- Updated: 4/29/2026
Note: This weekly listing is full of events happening throughout the weekend for kids (ages 3+) – teens. I place a special emphasis on literacy, STEM & other educational based events as well as family fun festivities. Please click the links to review the most up-to-date information prior to heading out!
Coming Up this Weekend
Friday, May 1, 2026
Washington, DC
- Friday (5/1) at 10:15 am & 11:30 am | Mother Earth and Me at Discovery Theater in SW ($) (Best for ages 7-11)
- The magic of earth science takes center stage in this fun, interactive Discovery Theater original as audiences explore the origins of our planet and the systems that shape it, from powerful plate tectonics to the ever-present water cycle, and even the impact of life itself.
- Friday (5/1) at 10:30 am | Transportation Week: Trucks at the National Museum of American History
- Explore how trucks transformed American life with spotlight tours and hands-on docent carts in America on the Move.
- [Virtual] Friday (5/1) at 1:00 pm | Artful Movement | SEL Webinar for Students ~ Sunny Day on Zoom (Best for grades K-3)
- Get ready to observe, chat, and move with art! In these webinars, students (grades K–3) will look carefully at a work of art through facilitated exploration. Then, they will breathe, stretch, and flow through a guided mindful movement. This month’s theme is “Sunny Day.”
- Friday (5/1) at 2:00 pm | World Language Festival at Planet Word ♥
- Step into a world of languages without leaving the city! Join us for an immersive, hands-on celebration where embassies and cultural organizations bring their languages to life through interactive activities, games, and experiences for all ages. Discover new ways to connect, communicate, and explore the richness of some of the world’s languages — no passport required.
- Friday (5/1) at 8:30 pm | Galactic Empire Band – A Stars Wars Cinemetal Experience in SE ($)
- Join the galaxy’s foremost progressive technical heavy metal Star Wars cosplay John Williams tribute band as they lay waste to Washington, D.C., Planet Earth. Prepare for an evening of the most impressive heavy metal.
Maryland
- Friday (5/1) at 11:00 am | Adventure Theatre’s Aesop’s Fables at Glen Echo Park ($)
- Friday (5/1) at 6:00 pm | Come Out n’ Play Children’s Mental Health Matters Resource Fair and Ice Skating at Bowie Ice Arena ♥
- This will be a one-stop resource fair for families, advocates, and children to come out, learn, and play! There will be a free skate from 6:30-8pm.
Northern Virginia
- Friday (5/1) at 11:00 am | Intergenerational Storytime at Aurora Hills Library
- Friday (5/1) at 6:30 pm | PAW Patrol Live! “A Mighty Adventure” at Eagle Bank Arena in Fairfax ($)
- Friday (5/1) at 7:00 pm | Bilingual Campfire Stories: Búhos at Long Branch Nature Center in Arlington ($)
Saturday, May 2, 2026
Washington, DC
- Saturday (5/2) at 8:00 am | DC’s Annual Truck Touch at RFK Stadium Lot 8 in SE ♥
- Explore nearly 30 types of impressive vehicles from DC government agencies — from street sweepers and snowplows to dump trucks, police cruisers, fire engines, and even mobile medical units. This is your chance to hop inside, honk the horn, and learn about the tools that keep our city moving.
- Saturday (5/2) at 9:30 am | 2026 Around the World Embassy Tour at participating Embassies ♥
- During Around the World Embassy Tour, embassies from multiple non-European Union (EU) countries, will host open houses on May 2, 2026 to visitors and residents to enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience. Participants will learn about other cultures and traditions through food, fashion, arts and music, among other things.
- Saturday (5/2) at 10:00 am | Ready. Set. Explore! Curated Walking Tour hosted by WHUT at Dupont Circle ♥
- A guided, PBS KIDS–style walking tour led by WHUT staff who know how kids learn best: through curiosity, play, and hands-on discovery. Activities include live music & dancing, crafts & coloring stations, cultural demos, food samples, giveaways & more!
