Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Washington, DC

Summertime, Summertime, Sum-Sum-Summertime

by Beth Hoffman

June 03, 2009

I keep swearing that I am sticking to one activity per kid for the summer and spending the rest of our time playing at the pool and visiting new places and attending all the kid-friendly events that happen around here in the summer.  But then I keep finding out about new activities that my kids would love, so I'm having a hard time sticking to it.  In case you are still in the market for some ways to pass the weeks until school starts back up, here are some of the things tempting me:

• Yoga!  Soccer!  Ballet!  Arts and Crafts!  Swimming!  Nature hikes!  Gymnastics!  Once a week classes or weeks-long camps!  And cheap!  Oh, Parks and Recreation, where have you been all my life?  Check out your local county, city or town rec center and see what they are offering for the summer.  My almost-four-year-old could keep herself very bus bouncing from camp to class to activity at the local community center.  We've done several programs there in the past year and they have beenalmost without exception fantatic.
• Most of the indoor playground places (Gymboree, Little Gym, My Gym, JW Tumbles, etc.) offer summer camps for preschool-age and up.  I've been considering Little Gym, where you can do morning or afternoon sessions and can buy anywhere from one day of camp to the entire summer.

No, wait, I have to stop looking or else I'm going to sign the kids up for something every day of the week.  What are your kids doing this summer?  Read more...

Weekend Picks: Fun, Free Family Fun!

by Leticia

April 23, 2009

Nothing to do this weekend?  Other than getting outside and enjoying the beautiful spring weather we are supposed to have after the last few rainy days, here are my weekend picks for some great free family fun.

 

Maryland Day

Saturday 10-4 pm
University of Maryland, College Park

This popular free family friendly event is UMD’s open house that is filled with learning, exploration, and fun.  Choose activities among the various themes:  Science & Tech Way, Arts Alley, Sports & Rec Row, Biz & Society Hill, Terp Town Center, Ag Day Avenue, and Global Village.  UMD will have over 400 hands on activities, workshops, events, and performances so there will be something to please everyone in your family.  Click here for a list of events especially designed for kids. 

 

Celebrate Earth Day with the Montgomery County Division of Solid Waste Services

Saturday 11-3 pm
850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, MD  20850

Catch a bus every 15 minutes to tour the county’s recycling center, get a free Leafgro and compost bin, make Earth Friendly crafts, bring your jeans and other denim clothing to repurpose into home insulation, bring your personal documents for on site shredding, and learn more about environmentall friendly homes, recycling and waste reduction, and purchasing recycled products.

 

Grand Opening of National Children’s Museum Launch Zone

Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26, 2009, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m
NCM Launch Zone, 112 Waterfront Street, National Harbor, MD 20745

Open to the public seven days a week, the Launch Zone is a place where children can prototype exhibit components and programs, share their ideas about what should be included in the new Museum, and participate in fun and educational programs related to the Museum’s core content areas.  On Saturday festivities will feature recycled art activities, face painting, chalk art, food, and an original, interactive performance by the Museum, The Adventures of Wally the Water Bottle. Performances will take place at 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m.  On Sunday, April 26, the celebration continues with recycled and chalk art activities, face painting, balloon creations, treats, and a special performance – Sea Revels – by cultural performance organization, the Washington Revels. Performances will take place at the Main Stage at National Harbor at 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.

 

 

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Savvy Guest: National Children's Museum's Tips for Combating Winter Boredom

by Leticia

February 09, 2009

Today's Savvy Guest post is by the National Children's Museum whose experts are providing fun and educational ideas and activities to cure the cold-weather blues. "The winter months find most families inside, reading books, playing games, and finding ways to keep boredom at bay," said Linda Coulombe, Manager of Science Programs, National Children's Museum. "But most pediatricians and experienced  Read more...

