Kid-friendly Activities in DC, Maryland & Northern Virginia this Weekend (5/9 - 5/11)
It's Mother's Day weekend and there are plenty of activities going on throughout the weekend to help celebrate the moms and motherly figures in your life! Saturday is World Bonsai Day and there's a tea ceremony and storytime to celebrate at the U.S. National Arboretum in NE DC beginning at 10:30 am. The National Bonsai and Penjing Museum on the Arboretum grounds is a very peaceful place to walk-through and explore, if you haven't already. There's also a Mother's Day Celebration at the Anacostia Community Museum beginning at noon that includes a sound bath workshop and community toast (if you want to ditch the kids (or not :)). Both of these events are free to attend! Plenty of arts and crafts events, brunches and more happening this weekend. I've hearted a few below for you to choose from. Have a happy and safe weekend!
Sarah Acors
Creator of 4DMV Kids & Founder of BCB DMV+
Events
Top picks in this list have the heart symbol ♥ at the end of the listing.
Free movies in this list have the club symbol ♣ at the end of the listing.
Friday, May 9, 2025
Washington, DC
- 3:00 pm | DC’s Heartbeat: A Musical Performance ~ The Importance of the Drum in DC at Anacostia Neighborhood Library
- 4:00 pm | Friday Films for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month at Capitol View Library in SE (Best for ages 5+) ♣
- 4:30 pm | A Minecraft Movie at The Miracle Theatre in SE ($)
- 5:00 pm | Asian Pacific American Heritage Month – Celebration Performances at Eastern Market Metro Plaza Park ♥
- Featuring Taiko Drummers
- 7:00 pm | Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks at the Kennedy Center ($) (Best for ages 10+) ♥
- Based on the book by local author Jason Reynolds
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- 10:30 am | Bibliobop: Teddy Bear Dance Party at Laurel Library ♥
- Bring your teddy bear or other stuffed friend with you to bust a move and shake your sillies out.
- 10:30 am | Bilingual Pre-K Story Hour at Spring Hill Lake Recreation Center in Greenbelt
- 12:00 pm | Dandelion Magic at Bowie Library ♥
- Join the talented theater students of Bowie High School for a heartwarming performance of Dandelion Magic, a short play adapted from the beloved children’s book.
- 5:00 pm | Mount Rainier Elementary Community Carnival
Montgomery County
- 10:30 am | Jeghetto’s Entertainment presents Jeghetto’s Workshop at Glen Echo Park ($)
- Learn how Jeghetto builds and manipulates his original puppets over hip-hop instrumentals. This is a very interactive production, you never know, you can be pulled up on stage and be part of the show.
- 11:00 am | Homeschool Tailgate Day: A Fun and Educational Event for All at Agricultural History Farm Park in Derwood ($)
- 4:00 pm | Book Character Bingo! at Connie Morella Library in Bethesda (Best for ages 3-12)
- 4:30 pm | Nail Art 2.0 for Tweens & Teens at Potomac Library (Best for ages 10-18)
- [Last Chance] 5:00 pm | L.E.A.D Fest Carnival at Westfield Montgomery Mall ($) ♥
- 5:00 pm | Middle School Maker Night at KID Museum in Bethesda ($) (Best for 6th – 8th graders)
More Maryland Events
- 3:00 pm | Family Paint Afternoon at Savage Branch Library in Laurel (Best for ages 6+)
- 5:00 pm | Mommy & Me Mother’s Day Paint Date at Joyful Studio in La Plata ($)
- 6:00 pm | Fostering Connection through Historic African American Experiences in Howard County at the Harriett Tubman Cultural Center in Columbia
- 6:00 pm | Nite Bite Fishing at Centennial Park South Boat Launch in Ellicott City ($)
Virginia
Arlington County
- 7:00 pm | Amphibian Week Campfire at Long Branch Nature Center ($)
City of Alexandria
- 12:00 pm | Ice Cream at Historic Huntley ($)
- Make and enjoy hand-cranked ice cream as Huntley’s Harris family may have done. Discover how the histories of ice cream and Huntley follow a similar path from elite luxury to family fare.
- 7:00 pm | One Voice A Community Choral Festival at Schlesinger Hall – NVCC Alexandria Campus ($)
More Virginia Events
- 5:30 pm | Kids Create: Straw Rockets at Park Central Library in Manassas Park
- 8:15 pm | Sunset Screenings ~ Disney’s Coco at Reston Town Center ♣
Saturday (5/10) in Washington, DC
- 9:30 am | Saturday Morning Live! presents: Silly Smarts at the National Theatre (Best for ages 3-6) ♥
- In Silly Smarts, InterAct Story Theatre’s executive artistic director Ali Oliver-Krueger weaves stories from her Japanese-American childhood with traditional Japanese mukashibanashi (Long-Ago Stories) in this funny and heart-warming east-meets-west storytelling series.
