Weekday Adventures: Clowning around, beat-boxing, and ukulele fun

Hopefully you got outside and enjoyed the weather this weekend. Since we hear more cold (and snow?!) are in the weekday forecast, we are working on an Indoor Activity Guide so you have some new places to escape indoors with your children. For some more fun options, check out the rundown below.

Monday, Feb. 24

9:30am-11:00am- Rise and Rhyme at Busboys and Poets 
(5531 Baltimore Ave., Hyattsville, Md. 20781)
Rise + Rhyme is a weekly Busboys and Poets series for local stay-at-home parents and early rising families of all kinds! Featuring performances and stories for children ages 5 and under.

9:30am- Harambe at BloomBars
(3222 11th St NW, Washington, DC. 20010)
Think of it as your little one’s first opportunity to express his or her voice (into a microphone), dance, play a drum or percussion instrument, shout, or sing-along to songs that build character, confidence and community.

10:30am- Story and music at Politics and Prose
(5015 Connecticut Ave NW, DC. 20015)
Meet downstairs in the children’s department for thirty minutes of songs and stories. Grab a treat in the cafe before or afterwards or swing by Little Red Fox down the street for a coffee, lunch or treat.

Tuesday, Feb. 25

10:00am-5:00pm (Tuesdays-Saturdays)- Long Branch Nature Center
(625 S. Carlin Springs Road Arlington, VA 22204)
Perfect for a wintery cold day. Long Branch has a small (but well-stocked) discovery room full of puzzles and books and a playhouse with toys and stuffed animals. The nature center has snakes, turtles and other critters. They host several classes for preschoolers and younger children. There is also a trail outside the nature center that leads to a playground, which is about a half-mile.

10:30am- Miss Mollie The Clown at PB & Jack 
(9540 Main St, Fairfax VA 22031)
Miss Mollie returns to PB & Jack for more fun, games and balloon twisting! It will be Pajama Day so wear your best PJ’s! There will be bubbles and Pajama Party Fun! Show is included with your admission- come early and/or stay later to grab some coffee or a treat. Open play is from 9:00am-5:00pm and features a show at 10:30. Open everyday as well.

11:00am-11:45am- Mr. Skip performs at Firehook Bakery & Coffee Shop
(105 S Union St., Alexandria, VA)
Enjoy scrumptious baked goods, stay for lunch, and sing along with Mr. Skip. He is a favorite of my son; he is engaging and sings well-known kid songs and will be in his favorite Hawaiian attire. And you can’t go wrong with treats from Firehook– we used to live near a Firehook and miss having those treats a few blocks away.

Remember to checkout our post with ongoing events.

Wednesday, Feb. 26

9:15am and 10:30am- Me and You-kulele Musical Story time at Noyes Library for Young Children
(10237 Carroll Place Kensington, MD 20895)
Come Sing With Us! Music is a fun way to learn about sounds, rhythm, rhyme and is a natural support for your child’s early learning. Appropriate for all ages. Only one registration needed per family.

9:30am-11:00am- Circle of Friends Playgroup 
(Community Room at National City Christian Church on Thomas Circle, Entrance on 14th St through courtyard)
Parents, grandparents, and children, newborn up to age 4, are most welcome to attend this free group and no pre-registration is required. The community room has space for the active play of toddlers, as well as a comfortable area for those with infants and not-yet-mobile babies. Each session will begin with introductions and music, followed by open play. They have a clean up time and closing circle. The playgroup does have a collection of toys, books, and art supplies for use as well. Please feel free to bring drinks and snacks for yourselves and your little ones. Restroom facilities are available and the community room is stroller accessible. Contact Alyssa for more information.

10:00am- Story time at Barnes and Noble
(2800 Clarendon Blvd. Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201)
(12089 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852)
(4801 Bethesda Avenue Bethesda, MD 20814)
Thirty minutes of songs and stories at both locations. The Bethesda location has a nice train setup that keeps our guy busy before and/or after story time. 

10:00am- Samba Baby at Bloombars
(3222 11th St NW, Washington, DC. 20010)
It’s never too early to learn the infectious dance of the world’s 5th largest country and there’s no better teacher then Zezeh Zax– a dancer, professional performer of Brazilian samba and founder of the ZEZEH BRAZIL Dance Troupe. Get your baby movin and groovin!

10:30am-Boogie Babes presents Marcia Goodman-Wood at Union Market 
(1309 5th St NE, Washington, DC. 20002)
Access the free market parking lot from 6th Street NE or travel via metro to NoMA-Gallaudet. Come early for coffee and stay for lunch!

