Kid-friendly Activities in DC, Maryland & Northern Virginia this Weekend (10/18 - 10/20)
Election season is here! This past weekend we visited The People's House, which is a new "White House Experience" in downtown DC, located at 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. This free-to-visit experience is all about the history of the White House. There are interactive components like an immersive theatre with touch-points that display interesting facts, movie-theater style trivia and a life-like experience that mimics a presidential dinner. If you've never toured the White House, visiting The People's House gives you a good idea of what it's like to walk the hallways and the history behind them. Speaking of touring the White House, did you know you can request a tour of the actual White House through your state (or city in the case of DC) representative? Click the image above of us in the Oval Office replica for more info on how to send your request! And stay tuned for more info on The People's House coming to Instagram and Facebook. Now on to this weekend's activities...
Sarah Acors
Creator of 4DMV Kids & Founder of BCB DMV+
Events
Friday, October 18, 2024
Washington, DC
- 9:00 am | Dig Deep: Archaeological Discoveries Student Day at the Museum of the Bible ($)
- 3:30 pm | Afterschool Spooky Movies at Parklands-Turner Neighborhood Library in SE
- 5:00 pm | Young Ladies on the Rise Program Hallow Smash at Raymond Recreation Center in NW (Best for girls ages 6-13)
- 6:00 pm | Boo at the Zoo at Smithsonian National Zoo ($)
- Parking passes are sold out.
- 7:30 pm | Mean Girls at the National Theatre ($)
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- 9:00 am | School’s Out Skate Day at Bowie Ice Arena ($) (Best for ages 5-12)
- 3:00 pm | Tail Waggin’ Tutors at Beltsville Library
- Build your child’s confidence as they read to specially trained therapy dogs.
- 6:00 pm | IKEA College Park Halloween Fair & Outdoor Movie Night
- [Just Added] 6:00 pm | Autism Beyond Awareness: Intro to Biomed at Penfield Play Lab ($)
- For adults but on site childcare available for an additional cost.
- 8:00 pm | Sister Act at Bowie Playhouse ($)
Montgomery County
- 9:00 am | Family Fishing Fun! at Black Hill Boats in Boyds ($)
- 9:00 am | Climb It for Teens at Washington Square Neighborhood Park in Gaithersburg ($) (Best for ages 14-18)
- 9:00 am | Kayaking on Great Seneca Lake ($) (Best for ages 12-15)
- 10:00 am | Superhero Skate at Wheaton Ice Arena ($) (Best for ages 4-9)
- 10:30 am | The Puppet Co. presents Jennie the Cat: A Halloween Adventure at Glen Echo Park ($) (Best for ages 4-8)
- 1:00 pm | STEAM: Challenge Accepted – Build a da Vinci Bridge at Olney Library
- 2:00 pm | School’s Out STEM Stations at Aspen Hill Library
- 3:00 pm | Build your own Mini Catapult at Long Branch Library
- [Just Added] 5:00 pm | Middle School Maker Night at KID Museum in Bethesda ($)
More Maryland Events
- 11:00 am | Pixel Art Challenge at Central Branch Library in Columbia (Best for ages 6-11)
- 11:30 am | Campfire Tales & Songs at Savage Branch Library in Laurel (Best for ages 3-6)
- 2:00 pm | STEM Fun: Code & Go Robot Mouse at Elkridge Branch Library (Best for ages 6-9)
- 2:00 pm | Cryptozoology at Miller Branch Library in Ellicott City (Best for ages 8-10)
- 3:00 pm | Crafternoon at East Columbia Branch Library
- 4:00 pm | Campfire Tales at Savage Branch Library in Laurel (Best for ages 7-11)
- 6:30 pm | Cookie Decorating Class & Milkshakes! at The Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar in Ellicott City ($)
- 7:00 pm | The Haunted Experience at Rockburn Branch Park in Elkridge ($) (Best for ages 7+)
- 7:00 pm | Disney on Ice presents Let’s Dance at CFG Bank Arena ($)
Virginia
Arlington County
- 6:00 pm | Parents Night Out at Walter Reed Community Center ($) (Best for ages 5-10)
City of Alexandria
- 4:00 pm | Legacy of Courage Concert Series at Charles Houston Recreation Center
- Celebrating the life and civil rights impact of Samuel W. Tucker, who was an instrumental figure during the 1939 Alexandria Library sit-in, advocating for equal rights for all Alexandrians regardless of race.
