Kid-friendly Activities in DC, Maryland & Northern Virginia this Weekend (1/24 - 1/26)

Liv standing in front of the Animationland sign at the National Children's Museum
Animationland is now open at the National Children's Museum! This exhibit is best for ages 6-12.
Animationland is now open at the National Children's Museum! I was SO excited to check out this new exhibit that's geared towards ages 6-12. As you may know, most of the previous temporary exhibits have been geared towards younger children so it's refreshing to have something for the olders, especially siblings! Animationland dives into the world of storytelling. Children can channel their creativity and develop their own animation through various stations. Liv and I loved creating stop-motion animations with the fun underwater characters featured in the exhibit. There are also plenty of photo ops, a sound studio, storyboarding table and other creative activities. This exhibit is open through May 11th so there's plenty of time to check it out! Tap the image above for more info. Speaking of museums, I recently released a kid-friendly guide to the National Museum of African American History & Culture in honor of MLK Day and Black History Month. Check it out through the link at the bottom of this article. Now on to this weekend's festivities...
Sarah in a hot pink dress
Sarah Acors
Creator of 4DMV Kids & Founder of BCB DMV+

Top picks in this list have the heart symbol ♥ at the end of the listing!

Events

Grave Digger Monster Jam truck
Featured Event | World-famous Monster Jam trucks come to life – larger than life – with male and female athletes behind the wheel, demonstrating the rare combination of physical strength, mental stamina, and dexterity in front of screaming fans. See it at Capital One Arena in Downtown DC between Friday (1/24) - Sunday (1/26). Tickets start at $20/person. Tap the image above for more info!

Friday, January 24, 2025

Washington, DC

Maryland

 Prince George’s County

Montgomery County

More Maryland Events

Virginia

Arlington County 

City of Alexandria

  • 3:30 pm | Fun Friday at Burke Branch Library (Best for grades K-5) 
  • 3:30 pm | Chrysalis Teen Science Café at Chinquapin Park Recreation Center and Aquatics Facility
    • The AI Revolution: Pathways to Future Careers in a Changing World 
  • 6:30 pm | Family Movie Night at Chick Armstrong Recreation Center ($) 

More Virginia Events

Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in 10 Blocks poster
Featured Event | See a special performance of DC based author Jason Reynold's Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks at the Robert E Parilla Performing Arts Center of Montgomery College in Rockville, MD on Saturday, January 25th at 11:00 am. This performance is best for ages 10+ and tickets are $6/child and $13/adult. Tap the image above for info!

Saturday, January 25, 2025

Washington, DC

Maryland

Prince George’s County

Montgomery County

More Maryland Events

Virginia

Arlington County 

City of Alexandria

More Virginia Events

  • 9:00 am | Jurassic Quest at Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly ($) 
  • 10:00 am | Truth in Voice, Truth in Service at Jim Scott Community Center in Fairfax (Best for grades 7th – 12th) ♥
    • Youth engagement and community service activities
  • 10:00 am, 1:00 pm & 3:30 pm | Winter Wonder Lab at Children’s Science Center LAB in Fairfax ($) 
  • [Just Added] 11:00 am | Mon Chouchou Grand Opening in Leesburg 
  • 12:00 pm | ICE-travaganza at Reston Town Center
    • Family-fun winter themed event featuring ice sculptures including a live sculpting demonstration, FREE hot chocolate (while supplies last), and more!
  • 12:00 pm | 2025 Polar Plunge at Mosaic in Fairfax
    • Gather your friends (and your nerves) and Go All In for Special Olympics Virginia. Every penny raised supports 23,000 athletes of all abilities.
  • 2:00 pm | Herndon Community Center Open House
    • Explore all of the center’s amenities including swimming, craft time, Zumba, basketball & more!  
  • 5:00 pm | Campfire Night Hike – Predators at Night at Burke Lake Park in Fairfax ($) 
  • 6:00 pm | Family Skate and Dance Night: Sport Jersey Night at Franconia Recreation Center ($) 
  • 6:30 pm | Mysterious Space at Hidden Oaks Nature Center ($) (Best for ages 7+)
    • Chase away winter boredom by going on an interactive space adventure that includes an activity, puzzles, and a craft.
Featured Event | Bring your favorite stuffed animal for a fun Saturday (1/25) at Port Discovery in Baltimore, MD. Kids and families will love learning about the history of the Teddy Bear, competing in our Famous Teddy Bear Guessing Game, creating an art project for their plush friend to take home and more! Don't forget to say Hi to our friend Danny Joe of Danny Joe's Tree House. Admission to the museum is $24.95/person. Tap the image above for more info!
Featured Event | Catch the Friends of Arlington Planetarium Show - Moon Shot: The Rocket Pioneers on both Saturday (1/25) and Sunday (1/26) to see the history of rocket development - how space travel was transformed from the dreams of science fiction to real world science. This show is 27 minutes. Tickets are $3.50 - $5/person. tap the image above for info!

Sunday, January 26, 2025

Washington, DC

Maryland  

Prince George’s County

Montgomery County 

More Maryland Events

Virginia

Arlington County

City of Alexandria 

More Virginia Events 

  • 9:00 am | Jurassic Quest at Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly ($) 
  • 10:00 am, 1:00 pm & 3:30 pm | Winter Wonder Lab at Children’s Science Center LAB in Fairfax ($) 
  • 11:00 am, 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm | Maple Syrup Boil Down at Colvin Run Mill in Great Falls ($)
    • Watch and learn as sap is boiled down into delicious, sweet syrup over an open fire. Sample the delicious combination of maple syrup over cornbread, made from Colvin Run cornmeal.
  • 12:00 pm | Petting Zoo hosts Kids and Family Festival at Shipgarten in McLean 
  • 1:00 pm & 2:30 pm | Dino Puppet Show & Activities at Hidden Oaks Nature Center ($) (Best for ages 4-8) 
  • 2:00 pm | Making Ice & Ice Cream at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly ($) 
  • 5:30 pm | Owl Walk and Talk at Lake Fairfax Park ($) (Best for ages 4+)
    • During a story reading, learn to identify local owl calls, discover why owls are nicknamed flying tigers of the night and enjoy a woodland stroll.

Virtual 

Monday, January 27, 2025

inside planet word museum

NEW KID with Imagination Stage

Monday, January 27th is a no school day for some kids! Spend the morning at Planet Word with a special presentation of NEW KID by Imagination Stage. We saw this play last year, which touches on elements of immigration, friendship and tough times. This mini play is best suited for 3rd - 5th graders. Tickets are $10 each. Tap the image above for more info!

Winter Dome Workshop

Stop by the National Building Museum on Monday, January 27th from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm for their Winter Dome Workshop. Explore the basics of geodesic domes and the innovative ways architects and engineers use forces to create self-supporting structures. After learning how to create strong structures, participants will have the opportunity to build their own special mini Winter Dome. This activity is free with museum admission, which is $7/youth & $10/adult. Tap the image above for more info!

This Week's Book Recommendation

Local Author Book Recommendation Craig Robinson
Learning about Wall Street and money management rounds out our Self-Care January local author features! Check out the Bull & Bear series from author and finance guru, Craig Robinson. Tap the image above to visit his website.

New on the Blog

Guide to Smithsonian's African American Museum

Just released in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Black History Month, here's our comprehensive kid-friendly guide to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. See tips for visiting with children of all ages groups, upcoming event info and more through the link below.
New

Celebrate Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year is the latest cultural holiday to be featured in our Cultural Festivals by Month blog. See events happening around DC, Maryland and Virginia from live performances to story times and crafts. Tap the link below to see the list!
Updated
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