Being Savvy: Activities, things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Washington DC, DC

Cultivate Your Child's Green Thumb with a Planting Party

by Leticia

There came a point during winter when I was just ready for spring. I was tired of the barren landscape of my backyard, the extra time it took to dress my children for the great outdoors, and my winter wardrobe. I decided to turn my nose up at old man winter and jump start our spring with a planting party. My Type A obsessive compulsive self realized this meant my children would have ... Read more >

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Top 5 Things to Do in the DC Area on a Rainy Day

by Leticia

Top 5 Things to Do in the DC Area on a Rainy Day Sometimes rainy days make me want to curl up on the couch underneath a blanket with my two children cuddled close with a stack of books for a reading marathon. Other times we feel like we've been stuck in the house for days and need to escape. National Building Museum's Building Zone - - My children love anything construction related so we hop ... Read more >

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The Budding Art Critic: How to Make the National Gallery a Place Your Child Loves

by Leticia

In college I was a psychology major who loved taking art history classes. I ended up taking so many art history classes that I had enough credits for a double major. For me, learning about artists and their paintings was just for fun. Every day when my children take out the art box, I watch them and am reminded about the masters I learned about and whose techniques are very similar to those my ... Read more >

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Get Away Without Getting Too Far Away

by Leticia

As much as we love DC, sometimes absence makes the heart grow fonder. Leave the Beltway, politics, and Metro, and all other aspects of DC life far behind for the day or the weekend. Since we have spent a fair amount of time together poolside, talking about getaways while our children splash in the sun, I collaborated with local resource expert Jessica McFadden, from A Parent in Silver Spring , ... Read more >

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Come Fly With Me: College Park Aviation Museum

by Leticia

This past weekend we were invited to a birthday party at the College Park Aviation Museum and while we haven't been there in awhile, we were reminded of what a wonderful treasure this museum is for the toddler and preschool set. The College Park Aviation Museum is located across from Route 1 from the University of Maryland College Park campus. The building is on the grounds of the world's oldest ... Read more >

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Five for Tuesday: Rainy Days Out West

by Beth Hoffman

Trapped in the rain in the western suburbs with a car full of kids? Never fear, there's a drive-through Starbucks every four miles and plenty of indoor activities to amuse the kids and save your sanity. Check out: A movie at Regal Cinemas in Sterling, which runs kid-friendly movies every Wednesday at 10:00 AM, and lets you bring your own snacks. So, whether you prefer apple ... Read more >

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Homemade Lift-the-Flap Books

by Beth Hoffman

A couple of years ago, my brilliant friend Elaine sent my daughter a book that has been one of her prized possessions ever since. It is a homemade life-the-flap book where all the flaps open to reveal family pictures. My daughter still gets a huge kick out of opening those flaps and announcing that it is a picture of her underneath, or Daddy, or Mommy. They are simple, if a ... Read more >

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Butterfly Pavilion at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

by Beth Hoffman

If you are looking to add a touch of Spring to these cold Winter months, you need look no further than the Butterfly Pavilion at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (10th and Constitution, NW, Smithsonian Station in the Blue and Orange Lines). Start with a stroll through the Partners in Evolution Exhibition which explored the connections between butterflies and ... Read more >

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Product Review: Leapfrog Clickstart My First Computer

by Beth Hoffman

My three-and-a-half year old received a Leapfrog Clickstart My First Computer for Christmas. My husband and I decided to get her a "computer" because she is fascinated by our laptops and because she enjoys the games she can play on the stations set up in the children's section of our local library. So far, the gift has been a huge hit with her and with us. As with all things, there are pros ... Read more >

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Kid Art Auction for Earth Day 2009

by Beth Hoffman

Our fabulous Being Savvy Denver City Editor, Aimee, has recently announced the second annual Kid Art Auction for Earth Day. This effort was started last year when Aimee's six year old son suggested that they hold an art sale in their backyard. Things being what they are, the effort soon made the jump to cyberspace and raised nearly $800 for environmental causes. The concept is ... Read more >

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