Kid-friendly Activities in DC, Maryland & Northern Virginia this Weekend (11/15 - 11/17)
You may have seen some exclusives recently through my broadcast channel on Instagram *insert eyes emoji* I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the Library of Congress will debut a Creative Research Studio for Kids in 2025. No details yet on what will be included in this space but I know I'm EXCITED to check it out. We visited the Library over the weekend for their monthly Family Day, which honored Veterans Day this month. This series is a great excuse to visit the Main Library in the Thomas Jefferson Building and its exhibits! Did you know the Library of Congress is home to an African American Family Tree that dates back to the 1700s? This family tree also includes famous Tennis Star (& Richmond, VA native) Arthur Ashe as the first cousin of the originator of this family history project! You can find it in the "Collecting Memories" exhibit on the second floor of the Main Library. If you'd like to see more from our visit, feel free to tap/click the image above to see our reel on Instagram. Now, on to this weekend's events!
Sarah Acors
Creator of 4DMV Kids & Founder of BCB DMV+
Events
Friday, November 15, 2024
Washington, DC
- 3:30 pm | International Gaming Day at Capitol View Neighborhood Library (Best for ages 6-19)
- 6:30 pm | Moonlight Monument Walk on the Mount Vernon Trail
- 7:30 pm | SIX the Musical at The National Theatre ($)
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- 10:00 am | Special STEAM Event: Wendy the Singing Scientist at Harmony Hall Arts Center in Fort Washington ($) (Best for ages 3-12)
- 4:00 pm | STEM-tastic: Robot Blocks at Spauldings Branch Library
- 6:00 pm | Night Owls in Hyattsville (Best for grades K-5)
- Parents night out
- 7:00 pm | Prime Scene Investigation at College Park Community Center – Youth Sports Complex (Best for ages 10-17)
- 8:00 pm | Got my Own Sound at Montpelier Arts Center in Laurel ($)
- 9:30 pm | Beyonce Skate Night at Herbert W. Wells Ice Rink in College Park ($)
Montgomery County
- [Limited Seats Left] 10:30 am | Yoga for Little Ones at Davis Library in Bethesda (Best for ages 5 & under)
- 11:00 am | Dance Party at Long Branch Library
- 1:30 pm | Junior Gardeners at Brookside Gardens ($) (Best for ages 3-5)
- 1:30 pm | Turkey Time at Black Hill Discovery Center in Boyds ($)
- Turkey craft
More Maryland Events
- 10:30 am | Lively Arts for Little Ones: Mr. Jon and Friends at The other Barn in Columbia ($)
- 11:00 am | Little Learners STEM Learning Stations at East Columbia Branch Library (Best for ages 2-5)
- 4:00 pm | TEEN Crochet Circle at Miller Branch Library in Ellicott City (Best for ages 11-18)
- 6:30 pm | Mother and Son Carnival at Waldorf Senior & Recreation ($) (Best for ages 3-12)
Virginia
City of Alexandria
- [Opening Weekend] 5:00 pm | Ice & Lights: The Winter Village at Cameron Run ($)
- 6:30 pm | Parents Night Out at Mount Vernon Recreation Center ($) (Best for ages 5-10)
- 7:00 pm | Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Bryant High School ($)
- 7:00 pm | Kids Gift Guide Live! at Old Town Books Junior
More Virginia Events
- [Opening Weekend] 12:00 pm | Ice Skating at Harris Pavilion in Manassas
- 6:00 pm | Holiday Kick-off Celebration at Tysons Corner Center
- Enjoy Santa’s grand arrival, Holiday performances, complimentary s’mores and custom beverages, a fireworks display, retailer market, giveaways, and more!
Saturday, November 16, 2024
Washington, DC
- 8:00 am | Capitol City VEX IQ Robotics Competition at Rita Bright Family and Youth Center in NW
- 10:00 am | Harry Potter Kids’ Event at All Fired Up in NW ($) (Best for ages 5+)
- Paint a pottery wand, make a spell book, and leave with a Harry Potter-themed goody bag.
- 10:00 am | Girl Scouts – Designing for Disaster at the National Building Museum ($)
- 10:00 am | 12th Annual South African Bazaar at Seekers Church in NW
- 10:30 am | Open Studio: Line by Line! at Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
- 11:00 am | Recycled Rhythms: A New Spin on Old Records at art Enables in NE
- 11:15 am & 1:30 pm | “Goat in the Rug” Puppet Theater at the National Museum of the American Indian
- 12:00 pm | Family Activity: Friendship Bracelets at DAR Museum (Best for ages 7+)
- 12:00 pm | Holidays Puzzle Swap at Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library
- 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm | SIX the Musical at The National Theatre ($)
- 7:00 pm | Sounds of African Concert Series at the National Museum of African Art
- Dokun Afrotonics Afrobeat Band featuring Carolyn Malachi — This band offers a vibrant blend of Afrobeat infused with Brazilian styles and Afro-Cuban rhythms.
