Being Savvy: Activities, things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Washington DC, DC

Come Fly With Me and Learn About Airplanes!

by Leticia

What is it about airplanes that children find fascinating? Even before we had children, my husband and I loved to park ourselves at the end of the runway by National Airport and watch planes take off and land. Officially called Gravelly Point, this hot spot is easily accessible when driving to and from National Airport or from the Mount Vernon Trail path. It is a great place to stop as you ... Read more >

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Discovering the Joy of Birds at the National Zoo

by Leticia

We love the pandas as much as the next family and are always thrilled to see Tai Shan, Mei Xiang, and Tian Tian putting on a good show but there is so much more to the National Zoo than just the pandas. Believe it or not, my children love the Zoo's birds. Across from the bronze panda statue that your children always want to climb on and is in many of your family photos, is a bridge that leads ... Read more >

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History Lesson About Theodore Roosevelt with a Teddy Bear Picnic on Roosevelt Island

by Leticia

My two children have favorite stuffed bears that rarely leave their sides. But what do you know about Theodore Roosevelt and how our Nation's 26th President inspired the creation of the teddy bear According to The Theodore Roosevelt Association, President Roosevelt loved nature and being out in the woods. He was on a bear hunt that had been organized just for him and was unable to find a bear. ... Read more >

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If I Had a Hammer...

by Leticia

Perhaps it is due to the fact that we recently completed a major addition on our home, but my children are construction obsessed. My son knows the name of every piece of construction equipment on a site and has an eagle eye for cranes. My daughter's vocabulary includes words like silt fence. Both love a good project, especially one that involves a hammer, dirt, some screws, and a trip to the ... Read more >

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Cultivating a Green Thumb

by Leticia

We're at the time in the year where the seasons are wavering between spring and summer. A series of rains have made the grass lush and green while the temperatures are warming and hinting that summer is on the way. I'm not a fan of the mosquitos and the Californian in me absolutely despises our humid summers so I'm trying to take advantage of being outside before summer truly arrives. We've been ... Read more >

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Trains and Other Modes of Transportation on Rails

by Leticia

My toddler is obsessed with trains. He knows the best places to spot trains and Metros while riding in the car and has a keen ear that always alerts him to approaching trains. For train lovers, there are many opportunities to get up close and personal with trains in the DC Metro Area and beyond.The B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore is a train lover's paradise. Cases upon cases of model trains ... Read more >

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Top 5 Things to Do in the DC Area on a Rainy Day

by Leticia

Top 5 Things to Do in the DC Area on a Rainy DaySometimes rainy days make me want to curl up on the couch underneath a blanket with my two children cuddled close with a stack of books for a reading marathon. Other times we feel like we've been stuck in the house for days and need to escape. National Building Museum's Building Zone- - My children love anything construction related so we hop on ... Read more >

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Room to Run- Clemyjontri Park

by Leticia

Summer is here and with it is the general desire to be outside. But where do you go to run the wiggles out of your preschooler and toddler in the absence of recess? If you haven't been to Clemyjontri Park just off of the Old Georgetown Pike in McLean, this 2 acre park is sure to wear the most active child out. There's something for everyone at this incredible playground, especially since it ... Read more >

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50 Things To Do in the DC Metro Area With a Child Before They Grow Up

by Leticia

In no particular order, here's a list of 50 things to do in the DC Metro Area with a child before they grow up:Head out the night before and brave the elements for your tickets to the White House Easter Egg Roll just to say you've done it Witness the beauty of the cherry blossoms at the Jefferson Memorial at their peakGo kayaking at Mason Neck State Park in Virginia since it is a great place to ... Read more >

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The Budding Art Critic: How to Make the National Gallery a Place Your Child Loves

by Leticia

In college I was a psychology major who loved taking art history classes. I ended up taking so many art history classes that I had enough credits for a double major. For me, learning about artists and their paintings was just for fun. Every day when my children take out the art box, I watch them and am reminded about the masters I learned about and whose techniques are very similar to those my ... Read more >

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Examining Portraits at the National Portrait Gallery

by Leticia

Housed in the historic Patent Office Building, the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery is a wonderful place to take your child. The National Portrait Gallery contains 20,000 paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings and photographs, portrays men and women who have made significant contributions to the history, development and culture of the people of the United States. When you enter the ... Read more >