- Saturday (5/2) at 10:00 am | Sound Scene 2026: Distant Mirror at Hirshhorn Museum
- Sound Scene is the Washington, DC, region’s premier interactive sound and multisensory arts festival. It’s a free all-ages celebration of sonic and sensory arts featuring artists from both DC and around the world.
- Saturday (5/2) at 10:00 am | The World and Me: Amphibian Week Kickoff Celebration with USGS and Friends at the National Museum of Natural History
- Learn about amphibians with friends from the US Geological Survey and more! Families with learners of all ages will be invited to explore different stations, see live amphibians, and explore play, art, and related museum collections.
- Saturday (5/2) at 10:30 am | Transportation Week: Ships at the National Museum of American History
- Dive into the history of ships and seafaring through spotlight tours and curator conversations in America on the Move. Explore how waterways carried people, goods, and ideas across the nation and around the world.
- Saturday (5/2) at 11:00 am | Día de los Niños – Día de los Libros at Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library ♥
- Includes a puppet workshop, pupusa making workshop, dance lesson & a piñata!
- Saturday (5/2) at 11:00 am | Roving Leaders Mommy & Me Tea at Emery Heights Community Center in NW ♥
- Saturday (5/2) at 11:00 am | Talk with Your Hands and Tell Your Stories with Story Tapestries at Lamond-Riggs Neighborhood Library in NE ♥
- Create stories through Indian Classical Dance and storytelling. Stomp it out, clap out beats and express it with this ancient technique in present-day.
- Saturday (5/2) at 11:30 am | May the 4th (Force) be with you – 8th Street SE Unofficial Star Wars Weekend at Eastern Market Metro Park
- Includes meet & greet characters, Jedi training, live lightsaber battle, Jedi parade & costume contest!
- Saturday (5/2) at 1:00 pm | Crochet Kingpin’s Wearable Art at Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum (Best for ages 8+)
- Participants will learn the basics of crocheting and have an opportunity to practice chains, single crochet, and double crochet. Feel free to bring your crochet works in progress. Experienced crocheters will receive a pattern for lace blossoms to explore and work on.
- Saturday (5/2) at 2:00 pm | Running of the Chihuahuas at The Wharf
- Saturday (5/2) at 4:00 pm | Mother’s Day Cards at Southwest Neighborhood Library ♥
- Make Mother’s Day cards by fork-painting tulips.
Maryland
Prince George’s County
- Saturday (5/2) at 11:00 am | 2nd Annual Touch-a-Truck at Beltway Plaza Parking Lot in Greenbelt ♥
- Explore and climb on real trucks, enjoy games and prizes, and grab food while experiencing a fun, hands-on community event.
- Saturday (5/2) at 11:00 am | Sesquicentennial Family Day at Marietta Historic Site & Museum in Glenn Dale ♥
- A fun-filled day featuring African drumming performances from 1-3 pm ~ All the historic buildings will be open for visitors, a children’s craft tent will offer easy make-and-take projects, and an archaeology table offers hands-on exploration.
- Saturday (5/2) at 12:00 pm | Dinosaur Park Open House in Laurel
- Learn more about fossils, including the dinosaurs who used to call Maryland home. Guests can expect an orientation and then the opportunity to search the surface of the ground for fossils.
- Saturday (5/2) at 12:00 pm | Kinderfest at Watkins Regional Park in Upper Marlboro ($) ♥
- A day of live entertainment, Midway games, interactive exhibits, KidFit amusements, hands-on activities, food vendors, and more!
- Saturday (5/2) at 1:00 pm | Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration at Harmony Hall Arts Center in Fort Washington ♥
- Enjoy a vibrant afternoon featuring delicious AANHPI cuisine, Japanese calligraphy, henna art, AANHPI trivia, Filipino dance, a Chinese tea ceremony performance, and more.
