9 minute read
Notebook
kids & family
by Kathleen Donner
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.
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 ca-
Photo: Courtesy of the Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
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.
EARLY CARE AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
Ages 6 weeks to 12 Years Old Monday - Friday | 6:30 AM - 6:00 PM
OUR PROGRAM OFFERS
• Developmentally
Appropriate
Programs • Toilet
Training • Certified
Educators • Education
Field Trips • Income-Based
Tuition • Summer Camp
LOCATIONS:
MINNESOTA 4021 Minnesota Ave., NE 202.397.1170
ANTIOCH 1105 50th St., NE 202.397.8754
GOOD HOPE ROAD 2503 Good Hope Rd., SE 202.582.0323
www.commresh.com
Photo: Courtesy of the Washington Nationals
Kids Run the Bases at Nat’s Park
Kids ages four to 12 can run the bases after every Sunday day game. Dates this year are July 18; Aug. 1 and 15; Sept. 5 and 19; and Oct. 3. An adult must accompany runners to the eld. Starting at rst base, kids will be directed to run around the bases as the adults continue along the warning track and meet the runners near home plate. Once the baseball game has ended, kids and parents/guardians can line-up at the end of the seventh inning, however fans who would like to stay and watch the entire game will be able to line-up once the game has ended. Participants must exit the ballpark through the Right Field Gate. The line forms outside of the park on the sidewalk along First St. washington.nationals.mlb.com.
The PenFed Kids Zone, the playground located just inside the Right Field Gate, is now open for every game, weather permitting.
pacity--only 20 people in the exhibition at a time. The blocks and surfaces are sanitized regularly, and they ask all visitors to sanitize their hands and keep masks on at all times. Timed-passes are included in your admission ($7 to $10), and are available at the admission desk when you pick up your wristbands.
Summer Movies at the MLK Memorial
On Thursday, July 16, 7:30 p.m., see the Princess and the Frog. It marks Disney’s return to the warmth and grandeur of hand drawn animation. From the heart of Louisiana’s mystical bayous and the banks of the mighty Mississippi comes an unforgettable tale of love, enchantment and discovery with a trumpet playing alligator, a love sick Cajun re y, and a host of other charming characters at every turn.
On Thursday, Aug. 19 at 8:30 P.M., see Black Panther. Marvel Studios’ Black Panther follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable con ict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. The young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life. Bring lawn chairs, blankets, and food. Alcoholic prohibited. Admission is free. TheMemorialFoundation.org.
Puppetry in the Time of Covid
While the Puppet Company Playhouse at Glen Echo is closed, the Puppet Company is posting archived videos on their Facebook page, at facebook.
Photo: Krista Schlyer
Free Anacostia Watershed Society Boat Tours
The Anacostia Watershed Society hosts free recreation activities every Thursday evening and some Saturdays of every month through October. Learn about the natural and cultural history of the Anacostia River on a guided canoe tour as part of the Anacostia River Explorers program. Your guide will lead these one or two hour trips and participants will paddle with the group in Anacostia Watershed Society supplied canoes. You will see area wildlife and stunning views of Washington, DC.
You can also explore the river while riding in an open-air motorized boat. Anacostia Watershed Society staff will take participants on a one or two hour tour of the river while discussing natural and cultural history along with restoration efforts. Registration is required and limited for these events. Participants under the age of 18 must be in a boat with an adult. Canoe tours are limited to 14 people, and 10 people for motorized boat tours, with a limit of four people per registration. Participants must arrive wearing a face mask. AWS has personal flotation devices for children of all ages (including infants). anacostiaws.org.
com/thepuppetco, every Friday at 10:30 a.m., creating new content for online and for when they are back in person. Sign up for their newsletter for the most up to date information about the Puppet Co at thepuppetco.org.
Soar Together @ Air and Space
Soar Together @ Air and Space is a monthly family-focused program from the National Air and Space Museum. Families can imagine their own futures by sharing in the stories of innovators and explorers from diverse backgrounds who challenged conventions and changed the world. Each month they focus on a different theme. For the foreseeable future, Soar Together will be available online for families to participate in, no matter where they live. Activities include scavenger hunts, videos, and hands-on demonstrations learners of all ages can do at home. Read more at airandspace.si.edu/visit/ events/soar-together-air-and-space.
Arts Family Day at Mount Vernon
On Saturday, July 24, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., learn about art as expression and communication in 18th century through visual arts, poetry, music, and movement. Visit the 12Acre Field and enjoy fun activities such as take-home crafts and an arts journal to explore the estate. Between 9 and 11 a.m., Mount Vernon will welcome guests who desire a quieter visit, including individuals on the autism spectrum and those with other sensory processing disorders. Activities and take-home craft kits are available while supplies last. Fully vaccinated individuals are not required to wear a face covering. The cost of Arts Family Day is included in admission. For guaranteed entry, they suggest that you purchase tickets in advance. mountvernon.org.
When Milk Becomes Plastic (from the Children’s Science Center)
Did you know that with a few household items you can create a moldable plastic out of milk? It may seem surprising that the liquid we use for dunking cookies or eating cereal could be used to create sculptures. It’s true! Through the creation of polymers by changing the milk’s pH you can have a new media to try out for arts and crafts, and it only takes a few minutes. Read the instructions and more at childsci.org/test/when-milk-becomes-plastic.
Upcoming Shows at Wolf Trap’s Theater-in-the-Woods are: Inez Barlatier--Ayiti, Stories and Songs from Haiti on Tuesday, July 20, for ages three to nine; Oran Etkin, Timbalooloo--Finding Friends Far From Home on Wednesday, July 21, for ages two to ten; Dan + Claudia Zanes with Friends--New Beginnings on Saturday, July 24, for ages three to twelve; Joanie Leeds-- All the Ladies on July 27, for ages four to twelve; Elena Moon Park and Friends on July 28, for ages two to nine; Maryland Youth Ballet presents Snow White on July 31, for age four to twelve.
All show are at 11 a.m. (gates at 10 a.m.). Tickets are $12, up and will be sold in socially-distanced pods of two to eight tickets. Pods must be purchased in their entirety. No single tickets are available. For Children’s Theatrein-the-Woods performances, each pod must include an adult over the age of 18. wolftrap.org.
DPR Spray Parks
DPR Spray Parks are small outdoor parks equipped with kid friendly fountains that are perfect for splashing around and escaping the summer heat. There is at least one spray park in every Ward of the District. All spray parks are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., every day through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 6, except Langdon Park, which operates according to the pool’s hours. To find the spray park closest to you, use the interactive map at dpr.dc.gov/page/spray-parks. u