- 10:00 am | Build Day at the Hirshhorn Museum ♥
- A Day dedicated to little builders and budding architects that includes open art studio, a showcase of DCPS students’ work & more!
- 10:15 am | Crafty Tales: Woven of the World at Merry Pin in NW (Best for ages 3-8)
- Free art activity based on a book/artist
- 10:30 am | “Rose Weaves a Garden” Book Launch at the National Children’s Museum ($) ♥
- In between live readings and book signings, guests can take part in thematic activities like communal fabric weaving, macrame knotting and braiding, and creating upcycled flowers for a community garden.
- 10:30 am | Tea Ceremony and Tree Dedication for World Bonsai Day at the U.S. National Arboretum
- 10:30 am | Hands On: Celebrate Hawaiian Culture at the National Museum of the American Indian
- Includes storytime and bookmark and keychain making stations.
- 11:00 am | Second Saturdays: Zumbini at The Kennedy Center (Best for ages 0-4)
- Music and movement class
- 11:00 am | Family Event – Story Time with Author Sandra Moore at the U.S. National Arboretum ♥
- An activity for World Bonsai Day! The author will read her book “The Peace Tree from Hiroshima – The Little Bonsai with a Big Story”
- 11:00 am | Sip & Bead: Mother’s Day Jewelry Making at Made with Love DC in NE ($)
- 11:00 am | Diversión Saturdays Storytime: “Drum Dream Girl” at the National Museum of American History (Best for ages 3-8)
- This story is inspired by Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, a Chinese-African-Cuban girl who challenged tradition and grew up to become a famous musician.
- 11:00 am | Firsthand Experience: Hula Hoop at the National Museum of Women in the Arts ($) (Best for ages 13+)
- Learn various spins and movements with a hula hoop. After time to practice, everyone will learn how to make their own hoop!
- 12:00 pm | Mother’s Day Celebration: A Tribute to Love and Nurture at Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum ♥
- 12:00 pm | Spring Fling at THEARC: Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus in SE
- 12:00 pm | DC’s Heartbeat: A Musical Performance ~ The Importance of the Drum in DC at Lamond-Riggs Neighborhood Library
- 12:00 pm | Sightlines Saturday Guided Tour and Activity: Making Place, Making Space at the Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Enjoy a guided tour of the “Sightlines” exhibition and a hands-on activity creating a personal artwork inspired by maps and monuments.
- 1:00 pm | Spring Festival at Francis A. Gregory Library in SE ♥
- Includes carnival games, storytime, petting zoo. giveaways & more!
- 1:00 pm | STEAM Saturday at the National Building Museum (Best for grades 2nd – 6th)
- Learn about trailblazing inventors and creators, build hands-on projects using diverse materials, and experiment with how structure, shape, and function work together in the making process.
- 1:00 pm | Mother’s Day Card Crafternoon at Merry Pin in NW ($)
- 1:30 pm & 4:00 pm | Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks at the Kennedy Center ($) (Best for ages 10+) ♥
- Based on the book by local author Jason Reynolds ~ the 1:30 pm performance is sensory-friendly!
- 3:00 pm | TAAL Academy of Dance AAPI Heritage Month Celebration at MLK Memorial Library
- Taal Academy brings forward a beautiful and rich cultural heritage through music and movement and it inspires all to join in!
- 5:00 pm | Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft Sign & Discuss J vs. K at Mahogany Books in SE
Saturday (5/10) in Maryland & Northern Virginia
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- 9:00 am | Basic Birding 101 at Clearwater Nature Center in Clinton
- Grab your binoculars or borrow a pair from the nature center and join for a birdwatching adventure!
- 9:00 am | Sensory-Friendly Days in Nature at Clearwater Nature Center in Clinton ($)
- Beat the crowd and visit the Nature Center off-hours for a special self-paced program for those with sensory processing differences.
- 9:00 am | Girls Basketball Clinic at Palmer Park Community Center in Hyattsville (Best for ages 10-18)
- 10:00 am | SAARC Health & Wellness Fair at Southern Area Aquatics and Recreation Complex in Brandywine
- 10:30 am | Beginning Harmonica at Hyattsville Library (Best for teens & adults)
- 10:30 am | Bibliobop Dance Party at Greenbelt Library
- 11:00 am | Ridgeley Rosenwald School Community Day in Capitol Heights ♥
- Includes new photography exhibition, pop-up photo studio, brunch, arts & crafts & more!