- Saturday (5/2) at 2:00 pm | Bowie Arts Showcase at Bowie Playhouse ($)
- Enjoy an afternoon of dance, theater, music, poetry, improv, magic, and martial arts – all supporting student art scholarships in the City of Bowie.
- Saturday (5/2) at 2:00 pm | Skateboard Community Day at Mount Rainier Skate Park
- Meet your neighbors, enjoy live music and performances, and take part in skate lessons and open sessions for all skill levels.
- Saturday (5/2) at 3:00 pm | Bowie Spring Fling at Belair Mansion ♥
- An afternoon of yoga and zumba ~ Kids’ crafts and snowcones will be available, as well as a showing of Birds of Prey (by Patuxent Research Refuge)! Bring your yoga mat, a reusable water bottle, and an old white t-shirt to upcycle with tie-dye, and join the Green Team for a fun-filled afternoon for the whole family. Picnics are welcome.
Maryland
Montgomery County
- Saturday (5/2) at 10:00 am | Tiny Lil’ Ones Carnival at Jane E. Lawton Community Recreation Center in Chevy Chase (Best for ages 5 & under)
- Saturday (5/2) at 10:00 am | Archaeology Day at Needwood Mansion in Rockville ♥
- Free, family-friendly day is filled with hands-on activities, demonstrations, games, costumed interpreters, food trucks, music, and more!
- Saturday (5/2) at 10:30 am | Flower Crowns & Leis Craft at Quince Orchard Library in Gaithersburg ♥
- Make paper flower crowns and leis with us as we celebrate Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month with crafts inspired by traditional Polynesian culture.
- Saturday (5/2) at 10:30 am | Build a Play – Aesop’s Fables at Rockville Library (Best for grades 3-5) ♥
- Create a play based on the classic story of Aesop’s Fables! Students will build the play through creative drama consisting of dialogue, exploring characters, and movement.
- Saturday (5/2) at 11:00 am | Sligo Creek Fest in Silver Spring ♥
- Enjoy performances for all ages across three stages, kids climbing wall, double dutch, roving entertainers, yard games, food vendors & more!
- Saturday (5/2) at 11:00 am | Cultural Arts Tour of the Polynesian Triangle at Gaithersburg Library
- Journey to the South Pacific to experience traditional songs and dances of Tahiti, Hawaii, and New Zealand.
- Saturday (5/2) at 11:00 am & 2:00 pm | Adventure Theatre’s Aesop’s Fables at Glen Echo Park ($)
- Saturday (5/2) at 7:00 pm | PLAYdate: Coven Edition with Happenstance Theater at Prince George’s Publick Playhouse in Hyattsville ($)
- Just in time for Spring, this will be a super-charged explosion of original work by powerhouse performers from the DC/MD Theatre community who want to dive into devising.
More Maryland Events
- Saturday (5/2) at 6:00 am & 9:00 am | Spring Fishing Tournament at Centennial Park South Boat Launch in Ellicott City ($) (Best for ages 5+)
- Boat or shoreline anglers, fish for prizes in this catch-and-release event. Children 13 years and under win prizes and trophies.
- Saturday (5/2) at 9:00 am | Main Street Festival in Laurel ♥
- Includes food, fun and entertainment!
- Saturday (5/2) at 9:00 am | Day Out with Thomas at B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore ($) ♥
- Hop on board for a real train ride with Thomas, strike a pose at photo ops and snag something cool at the exclusive gift shop. Then, keep the beat going at the Music Corner, packed with lawn games, hands-on activities, and music-inspired fun that’ll have the whole family dancing!
- Saturday (5/2) at 10:00 am | Galaxy Rebels Weekend at Port Discovery in Baltimore ($)
- With activities ranging from building a laser sword to hero training, everyone is sure to find something that will put a smile on their face.
Northern Virginia
Arlington County
- Saturday (5/2) at 10:00 am | Rosslyn Spring Market at NOW Pop-Up Park
- Includes vendors, live music, crafts for mom, typewriter poet to capture your own poetry & more!
