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

Child Friendly Bethesda Row is Fun for the Whole Family

by Leticia

May 11, 2009

Looking for a place that has stylish shopping, great dining options, and boasts child friendly spaces with room to run can be a tall order.  Recently we’ve found that Bethesda Row delivers all of the above.

With an impressive list of restaurants that can delight foodies, Bethesda Row’s restaurants are also places where parents with children can feel comfortable going with their kids for a nice evening out.  Most restaurants, including Austin Grill, Levante’s, Mon Ami Gabi, Café Deluxe, Cosi, Le Pain Quoitdien, Lebanese Taverna, and Raku feature outdoor seating.  We love being able to eat al fresco not only for the fresh air, but also because minimizes parental embarrassment since the birds tend to clean up puddle of rice or pile of crumbs left underneath our kids’ seats.

With no shortage of stroller traffic on Bethesda Row streets, store owners are used to parents who bring their kids in to browse while they shop.  The newly expanded Apple Store has 4 computers on a low table with round seats for children to test outkid friendly software titles while mom and dad browse.  Out of all the large bookstores, I’ve found that the Bethesda Barnes and Noble has the most knowledgeable staff in the children’s section and the most organized collection of books. The enticing window displays of Tugooh Toys/Yiro Children’s Clothing on Bethesda Avenue reveals a children’s paradise upon setting foot inside.

The collection of shops and restaurants may be called Bethesda Row but include an area larger than a city block which allows for plenty of walking and running between stores.  The uneven cobblestone walkway that passes by stores like Lucy, Cacao, Le Creuset and Redwood Restaurant and Bar is a safe place for kids to run since it is protected from traffic.  Just watch the windows at Redwood if they are open since the bottom corners of the many windows stick out and are about the height of a three year old’s forehead!  There’s also a great park kitty-corner from Lebanese Taverna and across the street from the newly renovated Giant Food Store

There are also many other kid-friendly stops along the way.  Barnes and Noble boosts a stage with weekly story times, plentiful floor space for cuddling up with a book, and a train set which is always popular.  The fountain outside the Barnes and Noble is perfect for exploring the properties of water or watching birds dust off their feathers.  Or run to the other side of the block to find a fountain where water runs over cups and plates with a Winnie the Pooh quote encircling it.

Bethesda Row is west of Wisconsin Avenue, between Bradley Boulevard and Old Georgetown Road.  Click here for directions.

For a list of child friendly dinner time destinations, come back tomorrow for my Tuesday List which will give a rundown of the many ethnic eateries in Bethesda. Friday’s post will feature the best places to roam in Bethesda to work out those pre and post meal wiggles.

99 Things To Do in DC

by Leticia

February 24, 2009

In no particular order, here’s a list of 99 things to do in the DC Metro Area with a child before they grow up:

1. Head out the night before and brave the elements to obtain coveted tickets to the White House Easter Egg Roll
2. Witness the beauty of the cherry blossoms at the Jefferson Memorial at their peak 
3. Go kayaking at Mason Neck State Park in Virginia since it is a great place to spot a bald eagle 
4. Step back in time and go on a canal boat ride in Great Falls or Georgetown 
5. After dinner and a bath, take your PJ-clad child on a tour of the Monuments at night
6. Appreciate the grandeur of the interior space of the National Building Museum then head to the Building Zone to satisfy your child’s inner Bob the Builder 
7. Play at Turtle Park and don’t miss Turtle Park Day  
8. Attend a performance at Glen Echo Puppet Theater 
9. Catch a show at Glen Echo Adventure Theater, DC’s longest running children’s theater 
10. Take a spin on the Glen Echo Carousel and witness the amazing Wurlitzer band organ 
11. Witness air acrobatics at Bealeton Airport Flying Circus 
12. Choose a local farm, bring your own containers, and an appetite to spend a couple hours berry picking
13. Introduce your child to the wonders of live performances at Wolf Trap Theater in the Woods 
14. Attend afternoon high tea at Strathmore Mansion 
15. Witness the power of water at Great Falls
16. Take a seat at the end of the runway at National Airport’s Gravelly Point and watch airplanes zoom overhead 
17. Explore all areas of the National Zoo, including the naked mole rats
18. Feed the koi at the National Arboretum
19. Ponder what George Washington used to think about while sitting on his back porch on Mount Vernon high above the Potomac River 
20. Ride the train and feed the trash pig (a trash can that talks when you throw garbage in it) at Cabin John Park 
21. Throw rocks in Rock Creek
22. Hike part of the Billy Goat Trail 
23. Spend time in the woods just exploring
24. Go camping at a local campground for the weekend
25. Bike the Monuments and the sights of The Mall
26. Go to Sky Meadows State Park for Astronomy Day or a Saturday Star Party
27. Let a butterfly land on you at the Wings of Fancy exhibit at Brookside Gardens 
28. Attend the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival to witness sheep shearing, partake in the fabulous lamb sold at the concession stands, and be dazzled by all the beautiful hand knit items for sale by vendors 
29. Experience the plethora of fried goods, carnival rides, and animals at a County fair
30. Have a hands on learning day at Port Discovery 
31. Go train crazy at the B&O Railroad Museum 
32. Go plane crazy at the College Park Aviation Museum 
33. Have a cultural experience at an Embassy
34. Ride a restored DC trolley car at the National Capital Trolley Museum 
35. Hunt for shark teeth at Calvert Cliffs State Park 
36. Hum The Star Spangled Banner while paying tribute to the inspiration for our National Anthem during a visit to Fort McHenry 
37. Step back in time to 1771 at Claude Moore Historical Farm 
38. Attend Claude Moore Historical Farm’s Market Fair offered three weekends a year 
39. Engage in hands on science at Discovery Creek Children’s Museum 
40. Enjoy more hands on science fun at the Maryland Science Center 
41. Stare in awe at the most amazing stained glass rosettes at the National Cathedral 
42. Stare in awe at sheets of uncut money at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing 
43. Stare in awe as you take in the scenery from the top of the Washington Monument 
44. Explore every corner of the 2 acre Clemyjontri Park 
45. Procure tickets to an afternoon performance of Cirque du Soleil and witness acrobatics like you’ve never seen before 
46. Cruise the Potomac
47. Attend Art-o-Matic, the free art festival featuring paintings, sculpture, photography, music, theater, poetry, dance and workshops 
48. Visit Cunningham Falls
49. Attend the lighting of the National Christmas Tree
50. Visit the bonfire on the Ellipse during the holidays
51. Catch Vienna based kid rock band, Rocknoceros, in concert for music the whole family will enjoy
52. Join up with Stroller Strides for a great workout and fun scenery and songs for your kiddo
53. Attend the Smithsonian Folklife Festival
54. Marvel at Jim Henson’s creations, First Ladies gowns, and the ruby slippers at the Museum of American History
55. Give your child unrestricted access to the hose one hot humid summer afternoon
56. Go swimming at an indoor pool in the middle of winter
57. Cool off at an ice skating rink during the summer
58. Be a pirate for a day 
59. Visit Meadowlark Gardens 
60. Begin to culture a love of art with a visit to the National Portrait Gallery or National Gallery 
61. Catch a summer movie outside under the stars at the Strathmore Film Fest or Screen on the Green
62. Practice using chop sticks at dim sum 
63. Go fishing 
64. Root for the home team at an O’s or Nat’s game
65. Pretend to be a rocket scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center 
66. Go apple picking
67. Take advantage of Free for All Fridays classes at the Roundhouse Theater 
68. See the sights in the snow
69. Visit rescued owls and experience the cave slide at Meadowside Nature Center
70. Enjoy the spectacle of a Chinese New Year’s parade
71. Root for the Ravens or the Redskins either live or on TV
72. Have a SmartTrip card and know how to swipe it to ride the Metro
73. Know which Metro station is closest to home
74. Marvel at the sculptures in the National Gallery Sculpture Garden
75. Seen the inspiration for the Star Spangled Banner at the Museum of American History
76. Witnessed the grandeur of the space shuttle at Udvar Hazy
77. Indulge in a hot dog at Ben’s Chili Bowl
78. Visit all the monuments on the National Mall
79. Write a letter and mail it from the National Postal Museum
80. Visit Roosevelt Island 
81. Walk among the dinosaurs or visit the butterflies at the National Museum of Natural History
82. Visit the butterflies at the National Museum of Natural History
83. Have an ice cream themed birthday party and create your own flavor of ice cream at Moorenko’s
84. Go spelunking at Luray Caverns 
85. Rock out with your kids while sipping coffee at Jammin’ Java 
86. Go on a tour of the White House with tickets from your local Member of Congress
87. Visit an aquarium- either in Baltimore or the one right here in DC!
88. Cool off at Deep Creek Lake
89. Test furniture at IKEA until you get a craving for meatballs and lingonberry sauce
90. Visit a lighthouse
91. Practice espionage at the International Spy Museum
92. Go fly a kite at the Smithsonian Kite Festival on the Washington Monument grounds 
93. Gaze at the stars at the Rock Creek Planetarium 
94. Enjoy a free summer concert at Carter Barron Amphitheater 
95. Watch the tennis pros practice for free before competing in the Legg Mason Tennis Classic
96. Become one with nature at the Audobon Nature Fair 
97. Ogle at sailboats at the United States Sailboat and Powerboat Shows in Annapolis
98. Walk in the Susan G. Komen National Race for the Cure 
99. Watch 4th of July fireworks on the National Mall
100. Spend a whole day doing what your child wants to do!

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...

Kicking off the New Year

by Beth Hoffman

December 31, 2008

So, schools have been closed for a long, long time now and I'm sure many of us are looking for ways to get the kids out the house for a day. The good news is that many things are open on New Year's Day. Here are my recommendations for getting the new year kicked off to an educational start. The Smithsonian - all Smithsonian museums are open tomorrow, and most open at 10  Read more...

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

by Leticia

November 12, 2008

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...

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens

by Beth Hoffman

October 23, 2008

Have a budding (har-har) botanist in your family? Now is the perfect time for a trip to Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna for a lesson in how the changing seasons affect the gardens. The 95-acre space boasts a nice visitor center, ornamental gardens, native plants and wildflowers, a wooded trail, a large lake, and lots of kid-focused displays and play  Read more...

Getting Far Away with a Good Book

by Leticia

July 17, 2008

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...

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...

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

by Leticia

May 27, 2008

Top 5 Things to Do in the DC Area on a Rainy Day Sometimes 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  Read more...

Discovering the Joy of Birds at the National Zoo

by Leticia

May 15, 2008

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...