Beltway Bambinos

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

BloomBars uniting people, art and community building

BloomBars located at 3222 11th St NW, Washington, DC 20001, is a not-for-profit community arts organization. BloomBars is not something you can easily describe. Some have called it an artist and non-profit incubator, performance space, art gallery, theater, dance studio, screening room, youth academy, and center for health, wellness, and community engagement-they were all correct. Both innovative and old-school wisdom, BloomBars is turning a concept to unite communities through the arts into a model for energizing and inspiring communities to strive for personal and collective progress. Established in 2008 in Washington, DC’s burgeoning Columbia Heights neighborhood, BloomBars is driven by a volunteer team of artists, educators, and community and business leaders. Redefining the perception of a bar, BloomBars does not serve or allow alcohol on its premises fostering a safe and family-friendly environment. They believe art has a critical role in community building, social justice, advocacy, youth development, and health and wellness (Art meaning music, visual and multi-media arts, martial arts, dance, and film). They believe art can be a powerful conduit to link individuals inspired to serve, and communities and organizations in need. They believe there is an urgency to unite people around these principals.

Below you will find all of the amazing programs offered this Fall at BloomBars!

Steel Pan Drum Performance & Workshop- Sept 8
Come hear and learn to play the steel pan drum from the best, PANLARA! Thanks to a partnership with the Institute of Caribbean Studies in Washington DC, and through a grant from the DC Commission on Arts & Humanities, we are excited to welcome the Caribbean rhythms of PANLARA Steel Orchestra. All ages. All welcome.

The Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS) is a non-partisan, non-profit 501 (3) organization established in 1993 dedicated to education, advocacy and action on issues that impact on Caribbean Americans.

Musical Theatre Mondays (starting Sept 10)
Join Natalie Clasper-Thompson every Monday from 5:30 to 6:30pm for a musical theater journey that invites you to dance and sing along to Broadway and West End musicals. Each class, students will learn about a new musical and rehearse choreography from Aladdin, Frozen, The Lion King, On your Feet, Wicked and more! Make new friends and dance your hearts out to some of the greatest musical stories and perform in a bi-annually recital.

Monday’s at 10:30am
A Boy Called Patches & Friends is an interactive puppet show featuring chants, movement, songs and storytelling! Overall, A Boy Called Patches focuses on the acceptance of differences between yourself and others, therefore aiding in having less need for conflict resolution in certain areas at the early-childhood level while reinforcing that it’s okay to be different!

V. Kuroji Patrick is a father of five, a husband and a published illustrator with a background in early childhood development and education. Kuroji is a true creative who infuses real life into his lessons, no matter the age of the audience.

Tuesdays at 5:30pm
FunDanceMentals – This introductory class will provide a foundation of dance terminology and movement that is based in the techniques of Tap, Hip Hop, Modern and West African dance. The class will culminate in an fun and interactive performance.

Wednesdays at 5:30pm
Family Yoga – This class will give adults and young people and opportunity to meditate and move together. Hermione teaches in a Vinyasa Flow style that is accessible and adaptable to all levels of mobility. She also like to play yoga inspired games that will be fun and beneficial to all ages.

Wednesdays at 10am
Artist in Bloom Resident Tamika Love Jones presents Little Treasures, an educational and interactive journey for babies and children (under age 3) that explores a special box of little treasures. Each treasure that is picked from the box will lead tots and parents to sing their favorite songs, read fun stories and explore their bodies through exciting movement. The theme of Little treasures is self-love and teaching the tots that they, too, are little treasures!

More Programs:

The objectives of BloomBars:

• Build compassionate communities that nurture and support artists committed to service and social responsibility
• Create meaningful connections between artists and community-based organizations
• Empower youth and parents to use art as an education and literacy tool
• Establish a space for artists and community members to learn and practice social activism
• Provide a premier performance space for artists to hone and share their craft
• Provide a (live and digital) platform to amplify artists’ work, and engage and connect local and global communities
• Foster an environment that allows music and art (musicians/artists) to be more accessible to non-artists
• Inspire exploration and discovery of new ideas, places, and people within, and outside of the surrounding community

Not your typical kid gym

Need a place to escape the heat (or cold in the winter) and head indoors? Here are a couple of places that are sure to make your child happy and get some exercise when it’s too hot to be outside in the afternoon (or too cold in the winter). Most of these unique spaces offer camps, classes and birthday parties in addition to providing a space for your Bambinos to move. 

