses on March 14, with enhanced experiences for audiences who are blind, deaf or low-vision. A sensory-friendly autism performance on February 22 and 23 will feature lowered light and sound levels, a descriptive social story showing the different areas and acts involved with the circus and a “calming center” that can be accessed at any point during the show.

With no seat further than 50 feet away from the ring, families can enjoy a front row seat with tickets starting at just $15 each, with over-the-top VIP upgrades available for just $25.

The regular performance schedule is Wednesdays at 11am & 7pm; Thursdays at 11am & 7pm; Fridays at 11am & 7pm; Saturdays at 11am, 3pm & 7pm; and Sundays at 12pm & 4pm. As there are schedule variances, please refer to the most up-to-date calendar on the website.

Giveaway: 4 VIP tickets to a 7:00pm weekday show. Share our photo on Instagram and tag Beltway Bambinos, an extra entry for sharing with your friends on Facebook and tagging Beltway Bambinos. Winner will be announced February 6, 2019.

Guide to Summer Camps in Washington, DC

This 2019 summer camp guide is sponsored by British International School of Washington Summer Camp.

British International School of Washington Summer Camp (2001 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20007)

Summer camp gives children unique experiences that help them to grow and have fun while building their self-confidence, making new friends and learning new skills. At the British International School of Washington (BISW) Summer Camp, we foster resilience, respect and independence in a safe and fun environment. Our mission is to create memories and build friendships to last a lifetime!

BISW Summer Camp offers summer camp programs open to BISW and non-BISW children ages 3 to 11 years old. Choose from five one-week long camp sessions with an extended day option. The camp program includes exciting field trips, sports activities, outdoor exploration, arts and crafts, water activities, cooking and so much more! Registration is first come, first served and space is limited! Register your child online here. We would be happy to speak with you about BISW Summer Camp; please feel free to email Haley with any questions.

Multi-interest Camps: 

Lowell School Camp

Sidwell Summer

Adventures on the Hill

Norbeck Montessori

Beauvoir Summer

Headfirst Summer Camp

Potomac School

Edlavitch DCJCC Camp

Camp Berry

Aiden’s Village of Choice Summer

Smithsonian Summer Camp

Landon Summer

CASA at Sheridan School

Steve and Kates Camp

YMCA Camps

Clara Barton Center for Children

Glen Echo Summer Camp

Music, Theatre & Art Camps:

(Photo: American Youth Chorus)

American Youth Chorus (Parish Hall of St. Marks Church: 301 A St SE, Washington, DC 20003)

The American Youth Chorus is thrilled to announce a new summer program for the summer of 2019! The AYC SUMMER MUSIC CAMP will expand your child’s horizons musically and artistically. During each session, a fantastic staff of choral conductors and music professionals with lead campers through an exploration of many musical genres. From Handel to Hamilton, and Bach to Broadway, get ready for a summer full of SINGING, LEARNING, and PLAYING!! In addition to singing, children will craft, dance, drum, and explore music history and musicianship topics! All of these wonderful activities culminate in a Friday evening performance at the end of each session — open to the public. Don’t wait;sign your child up today! Ages 7-12.

Round House Theatre

Summer Theatre Camps at the award-winning Round House Theatre encourage your child to “PLAY ON” all summer long! Round House believes every child is an artist and provides an array of fun and exciting programs in Silver Spring and Bethesda for Youth and Teens in Grades K-12 to inspire creativity and exercise imaginations while developing critical thinking, cooperation, and confidence.

Your little ones will embark on fantastic adventures—from animal kingdoms to magical realms—in SUMMER DESTINATIONS (Grades K-3). Campers collaborate to bring stories to life on stage, while developing special skills in design and music, in the SUMMER PLAYMAKERS ensemble (Grades 4-6). And the SUMMER TEEN INSTITUTE (Grades 6-12) provides a supportive environment for students to build theatrical skills while developing their own artistic voices under the guidance of professional educators and theatre artists!

Before and After Care available. Camps begin June 17. Early Bird Registration savings through March 1. See website for details.

