Weekend picks for families in and around Washington, DC

Here we are–the first weekend of 2020 and perhaps for some kids their final hurrah of winter break. It is also the final weekend to enjoy holiday light displays. Be sure and visit our top 5 most viewed posts of 2019 and check some items off of our winter bucket list! A date night idea is for you to see Jersey Boys at National Theatre as the curtains close on this spectacular show this Sunday. I can’t recommend the show enough.

Saturday

9:00am-12:00pm: Home Depot Kids Workshop
Face off with fun in this Mini Hockey Game Workshop. Kids develop hands-on skills by sanding, nailing, painting and more. With help from parents and Store Associates, your child will create and own their own game. All Kids Workshop attendees must be accompanied by a parent or adult at all times. All kids get to keep their craft, receive a FREE certificate of achievement, a Workshop Apron and a commemorative pin while supplies last.

9:45am-12:35pm: Summer Camp Sampler at Imagination Stage
Try a sample camp for free to get an up-close-and-personal taste of what camp is like at Imagination Stage for kids ages 4-grade 9.

10:00am-1:00pm: Maker Morning: New Year, New Color
Ring in the new year with a musical color parade through the Hirshhorn! Keep the celebration going at our hands-on activity stations. Build noise-makers, create art using light, and make a cyanotype (a photographic print) inspired by artists Harold Ancart and Takashi Arai, on view in Feel the Sun in Your Mouth: Recent Acquisitions.

10:00am-10:30am: Tunes 4 Tots at Anxo Cidery
Kids music + cider!

10:30am-12:30pm: Creativity Workshop at Phillips Collection
Let your creativity soar in our art-making stations! Designed for families with children ages 2 to 8. The workshop includes multiple “Creativity Stations.” Each station has a different project with art materials, instructions, and artistic inspiration from The Phillips Collection. An art educator is on site to support families who would like guidance. From 10:30am-11:00am join the Family Playdate: The first Saturday of the month for a family-friendly playdate. Guided by a professional art educator, explore one to two galleries through fun, hands-on activities. Geared for families with children ages 4 to 8.

3:30pm & 6:00pm: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe at Imagination Stage
Leap through the wardrobe and into a winter wonderland in this dance-based adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s treasured novel from the Chronicles of Narnia. A remount of Imagination Stage’s Helen Hayes award-winning 2012 production, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe tells the story of four siblings who journey from war-torn England to a magical land frozen in eternal winter, where the powerful lion Aslan leads them on a journey to discover their destiny. Music, modern dance, and breathtaking puppetry tell a story of love, sacrifice, and redemption. Best for ages 5+.

Sunday

10:15am-11:45am: Toddler Trailblazers: Polar Bear, Polar Bear (Also takes place Saturday at 10:15am)
January is one of our coldest months – and a perfect time to read Eric Carle’s famous Polar Bear, Polar Bear! This lesson will combine the classic book with the National Museum of Natural History’s collection of Arctic specimens. Museum Visit: National Museum of Natural History

1:30pm & 4:00pm: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe at Imagination Stage
Leap through the wardrobe and into a winter wonderland in this dance-based adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s treasured novel from the Chronicles of Narnia. A remount of Imagination Stage’s Helen Hayes award-winning 2012 production, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe tells the story of four siblings who journey from war-torn England to a magical land frozen in eternal winter, where the powerful lion Aslan leads them on a journey to discover their destiny. Music, modern dance, and breathtaking puppetry tell a story of love, sacrifice, and redemption. Best for ages 5+.

2:15pm-3:45pm: Preschool Pioneers: Cave Art (Also takes place Saturday at 10:15am)
Thousands of years ago, early humans drew on the wall of caves all over the world and at different times. This class will give children the chance to explore the life of early humans and explore these mysterious symbols, how they were made, and what they might have meant. Museum Visit: National Museum of Natural History

Light displays:
Bulls Run Festival of Lights- Lights out on Jan. 5
Experience the Bull Run Festival of Lights, 2.5 miles illuminated by holiday light displays. Drive the festival route from the comfort of your car; turn out your headlights and just follow the magical glow. After viewing the lights, bring your family and friends to the holiday village to enjoy rides, refreshments, and of course, photos with Santa Claus. The festival happens annually at Bull Run Regional Park in Centreville, Virginia. Avoid crowds and go Mon-Thurs at a discounted rate.

Seasons Greenings at The U.S. Botanic Gardens– Lights out on Jan. 5
Explore botanic gardens from Hawaii to Maine in this year’s holiday show. The best times to visit are weekdays early in December or on select Tuesday and Thursday evenings in December when the Conservatory is open until 8 pm with live seasonal music. Aside from these extended holiday hours, the Conservatory is open every day of the year, from 10am-5pm, free of charge.

Festival of Lights at the Mormon Temple– Lights out on Jan. 4
As one of the D.C. area’s great community traditions, the Festival features free performances nightly in the comfortable, state-of-the-art theater located in the Visitors’ Center while the Temple grounds glow with 650,000 lights.

Georgetown Glow– Lights out on Jan. 5
Experience the sparkle of the season at Georgetown GLOW, the region’s only curated exhibition of outdoor public light art installations. Set against the historic backdrop of DC’s oldest neighborhood, it’s a whole new way to shine.

Light Yards– Lights out on Jan. 4
The DC region’s premier outdoor public light art installation, returns for its fourth year at The Yards, with two must-see, worldwide traveling light installations, The Pool, by New York-based Jen Lewin Studio and Angels of Freedom, by Israel-based OGE Group. The Poolwill invite visitors to hop, skip, and jump across 106 interactive circular pads of light, roughly 3 feet in diameter and 2.5 inches tall. As multiple visitors play in The Pool, their movements will come together to create a giant canvas of shifting and fading colors in mesmerizing patterns.A beautiful and social sculptural installation, Angels of Freedom aims to reveal the inner beauties of everyone by visually turning visitors into real-life angels. Visitors will be invited to pose with five giant, neon-colored wings and white halos as a reminder that everybody counts and deserves love.