Beltway Bambinos

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

Ultimate Guide to Halloween in and around Washington, DC

Saturdays and Sundays only– 10:00am-6:00pm-: Eye Spy Train at Wheaton
All aboard the Wheaton Eye Spy Halloween Train! NO LONGER HAUNTED! This “not so scary” train ride is fun for the whole family – it’s all about fun, not fright! Each child will receive an Eye Spy card before boarding the train. As you ride through the woods of Wheaton Regional Park, look all around to find Halloween friends hiding, and mark them off the Eye Spy card. They’ll have fun Halloween activities in the Train Station Party Room, where snacks will also be available for purchase. Costumes are encouraged! Please bring a canned food donation for your neighbors in need – they’ll donate them to Mid-County United Ministries in Wheaton. [Read more…]

Weekend Picks in and around Washington, DC + Columbus Day

The weather is predicting a perfect weekend for Fall festivals, pumpkin and apple picking!

Maryland Renaissance Festival takes place on weekends from August 26-October 21, 2018. The Rent Fest will be full of jousting while serving up lots of turkey legs! Take a time machine back to medieval times where you’ll see wizards, knights and wenches. With plenty of entertainment, including music, jousting, mazes, puppetry, pony rides, a huge pirate playground and so much more. Your children will see people dressed up in 16th century outfits and will be begging to participate while staring in awe. Dress like a knight and come participate or just watch! 

BloomBars; a local, not-for-profit community arts organization has a long list of children’s programming you don’t want to miss. King Bullfrog; a high-energy acoustic duo playing folk, blues, world, and original music for children and their grown-ups will perform on Saturday at 4:00pm.

Friday

5:30pm-10:00pm: Drive-in at Union Market 
When a Jamaican sprinter is disqualified from the Olympic Games, he enlists the help of a dishonored coach to start the first Jamaican Bobsled Team. 1h 38 min, rated PG. Lot opens 5:30, Lot closes promptly at 7:45, Film begins 8:15, Film ends at 9:55.

Saturday

8:00am-11:00am: Hot Wheels Legends Tour
When Hot Wheels launched the original “Sweet 16” die-cast cars in 1968, they were considered some of the most influential and legendary cars in automotive history. And now, we’re hitting the road to find custom cars worthy of joining them as HOT WHEELS LEGENDS. One finalist from each of the 15 cities will join us at SEMA 2018 in Las Vegas, where one lucky winner will be immortalized as a Hot Wheels Legend and transformed into a die-cast car sold around the world. Don’t miss this family friendly event!

10:00am-12:00pm: Shake up your Saturday at Folger Shakespeare Library: Deception & Disguise
Hide your true self and see what mayhem you can bring. Shake Up Your Saturdays is a free program that takes place on the first Saturday of every month. Family members of all ages are welcome to join the fun! Foulke Conference Room; Register to attend. NOTE: This program has a limited number of spots. Please register and receive a confirmation before attending.
10-11AM: Recommended Ages 4-7
11-12PM: Recommended Ages 7-11

10:00am-1:00pm: Glen Echo: Saturday Art Explorers
Drop in for an art activity and play in the Candy Corner Studio for $5, no need to pre-register. Play on the playground afterwards, look around the Glen Echo Park Aquarium or catch a show at Adventure Theatre or the Puppet Co.

10:15am & 11:30am: Saturday Story Sessions at Strathmore with InterAct Story Theatre
In this delightful, interactive workshop, miniature items and toys creates a captivating story. Parents will take away effective storytelling techniques that can be used at home to promote literacy and other cognitive skills.

11:00am-4:00pm: Taste of Bethesda
Bethesda’s famous food and music festival brings 60 restaurants and five stages of entertainment to Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle. Each year, more than 40,000 attendees sample the delicious restaurants, enjoy the live entertainment and visit  the kid’s corner for face painting and arts & crafts.

11:00am-4:30pm: Hispanic Heritage Month Family Day: Making History, Sharing Culture Featuring Disney Pixar’s Coco at National Museum of American History
The Smithsonian Latino Center and the National Museum of American History invite you to celebrate the kick off of Hispanic Heritage Month in this  day full of activities for families and visitors of all ages! Participate in hands on activities, learn about animation and storytelling, enjoy the Cooking Up History demonstration with renowned Mexican-American chef Zarela Martinez; meet members from Disney·Pixar’s “Coco” team, including character modeling artist Alonso Martinez, watch “Coco” with your friends and family, dance to the music of Grupo Bella, an all-female mariachi band. All festival activities are free, however reservation tickets will be needed for the timed film screenings of Coco.