- Saturday (5/2) at 12:00 pm | Storytime with Special Guest, Tiffany Haddish at Columbia Pike Library ♥
- Saturday (5/2) at 2:00 pm | Water We Waiting For! at Potomac Overlook Regional Park ($) (Best for ages 7+)
- With a NOVA Parks Naturalist, find amphibians in the frog pond, meet an aquatic turtle and watch them eat, go netting for eels at the stream, and race your own “pirate boats”!
- Saturday (5/2) at 5:00 pm | Terrific Turtle Campfire at Gulf Branch Nature Center ($)
Northern Virginia
City of Alexandria
- Saturday (5/2) at 10:00 am | Blooms & Butterflies Cake Pops Decorating Studio Class at Tiny Chefs ($) (Best for ages 5-12)
- Saturday (5/2) at 10:00 am | Rec Fest 2026 at Patrick Henry Recreation Center ♥
- From games and sports to arts and nature activities, there’s something for everyone. Enjoy delicious food, live music from a DJ, interactive experiences, and special features from other City of Alexandria departments.
- Saturday (5/2) at 12:00 pm | Carlyle House Family Fun Day: Beautiful Bees! (Best for ages 4+) ♥
- Focusing on the importance of bees through stories, crafts, and hands-on activities.
More Northern Virginia Events
- Saturday (5/2) at 7:00 am | Wandering Warblers at Algonkian Regional Park ($) (Best for ages 7+)
- Be an early bird and enjoy a fabulous show of migrating warblers—small, insect-eating birds that often display striking plumage!
- Saturday (5/2) at 9:00 am | Revolutionary War Weekend at Mount Vernon Estate ($)
- Step back in time to meet Revolutionary War soldiers, watch 18th-century demonstrations, and experience what it was like during the American Revolution 250 years ago.
- Saturday (5/2) at 10:00 am | Spring Farm Day at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon ($)
- Includes sheep shearing, antique farm equipment demos, goat and cow milking, hands-on farming activities & more!
- Saturday (5/2) at 10:00 am & 2:00 pm | PAW Patrol Live! “A Mighty Adventure” at Eagle Bank Arena in Fairfax ($) ♥
- Saturday (5/2) at 11:30 am | Mother’s Day Crafting Event at Manassas Mall
- Saturday (5/2) at 2:00 pm | Spring Engineering Challenge at Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale ($) (Best for ages 6-10) ♥
- Celebrate warmer weather with an engineering challenge with a seasonal twist. Think like an engineer to solve this fun spring themed challenge.
- Saturday (5/2) at 3:00 pm | Barnes & Noble: LEGO Star Wars Build Event at Mosaic in Fairfax (Best for ages 10+ but all are welcome)
Sunday, May 3, 2026
Washington, DC
- Sunday (5/3) at 10:00 am | Amphibian Week at the Reptile Discovery Center at National Zoo ♥
- Learn about cutting-edge conservation research, go “toad-to-toad” in an amphibian trivia game, and leap to the art station to create your own colorful amphibians and enjoy some fun giveaways.
- Sunday (5/3) at 11:00 am | SHOUT at the National Museum of American History
- Learn about the ring shout—a powerful practice blending song and rhythmic movement created by enslaved communities in the 1700s and 1800s. They combined various religious practices of Europe and Africa, creating a cultural tradition that became iconically American.
- Additional ensembles at 1:00 pm & 2:00 pm!
- Sunday (5/3) at 1:35 pm | Family Fundays at Nationals Park ($)
- Washington Nationals v. Milwaukee Brewers ~ Your little big leaguers will love the Nationals! Kids can run wild in the Nationals Park Kids Zone or during Kids Run the Bases Presented by GEICO after every Sunday game. Kids (and kids at heart) can pick up a voucher to get autographs before the game, meet the Racing Presidents, and get a free First Game Certificate to commemorate their visit to Nationals Park.
