Beltway Bambinos

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

Disney on Ice presents Frozen + GIVEAWAY!

What:
Enter a fantastical winter wonderland beyond all imagination at Disney On Ice presents Frozen!  The heartwarming, Academy Award®-winning tale you love is now LIVE and skating into your town. You’ll be magically whisked away into the wintery world of Arendelle, where you will be dazzled by amazing special effects and astonishing skating. Sing and dance along to inspiring songs, including “Let It Go.” Join royal sisters Elsa and Anna, the hilarious snowman Olaf, Kristoff, his loyal reindeer Sven and the mystical trolls as they journey to discover that true love is ultimately the most magical power of all! Produced by Feld Entertainment, Disney On Ice presents Frozen is performing at Capital One Arena, formerly known as Verizon Center, from February 14 to 19, 2018.

Hosted by Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, with special guest appearances by your most beloved Disney Princesses and characters from favorites like Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Disney’s The Lion King, this unforgettable celebration of love and friendship will leave your family with memories to last a lifetime.

Where:

  • Capital One Arena (formerly known as Verizon Center)- 601 F St NW, Washington, DC 20004

When: 

  • Wednesday, February 14th @ 7:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, February 15th @ 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
  • Friday, February 16th @ 7:30 p.m.
  • Saturday, February 17th @ 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, February 18th @ 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
  • Monday, February 19th @ 12:30 p.m.

 

Tickets start at: $20.00. Order tickets by phone 1-800-745-3000 or  Order tickets online.
*Ticket pricing is subject to change based on market demand. 

To discover more about Disney On Ice visit us on Facebook and YouTube.

***********Giveaway: To win 4 tickets to opening night: February 14, 2018 at 7:30pm!!! Share this post on Facebook or Instagram and tag us for your chance to win. Winner will be announced February 6, 2018!!! 

 

Feld Entertainment is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that uplift the human spirit and bring people together. With millions of people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment’s productions have appeared in more than 75 countries and on six continents to date and include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, AMSOIL Arenacross, Disney On Ice, Disney Live! and Marvel Universe LIVE! More information about Feld Entertainment is available online at www.feldentertainment.com.
The Walt Disney Company is neither a sponsor nor endorser of this sweepstakes.
I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Disney on Ice presents Frozen. Even though I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine.

Bilal: A New Breed of Hero Movie + Giveaway

1,400 years ago, Bilal, a seven-year-old boy, with a dream of becoming a great warrior, is abducted into slavery with his sister and taken to a land far away from his home and thrown into a world where corruption and injustice rule all. Throughout his life he undergoes many hardships, through which he discovers an inner strength he did not realize he possessed. Through these experiences, Bilal comes to realize that if he is brave enough to raise his voice and choose his own path – everything becomes possible. It is through his courage, that he frees himself and ultimately his community; It is through the power of his voice and faith that his lifelong dream of freedom comes true. Bilal grows into a man who will inspire the world. Rated: PG-13

 

GIVEAWAY! Screening Details

Click here for 25 admit 2 passes 

When: Monday, January 29th, 2018 at  7:00pm

Where: Regal Majestic Stadium: 900 Ellsworth Dr. Silver Spring, MD 20910

Madame Tussauds: No autographs, please ;)

What: Madame Tussauds

Where: 1001 F St NW, Washington, DC 20004

When: Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm and Sunday 10am-5pm

Why: In the capital city with millions of things to see and do, there is only one place where your group can meet all 45 U.S. presidents, the world’s most fascinating celebrities, influential world leaders, historical figures, and sports icons. Walk the red carpet with Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, shake it with Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, and explore the nation’s history with George Washington and Barack Obama. I’ve lived in DC for ten years and never visited Madame Tussauds in Chinatown. My initial thought was that I didn’t think it would be a great spot to take my kids– after all what would they gain from looking at a bunch of wax people? I was incorrect in assuming this was a place to skip. It is definitely suitable for children. We took our three and six year old. It was surprisingly informational for our six year old. He read descriptions of people and was interested in when they were relevant while our three year old enjoyed seeing the wax figures and participating in the many interactive areas. There are areas that ask questions and you open a frame to see the answer- his favorite was determining the President’s Pets based on a photo. There were several areas where visitors could add flair or props to take a photo, grab a piece of equipment that went along with a player, read a famous speech or listen to an audio clip from an era– many compliments to the wax figures that really made the experience much better than just walking around reading about the person and moving along. The tour through the attraction is self-guided. It should take you approximately 60 to 90 minutes to complete your tour. There is even a spot to stop and get a wax hand. (Purchasing Wax Hands separately is $10 at the door; with the purchase of the Extreme Value Ticket Online, wax hands is automatically included with your admission ticket.) An employee will take your hand or fist and create a cool, colorful wax impression. My six year old was brave enough to do it and it serves as a memory from our trip to Madame Tussauds.

