Kid-friendly Activities in DC, Maryland & Northern Virginia this Weekend (1/10 - 1/12)
Happy Snow Week! We spent the latter half of our snow days visiting The National Mall, which turned out to be perfect timing! Premium parking spots everywhere we went and I didn't pay the meter, which resulted in NO tickets. Hallelujah! Be careful if you decide to visit this week. We tackled ice and snow getting to both the MLK Memorial and the National Monument but it was doable. More snow coming to the DMV this Saturday so please stay alert and check links prior to heading out to the events described below. I will update cancellations as I'm notified. Lastly, I've updated the listing of 20+ events and activities to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. See the link to the full list at the bottom of this article plus a book recommendation in his honor. Happy planning!
Sarah Acors
Creator of 4DMV Kids & Founder of BCB DMV+
Events
Thursday, January 9, 2025
The Disengaged Teen Author Talk at Politics and Prose
Happening this Thursday at 7:00 pm at Politics and Prose Union Market in NE DC! The authors will discuss creating optimal conditions for learning in young adolescents and teenagers with effective parenting strategies for kickstarting teens' inner drive. The book shows what to do (and stop doing) to support academic and emotional development by connecting with a withdrawn child. Books are available now for preorder. Tap the image above for more details!
Friday, January 10, 2025
Washington, DC
- 11:00 am | Diversión Fridays Storytime – River of Mariposas at the National Museum of American History (Best for ages 4-8)
- 6:30 pm & 9:00 pm | We Call it Ballet: Sleeping Beauty Dance & Light Show at the Howard Theatre ($) (Best for ages 8+)
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- 4:00 pm | Family Movie: Pixar’s Inside Out 2 at Accokeek Library
Montgomery County
- 10:00 am | Time for Tots: “It’s Winter” at Black Hill Discovery Center in Boyds ($) (Best for ages 2-5)
More Maryland Events
- 3:15 pm | Teen Movie Night – Home Alone at Elkridge Branch Library
- 3:30 pm | Teen Paint & Sip at Savage Branch Library in Laurel
- 6:00 pm | January’s Paint Party at sweetFrog Laurel ($)
- 6:00 pm | 2025 Elks Hoop Shoot National Free Throw Contest at Davis Middle School in Waldorf
- 6:30 pm | Whimsical Winter Cookie Decorating Class & Milkshakes! at The Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar in Ellicott City ($)
Virginia
Arlington County
- 11:00 am | Intergenerational Storytime at Aurora Hills Library
- 4:30 pm | Paint Tree Cookies at Gulf Branch Nature Center ($)
- Sliced up tree branches are tree cookies (non-edible), which are great for crafting! Make your best artwork and designs on tree cookies while enjoying music.
- 6:00 pm | Family Night at Carver Community Center
- 6:00 pm | Parent’s Night Out at Lubber Run Community Center ($) (Best for 5-10)
- 7:00 pm | The Twelve Dancing Princesses at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre ($)
City of Alexandria
- 6:30 pm | Parents Night Out at Chinquapin Recreation Center ($) (Best for ages 5-12)
More Virginia Events
- 5:30 pm | Kids Create: Pom Pom Launcher at Park Central Library in Manassas Park
- 6:00 pm | Full Moon Nature Hike & Campfire at Riverbend Park in Great Falls ($)
Virtual
- 10:00 am | Flights of Fancy Story Time: How Raven Stole the Sun by Maria Williams hosted by the National Air & Space Museum on Zoom
- 1:00 pm | Artful Movement: SEL Webinar for Students K-3 hosted by the National Museum of Asian Art on Zoom
- 4:00 pm | Virtual Planetarium Show: Ancient Scientists, Modern Traditions hosted by the National Air & Space Museum
Saturday, January 11, 2025
Washington, DC
- 9:30 am | Little Critters: Nature Play (Gardens) at the Smithsonian National Zoo (Best for ages 0-5)
- 9:30 am & 11:00 am | Jennie the Cat: A Winter Time Adventure presented by The Puppet Co. at The National Theatre
- [Just Added] 10:00 am | Headfirst Summer Camps Fair at St. Albans School
- 10:00 am | The Phillips Plays ~ Wintry Landscapes at The Phillips Collection ($)
- 10:15 am | Crafty Tales: Edwin Binney at Merry Pin in NW
- Free art activity based on an artist/book!