Levine Summer Music & Arts Day Camp

International School of Music

Camp Arena Stage

Lola’s Lab Camp

National Conservatory of Arts

Bach 2 Rock

Meadowlark Guitar and Ukulele Camp

Takoma Groove Camp

Adventure Theatre Camps

Arts on the Horizon Summer Camps

Berrend Summer Dance

Encore Stage and Studio

Imagination Stage

The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts

Fit Kids Hit the Stage

Toolbox Art Gallery Summer Camp (ages 12-18)

Red Panda Art Studio

Anna Banana Arts & Crafts

Little Loft Art

McLean Project for the Arts (MAP)

Art in Motion via UpCycle/Local Motion

The Art League

Creative Youth

Sports Camps:

Dance & GymnasticsCamps

Nationals Baseball & Softball Day & Overnight Camp

Home Run Baseball Camp

Baseball Camp at Bethesda Big Train

PPA

Kids Elite Sports Camp

The First Tee Golf Camp

Tennis Camp

RDU Tennis

Lafayette Tennis

Flag Star Football

DC Way (Soccer)

Camp Olympia

Brit-Am Soccer

Next Level Lacrosse

HoopEd

Koa Sports

Outdoor Camps:

Valley Mill Camp

Calleva Outdoor Adventure Camp

Summer at Norwood

Adventure Links Day & Overnight Camp

(Photo:iD Tech Camps)

Building, Technology, Coding, STEM & Hands-On Camps:

iD Tech Camps (locally at American Univ., Georgetown Univ., Howard Univ., Univ of MD., Virginia Tech; Falls Church location, Johns Hopkins; Rockville location & Towson)

iD Tech is the world leader in summer STEM education, with over 400,000 alumni since 1999. Programs for ages 7-19 are held at 150 prestigious campuses including American, Georgetown, NYU, and Stanford. Students build in-demand skills for futures in coding, game development, robotics, and design, and learn in guaranteed small classes (10 students max per instructor). In addition to the flagship program, iD Tech Camps for ages 7-17, iD Tech also offers all-girls camps, teen-only Academies, an advanced capstone program, and year-round Online Private Lessons.

(Photo: KID Museum)

KID Museum (6400 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817)

Make it a summer of fun and invention at KID Museum, June 24 – August 30 for kids in grades 2-9! KID Museum summer campers will be traveling the world, conjuring up Harry Potter-style magic, and putting on the greatest maker show in town. Camps are designed and led by professional maker educators, and develop real-world skills through fun, hands-on projects. Dive in and discover what you can create! Sign up today.

Bricks4Kidz

Coder Kids

The Great Adventure Lab

Badlands Camp

National Building Museum Summer Camp

Mad Science Summer Camp

Play-Well TEKnologies

Apple Camp

Animal Camps:

Humane Rescue Alliance

Woodland Horse Center

Summer Safari Zoo Camp at The National Zoo

Rock Creek Park Horse Center

Meadowbrook Stables

County Camps:

Montgomery County Parks & Recreation Summer Camps

Washington, DC Parks & Recreation Summer Camps

Arlington County Summer Camps

Fairfax County Park Authority Summer Camps

Other camps around the Washington, DC area:


Need to sign-up for just one week or only one day of camp? Thanks to some locals parents, we’ve got a great list of drop-ins.

Bruce Murray Soccer Camp is in Potomac and has bus transportation
Humane Rescue Alliance for grades 2 & up
CASA at Sheridan School has a Guest Week program
Bethesda YMCA tennis camp 
Woods Academy in Bethesda has a great summer science program
HomeRun Baseball Camp allows daily drop-ins and accepts kids ages 4-12
PPA offers soccer camps
Bethesda Soccer Club has tons of soccer camps
Sidwell Friends School summer camp
Washington Episcopal School summer camp
Calleva is an outdoor camp that has buses that pick up and drop off close-in and offer a variety of camp experiences
Brit-Am is a local soccer club that also has summer camps
Headfirst summer camp is very popular with various themes with two locations
Four Soccer at American University
Achilles Football Club at St. John’s
Bach to Rock has a music camp in Bethesda
Landon camp is for boys and girls and provides bus transportation from a few neighborhoods

11 best places to ski and snowboard with kids near Washington, DC

There are several mountains you can get to locally in an hour and a few that you can plan a fun overnight trip to. This post is intended to inform you about skiing and snowboarding options with your Bambinos but you can assume most of these mountains are open in the summer; think hiking, zip lining, fishing, swimming and more!