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Grandparent tradition- picnics and carousels

by Leticia

Whenever my parents come to visit from California, there are always three items on the agenda: milkshakes, the National Zoo, and taking a spin on a carousel before picnicking at our favorite parks. Over the years, Little Miss Techie and Captain Computer have taken many rides on the DC area carousels. The carousel at Glen Echo Park is probably my favorite in the DC Metro Area. Housed in a ... Read more >

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Smithsonian Folklife Festival Children's Activities- The Kingdom of Bhutan

by Leticia

It's comingThe 2008 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. Now don't let the inclusion of folklife in the title scare you away. There is nothing folksy about the festival in any way, shape, or form. At least not in the years I've attended. And the Folklife Festival serves as a wonderful way to teach your child about different cultures both in the United States and around the world. This year the 42 ... Read more >

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Smithsonian Folklife Festival Children's Activities- NASA

by Leticia

Today is the second of three days that I'm devoting Being Savvy DC to the ways the Smithsonian Folklife Festival can be enjoyed by the whole family. I covered Bhutan yesterday, am writing about NASA today, and will be highlighting Texas on Monday. My goal is to provide you with a kid-friendly guide to enjoying each part of the Folklife Festival when it opens this Wednesday.Little Miss Techie ... Read more >

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Smithsonian Folklife Festival Children's Activities- Texas

by Leticia

Today is the third day in a row that I've devoted Being Savvy DC to the ways the Smithsonian Folklife Festival can be enjoyed by the whole family. I covered Bhutan, wrote about NASA, and am highlighting Texas today. My goal through this series is to provide you with a kid-friendly guide to enjoying each part of the Folklife Festival when it opens this Wednesday.After learning about space over ... Read more >

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Getting to Know My City: 5 Great Ways to Introduce your preschooler to local history

by Leticia

Living in our Nation's Capital, we are a stone's throw from as much history as we can choose to absorb and landmarks at every turn. But waiting in line exposed to the elements as you wait to get into the Washington Monument isn't exactly the most child-friendly thing to do. How can you expose your toddler or preschooler to local history in an age appropriate way? Here are some ideas:Step back ... Read more >

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Meadowlark Botanical Gardens: Northern Virginia's Hidden Jewel

by Leticia

Guest writer Linda Kerr lives in Fairfax County with her two kids. She and her clan venture out to find fun and excitement close to home that doesn't break the bank. Linda is currently writing a book on having kids less than two years apart (aka Baby Bunching). She can also be found writing at Monkey Business and for DC Metro Moms.With school out for summer, it's tricky to find fun things for ... Read more >

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Outdoor Movies

by Leticia

To me, summer is all about spending as much time as humanly possible outdoors. With it staying light outside longer, our children spend more time playing outside in the evenings and later bedtimes. Without the rigid routine of the school year, it is easier to stay up just a little later and catch a family movie outside at many of the great venues that offer free family flicks throughout the ... Read more >

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Getting Far Away with a Good Book

by Leticia

Having spent a couple years in Boston during graduate school, one of my favorite books that always brings me back to Beantown is Robert McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings. My toddler and preschooler can never get enough of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard and I'm always willing to read it because there's something magical about the story, with its charcoal illustrations and the tale of the pair of ducks ... Read more >

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Free Metro accessible summer concerts

by Leticia

Nothing says summer like enjoying music outside while you get your groove on with your kids with a cold drink in hand. Summer isn't quite over yet but it will be before you know it. With free Metro accessible concerts almost every day of the week, you can be sure to catch some live music before the summer ends.Enjoy free music on Wednesdays at Stathmore's Gudelsky Concert Pavilion Gazebo ... Read more >

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Jim Henson's Muppets on the Silver Screen & Smithsonian International Gallery

by Leticia

The very first movie Little Miss Techie ever saw in a theater wasn't a big name animated DreamWorks or Pixar blockbuster in a theater with digital surround sound and stadium seating. It was The Muppet Movie. Seeing such American cultural icons on the silver screen at the AFI Silver Theater and Cultural Center in Silver Spring two years ago was as much as a treat for her as it was for me and my ... Read more >

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Room to Run: Brookside Gardens

by Leticia

We just went to Brookside Gardens and as much as I love going there, each time we go, I'm reminded how wonderful it is. Located in Wheaton, Maryland, Brookside Gardens is 50 acres of free tranquility and beauty that can wear your child out! One of my favorite features is the Japanese Tea House. Accessible by a stone path or a wooden footbridge, the Japanese Tea House is a place to enjoy some ... Read more >