12:00pm-3:00pm: FAMILY FUN: Children’s Arts & Crafts Workshops at Embassy of Sweeden
Swedish artist Karin Lithell leads children ages 3-10 in expressing themselves through art! Attendees are set up with everything they need to participate free of charge. Come try quilling or create your own abstract art piece inspired by Swedish artist Hilma af Klint. Free admission and no registration required. Also check out Room for Children and Storytime Sessions!  Storytime Sessions are offered every Saturday at 2 pm for families to experience Swedish children’s literature. The sessions are held in Room for Children. FREE admission. No registration is required.

12:00pm-6:00pm: College Park Day at the College Park Aviation Museum
Free Admission for All! Fun for Kids and Adults! Join us for an afternoon of fun and laughter! Activities include obstacle courses, climb wall, bounce house, face painting, live bands and performers … and more! Enjoy creating different arts and crafts. Come say hello to the folks who keep you safe and check out their fire trucks and squad cars! Music all day long … our main stage will feature jazz, rock, cumbia, pop, R&B and more! Put your dancing shoes on! The College Park Aviation Museum also offers free admission and you can see their new exhibit “Delivering America: Airmail to Email.”  As a special bonus you can go on the airfield and check out several helicopters and say hello to their pilots and crews.

Sunday

10:00am-12:00pm: Red Panda Art Studio: Selfies
Bambinos will create many different self-portraits in multiple different ways– and we will create a customized name plate wall hanging! This morning session is intended for ages 2 to 6. 

11:00am-11:45am: Sunday Funday at Imagination Stage
Your child’s favorite stories will come to life through dramatic play activities, music, movement, and visual art. Each session you leave with a special take-home item we used or created that day, as well as a Parent Pack to extend the experience at home. These popular workshops are themed around beloved children’s books. Featured story: Knufflebunny

12:00pm-4:00pm: Piketoberfest
There will be live music, craft brews, food from your favorite neighborhood restaurants, hay maze, corn hole tourney, and more. There is something for everyone at our biggest festival of the year.

Monday

What to do with your child when there is no school!

9:30am-11:00am: Rise and Rhyme at Busboys and Poets (VARIOUS LOCATIONS)
Rise + Rhyme is a weekly morning storytelling and performance series for children ages 5 and under with the goals of teaching children to engage with their community, learn to love performing and become rising artivists! Rise + Rhyme is held every Monday morning in Hyattsville, MD and Takoma & Brookland, DC and every last Tuesday of the month at 9:30 AM at Busboys and Poets in Shirlington.

10:45am: The 2018 National Columbus Day Ceremony at the Christopher Columbus Memorial Plaza (across from the Union Station)
The festivities will begin with music from “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band. Other featured parts of the program include: US Joint Services Honor Guard, Knights of Columbus Color Corps, Presidential and Mayoral Proclamations, Addresses from the National Park Service and the embassies of Italy, Spain, and the Bahamas, Youth Essay Contest winner, and the wreath presentations. This is a great event for the entire family. Do not miss this educational, historic, and patriotic ceremony.

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Weekend Picks in and around Washington, DC

Many orchards are open and ready for you to pick fruit and grab your pumpkins.

Frederick’s Oktoberfest is Friday & Saturday. Friday for adults & Saturday for families! There will be a Kid’s Zone from 11:00am-6:00pm with some exciting entertainment; 2:30PM-3:15PM: Mr. Jon, 4:00PM: Root Beer Luge hosted by 106.9 The Eagle, 5:00PM-5:45PM: Mr. Jon.

Star Wars Under the Sky at Library of Congress will show “Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back” on Friday at 7:30pm and “Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi” on Saturday at 7:30pm.

Blueberries for Sal at Adventure Theatre: Run time- September 21-October 21, 2018Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk! Sal and her mother are picking delicious blueberries to can for the long winter months ahead to make delicious desserts. On the other side of Maine’s Blueberry Hill, a mama bear and baby bear are filling up for the long hibernation. But somehow Sal and a baby bear have a mixed up adventure and lose their mothers!

