Aayla Secura at Air and Scare at National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, VA

I have never seen so many little Jedi before! We stopped by Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum earlier today for their Air and Scare event. My daughter dressed as Cinderella and I dressed as Snow White, but I think next year, we need to dress up as Star Wars characters to fit in the whole theme of the event. There were Stormtroopers and Jedi everywhere!

We got to the museum a little after the event started at 2 pm and I’m glad that we did. There was a line to get through the gate and another line to get in the museum. When we left around 4:15 pm, we saw the line of cars went all the way back to Route 28, at least a mile away from the ramp to the museum.

The museum was packed with families. There were plenty of photo ops with Star Wars characters as well as treat stations. Darth Vader was a big hit, of course. Many of the treat stations were demonstrations or interactive exhibits, not candies. But the treat stations with candies had the good treats with Twix, Snickers, M&Ms and other Mars candies.

Air and Scare at National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, VA

The flight simulators were free, too. There was a long line for both simulators, so we decided to skip it. There were other exhibits throughout the museum where you got to be a pilot and fly a plane.

This is a fun event for families, so try going next year if you missed it this year. It’s an almost free event (free admissions to the museum, but there is a $15 parking fee per car) and it’s different than other trick-or-treat events in the Washington, DC, metro area. You don’t have worry about the weather either, in case it gets bad; we were lucky today as it was sunny and mild earlier this afternoon. Just get there early before the line gets too long if you go next year and don’t forget to dress up!

Check out some more pictures on my Facebook page.

Rain, rain, go away! Stay dry and burn some energy with open gym and open bounce times at JW Tumbles in Herndon, Virginia today.

When?
Thursday, October 14, 2010
- Story time and creative play: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
- Open gym: 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
- Open bounce: 1:30 pm – 3 pm and 3:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Where?
JW Tumbles is located at 12950 Highland Crossing Drive in Herndon, Virginia (map it).

How much?
Fees for story time and creative play: $6 per child
Fees for open gym: $8 for members, $10 for non-members, half off siblings
Fees for open bounce: $12 for members, $14 for non-members, half off siblings

Call 703-481-2990 for more information.

Oktoberfests, Fall Festivals, pumpkin patches, oh my! Fall is definitely here. Enjoy apple picking, hay rides, Halloween events and more this weekend. Check out this weekend’s top 10 fun things to do with kids in Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia. As always, many of the events listed are free. Enjoy!

Oktoberfest - Reston Town Center. Photo from RestonChamber.org.

FREE: Oktoberfest – Reston, VA
Friday, October 8: 3 pm – 11 pm
Saturday, October 9: 11 am – 11 pm
Sunday, October 10: 12 pm – 7 pm

Yummy Oktoberfest fare and other cuisines from local restaurants, live music and entertainment, carnival rides for kids, horse carriage rides and more. Free admissions, carnival rides, food and beverages are extra. Get your tickets online.

Apple Picking at Homestead Farm – Poolesville, MD
Friday, October 8 – Monday, October 11: 9 am – 6 pm

Homestead Farm now has pink lady apples, yum! In addition to apple picking, you can also go on a hayride to the pumpkin patches on weekends and visit their adorable farm animals. Hayrides are $3 per person; pumpkins and apples are sold separately. Call 301-977-3761 before you leave to check on availabilities.

Homestead Farm is located at 15604 Sugarland Rd, Poolesville, Maryland (map it).

Kids' Pumpkin Dash in Reston Town Center, Virginia. Photo from TheGreatPumpkin5K.com.

FREE: Kids’ Pumpkin Dash – Reston, VA
Saturday, October 9: 9:30 am – 10:30 am

Get your kids all dressed up in their Halloween costumes and dash to the finish line at Reston Town Center! Kids will race in their age group, which are 4 years and younger, 5 and 6 years, 7 and 8 years and 9 and 10 years. Your kids can also participate in a pumpkin decorating contest. This popular event has reached capacity, but they’ll have a limited number of entries at the Reston YMCA on Thursday and Friday from 12 pm to 7 pm to register.

