Our area is a mecca for family-friendly live entertainment and museums. If your children can sit still for 45 minutes or so, they are probably ready to see a (short) play or a concert. Here are some recent shows, museums and other attractions around the DC area the OK staff has taken in. Can you recommend something else? Please send us a review!

Day Trips, Special Events & Vacation Ideas

DC Metro Area

• 2013 National Cherry Blossom Festival
• 2012 Asian Festival
• 2013 Chocolate Festival
• 2012 Sheep & Wool Festival
• 2011 BrickFair
• 2011 Celebrate Fairfax
• 2011 National Trademark Expo
• 2011 White House Easter Egg Roll
• American Girl Store at Tysons Corner Center
• Big Apple Circus
• Bunnyland at Butler's Orchard
• Discover Strathmore
• Disney on Ice presents Treasure Trove at the Verizon Center
• Fabergé Egg Family Festival at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens
• Flower Mart
• Great Country Farms' Egg Hunt & Marshmallow Harvest
• Maryland Renaissance Festival
• Nordic Cool 2013 at the Kennedy Center
• Piccadilly Circus
• Pirates on the Potomac
• Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• Seven Oaks Lavender Farm
• Starlight Cinema Drive-In Movies
• Summer at the Museums
• Tubing at Watermelon Park
• Wolf Trap Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods

Misc

• Amtrak's Auto Train
• An Our Kids Camping Q and A
• Big Meadows Campground
• Busch Gardens Williamsburg
• Central Park
• Children's Museum of Manhattan
• Children's Museum of Richmond
• Deep Creek Lake
• Dinosaur Land
• Disney World - a complete guide to planning your trip!
• Feelin' Hot! Hot! Hot! - how to keep cool during the hot summer months
• First Saturday in Downtown Frederick
• Ft. Myers Beach, Florida
• LEGO KidsFest at the Richmond Convention Center
• Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
• Luray Caverns
• Museum of the Shenandoah Valley
• Hatteras Island, Outer Banks (OBX), North Carolina
• Momtographie
• Monticello
• Northern Outer Banks (OBX), North Carolina
• Sanibel Island, Florida
• Science Museum of Virginia
• South Mountain Creamery
• Virginia Discovery Museum
• Water Country USA
• Wildwood Beaches, New Jersey: A Family Vacation

Baltimore/Annapolis/Eastern Shore

• Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center
• B&O Railroad Museum
• B&O Railroad Museum: Ellicott City Station
• Calvert Cliffs State Park
• Calvert Marine Museum
• Chesapeake Children's Museum
• Chincoteague Island - your guide for a family vacation!
• Day Out With Thomas at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum
• Family Adventure Cruise with Urban Pirates
• Flag Ponds Nature Park
• Free Family Sundays at the Baltimore Museum of Art
• Historic St. Mary's City
• Patterson Park

Pennsylvania

• City Tavern Restaurant (Philadelphia)
• Crayola Factory and Lehigh Valley, PA
• Day Trip to Philadelphia
• Dutch Wonderland
• Gettysburg National Military Park and Visitor Center
• Hersheypark
• Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery
• Lancaster Science Factory
• Land of Little Horses
• Mister Ed's Elephant Museum & Candy Emporium
• Philadelphia Zoo
• Please Touch Museum
• Sesame Place
• The Franklin Institute
• Turkey Hill Experience
• Whitetail Resort

Independent Toy Store Reviews

• Old Town Alexandria: Why Not?, 529 Kids Consign, Whistle Stop Hobbies, Pink & Brown and Hooray for Books
• Northern Virginia: Carousel Toy Shoppe, Go Bananas!, Doodlehopper for Kids, Lakeshore Learning Center and The Purple Goose
• Arlington: One, Two Kangaroo! Toys, Kinderhaus Toys, Barston's Child's Play and Curious Kids
• DC: Fairy Godmother, Labyrinth Games & Puzzles and Tugooh Toys
• Maryland: Olney Toys, Toy Kingdom, Fun & Games, Fair Day's Play and Anglo Dutch Pools and Toys

Tidbits: Tales of an Our Kids Mom and a Product or Two!

