These days we can shop for anything we want or need, any time of day, at the touch of a screen. Often, it feels like too much effort to bother going to a physical store, especially with kids in tow. But when you’re looking for a unique item or searching for a special gift, nothing beats a locally owned shop with friendly, passionate, knowledgeable staff who can help you find what you're looking for.

Fortunately, families in the DC area have a wealth of wonderful independent stores and boutiques to choose from, whether shopping for toys, books, or children’s clothing. Some of them even offer family entertainment like storytimes, game nights, and more.

Here are 21 of the coolest toy stores, bookstores, gift shops, and more for kids in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia where you can find awesome stuff and support local businesses. For more great shops for kids, check out our lists of the best baby stores in DC and Black-owned businesses near DC.

Planning a child's birthday party can be overwhelming—especially if you're hosting it at home. You've got to set up, plan the activities, shop for supplies, and clean up once the party is over.

But it doesn't have to be this hard. The Washington, DC area is full of birthday party entertainers who will come to your home and take care of it all—the setup, supplies, entertainment, and cleanup. That means all you'll have to do is take pictures and enjoy yourself.

Here are 12 birthday party entertainers near DC that will suit kids with a wide range of interests, from gamers to glam girls to budding scientists. Our Kids' Birthday Party Guide for DC has even more ways to plan the perfect party, from the top kids' birthday party places near DC to 100 popular kids' birthday party themes. Party on!

Parents have just a few short years before their little ones head to kindergarten. Luckily, DC-area parents can really make the most of that time thanks to all the fun things to do with preschoolers in the area. From fantastic free museums to incredible destination playgrounds, there are so many ways to have fun with little ones.

Here are 35 things to do with preschoolers in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia before they turn 5. Have a blast checking these items off your list, then extend the fun with our list of 100 things to do in DC with kids before they grow up.

If you haven't yet crossed everything off your family's summer bucket list, no sweat—there are still so many things to do in DC with kids before school starts (see the 2024-25 school calendars for DC and other local school districts here). Even better, many of these summer events and activities are free! We're talking free summer concerts, free outdoor movies, and more fun that won't cost a dime.

Read on for your family's ultimate end of summer bucket list in DC and its surrounding areas. Our Ultimate DC Kids Summer Vacation Guide has even more fun things to do. Your kiddos will have so many fun memories to share once school starts back up again!

If you don't want to deal with the hassle of air travel for your next family vacation, there's no need to: There are are loads of great family road trips from DC that will entertain the entire crew. Whether you're looking for a beach retreat, a big-city adventure, an active outdoor vacation, or just a change of scenery, there are so many great places to visit within a five-hour drive from the DC area.

Here are 15 fun family road trips from DC, including some fun-filled places in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and North Carolina. Check out our Guide to Family Day Trips and Weekend Getaways From DC for even more great places to visit. And, our Ultimate Road Trip Guide for Families will ensure the trip runs smoothly.

DC panda lovers have two giant reasons to celebrate! The Smithsonian National Zoo announced in May that it will welcome two new giant pandas from China by the end of 2024—Bao Li and Qing Bao. After saying goodbye to pandas Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, and Xiao Qi Ji in November 2023 during a series of events called Panda Palooza, this is welcome news for a city that has grown to cherish these animals.

Read on to learn all about the new giant pandas coming to DC. Then check out our guide to visiting DC's National Zoo with kids.