KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Fri, Mar 20: On Your Mark, Get Set, LEGO! Workshop at B&O Railroad Museum
Sat, Mar 21: Dinosaur Egg Hunt at Hidden Oaks Nature Center
Sat, Mar 21: The National Cherry Blossom Festival’s Opening Ceremony at Warner Theatre
Sat, Mar 28: Annual Easter Egg Hunts at Leesburg Animal Park
Sat, Mar 28: Bloomaroo at
The Wharf
Tue, Mar 31: Play Date at NMNH: Nature Explorations
Sat, Apr 11: Eggsperiments at Hidden Oaks Nature Center
Sat, Apr
11: Farmers Market SW at District Wharf
Fri, Apr 17: Rockville International Night at Rockville Civic Center Park
Sat, Apr 18: 4th Annual Anything's PAWSiblel Festival and 5k Run at Manassas Museum Lawn
Sun, Apr 19: Fairy & Gnome Home Festival at Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: For much of the country this year, March simultaneously is bringing hope that spring may in fact return to North America AND the awareness that every car is at risk for the foreseeable future. All winter long, water seeps into asphalt cracks, freezes, expands, melts, and freezes again, and bit by bit the driving experience becomes a game called Avoid the
Crater. But lately I’ve started seeing the repair trucks out there again, their bright-vested workers moving methodically from hole to hole with their shovels. Every time I pass them, it gives me a lift, not just because it means someday soon I'll start seeing flowers out in the real world, but also because potholes are one of those perfect reminders of what humans do. Playrooms, projects, and paperwork start out neat, but over time, weather, wear, gravity, and
procrastination take their toll. No matter how strict the system, order gradually slides toward chaos. And then humans step in and make it right again. I saw the cycle in action at the KidsOutAndAbout office last week: Our storage room had slowly become a museum of random supplies, half-filled bins, and Christmas decorations that had been tossed in with a hopeful Future Us will deal with this someday. Fortunately, my colleague Michelle, who works in our data department,
is also a genius organizer. A few hours after Future Michelle stepped in and applied logic and elbow grease, the little room had transformed from a cluttered cave into a serene space. The quickening of the seasons seems to bring that same energy into our homes: Closets get sorted, garages get swept, junk drawers finally meet their match. It feels good, not just because the space looks better, but because fixing things reminds us of something important: Disorder is normal, but
it’s not permanent. Humans can step in and bring brightness back. So here’s to spring cleaning, organized shelves, and freshly patched roads. Our tires, and our spirits, roll much more smoothly because humans fill potholes.
—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. |
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Creator Camp is excited to return to the DMV for Summer 2026! Featured on Shark Tank, our camps are designed to inspire the next generation of digital innovators in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. We offer specialized tracks in filmmaking, YouTube content
creation, animation, and game design. Our hands-on approach ensures that every camper leaves with a project they are proud of and skills that last a lifetime. With weekly sessions running from June to August, there’s no better place for your child to explore the intersection of art and technology. Sign up now for a summer of creation!
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Weekday Recess at Funbox Bowie is a flexible 90-minute indoor play session designed for homeschool families, microschools, learning pods, and little ones not yet in school. Sessions begin every 15 minutes Monday–Friday, with the final session ending at 4:30
PM. The first session each day is sensory-friendly with reduced noise. Ages 0–2 are free with a ticketed adult. Ages 3–5: $12.99 with a ticketed adult. Ages 6+: $16.99. Tickets required in advance at funbox.com/bowie.
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The Hylton Performing Arts Center believes that children should experience the arts early and often. That's why we offer performances designed for children, offer half-price Hylton Presents tickets for kids, and designate the performances most suitable
for all ages as family friendly. Our Hylton 2025-26 Family Series features Click, Clack, Moo, and much more. Join us!
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Jr. Wizards and Mystics Basketball Camps are first and foremost teaching programs; designed to emphasize fundamental instruction, individual improvement and team concepts in a fun yet structured environment. Summer camp is for ages 6-14 of various skill
levels. Campers will work every day on the fundamental skills needed to become a better player in a fast paced and fun environment.
Click here to register today!
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As a parent, nothing matters more than your child’s safety — especially around water. Pool days, beach vacations, and backyard parties should be filled with fun, not fear. That’s why Maryland families vote Goldfish Swim School Best Swim Lessons year
after year. Goldfish offers engaging, effective swim lessons designed specifically for children ages 4 months to 12 years old.
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Has your child wanted to start an instrument, but you didn't know where to begin? Send them to StringTime violin, viola, and cello camps for kids ages 7-12 in Alexandria, McLean, and Burke. No prior experience is required to attend and instruments are
provided. StringTime also has a continuing track for kids who already play. StringTime teachers are conservatory trained professional musicians who have performed at The Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall. At StringTime, students play in ensembles, enjoy music theory and history classes, private lessons, and faculty performances. Each week of camp ends with a concert. Students may attend one or multiple weeks. Need-based scholarships are available. Register today!