(Photo: Massanutten Resort)

This winter ski and snowboard post is sponsored by Massanutten Resort. Located in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley; Massanutten is 121 miles from Washington, DC, less than a 2.5 hour drive, and has an elevation of 2,922 feet. With height like that, Massanutten possesses the highest vertical in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania and offers plenty of powder for winter enthusiasts. Massanutten is home to wide groomed trails, a dedicated learner’s area, terrain parks and night skiing. Skiers and riders who visit Massanutten have access to 70 skiable acres, including 14 runs serviced by 7 lifts. [Read more…]

School of Rock {the musical} at National Theatre + GIVEAWAY

SCHOOL OF ROCK is a New York Times Critics’ Pick and “An inspiring jolt of energy, joy and mad skillz!” (Entertainment Weekly). Based on the hit film, this hilarious new musical follows Dewey Finn, a wannabe rock star posing as a substitute teacher who turns a class of straight-A students into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band. This high-octane smash features 14 new songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber, all the original songs from the movie and musical theater’s first-ever kids rock band playing their instruments live on stage. Chicago Tribune raves, “SCHOOL OF ROCK offers us a chance to be kids again, only with more talent than we ever had.”

Rocking out at National Theatre January 16-27, 2019. Tickets can be purchased here.

Run time: Approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, including one intermission. Recommended for age 8 and up.

**Win 2 tickets for the Thursday, January 17th, 7:30pm show. Enter on Facebook & Instagram for a chance to win. Winner will be randomly selected and announced on January 5th.

Holiday Gift Guide for Families and Children + 5 Days of Giveaways!

Below are our holiday favorites in case you need some inspiration or ideas. Some ideas specific to Washington, DC while others are products or companies you may not be familiar with. There are also plenty of ways to incorporate giving into your holiday which doesn’t include actually giving a gift. Be sure to read through to the end where we explain our 5 days of GIVEAWAYS! 

Books (this is one category I could go on and on and on with, so if you want more suggestions, ask!):

Music

  • Mr. Jon & Friends CD, Rock & Rhyme
    From out of the DC metro area comes unanimous praise for the Parents’ Choice Award® winning kindie band Mr. Jon & Friends, powered for nearly a decade by the husband-and-wife duo of Jon and Carrie Lewis. Now kids and families across the country can tune into the energy, fun, and sweetness of Mr. Jon & Friends’ brand of Raffi-inspired good sounds with the band’s third album, Rock & Rhyme.
  • Marsha & the Positrons CD, Positronic
    Catchy songs about science and how the world works with subtle themes of friendship.
  • Alphabet Rockers debuted a collection of T-shirts which give young change-makers and their parents a chance to wear what they believe. These vibrant shirts were designed by original AlphabetRockersmember Stefanie Liang Chung, and feature song lyrics from their GRAMMY-nominated album, Rise Shine #Woke. 

Sports

Healthy snacks for stocking stuffers

Games

Toys

Class Drop-in Pass

  • Pearachute–Their mission is to inspire children’s curiosity and passion by empowering parents and caregivers through convenience and choice. Making the best kids’ classes and activities available to you at the touch of a button, allowing you to drop-in and explore during times that fit your schedule with the flexibility to accommodate late naps, stuffy noses, and unplanned visits from grandparents. Click link above for a discounted code when signing up.

Subscription Boxes

  • Subscription boxes have become a great way for kids to make memories, create something hands-on and have an experience where all of the necessary materials come delivered to their doorstep.

Memberships

  • Smithsonian National Zoo–Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) helps the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute save species through educational and fun experiences, the power of our members, and funding for critical work. Membership levels vary, but most come with free parking (a $23 value!) as well as carousel ride vouchers.
  • Port Discovery Children’s Museum— The premier children’s museum in the Mid-Atlantic and a place that values learning through play. Not enough space to say how great this museum is; lucky to live so close to it.
  • National Building Museum— Inspires curiosity about the world we design and build. Building Zone & Play, Work Build are permanent while the museum has rotating exhibits and events throughout the year.
  • Politics & Prose— Support one of our local and amazing bookstores!
  • Sign your Bambino and self (or nanny, grandparent) up for a session with Tinkergarten

Theatre tickets

Experiences 

  • Holiday tree lighting and fireworks began on Nov. 10, 2018 and take place each Saturday through December. Complete with Santa appearances, holiday movies and fireworks. Be sure and warm up inside the Gaylord Resort, see the hanging tree and Christmas Village and then bundle up to check out ICE!. Get your tickets in advance. Use code: SNOW18 for $4 off ICE tickets valid Sunday-Thursday through Dec. 20. 
  • Tidal Basin pedal boating and swan boat tickets
  • Ice skate at various rinks in DC
  • Take your Bambinos and experience holiday tea

Gift of Creativity

Functional 

Giveaway Rules: The giveaways will be posted each day on Instagram and/or Facebook depending on that day’s giveaway- so be sure to check both! You can enter as many giveaways as you want. Directions on how to enter will be on each individual post.