Tickets: Prices vary depending on the package you choose

See more of our photos from our trip to Madame Tussauds on our Instagram page

Ultimate camp guide in and around Washington, DC for Summer 2018

An updated 2019 Summer Camp Guide can be found here.

This 2018 Summer camp guide is sponsored by Beauvoir Summer Camp.

Beauvoir Summer
(3500 Woodley Rd, NW, Washington, DC 20016 on the National Cathedral grounds)
Located on the grounds of the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., Beauvoir Summer strives to create an inviting, collaborative and warm community for campers during the summer months. Beauvoir Summer offers camp programs open to Beauvoir and non-Beauvoir children ages 3 to 11 years old over four sessions that run a total of seven weeks.  Whether registering for one session or all summer, exciting activities include field trips, swimming lessons, outdoor adventure programs and specialty camps. Beauvoir Summer also offers a counselor-in-training program for students grades 6 to 12. Through a variety of offerings, Beauvoir Summer makes it easy for you to create a schedule that works best for your family, offering before and after camp care programs as well. Simply put, Beauvoir Summer can accommodate all of your summer camp needs!

Woodland Horse Center
(16301 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring, MD. 20905)
Woodland Horse Center is the premier horseback riding center in Maryland and prides itself in offering the most spectacular Horseback Riding Summer Camp for horse-crazy kids from June 18-Aug 24. The 1-week Pony Pals Camp is for young riders ages 5-7. The 2-week Horsemanship Camp is for riders ages 8-16. All campers learn to ride correctly and confidently in twice daily riding lessons. Campers also learn comprehensive horsemanship skills which help them learn and love to care for the wonderful horses and ponies. Interactive, hands-on lessons outside of the ring include grooming, tacking, anatomy, health care, nutrition and more. Put the devices down, get outside and have a blast with the horses!!

Summer Safari Zoo Camp at The National Zoo
(3001 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008)
Each of the Summer Safari programs explores the lives, habitats, and conservation of animals around the world. Week-long sessions include exciting hands-on activities, lessons, craft projects, science experiments, and walks through the Zoo (but no direct contact with animals). Camp sessions are grouped into four grade levels: K-1, 2-3, 4-5, and 6-7.

Spy Camp at the Spy Museum
(800 F Street, NW Washington, DC  20004)
Another sneaky camp that sounds like so much fun and full of thrills! Somewhere deep inside the Museum an elite group of recruits is lurking in the shadows preparing to take on top secret missions. No one really knows who they are, or for that matter, what they’re really up to. Now it’s your children’s turn to join their ranks. Each day is filled with top secret briefings and activities that will put spy skills and street smarts to the test. Aspiring Spy recruits will hone their tradecraft, learn from real spies, and hit the streets to run training missions. Develop a disguise for cover, make and break codes, discover escape and evasion techniques, create and use spy gadgets, uncover the science behind spying—all of this and more awaits young recruits! Ages 10-13.

National Building Museum Summer Camp
(401 F Street NW Washington, D.C. 20001)
One and two week sessions for campers entering 2nd-7th grade. Experience the world we build for ourselves in new ways and with hands-on activities and projects in one of our favorite buildings in DC! Attend one, two, or all of the unique sessions of, full-day summer camp at the National Building Museum. Campers will enjoy design challenges, exploring the Museum, and more!

Lowell School Camp
(1640 Kalmia Rd NW., Washington, DC. 20012)
Their respectful and caring atmosphere encourages campers, rising PreK-grade 9, to grow in self-awareness and confidence, while strengthening their cooperation and consideration for others. They have an expansive campus with fields, surrounded by towering trees, provides generous space for games, sports, exercise, and water play. Campers explore and investigate plant and animal life in a spring-fed stream, a tributary of nearby Rock Creek. The four-lane indoor pool, fully equipped technology center, three art workshops, library, and large gymnasium are also available to campers. 

Sidwell Summer
(3825 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016)
(5100 Edgemoor Lane Bethesda, MD 20814)
With an array of programs for campers and students Age 3 – Grade 12 throughout June,  July, and August, they have something for everyone. This camp has two locations to choose from with a variety of camps; day camp, sports camp and academic camp.

Bricks4Kidz
(1130 6th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001)
Camp kicks off the morning session by grouping up the kiddos by age (two age groups: 4-6 year olds and 7-12 year olds) then the fun begins. Campers work in pairs and build projects through Bricks 4 Kidz lesson plans and make creations of their own during super fun free play periods. The afternoon gets “challenging” as the campers enter “Challenge Island”, that provides unique challenge-based programs designed to foster critical and creative thinking skills, problem solving methodology, and core STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) principles in children.

Arts on the Horizon Summer Camps
(1100 Wythe Street, #26093  Alexandria, VA)
From superhero to construction, this arts inspired camp has a session that is sure to appeal to your child. They offer one week, half day sessions. Ages 3-6.

