Beltway Bambinos

(re) discover Washington DC through the eyes of your children

DC Family Weekend Fun Guide

We’ve got a great list of 16+ ways to spend Spring Break. If you are staying local and need some ideas check out this post.

All weekend
Sakura Matsuri Japanese Street Festival

The Dr. Seuss Experience

RiverRun Festival

Washington Nationals

Friday
4:30pm-8:00pm: Geoff the Magician at The Lane
What better way to spend a Friday night then having the kiddos watch a great magician and get tired on the bounce house, while you enjoy one of the last nice weekends before winter with an adult beverage.

Saturday
10:00am-12:00pm: Cherry Blossom Festival Parade
The Nation’s Springtime Parade is returning to Constitution Avenue. Grand colorful helium balloons, elaborate floats, marching bands from across the country, celebrity entertainers, and performers burst down the Parade route in a spectacle of music and showmanship celebrating spring in Washington, DC.

10:00am-2:00pm: Soar Together at Air and Space On Site Family Day: All About Rockets
How do rockets work? What are they used for? Why are they designed the way they are? Get the answer to all of these questions as we explore rockets and the important role they play in spaceflight and exploration. Join a hands-on day of fun for all ages during this Family Day at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

10:00am-3:00pm: Horse Expo at Frying Pan Farm Park
Come to the first-ever horse expo at Frying Pan Farm Park! This event is for experienced riders as well as people who are new to the world of horses. There will be food trucks, speakers, demonstrations, and businesses that sell horse-related products and services.

11:00am-2:00pm: Herring Heroes Obstacle Course at Pierce Mill
The herring are back, and so is this fun family event! Each spring, these mighty fish travel upstream from the Chesapeake Bay to Rock Creek, where they lay their eggs. Come learn about the spring herring migration, and see if you’re as strong as a fish! Can you swim up imaginary rapids and find your way on a Rock Creek balance beam? Go up the fish ladder, and carry an egg on a spoon? After you’ve completed the obstacle course, look for herring swimming past Peirce Mill! This outdoor event is FREE, no registration required. Rain date: April 16

1:00pm-3:00pm: Georgetown Scavenger Hunt
Explore some of Georgetown’s most cherished wonders and overlooked gems by solving clever clues during a fun scavenger hunt adventure!

2:00pm-9:00pm: Celebrate 2023 DC Emancipation Day
Join Mayor Bowser for a celebration of DC Emancipation Day with a parade, a DC Statehood Foodtruck-palooza, a concert, and fireworks!

Sunday
9:30am-11:00am: Earth-day inspired workshop at Red Panda Art Studio
Join for a special weekend workshop designed specifically for ages 18 months to 5! Class includes sensory stations, a group story, and a guided project inspired by our wonderful Planet, Earth! There will be a focus on using natural and recyclable materials. Please feel free to bring along any extra bottle caps or paper towel roll tubes you may have around. Drop-off optional for ages 3.5+. Caregivers welcome to stay!

11:30am-1:30pm: Open studio at Red Panda Art Studio
Join for an open studio experience! There will be a few selected inspiration idea stations set-up and you can use your imagination to fill in the rest! Workshop is designed for ages 5+. Drop-off recommended. Workshop includes a pizza lunch.

Plan ahead:
Aladdin Family Night at The National : April 26 only
Your wish is granted with special activities including Aladdin’s Wall of Wishes and coloring take home fun packs. The theatre will be opening one hour earlier than other performances for special activities exclusive to April 26 beginning at 5:30.

 
 

Weekend picks in and around Washington, DC

Easter is coming up and that means lots of egg hunts and festivities!

There are many places to see cherry blossoms still but time is dwindling so check out our favorite spots.

Baseball season has begun and our Washington Nationals are home this weekend!!