More Virginia Events
- [Just Added] 10:00 am | Kindermusik Storytime – The Very Busy Spider at Potomac Music in Lorton ($) (Best for ages 6+)
- 5:00 pm | Farm Harvest Festival and Carnival and Big Truck Night at Frying Pan Farm Park ($10 parking at gate)
- 6:30 pm | Zombie Zumba Party at Herndon Com Center ($) (Best for ages 16+)
- 7:00 pm | Campfire Fridays at Lake Fairfax Park ($)
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Washington, DC
- [Just Added] 9:00 am | Mayor Muriel Bowser presents: A Key to the City for Darrell Green at Franklin Park in NW
- 9:30 am | Little Critters: Nature Play (Animal Poop) at the National Zoo (Best for ages 0-5)
- 10:00 am | Harvest Day at The Kennedy Center’s REACH Plaza
- Free! Join local nonprofit FRESHFARM for activities, vendors, and music to explore the local food system.
- 10:00 am | The Big Build at the National Building Museum
- 10:00 am | Kids Euro Fest Family Day at MLK Memorial Library (Best for ages 4-10)
- 10:00 am | 4th Annual Planet Wordiversary and Community Day at Planet Word
- 10:00 am | Reading All Stars at Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library in NW
- Literacy program for elementary school kids
- 10:15 am | Crafty Tales: Antoni Gaudi at Merry Pins in NW (Best for ages 3-8)
- Hands on crafting activity
- 10:30 am | Family Day: Halloween at Library of Congress
- 10:30 am, 11:45 am & 1:00 pm | Dance Sanctuaries curated by KanKouran West African Dance Company at The Kennedy Center
- Free dance workshops!
- 11:00 am | Ants on a Log Family Concert at Tenley-Friendship Neighborhood Library (Best for ages 0-12)
- [Just Added] 11:00 am | 2nd Annual Fam Fest at Howard University’s Homecoming
- 11:00 am & 1:30 pm | Spells of the Sea at The Kennedy Center ($)
- Coming-of-age musical performance
- [Just Added] 12:00 pm | 2024 Kingman Island Friends & Family Day
- 12:00 pm | Fall Arts & Crafts Drop-In Workshop at the Anacostia Community Museum
- [Just Added] 1:00 pm | Taste of the Harvest at THEARC in SE
- 1:00 pm | Book Event Melanin Magic: A Young Mystics Guide to African Spirituality at Sankofa Cafe in NW
- 1:00 pm | Tea Party Sip and Paint at Made with Love DC in NE ($)
- 1:00 pm | NEXTGENPRENEUR Day for middle/high school girl entrepreneurs and innovators at American University ($) (Best for girls ages 11-18)
- 1:30 pm | Accessible Screening of Disney’s Haunted Mansion (2023) at MLK Memorial Library (Rated PG-13)
- 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm | Mean Girls at the National Theatre ($)
- 5:00 pm | Parents Night Out at iGen Educational Academy in SE ($) (Best for grades Pk – 5th)
- 6:00 pm | Youth Art Exhibition with Ephrata Fossil Abate at Sankofa Cafe in NW
- [Just Added] 6:00 pm | Kids Kino “Sieger Sein” with Writer/Director Soleen Yosef at Goethe-Institut Washington in NW (Best for ages 10+)
- After arriving to Berlin as a refugee, 11-year-old Mona starts to fit in after she joins a soccer team. Film screening includes filmmaker talkback/Q&A
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- 9:00 am | Fall Harvest Festival at George Washington’s Mount Vernon ($)
- 9:00 am | Gateway Farmer’s Market Fall Fest 2024 at 3716 Rhode Island Ave in Mount Rainier
- 10:00 am | Family Zumba at College Park Community Center
- 10:30 am | Planting a Pollinator Garden at Bowie Library
- Free plants + explanation of how to get started
- 10:30 am | Cub Corner: Spooky Spiders at College Park Aviation Museum ($) (Best for ages 5 & under)
- 11:00 am | 10th Annual Green Summit at David C. Driskell Community Park
- 11:00 am | American Indian Festival at Patuxent River Park
- Make sure to stop by the Sankofa Mobile Museum at the festival!