• Handbag Handcuff
• Ryan Buckle & Friends
• The Tabby Cat
• CD Fun for Your Little Ones!
• The N Zone: A Whole Lot of Feelin' Good
• Play N' Learn - indoor play!
• Mouse on the Move at Imagination Stage
• I'm In It - an online book review
• Wolf Trap's Holiday Sing-a-long
• DidiPop and Mama Doni
• KidTopia at the Dulles Town Center
• There's Music in the Air
• Little Lords and Ladies: A Hidden Gem
• Old Town Hall Concert Series
• Musical Finds and Organic Sweetness
• A Multi-tasking Mom
• And the Winner is...
• Toddler Observations & a Giveaway
• Bringing Baby Home
• What's the Britax B-Ready All About?
• Got Strollers?
• Introduction of a Mom

Indoor Activities

• 300 Shady Grove
• Adventure Kids Playcare
• Alexandria Soft Playroom at Chinquapin Park Recreation Center
• Amazing Art Studio
• Arts & Crafts Ideas
• Aveda Institute
• Baby Blossom
• Be with Me Children's Playseum (Bethesda)
• Be with Me Children's Playseum (DC)
• Bounce U Clarksburg
• Bounce U Rockville
• Bowie Ice Rink
• Bowlmor
• C3 Cyber Club
• Cartoon Cuts - Columbia
• Cartoon Cuts - Rockville
• Chevy Chase Playrooms
• Chibis Indoor Playground
• Children's Art Studio
• Children's Play Area at Potomac Mills Mall
• Children's Art Talk and Tour at Strathmore
• Classic Tales 'n Tunes
• Claude Moore Recreation Center Pool
• Comedysportz 4 Kidz
• Creative Kids Kitchen
• Creative Parenting Class at Imagination Stage
• Cub Run RECenter
• Curiosity Zone
• D.C. Public Libraries Children's Rooms
• Dynamite Gymnastics Center Open Gym
• Earth Treks Climbing Center
• Eastern Market
• Etiquette Institute of Washington
• Fair Oaks Mall Indoor Play Area
• Fairfax County Public Libraries Children's Rooms
• Fairfax Ice Arena
• Free For All Fridays at the Round House Theatre Education Center
• Half Pint Kids Club at Whole Foods
• Hands-On Play
• Hills Gymnastics Open Gym
• Home Depot & Lowe's Kids Workshops
• House of Bounce
• imagiNATIONS at the National Museum of the American Indian
• Indoor Play Fun at Dulles Town Center and Montgomery Mall
• Jonah's Treehouse
• Jump-N-Jimmy's
• Jump!Zone
• Jumping Jack Sports
• JW Tumbles Arlington
• JW Tumbles Herndon
• Kettler Captials Iceplex
• Kid Krusaders Kids Club at Tysons Corner Center
• Kids N Motion - indoor playspace
• Kidville
• Kidz Plaza
• Kneehigh Ninja Playground - indoor playspace
• Laser Quest
• Lego Store Monthly Mini Model Build
• Let's Dish
• MarvaTots 'n Teens - open playtime
• MoBu Kids - indoor play area
• Monster Mini Golf
• Montgomery Aquatic Center
• Montgomery County Public Libaries Children's Offerings
• Mt. Vernon RECenter
• musiKids
• Paint Your Own Pottery - a compilation of three local Maryland options
• Paint Your Own Pottery - a compilation of three local Virginia options
• Painting Pottery at Clay Cafe Chantilly
• Parent & Tot Skate at Cabin John Ice Rink
• Parenting Playgroups Classes & Workshops
• PB & Jack
• Preschool Playtime at the nZone
• Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex
• Pump It Up Manassas
• Rebounderz
• Recess at the Rink at Kettler Capitals Iceplex
• Rise & Rhyme at Busboys & Poets
• Romp 'N Roll
• Rollingcrest-Chillum Splash Pool
• Rumpus Room at Sirius/XM
• Shadowland Laser Adventures (Chantilly)
• Skate-N-Fun Zone
• SkateQuest Reston
• Sport Bounce of Loudoun
• Sprout at Saffron
• Smaland at IKEA
• smalltalkers
• Story Time and Tea with Mrs. B
• Sundaes & Canvas
• The Little Gym of Silver Spring
• The Gardens Ice House
• Tom Dolan Swim School
• Walker Nature Education Center
• Warrenton Aquatics Facility
• Washington National Cathedral
• Wee Play - indoor play area
• Wheaton Ice Arena
• White Oak Duckpin Lanes
• Wkids Fun Center at Wegmans Dulles
• Wilson Aquatic Center
• Workhouse Arts Center
• Your World Pottery

