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Best Free and Fun Things To Do in DC with Kids April 2024

Celebrate the solar eclipse on the National Mall. Photo by Jim Preston for the National Air and Space Museum
Celebrate the solar eclipse on the National Mall. Photo by Jim Preston for the National Air and Space Museum
3/31/24 - By Jennifer Swope

April is one of the best months to be out and about in DC. Cherry blossoms, Earth Day, theater, and festivals are just some of the highlights.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival continues this month with its annual parade, the Sakura Matsuri Festival, and Petalpalooza. If your family wants to continue to celebrate nature and care for the Earth, there are plenty of opportunities, including Earth Day at Sully Historic Site in Virginia and Earth Day Family Day at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Also, you won't want to miss our round-up of spring festivals.

We have so many more great events listed below for your family this April, but don't forget to check our family activity calendar every day as we're always adding more events.

More Things To Do in DC This April With Kids:

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Little LEGO lovers will have a blast at Brick Fest Live. Photo by Gina Raglands for Mommy Poppins
Little LEGO lovers will have a blast at Brick Fest Live. Photo by Gina Raglands for Mommy Poppins

Best Things to Do in DC in April with Kids

Easter Monday at the National Zoo

Washington, DC - Monday, April 1, 2024
Free
Families are invited to the annual Easter Monday celebration at the National Zoo. Enjoy lots of fun family activities, including an Easter egg hunt with prizes, field games, special animal demonstrations, and live entertainment. READ MORE

Arts on the Horizon Presents: Off the Page (at Theatre on the Run)

Arlington, VA - Friday - Sunday, April 5-7, 2024
The magic of books can transport readers to new worlds. When an imaginative young child dives into a book, the stories come to life around them. Through dance, music, puppetry, and vibrant imagery, this world-premiere production uses an immersive design to unfold around the audience. READ MORE

STOMP at Capital One Hall

Tysons, VA - Friday - Sunday, April 5-7, 2024
STOMP is explosive, provocative, sophisticated, utterly unique, and appealing to audiences of all ages. The return of the percussive hit also brings the addition of two new full-scale routines, utilizing props like tractor-tire inner tubes and paint cans. See what all the noise is about. READ MORE

Play Unstoppable Festival at LEGO Discovery Center Washington, DC

Springfield, VA - Daily, April 5 - May 3, 2024
The LEGO Discovery Center is taken over by the Play Unstoppable Festival. Get creative and make your own Festival Animal, find all the colorful Play Unstoppable Minifigures hiding in MINIWORLD Washington, DC, show off your moves at an epic dance party, join the new LEGO Friends on an adventure in their exclusive 4D movie, enjoy a selfie station and giveaways, and so much more. READ MORE

Mutts Gone Nuts at GMU Center for the Arts Concert Hall

Fairfax, VA - Saturday, April 6, 2024
Be wowed by the the most talented dogs in the world doing barrel tricks, dancing, magic, and jump-rope routines. The lineup includes a Guinness World Record holder for the highest jump by a dog at 75.5 inches and a world-champion frisbee dog. The show also features the talented comedian Jonathan Burns. READ MORE

Mutts Gone Nuts at Hylton Performing Arts Center

Manassas, VA - Sunday, April 7, 2024
Be wowed by the the most talented dogs in the world doing barrel tricks, dancing, magic, and jump-rope routines. The lineup includes a Guinness World Record holder for the highest jump by a dog at 75.5 inches and a world-champion frisbee dog. The show also features the talented comedian Jonathan Burns. READ MORE

NSO Music for Young Audiences: String Thing at The Kennedy Center

Washington, DC - Saturday & Sunday, April 6 & 7, 2024
This daring double act of classical fun is back for more music and mayhem. National Symphony Orchestra musicians—bassist Paul DeNola and violinist Heather LeDoux Green—introduce young audiences to some of the greatest music ever written. READ MORE

Solar Eclipse Festival on the National Mall

Washington, DC - Monday, April 8, 2024
Free
Celebrate and observe the solar eclipse that will be visible all across North America on Monday, April 8! The National Air and Space Museum, in collaboration with other Smithsonian museums, NASA, NOAA, the National Science Foundation, and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory presents an outdoor festival with activities for all ages. READ MORE