(Photo: Imagination Stage)

Theatre & Arts Camps:

Adventure Theatre Camps

Little Loft

The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts

Meadowlark Guitar and Ukulele Camp

Red Panda Art Studio

McLean Project for the Arts (MAP)

Camp Arena Stage

Art in Motion via UpCycle/Local Motion

Takoma Groove Camp

Fit Kids Hit the Stage

Round House Theatre

Encore Stage and Studio

Imagination Stage

Lola’s Lab Camp

Levine Summer Music & Arts Day Camp

The Art League

Creative Youth

(Photo: Language Stars)


Language Camps:
CommuniKids

Language Stars

(Photo: Baseball Camp at Bethesda Big Train)

Other camps around the Washington, DC area:

(Photo: Calleva)

Need to sign-up for just one week of camp? Thanks to some locals parents, here’s a great list of drop-ins and places that will allow you to sign up a week at a time.

Bruce Murray Soccer Camp is in Potomac and has bus transportation
Humane Rescue Alliance for grades 2 & up
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
Coach Sal Caccavale and his summer camps, they are all located in DC
Bach to Rock has a music camp in Bethesda
Landon camp is for boys and girls and provides bus transportation from a few neighborhoods

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!

Gustafer Yellowgold at Jammin Java + Giveaway!

2018 Grammy nominee, songwriter and cartoonist Morgan Taylor is coming to Jammin Java on Sunday, January 7, 2018 for an all-ages performance of Gustafer Yellowgold. Taylor’s new 8th full-length album Brighter Side was just nominated for a 2018 Grammy in the children’s category and he’s bringing those songs to us.

 

Gustafer Yellowgold mixes alternative music with whimsical songs that are filled with super-catchy narratives explaining the life of a friendly alien from the Sun who now resides in a wildly imaginative version of the woods of Minnesota. Fresh from his appearance at WILCO’s revered Solid Sound festival, Taylor will be featuring material from his new album “Brighter Side” alongside classic fan favorites. Brighter Side thematically expands on the two stories of the series’ protagonist, Gustafer, from his current life in Minnesota back to his years spent growing up on the Sun.

We have a holiday giveaway–

Win the newly Grammy nominated album Brighter Side (autographed) AND a plush doll from the Gustafer Yellowgold collection. Enter to win by commenting with your favorite venue to see a kid’s show in our area on our Facebook and Instagram pages. Winner will be announced on Dec. 26, 2017. 

Snow Day presented by Arts on the Horizon + 4 ticket GIVEAWAY!!!


What: Snow Day presented by Arts on the Horizon

When: December 1-16 2017

Where: The Lab Theatre at Convergence (1819 N. Quaker Ln. Alexandria, VA 22302)

More shows at Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H St, NE Washington, DC 20002) December 17-19; 27-30, 2017 For information on tickets, click here.


One cold December morning, a young girl named Skip wakes up to find the entire neighborhood covered in a thick, dazzling blanket of white snow. A playful (if not a little mischievous) winter elf takes her on an adventure – showing her just how magical snow can be! Join Skip as she experiences all the excitement, joy, and wonder of her very first snow day. This nonverbal production features live music and lots of wintertime fun, just in time for the holiday season. Written and Directed by Rex Daugherty. 

Who: Best for children ages 2 – 6 and their families

Tickets are $9 and can be purchased here.

GIVEAWAY– 4 pack tickers to the December 9th at 11:30am showing. Like our Facebook page and Instagram page then comment on both sites with SNOW DAY for your chance to win, tag a friend for another chance to win! Winner announced Monday, Dec. 4.

Frosty the Snow Man at Adventure Theatre

(Photo: Sarah Straub)

What: Frosty the Snow Man

When: November 17, 2017 – December 31, 2017

Where: Adventure Theatre
7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD. 20812

Why: Do you want to build a snow man? How about watching him spring to life in front of you for one day of adventures before he melts away? In this merry wintertime romp, chock-full of chuckles and comic antics, Frosty dances into the hearts of kids and adults alike- even the heart of one near-sighted cop- through his uproarious antics.

Frosty the Snow Man is unlike any Frosty play you’ve seen, and we mean that in a good way. This show should be on your family’s holiday theatre must-see list. You will enjoy some familiar songs and be wow’ed by the dancing from Frosty. And once again, Adventure Theatre draws you in with a set that makes you feel like it’s your very own snow day. The cast immediately begins to have fun in the snow, acting like the kids you have sitting next to you. They’ll have you dreaming about the snow day you will spend with your Bambinos this winter.

  • Directed by Jason Schlafstein
  • Running time is 60 minutes with no intermission
  • Recommended for all ages
  • Tickets can be purchased here. Tickets are $19.50 each with group and field trip rates available. Children under the age of 1 are free

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