- 11:00 am | Open House & Fire Prevention Day at Station 39 in Bowie
- 11:00 am | Harvest Festival at Riversdale House Museum Historic Site ($)
- Includes cooking demos, activities for the family & more!
- 12:00 pm | Dinosaur Park Open House in Laurel
- 1:00 pm | STEM-tastic: Ozobots at Mount Rainier Library (Best for ages 8-12)
- 1:00 pm | STEM for Families: The Great Pumpkin Investigation at Accokeek Library (Best for ages 5-12)
- [For the adults] 1:00 pm | Birth through 5 Help Me Thrive: Understanding your Child’s Early Developmental Milestones at Hillcrest Heights Library
- 8:00 pm | Sister Act at Bowie Playhouse ($)
Montgomery County
- 10:00 am | Spooky Skull Hike at Maydale Nature Classroom in Colesville ($) (Best for ages 3-12)
- Press fresh apple cider, make pumpkin bird feeders, create a scarecrow for your front yard, make creepy crafts, and go on a spooky skull hike.
- 10:00 am | Pumpkin Decorating at Creative Outlets Arts Center in Burtonsville Crossing
- 10:00 am | Beginning Miniaturists at Damascus Library (Best for ages 10-12)
- 10:00 am & 1:00 pm | Winnie the Pooh at Imagination Stage ($) (Best for ages 3+)
- 11:00 am | STEM at the Library: Colorful Science at Chevy Chase Library (Best for ages 5+)
- 11:30 am & 1:00 pm | The Puppet Co. presents Jennie the Cat: A Halloween Adventure at Glen Echo Park ($) (Best for ages 4-8)
- 12:00 pm | Crafts at the Library: Teen Time at Kensington Park Library
- Make a glow in the dark mason jar!
- 2:00 pm | Strathmore Local Park Re-Opening Celebration in Aspen Hill
- Rain date: October 26th
- 2:00 pm | Nature’s Stories at Opal A. Daniels Park in Takoma ($)
- Fundraising, nature, art, and storytelling event hosted by the Takoma Park Cooperative Nursery School
- 2:00 pm | STEM Adventure with the Science Guys! at Maggie Nightingale Library in Poolesville
- 2:00 pm | Spooky Paper Circuits: STEAM at Germantown Library (Best for ages 5+)
- Learn about basic circuits while creating spooky light-up paper circuits!
- 3:00 pm | Hunt for Aliens at Quince Orchard Library in Gaithersburg (Best for ages 6-10)
- 6:30 pm | Movie Night featuring Bedknobs and Broomsticks at the Collection Chevy Chase
More Maryland Events
- [Just Added] 10:00 am | Biggest Playdate Ever at The Byzantium at the Greek Orthodox Church, Annapolis
- 10:30 am, 2:30 pm & 6:30 pm | Disney on Ice presents Let’s Dance at CFG Bank Arena ($)
- 11:00 am | Free Kids Event: Monster Lab at Lakeshore Learning in Towson
- 12:00 pm | Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at Joseph R. Robison Laurel Municipal Center in Laurel
- 12:00 pm | Mermaid Hair at The Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar in Ellicott City ($)
- 12:00 pm | Pumpkin Painting Party! at Savage Branch Library in Laurel (Best for ages 4-10)
- 1:00 pm | Mindful Mosaics: Mindfulness Painting at Elkridge Branch Library (Best for teens)
- 2:00 pm | Let’s Draw… Fall Stuff! at Miller Branch Library in Ellicott City (Best for grades 3-5)
- 6:30 pm | The Haunted Experience at Rockburn Branch Park in Elkridge ($) (Best for ages 7+)
Virginia
Arlington County
- 10:00 am | Crafty Kids Take-and-Make at Columbia Pike Library
- Get in the spooky mood and create your own witch’s broomstick out of paper and pipe cleaners.