Saturday & Sunday

White House Garden Tour
Timed tickets are required to take the White House Garden Tour. Tickets are free and distributed same day. The tickets specify a time on the hour or half hour to enter the grounds for your tour. Free timed tickets will be distributed from a tent outside the White House Visitor Center at 8:30am each day. All attendees, regardless of age, must have a ticket

The Hula-Hoopin Queen is at Imagination Stage until April 8 and you wont’ want to miss it. It is a darling show and will leave you wanting to brush off your hula-hoop and give it a twirl.

Saturday

9:00am-1:00pm: Pink in the Pool
Join this free, pink-themed splash at the Long Bridge Park Aquatics and Fitness Center. Throw around a beach ball with your kids, enjoy face painting and craft making activities, and share a tasty treat from Kona Ica. There’s no better place to bring your family to kick off the Spring season. Later in the day, parents can continue the fun at Pink in the Park, a pink-themed festival with exciting music and entertainment, an assortment of beer and wine, and a range of food truck options.

10:00am-5:00pm: Weekend of Word Play at Planet Word
Join Planet Word as we celebrate a Weekend of Wordplay in conjunction with the North American School Scrabble Championship. Visitors will be invited to drop-in for a day of activities in Lexicon Lane. There will be Scrabble tactics and demonstrations throughout the day and hands-on wordplay game exploration with our friends from Labyrinth Games & Puzzles. Join Stefan Fatsis, author of Word Freak, in the Friedman Family Auditorium for “A Brief History of Scrabble” and a book reading with Q&A. If you feel inspired to bring home your own wordplay games that day, our gift shop, Present Perfect, will feature a Hasbro Game Display.

10:00am-3:00pm: Japanese Culture Day at the Library of Congress
Celebrate Japanese Culture Day at the Library of Congress! Children of all ages, families and teachers can learn about Japanese culture through reading, writing and craft-making with Japanese cultural and linguistic professionals during the Library’s Japanese Culture Day. Collection items related to cherry blossoms and Japanese culture will also be on display.

10:30-4:00pm: First Saturday program at the National Gallery of Art
This new monthly program takes a lot of the popular elements of National Gallery Nights and offers them in a daytime setting. A daylong festival of artmaking, kids’ films, a pop-up library, PLUS a lecture and book signing with Hilton Carter and film and discussion with director Jem Cohen

12:00pm-8:00pm: The Lane turns 1!
Join the celebration for live entertainment from Geoff the Magician, bumper-car fun with our friends at WOW Wheels, fun treats by Simply Pleasures & more!

2:00pm-9:00pm: Bloomaroo at the Wharf
The free spring extravaganza features a full day of cherry blossom-themed art, music, fireworks, and family-friendly fun along the waterfront! Enjoy beer gardens on District pier, s’mores at our firepit, and live music. We’ll cap it all off with our blossom fireworks finale.

2:00pm & 4:00pm: This is the Rope 
The Kennedy Center will welcome beloved Education Artist-in-Residence Jacqueline Woodson with the National Symphony Orchestra for the world premiere of This is the Rope. Jackie will narrate her book on stage as the NSO plays new music to accompany the story and the book’s illustrations project overhead. Jackie tells the story of the Great Migration through the lens of her own family’s history. It’s heartwarming and nostalgic, but still so relatable for younger audiences. The Kennedy Center is offering a Family Four Pack (buy two tickets, get two free) for This is Rope; discount will be applied at checkout automatically.

Sunday

10:00am-5:30pm: Cherokee Days Festival
The three federally recognized Cherokee tribes—Cherokee Nation, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians—showcase the shared history and cultural lifeways of the Cherokee people through storytelling, traditional flute music, weaponry, woodcarving, beadwork, traditional games, basket weaving, pottery demonstrations, and music and dance performances. 

11:00am-7:00pm: Sakura Sunday
There will be a wide array of free cultural activities including an artisanal Japanese marketplace, cultural performances, culinary delights, a sake and beer garden and more!

