DC for Dummies

DC for Dummies by Jessica
 
My husband David, travels to D.C. several times a month for his job. A big perk of homeschooling for us has been that we can often accompany him and get to enjoy a nice hotel, unique learning experiences, and the big city culture/lifestyle without paying a dime! At first, D.C. seemed overwhelming, not particularly child friendly, and somewhat difficult to navigate. Now that we’ve ventured out around the town a half dozen times however, I’m understanding the basics of how to D.C. without losing your mind…..or your child 😉 So while I'm not a local I may be able to help some newbie DC dummies like myself improve their experience. 

Here’s some of the most Toddler/Pre-k Friendly sites we’ve enjoyed

-Smithsonian Discovery Theater http://discoverytheater.org//
If you want more than just seeing the National Mall sights plan your trip around a discovery theater show. From Tot Rock to chemistry to theater to animal encounters these affordable performances are sure to wow your littles. 

-National Building Museum
Tour the museum to learn about architecture but also visit the building zone for a 45min play adventure with all things construction. Storytime is the 1st Tues of each month. https://www.nbm.org/exhibition/building-zone/

-National Postal Museum
This is one of my favorite free museums for kids. There’s soooo much to do here. Storytime is currently Mondays at 10:30 and check out this link for all the other tot friendly exhibits https://www.mommynearest.com/edition/washington-dc/article/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-national-postal-museum

-National Zoo
A free zoo? Say no more right, its actual not one of my favorite places to visit in the city….off the natl mall, in between metro stops=a long walk, and though many may disagree the zoo doesn’t seem quite up to par with other city zoos to me…but still a nice kid friendly activity if you have the time.

-Dulles Intl Airport (Gravelly Point Park)
If you happen to be flying in or out of Dulles check out the indoor play aviation themed playscape (similar to a mall playground). If your not flying but have a little who loves planes pack a picnic, perhaps some headphones, and head over to Gravelly Point park. There are very few places where you can see planes less than 100 feet overhead. Here you can stand in their path as they roar overhead directly at you and very low. It can be loud and I guess a little scary for some but most kids will love it. Park in the boat landing lot. And walk over where there are picnic tables and a field, or just bring a blanket and sit on the grass.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g30242-d618397-r125344912-Gravelly_Point_Park-Arlington_Virginia.html#
 
-Museum of Natural History
https://naturalhistory.si.edu/
Free Dinosaurs, Mummies, Live Butterfly exhibit which is only free on Tuesdays, and taxidermy animals of the world, this is a great museum for kids and adults alike. Check out the Children’s Discovery Room (link gives location: https://www.si.edu/Exhibitions/Discovery-Room-5658) Don’t miss a ride on the carousel nearby in front of the castle as well.

-Air and Space Museum
What kid doesn’t love a space museum?! Again totally free, lots of events and storytimes and for the toddler crowd Big Birds “One World One Sky” planetarium show is a MUST!!  https://airandspace.si.edu/visit/families

-National Museum of the American Indian
We LOVED this free museum. Especially around thanksgiving it’s a great way to teach about the first americans. Food in this museum café is the better than many restaurants around and legit cultural. Kids get a passport to stamp and visit tribes from all cultures to build an igloo, make pretend dinner in an adobe outside their teepee, create native crafts and more!! Check the calendar for story, puppet shows and more http://nmai.si.edu/visit/washington/imaginations/

-National Museum of American History
Wegmans Wonderplace is where you’ll want to navigate to within this free museum. It’s 0-6 friendly and though not one of my personal favorite spots lots of play happens here. http://americanhistory.si.edu/wonderplace

-United States Botanical Garden
What we love about the gardens is that in addition to free beautiful botany, kids can literally dig, plant, water, and grow their own greenery. Improvements are currently being made to the childrens garden and it was awesome before so I can’t wait to see the new exhibits.  Storytime activites, junior botanist backpacks, and more info can be found here: https://www.usbg.gov/kids-are-welcome-us-botanic-garden
 
