(re) discover Washington DC through the eyes of your children
Take a ride with Chuggington at the B&O Railroad Museum this weekend. A traintastic adventure that you need to register for now before it’s too late for your train lovers.
Through August 6, children can take a blast into the past as Montpelier’s grounds will be transformed into a kid-sized colonial village! Young visitors can camp out on the frontier, design a hat at the milliners, harvest crops at the farm, and other fun activities. Come for an hour or stay for the day.
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The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma celebrates its tribal history and heritage with two days of artist demonstrations and hands-on activities for children at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet and greet Choctaw princesses and other featured guests Friday & Saturday from 10am-5pm.
Friday-
Movie Nights in the Heights- Minions
(Harriet Tubman Elementary School)
This is the final installment of our June series of “Movie Nights in the Heights”. The gates open at 5:30pm. We will have games and activities for guests to enjoy together before the movie from 6pm to 7:30pm. Feel free to bring a picnic. The movie will begin at sundown. We’ll be screening Minions. Come and join us for a night of fun!
Four Mile Summer Movie Festival at Four Mile Conservatory Building- The Goonies
(4109 Mt Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22305)
Movies begin at dusk (around 8:00) and have Spanish subtitles, bring blanket or chair. Admission is free, so is popcorn and drinks. Presented by National Community Church.
Pumpkin patches and apple orchards are among the must-do Fall activities. Here is your guide to a few!
FIGMENT DC, is this Saturday and Sunday in Anacostia Park. Megan Fowler gives great insight into the event– FIGMENT is a free, inclusive, participatory arts event held in multiple cities. FIGMENT’s mission is to offer free, family-friendly and participatory art to entire communities. The event blurs the lines between those who create and those who enjoy art — turning an urban park into a magical playground. Ever wanted to insert yourself into a live foosball table? Make a wish and watch it grow into a flower? Join your child in making matching tutus? All of these opportunities plus music, workshops, art, crafts, etc. will be at FIGMENT DC. It is also a unique opportunity to dress up, play, and bring your own imagination to life. Bring your costumes, tutus, hoops, kites, games, and readiness to be silly. And don’t forget your roller skates! The skating pavilion is a great place to show off your skills. Be sure to bring a picnic lunch & water. There will be very limited concessions sold at the event.
Maryland Renaissance Festival is still in town. Take a time machine back to medieval times. With plenty of entertainment, including music, joisting, puppetry, pony rides and so much more. Your children will see people dressed up in 16th century outfits. Dress like a knight and come any weekend through October 17.
What a wonderful, cool day we had today in DC. Hopefully you were outdoors enjoying it. Speaking of fall weather, inbox us your favorite Orchard or Fall Festival so we can include it in our Fall Round-up that will be posted this week.
Head to the National Geographic Museum soon to view the Spinosaurus: Lost Giant of the Cretaceous exhibit. Free exhibition tours offered daily at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. (with admission).
This weeks DC Library Events for Kids can be found here.
Monday-
9:30am: Harambe at Bloombars
(3222 11th St NW, Washington, DC. 20010)
Think of it as your little one’s first opportunity to express his or her voice (into a microphone), dance, play a drum or percussion instrument, shout, or sing-along to songs that build character, confidence and community.
Chugga, chugga, choo, choo! All aboard!
Cabin John Regional Park
(7410 Tuckerman Lane, Rockville, MD)
Children and adults alike are captivated by the Cabin John Miniature Train. The train’s five passenger cars carry visitors on a scenic two-mile ride through the Cabin John Regional Park (about a 15-minute ride).
Watkins Regional Park
(301 Watkins Park Drive Upper Marlboro, MD)
This park has playgrounds, trails, picnic areas, a Nature Center, the Chesapeake Carousel, Old Maryland Farm, the Watkins Regional Park miniature train and much more.
Wheaton Regional Park
(2000 Shorefield Road, Wheaton, MD)
The Wheaton Miniature Train and Ovid Hazen Wells Carousel offer a unique and whimsical adventure for the family as two of the crown jewels of the Montgomery Park system. Drop by while you enjoy many of the other fine attractions in Wheaton Regional Park or make it a destination for your next party in the party room.
B&O Railroad Museum
(901 W Pratt St. Baltimore, MD 21223)
In the late 19th century, an overzealous publicity agent developed a trade show exhibit for a major American railroad headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. This exhibit survived the railroad that sponsored it and grew to become a “national treasure” of railroad artifacts. Today, it comprises the collection of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum, the oldest, most comprehensive American railroad collection in the world. Many family friendly events take place here, including the famous Day out with Thomas!