- Sunday (5/3) at 3:00 pm | American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra at MLK Memorial Library
- Sunday (5/3) at 3:00 pm | Let’s Sing Taylor – A Live Band Experience Celebrating Taylor Swift at Warner Theatre in NW ($)
Maryland
- Sunday (5/3) at 9:00 am | Day Out with Thomas at B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore ($) ♥
- Hop on board for a real train ride with Thomas, strike a pose at photo ops and snag something cool at the exclusive gift shop. Then, keep the beat going at the Music Corner, packed with lawn games, hands-on activities, and music-inspired fun that’ll have the whole family dancing!
- Sunday (5/3) at 11:00 am | Galaxy Rebels Weekend at Port Discovery in Baltimore ($)
- With activities ranging from building a laser sword to hero training, everyone is sure to find something that will put a smile on their face.
- Sunday (5/3) at 11:00 am & 12:30 pm | Family Workshop: Weaving at KID Museum in Bethesda ($)
- Design and build your own cardboard loom, then use yarn and other materials to create your own woven piece. Experiment with different colors and textures as you learn the basics of weaving.
- Sunday (5/3) at 11:00 am & 2:00 pm | Adventure Theatre’s Aesop’s Fables at Glen Echo Park ($)
- Sunday (5/3) at 12:00 pm | Holi Celebration at The Chrysalis at Merriweather Park in Columbia ♥
- Sunday (5/3) at 12:00 pm | Native Plant Palooza at Robinson Nature Center in Columbia
- Features plant inspired artists, plant and pollinator related community groups, and free guided plant walks!
- Sunday (5/3) at 1:00 pm | Animal Encounters at Clearwater Nature Center in Clinton ($) (Best for ages 2+)
- Sunday (5/3) at 3:00 pm | Cultural Arts Tour of the Polynesian Triangle at Marilyn J. Praisner Library in Burtonsville
- Journey to the South Pacific to experience traditional songs and dances of Tahiti, Hawaii, and New Zealand.
- Sunday (5/3) at 4:00 pm | PLAYdate: Coven Edition with Happenstance Theater at Prince George’s Publick Playhouse in Hyattsville ($)
- Just in time for Spring, this will be a super-charged explosion of original work by powerhouse performers from the DC/MD Theatre community who want to dive into devising.
- Sunday (5/3) at 6:00 pm | Movies on the Potomac: Lilo & Stitch at National Harbor ♣
Northern Virginia
- Sunday (5/3) at 9:00 am | Revolutionary War Weekend at Mount Vernon Estate ($)
- Step back in time to meet Revolutionary War soldiers, watch 18th-century demonstrations, and experience what it was like during the American Revolution 250 years ago.
- Sunday (5/3) at 10:00 am | MoCA on the Move: Celebrating Spring Family Fun Series at Metropolitan Park
- Artist Spotlight: Zhenya Parish — Expressive Painting + live music!
- Sunday (5/3) at 10:00 am & 2:00 pm | PAW Patrol Live! “A Mighty Adventure” at Eagle Bank Arena in Fairfax ($) ♥
- Sunday (5/3) at 12:00 pm | Cinco De Mayo with Encanto at Shipgarten in McLean
- Celebrate Cinco De Mayo with Encanto in a vibrant fiesta full of music, dance, and festive fun!
- Sunday (5/3) at 12:00 pm | Wetlands Awareness Day at Huntley Meadows in Alexandria ♥
- Discover the beauty and importance of wetlands. Stroll forested paths and immersive boardwalk trails. Learn about plants and animals that live in the park. See live raptors, reptiles and amphibians up close. Enjoy interactive displays and activities.
- Sunday (5/3) at 1:00 pm | Reading is Wild! at Long Branch Nature Center in Arlington (Best for ages 5-9)
- Special book reading by the Wildlife Rescue League!