- 11:00 am | Filipino Culture Ready 2 Read Storytime at New Carrollton Library (Best for ages 3-5) ♥
- Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage month with a Filipino story about culture and customs.
- 11:00 am | Global Tales and Traditions Series: Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage at Surratt House Museum and Research Center ♥
- Storytime + craft: ‘Ohana Means Family by Ilima Loomis with illustrations by Kenard Pak and make cherry blossom windsocks
- 11:30 am | Singing the Blues Workshop at Hyattsville Library (Best for teens & adults)
- 12:00 pm | Playday at Upper Marlboro Library
- To celebrate Children’s Mental Health Matters Week, this playday will focus on exploring big feelings with our little friends.
- 12:00 pm | Gateway Arts District Open Studios in Mount Rainier, Hyattsville, Brentwood and North Brentwood
- Visit various studio and meet the artists; immerse yourself in creativity and get a behind-the-scenes view of artists workspaces in the community!
- 12:00 pm | Healthy Cooking Workshop at Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover (Best for ages 7+)
- 12:00 pm | Mindfulness Nature Hike at Clearwater Nature Center in Clinton ($)
- 2:00 pm | Gymnastics & Tumbling Workshop at Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover
- 2:00 pm | Pull Up & Play at Rollingcrest-Chillum Community Center ♥
- Includes basketball clinics, air hockey, baseball pitch, face painting and more!
- 3:00 pm | Tail Waggin’ Tutors at Beltsville Library (Best for ages 5-12)
- Build your child’s confidence as they read to specially trained therapy dogs.
Montgomery County
- 10:00 am | Mother’s Day: Animal Babies – Choose Your Own Adventure Storytime at Meadowside Nature Center in Rockville ($)
- 10:00 am | Mother’s Day Eco-Printing Workshop at Meadowside Nature Center ($) ♥
- 11:00 am | Woodlawn Manor Cultural Park: Spring Fling Family Day in Sandy Spring ♥
- Enjoy hands-on activities including building and flying your own kite, creating a seed bomb for a garden, embark on a nature scavenger hunt, and more!
- 11:00 am & 2:00 pm | Charlotte’s Web at Glen Echo Park ($)
- 11:30 am, 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm | Jeghetto’s Entertainment presents Jeghetto’s Workshop at Glen Echo Park ($)
- Learn how Jeghetto builds and manipulates his original puppets over hip-hop instrumentals. This is a very interactive production, you never know, you can be pulled up on stage and be part of the show.
- 12:00 pm | Teen Crafting Hours and Movie Matinee ~ Barbie at Twinbrook Library in Rockville (Best for ages 13-18) ♣
- 12:30 pm | Mother’s Day Brunch at Pinstripes Bethesda ($) ♥
- 12:30 pm | Mother’s Day Buffet at City Perch in Bethesda ($)
- 2:00 pm | Learn How to Make Your Own Candy Sushi at Quince Orchard Library in Gaithersburg (Best for ages 6+) ♥
- 3:00 pm | Water N’ Kids at Potomac Library
- Learn water safety with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary
- 3:00 pm | L.E.A.D Fest Carnival at Westfield Montgomery Mall ($) ♥
- 4:00 pm | Crafts at the Library: Making Flower Cards at Marilyn J. Praisner Library in Burtonsville
More Maryland Events
- 9:00 am | Main Street Festival in Laurel ♥
- 10:00 am | Books in Bloom at Color Burst Park in Columbia ♥
- Includes author interviews, create your own flower bouquets, raffle, reading garden & more!
- 10:00 am | The Preakness Showcase at Port Discovery ($)
- From ponies and Maryland-inspired art projects to local music and interactive activities, this weekend honors everything that makes the Old Line State unique.
- 10:00 am | Bookworm Bash at Robinson Nature Center ♥
- It’s a read aloud party and everyone is invited! Enjoy story times with local authors before making your own story through interactive play and crafts. Collaborate with other families to create your own puppet show or embrace your creativity and make your own masks.
- 10:30 am | Science Saturdays: Stomp Rockets at Maryland City Library in Laurel
- 11:00 am | May’s Finger-Paint Party at sweetFrog Laurel ($)
- 11:00 am | Chemistry in the Library – Chemists Celebrate Earth Week at Glenwood Branch Library in Cooksville
- 11:30 am | Family Game Time at Savage Branch Library in Laurel
- 12:00 pm | Asian American and Pacific Islander Festival at Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods in Columbia ♥
- Includes live performances, food vendors, games, crafts & more!
