Beltway Bambinos

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.

10:00am and 11:00am: Mr. Gabe at Takoma Park Maryland Library
(101 Philadelphia Avenue Takoma Park, MD 20912)
Free event that is part of children’s story time.

10:00am: Museum of Natural History’s Butterfly Pavilion (2nd floor)
(10th St. and Constitution Ave., NW)
Every Tuesday at 10:00am you can get into the magnificent butterfly pavilion for free! Make sure and get a free ticket by the entrance. We visited this last month and were amazed by how many butterflies were flying around, some even landing on a shoulder. Look closely and you could spot a frog under some trees.

11:00am: Story time at National Air and Space Museum
(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 Sally’s Great Balloon Adventure by Stephen Huneck.

Wednesday-

10:30am: Boogie Babes presents Ukulele Phil and the Hula Kids 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!

10:15 and 11:45am: Discovery Theatre presents The Great Adventures of Austin Clark and the Expedition Albatross
(Q?rius Education Center, Natural History Museum)
A calamitous earthquake…a young bride left behind…a voyage to faraway shores…unknown creatures of the deep…robbery and tragic death. Dashing and adventurous Austin Clark experienced it all—and wrote about it in letters that captured the excitement and danger of the young Smithsonian scientist’s high-seas expedition in 1906. Charismatic actor Josh Sticklin brings Clark to life in an interactive production that uses a sweeping musical score and video by award-winning composer Matt Nielson and Sound Lab to create a world of adventure. After the show, step into the Sant Ocean Hall to explore the museum that Clark called home. Use your map and field journal for a personal discovery of deep-sea specimens, and make your own notes and sketches. $6 children, $3 under 2, adults $8.

10:30am: Arts on the Horizon present Sunny and Licorice
(The Lab at Convergence- 1801 N. Quaker Ln. Alexandria, Va. 22302)
Sunny, the zoo’s sole orangutan, is delighted to get a new roommate, but things don’t go smoothly when Licorice first arrives. Sunny likes to be loud, but Licorice prefers to read the newspaper. And Licorice likes to keep things tidy, but Sunny keeps making a mess! When the zookeeper leaves behind a radio, a curious thing happens — toes start tapping and arms start swinging. Could music bring this “odd couple” together? Plays through June 14, tickets are $8.

1:00pm-1:45pm: Story time on Lake Needwood: Frogs Hop
(Needwood Boathouse, 15700 Needwood Lake Circle, Rockville, 20855)
Take a storytime cruise around the Lake aboard the Needwood Queen pontoon boat. We’ll read a story onboard then look for what’s swimming, soaring, and standing nearby. Due to limited space and boating safety regulations, all must register and pay ($2/adults, $6/child; no underage siblings). Meadowside Nature Center, 301-258-4030. $6 kids 3 and up.

4:00pm-5:30pm: Free Art Wednesdays at Create ART
(Silver Spring Civic Building – 1 Veterans Plaza)
Join Create ART in this wonderful new FREE after school art workshops – improv, sewing, comics, & more! Kindergarten-5th grade students welcome. Register online.

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.

6:00pm: Little Tots at Rio Atrium at Washingtonian Center
(209 Boardwalk Pl, Gaithersburg, MD 20878)
Join for family entertainment that brings out the kid in everyone! Kidsinger Jim is the entertainment tonight.

Thursday-

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 Babes presents !Uno, Dos, Tres con Andres! at Eastern Market
(225 7th St SE, Washington, DC 20003)
Our most popular show of the week! Join us at 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: Preschool Series: Kings and Queens at Hillwood Estate
(4155 Linnean Ave NW, Washington, DC. 20008)
Enter the glamorous world of kings and queens as you prepare for a royal ball and discover glittering treasures. 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. $30 per child (age 2-5) with one accompanying adult; $25 member; $15 additional adults. Price listed is for three-class series (June 5, 12, and 19). For single class: $12 per child; $10 member. Limited to 10 children ages 2-5, each with one accompanying adult. Please call ahead to register: 202.686.5807.

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.

1:00pm-2:00pm: Splish-Splash, Drip, Plop at Meadowside Nature Center
(5100 Meadowside Ln., Rockville, Md.)
Wade in the water to see what’s swimming, diving, and living in the stream. For your safety, wear shoes that can get wet (no flip-flops or backless sandals). Registration required. $5 ages 3-12.

6:00pm: John Henry, the Guitar Playing Man at Broad Branch Market
(5608 Broad Branch Rd NW, Washington, DC 20015)
John Henry has a busy day! He’s back at our favorite summer concert series. Catch him every Thursday at BBM. Grab dinner inside the market and eat it while singing along to his catchy tunes or treat your bambino to an ice cream. A fun way to end the evening and if you’re little one isn’t ready to go home afterwards walk across the street to Lafayette Park and choose between the many playgrounds or fields to play on.

8:30pm: Movies on the Square
(Rockville Town Square)
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 kicks off Movies on the Square at sundown.

Friday (the 13th)-

10:00am and 11:30am: Premier of The Wizard of Oz at The Puppet Co
(7300 MacArthur Blvd. Glen Echo, Md. 20812)
Funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, the tale follows closely the original story in L. Frank Baum’s first, best known and best-loved of the classic Oz tales: There are more adventures than included in the film: more of Baum’s original dialogue is included: and, the witch plays only a minor (less scary) role. 45 minute running time.

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.

10:30am: The Grandsons Jr. at Jammin Java
(227 Maple Ave E Vienna, VA 22180)
The Grandsons, Jr., is the kids band version of DC-area roots rock superstars, The Grandsons. Kids and their parents will dig the upbeat mix of rock, swing, New Orleans R&B, country, latin music we call Americana. Over the past 25 years performing as The Grandsons, the band has noticed that many of their songs resonate with the younger crowd. As the grandsons, Jr., they combine new material learned especially for the younger set, with Grandsons tunes that have always been popular with the kids. Tickets are $5.

10:30am: Boogie Babes presents The Singing Lizard at Atlas Performing Arts
(1333 H Street NE Washington, DC. 20002)
Join us at the 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!

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.

6:30pm-7:30pm: Campfire and Nature Walk at Locust Grove Nature Center
(7777 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda, MD)
Nothing says summer like a campfire! Join us for a picnic by the fire and then enjoy an evening walk with one of our naturalists. Please bring your own hotdogs and rolls, and we’ll bring the makings for s’mores. Please register and pay for adults and children. Ages 3 and up $6.