NOTE TO EDITOR: NO INTEREST IN ANYONE/ANYTHING MENTIONED. PHOTOS USED WITH PERMISSION.
Photo: Bruce Douglas
It's Fall...time to start thinking about apple cider and indoor activities. Luckily, the DC area has plenty to offer families when going to the playground every day is no longer an option.
Find Knuffle Bunny: Adventure Theatre MTC is bringing the classic Mo Willem's book to the stage as a fun, musical comedy. Anyone who has ever had a special, stuffed friend will be able to relate to the adventures of Trixie and her Dad as they search the area between their home in New York City and a laundromat searching for Knuffle Bunny.
Photo: Feld Entertainment
Disney Comes to DC: Disney on Ice has a brand-new production, Follow Your Heart playing at the Royal Farms Arena in Fairfax, VA. Old favorites Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, Toy Story, and Frozen are joined by the updated stories of Finding Dory and Riley and her Emotions -Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust from Inside Out.
Visit a Fall Festival: In our area, trips to a farm in October aren't just for picking pumpkins. Many farms in our area go all-out with hay rides, corn mazes, haunted houses, kid-zone play areas, games, scarecrow making, and more. Check out this list for the details on which farms offer what and when. And, yes, there is also plenty of pumpkin picking! Are festivals not your thing? Check out a Nature Center to get a take a hike and enjoy the foliage.
See a New Museum: It's a big year in DC. The National Museum of African American History and Culture (https://nmaahc.si.edu/) recently opened to great acclaim and the East Wing of the National Gallery Art just re-opened after a renovation (http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/press/2016/east-activities.html). Don't miss the giant blue rooster on the new rooftop terrace and be sure to make time for a ride on the sparkling walkway between the East and West wings. Both are offering many special events throughout the year, including some that are child-friendly, to celebrate their grand openings.
Go on a Journey with Edward Tulane: http://qrius.si.edu/ This beloved story of the Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by well-known children's author Kate DiCamillo goes live at Imagination Stage this fall. Follow the incredible journey of Abilene as she searches for her adored missing rabbit Edward Tulane. Lean more about the story here. (http://www.edwardtulane.com/Overview/tabid/52/Default.aspx)
Get Spooky: There is no shortage of Halloween events happening through the end of October, many of them are free. The DC Public Library is offering events from costume swaps to pumpkin carving to Dracula face painting lessons. The annual Air & Scare the Air & Space Museum Annex in Dulles is another popular activity - although the museum is worth a visit any time!
Find a Museum Playroom: DC is full of hidden playrooms with in museums, designed for the littlest visitors. Some favorites are the Building Zone at the National Building Museum, Wegmans Wonderplace at the American History Museum, and Q?ruis and Q?ruis Jr. at the Natural History Museum.
No matter what you do this fall, get out and enjoy the cooler weather and fun activities that are only around for a limited time.