Reston Town Center is located at 11900 Market St, Reston, Virginia (map it).

FREE: SterlingFest – Sterling, VA
Saturday, October 9: 11 am – 5 pm

Check out crafts and booths of local companies, kids’ rides and live entertainment at SterlingFest. Free admissions.

SterlingFest is held at Sterling Park, on Commerce Street and Enterprise Street, Sterling, Virginia (map it).

National Children's Museum - Jump Off. Photo from NCM.Museum.

FREE: National Children’s Museum Presents Jump Off! – National Harbor, MD
Saturday, October 9: 11 am – 4 pm

Check out nationally renowned Double Dutch jump rope teams and enjoy family-friendly activities at National Harbor this Saturday. The National Children’s Museum will also highlight community stars, such as Prince George’s County Police and Fire Departments, including members of the bomb squad, hazmat and SWAT teams. See a real fire truck and fire boat, an ambulance, a policy car and motorycle and command center vehicles. Munch on regional foods, enjoy local crafts and fashion as well as discounts from local retailers.

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

FREE: Festival of the Building Arts – Washington, DC
Saturday, October 9: 10 am – 4:30 pm

See architects, builders, designers and artisans demonstrate their skills at the National Building Museum this Saturday. Your kids can try out surveying, roof thatching, woodworking and more. Recommended for kids ages 5 to 13. Free admissions, $5 donations suggested.

The National Building Museum is located at 401 F St NW, #334, Washington, DC (map it).

Rumplestiltskin at the Kennedy Center. Photo from Kennedy-Center.org.

Rumplestiltskin at the Kennedy Center – Washington, DC
Saturday, October 9: 11 am, 1:30 pm and 5 pm
Sunday, October 10: 1:30 pm and 4 pm

Enjoy a family-friendly performance at the Kennedy Center this weekend as German Master Puppeteer Matthias Kuchta presents the classic fairy tale Rumplestiltskin with hand-made, life-sized puppets. Show lasts approximately one hour. Recommended for kids ages 5 and up. Tickets are $18 per person. Get your tickets online.

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

Hallowings and Things at Baltimore Aquarium – Baltimore, MD
Saturdays, October 8 – Monday, October 11: 12 pm

Check out Baltimore Aquarium’s creepiest and crawliest creatures in October! Every Saturday and Sunday at Noon, the Aquarium features special Halloween animal encounters. Visit warty toads, hissing cockroaches, slithering snakes and more. Admission fees: $24.95 for adults, $23.95 for seniors (60+), $19.95 for kids (3 – 11) and free for kids under 3. Get your tickets online.

Baltimore Aquarium is located at 501 E Pratt St, Baltimore, Maryland (map it).

Jump for St. Jude at JW Tumbles – Herndon, VA
Sunday, October 10: 9:15 am – 12:15 pm

This Sunday, Herndon JW Tumbles will donate half of your entrance fee to St. Jude’s Research Hospital. Pick from one the three open bounce times (each lasts for an hour): 9:15 am, 10:15 am or 11:15 am. For kids 1 to 5 years old; bounce area is recommended for kids 2.5 to 5 years old. To pre-register, call 703-481-2990 or email herndon@jwtumbles.com with your name, phone number, child’s name, child’s age and your desired open bounce time. Pre-payment is required with pre-registration. Admission fees for kids ages 2.5 to 10: $12 for members, $14 for non-members and siblings are half off. Admission fees for kids under 2.5: $8 for members, $12 for non-members and siblings are half off.

Herndon JW Tumbles is located at 12950 Highland Crossing Dr, Herndon, Virginia (map it).

Oktoberfest - Kentlands, Gaithersburg, MD. Photo from GaithersburgMD.gov.

