Jennifer Marino Walters

Latest posts by Jennifer Marino Walters

Hot Wheels Champion Experience Has Rolled Into the DC Area

Submitted by Jennifer Marino... on Fri, 01/19/2024 - 10:00am

Virtually racing Hot Wheels cars is one of many fun activities at the Hot Wheels Champion Experience. Photo by Jennifer Marino Walters

If you've got some little—or not-so-little—Hot Wheels fans in your life, check out Hot Wheels Champion Experience at Tysons Corner Center near DC. Open since December 2023, the 16,000-square-foot interactive environment includes 10 activities that combine physical play with video games, like designing your own Hot Wheels car and watching it come to life onscreen, building custom tracks in an augmented-reality room, and virtually driving a car.

I recently had the chance to visit Hot Wheels Champion Experience with my 12-year-old twin boys during a media preview. The boys enjoyed it, and said they would have loved it even more when they were younger.

Read on for all the details on visiting this experience, which is set to roll out of town on March 31, 2024. For even more ways to have fun indoors, check out our Guide to Indoor Fun for Kids in DC.

Free Stuff For Kids in the Mail: Free Books, Magazines, Toys, and More

Submitted by Jennifer Marino... on Thu, 01/18/2024 - 12:08pm

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program mails one free, high-quality book per month to children ages 0-5! Photo courtesy of the Dollywood Foundation

In today's digital age, kids are often missing out on the joy of running to the mailbox and finding something addressed to them—a letter from a pen pal, a card from Grandma, etc. But there are many companies and organizations that will send your child free stuff in the mail just by signing up online. Whether it's free books or magazines, free stickers or toys, or free beauty samples for teens, your child will relish the surprise of receiving an envelope or a package with their name on it.

Check out this list of 24 organizations and companies that will send your child free stuff in the mail. For more freebies near you, visit your city's Guide to Free Things To Do with Kids. And, our massive list of birthday freebies for kids includes everything from free food at restaurants to free perks at stores.

25 Free Things To Do Indoors in DC with Kids: Free Places To Play Indoors on Cold and Rainy Days

Submitted by Jennifer Marino... on Fri, 01/12/2024 - 9:50am

Planet Word offers lots of free interactive fun. Photo courtesy of Planet Word

Cold and rainy days make it harder for kids to burn their energy and stretch their little legs—especially without spending some serious money. Luckily, there are many free indoor things to do in DC with kids. From play areas at free museums to free nature centers to free mall playgrounds, these indoor places to play in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia are all great options for bad-weather days.

Here are 21 free indoor things to do in DC with kids who need to blow off steam and burn some energy. For more family fun that won't break the bank, check out our guide to Free Things To Do in DC with Kids. Plus, our Guide to Indoor Fun for DC Kids includes even more places to play indoors when the weather outside is frightful.

101 Free Things To Do in DC with Kids

Submitted by Jennifer Marino... on Sun, 01/07/2024 - 10:00am

Enjoy storytime each Wednesday at the Hirshhorn. Photo courtesy of the Hirshorn Museum

Here is our Big Free Bucket List: 101 Free Things To Do in DC with Kids!

Families in the DC area sure are lucky: From free museums and nature centers to amazing playgrounds and fun festivals, there are so many free things to do with kids in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. That means visitors from out of town can also have a fabulous family vacation full of historic and cultural experiences, nature, and play time without breaking the bank.

We present our big free bucket list: 101 free things to do in DC with kids. For even more ways to have fun without reaching into your wallet, check out our guide to Free Things To Do in DC with Kids.

Best Travel of 2023: Our Favorite Cities, Beaches, Hotels, and More for a Family Vacation

Submitted by Jennifer Marino... on Sat, 12/30/2023 - 11:40am

Head overseas to breathtaking Seoul, South Korea and make a stop at the Coex Aquarium. Photo by Diana Kim

Here at Mommy Poppins we've definitely got the travel bug, and we love to share our favorite family travel destinations with all of our readers. Luckily, we went to some pretty awesome places in 2023. We soaked up the sun on beaches from Florida to Belize; explored amazing US cities in the South, Midwest, and West; caught thrills at some great theme parks and water parks; and even went abroad to Seoul, South Korea and Oslo, Norway.

We shared some less-conventional types of travel, too. Outdoorsy families will love our lists of the best US glamping spots, family-friendly river rafting trips, and even some fabulous kid-friendly wineries in Napa, Sonoma, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Here are our favorite family vacation destinations of 2023, including some great hotel and resort suggestions. Check out our Family Travel Guide for even more great places to visit with your family—we've got big plans in store for 2024!

Disney Encanto x CAMP: A New Immersive Experience Near Washington, DC

Submitted by Jennifer Marino... on Sun, 12/10/2023 - 10:00am

Frolic in the flower petals in Isabela's room at Disney Encanto x CAMP. Photo by Jennifer Marino Walters

We don't talk about Bruno, but we will talk about Disney Encanto x CAMP, the magical immersive experience at the new CAMP store at Tysons Corner Center in Virginia. This paid experience invites visitors behind the Magic Door of the toy store and into the Madrigal family's Casita, where they'll enjoy live music, hands-on activities, and magic behind every door.

My 9-year-old daughter and I attended a preview of this dazzling experience. Read on to learn all about it, then find more indoor places to play in our Guide to Indoor Playgrounds, Play Spaces, and More Indoor Fun for Kids in DC.

Best Kids' Ride On Toys for Kids of All Ages for a Gift That Will WOW

Submitted by Jennifer Marino... on Tue, 11/07/2023 - 11:00am

The Licensed Land Rover Ride On Car Toy is one of the coolest ride on toys for kids.

Ride on toys are the perfect gift to give a child if you really want to "wow" them. After all, what's more fun than zooming around town—or the house—on two, three, or four wheels? Plus, many kids' ride on toys have the added benefit of building balance, coordination, muscle strength, and fine motor schools.

We've rounded up 21 of the best ride on toys for kids of all ages, from toddlers all the way through teens (and even adults). These kids' ride on toys run the gamut from ride on horse toys to scooters to tricked-out electric cars for kids. With these ride on toys, your kiddo will surely be cruising the neighborhood in style.

Find more awesome gifts for kids, from the best first birthday gifts to the best gifts for tweens and teens, in our Mommy Poppins Gift Guide.

A New Kalahari Resort and Indoor Water Park is Coming to Northern Virginia

Submitted by Jennifer Marino... on Sun, 10/29/2023 - 10:00am

The new Kalahari Resort will be home to Virginia's largest indoor water park.

Water park lovers, rejoice! A new Kalahari Resort with a massive indoor water park is coming to Northern Virginia in 2026. The resort is set to open in Woodford, Virginia in Spotsylvania County, about an hour's drive from Washington, DC. It joins Kalahari's four other locations in the Poconos; Wisconsin Dells; Round Rock, Texas; and Sandusky, Ohio.

Find out everything we know about the new Kalahari Resort and water park below. Then check out our Guide to Family-Friendly Resorts & Hotels and our Washington, DC Theme Parks & Water Parks Guide to find more great places to stay and make a splash with kids.

Latest posts by Jennifer Marino Walters

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