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Washington DC Government Truck Touch

by Leticia

Does your child go mad for things that like diggers, fire trucks, bulldozers, helicopters, and boats? Do they run to the window at the first sound of a siren? Are they wowed by construction equipmentIf so, the first ever Washington DC Government Truck Touch is the place for you this Saturday! DC Mayor Adrian M. Fenty invites the public to come out and climb aboard the nearly 30 the ... Read more >

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Tuesday List Day: Best Places to See the Fish

by Leticia

There is no shortage of places in the DC Metro Area to see fish. Especially live fish for free. If you aren't into traveling to see the fish, you don't need to look farA local pet store, a grocery store, and online are also great places to go. Check out my list of best places to see the fish: The United Stated National Arboretum is home to more than plants. Visit the ginormous brightly ... Read more >

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Jim Henson's Fantastic World

by Leticia

Are you looking for a fun inexpensive kid-friendly museum outing in DC that will be as much fun for you as the kids? If so, pack a lunch and take a trip to the National Mall to see Jim Henson's Fantastic World. Last weekend we hopped aboard the Metro (which is an adventure of its own for my two children!) and disembarked at the Smithsonian stop to walk less than a block to the Smithsonian ... Read more >

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Where to go to meet friends

by Leticia

When my daughter was an infant many years ago, one of my favorite places to meet a friend was at the Nordstrom Caf. The tasty and reasonably priced food was a huge draw as was the fact that we could linger and talk with no one would batting an eye. Also the proximity to the Ladies' Lounge that had nice bathrooms for diaper changes and nursing was a nice benefit to meeting there. But as my ... Read more >

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Get your craft/rock/green on at Crafty Bastards

by Leticia

On Sunday, the 5th Annual Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair will be held in Adams Morgan. Hosted by The Marie Reed Learning Center, Crafty Bastards highlights up-and-coming artists and those newer to the indie craft scene. We stopped by the first Crafty Bastards in Silver Spring at the end of June and were treated to a host of fabulous unique goods. Hand sewn dim sum pieces like cha siu ... Read more >

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Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day

by Leticia

If you are a Friend of the National Zoo or a member of the Smithsonian Institution, you might have noticed a page in this month's magazine about Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day this Saturday, September 27. Museum Day is a way to enjoy free museum admission for you and a guest (or child!) to hundreds of museums and cultural venues all over the country. To enjoy free admission, tear out the page ... Read more >

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Foster a Love of Literacy at The National Book Festival

by Leticia

Deciding what to do this Saturday is going to be difficult. Besides Smithsonian Museum Day, another great event going on this Saturday is the National Book Festival. The festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 27, rain or shine, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., between 3rd and 7th streets. The National Book Festival is a wonderful way to cultivate a love of ... Read more >

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Tuesday List: 5 Favorite September Posts

by Leticia

Today it's goodbye September so in honor of the end of the month, I thought Id share my favorite posts of the month. A month of school has passed and are you already tired of packing lunch? If so, Andrea Astrachan from Giant Foods helps parents think outside the lunchbox with great new lunch ideas.If your kids have a favorite babysitter, enlist their help so you can resurrect dates for you and ... Read more >

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Don't Feed the Greedy Ducks

by Beth Hoffman

Hi, I'm Beth, the new girl, and I'm going to be joining Leticia here at Being Savvy DC starting, well, now. I'll be focusing on things to do with your kids in and around Northern Virginia, and will probably even venture into the city or roam a bit father afield from time to time. I'm a not quite native of Northern Virginia, but have spent nearly 30 years in Fairfax and Loudoun ... Read more >

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Free museum admission from Bank of America Museums on Us

by Leticia

As a family of 4, admission to events and museums can add up quickly, especially since our youngest turned 2 this summer and requires paid admission. Luckily we live near DC where museums, with their amazing exhibits, area always free. But sometimes you want to venture beyond The Mall. The Bank of America Museums on Us allows for free museum admission the first weekend of each month ... Read more >

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Fire Prevention Week

by Beth Hoffman

When I hear Fire Prevention Week, I don't immediately start packing up the kids to join in the fun, but it seems that I should. To commemorate Fire Prevention Week (October 5 - October 11), all Fairfax County fire and rescue stations are holding open houses on Saturday, October 11 from 10-4. The press release promises displays and activities on fire safety, including preventing fires and fire ... Read more >

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free books for Herndon kids

by Beth Hoffman

Do you live in Herndon? Do you have kids under five? Well then, Dolly Parton wants to send you free books! No, really. It's called Imagination Library, and if you live in Herndon or one of the 731 other participating communities in the U.S. and Canada they, in cooperation with a local sponsor, will send your child a new free book every month until they turn five. ... Read more >