(Photo: Badlands)
Badlands Playspace– 5200 Randolph Rd. Rockville, MD 20852
Read about our fun there!

Scramble Indoor Play– 5412 Eisenhower Ave Alexandria, VA 22304
Scramble is the first European-style play center in Alexandria. Scramble offers incredible indoor play every day of the week, birthday parties Fri-Sun and a full program of summer camps for Elementary-age children this summer.

Elemeno– 709 8th St SE Washington, DC 20003
Formerly known as SkillZone. Parent coworking, SkillZone indoor play, early childhood STEM, family social events, kid-free time & private parties.

Magic Ground– 3100 14th St Northwest 3rd Level Washington, DC
See original review here.

Laugh Out Loud Stations Mega Fun Center– 6250 Greenbelt Rd. Greenbelt, MD 20770
CRAZY FUN Rides and AMAZING attractions all in one place to develop LOL Stations as the Best Indoor Theme Park and Birthday Party Place in the Washington metropolitan area, where the entire family can play together!! LaserTag, Challenge Course, Tumbler, Bumper Cars, Ball Blaster, Bouncers, 4-Level Playground, Himalaya, and much more!! Purchase a package or pay for single games.

Hyper Kidz!- 9309 Snowden River Parkway Columbia, MD 21046
Themed zones for kids ages 0-13. Other attractions include an interactive LED dance floor, laser light show, interactive screen games, bubble machine, glow-in-the-dark play, a concession stand, souvenir stand, and giant lite brite boards. Hyper Kidz encourages healthy and active social play.

(Photo: Nook)
Nook–  Nook Mosaic:Coming Summer 2018 & Nook Ballston Quarter:Coming Fall 2018
Nook is a play and learning space for the young, modern family. Not just a children’s play space, Nook is a blended play, work, and learning experience for the entire family.

Climb Zone-13200 Mid Atlantic Boulevard Suite 130 Laurel, MD 20708
Indoor rock climbing with individual walls, each with a theme. There are a few bounce houses, an area for kids 3 and under to play in, video games and a small cafe. Ages 2-5 are $12, 6 years and older $25. You can stay as long as you’d like. Outside food is permitted. You can have a birthday party here too. Put your harness on and climb aboard your favorite art whether it be Mt. Rushmore or the Alice in Wonderland themed wall, you’ll have a great time.

ZAVAZONE– 45685 Oakbrook Ct #110, Sterling, VA 20166 & 40 Southlawn Court Rockville, MD 20850
ZAVAZONE is an Indoor Adventure Park: a unique space dedicated to active fun for people from ages 5 to 105.  ZAVAZONE brings together ninja courses, ropes courses, trampolines, climbing challenges, zip lines, and more under ONE soaring roof.  It delivers a heart-pumping multi-action experience like no other.  Every visit to ZAVAZONE grants access to ALL of these exhilarating challenges, so you’re always free to create your very own active adventure. The state-of-the-art equipment is overseen by highly trained ZAVAZONE coaches who ensure safety while inspiring guests to make the leap or try a bold new move. All ZAVAZONE activities are included with admission.

Animated Child– 5167 Waterway Drive Montclair, VA 22025
Animated Child is an innovative enrichment center that encourages a child’s natural curiosity, independence and creativity. We engage children in every element of intelligence to highlight their unique way of learning. By exploring in which way a child is smart versus how smart they are, children are empowered to recognize ability within themselves. Great for ages 2-12. Open exploration times, enrichment classes, summer camps and birthday parties are available.

Sprout at Saffron – 3260 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201
The ultimate new business concept that combines your productivity (coworking), relaxation, fitness or yoga with your kids playing and learning.  Moms, dads and caregivers can catch up on work or relax in the cafe, take a fitness or yoga class while your kids are taken care of in a holistic and educational environment.  Classes vary from supervised open gym, music, ballerina classes and more! Classes are also offered for kids or adults.

