Beltway Bambinos

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

Summer Sweetness program from PJ Library

The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and PJ Library are partnering with local organizations to bring families together for stories and hands-on activities around Jewish values through August 20 for a series called Summer Sweetness. For each event, a “guest reader” will read a PJ bedtime story with the night’s theme, and your family can create and learn something to put those values into action. Join us in your pajamas to spread more kindness, gratitude, and friendship in the world.  Best for ages 3-7.

Get the full schedule online here.

12 sunflower fields to visit this summer

Have your Instagram feeds started to be full of people standing in sunflower fields? Luckily you can also witness the beauty in person. We have some pretty amazing fields in our area that you will definitely want to visit this summer! Some places require reservations, also visitors bring step stools to take photos higher up with the sunflowers. In addition to the fields below, stop by some pick-your-own farms this summer.

Burnside Farms in Nokesville, VA has a field of 8 acres of various varieties of sunflowers that are in bloom.  You must purchase tickets to attend.

The sunflower field at McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area in Poolesville, MD is one not to miss. This is a free field to visit and they encourage social distancing.

Gold Petal Farms is in Chaptico, MD and has a living maze you can go through as well as a pick-your-own flower garden during the summer season.

Rocky Point Creamery is located in Tuscarora, MD and has 2 acres of sunflowers + (bonus) homemade ice cream!

Maryland Agriculture and Farm Park in Cockeysville, MD welcomes you to bring a picnic, and leave with a day of memories. Before or after picking and picnicking, explore more of what the Farm has to offer; trails, demonstration gardens, animals, history, and more. Sunflowers typically bloom in mid-late September. $1.00 per stem or $10 per dozen.

Valley View Acres is in Middletown, MD and is open! They are cash only and charge a small admission fee as well as $1 sunflower stems & $2 wildflower bunch.

Butler’s Orchard in Germantown, MD allows you to pick-your-own flowers and while you are there, pick some fruit. Make an online reservation here.

A few further north to consider:
The Sunflower Garden
Misty Meadow Farm Creamery
Lockbriar Farms (on the way to the beach)
Emily’s Produce (on the way to the beach)

Clear Meadow Farms: Closed due to Covid but consider for next year as it is highlighted as one of the best!

Outdoor swimming pools in and around Washington, DC

Most of us are missing the typical summers of cooling off, meeting friends and practicing our strokes at our favorite pools. Below are limited options, some with options to join late in the summer while some have waitlists. There are several great pools in the area you can become a member of if you want a go-to place to splash around and become a regular swimmer at, offering you a sense of community as the number of members are typically capped at a low number. Many of these pools offer multiple pools and some have swim lessons and even swim teams during a regular season! If you aren’t looking for a paid membership at a pool, DC DPR has a pool for you, free of cost if you are a DC resident fingers crossed upon entry into phase 3 we may be able to access some of these pools. Pool goers this summer are being asked to make a reservation at most of the listed pools as well as minimize their time in opened locker rooms, and some are encouraged to bring their own chairs or blankets to outdoor pools. See each site for individual rules.

Omni Shoreham Hotel Pool (NW DC)
*Website not updated to reflect 2020, call for details (202) 234-0700.

Beauvoir Pool (NW DC)
*CLOSED FOR 2020

Cleveland Park Club (NW DC)
*Cleveland Park, North Cleveland Park and Woodley Park residents. Website does not state if there is a waitlist.

Living Well Health Club at Washington Hilton (NW DC)
*Currently closed. Health club and pool memberships.

JBAB Base Pool (SW DC)
*Active duty service members and Air Force club members receive free pool access during the entire swimming season. Swim passes available for purchase.

Montgomery County Maryland
*They have seven outdoor pools and are open to pass holders.

Tilden Woods Pool (Rockville, MD)
*The pool comes alive with activities for the entire family, both day and night. Swim in a heated pool, enjoy cookouts, raft nights, or relax in the sun or shade. They also have a top-ranked swim team. Website does not mention a waitlist.

Adelphi Pool (Hyattsville, MD)
*Waitlist

Northwest Branch Pool (Silver Spring, MD)
*Current waitlist time is approximately 2 years for new applicants applying.

Palisades Swim & Tennis Club (Cabin John, MD)
*Current waitlist time is approximately 8 to 10 years for new applicants applying.

Bannockburn Swim & Dive Club (Bethesda, MD)
*Website does not mention a waitlist.

Merrimack Pool (Bethesda, MD)
*Website does not mention a waitlist.

Carderock Springs Swim & Tennis Club (Bethesda, MD)
*To inquire about membership and/or to be put on a waiting list, contact the Club Membership Secretary Cari Ardrey

Mohican Swimming Pool (Bethesda, MD)
*Full Memberships are available to those applicants residing in the area encompassed by the Capital Crescent Trail, the Potomac River, Goldsboro Road, and River Road, or in the Town of Glen Echo. Individuals living outside of this zone may apply for late summer only memberships.

Old Farm (N Bethesda, MD)
*Website does not mention a waitlist.