Kids Concerts, Movies, Music & Theater

• African Cats
• Alden Theatre
• Big Nate at Adventure Theatre-MTC
• Black Rock Center for the Arts
• Boogie Babes
• Cinderella at the Puppet Co.
• Cinderella: The True Story at the Workhouse Arts Center
• Disney's My Son Pinocchio at MVCCT
• Earn It, Learn It - book review
• From Here to There at Imagination Stage
• Got a Minute? - music by Milkshake
• Groovin' with Groovy Nate
• Jack & the Beanstalk at the Puppet Co.
• James and the Giant Peach at Imagination Stage
• Joanie and Doni: New Releases from Joanie Leeds and Mama Doni
• Kids Euro Festival
• LeapFrog DVDs
• Little Red Riding Hood & the 3 Little Pigs at the Puppet Co.
• Movies on the Potomac
• Mr. Skip at the Firehook Bakery
• Puss in Boots
• Ranky Tanky a CD review
• Rise of the Guardians
• Seattle Saves Your Day The Not Its Way a CD review
• StarKid SPACE Tour Concert
• Sunday Fundays at Imagination Stage
• The Croods
• The Great Zucchini
• The Muppets
• The Publick Playhouse
• The Bach Sinfonia
• The Magic Finger at Imagination Stage
• The Young Spectaculars and the Front Yard Adventure
• Tiny Tots Performances at the Puppet Co. Playhouse
• Tot Rock at Jammin' Java
• Wake Up, Brother Bear! at Imagination Stage
• Winnie the Pooh at Adventure Theatre

Birthday Parties & Restaurants

• Bounce U Birthday Party
• Cartoon Cuts Birthday Party
• Curiosity Zone
• Family Day at Bobby McKey's Dueling Piano Bar
• Gymini Gymnastics Birthday Party
• Hills Gymnastics Birthday Parties
• I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream!
• Jumping Jack Sports Birthday Party
• JW Tumbles Birthday Party (Alexandria location)
• JW Tumbles Birthday Party (Herndon Location)
• Life Time Fitness Birthday Parties
• Rolling Video Games of Northern Virginia
• Party Rental Space at Twinbrook Community Recreation Center

Museums

• 1001 Inventions: Discover the Golden Age of Muslim Civilization at the National Geographic Museum
• Alexandria Archaeology Museum
• American Trail: Treasures of North American Wildlife at the National Zoo
• American Visionary Art Museum
• Arlington Planetarium
• Arts for Families at the Textile Museum
• Bureau of Engraving and Printing
• Flight of the Butterflies and Butterflies + Plants: Partners in Evolution - at the National Museum of Natural History
• Claude Moore Colonial Farm
• College Park Aviation Museum
• Colvin Run Mill
• Crime & Punishment Museum
• DAR Museum
• David H. Koch Hall of Origins at the National Museum of Natural History
• Eternal Life in Ancient Egypt - exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
• Explore More! at the Greater Reston Arts Center
• Fairfax Station Railroad Museum
• Food: Transforming the American Table 1950-2000 at the National Museum of American History
• Ford's Theatre Center for Education and Leadership
• Gadsby's Tavern
• Heritage Farm Museum
• ImaginAsia Family Program at the Arthur M. Sackler Museum of Art
• International Spy Museum KidSpy Programs
• Kreeger Museum Family Programs
• Lee-Fendall House Museum and Garden
• LEGO® Architecture: Towering Ambition at the National Building Museum
• Living Classrooms Children's Museum
• Madame Tussauds DC
• Marian Koshland Science Museum
• Maryland Science Center
• MathAlive! at the Smithsonian's International Gallery, S. Dillon Ripley Center
• Maymont
• Mount Vernon
• NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Visitor's Center
• National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center
• National Aquarium, Washington, D.C.
• National Aquarium in Baltimore
• National Building Museum
• National Capital Trolley Museum
• National Children's Museum
• National Gallery of Art
• National Museum of American History
• National Museum of the American Indian
• National Museum of the Marine Corps
• National Museum of Natural History
• National Museum of the U.S. Navy
• National Portrait Gallery
• National Pinball Museum
• National Postal Museum
• Newseum
• One World, One Sky and Flights of Fancy at the National Air and Space Museum
• Play Work Build at the National Building Museum
• Port Discovery
• President Lincoln's Cottage
• Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship at the National Geographic Museum
• Rose Hill Manor
• Sandy Spring Museum
• Sant Ocean Hall - at the National Museum of Natural History
• Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum
• Smithsonian National Zoological Park
• Smithsonian National Zoological Park - Indoor Ideas
• Stories in Art/Family Workshops at the National Gallery of Art
• Teddy Bear Clinic at the National Museum of Health and Medicine
• The National Archives
• The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center