Busy Bees– 11 Wisconsin Circle Bethesda, MD & 6110 D Arlington Blvd. Falls Church, VA 22044
An indoor play space where everything moves, spins or flies just for kids under 48″. $15 (or a pass) will get your kiddos inside, come and go as you please. Open 9-5 everyday. Complimentary coffee, tea and wifi. They also through amazing birthday parties.

Don’t forget these indoor spaces as well:

My Gym–5110 Ridgefield Rd, Bethesda, MD 20816
Kidville– 4825 Bethesda Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814
Gymboree– Various Locations

MOCO Movement offers therapy services in a fully inclusive environment + GIVEAWAY

MOCO Movement Center offers world class therapy services in a fully inclusive environment, alongside a sibling or peer taking a sports or movement class. The center was founded by Dr. Andrea Santman because, “After years of providing therapy services for kids, I saw a huge need to offer classes to prep young kids for all of their physical activities ahead. Before throwing them into a sport like soccer, let’s show them the correct way to kick and handle a ball, allowing them to get comfortable before diving in full force.”

The center is equipped with everything from a synthetic ice rink, where kids can put on real ice skates and get acquainted with the skill, before trying it out on a full blown ice rink to a 15 foot climbing wall, allowing kids to test out rock climbing in a less intimidating atmosphere. The space also boasts a a basketball court, exciting obstacle course and simulated playground, where a child has endless opportunities to reach his or her goals. Class sizes range from 2-4 children allowing personalized attention and the freedom of a choose-your-own-adventure style class.  

MOCO Movement Center’s Early Intervention program focuses on children at the development critical ages of 0 – 3 years. MOCO understands the importance of working with your child on a daily basis to accomplish their milestone goals. Their early intervention trained pediatric therapists have years of experience in development, childhood skills/occupations, language development and social interactions that impact growth and learning. 

At MOCO, they use their expert knowledge of development in conjunction with the natural environment to encourage play and engage children to reach their developmental milestones. They work closely with parents and caregivers to develop goals, create plans of care and collaborate on strategies that support family and child-centered objectives, which encourage continued therapy even at home. They utilize a variety of environments including playgrounds, home and other community settings to encourage participation and support generalization of skills across all areas and settings.Their goal is to help children reach their developmental milestones so that they can move and play more independently, build social relationships through play and communication, and successfully transition and participate in school activities with peers.

Classes at MOCO are offered for babies through age 12. Children use thought, strength, and balance on MOCO’s giant obstacle courses designed with oversized blocks, tight-rope-style lines, trampolines, and suspension equipment to acquire foundational skills, including self-confidence and social interaction, and build sport and fitness skills. Classes provide a unique structured, child-driven curriculum guided by highly-trained staff including expert athletes, medical and educational specialists.

Summer Camp is offered to babies-age 10, half day as well as full day. The summer camp includes movement, music, arts & crafts, science, sports, state-of-the-art equipment, and an inclusive environment. Camps are non-therapeutic and do not have therapeutic goals, however, throughout the day they incorporate a variety of fine and gross motor skills and activities that encourage cooperative group environments.  Birthday Parties are also a hit at MOCO Movement!

My children have taken a few classes here; Kids in Motion and Sports Fundamentals. The students/teacher ratio is unbelievable, the facility has a plethora of equipment and the fact that my 7 & 3 year old can take a class together is priceless. My kids leave the building and before we are in the car they are asking when they can come back. The teachers are extremely hands-on and take great care in having children go through movements and skills the appropriate and safe way. I don’t know of any other facility like this that welcomes all children to work alongside one another, no matter their need or skill level.

Location: 5268A Nicholson Lane Kensington, MD 20895

Giveaway: MOCO Movement is giving away one month of classes to a Bambino who is age 3 months to 10 years old (only one child per family). Enter on Beltway Bambinos Facebook page and Like MOCO Movement’s Facebook page– Bonus entry for commenting on Instagram. Winner will be announced May 30, 2018.

