This Weekend's Events - Feb 23-24

Every Thursday I will endeavor to list as many family-friendly happenings in the area for the coming weekend. Please come back and post comments if you attend any of these events.

Sorry it's late this week!

Maryland

• African-American Family Festival - Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Saturday, 10-4, http://thewalters.org/eventscalendar/eventdetails.aspx?e=2972
• Fun with Flight - Saturday, Kentland Community Center, Landover, 10-Noon
• African-American Family Day - Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex, Saturday, 9-4, http://www.pgsportsandlearn.com/page52694.aspx
• Baby Bear's Birthday - Puppet Co Playhouse, Glen Echo, http://www.thepuppetco.org/tots.html
• Planet Earth - Shallow Seas 4D Experience - National Aquarium Baltimore, http://www.aqua.org/visit/baltimore/calendar/showtime-4d-planet-earth-shallow-seas?EventID=%7b53142DB6-88C4-40A0-B531-BC3F8A649893%7d
• Thumbelina's Tea Party - Metropolitan Ballet Theatre, Sunday, 10am or 1pm, http://www.mbtdance.org/2013/01/28/thumbelinas-tea-party-february-24th/
• Free Family Sundays at Baltimore Museum of Art - 2-5pm, http://artbma.org/families/sundays.html
• Ice Skating at Rockville Town Square - http://rockvilletownsquare.com/at-the-square/ice-rink/
• Ice Skating at Veterans Plaza in Silver Spring - http://www.silverspringiceskating.com/

Virginia

• Family Day: African American Pioneers in Aviation - Air & Space Museum - Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly, Saturday, 10-3, http://www.si.edu/Events/Calendar/?trumbaEmbed=eventid%3D102863741%26view%3Devent%26-childview%3D
• Girls in Engineering Day - Sterling Communnity Center, Saturday, Kids 6-12, 11-1pm, https://webtrac.loudoun.gov/wbwsc/webtrac.wsc/wbsearch.html?wbsi=931870c7-46d7-5e9b-e211-577d768883c8
• Oasis in Space - Arlington Planetarium, Sat/Sun,  http://apsva.us/Page/2715
• Mickey's Music Festival - George Mason University Patriot Center, Fairfax, Sunday, http://patriotcenter.com/2012/06/disney-live-mickeys-music-festival/

Washington DC

• Nordic Cool 2013: Lego Exhibit and Play Space - Sat/Sun, Kennedy Center, South Gallery, http://www.kennedy-center.org/events/?event=ZNLEX
• Reptile & Amphibian Day - National Aquarium DC, Saturday, 12-4,  http://aqua.org/visit/dc/calendar/reptile-amphibian-day
• The Magic of Spying - International Spy Museum, Saturday, Kids 7+, 2pm, http://www.spymuseum.org/calendar/detail/the-magic-of-spying/2013-02-23/
• Zip Zap Circus USA Workshop - Saturday, Atlas Performing Arts Center, http://intersectionsdc.org/performer-event-search/394/all/20130223/394
• Mt Vernon Celebrates Black History Month, 9-4, http://www.mountvernon.org/node/4974
• Ice Skating in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden - http://www.nga.gov/ginfo/skating.shtm
• Ice Skating at Washington Harbour - http://thewashingtonharbour.com/skating/
• Ice Skating at Pentagon Row - http://www.pentagonrowskating.com/

The White House Tour

The White House.....the President's home, the President's office and a free museum too! It can take many months to get passes to get in, plus another 3 security checkpoints and a sniff-down from the dogs before you can actually set foot in the building, but once you're in it's a magic trip back in time.

Imagine standing in rooms where so many Presidents and notable people have stood, seeing old photographs, giant paintings and sculptures (even one of George Washington that survived the burning down of the original White House), admiring the architecture with it's intricately carved moldings and friezes, and viewing pieces of fine china hand-picked by past first ladies.....All this and more are included in the White House Tour.

Our visit was with my daughter's Girl Scout troop and some parents. Upon entry, the girls received a brochure and a Junior Ranger Activity Guide to use during the tour. The guide included things to hunt for, questions that could be answered by reading the information posted throughout the tour, puzzles, and historical facts of the White House. The tour led us to the Library, Vermeil Room, and the China Room, which were beautiful but a little disappointing because you had to stay at the doorway and just look in. Upstairs, the tour continued with the East Room, the Green Room, the Blue Room,  the Red Room, the State Dining Room, the Cross Hall and the Entrance Hall. These rooms you could actually walk through, admiring furniture from various periods, along with notable pieces which belonged to various First Families.  The overall tour didn't take very long and the parents seemed to enjoy the little details more than the kids did. We didn't get to see the Oval Office and we didn't happen to "run into" anyone in the First family, but it was still an experience to remember!

