10 Things to Do with Kids in Washington DC

If your plan is to travel with children, the little ones will be delighted with all the attractions and activities to see and do in Washington DC, but definitely, many of them will also be enjoyed by adults.

When planning a trip to Washington DC with children, the most important thing is that you take into account the places of interest that they would like to visit. DC offers you the possibility to take the little ones to places you would not have imagined in this solemn city.

It is a truly enriching experience for young and old alike. It is characterized by being interactive and presenting the public with a broad view of what the White House structure is and the real importance it has for all U.S. citizens.

Being the abode of almost every president who has led the country, the White House has a lot to show, and that is precisely what the White House Visitor Center is all about. Inside the place you will be really fascinated with all that you will be able to know, and it is also a fun experience for children, at the same time they learn a little more about the history of the country.

The Visitors' Center is always changing its cultural agenda, as well as offering activities for the public's entertainment. The little ones will have the opportunity to listen to some of the letters that American children have written to the different presidents who have passed through the White House.

Practical Information

• Location: 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington.
• Price: Free.
• Hours: 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Closed to the public on holidays.

In the very center of Washington DC you will find the Museum of Natural Sciences, which is part of the Smithsonian museums and seeks to recreate and explain to visitors various areas of the planet's knowledge.

If you decide to book a guided tour of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington DC you will have the opportunity to see about 140 million natural specimens and cultural elements of the world.

Organization of the exhibits

• African Elephant of the Savannah: Located on the second floor. Both you and the children will be able to understand what the life of these mammals is like, their relationship with humans and what their status is among the species at risk.
• African Voices: Area located on the second floor. You will find information about the lifestyle, customs and culture of the African people.
• Bones Room: Located on the second floor. Here you can learn the difference or similarity between all vertebrate animals. It is a fun experience for the little ones.
• Hall of human origins: Perhaps one of the most interesting you will see during your visit. Children always find it very interesting and fun to know that we are a race with a few million years of history, so they will love to know some stories about human survival. It is located on the second floor.

Practical information

• Location: 10th St. & Constitution Ave. NW, Washington.
• Price: Free.
• Hours: Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Jefferson Memorial is a magical place that is meant for reflection.

It is a place that invites you to take a closer look at all the feats Thomas Jefferson did during his lifetime and most of all what he served the country. It is also one of the top 10 monuments in the city.

But if it's a monument for reflection, why take the kids? The most interesting thing about this place is that it has activities for the whole family. One of the most interesting activities you can do in Washington, especially in the summer, is to take the little ones for a leisurely but entertaining boat ride around the monument. Hiring a lunch cruise, for example, can be a super special experience for them; they will get to know all the must-see places of the city as well as its history in the most fun way.

Even in the Tidal Basin you can rent kayaks to make the experience even more entertaining for them. If you are one of those who prefer entertaining but not too risky activities, this one is perfect because the route is safe enough to practice this activity with the kids.

Without a doubt, one of the experiences that you are sure to keep in your memory for a lifetime is to buy tickets to see an NBA basketball game in Washington. You will experience firsthand the intensity and enthusiasm that is experienced in the stadium, you will see the basketball stars of the best league in the world play in first person and you will enjoy the atmosphere with your family. A great plan!

Another option can also be to book tickets for a Washington Nationals baseball game, another of the most famous national sports among Americans. It will probably be the first time your kids step foot in a baseball stadium and they will love to soak up the game, and do such typical things as watching the game while eating some hot dogs or popcorn.

Sightseeing with children can sometimes be a bit tricky: they get tired of walking, they have very busy meal times, they may find long walks tiresome so the easiest thing to do may be to book a sightseeing streetcar tour. It lasts about 90 minutes, has free stops and a professional guide. They will surely enjoy riding on one of these transports!

And, another very similar option is to book a tour bus tour that lasts about 6 hours, has a tour guide and if you book between April 1 and October 15, it also includes a cruise on the Potomac River. Are you up for it?

The Air and Space Museum is the largest exhibit of aeronautical and space artifacts in the world, as well as being on the list of best museums in Washington DC

Its main location houses so many important relics from the world of aviation that it was necessary to open a second location in Virginia. In DC its location is on the iconic National Mall.

Among the most impressive attractions you will see in this museum is the plane that Amelia Earhart used to break two of her most incredible records in the air. Also on display is the first airplane that was used to begin the era of aeronautics and the third orbiter that flew in space. In addition, the museum offers very entertaining activities for children, such as the 360º Virtual Reality flight.

Practical information

• Location: 655 Jefferson Drive, SW, Washington, DC.
• Price: Free.
• Hours: Monday to Thursday from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm.