- 2:00 pm | Saturday Family Crafternoon: Strawberry Fields Painting at Potomac Branch Library in Indian Head
- 2:00 pm | Live Concert with the Alice GuZheng Ensemble at Waldorf West Branch Library
- 2:00 pm | Mother’s Day Bouquets at Central Branch Library in Columbia ♥
- Celebrate the beloved mother figure in your life with an adorable DIY bouquet!
Virginia
Arlington County
- 9:00 am | Volunteer Service Day at Potomac Overlook Regional Park (Best for ages 9+)
- 10:00 am | World Migratory Bird Day Festival 2025 at Lacey Woods Park ♥
- Tiny hummingbirds and fierce osprey are some of the many birds migrating northward in spring. Come learn about these and other fabulous flyers with hands-on activities, games, crafts, bird walks and more at this bilingual event!
- 10:00 am | Mommy/Daddy & Me: Breakfast Bites and Apple-Granola Stacks at Cookology ($) (Best for ages 5-8) ♥
- 10:00 am | Crafty Kids: Take and Make at Courthouse Library
- 1:00 pm | Mother’s Day! Baking Family Class at Cookology ($) (Best for ages 8+) ♥
- 2:00 pm | May Studio Tour & Art PAUSE at Studio PAUSE Pike
- Join curator Sushmita Mazumdar for a tour and a fun art activity inspired by the exhibit.
- 2:00 pm | Dungeons & Dragons One Shot Adventures at Aurora Hills Library (Best for middle schoolers)
- 2:00 pm | Ready, Set, Game! at Cherrydale: Mario Kart Racing at Cherrydale Library (Best for ages 13-18)
- 3:00 pm | Math Pals at Central Library (Best for grades 2nd – 5th)
- Extra homework help!
City of Alexandria
- 9:00 am | Mother Daughter Brunch at Whiskey & Oyster ($)
- 10:00 am | Story Time for Little Historians at the Alexandria Black History Museum (Best for ages 4-8)
- 10:00 am | Mother’s Day Cupcake Flower Bouquet Decorating Class at Tiny Chefs ($) (Best for ages 4-8) ♥
- 11:00 am | Exploration of AAPI Art at Patrick Henry Recreation Center ♥
- 11:00 am | Family Friendly Wood + Canvas Workshop at AR Workshop ($)
- 11:00 am | Vintage Cake Decorating with Cakewich Craft ($)
- 1:00 pm | Mother’s Day Cupcake Flower Bouquet Decorating Class at Tiny Chefs ($) (Best for ages 9-14) ♥
- 2:00 pm | Board Game Cafe at Beatley Branch Library (Best for ages 5+)
- 2:00 pm | Made with Love: A Mother’s Day Soap Making Workshop at Made in ALX ($)
More Virginia Events
- 8:00 am | Tysons Pedal with Petals at Westbriar Elementary in Vienna ♥
- 2 mi. or 9 mi. bike ride
- 10:00 am | Fishing for Child and Parent at Riverbend Park in Great Falls ($)
- 10:00 am | Cultivate a Sense of Wonder – Nature Journaling at Hidden Pond Nature Center in Springfield ($) (Best for ages 8+)
- 11:00 am | Italian Heritage Auto Show at Mosaic District
- 12:00 pm | Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Celebration at Mason District Park in Annandale ♥
- 1:00 pm | Wildflower Walk and Craft at Burke Lake Park in Fairfax (Best for ages 4+)
- 8:30 pm | Amphibian Adventures After Dark at Riverbend Park in Great Falls ($)
- Listen to the frogs singing at night and learn how to identify them based on their calls.
Virtual
- 11:00 am | Virtual Dungeons and Dragons – Homebrew hosted by Charles County Public Library
Sunday, May 11, 2025
Washington, DC
- 10:30 am | Hands On: Celebrate Hawaiian Culture at the National Museum of the American Indian
- Includes storytime and bookmark and keychain making stations.