- 10:30 am | Author Visit: Mary Quattlebaum and Hero Dogs at Shirlington Library (Best for grades K-5)
- [Waitlist] 2:00 pm | Trunk or Treat at Lubber Run Community Center
- 3:00 pm | SEEK – Science and Engineering Engagement for Kids at Central Library
- Join local teens as they lead hands-on STEM activities that are engaging and address modern developments.
- [Waitlist] 6:00 pm | Batty about Bats Campfire at Gulf Branch Nature Center
- 6:30 pm | Living Worlds – Planetarium Show at David M. Brown Planetarium ($) (Best for ages 9+)
- 8:00 pm | Distant Worlds – Alien Life? – Planetarium Show at David M. Brown Planetarium ($) (Best for ages 9+)
City of Alexandria
- 9:00 am | STEAM-tastic: Museum Fluid Collection at Del Ray Artisans (Best for ages 6-10)
- 10:30 am | STEAM-tastic: Museum Fluid Collection at Del Ray Artisans (Best for ages 10-15)
- 11:00 am | Free Kids Event: Monster Lab at Lakeshore Learning
- 11:00 am | Family Friendly Wood + Canvas Workshop at AR Workshop ($) (Best for ages 6+)
- 12:00 pm | 29th Annual Art Safari at Torpedo Factory Art Center
- 3:00 pm | 9th Annual Spooky Mad Science Expo 2024 at Patrick Henry Recreation Center
- Rain date: October 26th
- 4:00 pm | Legacy of Courage Concert Series at Charles Houston Recreation Center
- Celebrating the life and civil rights impact of Samuel W. Tucker, who was an instrumental figure during the 1939 Alexandria Library sit-in, advocating for equal rights for all Alexandrians regardless of race.
- 6:30 pm | Cinema Del Ray: Inside Out 2 at Mount Vernon Rec Center
More Virginia Events
- 8:00 am | Children’s Entrepreneur Market in Downtown Historic Manassas
- 8:00 am | Tour de Mount Vernon 2024 at Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton ($)
- Rain or shine biking event!
- 10:00 am | Farm Harvest Festival and Carnival at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon ($10 parking fee at gate)
- 10:00 am | Geocaching Adventures at Burke Lake Park in Fairfax Station ($)
- [Just Added] 10:00 am | 1st Stage Storytime featuring “Everyone Belongs” in Tysons
- In Honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month
- 10:30 am | Paint Your Own Pumpkin! at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna ($)
- 4:00 pm & 5:15pm | Pumpkin Plunge at Herndon Com Center ($)
- [Just Added] 5:00 pm | Family Costume Party at Children’s Science Center LAB in Fairfax
- 6:00 pm, 6:30 pm & 7:00 pm | House of Reptiles at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly
Virtual
- 1:00 pm | Virtual Planetarium Show hosted by the Air and Space Museum
Sunday, October 20, 2024
Washington, DC
- 10:30 am | Author Meet & Greet Jodi Levine and Margaret McCartney of “Mousetown” at Politics and Prose in NW
- 11:00 am | Rumpus Room Family Dance Party: Halloween Special at Hi-Lawn in NE ($)
- 11:00 am | Turkish Festival 2024 at Pennsylvania Avenue NW between 3rd Street and 6th Street
- 11:30 am | WELLderness Double Dutch with DC Retro Jumpers at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
- 1:00 pm | DC Punk 10th Anniversary at Lamont Plaza (Best for teens & adults)
- [Last Chance] 1:30 pm & 4:00 pm | Spells of the Sea at The Kennedy Center ($)
- Coming-of-age musical performance
- [Last Chance] 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm | Mean Girls at the National Theatre ($)
- 3:00 pm | Author Visit with Erica Perl at Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library
- Listen to author Erica Perl discuss her books How Carrot and Cookie Saved Christmas, The Ninth Night of Hanukkah, and Whale and the Mystery Mango!
