Kid-friendly Activities in DC, Maryland & Northern Virginia this Weekend (11/29 - 12/1)
Happy Thanksgiving! Did you know all of the Smithsonian Museums are open on Thanksgiving Day? So if you'd like to venture out before dinner, I've compiled a listing of best museums to visit in DC, which includes all of the Smithsonian museums (see link below). Some low-key but pretty cool ones include the National Postal Museum near Union Station, the Anacostia Community Museum and our favorite art museum, the Hirshhorn, located on the National Mall. This listing also includes the official Smithsonian map so you can see how far each one is from another. It's a great one to bookmark as I've been updating it each time we visit or re-visit a museum. Lastly, I am thankful for you! Thanks for tuning in each week to see what's happening in the DMV area. Have a happy & safe holiday weekend!
Sarah Acors
Creator of 4DMV Kids & Founder of BCB DMV+
Events
Friday, November 29, 2024
DC Holiday Hunt runs 11/29 – 1/5: Race throughout DC to accomplish as many missions as possible for a chance to win incredible prizes. You will have the opportunity to try out new foods, meet new businesses, and experience DC like never before.
Washington, DC
- 10:00 am | CANstruction Drop-in Activity at the National Building Museum ($)
- Visitors of all ages can explore creative ways to reuse recycled cans through activities such as building CANstructures and decorating pencil cups to take home.
- 10:00 am | Coffee, Donuts & Change at the Anacostia Community Museum
- Bring the whole family to see the artwork and hear the voices of the African American artist-educators who enriched the lives of many generations of Washington’s young people and who—along with their students—produced work admired by audiences across the globe.
- 11:00 am | Native American Heritage Day – Stories from the Land of the Tlingit at the Natural History Museum
- 11:30 am | Native American Heritage Day – Honoring Zitkala-Ša with Hoop Dancer Starr Chief Eagle at the National Museum of the American Indian
- 11:45 am | Moana 2 Meet & Greet at Bryant Street
- 1:30 pm & 4:00 pm | Finn at The Kennedy Center ($)
- 1:30 pm & 7:30 pm | Philadelphia Ballet: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker at The Kennedy Center ($)
- 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm | A Christmas Carol at Ford’s Theatre ($)
- 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm | SIX the Musical at The National Theatre ($)
- 5:00 pm | Zoo Lights at the Smithsonian National Zoo ($)
- 5:30 pm | SpyKids Mission Training at Volta Park Pool ($)
- 6:00 pm | Big Family Ukulele Jam and Sing-Along at the Kennedy Center
- 7:00 pm | Elf in Concert at The Kennedy Center ($)
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- 3:00 pm | Christmas Wreath Workshop at FSC Workshop in District Heights ($)
Montgomery County
- 10:00 am | Santa’s Workshop at Westfield Montgomery
- 11:30 am & 1:00 pm | The Puppet Co. presents The 36th Annual Nutcracker at Glen Echo Park ($)
- 2:00 pm | Afternoon Movie: Inside Out 2 at Gaithersburg Library
- 2:00 pm | Movie Matinee featuring The Princess Bride at Damascus Library
More Maryland Events
- 10:00 am | Holiday Train Garden at B&O Ellicott City Station Museum
- 11:30 am | The Polar Express Train Ride at B&O Railroad ($)
- 1:00 pm | Mindful Minions: A Calm and Cozy Storybook Corner at Celestial Hope Rising Services in Baltimore (Best for ages 3-6)
- 6:00 pm | Merriweather Symphony of Lights in Columbia ($)
- Drive through light display
Virginia
Arlington County
City of Alexandria
- 5:00 pm | Ice & Lights The Winter Village at Cameron Run ($)
- Ice Skating opens this weekend!
More Virginia Events
- 9:00 am | Holiday Bricktacular at LEGO Discovery Center ($)
- 11:00 am & 6:00 pm | Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting in Reston
- 2:00 pm | Holiday Train Rides at Reston Town Center ($)
- 5:00 pm | Holiday Tree Lighting + Santa Firetruck Parade at The Mosaic in Fairfax
- Meet Santa while there!
- 5:30 pm | Winter Glow at Mount Vernon Estate ($)
Saturday, November 30, 2024
Washington, DC
- 9:00 am | Breakfast with Santa at Maggiano’s DC ($)
- 9:30 am | Little Critters: Nature Play (Farm Animals) at Smithsonian Zoo
- 10:00 am | Moana 2 Family Party at Alamo Drafthouse DC ($)
- 10:00 am | CANstruction Drop-in Activity at the National Building Museum ($)
- Visitors of all ages can explore creative ways to reuse recycled cans through activities such as building CANstructures and decorating pencil cups to take home.