11:00am-3:00pm: NoMa in Bloom Festival Day
In collaboration with the National Cherry Blossom Festival, and in partnership with Lyft, The NoMa BID will host a day filled with kite flying and kite making, local DJ Mathias Broohm, face-painting and delicious food! Chalk Riot will be creating a unique blossom-themed chalk mural , and Neighbors DC will be back this year, curating a pop-up market, comprised of local artisans, sponsored generously by Lyft. PLUS be sure to stop by Eckington Hall (just around the corner from Alethia Tanner Park) 11am-7pm to check out En Flor; a co-produced exhibit celebrating the work of Latinx artists in the DMV!

12:00pm-4:00pm: STEM Expo
Geared toward 5th through 12th grade students, this free event inspires and empowers students interested in science, technology, engineering and math careers. Students and parents are invited to enjoy interactive STEM workshops, hands-on demonstrations, STEM career information, networking opportunities and more.

Plan ahead
The Yards’ Cherry Blossom Bash is this coming Wednesday! Guests can enjoy unique cherry blossom themed pop-ups and interactive experiences all around The Yards, including watercoloring, Japanese whiskey tasting, and ice cream sundae making.

Spring bucket list

We love making our seasonal bucket lists and in fact looking back at them can give you some ideas of annual events to mark down on your calendar! We are enjoying the colorful blooms popping up throughout the District and hope for warmer days ahead.

DC Dragon Boat Festival: May 21, 2022
National Memorial Day Parade: May 30, 2022
DC Dog Bars
US Botanic Garden
Brew at the Zoo: Rescheduled, date TBD
Canal Boat Tours
Acton Children’s Business Fair: May 14, 2022
Show Way, The Musical at The Kennedy Center: May 13-19, 2022

Where to view cherry blossoms in and around Washington, DC with families

As of now these are the current 2022 cherry blossom peak predictions-

  • National Park Service: March 22-25
  • Washington Post: March 22-26

You can find the most recent updates here.

Rediscover Spring throughout Washington, DC and be a part of the National Cherry Blossom Festival March 20 – April 17, for four weeks of celebration filled with food, fun, and culture! Stay at partner hotels, dine at Cherry Picks restaurants, and check out Petal Porches and Art in Bloom installations across the city and surrounding areas.

A few tips to remember when you visit the National Mall:

  • Don’t drive! If you do, be sure to find parking before heading down on a parking app such as Spot Hero. The closest Metro is the Smithsonian.
  • Weekends are the busiest. If you can go after school during the week do it or go at sunrise.
  • Public restrooms can be found at the Martin Luther King Memorial as well as the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and at the Washington National Monument.

If you want to avoid the crowds at the National Mall but still go to that area, a few fun options include DC Blossoms Bike Tour, Big Bus Tour & Boomerang Boat Tour.

Places to view cherry blossoms that are not on the National Mall:

  • The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception has over 150 trees.
  • Dumbarton Oaks has a mixture of cherry species as well as other gorgeous spring blooms.
  • US Arboretum has the trees but are spread out, but that’s the best part about heading here; room to roam!
  • Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens Cherry trees surround the parking area and Visitor Center at Kenilworth Park where you can also enjoy birding along the boardwalk.
  • Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Maryland has about 30 cherry trees and other spring blooms at their garden.
  • The neighborhood of Kenwood, Maryland has impressive tree-lined streets. However, this does get very crowded, so if dodging crowds ifs the goal, read on or go very early in the day.
  • Van Gogh Bridge at Lake Anne in Reston has been on our list to visit. There are not many trees however the location on the bridge provides that most scenic and charming photos we see year after year.
  • Rockville Civic Center Park and Glenview Mansion both have trees lining the drive to Glenview Mansion and around the Civic Center Park. You will also find a nature center, playground, and wooded nature walk if you want to extend the trip and stay longer.
  • Did you know the 2nd largest collection of cherry blossom trees in DC are at Oxon Run Park?
  • Stanton Park in Capitol Hill allows you to sit back, have a picnic and lay underneath a small collection of cherry trees.
  • Of course you can walk along the Tidal Basin with the crowds or sit on the steps of the Jefferson Memorial and admire the blossoms from there. Grab sanitizing wipes and rent a paddle boat on the Tidal Basin.