-The Monuments
It’s really hard to come to DC as an adult and not go see the monuments….it can also seem really hard to drag young children around for miles to look at some buildings and statues they don’t understand and cant play on. There is a solution to this dilemma but it involves some planning. This blog: https://currentlywandering.com/2013/12/05/how-to-bike-or-walk-the-national-mall-with-kids/
Recommends doing it all on bike. GREAT IDEA!! The paths all connect and are wide enough to easily accommodate bikes and strollers. Most weekdays the mall is uncrowded and even preschoolers could pedal along on training wheels at their own speed without causing a problem. Pack some snacks or lunch and a few fun kids books about our country’s history stop along a reflecting pool to eat. We played a learning game along the WWII memorial running from state statue to statue to work on the names, flags, and other info about each one using a US Map and flag pins I brought along. I also let my daughter bring an old Iphone I have (a kids camera would work too) so she could take her own pictures at each monument. We are putting together a photo album of all her images and then back home she can match them up to TOOB statues and work on learning the names. Highly recommend saving the Washington monument for dusk, its more deserted at this time and the colorful lights around the bottom shining up are so much fun for kids to run through and play on.
 
-Live Music in the City
Boogie Babes https://greaterdcdiaperbank.org/boogie-babes/ offers the opportunity for kids to explore different styles of music and instruments singing and dancing with friends at different locations around the city each week. Check the site for upcoming performances.
 
-Tudor Place
On Tuesdays this historic mansion in Georgetown opens its doors to families for a 45min session of songs, storytelling, and pretend play. Afterwards tour the gardens and enjoy the history of this grand estate. I’ve also heard Hillwood Estate and art museum offers a similar program for preschoolers.

-Scramble (Alexandria)- https://goscramble.com/
A European style play structure, this place is one-of-a-kind at least in America. Basically imagine a huge version of McDonalds/Chick-fil-A playground but large enough that parents can accompany children EVERYWHERE….including on the second story without ducking uncomfortably. With a room of giant balls (each representing a planet) and tube spaceship, Egyptian pyramids and secret catacomb tomb room, and great barrier reef complete with see through moving blue goo floor everything here is learning themed and designed to challenge gross motor skills. Even the themed playrooms have giant foam blocks to build a racecar in the garage or play coffeeshop or veterinarian. For older kids there is a full size indoor soccer field too. We LOVE this place, and its metro stop adjacent (Van Dorn St stop in Alexandria).

-Wolf Trap Children’s Theater in the woods (Vienna) http://www.wolftrap.org/tickets/ctitw.aspx

-Rock Creek Park- just north of the National Zoo you’ll find this gem of an outdoor paradise. Look online for track an adventure (guided maps with different activities and adventures for kids of varying ages). There is also a planetarium here, various nature center kid friendly events, and best of all guided pony trail rides!!! If your kiddo loves horses like mine in the summer months you can spend $20 for a 15min ride through nature on horseback for ages 2.5 (30”) and up.
http://www.kidsinparks.com/rock-creek-park
http://www.kidfriendlydc.com/2012/04/23/rock-creek-park/
 
-National Harbor and Gaylord (Alexandria)
Another of my favorite places around DC the national harbor offers a giant ferris wheel, build a bear workshop, a store devoted to marshmallow peeps, and outdoor amphitheater that does movies and family exercise classes etc regularly. At the harbor you will also find the Gaylord hotel with beautiful indoor garden setting and kid activities galore. We visited at Christmastime for Rudolph ICE! Show (complete with indoor snow and giant slides made from ice) and also took time to ice skate, cookies with Mrs. Claus, Build a Bear scavenger hunt, and Christmas musical light show.

-Tot Parks- these are everwhere around the city. Often hidden among brownstones and not always listed on maps or city park websites these play areas are worth the adventure of seeking out. Parks often include communal tyke cars/bikes, sand boxes, and unique playground equipment and relief for parents when the little ones tire of roaming monuments and historical sites. If you know the area you’ll be visiting look closely at maps and search tot parks online to find locations nearby. If not, just keep your eyes open and venture into the city blocks with neighborhoods and your sure to find the occasional treasure.
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-Pirate Cruise- I currently know of two companies that do a kid friendly version of the “tourist boat tour”. One is located in old town Alexandria, the other docks in Georgetown. I believe both only run in the summer months or weekends but if you want to take a Potomac boat tour this is not to be missed!! Kids can dress up, there is music, face painting, water cannon battles, and treasure hunts aboard. Trips last about an hour and cost around $20.
 
 
 I'll post more on the metro, kid friendly eats and hotels soon!