Outdoor & Nature Adventures

• Adventure Playground at Wheaton Regional Park
• Alexandria Farmers' Markets
• Ben Brenman Park
• Berry Picking with Kids
• Billy Goat Trail A
• Billy Goat Trail B
• Bladensburg Waterfront Park
• Boat Rentals at Jack's Boathouse
• Broad Run Miniature Golf
• Brookside Nature Center & Wheaton Regional Park
• Burke Lake Park
• Cabin John Regional Park
• Cameron Run Regional Park Mini Golf
• Camping at Rocky Gap State Park
• Canal Park Ice Rink
• Candy Cane City Playground at Meadowbrook Park
• Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo
• Clark's Eliok Farm
• Clemyjontri Park
• Crooked Run Orchard
• Crofton Go-Kart Raceway
• Croydon Creek Nature Center
• D.C. United Game
• Dinosaur Park
• Fairfax Farmers' Markets
• Falls Church Farmers Market
• Fantasy Playground
• Frying Pan Park: Putting the Animals to Bed
• Great Country Farms
• Green Spring Gardens
• Gulf Branch Nature Center
• Hadley's Playground at Falls Road Local Park
• Herbert Wells Ice Skating Rink
• Hidden Pond Nature Center
• Homestead Farm
• Huntley Meadows Park
• Ice Skating at Manassas' Harris Pavilion
• Ice Skating at Washington Harbour
• Jefferson Falls Miniature Golf Course
• Jerome "Buddie" Ford Nature Center
• Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens
• Kidwell Farm at Frying Pan Park
• Lake Needwood Boats
• Lake Ridge Playground (Fantasy Playground)
• Laurel Links Miniature Golf Course
• Laurel Roller Skating Center
• Leesburg Animal Park
• Levelle W. Dupell Park
• Locust Grove Nature Center
• Long Branch Nature Center
• Marker-Miller Orchards
• Mattie J.T. Stepanek Park
• Meadowlark Botanical Gardens
• Meadowside Nature Center
• Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary
• Miniature Train and Carousel at Wheaton Regional Park
• Montgomery County Farmers' Markets
• National Colonial Farm
• National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Rink
• National Park Service Family Bike Tours
• National Wildlife Visitor Center
• Nature Playce at Hidden Oaks Nature Center
• Ohiopyle State Park
• Old Mine Ranch
• Oxon Hill Farm
• Potomac Nationals Baseball
• Potomac Overlook Regional Park Nature Center
• Reston Zoo
• River Farm
• Rock Creek Nature Center
• Rocky Gorge Mini Golf
• Rust Nature Sanctuary
• Sandy Point State Park
• Sandy Spring Adventure Park
• Saturday Morning Storytime at Brookside Gardens
• Seneca Creek State Park
• Seven Springs Mountain Resort
• Silver Spring Ice Rink
• Skating in the Square at Rockville Town Square
• Snow Tubing at Liberty Mountain Resort
• South Germantown Recreational Center
• Story Time on the Lake
• The Flying Circus Aerodrome Air Show
• The United States National Arboretum
2012 Trail Discovery for Kids

• Trail Discovery for Kids: Lake Artemesia Trail
• Trail Discovery for Kids: Beaver Trail
• Trail Discovery for Kids: Blue Mash Trail
• Trail Discovery for Kids: Hazel Mountain Trail
• Trail Discovery for Kids: Muddy Branch Trail
2011 Trail Discovery for Kids

• Trail Discovery for Kids: Stone Bridge Loop Trail
• Trail Discovery for Kids: Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens River Trail
• Trail Discovery for Kids: Graves Mill Trail
• Trail Discovery for Kids: Billy Goat Trail, Section C
2010 Trail Discovery for Kids

• Trail Discovery for Kids: Blockhouse Trail
• Trail Discovery for Kids: Cedar Run and White Oak Canyon Trails
• Trail Discovery for Kids: Tom's (Self Guided Nature) Trail
• Trail Discovery for Kids: Hazel River Trail, Shenandoah National Park
• Trail Discovery for Kids: Greenbelt National Park
• Trail Discovery for Kids: Northwest Branch Trail
• Trail Discovery for Kids: Rose River Fire Road, Shenandoah National Park
2009 Trail Discovery for Kids

• Trail Discovery for Kids: October Highlighted Hike
• Trail Discovery for Kids: September Highlighted Hike
• Trail Discovery for Kids: August Highlighted Hike
• Trail Discovery for Kids: July Highlighted Hike
• Trail Discovery for Kids: June Highlighted Hike
• Trail Discovery for Kids: May Highlighted Hike
• Trail Discovery for Kids: April Highlighted Hike
• Trail Discovery for Kids: March Highlighted Hike
• Theodore Roosevelt Island
• Top Golf Miniature Golf
• Twin Oaks Riding Academy
• Upton Hill Regional Park
• Van Dyck Park
• Walkersville Southern Railroad
• Walney Visitor Center
• Washington Nationals Baseball Game
• Watkins Regional Park
• Windmill Hill Park
• Wings of Fancy Exhibit
• Woodend Nature Sanctuary
• Woody's Perils of the Lost Jungle Miniature Golf