Easter basket & spring gift ideas

Last year we did a post on Easter basket ideas and readers loved it! They were not bunny focused but had more of a ‘spring and summer are approaching’ vibe. So this year we have added some bunny inspiration and kept some of the fun spring goodies as well.

What’s a basket without some ears?:
Highlights Easter Hidden Pictures
Be Puzzled: 3D crystal jigsaw puzzle
Easter sidewalk chalk
Fuzzy Bunny & Chick
Aaron’s Thinking Putty: Speckled Egg & Hidden Pictures
Mad Libs Junior & Mad Libs

Younger Bambinos:
Taggies Lamb Toy
Find & Match Eggs
Lift the Flap Eric Carle board book

Easter themed books:
Spot’s First Easter
Would you Rather: Easter Edition
Highlights Easter Googly-Eyed Jokes
Best Bunny Book Ever
Rocket Finds an Egg
Easter Egg

Not on theme but good for spring:
Jump rope
Comic book kit
Melissa & Doug on-the-go activities are great to throw in the car or in your bag- origami activity set and felt friends sticker
Lip Smackers and sunglasses are a must
Between Mom & Me (guided journal for Mother & Son)
Watercolor paper + watercolor colored pencils
Wreck this Journal
Bath bombs (dinosaur and jungle themed are cute too)
Jeopardy (Junior Edition) Card Game is a favorite in our house!
Aerobie frisbees

Books:
The Who Was? Trivia Book
Dude Perfect 101 Tricks & Tips
The Bad Guys #1-5, #6-12
Guess How Much I Love You
The Spring Book
Shapes of Spring

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

Easter egg hunts in and around Washington, DC

March 26- April 3 : Great Country Farms Egg Hunt & Marshmallow Harvest
(18780 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont, VA 20135)
After a long cold winter, nothing chases away the chill like a visit to the farm! Your family won’t want to miss the first “crop” of the spring– Marshmallow Picking!! Do marshmallow peeps really grow on trees? Your children will be amazed to harvest a few marshmallows to roast on the bonfire.  The Easter Bunny also hid some eggs  filled with treats to enchant the children, and we need you to help us find them! There will be multiple egg hunts with timed ticket entrance. Come see spring chicks and baby animals, take a wagon ride, and rejoice that it is spring! The annual Easter Egg Hunt is a $5 add-on per child with your paid farm admission. The Egg Hunt & Peep Harvest will occur together at the same time.

March 27 from 11:00am-11:45am: Virtual Family Fun: Febergé Egg Extravaganza at Hillwood Estate & Garden
(Virtual)
Explore Hillwood’s glittering treasures and magnificent art, including the exquisite imperial Fabergé eggs, from the comfort of your own home! Hear the tale of Babushka, known for her beautifully decorated Easter eggs, in a reading of the children’s book Rechenka’s Eggs, written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco. After the story, enjoy looking at beautiful images of Hillwood’s decorative eggs, and sketch your own fancy Easter egg design. Come prepared with paper and a drawing implement (such as pencil, crayons, or markers) to use during the program.Suggested for children ages eight and under with their grownups, but all ages are welcome.  

March 27, 28, 30, 31, April  1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 10, 15, 16 from 9:00am-6:00pm: Bunnyland at Butler’s Orchard
(22200 Davis Mill Road Germantown MD 20876)
Enjoy a hayride down the Bunny Trail, race the Rubber Duck Derby, hunt for colorful eggs, exchange eggs for a goodie basket to take home, visit with the farm’s very own Country Bunny, ride pedal tractors, play in Hayromp and Playground, hop in inflatables, ride the giant slides, see bunnies, lambs and chicks, get your face painted and ride a pony.