Roads & Rails Museum
(200 N. East St. Frederick, MD 21701)
Roads and Rails has one of the world’s largest model train layouts, but reasonably sized enough for small children and seniors. There are buttons all around the display for the kids to press, and they enjoy it so much they’ve often joked that they should have just made a button museum! There is a scavenger hunt for older children and adults, who take in the detail while the little ones chase the trains. There are benches for relaxation, and lightweight portable step stools so the smallest of visitors won’t miss a thing. Cars drive thru cities, roller coasters hurl their passengers through loops, volcanoes roar and flash. Pop culture fans will be amused at the numerous references to their favorite shows and movies. Those who appreciate craftsmanship will enjoy the scratch-built buildings and natural features. They have a Lego room which will excite Lego fans of all ages, and has Lego trains that come alive at the push of a button.
The National Capital Trolley Museum: Temporarily closed
(1313 Bonifant Rd., Colesville, MD 20905)
This museum is not very large but will have the attention of those train enthusiasts in your family. Summer is the perfect time to go as they have family programs throughout; storytelling, crafts and videos featuring trolley cartoons. They have a model train, a working trolley kids can take rides on (rides are unlimited with paid ticket), silent films displaying trolley life, and a large area full of old street cars. Check here for the information on operating hours.
Clemijontri playground, carousel and train
All aboard Clemyjontri Park’s new trackless train! Children and adults can enjoy a ride around this unique park. This wonderful new attraction includes a ramp for easy access. Clemyjontri Park features a unique playground where children of all abilities can play side-by-side. It is a playground where every child is welcome. This park is a place where children who use wheelchairs, walkers or braces, or who have sensory or developmental disabilities, can have a parallel playground experience of fun and exploration.
Frying Pan Park Carousel
(2709 West Ox Road; Visitor Center: 2739 West Ox Road
Herndon, VA 20171)
The 1920s Herschell carousel at Frying Pan Farm Park underwent an extensive restoration during the winter and spring of 2018 so it can keep turning round and round for many years to come. It is now up and running. Come on out for a ride at the farm.
Burke Lake Park
(7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Station, VA)
Newly renovated playgrounds and a train, carousel, ice cream parlor, nature trails, a lake, fishing, boating, and soccer fields.
Fairfax Station Railroad Museum: Temporarily virtual
(11200 Fairfax Station Road, PO Box 7 Fairfax Station, VA 22039)
Take a step back in time and discover the Fairfax Station Railroad Museum and the role it played in the history of Northern Virginia.
King Street Trolley: Temporarily discontinued
(King St, Alexandria VA)
Discover a convenient, environmentally friendly and fun way to get around Old Town Alexandria. The King Street Trolley transports riders between the King Street Metrorail Station and the Potomac River waterfront. The trolley runs daily every 15 minutes. With many stops for hopping on and off to explore the shops, restaurants and attractions found along Alexandria’s historic main street.
Union Station
(50 Massachusetts Avenue Northeast, Washington, DC)
Take a ride on the Amtrak (day trip to Baltimore anyone?), the MARC, VRE or the Metro, all leave from the impressive Union Station.
DC Streetcar
After more than fifty years since streetcars last serviced the streets of Washington, DC, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is poised to introduce their return. Free trips every day from Union Station to Oklahoma Avenue along H Street NE and Benning Road.
Bethesda Outdoor Movies
(Woodmont Triangle, Corner of Norfolk & Auburn Avenues)
Enjoy five nights of free blockbuster hits at downtown Bethesda’s 9th annual outdoor movie series. Show times begin at 9pm at the corner of Norfolk and Auburn Avenues. A limited number of chairs will be provided and attendees are invited to bring their own lawn chairs. A date night in the works as most of these are not kid-friendly or at least for the littlest ones. Check out this list of eateries in Bethesda for dinner beforehand.
July 22: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
July 23: Moonrise Kingdom
July 24: Citizen Kane
July 25: Pitch Perfect
July 26: Top Gun
Hope all the Dads out there had a nice Father’s Day! We had a fun afternoon at the Bowie Baysox game. It’s a close drive from DC and on Fridays and Saturdays they have fireworks. Check it out, baseball fans.
Have a great week. We are counting down the days until DC turns on spray at playgrounds during the week, which will be June 23!
Monday-
9:30am: Harambe at Bloombars
(3222 11th St NW, Washington, DC. 20010)
Think of it as your little one’s first opportunity to express his or her voice (into a microphone), dance, play a drum or percussion instrument, shout, or sing-along to songs that build character, confidence and community.
9:30am-11:00am- Rise and Rhyme at Busboys and Poets
(5531 Baltimore Ave., Hyattsville, Md. 20781)
Rise + Rhyme is a weekly Busboys and Poets series for local stay-at-home parents and early rising families of all kinds! Featuring performances and stories for children ages 5 and under.Today’s featured artist Marsha Goodman-Wood, a D C-based singer/songwriter and music teacher. Marsha is known for getting kids singing and dancing at her shows, setting little toes to tapping with original melodies that mix generous doses of science and positive social messages into songs that are just plain fun.
Tuesday-
10:00am: Rocking Tot Tuesdays with The Singing Lizard at Bloombars
(3222 11th St NW, Washington, DC. 20010)
Grab an instrument, get on stage or practice your moves on the dance floor. This is a perfect spot for your little one to move and groove. Suggested donation $7.