Beltway Bambinos

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

Weekend Picks: Star Wars Yoga and Pilot for a Day

Saturday-

10:00am-2:00pm: Pierce Mill in Rock Creek National Park
(Tilden Street (same as Park Road), NW and Beach Drive, Washington, DC 20015)
Mill in Operation (11 AM – 2 PM) – watch the waterwheel turn and learn how the flow of water into the “buckets” brings the wheel to life and sets the machinery inside the mill in motion Visitor Center (10 AM – 4 PM) – learn about the Peirce family and the other mills that operated along Rock Creek. There will be games for children, including a self-guided treasure hunt, water flow and gravity toys, checkers, and other simple toys from the milling period.

[Read more…]

Weekday Adventures: Ukuleles, splish-splash and The Wizard of Oz

Monday-

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.

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.Today’s featured artist is Jessica Smith “Culture Queen” Jessica Smith a.k.a Culture Queen  is the founder and director of Culture Kingdom Kids™, a creative arts company that produces educational children’s programs that celebrate African-American cultures.

Tuesday-  

10:00am: Rocking Tot Tuesdays with The Singing Lizard at Bloombars
(3222 11th St NW, Washington, DC. 20010)
Grab an instrument, get on stage or practice your moves on the dance floor. This is a perfect spot for your little one to move and groove. Suggested donation $7.

[Read more…]

Weekend Picks: Trains, trucks, music and art

Beginning Friday is Celebrate Fairfax! Children’s stage, art stage, beer garden, carnival and many stages that have a great line-up for. Uno Dos Tres Con Andres and The Great Zucchini are just a few of the kids favorites who will be on the Children’s Stage. Check the schedule so you don’t miss them.

Beauty and the Beast is also playing at Wolf Trap Friday-Sunday. Get a seat or bring a blanket for the lawn. Daytime and evening performances. 

The curtain will be drawn for a few performances this weekend. See them before they are gone. See our Theatre Roundup page for details. 

 

Saturday-

9:00am-2:00pm: 7th Annual “Truck Touch” at RFK Stadium  (Lot 7)
(2400 East Capitol Street, NE)
Summer’s most popular free family festival allows citizens to  get hands-on with city’s infrastructure and emergency vehicles. The DC Department of Public Works invites the public to attend a free, citywide “Truck Touch”. Come climb on packer, sweeper and boom trucks; sit atop MPD’s Mounted Unit’s police horse and maneuver the levers of a police chopper; ride Segways, and test drive electric sedan vehicles. Residents also will learn how potholes are repaired, sewers are vacuumed and received information about vital city services. DC’s Citywide Truck Touch features vehicles from the DC Departments of Public Works, Transportation, Health, Employment Services, Parks and Recreation, Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the DC Water and Sewer Authority.

[Read more…]

Weekday Adventures: Salamanders, Kings, Queens and Barefoot Puppets

Monday-

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.

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.Today’s featured artist is master educator, musician, and storyteller,   Bashea “Iya ” Imana .  “Iya & the Kuumba Kids” is  an interactive, hands-on, fun-filled time. Iya masterfully blends music & movement with storytelling, eco-friendly arts & crafts, and puppetry. This educational program for children fosters a love for learning and promotes literacy, critical thinking, respect for the environment, character development, and creativity. 

[Read more…]

Weekday Adventures: Flights of Fancy, free yoga and the premiere of Sunny and Licorice

Can’t we have more 3 day weekends? Especially when the weather is as beautiful as it was in DC this weekend. Parades, tributes, festivals, bbq’s and road trips were many of the things readers did this weekend. Happy Memorial Day and thank you to all those who serve our country. 

washington-dc

Tuesday-

10:00am: Rocking Tot Tuesdays with The Singing Lizard at Bloombars
(3222 11th St NW, Washington, DC. 20010)
Grab an instrument, get on stage or practice your moves on the dance floor. This is a perfect spot for your little one to move and groove. Suggested donation $7.

[Read more…]

Weekday Adventures: John Henry, the Guitar Playing Man and Squish, Squash, Squirt

Hopefully you still have dishes in the sink and laundry to be cleaned because you relaxed today! Lots to do this week both outside and inside.

Monday-

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.

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. This week Jessica Smith “Culture Queen” is the entertainment.

10:30am: Songs and stories with Isabel Roth at Politics and Prose Bookstore 
(5015 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008)
The Politics & Prose Children and Teens Department is winding down the spring season of Story Hour! Please join for songs and stories with singer-songwriter Isabel Roth for only a few more weeks. After the show (or before) ake a walk a few doors down to Little Red Fox for an almond croissant, egg sandwich or perhaps an ice cream sandwich. Whichever it is, you’ll leave happy.
[Read more…]

Weekday Adventures: Wise tails, rocking tots and Rosie Revere

We spent our weekend entirely outdoors in the company of other families at area festivals we featured in the Weekend Picks.

Butler’s Orchard is open and berry season is here.  They are open daily from 10-5 so if nothing below strikes your attention go berry picking with your bambino! Don’t forget to check out our Ongoing Events page for theatre showtimes.

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Monday-

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.

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. This week “Iya & the Kuumba Kids” will be there to rock out.

[Read more…]

Weekend Picks: Flowers, festivals and funk FTW

It’s May AND Friday!!! Not sure which I’m more excited about the prospect of warmer (and drier) weather upon us or having Daddy home all weekend to help and play with the toddler. Note the first 2 picks start today (Friday). With the arrival of May comes Azalea Festivals and Flower Marts you’re sure to bring something home to brighten up the yard or a nauseous child that’s been on one too many rides. Either way this weekend is one we love because it offers so many choices. Get out and enjoy a few of them.

May 2-3 (10:00am-5:00pm): National Cathedral Flower Mart
(Washington National Cathedral, Wisconsin & Massachusetts Aves., NW., Washington, DC)
Attend the 75th year for the Flower Mart which benefits the Cathedral’s gardens and grounds. You can admire many flowers and there will also be garden tours, musical performances and delicious food. And for your kids, well there is enough to keep them busy too; rock wall, moon bounce, ferris wheel and a carousel.

May 2-4 from 10:00am-5:00pm: Landon School Azalea Garden Festival Main_Page
(6101 Wilson Lane, Bethesda, MD 20817)
Enjoy this wonderful azalea festival while strolling the gorgeous land Landon sits on. Bearly Used is an enormous tag sale during the Azalea Garden Festival that offers deals on gently used treasures. There is a huge FunLand that will entertain your child for hours, live music including a Jazz Festival and food vendors. All proceeds from the festival support student financial assistance and faculty enrichment. General admission and parking are free. Schedule of events found here.

May 2-4 (various times): A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Adventure Theatre P3Kj957kteYW9MR2bDQFQ5fjy2nAIcByVcuLdYxMuQD-9QDQwii_sU1gN29KYAW6rVxDvYnHgWYTs0JBoRU_ZWFVYpe7vKoZfACkaTN0m9pnILgrh42P7L2-80A=s0-d-e1-ft
(7300 MacArthur Blvd, Glen Echo, MD 20812)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, William Shakespeare’s most popular comedy, was written around 1594 or 95. It portrays the adventures of four young lovers and a group of amateur actors, their interactions with woodland fairies and a duke and duchess. Taking place in a mythical Athens and an enchanted forest, there is a handsome fairy king, a misguided parent, star-crossed lovers, a weaver who’s transformed into a half-donkey, wood sprites and elves. This work is widely performed around the world, and no wonder – it’s about the world’s most popular pastime, falling in love. But as Puck knows, falling in love can make fools of us all. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students. Find tickets here. [Read more…]

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