SUNDAY
25
OCTOBER
The Ember ListDC area
Things to do with kids in the DC area this week
647 things to do with kids in the DC area this week, October 24–30, 86 of them this weekend: story times, classes, family festivals, puppet shows and more. We reviewed 6,000+ Washington-area events to find them. Updated daily.
All kids & family events in the DC area — October 24–30
Halloween Storytime with stories, songs, fingerplays, costumes, then library trick‑or‑treat, Pohick Regional Library, ages 5 and under, tickets at 10 am.
Costumed trick-or-treating, pumpkin decorating, and fall science investigations fill indoor stations at Brookside Gardens' BOOtanica, with each registered child accompanied by a caregiver, for all ages.
Del Ray Halloween Parade (Mount Vernon Ave at E. Bellefonte Ave) — Parade of kids, strollers, pets in costume ends with live music and awards. Free, all ages.
Halloween-themed stop‑in features read‑aloud stories, songs, rhymes and fingerplays introducing listening skills and picture books at the Central Library Children’s Area, all ages.
Ghost Town at Burke Lake Park offers themed activity areas, a train ride, carousel, crafts and mini‑golf for all ages; tickets $20 online, $25 day‑of.
A Halloween scavenger hunt at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens begins with a book trail featuring Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden.
Jennie the cat explores Halloween with puppets, skateboarding, shadow puppetry, pumpkin carving, original music and audience interaction at the Puppet Co. Playhouse, $17.93, for ages 4+.
Red‑carpet dance at Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center features a DJ, face painting, and light refreshments; Halloween costumes encouraged, registration required, all ages.
Red‑carpet Halloween Family Dance at Silver Spring Recreation and Aquatic Center features a DJ, face painting, light refreshments, and costume encouragement; registration required, all ages.
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Live animals up‑close at Halloween, learn about and interact with the park’s “scary” creatures.
Riverworks Halloween Concert (John Poole House, Poolesville) — Special family‑friendly performance filled with Halloween spirit.
Themed games, crafts, trivia, and a scavenger hunt accompany Pokémon card battles, trades, and displays at Rust Library — ages 5–10.
Hands‑On History at Agricultural History Farm Park offers wood carving, leather working, paper making, basket weaving and pumpkin carving using real tools and materials, ages 3–13.
Create a paper roll monster in a drop‑in craft at Tenley‑Friendship Neighborhood Library, ages 12 and under, while supplies last.
Explore the haunted 1800s mine shaft, searching for cursed artifacts amid whispers, glowing lights, and mysterious treasures in the running waters.
Pick up a simple origami bat craft at the library’s Information Desk to make later, for ages 5–10 and 13–18.
Movies on the Potomac: Harbor Halloween Edition featuring Hocus Pocus — outdoor screening at 150 National Plaza National Harbor, Maryland.
Haunted walking tour through Georgetown’s streets, Victorian row houses and gardens ends with a light show at the Exorcist Steps and a stop at the Old Stone House.
MONDAY
26
OCTOBER
Pumpkin bean bag toss, spooky crafts, and costume fun for toddlers and preschoolers in the Chevy Chase Library meeting room, ages 5 and under.
Halloween Tales Together at Central (Central Library — Quincy Room) — Read‑aloud stories, songs, rhymes, fingerplays, flannel boards and a craft, free tickets, for ages 1 and 3–5.
A Halloween scavenger hunt at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens begins with a book trail featuring Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden.
Creepy crafts and ghoulish games fill the Sterling Library for a Halloween Spooktacular, ages 10 and under; visit the Loudoun County Public Library Online Programs YouTube channel.
Make Halloween crafts with supplied materials during a maker hour in the Richard Byrd Library meeting rooms, for ages 5–10.
A Halloween image scavenger hunt runs through Gum Spring Library, where participants record black letters from finds and spell a word for a prize, ages 10 and under.
Halloween-themed scavenger hunt at the Herndon Fortnightly Library information desk, for ages 3–10.
On-the-Go Scavenger Hunt: Halloween (Lovettsville Library) — Weekly Halloween-themed scavenger hunt kits available for outdoor adventure; YouTube channel offers additional programs. All ages.
