Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Image from Ringling.com.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: Barnum 200 – Fairfax, VA
Friday, April 15: 10:30 am and 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 16: 11:30 am, 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm
Sunday, April 17: 1 pm and 5 pm

See elephants, tigers, clowns, flying trapeze troupe, acrobatics and more at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus performance at the Patriot Center in Fairfax this weekend. Tickets range from $12.60 to $125.95 per person, depending on seating area. Get your tickets online.

The Patriot Center is located at 4400 University Dr, Fairfax, Virginia (map it).

Bunny the Chimp’s 21st Birthday at the Maryland Zoo – Baltimore, MD
Friday, April 14: 11 am – 1 pm

Celebrate Bunny the Chimp’s 21st birthday at the Chimp Forest in the Maryland Zoo. Bunny and her pals will indulge in special primate-friendly treats! Sign her birthday banner and learn more about chimps. Admission fees: $14 for adults, $10 for kids, $12 for seniors and free for kids under 2.

The Maryland Zoo is located in Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, Maryland (map it).

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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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It’s time to spring forward this Sunday, so don’t forget to change your clocks after you tuck your kids into bed on Saturday night. Other than doubling your caffeine dose on Sunday, check out many free activities going on in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland this weekend. Happy almost Spring, everyone!

St. Patrick's Day Parade in Gaithersburg, MD. Image from GaithersburgMD.gov.

FREE: St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Plaza Party – Gaithersburg, MD
Saturday, March 12: 10 am – 1 pm

Watch the 11th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade from 10 am to 12 pm this Saturday at Washingtonian Center. See Celtic dancers, bagpipe bands, clowns, fire trucks and more in the parade. Enjoy live music and family activities in the plaza area after the parade.

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

Raptors Upclose – Washington, DC
Friday, March 11: 10:15 am and 11:30 am

Get ready to get up close and personal with birds of prey. Learn about the raptors, including the different species, falconry as a sport and raptors’ relationship to humans. Call 202-633-3030 to get your tickets.

S. Dillon Ripley Center at Discovery Theater, 3rd Sublevel, 1100 Jefferson Drive, SW, Washington, DC (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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Hey, it’s a 3-day weekend! Get a free admission to George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate this Monday, check out kiddie concerts and find more things to do with kids in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland this President’s Day weekend.

The Okee Dokee Brothers. Image from JamminJava.com.

The Okee Dokiee Brothers – Vienna, VA
Saturday, February 19: 10:30 am

Enjoy energetic and interactive music by childhood best friends, Joe Mailander and Justin Lansing. The two friends who are originally from Denver, Colorado, have toured the Midwest with their bluegrass band for years before starting their kindie band, The Okee Dokee Brothers. Tickets are $8 per person (free for babies under 1 year old). Get your tickets online.

Jammin’ Java is located at 2270 Maple Ave E, Vienna, Virginia (map it).

KayDee Puppet Show – Washington, DC
Saturday, February 19: 10 am

Fun show for kids 2 and above! KayDee Puppets use large, delightful moving mouth puppets, telling stories about fun fairy tales. Tickets are $5.75 per person, or $3.50 for Avalon Theatre members. Get your tickets online.

Avalon Theatre is located at 5612 Connecticut Avenue, NW Washington, DC (map it).

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