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).

More Fun Things to Do with Kids in Washington, DC >>

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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We finally made it to one of the open play times at Wee Play in Herndon, Virginia, a few weeks ago! Since they’ll have another open play time this weekend, I thought you may be interested in our experience and seeing some pictures on our Facebook page.

Wee Play, Herndon, Virginia

When we went there, it was packed! They have an area just for active play, an area with tables for arts and crafts, an area for floor play and another area with bins full of toys.

It definitely kept my daughter busy. In the active play area, she jumped on a trampoline, went down a mini roller coaster (no, it does not go upside down) and for some reason, she had her heart set on this expanding sphere. After that, we sat down to do some arts and crafts, where she did some painting and counting shells. I think she enjoyed counting the shells the most since counting is her new thing now; everything has to be counted, including every bite she takes at dinner time … oh, my!

Go check out Wee Play this weekend if you can. Open play time is on Saturday, February 26th, from 8:30 am to 10 am. Cost is $10 per child and infant siblings are free. This place is recommended for kids ages 5 and under.

Wee Play is located at 441A Carlisle Drive, Herndon, Virginia (map it).