Pumpkin Decorating Contest (Parklands‑Turner Neighborhood Library) — participants receive pumpkins to paint and craft into favorite book characters, displayed for community voting, ages 5+.
Haunted walking tour through Georgetown’s streets, Victorian row houses and gardens ends with a light show at the Exorcist Steps and a stop at the Old Stone House.
TUESDAY
27
OCTOBER
Storytelling Spooktacular at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library offers gentle spooky tales early, followed by spine‑tingling stories later, all ages.
Halloween edition of Family Storytime features read-aloud stories, songs, rhymes, fingerplays and flannel boards at Central Library’s Barbara M. Donnellan Auditorium, for all ages.
Spooky stories, songs, fingerplays and a brief craft happen at Bladensburg, with optional costumes encouraged, for ages 5 and under.
A Halloween scavenger hunt at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens begins with a book trail featuring Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden.
Stories, music, and movement for toddlers, with Halloween costumes welcome; registration required, limited space, for ages 18‑35 months with caregiver.
Costume-friendly Halloween songs, games, bounces and bubbles for little pumpkins at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library, with a photo op; for ages 0–23 months.
Spooky-season storytime with Halloween costumes and a haunted craft at Lamond‑Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Neighborhood Library, ages 5 and under.
Pajama Storytime at Glencarlyn Library features read‑aloud stories, songs, rhymes, fingerplays and flannel boards, encouraging participants to wear pajamas, for all ages.
Pumpkin Decorating Contest (Parklands‑Turner Neighborhood Library) — participants receive pumpkins to paint and craft into favorite book characters, displayed for community voting, ages 5+.
Ghost hunt through Hirshhorn galleries solving the mystery of footprints in Annette Lemieux’s 1988 Nomad, followed by read‑aloud, felt play and art project, for ages 6 and under.
Haunted walking tour through Georgetown’s streets, Victorian row houses and gardens ends with a light show at the Exorcist Steps and a stop at the Old Stone House.
Free 30–60‑minute guided tour of the Hirshhorn’s collections and exhibitions invites close looking, critical thinking, and conversation in the museum lobby.
WEDNESDAY
28
OCTOBER
Halloween-themed storytime and costume parade at Olney Library, followed by a Stay and Play session with educational toys for ages 0‑5, for ages 10 and under.
Costumed ghost hunt in Annette Lemieux’s Nomad painting, with read‑aloud, art‑making, and gallery tour at Hirshhorn Museum’s Storytime Studio, for ages 6 and under.
Costume contests and baby races with healthy snacks at Rosedale Neighborhood Library — for ages 5 and under.
Not‑so‑spooky 40‑minute storytime and optional costume parade at Damascus Community Recreation Center, 25520 Oak Drive, for newborns to age 5.
Halloween Storytime at Courthouse Library features festive stories, silly songs, and a costume parade in the children’s area, all ages, free, no registration.
Mini Golf course and Climb UPton transformed into haunted Halloween attractions at Upton Hill Regional Park — all ages.
Half-mile costumed parade with floats, bands and fire trucks rolls down Maple Avenue, a rain‑or‑shine tradition since 1946, lasting about 90 minutes, free, all ages.
Spooktacular storytime with costumes, stories, songs, fingerplays and games at South Bowie, for ages 5 and under.
A Halloween scavenger hunt at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens begins with a book trail featuring Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden.
Trick‑or‑Treat stroll through Bethesda Row provides treats from 25+ shops, a glow stick, meet‑and‑greet with Buzz, Woody and Jessie, balloon‑twist art, tote for first 50.
Spooky-season storytime with Halloween costumes and a haunted craft at Lamond‑Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Neighborhood Library, ages 5 and under.
Bilingual Spanish storytime in pajamas features stories, songs, rhymes, fingerplays, and listening activities at the Central Library Quincy Room for ages 0–5.
Not-So-Spooky Toddler/Preschool Storytime (Quince Orchard Library) — 20‑30‑minute session of books, songs, movement activities, optional costumes, adults participate, ages 1–3.
Music and cotton‑ball ghost crafting in the Lower Level Conference Room at Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Falls Church, for ages 5–11.