- 10:30 am | Do Re Me, les amis at Alliance Française de Washington DC in NW
- Enjoy traditional French songs during a fun, immersion-based program for kids in French!
- 10:30 am | Open Studio: Words Matter at the Hirshhorn Museum
- Make a statement by combining newspapers, magazine clippings, and other print materials into your own miniature installation.
- [Postponed] 11:00 am | Community Day: The People’s Holiday: A Love of Literacy at the National Museum of African American History and Culture
- In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday, there will be a service project to make literacy packets for pre-readers across Washington, D.C.
- 11:00 am, 1:30 pm & 5:00 pm | Havana Hop: A Children’s Tale of Culture and Confidence! at the Kennedy Center ($) (Best for ages 2-10)
- 11:15 am | Storytime at the National Museum of the American Indian
- 12:00 pm | Family Story Time: Opening the Road with Keila Dawson at MLK Memorial Library
- 12:00 pm | Drop-in Arts & Crafts at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum
- 12:00 pm | Sip & Paint Tea Party at Made with Love DC ($) (Best for all ages)
- 12:30 pm & 3:00 pm | Studio Saturdays Intro to Digital Design: Create a GIF! at Moonshot Studio at The Kennedy Center ($) (Best for ages 8-10 & 11-14)
- 1:00 pm | STEAM Saturday at the National Building Museum ($) (Best for grades 2nd – 6th)
- 2:00 pm | Book Launch: Yvonne Clark and Her Engineering Spark at Sankofa Cafe in NW (Best for ages 7+)
- 2:00 pm | Kiddough (Doughnut) Decorating Party at Good Company Doughnuts & Cafe in SW ($)
- 4:00 pm | Beaded Snowflake Craft at Southwest Neighborhood Library (Best for ages 3+)
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- [Limited Tickets Left] 9:00 am | Watkins Youth Nature Club at Watkins Regional Park (Best for ages 10-14)
- Increase your understanding and appreciation of nature and learn how to raise awareness about the consequences of human activity on the natural world through hiking, nature observations, wildlife management, STEAM activities, and exploring the outdoors.
- 10:00 am | Fairytales and Fables: A Family Program at Marietta House Museum ($) (Best for ages 5-10)
- Create fairytales and fables and participate in a collective storytelling experience with inspirations from European and African folklore.
- 1:00 pm | Crafternoon: Breathing Buddies at Mount Rainier Library
- Have fun crafting and creating a breathing buddy that reminds you to take a few deep breaths and keep calm.
- 2:00 pm | Family Crochet Club at Accokeek Library
- 2:00 pm | Visionary Vibes: A Vision Board Making Party at Creative Suitland Arts Center ($)
- 3:00 pm | Tail Waggin’ Tutors at Beltsville Library
- Build your child’s confidence as they read to specially trained therapy dogs.
- 4:00 pm | New Year, New Moves Skate Party at South Bowie Community Center ($)
Montgomery County
- 10:00 am | Sportrock Rio Birthday Bash in Gaithersburg ($)
- 10:30 am | Bundle Up! A Wintry Family Storytime at Aspen Hill Library
- 11:00 am | A Family Literacy Fiesta with InterAct’s Ali Oliver-Krueger BOOKS Alive at Highland Elementary School in Wheaton (Best for ages 3+)
- 11:30 am & 1:00 pm | Beale Street Puppets: Snowflakes at Glen Echo Park ($)
- 1:00 pm | Zinemaking Workshop at Meadowside Nature Center (Best for ages 16+)
- Zines can be simple or complex, contain collages, doodles, scribbles, poetry, quotes, reflections, anything the creator wants to create. All art and zine-making abilities are welcome.
- 1:00 pm | Summer Camps Fair at East County Community Recreation Center in Silver Spring
- 1:00 pm & 4:00 pm | Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood at Imagination Stage ($)
- Sensory inclusive performance at 4:00 pm and also meet the actors!