Kid Art Auction for Earth Day 2009

by Beth Hoffman

February 05, 2009

Our fabulous Being Savvy Denver City Editor, Aimee, has recently announced the second annual Kid Art Auction for Earth Day. This effort was started last year when Aimee's six year old son suggested that they hold an art sale in their backyard. Things being what they are, the effort soon made the jump to cyberspace and raised nearly $800 for environmental causes. The concept is  Read more...

Celebrating Chinese New Year

by Leticia

January 24, 2009

For our family, Monday is an important day. As a Chinese-American, it is the start of Chinese New Year and the beginning of Year of the Ox. Like Korean and Vietnamese cultures, Chinese New Year begins on the Lunar New Year. Chinese New Year is China's most important holiday. Each year is represented by one of 12 animals: rat, ox, tiger, hare or rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram or sheep, monkey,  Read more...

New Life for Cardboard Boxes

by Leticia

December 27, 2008

Christmas is over. The kids have unwrapped their mountain of gifts and you've set the wrapping paper in the recycle bin. Now what? Well think twice before you recycle those cardboard boxes that far away friends and relatives used to send gifts to your kids. You may want to hang on to them and have them become part of your next adventure or art project. Like David Shannon's character, Spencer,  Read more...

Savvy Indoor Activities for Winter Months

by Leticia

December 19, 2008

It is that time of year when the days are short, weather is cold, kids are sick, and we find ourselves spending more time inside than weâ??d like. When we start to go stir crazy indoors I find that a good activity puts everyone in a better mood. Luckily the Savvy Source Activity Finder is full of great ideas for the cold winter months. Browse the section called Around the House and find lots  Read more...

Greening the Holidays

by Leticia

December 10, 2008

Regardless of what you are celebrating this year, make your holidays a little greener by being kind to the environment and teaching your children a lesson in conservation. The holidays always involves an amazing collection of trash due to wrapping paper and the packaging that gifts come in. Be green when you wrap by recycling materials that would otherwise go in your trash. I was flipping  Read more...

Being Green This Halloween

by Leticia

October 20, 2008

Halloween is always about orange and black but this year add a little green into the mix and teach your children to be a little more environmentally conscious. Being green for Halloween is much easier than you may have ever imagined and here is a list of many things you can do to enjoy Halloween while also reducing, reusing, and recycling. Walk your own neighborhood when trick or treating  Read more...

Pirate 101- A Pirate Primer

by Leticia

August 07, 2008

If your child is obsessed with pirates, here in the DC Metro Area there is no shortage of pirate adventure. Here's a guide to how you might begin indulging every pirate fantasy. First pick up a primer to pirates. Imagine You're a Pirate is like Pirate 101. It helps you channel your inner pirate to make sure you don proper pirate dress, eat proper pirate food (which is often referred to as  Read more...

Soda Can Bowling

by Leticia

July 28, 2008

We are a Diet Coke family. My husband loves the stuff meaning that there's no shortage of soda cans in our recycling bin each week. Staring at the wealth of Diet Coke cans as I passed by our recycling bin on my way to the house today reminded me of a great activity that we once did in the basement of our college dorm- can bowling! Can bowling is simple- gather all of those cans that have  Read more...

A Backyard for the Birds

by Leticia

July 14, 2008

After the tragedy of a baby bird dying in our yard , it was a pleasure to watch a robin build a nest right outside our kitchen window one night during dinner. As we've sat together at each meal over the past two weeks we've watched Mama Bird sit on her three eggs. We've watched her come and go and hunker down in her nest, protecting them during summer rainstorms. Little Miss Techie and Captain  Read more...

Being Savvy DC's Weekend Picks

by Leticia

June 27, 2008

Lacking plans for the beautiful weekend that is ahead of us? Well look no further! Here are my Being Savvy Washington DC picks for this weekend: Saturday- Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair On Saturday, the Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair will be held in Silver Spring, Maryland (just north of the DC line) for the very first time! Hosted by Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center, Crafty  Read more...