Places to Go
Whether Grandma and Grandpa are in town for a visit or you're just looking for something fun to do as a family, these local attractions have lots to offer for a younger audience.
Be With Me Playseum--Located in Bethesda, it's an indoor facility mixing education and creative play in the venue of a cityscape. Children from 9 months-14 years old can play and create with a variety of activities. Only a $5 admission, but some activities carry an additional fee. Free song and story times every day.
Bladensburg Waterfront Park--Public boat ramp, fishing pier, picnic pavilion, playground, a B & O Railroad caboose, community boathouse and boat tours of the Anacostia River.
Bowie Baysox--Minor league baseball just down the road. Free kids' club with special events throughout the season. General admission: $9 for adults and $6 for children (under 2 free).
Chesapeake Children's Museum--Indoor play for young children including: a construction zone, fake dock and boat, a house area, a pretend medical office, a craft area and a dress-up room. The Windows on the Bay exhibit features fish, turtles, frogs and a boa constrictor. Outdoor herb garden, nature observation, and trails. $3 admission.
College Park Aviation Museum--An extremely kid-friendly destination, the museum features tons of activity areas where children can create and mail their own postcards, dress up in aviator gear, discover how air streams work, color pictures of aircraft, and read children's books about air and space. There's even a model plane kids can climb in and "fly". Admission $4 for adults, $2 for children.
Goddard Space Flight Center--Kids can learn about space, climate change, climb inside a Mercury capsule model, even put on a kid-sized spacesuit. Monthly model rocket launches.
Kidstreet News
A monthly guide to activities and events for families in the Baltimore/D.C. area
Our-Kids
An online guide to activities & resources in the DC-Metro area.
Out By Ten
Cheverly's own Aimee Olivo explores activities for young children around the D.C. area.
Kenilworth Aquatic Garden--Kids can observe pond plants and wildlife and explore short trails (less than a mile). Picnics and dogs are allowed.
Montpelier Mansion--An historic house and museum with tours ($3 for adults, $1 for kids, free for children under 4), concerts, festivals, reenactments, exhibits, lectures, seminars and occasional teas. The Montpelier Arts Center conducts adult and children's classes of all types.
National Arboretum--Lots of room for little legs to run! Visit the Washington Youth Garden, explore the twisting paths of the Herb Garden, and feed the koi fish every Tuesday and Thursday at 10:30. The Friends of the National Arboretum also host a variety of events each year.
Publick Playhouse--Weekend local, national, and international performances, mid-week matinees and Saturday morning at the movies. Prices vary depending on event, but are generally $10 or less.
Six Flags America--Local amusement park with rides, entertainment and a water park. General Admission ~$50 (under 2 are free).
Watkins Regional Park--A terrific playground for young children, small farm, carousel, miniature train, mini-golf, tennis, and nature center make this location a must-visit.