Waterparks

• Atlantis Waterpark
• Chesapeake Beach Water Park
• Claude Moore Recreation Center Pool
• Cub Run RECenter
• Germantown Indoor Swim Center
• Great Wolf Lodge
• Looking for Major Family Fun? Try the Minor Leagues! - a review of the Bowie Baysox
• Part II: Looking for Major Family Fun? Try the Minor Leagues! - a review of the Frederick Keys
• Olney Indoor Swim Center
• Our Special Harbor - Sprayground at Lee District Park
• Pirate's Cove Waterpark
• Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex
• Review of VA and MD Indoor Waterparks
• Signal Bay Water Park
• Six Flags America
• Splash Down at Columbia Swim Center
• Splash Down Waterpark
• Spraygrounds in Arlington, Virginia
• South Germantown Splash Playground
• Upton Hill Waterpark
• Water Mine Family Swimmin' Hole
• Water Park at Bohrer Park
• WaterWorks

Fall Festivals & Fall Holiday Events

• 2011 Air & Scare
• 2011 Loudoun County Farm Color Tour
• Apple Picking at Hartland Orchard
• Apple Picking at Homestead Farms
• Apple Picking at Stribling Orchard
• Art on the Avenue
• Baugher's Orchard
• Boo at the Zoo
• Burke Nursery's Pumpkin Playground
• Butler's Orchard Pumpkin Festival
• Clark's Farm Fall Festival
• Corn Maze in the Plains
• Cows-N-Corn
• Cox Farms Fall Festival
• Eye Spy Halloween Train at Cabin John Regional Park
• Fall for Fairfax KidsFest
• Fall Frolic at Glen Echo Park
• Fields of Fear^SM at Cox Farms
• Ghost Train at Burke Lake Park
• Ghost Story Tour by Historic Strolls
• Great Country Farms Fall Festival
• Harvest Festival at the Agricultural History Farm Park
• Haunted Train & Carousel at Wheaton Regional Park
• Heather Hill Gardens Fall Festival
• Hollin Farms
• Krop's Crops
• Larriland Farm
• Montpelier Farms
• Pumpkinville at the Leesburg Animal Park
• Silverbrook Nursery & Landscaping Fall Festival
• Summers Farm
• Temple Hall Farm Corn Maize and Fall Festival
• Ticonderoga Farms Fall Festival

Winter Holiday Events

• A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of Christmas at Olney Theatre
• A Little House Christmas at Adventure Theatre
• Bass Pro Shops Santa's Wonderland
• Bull Run Festival of Lights
• Chanukah on Ice 2011
• Christmas Cabin of Carnaween
• Christmas in Hershey
• Christmas on the Potomac at Gaylord National Resort
• Christmas Town: A Busch Gardens Celebration
• Cinderella at Olney Theatre Center
• Drumming with Dishes: The Holiday Edition
• Festival of Lights at the Washington DC Mormon Temple
• First Night Alexandria
• Gaithersburg Winter Lights Festival
• Garden of Lights at Brookside Gardens
• Ho! Ho! Ho! - A review of several area Maryland Santas!
• Ho! Ho! Ho! - A review of several area Virginia Santas!
• Holiday Festival of Trains & Toys at the B&O Railroad Museum
• Holly Trolley Fest
• Meadowlark's Winter Walk of Lights
• Mount Vernon by Candlelight
• O Come Let Us Adore Him Crèche Exhibit at the National Cathedral
• Santa's Paradise Express at Strasburg Railroad
• Seven Springs Mountain Resort
• Snow Tubing at Liberty Mountain Resort
• National Christmas Tree Lighting & the Pageant of Peace
• Norweigan Holiday Model Train Display at Union Station
• Russian Winter Festival at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens
• Santa Claus is Coming to Old Town
• Season's Greenings at the United States Botanic Garden
• Seussical at Imagination Stage
• Shadrack's Christmas Wonderland at Adventure Park USA
• Symphony of Lights
• The Christmas Revels
• The Enchanted Forest
• Winter Festival of Lights
• Young Robin Hood at Round House Theatre
• ZooLights

Older Reviews

• 2011 Washington Auto Show
• Guppy Gala
• Kids Bowl Free Program
• Mayple Syrup Festival at Cunningham Falls State Park
• Smithsonian Folklife Festival
• The Maryland Faerie Festival
• The Montgomery County Fair
• Watson Adventures
• Adventure Park USA