- Sunday (5/3) at 5:00 pm | Holi at Mosaic in Fairfax ♥
- An evening filled with authentic Indian flavors, great music, dancing, cocktails and festivities
Sensory Friendly & Accessible
- [Virtual] Friday (5/1) at 1:00 pm | Artful Movement | SEL Webinar for Students ~ Sunny Day on Zoom (Best for grades K-3)
- Each session includes American Sign Language interpretation. Get ready to observe, chat, and move with art! In these webinars, students (grades K–3) will look carefully at a work of art through facilitated exploration. Then, they will breathe, stretch, and flow through a guided mindful movement. This month’s theme is “Sunny Day.”
- Friday (5/1) at 4:00 pm | Special Olympics Young Athletes Playgroup at Bellevue Neighborhood Library (Best for ages 2-7)
For Tweens & Teens
Washington, DC
- Friday (5/1) & Saturday (5/2) at 9:30 am | DC History Conference at MLK Memorial Library
- The DC History Conference’s mission is to highlight outstanding recent scholarship and engagement with the history of Washington, DC and to share that knowledge with an interested community of scholars, neighbors, students, history enthusiasts, policy makers, activists, artists, and more. Here’s the info for Saturday’s event!
Maryland
- [Just Added] Saturday (5/2) at 10:00 am | Safe Streets Teen Summit at Regency Furniture Stadium in Waldorf ♥
- The Safe Streets Teen Summit is a powerful, interactive event designed to educate, empower, and equip teens and families with the tools they need to make safe driving decisions.
- Saturday (5/2) at 10:30 am | Pins and Needles: Beginners Crochet Workshop at Upper Marlboro Library
- Explore the art of crocheting in this hands-on workshop. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your skills, this is the perfect place to learn and get creative.
- Saturday (5/2) at 1:00 pm | Library Open House with Bladensburg High School’s Mad Hatter’s Club at Bladensburg Library
- Take part in digital resources demonstrations. Check out a book and earn community service hours!
- Saturday (5/2) at 1:30 pm | Tree-mendous Trees at Clearwater Nature Center in Clinton ($) (Best for ages 9+)
- Discover the incredible variety of trees that thrive at Clearwater Nature Center as you learn the fundamentals of tree identification, explore the historical uses of different species, and understand the vital roles trees play in the ecosystem.
- Saturday (5/2) at 2:00 pm | Discover: The Traditional Tattoo Art of Batok at Accokeek Library (Best for teens & adults) ♥
- Learn about the fascinating world of Batok! Batok is the Filipino Kalinga tribe’s ancient way of tattooing. To tattoo in Batok style, artists use Austronesian tools – the hafted needle and mallet.
Northern Virginia
- Friday (5/1) at 11:00 am | Introduction to Hula at Burke Branch Library in Alexandria (Best for teens & adults) ♥
- Friday (5/1) at 7:00 pm | A Night of Soccer & Secrets: Laurie Morrison in conversation with Erin Becker at Old Town Books ($) (Best for ages 10-14)
- Join beloved author Laurie Morrison for the release of her new book, WHERE ELLA WENT (ages 10-14), a gripping, funny, multiformat mystery in the vein of other upper middle grade favorites like WHAT HAPPENED TO RACHEL RILEY?
- Saturday (5/2) at 10:30 am | The CHAT ~ Change Happens with Alexandria Teens at Barrett Branch Library in Alexandria (Best for ages 14-19) ♥
- Each conversation will be moderated by our teen Youth Fellow, recorded and uploaded into Cortico, a community conversations platform, and used to create an audio archive and roadmap for improving lives of Alexandria teens. During the conversation, you’ll be able to eat provided snacks and participate in open-ended creation (think clay, painting, beading, and more!).
- Sunday (5/3) at 2:00 pm | Colonial Crafternoon at Beatley Jr. Central Library (Best for teens & adults)
- Using a wooden button and colorful thread, learn how to make a covered button. These buttons were popular during colonial times.
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See this recently updated list of upcoming children's theater productions in DC, Maryland & Northern Virginia!