4:00pm-5:30pm- Open Studio at Art Space
(614 S St NW, Washington, DC. 20001)
Kids 3-6 years old and their accompanying adult are encouraged to come and create age-appropriate art projects. An employee will set up materials for safe, fun, and creative projects. Children will learn the art or cleaning up as well. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting dirty in. Siblings of any age are welcomed. $5

5:30pm- !Uno, Dos, Tres con Andres! at BloomBars
(3222 11th St NW, Washington, DC. 20010)
!Uno, Dos, Tres con Andres! is a sure bet every time. Children of various ages enjoy this interactive show that teaches Spanish language and Latin American culture. Please note they only have 1 showtime now.

Thursday, Feb. 27

10:00am- Harambe at Bloombars
(3222 11th St NW, Washington, DC. 20010)
Think of it as your little one’s first opportunity to express his or her voice (into a microphone), dance, play a drum or percussion instrument, shout, or sing-along to songs that build character, confidence and community.

10:30am- Boogie Babess presents Mr. Skip at Eastern Market
(225 7th St SE, Washington, DC 20003)
Boogie Babes most popular show of the week! Meet at the Historic Eastern Market’s North Hall (closest to South Carolina) for a lively concert, grab lunch and shop for dinner. Access to the North Hall via the market for Boogie Babes. Eastern Market Metro is two short blocks away.

10:30am-11:15am- Preschool Series: Treasure Quest at Hillwood Estate Museum and Garden 
(4155 Linnean Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20008)
Enter a world of wonder as you hunt for hidden gems, gold, and magnificent treasures that glitter and sparkle. Experience the wonder of Hillwood with your preschooler! Explore a new mansion room each week of this three-part series through make believe, art projects, and imaginative play. $12 for one day session. Last class of this session. For more information read more.

10:30am- The Great Zucchini at Jammin Java
(227 Maple Ave E Vienna, VA 22180)
Get tickets here for The Great Zucchini, Washington’s funniest and most magical preschool and kindergarten entertainer, performs a colorful magic show where every child is a star and guaranteed to laugh. Experience the excitement of the children when they get to learn a magic trick at the end of show.

10:15am and 11:30am- All the Way Live! With Paige Hernandez and Baye Herrell  
(1100 Jefferson Drive SW, on the National Mall: Ripley Center, Smithsonian)
Rising hip-hop star Paige Hernandez and master beat-box artist Baye Harrell can make anything—from the alphabet to folktales—come to life with a simple beat, a rhythm, and a rhyme. They’ll collaborate on the spot to create some incredible remixes that unfold through dance, poetry, rap, and tracks by DJ Nick Tha 1da in this production created just for Discovery Theater. Recommended for children ages 5-12. Tickets are $6/Kid, $8/Adult.

Friday, Feb. 28

10:00am- Songs, stories & puppets at Bloombars
(3222 11th St NW, Washington, DC. 20010)
30 minutes of storytelling, dancing, singing and entertainment just for kids under 5.

10:15am and 11:30am- All the Way Live! With Paige Hernandez and Baye Herrell
(1100 Jefferson Drive SW, on the National Mall: Ripley Center, Smithsonian)
Rising hip-hop star Paige Hernandez and master beat-box artist Baye Harrell can make anything—from the alphabet to folktales—come to life with a simple beat, a rhythm, and a rhyme. They’ll collaborate on the spot to create some incredible remixes that unfold through dance, poetry, rap, and tracks by DJ Nick Tha 1da in this production created just for Discovery Theater. Recommended for children ages 5-12. Tickets are $6/Kid, $8/Adult

10:30am-Boogie Babes presents !Uno, Dos, Tres con Andres! at Atlas Performing Arts
(1333 H Street NE Washington, DC. 20002)
Join Mr. Gabe at ATLAS Performing Arts Center along the H Street Corridor. Snack bar and bathrooms are easily accessible. Lots of good and kid-friendly lunch options within one to three blocks.

10:30am- Rocknoceros at Jammin Java
(227 Maple Ave E Vienna, VA 22180)
As every family with youngsters in the DC area already knows, Rocknoceros (pronounced like rhinoceros) is three guys: Coach Cotton, Williebob, and Boogie Woogie Bennie, who make wildly popular, award-winning music for the whole family. Tickets are $5.

11:00am- Story time at National Air & Space Museum 
(601 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20597)
(14390 Air and Space Museum Pkwy, Chantilly, VA 20151)
“Flights of Fancy” staff will read stories about famous aviators, hot-air balloon flights, trips to Mars, characters visible in the night sky, or creatures that have their own wings. Each session includes one story and a hands-on activity. Featured story is Wind Flyers by Angela Johnson in DC and Hot Air by Marjorie Priceman in VA.

1:00pm-4:00pm- The National Portrait Gallery presents Open Studio Fridays
(Eighth & F St NW, Washington, DC 20001 – Education Center, Room E151)
Friday afternoons at the Gallery feature some creative and free fun! Check out a Portrait Discovery Kit to explore the museum and try a different selection of art material each week.

***Miss Nelson is Missing has 3 weeks left of showtime. Check out the trailer and then buy tickets to an upcoming show!