- 6:00 pm | Boo at the Zoo at Smithsonian National Zoo ($)
- Parking passes are sold out.
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- 9:00 am | Fall Harvest Festival at George Washington’s Mount Vernon ($)
- 10:00 am | Girls in Aviation Day at College Park Aviation Museum
- Register by Friday, October 18th!
- 2:00 pm | Pumpkin Painting at Le Fantome Food Hall at The Station at Riverdale Park ($)
Montgomery County
- 9:30 am | Sukkot Storytime with Ruth Polk at People’s Book Takoma
- Ruth Polk is the librarian at Temple Sinai, a Reform Jewish synagogue in Washington, DC where she enjoys leading Shabbat morning story times.
- 10:00 am | Halloween Costume Swap at Fullfillery in Takoma Park
- 10:00 am & 11:30 am | The Puppet Co. presents Jennie the Cat: A Halloween Adventure at Glen Echo Park ($) (Best for ages 4-8)
- 10:00 am & 1:00 pm | Winnie the Pooh at Imagination Stage ($) (Best for ages 3+)
- Meet the actors after the 1:00 pm show!
- 11:00 pm | Halloween on the Green at Cabin John Village in Potomac
- 12:00 pm | Kids Crafts! at Aspen Hill Library
- Create your own fall scene.
- 1:00 pm | Mask Making Workshop at The Loft in Takoma Park ($) (Best for ages 6-10)
- 2:30 pm | STEM at the Library: Blendies at Damascus Library (Best for ages 4-10)
More Maryland Events
- 9:00 am | Sensory Friendly Sunday at Port Discovery in Baltimore ($)
- [Last Chance] 10:30 am, 2:30 pm & 6:30 pm | Disney on Ice presents Let’s Dance at CFG Bank Arena ($)
- 2:00 pm | Happy Haunted Hayride at Rockburn Branch Park in Elkridge ($) (Best for ages 2-7)
- 4:00 pm | Pops Concert at the Chrysalis in Columbia
- Family-friendly performance by the Columbia Orchestra
Virginia
Arlington County
- 10:00 am | MoCA on the Move: Fall Fun Family Series at Metropolitan Park
- Make Monarch Butterfly Strands and Marigold Flowers for Dia de los Muertos with artist, David Amoroso and live music
- 11:00 am | Mommy/Daddy & Me Halloween Sweets Class at Cookology ($) (Best for ages 3-7)
- 11:00 am | Spooky Halloween Family Brunch at Cookology ($) (Best for ages 8+)
- 1:00 pm | Jen Halpern, Author of “The Stars will be My Nightlight” at READ Book Nook in Ballston
City of Alexandria
- 10:00 am | NoVa Maker Faire 2024 at Alexandria City High School ($)
- More than 100 makers arrive in Alexandria from across the DMV to share with you STEAM-focused interactive projects, demonstrations, and workshops in the areas of engineering, science, art, robotics, drones, and more.
- 10:00 am | “Amara and the Bats” Storytime and Nature Walk at Winkler Botanical Preserve (Best for ages 4-10)
- 1:00 pm | Spiderman Hosts Kids and Family Day at Hops N Shine ($)
- 2:00 pm | Halloween Meet and Treat at Winkler Botanical Preserve ($) (Best for ages 7+)
- 4:00 pm | Author Event: Matthew Landis – National Archive Hunters at Old Town Books Junior
More Virginia Events
- 10:00 am | Chalkfest at Reston Town Center
- 10:00 am | Farm Harvest Festival and Carnival at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon ($10 parking fee at gate)
- 12:00 pm | Petting Zoo Hosts Kids and Family Oktoberfest at Shipgarten in McLean
- 12:00 pm | Historic Crafts and Trades at Colvin Run Mill in Great Falls ($)
- Discover nineteenth century crafts and trades and see demonstrations by craftspeople of today.
Halloween Happenings
Halloween is almost here! Check out this list of 110+ Halloween Activities going on throughout the month of October! This list includes kid-friendly & adults events and activities.
Spooky