- [Just Added] 2:00 pm | Early Dance Free Open House at Maryland Youth Ballet
- 3:00 pm | Create a Vision Board for the New Year at Aspen Hill Library (Best for teens)
- 3:00 pm | Painting with ScribbleArtz at Gaithersburg Library
- [Limited Seats Left] 3:00 pm | Crochet4Change at Germantown Library
- 3:00 pm | Science Saturday – CSI Poolesville: Help Solve Crime at Maggie Nightingale Library (Best for ages 6-10)
- 3:00 pm | Teen Movie Time: MADAME WEB at Wheaton Library
- 4:00 pm | Crafts at Little Falls Library in Bethesda
- 4:00 pm | Crafts at the Library: Winter Wonderland Snowglobes! at Marilyn J. Praisner Library in Burtonsville
More Maryland Events
- 10:00 am | All about Reptiles at Mt. Pleasant in Woodstock ($)
- 12 years & younger are free!
- 10:30 am | Science Saturdays: Lava Lamps at Maryland City at Russett Library (Best for ages 6-11)
- 10:30 am | Family STEM Day & Open House at St. John Parish Day School in Ellicott City (Best for ages 3-10)
- 11:00 am | January’s Finger-Paint Party at sweetFrog Laurel ($)
- 11:00 am | Free Kids Event: Cool Creations featuring Wikki Stix at Lakeshore Learning in Towson (Best for ages 3+)
- 2:00 pm | Let’s Draw…Book Characters at Miller Branch Library in Ellicott City (Best for grades 3rd-5th)
- 2:00 pm | Dog Day Afternoon at Discoveries: The Library at Westfield Annapolis
- Celebrate the Dog Man series in all sorts of silly ways!
- 2:00 pm | Solar System Science at Elkridge Branch Library (Best for ages 8-10)
- 2:00 pm | Series Safari: Wings of Fire at Glen Burnie Library (Best for ages 6-10)
- Curious readers will have the opportunity to explore some of their favorite characters and their adventures in this hands-on program.
- 4:00 pm | Crochet Club: Chain at Savage Branch Library in Laurel (Best for ages 8-11)
- 6:00 pm | Annual Howard County Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Celebration at Horowitz Center Smith Theatre in Columbia
Virginia
Arlington County
- 9:00 am | Volunteer Service Day at Potomac Overlook Regional Park (Best for ages 9+)
- 10:00 am | Paint, Build, Create! at Fairlington Community Center
- 10:00 am | ACPD Presents: Frozen Movie Sing-Along Movie Marathon at Courthouse Library
- 10:00 am | Crafty Kids Take and Make at Courthouse Library
- 1:30 pm | Second Saturday Crafternoon Workshop at Fairlington Community Center
- 3:00 pm | The Twelve Dancing Princesses at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre ($)
- 3:00 pm | SEEK – Science and Engineering Engagement for Kids at Central Library (Best for grades 3-5)
- Oil Spill Cleanup
- 3:00 pm | Kids Pizza Party! at Cookology ($) (Best for ages 8-17)
- 6:00 pm | Family Skate Night at Thomas Jefferson Community Center ($)
- 6:30 pm | APS Weekend: Expedition Reef at David M. Brown Planetarium ($)
- 7:00 pm | Owl Prowl & Hot Cocoa at Long Branch Nature Center ($)
City of Alexandria
- 10:00 am | Free Kids Crafts at Made in ALX
- Create a Striped Trees Winter Scene
- 10:30 am | Nature Play at Buddie Ford Nature Center ($) (Best for ages 2-5)
- 11:00 am | Free Kids Event: Cool Creations featuring Wikki Stix at Lakeshore Learning (Best for ages 3+)
- 11:00 am & 1:45 pm | Ice & Lights – The Winter Village at Cameron Run ($)
- 2:00 pm | Hibernation: The Science of Sleep at Winkler Botanical Preserve ($)
- Learn the difference between hibernation vs. brumation and the science behind why and how animals sleep safely in the cold.
- 4:30 pm | Twilight Boardwalk Stroll at Huntley Meadows Park ($)
More Virginia Events
- 10:00 am | Feeding Day at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly ($)
- Make a birdfeeder to take home and use.
- [Rescheduled] 10:00 am | “J is for Justice! An Activism Alphabet” Storytime in honor of MLK Day in Tysons (Best for ages 4-8)
- 10:00 am, 1:00 pm & 3:30 pm | Winter Wonder Lab at Children’s Science Center LAB in Fairfax ($)
- 1:00 pm | Snowflake Family Tea Party at Colvin Run Mill in Great Falls ($)
- 3:00 pm | Fireside Family Fun at Riverbend Park in Great Falls ($)
- Bring a cozy blanket or sleeping bag and huddle up by the fireplace to listen to a winter-themed story while you sip on hot cocoa.