Robin Hood Swim Club (Silver Spring, MD)
*Website does not mention a waitlist.

Potomac Woods (Rockville, MD)
*There are no geographical boundaries for membership. Website does not mention a waitlist.

Chevy Chase Recreation Association: CCRA (Chevy Chase, MD)
*Memberships may be offered only to those residing within a specific geographic area of Chevy Chase, Maryland. Permanent memberships are unrestricted, but have a waiting list of about 5-7 years while partial summer membership has a waitlist of 1-3 months.

Connecticut Belair Club (Silver Spring, MD)
*Only open to members at this time.

Tuckahoe Recreation Club (McLean, VA)
*Currently has a waiting list for full membership. This means that by applying now you may be admitted to membership in about 6 months.

Columbus Club (Arlington, VA)
*There is no wait list for the Columbus Club Pools. The only membership option available is the full family membership.

Arlington Forest Club (Arlington, VA)
*Has a waitlist of over 500 families.

WTOP released an article with information on pool openings in various counties in Virginia and Maryland, for more info read here.

Fun from home: 3 ingredient sidewalk chalk paint

Our fun from home series has given you an easy and quick slime recipe, directions to make a bird feeder with a milk carton, a recipe for homemade ice cream without a machine as well as a mesmerizing cloud dough recipe. Last week we showed you a quick, 5 ingredient healthy and refreshing popsicle recipe for our hot summer afternoons. Today we give you a new way for your kids to use chalk because if they’re anything like mine, they are bored with just going outside to use typical sidewalk chalk. We present you with a 3 ingredient quick way to make sidewalk chalk paint!

Supplies:
1/2 cup corn starch
Food coloring (as much as you want)
1/2 cup water
Paint brushes
Cupcake/muffin pan
Masking tape (optional)

Directions:
Mix equal parts of corn starch with water in a bowl. Once the consistency isn’t lumpy (it will be thick), pour into the muffin pan. Add food coloring to each cup. This is a way your kids can experiment with mixing colors also. Use paintbrushes to paint your sidewalk or driveway. Optional: Use masking tape on your sidewalk to create designs to paint, once the paint is dry remove the tape and see a stained glass design.

Summer bucket list

Our bucket lists each season are typically full of new and exciting seasonal activities and exhibits happening in Washington, DC. While this bucket list is not listing those nor does it include my favorite summer adventures such as Jazz in the Sculpture Garden or our annual family trip to Dutch Wonderland, I still think it has some fun ideas to get your family outdoors. We’d love to hear how you are spending your summer.

Quick links:
51 new statehood murals
U.S. National Arboretum
Drive-in movie at Union Market or a drive-in which is a drive away, past Baltimore and in Virginia near Winchester, Columbia Pike drive-in
Kayak
Bike
Breweries & Vineyards
Delaware beach

8 games to play in the pool + must-haves for water play

Pools are opening with some restrictions and maybe you are lucky enough to have your own backyard swimming hole. Below are 8 classic pool games with a few variations. We have also compiled a short list of must-haves for the water (not necessarily a pool).

Links to these below

Marco Polo:
Recently we introduced our kids to this old classic and it was hilarious to watch. Whoever is Marco, calls out Marco while their eyes are closed and the others must say Polo in an attempt for Marco to catch them by tagging them. The one who is ‘it’ listens carefully to splashes and movements around to help catch the others. An additional rule- “Fish-out-of-water” allows players to exit the pool to avoid being tagged. But they can be caught by ‘it’ by yelling “Fish out of water,” that player then becomes it if they are in deed out of the water.

Sharks & Minnows:
This is a version of tag that you may remember playing in gym class indoors. You need one shark and everyone are minnows, lined up on one side of the pool. The shark yells “dinner time” and the minnows attempt to swim to the to the other side. The shark may tag any minnow that is swimming over, once the last minnow is tagged, it becomes the new shark and helps tag minnows.

Chicken Fight:
Kids get to hop on the shoulders of an adult or can even play on floats. Make up the rules you want them to abide by because this is potentially dangerous but a classic. A chicken fight in the pool is like double-decker wrestling. The two people on shoulders are the only ones who actively fight. The object is to knock your opponent into the water, either by toppling just the top opponent or both opponents together. Make sure you have a big enough space in the water to play to avoid injuries.

What time is it Mr. Fox?:
Mr. Fox starts out at one end of the pool with his back to the group. The group at the other end then yells out “What time is it Mr. Fox?” Mr. Fox then calls out a time that is on the even hour “It’s 6 o’clock!”. The group then takes that many strokes or steps toward the fox. When the group gets to where the fox is, but not past him, and asks the time, the fox can yell “Midnight!” They then turn and swim after the group. Those who are caught then sit out at one end. The last one left becomes the fox. A variation can be to allow each child who is tagged to become an honorary fox and help catch people.

Diving for toys (or coins):
Have children close their eyes and toss in sinkable toys. Then strap those goggles on and hunt for what’s sunken in the deep, deep bottom. I remember my parents throwing in loads of coins to search for and we typically would play this for hours and bonus– we got to keep what we found.