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Shows, Classes and Camps - Join in the fun today!
Get your tickets today: CAT KID COMIC CLUB THE MUSICAL - March 20-22, based on the Dav Pilkney spinoff from the Dog Man series. Just added 2 show times on March 20 - Tickets are VERY LIMITED! And, GOOD MORNING, GOOD NIGHT - March 21-April 19, This brand-new show, created especially for children ages 1-4, very young children will discover the beauty of the world during daytime and nighttime.
Plus, 6-week Spring Classes start next week and Spring Break Camp for Mar 30-Apr 6. Space is available for students in K-5.
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Awesome Con is Washington DC’s premier pop culture convention! An action-packed, star-studded bonanza, Awesome Con attracts more than 60,000 fans to celebrate their favorite comics, movies, TV shows, books, toys, games, cosplay, and more!
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Get a hands-on understanding of rockets in honor of 100th anniversary of Robert Goddard's first liquid-fueled rocket. Goddard launched the first liquid fuel-rocket on March 16, 1926. Years earlier, the Smithsonian published his pamphlet A Method of Reaching
Extreme Altitudes. In it he suggested that a solid-fuel rocket could reach the Moon. In Person: March 14, 2026 | Virtual: Launches March 13, 2026.
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Soar on down to this program about our local avian predators! Learn about our native birds of prey and the amazing adaptations they use to hunt, meet the raptors we care for at the park, and watch our naturalist feed a live bird of prey!
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The City, in partnership with The Peterson Companies and rio, will host the 24th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade at rio, located at Rio Boulevard and Grand Corner Avenue. Free parking will be available in three garages along Washingtonian Boulevard. Dozens
of units will march in the parade, including Celtic dancers, bagpipe bands, school groups, fire trucks, equestrian units, service organizations, characters, and more. Dorthy Winder, City of Gaithersburg retiree and the parade's Lead Planner for nearly 15 years, will serve as the Grand Marshal. The parade will be emceed by Carolyn Muller, Director of Parks, Recreation and Culture.
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Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a touch of magic at Shipgarten’s Kids St. Paddy’s Day Party!
Bring the family out for a fun-filled afternoon featuring special appearances by Merida and Tinker Bell, perfect for photos, smiles, and unforgettable memories.
Kids will love meeting their favorite characters, enjoying the festive green vibes, and soaking up the excitement, while parents relax with food and drinks in our spacious outdoor biergarten. It’s a cheerful, all-ages celebration designed for little ones to feel the magic of St. Paddy’s Day.
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- Observe the Sun with Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum - Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, Jefferson Drive Southwest, Washington, DC, Sat-Sun, March 13-14, 12 pm - 3 pm
- 34th Annual Strathmore
Juried Exhibition: STEEPED - The Mansion at Strathmore, Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD, Fri-Sun, March 13-15, Tue–Fri: 12–4pm / Sat: 10am–3pm
- St. Patrick’s Day Acoustics & Ales: A Festive Outdoor Happy Hour! - North Four Corners Local Park, 315 University Boulevard West, Silver Spring, MD, Sat, March 14, 11 am - 2 pm
- Gaithersburg St. Patrick's Day Parade - 31 S Summit Ave, Gaithersburg, MD, Sat, March 14, Parade starts at 10 AM
- The Art of Quillwork at Smithsonian - National Museum of the American Indian - Smithsonian, 4th Street Southwest, Washington, DC, Sat, March 14, 11 am - 4 pm
- Ireland at The Wharf - 735 Water Street Southwest, Washington, DC, Sat, March 14, 1 pm - 7 pm
- Greenbelt Cinema: ELIO Free Family Screening - Greenbelt
Cinema, Greenbelt Cinema, Sat, March 14, 1:00PM
- 2026 Greater Manassas St. Patrick’s Day Parade - 9027 Center Street, Manassas, VA, Sat, March 14, 11:00 AM
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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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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the DMV area! Use our Big List to help find the best one for your kiddos and check our events calendar to find Open Houses where you can meet teachers and tour the
schools.
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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the DMV area? Escape rooms are interactive, puzzle-packed experiences where you and your team work together to solve clues and complete your mission-all before time runs out! Whether you're escaping a
spooky cabin, cracking a high-stakes heist, or breaking a magical curse, escape rooms offer exciting, screen-free fun for kids, teens, and adults.
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2025's Top 20 Places to Take Kids in the Detroit Metro Area, as voted by thousands of parents! Our Top 20 results page includes a list of your top picks, including winners in special categories like Top Arts Educator, Top Sports Educator, and Top STEM
Educator!
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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