Pumpkin Decorating Contest (Parklands‑Turner Neighborhood Library) — participants receive pumpkins to paint and craft into favorite book characters, displayed for community voting, ages 5+.
Haunted walking tour through Georgetown’s streets, Victorian row houses and gardens ends with a light show at the Exorcist Steps and a stop at the Old Stone House.
THURSDAY
29
OCTOBER
Pumpkin decoration craft with spooky music and snacks in the Large Meeting Room at Southwest Neighborhood Library, for ages 5–12.
Spooky stories, crafts, games, music and contests fill the Monster Mash Party at Parklands‑Turner Neighborhood Library, ages 19 and under.
Treats, snacks, games and crafts on the library’s patio, moving indoors if it rains, optional costumes encouraged, for ages 12 and under.
Halloween party on the library’s fifth floor features storytime, crafts, snacks, a movie, and a costume parade beginning at 4:30 PM, for ages 13 and under.
Halloween stories, songs, movement and surprises fill the PreSchool Story Time at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library, costumes optional, for ages 3–12.
Costume-clad trick-or-treaters visit service desks for candy and participate in spooky activities at Gum Spring Library, for ages 10 and under.
Halloween family storytime features read‑aloud stories, songs, rhymes, fingerplays and flannel boards at Glencarlyn Library, for all ages.
Trick-or-Treat at Ashburn Library offers candy, activities, and crafts for kids in Halloween costumes, ages 10 and under.
Stories, songs, and fingerplays with a costume parade at Largo‑Kettering for ages 5 and under.
A Halloween scavenger hunt at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens begins with a book trail featuring Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden.
Costumed Halloween skating with a parade, plus crafts and treats in party rooms at Wheaton Ice Arena, for ages 5 and under.
Monster Mash at Capitol View Neighborhood Library offers music, Evil Laugh Winners announcement, Art Vote, teen “Thriller” dance‑off and 4:30 pm story‑time, costumes encouraged, for ages 19 and under.
Miss Amy leads stories, songs, movement and Halloween‑themed activities at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library, space limited, tickets pick up at 3:30 p.m., for ages 3–12.
A Halloween image scavenger hunt runs through Gum Spring Library, where participants record black letters from finds and spell a word for a prize, ages 10 and under.
Trunk or Treat at Alexandria Police Headquarters features decorated police, fire and emergency vehicles offering treats and first responder meet‑ups; costumes encouraged, free, all ages.
Creepy crafts and ghoulish games fill the Halloween Spooktacular at Brambleton Library, with a YouTube channel subscription option for more programs, for ages 5–10.
Halloween fun in the library’s large meeting room includes mini pumpkin decorating on a first‑come, first‑served basis, with costumes encouraged, for ages 19 and under.
Spooky Halloween craft hour at Petworth Neighborhood Library features pumpkin decorating and bookmark making, for ages 19 and under.
Create a custom Halloween candy bag using sublimation prints and a heat press at Gum Spring Library, limit one bag per person, supplies limited, ages 5 and up.
Costumed scientists present curious creatures and spooky specimens in the Ocean Hall, including a NOAA chimaera photo, for an eerie educational experience.
Studio A hosts a Halloween costume craft session at Adele H. Stamp Student Union where participants bring ideas and use supplies to make masks, outfits, or costume elements.
A 45‑minute reading of W.W. Jacobs’ eerie classic “The Monkey’s Paw” followed by a DIY spooky terrarium you can take home at Laurel Leaf; tickets required.
Haunted walking tour through Georgetown’s streets, Victorian row houses and gardens ends with a light show at the Exorcist Steps and a stop at the Old Stone House.
Kings Park Library hosts a Halloween paper quilling class where participants shape paper, select wooden backgrounds, and optionally turn creations into magnets, ages 8+.
FRIDAY
30
OCTOBER
A Halloween parade moves from Richardson Park to Thomas Stone Elementary parking lot, followed by trunk‑or‑treat, arts and crafts, and light refreshments.
Halloween stories and a costume parade in the library meeting room, then the night's big event follows, for ages 5 and under.
Trunk or Treat (Beltway Plaza Rear Parking Lot) — Decorated trunks hand out candy, pumpkin carving runs alongside, partners Franklin Park and Mission BBQ, for all ages.