Birthday party ideas for older kids in and around Washington, DC

I love planning our Bambinos birthday parties but as our son has gotten older, his requests have gotten more precise and less intense. I do appreciate his taste for not having a big, blown out celebration and our bank account also thanks his simple request. He wants to play a baseball game with his friends at a local park (again)– which is how he celebrated turning 5. After applying for the permit at the park, I decided to create a new birthday post in preparation of his future parties as well as for all of you with an older crew who have outgrown some of the ideas on previous birthday posts we’ve created (see bottom of this post). 

Invicta Sports Club Archery Party

American Parkour

ZavaZone: Trampoline & Indoor Adventure Park

Shawdowland Laser

Bach to Rock
Rock Birthday Party (Ages 7+)
Karaoke Birthday Party (Ages 6+)
Rock City Birthday Party (Ages 4 – 6)
DJ Birthday Party (Ages 10+)

Game Truck of Northern Virginia

Rockville Sportsplex
Choose from Small Field Package (soccer or dodgeball),Inflatables, Court (basketball, soccer, dodgeball or hockey) or Field

Washington Nationals game or local baseball game: Bethesda Big Train, Potomac Nationals, Bowie Baysox

Go Kart Track
You must be 54′ to drive by yourself.

iFly Loudoun

Tea with Mrs. B
Or a tea party at one of these fancy hotels

Monster Mini Golf

Pinstripes
Head straight to the bowling lanes for an upscale take on a favorite American pastime and host your party lane-side, or choose one of our customizable private reception rooms accommodating groups of 20 to 240. Packages can include bowling, bocce, or a make-your-own pizza class.

A Game of Rooms
Age minimum 12 years old

The Escape Lounge

The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring Friends School
Teens and adults alike will have a great time ziplining and climbing through the trees!

Other related links:

Birthday party ideas, venues & entertainers in and around Washington, DC

My Gym birthday party

More Indoor Options that may host parties

Kidville Bethesda keeps Bambinos wanting to go back for more {and more}

Kidville Bethesda offers award-winning gym, art, dance, music, preschool classes and summer camp for children aged newborn – five years old. Their customizable birthday parties are a blast for 1-8 years old and they even offer haircuts for kids of all ages. I brought my first child here for his first few haircuts; it was the perfect environment for an apprehensive first-timer. Kidville also allows you to try a trial class before committing to a series of classes, click here for more info. They are conveniently located in downtown Bethesda, sandwiched in between coffee shops and delicious restaurants at 4825 Bethesda Ave.

My three year old sampled a few classes and has left her wanting to go back at any dull moment we have. She loved the Big Muscle Workout and the Kidville Gymnasts classes. She was able to get acclimated with all of the colorful, fun equipment and meet other classmates before the class started. The classes began with a warm-up, followed by some strength and skills obstacles. She was constantly moving and had a smile on her face the whole time {you can watch your child from various windows} or leave to get that cup of joe if your child is old enough for one of their “drop-off” classes. The teachers are up-beat, get to know your child, professional and energetic.

You can browse their website by age to see the lengthy list of classes appropriate for your Bambinos. When you sign up for classes you also gain entry to the Playspace, which is like open gym time and typically has at least an hour window of time each day of the week if not more. Click here for a schedule of classes.

Indoor options for kids in and around Washington, DC

Here is a long post full of great indoor options for you and your Bambinos in the Washington, DC metro area– plus some options up the road in Baltimore. So whether it’s raining, snowing — or just too cold or hot outside, here are some fantastic places to check out. They’ll keep your little ones engaged and might even tire them out enough to keep you happy. We’ll try to keep this list updated, so do add your suggestions to the comments below and we’ll keep building! Scroll all the way to the bottom as there are on-going lists of theatres, gyms and other great indoor spaces.

Washington, DC~

Elemeno–(709 8th Street SE Washington, DC  20003)

SkillZone is a fun, fresh place to play and learn in Washington, DC., open for drop-in play time, classes, and private parties! A place in the city for children 6 & under. Registration is required.

Smithsonian Museum– (Various Locations)

Most are free of charge! Specific child-friendly areas in museums listed below.