- 11:00 am | Mother’s Day Card Making at Planet Word ♥
- 1:00 pm | Tour de DCPL XVI at Tenley-Friendship Neighborhood Library ♥
- 11 mile bike ride that visits 5 locations
- 1:30 pm & 4:00 pm | Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks at the Kennedy Center ($) (Best for ages 10+) ♥
- Based on the book by local author Jason Reynolds
- 1:35 pm | Family Fundays at Nationals Park ($)
- Washington Nationals v. St. Louis Cardinals
- 2:00 pm | A Minecraft Movie at The Miracle Theatre in SE ($)
- 2:30 pm | DC’s Heartbeat: A Musical Performance ~ The Importance of the Drum in DC at Benning Neighborhood Library
- 3:00 pm | Art à la “Cart” at MLK Memorial Library
- Doodle like Da Vinci and collage like Kahlo with art
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- 6:00 pm | Movies on the Potomac: The Wild Robot at National Harbor ♣
Montgomery County
- 9:30 am | Princess Storytime at People’s Book Takoma
- 10:00 am | Learn to Inline Skate at Ridge Road Recreational Park in Germantown (Best for ages 5-17)
- 11:00 am & 2:00 pm | Charlotte’s Web at Glen Echo Park ($)
- 11:00 am & 2:30 pm | Intro to the Engineering Design Process Workshop at KID Museum in Bethesda ($) (Best for 2nd – 8th graders)
- 11:30 am, 1:00 pm & 3:00 pm | Jeghetto’s Entertainment presents Jeghetto’s Workshop at Glen Echo Park ($)
- Learn how Jeghetto builds and manipulates his original puppets over hip-hop instrumentals. This is a very interactive production, you never know, you can be pulled up on stage and be part of the show.
- 2:00 pm | Mother’s Day Pontoon Ride at Black Hill Discovery Center in Boyds ($)
- There’s another ride at 6:30 pm as well!
- 2:00 pm | Kids Yoga: Creating Mindful Moments at Germantown Library (Best for ages 6-12)
- 2:00 pm | Story Hour featuring “Senior Class” at the Olney Library
- To celebrate the production of Senior Class, the Olney Theatre Center is sponsoring an afternoon of stories at the library, hosted by guest storyteller Simoné Boyd.
- 3:00 pm | L.E.A.D Fest Carnival at Westfield Montgomery Mall ($)
More Maryland Events
- 11:00 am | The Preakness Showcase at Port Discovery ($)
- From ponies and Maryland-inspired art projects to local music and interactive activities, this weekend honors everything that makes the Old Line State unique.
- 12:15 pm | Mother’s Day Tea Time at B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore ($)
Virginia
Arlington County
- 10:00 am | MoCA on the Move: Celebrating Spring Family Fun Series at Metropolitan Park
- Live music, light snacks, and hands-on art making activity (Stamped Clay Heart Ornaments for Mom + flower giveaways!)
- [For adults] 10:00 am | Mother’s Day Forest Bathing at Potomac Overlook Regional Park ($)
- 3:00 pm | Mother’s Day Version: Sushi! at Cookology ($) (Best for ages 6+) ♥
City of Alexandria
- 1:00 pm | Mother’s Day Tea at Green Spring Gardens ($)
- Must call 703-941-7987 to reserve!
- 2:00 pm | Make Bath Bombs with Mom at Made in ALX ($)
More Virginia Events
- 10:00 am | Mother’s Day Buffet at Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant ($)
- 10:00 am | International Food & Culture Festival on the Manassas Museum Lawn
- Come for free entertainment, live DJ, craft vendors, and a Kids’ Zone with face painting and balloon animals.
- 10:00 am | Birding Buddies at Burke Lake Park in Fairfax ($)
- Walk alongside a naturalist and a group of youth birders as you learn new tricks to identify the birds around you. Develop new skills such as using binoculars, identifying birds with a field guide and writing down observations in your own birding journal. Journals will be provided.
- 11:00 am | Spring Discovery Hike at Riverbend Park in Great Falls ($)
- 12:00 pm | Mother’s Day Kids and Family Festival at Shipgarten in McLean
- 1:00 pm | In the Garden – Making Spring Treats at Colvin Run Mill in Great Falls ($) ♥
- 1:00 pm | Taste the Seoul at Manassas Mall
- You will get to try 2 flavors of wings and learn about what makes bb.q Chicken bb.q Chicken. Limit one dish per person.
- 1:30 pm & 3:00 pm | Animal Moms & Babies at Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale ($)
- Meet some young animals and discover how wild creatures grow and develop.
- 3:00 pm | Serpent Safari at Fountainhead Regional Park in Fairfax ($) (Best for ages 8+)
Virtual
- 4:00 pm | Challah Baking Club ~ Mix, Shape, and Bake for Jewish Heritage Month via Montgomery County Public Libraries
This Week's Book Recommendation