Mar 27-28, Apr 1-4: Easter Egg Hunt at Green Meadows Petting Farm
(10102 Fingerboard Rd. Ijamsville, MD 21754)
There will be two weekends of Easter egg hunts! No pre-registration is available. Purchase your admission to the farm/hunts when you arrive.  Hunts will be happening all day, between 10:30am and 3:30pm. Egg hunt areas are sectioned off according to ages 1-3 & 4-12.

March 27 & April 3 (Various times): The Lee-Fendall House 20th Annual Easter Egg Hunt
(614 Oronoco Street Alexandria, VA)
Find Easter eggs hidden in the Lee-Fendall garden on this socially-distant take on a popular annual egg hunt!

April 2-11 (Various times): Egg Hunt at Clark’s Elioak Farm
(10500 Clarksville Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21042)
They will host small, frequent egg hunts for children in different age groups (ages 1-3 and 4-6) throughout the days. The petting farm, rides and play areas are open for you to enjoy. When you are ready to participate in the egg hunt, come to the egg hunt area and your child will line up with other children and pick up eggs.  The eggs will then be turned in for a goodie bag. The first egg hunt each time will be for the 1-3 year olds.  

April 3 from 10:00am-4:00pm: Eco Easter Egg Hunt at Whitehall Farm
(6080 Colchester Rd Fairfax, VA 22030)
Come play Easter games and search for biodegradable Easter Eggs! You can meet all Whitehall’s farm animals like Henry the curious cow, feed a flock of 200 hungry chickens, and see the baby piggies! Take a socially distanced scenic wagon ride through the woods around the farm, and check out a farm store featuring freshly pastured eggs, pork, and beef from the farm, and unique local products from across the region. Feel free to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at tables, or bring a blanket so you can relax while the kids have a blast! All mentioned activities are included in the price of admission. Non-participating children 3 and under are free, so bring the whole family!

April 3 from 10:00am-12:00pm: A Very Hoppy Easter w The Station at Riverdale Park
Hop over to The Station at Riverdale Park to send a postcard to the Easter Bunny! Guests can pre-register online to download and decorate their very own seasonal postcard at home for the Easter Bunny himself. The first 50 registered guests will receive a special gift bag from the Easter Bunny (full of springtime crafts & treats!) when they drop off their postcard at The Station. Gift bags are best for ages 3-10.

April 3 from 11:00am-1:00pm: Eggstravaganza
This year, they’re bringing Eggstravaganza to your home! Drive through one of the 2 locations (DC & NoVa) for a curbside pickup of your FREE Easter egg hunt kit. As you arrive, be on the lookout for the Easter bunny from your car and wave to the volunteers as they give you everything you need for your egg hunt!

April 3 from 1:00pm-3:00pm: Cosmic Egg Portrait & Art Kit
Register for an egg-citing, free spring photo with our Cosmic Galaxy Egg sculpture. Taking a socially-distanced INSTANT photo of you that you can take home right away. Optional: Add a limited edition Cosmic Egg picture frame kit!

April 8 from 10:30am-12:30pm: Bunny Hop Parade
Put on your spring bonnet or bunny ears and join us to gather eggs, make crafts, play games, do yoga with Kaydee Dahlin, take selfies with the Bunny, and enjoy treats at Stead Park, 1625 P Street NW, Washington, DC 20036.

April 8: Easter Bunny Road Trip
The Second District Officers and the Easter Bunny will be making several stops to deliver treats! We look forward to seeing you at one of the locations listed below!

1:30pm-1:50pm Lafayette Park 5900 33rd St NW
2:05pm-2:25pm Forest Hills Playground 32nd & Chesapeake St NW
2:40pm-3:00pm Friendship Rec Center 4500 Van Ness St NW
3:15pm-3:35pm Palisades Rec Center 5200 Sherier Pl NW
3:50pm-4:10pm Guy Mason Rec Center 3600 Calvert St NW
4:25pm-4:45pm Rose Park 26th & O St NW
5:00pm-5:20pm Newark Street Playground 39th & Newark St NW

Easter basket gift ideas!

Check out these EventBrite events for more hunts in and near Washington, DC

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