 

Saturday

10:30am-11:15am: Saturday Song Circle at Imagination Stage
You and your child are invited to a fun, interactive musical experience! An Early Childhood Teaching Artist explores a popular children’s book with your family through song and musical instruments, and you will receive a list of all the songs to practice at home. Featured Story: Five Little Monkeys

11:00am-5:00pm: Barrack’s Row Fall Festival
A petting zoo, live music, truck touch, beer garden, magician, kids zone and the festival wraps up with a donkey procession.

11:00am-4:00pm: Leesburg Airshow
This event provides a wonderful opportunity to see a snapshot of the general aviation world. The static display area, located on the airport’s aircraft parking ramp, will feature many unique, experimental and antique aircraft. The airshow exhibitors will showcase the many facets of general aviation, such as flight training, corporate transportation and emergency rescue operations. In addition, there will be inflatables for the kids, and a variety of food vendors. The skies above Leesburg will come alive with skydiving and aerobatic performances.

11:00am-3:00pm: Family Day at Kreeger Museum
Join us to celebrate art, music, and nature. The day includes outdoor art activities for children, a djembe drum circle, performances by the Elijah Jamal Balbed Quartet, and Sculpture Garden and Gallery art talks. Picnic blankets welcome in the Sculpture Garden – Rocklands BBQ and Captain Cookie and the Milkman will be joining us to sell lunch and sweet treats! Free and open to the public.

7:00pm: Opera in the Outfield
Celebrate the 11th season of free opera broadcasts by joining Washington National Opera at Nationals Park for The Barber of Seville. Gates open at 5 p.m. for pre-opera activities, including a costume shop, instrument meet and greet, games, prizes, and more!

Sunday

9:00am-5:00pm: Fall Fest at Friends of the Soldiers Home
See flier to the left for schedule of events

10:00am-12:00pm: Workafrolic Open House
Ever wonder how you can work and bring your child along while actually being productive? Check out Workafrolic; they will have fun activities for kids 0-4 years old, mini music lessons, coffee, snacks, and door prizes and you can check out the space.

11:00am-11:45am: Sunday Funday at Imagination Stage
We invite you and your child to bring your favorite stories to life through dramatic play activities, music, movement, and visual art. Each session you leave with a special take-home item we used or created that day, as well as a Parent Pack to extend the experience at home. Featured Story: Down by the Station

11:00am-4:00pm: Then & Wow at Glen Echo
This is the Glen Echo Park Partnership’s annual family festival celebrating the Park’s revitalization as an arts center and recalling its history, when the site was an amusement park. The event features kiddie rides and arcade games, as well as videos and an exhibition on the Park’s history. Admission to the park is free. Rides and some activities require tickets. The festival also celebrates the last day of the 2018 carousel season. The carousel will reopen in the spring of 2019. Festival hours are 11am – 4pm. The carousel operates from 11am – 5pm.

11:00am-7:00pm: Turkish Festival 
(Pennsylvania Avenue between 12th and 14th Streets NW)
2018 DC Turkish Festival and Heritage Month will feature colors of Anatolia. Also known as Asia Minor, Anatolia is the western tip of the Asian continent that extends towards Europe. Anatolia’s vivid colors are a reflection of the many rich civilizations that have passed through this fertile land over thousands of years. Visitors will have a chance to get a glimpse of Ephesus at the Annual DC Turkish Festival. Dancing, singing, lots of delicious food, shopping and more!

6:00pm: Movies on the Potomac at National Harbor: The Lion King (final movie of the season)
Nothing says summer like an evening under the stars—and there’s no better way to enjoy the season than Movies on the Potomac at National Harbor. Pack your picnic blankets, grab food to go from one of our delicious dining establishments, and meet us at the Plaza’s big screen for a FREE evening of fun for all ages! Please note that movies will begin at 6:00pm and will be shown once, so end times may vary with each movie.

Judy Moody and the Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt at Adventure Theatre + GIVEAWAY

(Photo: Michael Horan)

What: Judy Moody and the Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt

When: April 21- June 3, 2018

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

Why: Third grade has put Judy Moody in a mood. She’s got to figure out what to include in her “Me” collage, and her know-it-all little brother Stink keeps getting in the way. When the Moody family drops anchor on “Artichoke” Island, they meet Cap’n Weevil with a secret treasure map, launching them on a mad dash across the island in search of gold. But they’re not the only salty dogs lookin’ for loot! Can Judy Moody and Stink outwit their competition in time? Will Judy finish her project? Come aboard as we launch this world premiere and find out!