Sunday, January 12, 2025
Washington, DC
- 11:00 am | Holocaust Testimony Transformed: Art Created by Survivors and Local DC Area High School Students at the Capital Jewish Museum
- [Just Added] 11:00 am | DC – Area Performing Arts Camp Fair at Arena Stage
- [Last Chance] 1:30 pm & 4:00 pm | Havana Hop: A Children’s Tale of Culture and Confidence! at the Kennedy Center ($) (Best for ages 2-10)
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- 1:00 pm | Greenbelt Artful Afternoon Program: Collage Flower Bouquets at Springhill Lake Recreation Center
Montgomery County
- 9:30 am | Storytime with Laura Gehl for Snow is… at People’s Book Takoma
- 11:00 am | Intro to Laser Cutting: Tracing & Cutting at KID Museum in Bethesda ($) (Best for grades 2nd – 8th)
- 11:30 am & 1:00 pm | Beale Street Puppets: Snowflakes at Glen Echo Park ($)
- 1:00 pm | Learn to Crochet at Wheaton Library
- 1:00 pm | How to Jam – For Kids! at Takoma SPARK ($)
- Join Mari to take your musical education to the Next Stage: play the tunes you’re learning in your private lessons with others – and learn new ones, too.
- 2:00 pm | Author Talk with Gale Galligan of “Fresh Start” at People’s Book Takoma
- Middle-grade graphic novel!
- 2:00 pm | A Family Literacy Fiesta with InterAct’s Ali Oliver-Krueger BOOKS Alive at Highland Elementary School in Wheaton
- 2:00 pm | Celebrate Louis Braille’s Birthday at Rockville Memorial Library
- Celebrate the birthday of Louis Braille, the French teenager who invented the system of dot writing used by blind people all over the world.
- 2:00 pm | Peter Wood: Collector of the Impossible at White Oak Library
- Blending amazing artifacts with humor and storytelling, Peter Wood has crafted a one-of-a-kind magic show experience that is guaranteed to surprise and delight.
More Maryland Events
- 10:30 am | Sensory-Friendly Sunday – Soaring in Space at Robinson Nature Center in Columbia ($)
- 1:00 pm | Park Volunteering at Long Branch Nature Center (Best for ages 12-17)
- 1:00 pm | Howard County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service 2025 at Harriet Tubman Cultural Center in Columbia
- At 3:00 pm, teens can check out the “I Can I Will” project & create Zines reflecting on non-violence
Virginia
Arlington County
- 10:30 am | Stop in for Stories at Central Library
- 1:30 pm | Animal Encounters – Winter at Potomac Overlook Regional Park
- 1:30 pm | APS Weekend: Flight of the Butterflies at David M. Brown Planetarium ($)
- 3:00 pm | APS Weekend: Expedition Reef at David M. Brown Planetarium ($)
- 3:00 pm | Lunch, Bake & Decorate Workshop at Cookology ($) (Best for ages 8-17)
- 3:00 pm | The Twelve Dancing Princesses at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre ($)
City of Alexandria
- 10:00 am | Signs of Beaver Sketch Hike at Huntley Meadows Park ($)
- 11:00 am & 1:45 pm | Ice & Lights – The Winter Village at Cameron Run ($)
- 12:00 pm | Family Friendly Wood + Canvas Workshop at AR Workshop ($)
- 1:30 pm | Junk Journal at Beatley Central Library
- Come make a junk journal using recycled materials and start making your observations for the year ahead.
- 1:30 pm | Board Game Bliss at Burke Branch Library (Best for ages 13 & up)
More Virginia Events
- 10:00 am, 1:00 pm & 3:30 pm | Winter Wonder Lab at Children’s Science Center LAB in Fairfax ($)
- 12:00 pm | Kiddo Rave – Kids and Family Festival hosted by Goldfish Swim School at Shipgarten in McLean
- 1:00 pm | Winter Engineering Challenge at Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale ($) (Best for ages 6-10)
- 1:00 pm | Geocaching Adventures at Burke Lake Park in Fairfax Station
This Week's Book Recommendation
Recently Updated on the Blog
Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Newly updated listing of events and activities in celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Events start as early as this weekend 1/11! More events to be added including those for Lunar New Year, Black History Month and President's Day.
Updated