FREE: Oktoberfest at the Kentlands – Gaithersburg, MD
Sunday, October 10: 12 pm – 4 pm

Pumpkin painting, horse-drawn hay rides, pony rides, moon bounce, face painting, arts and crafts, authentic Bavarian food and beer, live performances by Bavarian dancers and live entertainment by local dance and singing groups. Free admissions; some activities may require additional fees.

Kentlands Village Green is located at 320 Kent Square Road, Gaithersburg, Maryland (map it).

Well hello, Fall! You’re finally here … chilly mornings, apple picking, pumpkin festivals, so fun! Enjoy the cooler weather this weekend without the rain with your family. Here are this weekend’s top 10 fun things to do with kids in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland.

Adam Reed Tucker with LEGO® Architecture models. Courtesy of Adam Reed Tucker. Photo from nbm.org.

LEGO Architecture: Towering Ambition at National Building Museum – Washington, DC
Friday, October 1 – Saturday, October 2: 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday, October 3: 11 am – 5 pm
This exhibition is open through September 5, 2011

Get ready to be awed by 15 buildings from around the world that are made from LEGO bricks at LEGO Architecture: Towering Ambition exhibit at National Building Museum. You’ll get to create a building from LEGO, too, and place your model on a large scale map of city! Admission fees: $5 per person, free for kids under 3 and members of National Building Museum. Get your tickets at the door; go in the morning since this exhibit is extremely popular.

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

Open Bounce Time at JW Tumbles – Herndon, VA
Friday, October 1: 12 pm – 5 pm
Sunday, October 3: 10 am – 12 pm

Check out new inflatables at Herndon JW Tumbles! These inflatables are recommended for kids ages 2.5 to 10. Sorry, no adults on the inflatables. Siblings outside of the appropriate age range can still play in the gym at regular open gym pricing. Admission fees: $12 for members, $14 for non-members and siblings are half off. This open bounce time is parent-supervised.

JW Tumbles is located at 12950 Highland Crossing Dr, Herndon, Virginia (map it).

Sport Bounce of Loudoun. Photo from SportBounce.com.

Open Gym at Sport Bounce of Loudoun – Ashburn, VA
Friday, October 1: 9:30 am – 11 am and 11:30 am – 1 pm

Your kids will love bouncing around and going down giant inflatable slides at Sport Bounce of Loudoun! There are two open gym times on Friday: early morning (9:30 am – 11 am) is for kids ages 18 months to 6 years and late morning (11:30 am – 1 pm) is for kids ages 18 months and up. They have a moonbounce just for the little ones and two play rooms for kids. Admission fees: $10 per child for kids 2 years and up, $6 for toddlers (18 to 23 months) and free for anyone over 16 years old and under 18 months old. Siblings each receive $2 off.

Sport Bounce of Loudoun is located at 44710 Cape Ct, Suite #116, Ashburn, Virginia (map it).

Waterfront Festival at Washingtonian Center – Gaithersburg, MD
Friday, October 1: 6 pm – 9 pm

Enjoy live music at the plaza, find special savings by local merchants, check out open houses and other special events. The Little Gym also has a Parent Survival Night where you can drop off your kids, ages 3 to 8, and go on a date with your partner from 6 pm to 9:30 pm. Call 240-361-3334 to register.

Washingtonian Center is located at 9811 Washingtonian Blvd, Gaithersburg, Maryland (map it).

FREE: Taste of Bethesda – Bethesda, MD
Saturday, October 2: 11 am – 4 pm

Sample food from over 55 restaurants, check out live entertainment on four stages and visit the kid’s corner for face painting, arts and crafts. Free admissions. You can sample food by purchasing taste tickets at the event; food servings cost one to four tickets and a bundle of four tickets cost $5.

Taste of Bethesda is held along Norfolk, Fairmont, St. Elmo, Cordell and Del Ray Avenues in Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle (map it).

Uncle Rock. Photo by Hillary Harvey, from UncleRock.com.