Spray Tag:
Another great use for those squirt guns. Fill them up with water and kids have to dive under the water to avoid getting sprayed with the opponents water. If you get sprayed you give up your squirter until the next round. The last one swimming is the winner!

Races:
Blow up those floats, grab the pool noodles or brush up on those swim strokes and get ready to race. On your mark, get set, go (to the opposite end). Add a fun twist and inflate beach balls and have the swimmers lay across the ball to get to the other side.

Color Game:
I used to play this by holding a friend like a baby. The person is trying to guess the color I have thought of. Each time they guess it incorrectly I dipped her head back and into the water. Once she guesses correctly I flipped her into a back flip sending her into the water gently. Another take on this is someone is the caller and the others think of a color. The caller calls out the color and if it was someones choice color they have to get into the water trying to be as quiet as possible, making it to the other side of the pool without being tagged.

Toys and games worth considering to entertain in or near a body of water:
Basketball
Swim through rings
Life jacket
Toss & catch
Supersoakers
Waterproof playing cards
3 pack float
Splash battle islands
Goggles
Diving torpedos
Watermelon ball (Players can dribble, kick, bounce, and pass this ball 10 ft underwater due to its near neutral buoyancy! The ball stays under the water unlike a volleyball or other types of water ball or inflatables.)

Our favorite family-friendly summer activities in and around Washington, DC

Summer is my all-time favorite time in Washington, DC, despite the hot temperatures, there is something always going on. An outdoor festival, fountains to splash around in, an outdoor sports game to watch or live music are a few of our go-to’s. We want to help you kick off your summer the right way so you don’t miss out on some of the great summer events in Washington, DC.

Photo courtesy of DC Mosquito Squad
  • Jazz in the Sculpture Garden: The Jazz in the Garden Series begins its 19th season in May. The free concert series features jazz artists performing a wide variety of styles—Brazilian Folk Jazz, Alternative Modern, Blues, Reggae, World Steam Punk, Afro Funk, African Fusion Jazz, Cuban Charanga, Django Guitar, New Orleans Jazz, and more—every Friday evening from 5:00 to 8:30 in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. Bring a picnic, buy a beverage, relax and enjoy the atmosphere, sculptures and music.
  • Local splash parks
  • Wolf Trap children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods: June 18- Aug 3, 2019- Across the meadow from the Filene Center, literally tucked in the woods at Wolf Trap National Park, the Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods has been a summer tradition for generations of children and families. Performances range from music and dance to puppetry and storytelling—interactive, educational, and fun. All shows are about an hour long and are perfect for children ages 4 and up. Event calendar can be found here.
  • Play in your own yard! Our family loves good old fashioned chalk and bubbles on our front walkway but we also play tons of catch, water play and scootering. This wouldn’t be possible if we didn’t have our yard sprayed by Mosquito Squad. The first year we lived in our house we weren’t able to sit on our front porch for more than a minute without being bitten by mosquitos. Mosquito Squad has made an amazing difference and after our treatment the mosquitos are gone! What I love most is that their spray techniques allow for kids and pets to return to playing just 30 minutes after service.
  • Pirate Adventure on the Chesapeake: Boat + Annapolis + Pirate Adventure = Outdoor Perfection
  • Smithsonian Folklife Festival: The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is June 29 & 30, 2019 and you will experience living traditions from around the world. The goal is to work with communities to strengthen and preserve their cultures and share them with you on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
  • Strathmore Backyard Theatre: Enrich your little ones’ summer Thursday mornings in July with sunshine, music, and laughter at Strathmore’s Backyard Theater for Kids. This eclectic program is the perfect summer escape for busy families. Pack a picnic and enjoy live performances by highly esteemed and innovative family-friendly entertainers.
  • Montgomery County Agriculture Fair: The Fair will be August 9-17, 2019 and has animals, rides, entertainment, food, commercial, home arts, arts and crafts exhibits, and many others for the whole family to enjoy!
  • 11th Annual Ukulele Festival at Strathmore: It’s a celebration of the marvelous musicality of the ukulele on August 21, 2019. UkeFest features ukulele superstars Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer, Daniel Ho, and Peter Luongo along with a mass strum-along. This fantastically fun concert is the culmination of the 11th annual UkeFest intensive workshop and a highlight of summer at Strathmore!
  • Kayak, canoe and paddle boating: Ballpark Boathouse, Fletcher’s Boathouse, Mariner Sailing School, The Wharf

Mosquito Squad of Greater Washington DC is our communities’ leading choice for mosquito, tick, and flea control, as well as other forms of backyard pest control. Their work has made it possible for customers to enjoy their backyards for the first time without fear of bug bites or vector-borne diseases. Their work is backed by a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. If you don’t like the results, they promise to spray your yard again for free or refund your money. Schedule your mosquito control treatment by calling (571) 364-6956 and find a service that is right for your family here.

This post was written in partnership with D.C. Mosquito Squad who is providing standard barrier treatment for our yard this summer.

logo design courtesy of New Leaf Design