Peter Pan at Broadway at the National

Washington, DC - Tuesdays - Sundays, April 9-21, 2024
For nearly 70 years, this high-flying musical has been captivating audiences with excitement, adventure features, and iconic songs. The adventure begins when Peter Pan and his mischievous fairy sidekick, Tinker Bell, visit the nursery of the Darling children late one night. With a sprinkle of pixie dust and a few happy thoughts, the children are taken on a magical journey they will never forget.  READ MORE

Mother Earth & Me at Discovery Theater

Washington, DC - Various dates, April 9-26, 2024
The magic of earth science takes center stage in this fun, interactive Discovery Theater original. Explore the origins of our planet, sing about the water cycle, and understand humans' vital role to protect the ecosystem. Science and folklore about the “big blue marble” called Earth kick off Earth Month, and audiences become Earth Superheroes and take home some great ideas to start right away. READ MORE

Lightwire Theatre: The Ugly Duckling at McLean Community Center

McLean, VA - Friday, April 12, 2024
Lightwire Theatre’s production takes Aesop’s classic fable about acceptance and makes it electric. The theater company's unique brand of electromagnetic storytelling uses only LED wire, larger-than-life puppets, and a dramatic score to convey deep meaning and theatrical excitement.  READ MORE

Swing Makes You Sing! at The Kennedy Center

Washington, DC - Saturday, April 13, 2024
On a mission to uplift, connect, and spread the joy of jazz, Swing Makes You Sing! is an award-winning jazz concert for kids of all ages by Svetlana & the New York Collective. The critically acclaimed ensemble explores key elements of jazz in an engaging, historically grounded way, featuring virtuoso musical performances, exciting storytelling, and energizing movement.  READ MORE

Alice in Wonderland (The Puppet Co. at Glen Echo Park)

Glen Echo, MD - Thursdays - Sundays, April 13 - May 12, 2024
Follow Alice down the rabbit hole into Wonderland where she meets silly characters and the Queen of Hearts on her quest to return home. This one-of-a-kind performance blends music and humor to create a new version of a familiar story.  READ MORE

Day of Play at RFK

Washington, DC - Monday, April 16, 2024
Free
This free, field-based event gathers adults and kids in DC for a day of fun, family-friendly competition featuring music, food trucks, and activities for all ages. READ MORE

Earth Day Family Day at SAAM

Washington, DC - Saturday, April 20, 2024
Free
SAAM and the National Portrait Gallery celebrate Earth Day with musical performances from Bash the Trash and other acts that teach guests how art and science can help protect the Earth. Attendees can also enjoy nature-themed crafts and coloring pages. READ MORE

The World and Me Family Program: Exploring Earth's Biodiversity

Washington, DC - Saturday, April 20, 2024
Free
Celebrate biodiversity, movement, and the planet with local dancers from Company | E, musicians from Sound Impact, science students from local colleges, and educators from the National Museum of Natural History. Watch a performance titled Letters to Earth and explore different hands-on activities with museum specimens, microscopes, and more to learn about DNA and some of the tiny and large organisms we share the Earth with. READ MORE

Earth Day Fairfax at Sully Historic Site

Chantilly, VA - Saturday, April 20, 2024
Head to this Earth Day festival to enjoy nature exhibits, outdoor learning activities, an obstacle course, live entertainment, farm animals, a touch-a-truck, a tree-care clinic, giveaways, food trucks, and tours of Sully Historic House.  READ MORE

Holi at Mosaic

Fairfax, VA - Saturday, April 20, 2024
Free
Holi celebrates color, spring, and love, bringing friends and family together. The Mosaic District, in partnership with RASA, hosts the community for an afternoon of colored powder, music, and food. The throwing of color begins at 5:50pm. READ MORE

Arts on the Horizon Presents: Off the Page (at The Lyceum)

Alexandria, VA - Saturday & Sunday, April 20 & 21, 2024
The magic of books can transport readers to new worlds. When an imaginative young child dives into a book, the stories come to life around them. Through dance, music, puppetry, and vibrant imagery, this world-premiere production uses an immersive design to unfold around the audience. READ MORE

Animal Family Day at George Washington's Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon, VA - Saturday & Sunday, April 20 & 21, 2024
Mount Vernon's Animal Family Day is an opportunity to see sheep, oxen, and horses; enjoy family activities; and hear the stories of enslaved people who cared for the animals in the 18th century.  READ MORE

Rockville Science Day

Rockville, MD - Sunday, April 21, 2024
Free
Engage in a day filled with science at the 33rd annual Rockville Science Day. Exhibits and activities cover a wide range of science topics including robotics, astronomy, medicine, chemistry, and much more. READ MORE