U.S. Botanic Garden– (100 Maryland Ave SW, Washington, DC)

Massive indoor exhibits, you can spend all day here. Check website as they occasionally have events such as cooking demonstrations, concerts, baby snuggler days and more.
[Read more…]

Destinations for those with early risers

I recently was introduced to DC Urban Dad and loved that he wrote a post dedicated to coffee — coffee shops that are open before 7:30am! It’s not necessarily tailored to the working folks, but for the parents with early risers. That post had me thinking– So many kid places don’t open until 10:00am. Why? I drop off my oldest at school by 8:30am and there are so few places to take my youngest right after that. There’s only so many days of the week I can convince myself (and her) that we WILL find the best chocolate croissant 😉 Here’s where we can  take early risers once we have the above mentioned coffee in hand!

Busy Bees in Chevy Chase and Falls Church opens at 9:00am Monday-Friday

Badlands Play Space opens at 9:00am Tuesday-Sunday

Smithsonian Castle opens at 8:30am

The Smithsonian National Zoo grounds open at 8:00am (indoor animal houses don’t open until later)

Rock Creek Nature Center opens at 9:00am. A one-half mile self-guiding interpretive trail, the Woodland Trail, begins behind the Nature Center, while a one-fourth mile wheelchair-accessible Edge of the Woods trail begins right out the front door.

Playseum opens at 9:00am on Saturdays only

Magic Ground is open daily at 9:00am

Woodrow Wilson Aquatic Center opens at……wait for it…..6:00am and has an indoor small pool for children

Climb Zone opens at 9:00am on Saturday & Sunday

Many DC Library‘s open a few days a week at 9:30am

Port Discovery Children’s Museum opens at 9:30am the months of September-May

Nook Play Space opens at 9:00am Monday-Thursday On Tuesdays from 9-10am, Bambinos ages 0-12 months have the place to themselves!

Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum is open Tuesday-Saturday at 9:30am

Most playgrounds open at dawn

And if all else fails, Target opens at 7:00am!

Would love to hear form readers of any places you tend to head early with your Bambinos.

My Gym Bethesda & Potomac Open House, Fall Enrollment + Giveaway!

My Gym has developed an extraordinary program and facility devised to help children 6 weeks thru 10 years of age develop physically, cognitively and emotionally. They offer structured, age-appropriate, weekly classes that incorporate music, dance, relays, games, special rides, gymnastics, sports and more. Children have loads of fun as they gain strength, balance, coordination, agility and flexibility while developing social skills, confidence and self-esteem. My Gym has earned the reputation as the best early learning program of its kind.

Fall Open House at both Bethesda and Potomac My Gym will be on Friday, September 15th from 4:00pm-7:00pm. Visit My Gym for FREE! Meet some teachers, play in the space and learn about new classes and programs!

Fall Schedule for My Gym Potomac HERE
11325 Seven Locks Rd, Potomac, MD 20854

Fall Schedule for My Gym Bethesda HERE
5110 Ridgefield Rd #201, Bethesda, MD 20816

Fall classes start September 5th – Reserve your class TODAY! Popular classes and times will book up fast. Try a NEW class like Ninja Training or Pre-Ballet. Don’t forget that all enrolled members get Open Gym (which they call Practice and Play) for free! This fall they are including MORE Open Gym times to accommodate members.

Not only does My Gym Bethesda and Potomac make having a child’s birthday party so easy but they offer very generous perks and policies. My daughter has taken classes at My Gym for a year now. This summer if you were enrolled in a class you received unlimited classes at either gym location! And you always get unlimited Practice and Play (Open Gym) in both locations when you are enrolled at either location.  PLUS you can always do make-up classes in ether gym if there is a class that better fits your schedule. It doesn’t get much better than My Gym and trust me, I’ve been to many kid gyms!

****My Gym is offering 1 lucky Bambino a month of free classes at either Bethesda or Potomac location. Comment below with what class you’d be interested in signing up for and earn extra entries by commenting on Facebook, Instagram and/or Twitter. Winner will be announced on September 14, 2017****

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