KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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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: I’m a sucker for songs in 6/8 time, no matter the music style. I don’t know why that ONE-two-three-FOUR-five-six swinging rhythm so captures me whether it’s fast or slow, but there’s no denying that it does. And I might not even notice this rhythm, but for one little fact: I’m a thoroughly mediocre cellist. I took cello lessons from age 8 to age 14; during
those years, I graduated from “truly bad” to “moderately acceptable,” at least acceptable enough to play in orchestras where my individual sound would be drowned out by the better kids’ playing. But even as unskilled as I was, I know I am happier as an adult for having played: I can understand music from the inside. I hear patterns and styles and instruments with far different ears than I would have had I not studied music early in life. Understanding what makes your heart sing helps
you be on the lookout for more, and that makes your life better. Summer is the perfect season to help kids grow their ears. Yes, check out the big open-air concerts from your local orchestra, municipal band, or jazz ensemble. But also keep an active ear out for the smaller stuff: free concerts in parks, weekly community series, festivals, buskers, church lawn performances, library gigs, and whatever band happens to be playing near the funnel cakes. When you hear something,
name it: bluegrass, salsa, soul, swing, zydeco, classical, funk, folk, rock, rap, mariachi. Kids don’t have to like everything, but knowing the names of things helps them understand what they do like, and gives them handles for finding more of it later. A couple of tips: If you know you're headed in the direction of something new, play a sample of the style before you leave so kids have a hook on which to hang the experience. While you’re there, help them notice one thing: the
bass line, the drummer, the singer’s breathing, the way people move. That will help the music swirl around in their minds long after the last note fades. Remember, music isn’t only on stages. It’s in carousels, movie scores, worship services, elevators, malls, ballparks, and the ice cream truck coming around the corner. So as tour guide to your kids’ universe, don’t ignore the invisible! Point your ears toward the music, tune everyone's radar, and grow.
—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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Saturday, June 20th | 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM Stead Park, 1625 P Street NW, Washington, DC Head to Stead Park for a vibrant celebration of community, creativity, and pride! This FREE, inclusive and joyful event is designed for families and children to enjoy a day of fun, connection, and laughter. Explore a variety of activities, including games, crafts, glitter tattoos, story time, an inflatable obstacle course, photo ops, and more! Hosted by Friends of Stead Park, the DC Department of Parks and Recreation, and our dedicated partners. This is an official Capital Pride event. This festival is a welcoming space for all ages. While especially enjoyed by children ages 2–10, everyone is invited to take part in the festivities. Learn more and RSVP: https://bit.ly/capital-pride-family-fun
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Stay out late and celebrate the start of summer at the National Museum of the American Indian. Dance to Shub’s award-winning electronic music and join Indigenous dancers. Visitors of all ages can enjoy curator tours of our 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. Free, extended evening hours June 19 and 20! Check out the full schedule of activities.
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Art Play Learn offers unique, engaging camps that you just won't find anywhere else. Each camp is designed specifically for the age group and offers expert instruction in small groups. For the littles (3-7), our Build & Play camp delivers the ultimate play experience and can be paired with Art Spark Camp to stay all day. For the 8-12 year old crowd, we have Anime, Art, STEAM, Japanese, Cooking, D&D and Academic Enrichment (play-based tutoring). Our camps for teens are genuinely special themes, including D&D, Rock Star, Manga and Marching Band. Conveniently located right at the interchange of routes 197 and 295, Reserve your spot today!
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Join The Knight School for summer chess camps running all season, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with half-day options available. These high-energy camps blend chess with creativity, featuring new openings each week, prize opportunities, themed tournaments, dress-up days, dance-offs, and joke contests. Designed for all ages and skill levels, the program prioritizes sportsmanship, fun, and chess in that order, helping students develop strong skills by first building a love for the game. With music-filled, party-like instruction and game-based learning, even beginners and kindergartners feel engaged, confident, and excited to think critically while playing. Daily activities keep kids active, social, and motivated in a supportive environment overall.
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Bring Dad or Grandad out to see and hear 19th century technology at work. The miller will be grinding, conditions permitting. Please call the site to confirm. Free admission for Fathers and Grandfathers. In the Education Center the Northern Virginia Carvers will host open beginner to intermediate carving lessons. Advanced carvers welcome. Come and carve along with club carving members. (All Ages)
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Step back in time at the 51st Annual Sully Antique Car Show! Explore hundreds of antique and classic cars on display, with judging and awards throughout the day.
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Celebrate the start of summer with our free, family‑friendly Science Solstice Sunday, part of the Smithsonian’s annual Solstice Weekend! Follow animal clues in an interactive scavenger hunt across the Zoo for a chance to win a prize, enjoy special animal demonstrations.
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Join us in honoring our local teachers, school bus drivers, cafeteria teams, and school support team members who support our children’s learning environment all season. We owe a great deal to those who teach our children both in homeschools and those working in our school system. As a ‘Thank You’ for all you do, we offer free farm admission to Great Country Farms for teachers, school employees, and their immediate families to kick off summer!
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Bring your family and friends for an evening of community, culture, and celebration. This free event will feature children’s activities, vendors, an opening ceremony, and a variety of live entertainment throughout the evening. This year’s national Juneteenth theme is “Juneteenth Brings Balance to America’s Celebration of Freedom." We invite everyone in our community to come together, learn, connect, and celebrate with us!
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Get ready for the ultimate match day experience at our Fairfax Fan Fest on June 19! Whether you’re here to watch the game, trade stickers, or play all day, this event is built for soccer fans of all ages.
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Celebrate 250 years under the sun with the Smithsonian after hours! The National Air and Space Museum in DC will be open late on Friday, June 19, as part of the Smithsonian's Solstice celebration. Visitors can explore the Museum's galleries from 6 to 11 pm. Free passes are required.
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Busch Gardens Williamsburg is proud to introduce ASL Saturdays, occurring on the 3rd Saturday of each month, providing exceptional American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation services for guests who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Partnering with American Sign Language Services (ASLS)—a leader in interpretation for over a decade—we are committed to delivering an inclusive and unforgettable experience for all.
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Celebrate 11 successful years of curiosity, creativity, and hands-on discovery at the Lab! Join us for a festive birthday weekend filled with special experiences that showcase the wonder of science.
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Buzz into the City of Manassas for a SWEET-AS-HONEY experience! 2026 marks the 6th annual Manassas Bee Festival at Liberia House & Grounds, a 19th century historic property. Enjoy a bluegrass band, food trucks, mead & beer garden vendors, crafts, native plants, speakers, farm animals, wagon rides, games/prizes, bounce house, education for native plants, pollinators, and more. Plus, local brewery, Sinstral, will sell their honey lager beer. Dress like a pollinator and join the costume parade! You can even learn the waggle dance.
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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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