kids & family
Donner by Kathleen
Capital Riverfront Kids’ Water Features Return
The outdoor water features have returned to both Canal Park, 200 M St. SE, and Yards Park, 355 Water St. SE, for the kids and kids at heart. They are anticipated to run daily between about 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. capitolriverfront.org.
Capitol Hill 4th of July Parade Returns
The Capitol Hill 4th of July Parade returns this year. The parade, which steps off at 10 a.m., proceeds north on Eighth St. SE, from I Street to Pennsylvania Avenue. It features kids on bikes, fire trucks, marching bands, school groups, dogs with their owners, vintage cars and politicians greeting voters. Read more at capitolhill4thparade.com. The National Park Service announced in April that the Independence Day Parade on Constitution Avenue, NW has been canceled for a second year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
National Air and Space Museum Reopens
The National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall will reopen on Friday, July 30. They will be open five days a week, Thursday through Monday, and closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. A number of galleries and experiences will be closed on your visit. All visitors must have a free timed-entry pass. Passes for the Museum in DC will be available to reserve starting July 23. airandspace.si.edu/visit/museum-dc.
Photo: Courtesy of the Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
The National Building Museum’s WORK PLAY BUILD is Open
Only at the National Building Museum can the concepts of PLAY, WORK, and BUILD be combined to create an exhibition that enthralls kids and adults alike. Conceived in partnership with the internationally renowned design firm the Rockwell Group, this exhibition combines a presentation of the Museum’s world-class Architectural Toy Collection, a hands-on block play area, and an original digital interactive that allows visitors to fill an entire wall of the exhibition with virtual blocks—and then knock them down. After viewing a selection of construction toys from the Museum’s collection, from the familiar Tinker Toys and Lincoln Logs to the lesser-known Bumpalow House and Ringa-Majigs, visitors can reconfigure their environment and design their own course of play with individually sized blocks. In the subsequent gallery, visitors are invited to work individually to reimagine their small-scale structures created into oversized structures using supersized foam blocks or to work in groups to design and build something entirely new. Children and adults alike are encouraged to participate in unstructured, imaginative play that exercises muscles and minds. The National Building Museum is at 401 F St. NW. nbm.org. NOTE: Currently they are operating PLAY WORK BUILD in a very limited ca36
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Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens Guides for Families with Young Kids
Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens has developed a number of free downloadable guides to help you explore the park. Whether you and your family like to search for birds, plants, or animals, they’ve got a guide for you. Or if you’re more interested in searching for plants and critters high and low as you explore the park, check out their free downloadable Summer Scavenger Hunt. You can also pick this up at the park at the Friends table or ask a ranger. If you have young kids who’d like to become a ranger one day, why not explore becoming a Junior Ranger on your next visit to the park? Pick up a Junior Ranger book from a ranger when you arrive at the park. Simply complete four of the activities at the park, find a ranger, and get sworn in as an official Junior Ranger of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens is at 1550 Anacostia Ave NE. kenaqgardens.org.