- 10:15 am | Crafty Tales: Horace Pippin at Merry Pin in NW (Best for ages 3-8)
- Free art workshop based on an artist/book
- 10:30 am | Open Studio: Think inside the Box at the Hirshhorn Museum
- Explore how artists construct and explore worlds different from their own.
- 12:00 pm | Drop-in Winter Arts & Crafts at the Anacostia Community Museum
- 1:30 pm & 4:00 pm | Finn at The Kennedy Center ($)
- 1:30 pm & 7:30 pm | Philadelphia Ballet: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker at The Kennedy Center ($)
- 2:00 pm | Food Science at Mt. Pleasant Library
- Celebrate Native American Heritage Month by learning about planting and cooking with the three sisters: squash, beans, corn!
- 2:00 & 7:00 pm | Elf in Concert at The Kennedy Center ($)
- 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm | A Christmas Carol at Ford’s Theatre ($)
- 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm | SIX the Musical at The National Theatre ($)
- 4:00 pm | Thanksgiving Turkey Craft at Southwest Neighborhood Library
- 5:00 pm | Zoo Lights at the Smithsonian National Zoo ($)
- 5:00 pm | Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration at CityCenter
- [Opening Night] 7:00 pm | The Washington Ballet’s Nutcracker at The Warner Theatre ($)
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- 11:00 am | Ready 2 Read Art: Native American and Indigenous Peoples Heritage Month at Bowie Library (Best for ages 3-5)
- 11:00 am | National Harbor Christmas Market and Holiday Craft Show
- 3:30 pm | All Ages Show Thanksgiving Weekend Fun at Bobby McKey’s Dueling Piano Bar at National Harbor
- [Opening Night] 5:00 pm | Festival of Lights at Watkins Regional Park ($)
- 5:30 pm | Holiday Tree Lighting & Fireworks at National Harbor
Montgomery County
- [Opening Day] 10:00 am | Garden Railway Exhibit at Brookside Gardens
- 10:00 am | Brunch with Santa at Pinstripes Bethesda ($)
- 10:00 am | Santa’s Workshop at Westfield Montgomery
- 11:00 am | Holly Trolleyfest at National Capital Trolley Museum ($)
- Visit with Santa down a mile-long woodland railroad, featuring a holiday ride on our historic street cars. In addition, enjoy a holiday model railroad display, crafts for children, photo opportunities, and more.
- 11:30 am, 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm | The Puppet Co. presents The 36th Annual Nutcracker at Glen Echo Park ($)
- 2:00 pm | Virtual Reality Fun at White Oak Library (Best for ages 11+)
- 3:00 pm | KPOP Fans Unite at Gaithersburg Library
- No matter if it’s Dreamcatcher, BLACKPINK, BTS, or Stray Kids, come celebrate your favorite groups and biases with other fans! Join us for crafts, music, and activities.
More Maryland Events
- 10:00 am | 2024 Savage Mill Yuletide in Savage
- Saturday is Shop Small Day
- 10:00 am | The Polar Express Train Ride at B&O Railroad ($)
- 10:00 am | Holiday Train Garden at B&O Ellicott City Station Museum
- 10:00 am | The Santa Experience at The Crazy Mason Milkshake Bar in Ellicott City ($)
- Santa will be reading a Christmas book to everyone and will be available for visiting and photos! We will also have light pastries and cookies available on-site as well as a small craft for the children.
- 11:00 am | Free Kids Event: Merry Gift-Making at Lakeshore Learning in Towson
- Kids can craft special ornaments, then design personalized cards and gift bags. And parents can shop list-worthy gifts up to 50% off!
- 1:30 pm | Nutcracker Storytime & Preview at Severna Park Library
- Special Nutcracker storytime followed by a preview of the Nutcracker ballet.
- 3:00 pm | Craft Wars: Castles at Central Branch Library in Columbia (Best for ages 11-13)
- 5:00 pm | Merriweather Symphony of Lights in Columbia ($)
- Drive through light display
Virginia
Arlington County
- 10:00 am | Moana 2 Family Party at Alamo Drafthouse Crystal City ($)
- 10:15 am | Saturday Play Day at Central Library (Best for ages 12 months – 36 months)
- 11:00 am | Slithering Snakes at Gulf Branch Nature Center (Best for ages 8-12)
- Join a naturalist to learn about the snakes of Arlington. Participants will get to see and touch safe, friendly snakes and then take a short nature hike to learn about their habitats.
City of Alexandria
- 10:00 am | 8th Annual Holiday Ornament Open House at AR Workshop ($)
- Ornaments are 3 for $2 and there’s a minimum of 3 ornaments per guest. Ornaments cannot be shared.
- 11:00 am | Free Kids Event: Merry Gift-Making at Lakeshore Learning
- Kids can craft special ornaments, then design personalized cards and gift bags. And parents can shop list-worthy gifts up to 50% off!