Music, dancing, a story, a short parade and trick‑or‑treating fill the Halloween Dance Party at Cascades Library, costumes encouraged for ages 10 and under.
Halloween Storytime at Westover Library’s Children’s Area features themed read‑alouds, songs, rhymes, fingerplays and flannel boards, with costumes encouraged, all ages.
Boo-Fest at Charles Houston Recreation Center features a costume parade, carnival games, moon bounce, arts and crafts, and spooky stories, all ages.
Halloween edition of Family Storytime features read-aloud stories, songs, rhymes, fingerplays and flannel boards at Central Library’s Barbara M. Donnellan Auditorium, for all ages.
Costume party at 121 Centerway features plaza performers, merchant trick‑or‑treating, and a short film at Greenbelt Cinema, free for all ages.
Mini Golf course and Climb UPton transformed into haunted Halloween attractions at Upton Hill Regional Park — all ages.
Costumed participants enjoy themed read‑aloud stories, songs, rhymes, fingerplays, flannel boards and a craft activity at Aurora Hills Senior Center for all ages.
Costumes, crafts, games, candy, and a spooky sensory challenge await at Lovettsville Library, for ages 10 and under.
Mystery Mansion in Downtown Silver Spring offers a family‑friendly haunted house with live music, firepits, s’mores, and timed indoor scares, for all ages.
Halloween Pop-up Fun at Thomas Jefferson Library offers a creepy bat craft, monster scavenger hunt, and costume treat, for ages 3–10 and 13–18.
A Halloween scavenger hunt at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens begins with a book trail featuring Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden.
Exciting games, a spooky haunted house, arts and crafts, snacks, and prize draws await at the Family October Fest, Patrick Henry Recreation Center, for all ages.
Sensory-friendly trick-or-treat at Segra Field Parking Lot offers accessible Halloween fun with an LCPL activity table and treats, hosted by Loudoun PRCS, all ages.
Jennie the cat explores Halloween with puppets, skateboarding, shadow puppetry, pumpkin carving, original music and audience interaction at the Puppet Co. Playhouse, $17.93, for ages 4+.
Whip up witch's brew, vampire bloodbath, or creepy‑crawly slime, customizing colors and adding eyeballs or insects, at Sherwood Regional Library’s Meeting Room, for ages 5–10.
Campfire at Meadowside Nature Center features marshmallow roasting, s’mores building, and spooky stories for ages 12+, for all ages.
Spooky Stories (Aurora Hills Center) — Share a family‑friendly spooky story and enjoy Halloween fun, open to all ages, no 55+ Pass required.
Spoooky-themed movie matinee series screens Ghostbusters, Monster House, Hotel Transylvania, Monster’s Ink, and Beetlejuice in the Main Meeting Room, with limited snacks, for ages 19 and under.
Costumed self‑guided stroll through Meadowside’s enchanted forest, solving riddles and puzzles while collecting treats on natural trails with roots, rocks, and uneven surfaces; flat closed‑toed shoes recommended.
Halloween tales and roasted marshmallows around a community campfire at Clearwater Nature Center, with marshmallows and roasting sticks provided; bring hot dogs, other food, non‑alcoholic drinks.
Haunted mini golf and a terrifying trail wind through Pohick Bay Regional Park, offering spooky family‑friendly attractions and festive surprises.
Spooky Dry Ice Science (Hidden Oaks Nature Center) — bubbling concoctions, screaming spoons, and Boo bubbles demonstrate states of matter, for ages 5 and up.
A 45‑minute reading of Bram Stoker’s eerie classic “Dracula’s Guest” followed by a hands‑on spooky terrarium design to take home at Laurel Leaf.
Spooky cover sets by RenRiot, Niiasii, The Frizz, Savage and more rock the Songbyrd Music House, raising funds for Girls Rock! DC; all ages.
Spooky stories and marshmallow roasting around a campfire at Locust Grove Nature Center, with costumes encouraged; registration covers one child and an adult.
Haunted walking tour through Georgetown’s streets, Victorian row houses and gardens ends with a light show at the Exorcist Steps and a stop at the Old Stone House.