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- 10:30 am | Cub Corner: Military History at College Park Aviation Museum ($) (Best for ages 5 & under)
- 10:30 am | Ready 2 Read STEM: Engineering at Laurel Branch Library
- 11:00 am | Global Tales and Traditions Series: Indigenous Peoples’ Heritage Month at Surratt House Museum & Research Center (Best for ages 6-12)
- “We Are Water Protectors” by Carole Lindstrom with illustrations by Michaela Goade story time and make beaded pipe cleaner corn.
- 12:00 pm | Dinosaur Park Open House in Laurel
- [Limited Seats Left] 1:00 pm | STEM-tastic: Snap Circuits at Mount Rainier Branch Library
- 6:00 pm | Night Vision Challenge Course at Bladensburg Waterfront Park ($) (Best for ages 13+)
Montgomery County
- 10:00 am | Beginning Miniaturists at Damascus Library (Best for ages 10-12)
- Learn the craft of miniatures by completing a group project.
- 10:30 am | Create a Graphic Novel at Wheaton Library (Best for ages 10-15)
- 11:00 am | Holiday Market by Dov & Co. in Potomac
- 12:00 pm | Fold and Fun! at Rockville Library
- Origami workshop (Best for ages 6-12)
- [Limited Seats Left] 1:00 pm | Questions and Family Stories Writers Workshop at Wheaton Library (Best for ages 15+)
- Discuss how to uncover and preserve the richness of family histories.
- 2:00 pm | Catapult and Trebuchet: STEAM at Germantown Library (Best for ages 5+)
- Explore the physics behind how catapults work, and build your own catapult and/or trebuchet to launch pom-poms!
- 2:30 pm | Build a Mini LED Lightsaber at Kensington Park Library
- 4:00 pm | Fall Candle Painting at Centrado Café Shop in Burtonsville
- 4:00 pm | STEM at the Library: Take, Make & Meet at Long Branch Library
- 4:00 pm | Crafts at the Library: Calico Corn with Pipe Cleaners and Pony Beads at Little Falls Library in Bethesda
More Maryland Events
- 10:30 am | iWitness Media DJ Youth Workshop: B.E. M.O.R.E S.T.E.M. with Kendrick “DJ5Starr” Tilghman at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore
- 10:30 am | Superhero Day at Smallwood Community Center in Indian Head ($) (Best for ages 3-9)
- 10:30 am | Native Marylanders and Early Artifacts at Ellicott Mills Children’s Museum ($) (Best for ages 5+)
- 11:00 am | Little Hands Signing with Kathy MacMillan at Port Discovery in Baltimore ($)
- Learn basic American Sign Language vocabulary as we explore the season through stories, songs, and more!
- 11:00 am | Pumpkin Palooza 2024 at Miller Branch Library in Ellicott City
- 11:30 am | Turkey Waddle at North Laurel Community Center in Laurel ($) (Best for ages 2-10)
- 11:30 am | How the Yaocomaco Lived at Savage Branch Library in Laurel (Best for ages 5-10)
- Excavate like archaeologists to find ‘artifacts’ and use them to learn about the Yaocomaco tribe.
- 2:00 pm | Chemistry in the Library: Picture Perfect Chemistry at Elkridge Branch Library (Best for ages 7+)
- 2:00 pm | Family Movie: Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmaron at Edgewater Library
- 2:00 pm | Series Safari: Magic Tree House 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.
- 2:00 pm | The World Dance with Marsha Searle at La Plata Branch Library
- 2:30 pm | Explore Deep Sea Life at Savage Branch Library (Best for ages 7-11)
- 2:30 pm | Build Your Own Geodome at Central Branch Library in Columbia (Best for ages 9-12)
- 3:00 pm | Space Drop at Central Branch Library (Best for ages 9-12)
- Solve a real life space problem by critically analyzing the NASA L-CROSS drop. Design and test a prototype to find the best way to “bomb” the moon.
- 4:00 pm | Pre-Dinner Night Sky Show at Robinson Nature Center in Columbia ($)
Virginia
Arlington County
- 10:00 am | Crafty Kids Take-and-Make at Columbia Pike Library
- Decorate a turkey and give it some tail feathers!