Kid's View: "I didn't like having to wake up so early and it was freezing cold but once we got inside, it was pretty cool. My friends and I went through the tour pretty fast (it was kinda short), and I think the moms were more interested in the stuff (like the furniture and decorations) than we were. It was neat because we were walking through places where Presidents have walked and touching things that they have touched." 

To get your tickets to the White House tour, you must write a letter to your Congressman.
http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/tours-and-events

This Weekend's Events - Feb 16-17

Every Thursday I will endeavor to list as many family-friendly happenings in the area for the coming weekend. Please come back and post comments if you attend any of these events.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

Maryland

• Tales of Spain - Saturday, Cultural Arts Center of Silver Spring, http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/performing-arts/tales-of-spain,1247450.html
• National Children's Museum Cantare Mucha Musica - Saturday, http://nationalharbor.com/event/national-childrens-museum-cantares-mucha-musica/
• 6th Annual Oakland Winterfest - Oakland, http://www.agreatsmalltown.com/winter-fest.html
• Planet Earth - Shallow Seas 4D Experience - National Aquarium Baltimore, http://www.aqua.org/visit/baltimore/calendar/showtime-4d-planet-earth-shallow-seas?EventID=%7b53142DB6-88C4-40A0-B531-BC3F8A649893%7d
• Free Family Sundays at Baltimore Museum of Art - 2-5pm, http://artbma.org/families/sundays.html
• Ice Skating at Rockville Town Square - http://rockvilletownsquare.com/at-the-square/ice-rink/
• Ice Skating at Veterans Plaza in Silver Spring - http://www.silverspringiceskating.com/

Virginia

• George Washington's Birthday at Mount Vernon - 9-4, http://www.mountvernon.org/calendar/view/2013-02-16/6476

Washington DC

• Discover Engineering Family Day - National Building Museum, 10am-430pm
• Disney on Ice: Treasure Trove - Verizon Center, Various times
• Girl Scouts Day at the Newseum - Saturday, 9am
• Lunar New Year Celebration & Parade - Saturday, 10:30am-3pm, Rockville Town Square
• President's Family Day - Saturday, 11:30am-3pm, American Art Museum/National Portrait Gallery
• Scooby Doo Live! Musical Mysteries - Saturday, Warner Theatre,  http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/performing-arts/scooby-doo-live-musical-mysteries,1245671.html
• Ice Skating in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden - http://www.nga.gov/ginfo/skating.shtm
• Ice Skating at Washington Harbour - http://thewashingtonharbour.com/skating/
• Ice Skating at Pentagon Row - http://www.pentagonrowskating.com/

This Weekend's Events - Feb 9-10

Every Thursday I will endeavor to list as many family-friendly happenings in the area for the coming weekend. Please come back and post comments if you attend any of these events.

Maryland

• Chinese New Year Celebration - Gaithersburg, Lakeforest Mall, Sun., 10am-5pm 
• Chinese New Year Celebration - Baltimore, Walters Art Museum, Sun., 12-3pm
• Appalachian Spring & Carnival of the Animals - Annapolis, Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, 2pm and 3:30pm
• Disney's Alladin at Way Off Broadway - Frederick, http://www.visitfrederick.org/calendar/view/4291
• Planet Earth - Shallow Seas 4D Experience - National Aquarium Baltimore, http://www.aqua.org/visit/baltimore/calendar/showtime-4d-planet-earth-shallow-seas?EventID=%7b53142DB6-88C4-40A0-B531-BC3F8A649893%7d
• Free Family Sundays at Baltimore Museum of Art - 2-5pm, http://artbma.org/families/sundays.html
• Ice Skating at Rockville Town Square - http://rockvilletownsquare.com/at-the-square/ice-rink/
• Ice Skating at Veterans Plaza in Silver Spring - http://www.silverspringiceskating.com/

Virginia

• Fair Oaks Mall Lunar New Year Celebration - Fairfax, Sat & Sun, 1-6pm 
• Super Science Saturday - Chantilly, Air & Space Museum- Udvar-Hazy Center, Sat., 10-3pm,
• Chinese New Year Celebration - Annandale, Hidden Oaks Nature Center, Sun., 2pm, Kids 4+

Washington DC

• Chinese New Year Parade and Festival - Sun., 2-430pm, H Street between 6th and 8th
• Chinatown Lunar New Year Festival - Chinatown Cultural Community Center, Sun., 12-5pm
• Fun family Saturdays - Victorian Valentines - DAR Museum, Sat., 10:30-12:30, Kids 5+
• Valentine's Day Card Workshop - Sat, 12-4pm, National Postal Museum
• Washington Auto Show - Washington Convention Center
• Ice Skating in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden - http://www.nga.gov/ginfo/skating.shtm
• Ice Skating at Washington Harbour - http://thewashingtonharbour.com/skating/
• Ice Skating at Pentagon Row - http://www.pentagonrowskating.com/