Happy April Fool’s Day! You’d better watch out today, you know your little ones will be planning pranks all day long! Enjoy the rest of the weekend; check out these fun and free things to do in Washington, DC, Baltimore and Northern Virginia this weekend.

Doktor Kaboom! Image from Kennedy-Center.org.

Doktor Kaboom! at the Kennedy Center – Washington, DC
Friday, April 1: 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 2: 11 am, 1:30 pm and 5 pm

Have fun with Doktor Kaboom as he demonstrates spectacular science experiments. Recommended for kids ages 7 and up. Tickets are $18 per person. Get your tickets online.

The Kennedy Center is located at 2700 F Street, NW Washington, DC (map it).

FREE: First Friday at Washingtonian Center – Gaithersburg, MD
Friday, April 1: 6 pm – 8 pm

Enjoy free live entertainment by a local student band at the Lakefront Plaza, check out sales and specials from merchants and check out a music showcase at Bach to Rock this Friday night. Free event.

The Washingtonian Center is located at 209 Boardwalk Place, Gaithersburg, Maryland (map it).

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What marks Spring in Washington, DC? National Cherry Blossom Festival, of course! Check out the many free activities that you and your family can do at the festival this weekend in Washington, DC, as well as other fun family events in the DC metro area and Baltimore, Maryland.

Cherry Blossom Festival Family Day. Image from NationalCherryBlossomFestival.org.

FREE: National Cherry Blossom Festival Family Day – Washington, DC
Saturday, March 26: 10 am – 3:30 pm

Your kids can participate in hands-on activities and enjoy various performances at Family Day at National Building Museum this Saturday. Decorate a mini kite to prepare for the Kite Festival, assemble kirigami flowers, watch local architecture students build a 3-D creation using food cans and more. Performances by Shizumi Kodomo Dance Troupe, the Washington Ballet, Fillmore Arts Center and more. Free admission.

National Building Museum is located at 401 F Street, NW, Washington, DC (map it).

FREE: Celebrating National Nutrition Month – National Harbor, MD
Saturday, March 26: 11 am – 4 pm

Learn about nutrition while having fun! The National Children’s Museum Launch Zone will have nutrition and obesity prevention activities that include hands-on science experiments and other fun activities. Free admission.

The National Children’s Museum Launch Zone is located at 112 Waterfront St, National Harbor, Maryland (map it).

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Washington, DC. © Cheng Chang/iStockPhoto.com.

Oh, how I love Washington, DC! I have lived in the DC metro area for 10+ years and one of the things that I love about living here is access to free family entertainment! From free museums and historic sites to parades and festivals, Washington, DC, is a great place to live and visit for families.

Check out 100 free things to do with kids in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland below.

Free Museums, Monuments and Historic Sites

1. Learn about dinosaurs at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC.

2. Explore space at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC.

3. Go to the top of the Washington Monument in Washington, DC.

4. Feel the grandeur of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

5. Read the words of Thomas Jefferson at the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC.

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Whoa, it’s the last weekend February! Did you remember to take down your Christmas lights? Please, please, do, if you haven’t already done so. I can still see one of my neighbors’ blue and red lights. Seriously? Please take those lights down. Thanks for letting me rant about that … here are this weekend’s top ten things to do with kids in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland.

George Washington Mount Vernon's Estate. Image from MountVernon.org.

Black History Month – Mount Vernon, VA
Friday, February 25 – Sunday, February 27: 9 am – 4 pm

Learn about the lives and contributions of the slaves who built the plantation home of George Washington in observance of Black History Month. Daily highlights by Mount Vernon interpreters begin at 10 am, daily wreathlaying occurs at 12 pm, daily tour starts at 1 pm. Admission fees: $15 for adults, $7 for kids ages 6 to 11 and free for kids 5 and under.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate is located at 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, Virginia (map it).

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Ah, Valentine’s Day! To be honest, I was never big fan of Valentine’s Day until a few years ago. I didn’t think it was worth the one day a year to get overpriced flowers and to make a reservation at fancy restaurant for their special Valentine menu. But now …. who would’ve thought that celebrating Valentine’s Day with your little one can be so much fun? No expensive flowers needed, either!

There are plenty of fun activities that you can do with your kids this Valentine’s Day weekend. Don’t forget to check out our calendar of events for more things to do with kids in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Michael Rosman. Image from NationalTheatre.org.

FREE: Michael Rosman: Defying Gravity – Washington, DC
Saturday, February 12: 9:30 am and 11 am

Enjoy a zany and off-beat performance by Michael Rosman, where he’ll juggle bananas, toss a bowling ball, or try to keep his balance on a unicycle! You and your kids will enjoy this fun show at the National Theatre in Washington, DC. Free admissions. Tickets are distributed about half an hour before the show starts.

The National Theatre is located at 1321 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC (map it).

FREE: The Power of Chocolate Festival – Washington, DC
Saturday, February 12 & Sunday, February 13: 10 am – 4:30 pm

This Valentine’s Day weekend, celebrate chocolate, the food of the gods to the Mayan and Aztec peoples, at the Power of Chocolate Festival at National Museum of the American Indian. At this festival, you and your kids can explore chocolate’s culture and history; enjoy live performances, such as Bolivian dance groups and presentations by experts at MARS Chocolate North America and participate in hands-on family activities. Free admissions.

National Museum of the American Indian is located at Fourth Street & Independence Ave, SW, Washington, DC (map it).

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