The Planet Word Museum opens its doors to offer a magical experience for the whole family. It is the first interactive and voice-activated museum. It is a place where you can see language from a different point of view and learn incredible facts about different languages. The main goal of this museum is to highlight how language defines an entire civilization.

Planeta Palabra offers really interesting and fun activities for adults and children, where the protagonist is always the same, language. There are three floors full of interesting sections and areas to explore, where children can let their imagination fly by participating in each of the tasks to be done in the museum.

Organization of the museum areas

On the second floor, in one of the locations you can learn firsthand how words have changed your life in unimaginable ways. In another section you can learn the secrets behind advertising and also try your hand at writing your own commercial.

Going up to the second floor, you can find other interesting sections to continue discovering the role of words in human civilization. Some of the sections are:

• Lend me your ears: A place where you and the children can read a speech using a teleprompter.
• Worlds of words: A virtual painting space where children can let their imagination fly while painting the whole room with vibrant colors.
• Library: A magical place where all the books come to life and become interactive. If you are attentive you can get secret and hidden passages inside the library room.

Practical information

• Location: 925 13th Street NW, Washington DC.
• Price: Free.
• Hours: Wednesday to Sunday and from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The International Spy Museum is open to the public every day from 9:00 to 19:00. It is a fascinating place where children and adults will not only have unlimited fun carrying out their own espionage missions, but will also learn about the history of this fascinating world through time.

The whole area is subdivided into sections where you can see different facts and elements related to the world of international espionage. Some of the exhibits are permanent, and the best thing is that at all times during your visit, you will have an active participation thanks to the museum's interactive system. On a regular basis, the museum presents temporary exhibits that delve a little deeper into events relevant to how espionage has been immersed in popular history.

These types of exhibits allow you to see different things every time you go or take your kids. The calendar of events is always available through their website.

Practical information

• Location: 700 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC 20024
• Price: From 27 euros.
• Hours: Every day from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm.

Traveller Tip

Seating inside the museum is limited, so I recommend you buy your ticket online.

The Treasury House is the office in charge of manufacturing the U.S. currency bills. But besides that, this office is in charge of the production of multiple security documents of the nation, from Treasury securities to official invitations.

The visit to this place is more than interesting and is an experience that no child visiting Washington DC should miss. Inside the facility you will have the opportunity to watch with the children how banknotes are made as the public reception structure overlooks the production room.

Admission is free, and you can enter the museum starting at 9:00, but to get your ticket in time you must go to the ticket office to reserve it, as they are given on a first-come, first-served basis and the ticket office opens at 8:00. In case you want a private tour, you can contact the government office directly and request the group tour well in advance.

Practical information

• Location: 301 14th Street SW, Washington, DC.
• Price: Free.
• Hours: From 9:00 a.m.

This is an amazing place for the whole family to enjoy and the little ones are going to love this visit to the wax museum. This is one of the venues of the famous Madame Tussauds museum where you can see different well-known faces from the world of show business, politics and sports.

It is an enclosure of five floors high with a distribution that will allow you to walk through different specific areas. One of the areas that will attract your attention is the one dedicated to astronauts. Here you can take pictures with characters like Neil Armstrong, as well as learn a little more about the history of the space race and the latest updates.

An area that you can't miss and that children will love is the one dedicated to the presidents of the United States. From Lincoln to Donald Trump himself, including of course other representatives such as J.F Kennedy and Barack Obama.

Practical information

• Location: 1001 F St. NW. Downtown. Washington DC.
• Price: From 20 to 30 euros.
• Hours: Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00. Sundays from 10:00 to 17:00.

Traveller Tip

You can buy electronic tickets and forget about long lines when you get there.

It is part of the list of botanical gardens with more history in North America. Undoubtedly, the United States Botanical Garden is a must-see if you are with children in Washington. The most interesting thing about this garden is that, as it is a living exhibit, it is always changing and, therefore, it offers you a new experience with each visit. The space is divided into different areas where plants from all over the world are exhibited.

Practical information

• Location: 100 Maryland Ave SW
• Price: Free.
• Hours: Every day from 10:00 to 17:00.

The star of the Washington tour with children, of course, is the Children's Museum.

It is a space for exploration where the little ones can ignite their imagination and feel free to ask questions, play and experiment with everything they see. It is located on Pennsylvania Avenue.

The museum is a space that mixes arts, science and technology. The experience is completely interactive and although it is designed for family fun, it is the little ones in the house who once they enter, will never want to leave.

The different activities put the children on alert and encourage them to continue investigating, learning and studying more and more every day. In addition, they are constantly presenting a variety of activities so that your visits will never be the same as the previous ones. Tickets are limited, so you have to make your reservation in advance so you can take the little ones.

Practical Information

• Location: 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. northwest. Washington, DC.
• Price: From 20 euros.
• Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with two sessions per day.