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Five for Tuesday - Places that Inspire the Imagination

by Beth Hoffman

Ok, I'm feeling a little bad for sending everybody to the mall yesterday, so here are some good choices if you want to help the kids stretch their brains a little more and give their imaginations a work out.Udvar-Hazy Center. From early planes to a space shuttle, plus a Concord, a Stealth Bomber, helicopters, gliders, ultra lights, rockets and satellites there's lots of material here for ... Read more >

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Kennedy Center's Multicultural Children's Book Festival

by Leticia

Since our November Being Savvy theme is all about books so it is fitting that the Kennedy Center's Thirteenth Annual Multicultural Children's Book Festival kicks off our month of literacy related posts. Children, parents, and educators are invited to the Kennedy Center today from Noon-6 pm to celebrate Family Literacy Day at the Multicultural Children's Book Festival. Books come to life in this ... Read more >

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The Local Lingo: ABCs of the DC Metro Area

by Leticia

Learning to sing the ABCs is something that children learn at a young age. Being able to identify the letters in the alphabet, both uppercase and lowercase, comes a little later. Then along come the alphabet books, or in our case an ABC guide to the DC Metro Area:A- Adams Morgan for ethnic dinner table destinationsB- Beltway's infamous traffic. Never be without a stack of CDs to sing ... Read more >

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Savvy Guest: National Children's Museum Offers Tips to Beat Winter Boredom

by Leticia

Today's Savvy guest post is by the National Children's Museum. When it opens in 2012, The National Children's Museum (NCM) will be a world-class cultural and educational center dedicated to engaging children and empowering them to make a difference. The mission of NCM is to inspire children to care about and improve the world. Today the National Children's Museum experts provide families with ... Read more >

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Guide to Storytimes

by Leticia

Who doesn't love a good story? Public libraries and bookstores host free story times for children that can breathe life into old favorites or make you discover a fabulous new book. Browse the list below and pencil the dates of local story times in your calendar so you are never without a great story.Public library systems: Alexandria Arlington County Fairfax County Falls Church City ... Read more >

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Babygarten in Loudoun County

by Beth Hoffman

If you are in or near Loudoun County and have a child 18 months old or younger and you aren't going to Babygarten, you are missing out. The program is run by Loudoun County libraries, here's the description from their website:"Babygarten is a fun, exciting and informational program for infants and their parents or caregivers. Infants and their caregivers share nursery rhymes, songs and ... Read more >

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Free Montgomery County Open House Friday for Coach Doug- We Wanna Be Sports Class

by Leticia

If you live in Montgomery County and have perused the county recreation department offerings and have wondered about signing your child up for Coach Doug- We Wanna Be sports class, here is your chance to try it for free. Friday is an open house where anyone can come to check out the class for free. Coach Doug provides instruction in sports and agility training through supervised, ... Read more >

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Kids Hate Shopping - Better Ideas for Black Friday

by Beth Hoffman

Still in town? Need to get out of the house or burn off that dinner? Check out some local events (that don't involve hitting the malls with the rest of your neighbors) for the long weekend. Reston Town Center - Get started early tomorrow with a 8:30 AM race for kids. Registration starts at 7:30 and kids race free. The parade starts at 11:00 and Santa arrives at 12:30. If you really ... Read more >

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Tuesday List: Local Light Up Traditions

by Leticia

December has arrived and nothing says holidays like lights. Lots and lots of lights. If your neighbors are just starting to deck their halls, roofs, and yards with decorations and your family is in need of a light fix, here are some great places where you can go to see beautiful light displays beginning now.Festival of Lights at the Washington Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day ... Read more >

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Smithsonian National Museum of American History

by Beth Hoffman

Remember last week when I suggested a post-Thanksgiving trip to the National Museum of American History? I hope nobody took me up on that. We went the day after Thanksgiving and that place was insane. There were large sections of the museum where it was literally impossible to walk and make any forward progress, and you could just forget about getting anywhere with your stroller. A very ... Read more >

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Five for Tuesday - Local Holiday Traditions

by Leticia

One of the fun things about having kids is the chance to start new traditions for your family. So far, most of our have been home-based because the kids are little and it is just easier, so we make gingerbread men on Thanksgiving morning and Christmas-themed sugar cookies on Christmas Eve. But I expect to be hauling the kids all over town before much longer, the same way my parents hauled ... Read more >

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