Giveaway Day 1: One copy of Laurie Berkner’s new book, Pillowland

Giveaway Day 2: “Lucky’s Happy Home” Playmobil

Giveaway Day 3: 8 boxes of fruit punch from ReThink Water

Giveaway Day 4: The newest Mr. Jon & Friends CD, Rock & Rhyme

Giveaway Day 5:  4 tickets to ride the Capital Wheel 

There are no affiliate links associated with the Amazon links that are included above. 

Volunteering with families in and around Washington, DC

GIVE, GIVE, GIVE!!! (And not just around the holiday season!) There are so many ways you can help others in our area and the best part is they all welcome children to participate. Teaching our littlest the value of giving and not just receiving is critical. Hopefully your child will connect with one of these organizations, making your family regular volunteers.

young-volunteers
(Photo: So Others May Eat)

                                                                                                                    
Volunteer your time:

Generation Hope
A Wider Circle has a variety of ways to volunteer and donate through Holiday Giving Programs
Mary’s Center Reading Pals, Special Events and Patient Portal Volunteers needed
Eliana’s Light has a variety of ways to volunteer
Make sandwiches (throughout the year in your home) for CCPC Transition Assistance Program
Arlington Food Assistance Center
Humane Rescue Alliance 
Children’s National Medical Center
Volunteer your time at Spend Yourself Food Pantry
Helping dogs at Lucky Kids Club
Read to cats at Animal Welfare of Arlington’s Paws and Read
Create and send holiday cards to injured, ill or hospitalized service members and veterans through American Red Cross
Planting trees through Casey Trees
Various events and ways to help at DC Diaper Bank
Sort and pack food for delivery at Capital Area Food Bank
Helping the poor help themselves at Art for Humanity
Organize a drive to collect food, clothing and toiletries for Bethesda Cares
Help prepare meals at DC Central Kitchen
Help prepare and serve meals at So Others May Eat
Assist inner-city seniors at We Are Family
Help with food, clothing and special events at Martha’s Table
List of ways to volunteer in Fairfax County
Lay wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery December 15, 2018

Other ways to show you care:

District Dabble Lab invites you to come to a Kindness Rocks Project Workshop on Sunday’s (ages 4-10) You can also create your own group to attend.
Create holiday cards for Cards for Hospitalized Kids
Find a Toys For Tots drive and donate
Spend time at a Nursing or Assisted Living Center
Host a refugee family
Shop with your children at a local grocery store for non-perishable items and donate them to a canned food drive
Claude Moore Colonial Farm has many ways to volunteer and donate
Star Gazing Farm has many ways to volunteer and donate

Making donations:

Eliana’s Light would be grateful to receive donations of stress-relief items for children with complex medical conditions and their caregivers through an Amazon Wish List
Diapers to the DC Diaper Bank
Kids Crafts for a cause through Little Loving Hands
Seasonal clothing and toiletries to Bethesda Cares

Bowie Baysox continues Louie’s Holiday Hope Project for the 12th year. Beginning now and continuing through early December, the team will be accepting nominations for families that need assistance this holiday season. The Baysox will also be collecting gently used coats, new socks and other warm clothing to be donated to area families. If you know a family who is in need, please email here.

Fancy Nancy’s Splendiferous Christmas at Adventure Theatre GIVEAWAY

Fancy Nancy’s Splendiferous Christmas is hitting the stage from November 16, 2018-January 6, 2019 at Adventure Theatre. The play is based on the the book “Fancy Nancy’s Splendiferous Christmas” by Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser and is recommended for all ages. 

What could be fancier than Christmas? Presents with elegant wrapping paper, festive decorations, Christmas cookies with sprinkles-and who could forget the tree? After all, there is no such thing as too much tinsel. Oohlala! This year, Nancy is especially excited. After selling some of her old gowns and accessories, Nancy has enough money to buy a brand-new sparkly tree topper. She can’t wait to decorate the Christmas tree. But when things don’t turn out the way Nancy planned, will Christmas still be splendiferous? 

Giveaway: Win a family 4-pack of tickets to see Fancy Nancy’s Splendiferous Christmas!! Comment on Facebook and Instagram with the show day/time you’d prefer to see. Winner will be announced November 16, 2018. 

American Pops Orchestra presents A Very Silly Vaudeville

The American Pops Orchestra is coming to Arena Stage on November 17, 2018 for an 11:00am performance for a show fit for families.

A Very Silly Vaudeville will entertain your family with the famed Broadway tapping duo, Mary Michael Patterson and Cary Tedder. They will guide you on a journey through APO’s modern take on classic American vaudeville acts of yesteryear. This talent extravaganza will feature magic, dancing, singing and lots of audience engagement.

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