Judy goes on an epic adventure using her imagination and problem solving skills (with some help from her brother, Stink) as she tries to win a “t-shirt with words” she can show off to her new third grade class. We witness the competitive sibling relationship with constant banter as they are forced to work together as they go on a treasure hunt. If your Bambinos have read the book and loved it, this is almost a replica which is sure to make them smile from ear to ear as they hear the familiar references, locations and characters names! No one will want to walk the plank, in fact, you’ll wish the play could continue on longer.

Giveaway: Win tickets to see Judy Moody and the Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt!! Comment on Facebook and Instagram with the show day/time you’d prefer to see. Winner will be announced May 8, 2018.

(Photo: Michael Horan)

  • Adapted for the stage by Allison Gregory

  • Based on the books by Megan McDonald and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

  • Directed by Mitchell Hebert

  • Recommended ages 4+

  • Running time is 60 minutes with no intermission

  • 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.

Weekend Picks: December 8-10, 2017

The holidays have arrived and so have the ballets, concerts and shows! Many happening this weekend, check here for family fun.  It also means there is an abundant amount of holiday lights, trees and ice rinks to visit, see a full list here!

Dollar or Less Day in Baltimore is taking place Saturday & Sunday. In the spirit of the Holidays, Baltimore area attractions will open their doors this weekend and offer free or $1 admission.

Saturday-

9:30am AND 11:00am: Traveling Lantern: A Christmas Carol
Families will enjoy this holiday classic presented by Traveling Lantern. On Christmas Eve, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by a series of ghosts, who remind him of the true meaning of Christmas.

10:00am-12:00pm: Maker Mornings: Trace at Hirshorn
In celebration of Ai Weiwei: Trace at Hirshhorn, builders and makers of all ages are welcome to join us on Saturday mornings in December: Check out a kit and create portraits in the Ai Weiwei: Trace at Hirshhorn galleries; Bring your youngest artists for a special Saturday edition of STORYTIME, and then stay and play; Complete a 2D portrait of selected subjects featured in Trace using LEGOS® as a medium; Join in a collaborative 3D portrait challenge; Jump in our photobooth, and create your own portrait to take home.

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!

10:30am: 1, 2, 3 Andres concert at Chevy Chase DC Library
Free show!

11:00am: Kids Gingerbread House Workshop at DBGB

12:30pm AND 2:00pm: Duke Ellington’s Neighborhood at GALA Theatre at Tivoli Square
Taking kids on an interactive journey through Duke Ellington’s DC to discover how the Duke championed African-American musicians, influenced the Harlem Renaissance, and became an international star. During the 40 minute show, young audiences will learn about the value of hard work and the importance of using imagination. They will have the opportunity to join the band on stage and learn about their different instruments. 

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.

4:00pm-7:00pm: Winter’s Eve at Glen Echo
Celebrate the holiday season at the Park’s annual Winter’s Eve event. Enjoy FREE activities including holiday crafts, sing-alongs, story-telling, open studios, and a hot chocolate bar. Browse and buy fine artworks at the Holiday Art Show and artist studios.

Sunday- 

10:00am-11:30am: Meerkat Mania at the National Zoo
Zoo preschool classes are designed for children ages 2-3 to discover a whole new view of the National Zoo. “Adult-and-me” format classes use interactive learning stations, hands-on activities and crafts, Nature Play, and exciting Zoo Walks to engage your child’s sense of wonder and curiosity about wildlife and the natural world. Pre-registration is required.  $28/child for FONZ members. $35/child for non-members. Registration fee covers one child with adult.

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. Also occurs Dec. 17, sign up for one only or both.

1:30pm:  Duke Ellington’s Neighborhood at GALA Theatre at Tivoli Square
Taking kids on an interactive journey through Duke Ellington’s DC to discover how the Duke championed African-American musicians, influenced the Harlem Renaissance, and became an international star. During the 40 minute show, young audiences will learn about the value of hard work and the importance of using imagination. They will have the opportunity to join the band on stage and learn about their different instruments. 

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