- 2:00 pm | Board Game Cafe at Charles Beatley Library
- 5:00 pm | Ice & Lights The Winter Village at Cameron Run ($)
- Ice Skating opens this weekend!
More Virginia Events
- 9:00 am | Holiday Foodways at Mount Vernon Estate ($)
- 10:00 am | Holiday Bricktacular at LEGO Discovery Center ($)
- 10:00 am | Old Town Manassas Christmas Market and Holiday Craft Show
- Includes kids corner – ornament extravaganza
- 11:00 am | Santa at Mosaic in Fairfax
- 12:00 pm | Live Holiday Entertainment featuring MGK Holiday Jazz Combo at Reston Town Center
- 2:00 pm | Make Room for Turkeys at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly ($)
- Find out more about the role of turkeys in different cultures and how important habitat restoration will make room for turkeys!
- 2:00 pm & 6:00 pm | Sesame Street Live: Say Hello at Capital One Hall in Tysons ($)
- 5:30 pm | Winter Glow at Mount Vernon Estate ($)
Sunday, December 1, 2024
Washington, DC
- 10:00 am | CANstruction Drop-in Activity at the National Building Museum ($)
- Visitors of all ages can explore creative ways to reuse recycled cans through activities such as building CANstructures and decorating pencil cups to take home.
- 1:00 pm | Take & Create: Winter Stamping Kit at MLK Memorial Library
- 1:00 pm & 5:30 pm | The Washington Ballet’s Nutcracker at The Warner Theatre ($)
- 1:30 pm & 4:00 pm | Finn at The Kennedy Center ($)
- 1:30 pm & 7:30 pm | Philadelphia Ballet: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker at The Kennedy Center ($)
- 2:00 pm | The Watsons Go to Birmingham – “The Green Book” Family Movie Day at MLK Memorial Library
- [Last Chance] 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm | SIX the Musical at The National Theatre ($)
- 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm | A Christmas Carol at Ford’s Theatre ($)
- 3:00 pm | Elf in Concert at The Kennedy Center ($)
- 3:00 pm | Puzzle Swap at Southwest Neighborhood Library
- 5:00 pm | Zoo Lights at the Smithsonian National Zoo ($)
- 7:30 pm | Mariah Carey’s Christmas Time at Capital One Arena ($)
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- 11:00 am | National Harbor Christmas Market and Holiday Craft Show
- 11:30 am | The Muppet Christmas Carol – Holiday Movies on the Potomac at National Harbor
- 12:30 pm | Santa Claus is Coming to Old Town Bowie Welcome Center
- 5:00 pm | Festival of Lights at Watkins Regional Park ($)
Montgomery County
- 9:30 am | Storytime with Erica S. Perl: How Carrot and Cookie Saved Christmas at People’s Book Takoma
- 10:00 am | Garden Railway Exhibit at Brookside Gardens
- 10:00 am | Brunch with Santa at Pinstripes Bethesda ($)
- 11:00 am | Santa’s Workshop at Westfield Montgomery
- 11:00 am | Holly Trolleyfest at National Capital Trolley Museum ($)
- Visit with Santa down a mile-long woodland railroad, featuring a holiday ride on our historic street cars. In addition, enjoy a holiday model railroad display, crafts for children, photo opportunities, and more.
- 11:30 am, 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm | The Puppet Co. presents The 36th Annual Nutcracker at Glen Echo Park ($)
- 12:00 pm | Grinch and Whos visit Westfield Wheaton
More Maryland Events
- 10:00 am | Holiday Train Garden at B&O Ellicott City Station Museum
- 10:00 am | The Polar Express Train Ride at B&O Railroad ($)
- 11:00 am | Meet Santa at 2024 Savage Mill Yuletide in Savage
- 5:00 pm | Merriweather Symphony of Lights in Columbia ($)
- Drive through light display
Virginia
City of Alexandria
- 3:00 pm | 8th Annual Old Town Alexandria Tuba Christmas
- 5:00 pm | Ice & Lights The Winter Village at Cameron Run ($)
- Ice Skating opens this weekend!
More Virginia Events
- 9:00 am | Holiday Foodways at Mount Vernon Estate ($)
- 10:00 am | Holiday Carriage Rides in Manassas
- 11:00 am | Holiday Bricktacular at LEGO Discovery Center ($)
- 11:00 am | Santa at Mosaic in Fairfax
- Stick around for the Holiday Petting Zoo at 12:00 pm
- 12:00 pm | Toy Story hosts Kids & Family Festival at Shipgarten in McLean
Holiday Activities
See this listing of 200+ Holiday Activities in DC, Maryland and Virginia for kids of all ages! There's light shows, holiday performances and movies, markets and even ways to write letters to Santa. Click the link below to see the list.
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