Uncle Rock at Jammin’ Java – Vienna, VA
Saturday, October 2: 10:30 am

See family-friendly performance by former stay-at-home dad, singer-songwriter, actor and teacher Robert Burke Warren, aka Uncle Rock. His CDs have gotten raves from the New York Times, LA Times and Parenting Magazine. His songs draw inspiration from great kids’ authors, such as Maurice Sendak, Woody Guthrie and Shel Silverstein. Admission fees: $8 per person, free for babies younger than 12 months. Get your tickets online.

Jammin’ Java is located at 227 Maple Ave E, Vienna, Virginia (map it).

FREE: Vienna Oktoberfest – Vienna, VA
Saturday, October 2: 11 am – 7 pm

Enjoy great food and live music at Vienna Oktoberfest! They also have free activities for kids, a children’s entertainment stage and a festival marketplace. Free admissions.

Vienna Oktoberfest is held at Vienna Town Green, located at 144 Maple Ave E, Vienna, Virginia (map it).

FREE: Peanuts Family Day at National Portrait Gallery – Washington, DC
Saturday, October 2: 11:30 am – 3 pm

Swing by National Portrait Gallery this Saturday to enjoy a friends-and-family day, inspired by Charles M. Schulz and his characters from Peanuts. Get your kid’s picture taken with Snoopy, participate in workshops by a cartoonist-in-resident at the Schulz Museum in California and join Sean Lane the Bay Jazz Project to play percussion instrument. Free admissions.

National Portrait Gallery is located at 801 F St NW, Washington, DC (map it).

Pumpkin Festival at Butler's Orchard. Photo from ButlersOrchard.com.

Pumpkin Festival at Butler’s Orchard – Germantown, MD
Saturday, October 2 – Sunday, October 3: 10 am – 5 pm
Festival is every Saturday and Sunday in October, opening day is Saturday, October 2

Enjoy this fun Fall event with your kids! Go on a hayride, jump in the hayloft, visit barnyard buddies, get lost in twisted pumpkin corn maze and more. Live music is from 12 pm to 4 pm. Admission fees: $10 per person, free for kids under 2.

Butler’s Orchard is located at 22200 Davis Mill Rd, Germantown, Maryland (map it).

National Zoo’s Autumn Conservation Festival at National Zoo – Front Royal, VA
Saturday, October 2 – Sunday, October 3: 10 am – 3 pm

Talk with world-famous scientists about animals and their environment, get behind-the-scenes looks at some of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) Front Royal’s endangered animals, enjoy live music and go on draft horse wagon rides. Lunch and beverages are available for sale. Fees: $30 per car pass for up to 6 passengers. Additional passengers are $5 each at the gate. Get your car passes online.

Autumn Conservation Festival is held at Remount Rd, Front Royal, Virginia (map it).

Sesame Street Live! Elmo's Healthy Heroes

Who’s your kid’s favorite Sesame Street character? Let me guess, Elmo? Well then, better get ready for Sesame Street Live! since Elmo and friends will be visiting Baltimore in a few weeks.

What?
Elmo’s Healthy Heroes
When Super Grover loses his superness, Sesame Street needs a hero! Never fear, Elmo and his team of Healthy Heroes are here. Teaching lessons of healthy habits through song and dance, Elmo, Abby Cadabby and your favorite Sesame Street friends will explore exercise, nutrition, sleep/energy and hygiene – all in a quest to put the “super” back in Super Grover. It’s Elmo’s Healthy Heroes to the rescue!

When?
Thursday, September 9: 7 pm
Friday, September 10: 10:30 am and 7 pm
Saturday, September 11: 10:30 am, 2 pm and 5:30 pm
Sunday, September 12: 1 pm and 4:30 pm

Where?
1st Mariner Area is located at 201 W Baltimore St, Baltimore, Maryland (map it). More on directions and parking.

How much?
Tickets range from $13 to $40, depending on show time and seating area. You can also get a Sunny Seats package for $67, which includes a VIP seat and a pre-show meet & greet photo opportunity with two Sesame Street Live friends. Get your tickets online.