KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Wed, Jun 10: Preschool Wednesdays at Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum
Sun, Jun 14: National History Day Ice Cream Social Fri, Jun 19: Teacher Appreciation Days at Great Country Farms
Sat, Jun 20: Celebrating the Lab's 11th Birthday! 11 Years of Exploration!
Sat, Jun 20: Capital Pride Family Fun Festival
Sat, Jun 20: Manassas Bee Festival
Fri, Jun 26: Maryland History Day Showcase
Sat, Jun 27: Heritage Days 2026 - National Capital Trolley Museum
Sat, Jun 27: Mount Rainier Pride Celebration
Fri, Jun 26: King Bullfrog Hoppy Hour 2026
Sun, Jun 28: Heritage Days 2026 - National Capital Trolley Museum
Sun, Jun 28: Montgomery County Pride in the Plaza
Wed, Jul 1: Clark's Produce Stand Opens - Clark's Elioak Farm
Sat, Jul 4: Capitol Hill 4th of July Parade
Sat, Jul 11: Kids Fishing Derby
Sat, Jul 25: Peach Fuzztival at Great Country Farms |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: "The best thing about your newsletter," said a reader who met me in person at an event last June, "is the sheer number of things to do, and the fact that they're just packed in there, all in one handy place." "Thanks!" I said. I may have glowed a little. "And the worst thing about your newsletter," she continued, "is the guilt trip. I know
you don't mean to lay that on us. We can't do it all, so it means we read about so much we can't do. Especially in summer." She was right, in one sense, of course. June and July are the most packed months of the calendar: Kids are out of school, families are ready for fun, and our communities respond. Each local organization gets to post its own events on our calendar for free, and many are featured in this newsletter, so what's happening is right there in front of
you. But I get it! And I hereby remove the guilt. Ego te absolvo. Of course, good families try to expose their kids to great things, but no one has the time, money, or energy to do it all. This stuff needs to be spread out over a childhood, not packed into a single summer, much less a single weekend. So make a family bucket list for Summer 2026. An easy way to do that is to take our annual survey of the Top 20 Places to Take Kids, which is open through June 20; it has dozens of places to have fun this summer, even though you only vote for your top 3! And you should also use our 50 Ways to Love Your Summer article for ideas that require zero technology, zero travel, and zero dollars. Above all, go easy! Remember, summer is no time for grades! The only prize is the summer that's right for your family.
—Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. If you like my publisher's column, you can easily scroll through past columns in the "Notes from Deb" section of our site. |
Please click through to our 2026 survey to vote for your top 3 places to take kids... it will be used to compile our 2026 Top 20 Places to Take Kids in the DC Metro area. Voting is live through June 20; believe me, winning a place on the Top 20 list matters to the people
who create amazing family-friendly experiences. Take 3 minutes to choose your favorites as your way of saying thank you... and use the list to build your summer bucket list at the same time! |
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The Hylton Family Series is an inspiring series of four performances with children in mind that offers great family entertainment ataffordable family prices. The 2026-27 Season features “The undisputed queen of kindie rock” (USA Today), Laurie Berkner; the crowd-pleasing "must see" show (The Washington Post) Mutts Gone Nuts, and much more. Check out the full series!
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Stay out late and celebrate the start of summer at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. Meet Ande the museum’s giant plush llama, enjoy curator tours of the newest exhibitions, hands-on activities, musical performances, and more from June 19-21. The interactive imagiNATIONS Activity Center will be open daily 10 AM–7 PM. While at the museum, enjoy lunch or snacks at the Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe, which offers Indigenous-inspired foods with options for both picky and adventurous eaters. Enjoy extended evening hours June 19-20! Free, check out the full schedule of activities.