- 11:00 am | Cherrydale Holiday Market
- 11:00 am & 3:00 pm | Encore Stage & Studio’s Production of The Lion King Jr. at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre ($)
- Check out the pre-show experience: Simba’s Scavenger Hunt ($) at 2:00 pm
- 1:00 pm | Code Talker Craft at Glencarlyn Library (Best for grades 3-8)
- 6:00 pm | Family Skate Night at Thomas Jefferson Community Center ($)
City of Alexandria
- 10:00 am | Crafts with Santa! at Made in ALX ($)
- 10:00 am | Fairfax Recycles Day 2024 Drop-Off Event & Touch-a-Truck at Gerry Hyland Government Center
- 11:00 am | Family Friendly Wood + Canvas Workshop at AR Workshop ($)
- 4:00 pm | Bilingual Family Concert ~ Benedikt Brydern: The Town Musicians at Patrick Henry Recreation Center
- [Opening Weekend] 5:00 pm | Ice & Lights: The Winter Village at Cameron Run ($)
- 6:00 pm | Family Skate Night ~ Franconia Hold ‘Em Skate & Country Dance Night at Franconia Recreation Center
- 7:00 pm | Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Bryant High School ($)
- Scout Night
More Virginia Events
- 9:00 am | Holiday Entertainments at Mount Vernon Estate ($)
- 10:00 am | “We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga” Storytime with 1st Stage in Tysons
- 10:00 am | Holiday Craft Show at Fairfax High School ($)
- Includes free photos with Santa
- [Opening Weekend] 12:00 pm | Ice Skating at Harris Pavilion in Manassas
- 2:00 pm | Writer’s Workshop at Park Central Library in Manassas Park
Virtual
- Virtual Planetarium Show on Zoom via the National Air and Space Museum
Sunday, November 17, 2024
Washington, DC
- 11:15 am & 1:30 pm | “Goat in the Rug” Puppet Theater at the National Museum of the American Indian
- 1:00 pm | Sip & Paint Tea Party at Made with Love DC ($)
- 1:00 pm | The Great Ethiopian Run Celebration & Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony at Sycamore & Oak in SE
- Come experience the rich Ethiopian culture with traditional music and dance by DJ Chickchicka and an authentic coffee ceremony by Artist Rahel. Free ice cream & popcorn for kids!
- 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm | SIX the Musical at The National Theatre ($)
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- 11:30 am | The Grinch (2000) – Holiday Movies on the Potomac at National Harbor
- 12:00 pm | Brushes and Beats: A Go-Go Themed Youth Paint & Sip at National Harbor (Best for ages 5-17)
- 2:00 pm | Self Defense Class in Hyattsville (Best for ages 13+)
- 2:00 pm | Riverdale Park Chamber Music for Kids at Riversdale House Museum
Montgomery County
- 9:30 am | Storytime with Sara Yessenow at People’s Book Takoma
- 10:30 am | Little Dragon Story Hour at Germantown Library (Best for ages 6 months – 4)
- Immersive Mandarin language story hour
- 11:00 am | Build a Game: Wire Maze at KID Museum ($) (Best for grades 2nd – 5th)
- 12:00 pm | Chevy Chase Fall Festival at Jane E. Lawton Community Recreation Center
- 12:00 pm | Kids Crafts! Notan Artwork at Aspen Hill Library
- Young artists will explore the contrast of black and white artwork in a Japanese style.
- 1:00 pm | Geocaching Adventure at Black Hill Discovery Center in Boyds ($)
- Learn about what geocaching is and join a naturalist on a hike through the park, on and off-trail, hunting for hidden treasures. GPS units provided.
- 2:00 pm | Get Ready for College: Applications & Majors at Davis Library in Bethesda
- 2:30 pm | Light-Up Tech Accessories at KID Museum in Bethesda ($) (Best for grades 2nd – 5th)
- 3:00 pm | Southwest Dancers at Chevy Chase Library
- Native American Heritage Month event
More Maryland Events
- 9:00 am | Sensory Friendly Sunday at Port Discovery in Baltimore ($)
- 10:30 am | Sensory-Friendly Sunday at Robinson Nature Center in Columbia ($)
- Falling for Autumn themed
- 2:00 pm | Thanksgiving Themed Cookie Decorating Class and Milkshakes at The Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar in Ellicott City ($)
Virginia
Arlington County
- 10:00 am | Arlington GameFest 2024 at Central Library
- 1:30 pm | One World, One Sky – Planetarium Show at Arlington’s David M. Brown Planetarium ($)
- 1:30 pm | Stewardship Days at Long Branch Nature Center (Best for ages 12-17)
- Volunteer opportunity!
- 3:00 pm | Encore Stage & Studio’s Production of The Lion King Jr. at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre ($)
- 6:00 pm | Family Class: Family Dinner at Cookology ($) (Best for ages 8+)
City of Alexandria
- 10:00 am | Hiking Day at Winkler Botanical Preserve
- Free story time and nature walk
- 1:00 pm | Dungeons & Dragons at Barrett Branch Library (Best for ages 13-18)
- 1:30 pm | Board Game Bliss at Burke Branch Library (Best for ages 13+)
- 2:30 pm | Animal Tracking Scavenger Hunt at Winkler Botanical Preserve ($)
- 3:00 pm | Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Bryant High School ($)
- [Opening Weekend] 5:00 pm | Ice & Lights: The Winter Village at Cameron Run ($)
More Virginia Events
- 9:00 am | Holiday Entertainments at Mount Vernon Estate ($)
- 10:00 am | NVA Thai Street Food & Culture Festival in Manassas
- 10:00 am | Holiday Craft Show at Fairfax High School ($)
- Includes free photos with Santa
- 12:00 pm | Spiderman & Frozen hosts Kids and Family Festival at Shipgarten in McLean
- [Opening Weekend] 12:00 pm | Ice Skating at Harris Pavilion in Manassas
- 6:00 pm | Disney in Concert: A Dream is a Wish at Capital One Hall in Tysons ($)
New in Theatre
Updates to this blog include performance reviews for The Lion King Jr. in via Encore Stage and Studios of Arlington, VA and SIX the Musical at The National Theatre in Downtown DC (coming super soon). See pricing, timing and other important info through the link below!
Updated