BRUSH Theatre: POLI POP at McLean Community Center

McLean, VA - Sunday, April 21, 2024
Poli and Pola are siblings who don't want to go to sleep. The siblings start off playing with toys in their bedroom, but then their imagination takes them on a surreal dreamlike journey full of surprise and joy.  READ MORE

The Okee Dokee Brothers at GMU Center for the Arts Concert Hall

Fairfax, VA - Sunday, April 21, 2024
Kids can delight in bluegrass music with playful lyrics about the great outdoors. The GRAMMY Award-winning duo The Okee Dokee Brothers use music to encourage children to explore their imaginations and their surroundings. READ MORE

Sing Down the Moon: Appalachian Wonder Tales (at Adventure Theatre)

Glen Echo, MD - Wednesdays - Sundays, April 26 - May 26, 2024
Journey into the Appalachian Mountains in this award-winning musical that deftly weaves four traditional tales and original music into a keepsake quilt of mountain lore and wisdom for the whole family. READ MORE

Encore Stage's Flip the Script: Foodways of Arlington, a Cultural Celebration (at Thomas Jefferson Community Theatre)

Arlington, VA - Friday - Sunday, April 26-28, 2024
Encore’s Flip the Script program works with local student writers to develop original theatre pieces focused on Arlington, Virginia’s African American voices and encourage community conversations. READ MORE

Festival of Colors - HOLI DC at Bull Run Regional Park

Centreville, VA - Saturday, April 27, 2024
Celebrate the festival of Holi at Bull Run Park with music, dance performances, international cuisine, shopping, kids' activities, and more. Color is available to throw on everyone. READ MORE

Brick Fest Live at PG Sports Complex

Landover, MD - Saturday & Sunday, April 27 & 28, 2024
With life-sized models, hands-on activities, and even a pool of colorful bricks, Brick Lovers of all ages will be inspired and entertained by the infinite possibilities of bricks. There are zones for Minecraft, bricks that glow, a graffiti wall, and a derby race. READ MORE
Get a feel-good hit at Dopamine Land: A Multisensory Experience. Photo by Jennifer Swope for Mommy Poppins
Get a feel-good hit at Dopamine Land: A Multisensory Experience. Photo by Jennifer Swope for Mommy Poppins

Last-Chance Experiences in DC this April

Dinos Alive: Immersive Experience

Washington, DC - Monday & Tuesday, April 1 & 2, 2024
Dinos Alive is an immersive exhibition featuring over 80 life-sized animated dinosaurs. The experience offers a peek at the world as it was millions of years ago. Guests explore the dense jungles of the Jurassic era and see the dinos in their natural habitat with the help of the latest VR technology and a fully decorated venue. READ MORE

Cinderella: A Salsa Fairy Tale

Bethesda, MD - Saturday & Sunday, April 6 & 7, 2024
What will happen to Cinderella at the ball … game? That's the surprising question in this contemporary Latin-American Cinderella musical that weaves subtle lessons on empathy, sportsmanship, and respect into an exciting, high-stakes story. This Imagination Stage original breaks new ground in bilingual children’s theatre. READ MORE

Titanic: The Exhibition

National Harbor, MD - Wednesdays - Sundays, through Sunday, April 21, 2024
Travel back to 1912 through photographs, handwritten letters, wayward keepsakes, and other personal belongings telling countless stories about the fates and heroic deeds onboard the Titanic. READ MORE

Dopamine Land: A Multisensory Experience

Washington, DC - Fridays - Sundays, through Sunday, April 28, 2024
Dopamine Land is a multisensory experience combining media, technology, and play in one place. Visitors travel through an interactive museum boasting multiple rooms and activities that provide something new and exciting at every corner. READ MORE

Disney Encanto x CAMP

Tysons, VA - Daily, through Sunday, April 28, 2024
Families can experience an immersive journey into Disney's Encanto at the new Washington, DC CAMP store. Guests can visit a real-life Casita complete with secret passages, interactive magic, live music, and surprises behind every magic door.  READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

George Mason University Center for the Arts Concert Hall
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Discovery Theater – Ripley Center
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Montgomery College, Rockville Campus
George Mason University Center for the Arts Concert Hall
Prince George Sports & Learning Complex
The Exhibit in National Harbor