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Bring on the good times as we explore the Ukulele in our Hawaiian Ukulele Adventures Summer Camp! Join us as we head to Portugal and Hawaii to embark on an exciting musical journey like no other! Our Hawaiian Ukulele Adventures camp will let your child explore the history and possibilities of the Ukulele! Students will discover unique rhythms, scales, and styles from the two regions, play in group ensembles and enjoy creative activities, create art inspired by the two cultures, and have plenty of outdoor time using the Workhouse Arts Campus to keep kids moving and having fun.
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Kids LOVE Challenge Island summer camps — the world’s #1 S.T.E.A.M. program! This summer, campers ages 6–12 can dive into ooey-gooey fun at our Slime Sweet Shop and Slime Food Truck camps in Bethesda and Germantown. From stretchy “ice cream” slime to squishy “pizza” creations, kids will mix, design, build and engineer the ultimate slime masterpieces through hands-on, screen-free adventures packed with creativity, teamwork and messy fun! Campers will love the exciting challenges, colorful creations and nonstop energy. Want even more fun? Campers can enjoy a FULL day of adventure by also registering for our amazing S.T.E.A.M. camps. JOIN THE SLIME CRAZE THIS SUMMER!!!
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June 6 - July 5, 2026: The Puppet Co. Playhouse in Glen Echo presents The Little Prince, a touching adventure of a peculiar child from a tiny planet scarcely larger than himself. Stranded in the Sahara Desert, a plane-wrecked aviator meets a child that reminds us all how to see the world like a kid again. See why this beloved story is the most translated work of fiction in history.
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Didn’t you hear? Summer is near! We’re celebrating the coming season with sales and special events for the whole family. National Children's Museum is kicking off summer 2026 with a week of special savings and STEAM-filled events!
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Step into a world where courage comes to life! Join us for Courage Day—an unforgettable, high-energy experience designed to inspire confidence, bravery, and imagination in every child. Featuring appearances from our adventurous Wayfinder, everyone’s favorite friendly neighborhood hero, and a ghostly web-slinging heroine, this event blends action, storytelling, and enchantment into one incredible day. Your child won’t just watch the fun… they’ll become part of it. From the moment you arrive, little heroes will be immersed in an interactive experience filled with movement, laughter, and hands-on adventure. They’ll dance, play, and train alongside their favorite characters while learning what it truly means to be brave.
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Join us for a vibrant celebration of African American Music Appreciation Month with exciting performances showcasing the rich cultural diversity of the African American community! Get ready for a day filled with music, dance, food, and more.
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This is for middle and high schoolers (ages 11-17). This is a chance for them to put their phones away, meet new friends, spend time with animals that love humans, be outside, learn about differences, and learn about ways to change our world. Each meeting will include a quick icebreaker, some chores, a chance to talk with peers, and time with our animals. This is a free event. Please sign up.
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This collaborative FREE event will kick off Pride Month with community vendors from both the Mason campus and the NOVA area, as well as children’s activities, including FREE caricatures, face painting, music and more! Everyone is invited and welcome to attend this family-friendly event!
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Each month, join us for a fun and relaxed experience featuring art making, films, and a variety of special pop-up activities. All activities are free, and most are first come, first served.
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Local families are invited to discover the past and learn about the clues under our feet at the DC Day of Archaeology Festival, a free, family-friendly event on June 6 that brings history to life through hands-on activities.
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Dallas area. From Arcades to Ziplines our Big List will help you think outside the box and plan the party of your kids' dreams! KidsOutAndAbout has dozens of ideas!
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the DMV is back! You can search by date, age, or categories like day/overnight, sports, drama, music, theatre, arts & crafts, technology, robotics, horseback riding, preschool, & more. Our guide
puts summer fun right at your fingertips!
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Fruit picking is a great activity to do together as a family. It helps little ones understand where their food actually comes from, and it's a fun tradition to share every year right through the teens. Here's where you can pick fruit with your family:
Strawberry picking, cherry picking, blueberry picking, raspberry picking, peach picking, and other pick-your-own opportunities in the DC Metro area.
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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