THURSDAY
1
OCTOBER
Things to Do in DC with Kids
Washington fills several days without a ticket: the Mall and its monuments, the National Zoo, the Botanic Garden and a string of Park Service sites. What decides whether a day works with children is logistics — which free things secretly need a pass, how a stroller moves through Metro, and which museums close midweek.
Updated September 30, 2026 · refreshed weekly
- Free: The Mall and its monuments, the Zoo, the Botanic Garden, Kenilworth, Roosevelt Island
- Metro with kids: Two children age 4 and under ride free with each fare-paying adult
- Strollers: Unfolded on Metrobus; on rail an occupied stroller means the elevator, not the escalator
- Washington Monument: Free, but everyone age 2 and up needs a timed ticket ($1 fee)
- No Mall shuttle: Nothing loops the monuments — plan on Metro, walking or Capital Bikeshare
Start with what's free
The National Mall and most of its sites charge nothing, and the memorials are open 24 hours with rangers on duty 9:30am to 10pm. Two free things still need a timed ticket.
Washington Monument — WashingtonVisit official site →
The one Mall monument with a ride to the top, and the one that needs booking.
Tickets
Free, but everyone age two and up needs a timed ticket, and Recreation.gov adds a non-refundable $1 service charge.
Know before you go
- Reservations release 30 days ahead and sell out fast
- Same-day tickets from the Washington Monument Lodge window at 8:45am
Who it's for
School-age kids who want the view — and anyone who needs a reliable Mall bathroom
Lincoln Memorial — Washington
The steps and the main chamber stay free and ticket-free; only the museum and undercroft below need a reservation.
Dates
- The museum and undercroft have been ticketed since June 25, 2026
Tickets
Free, with a free timed ticket for the museum and undercroft
Who it's for
Any age — the memorial itself is open late and never needs booking
National Zoo — Washington
Free, open early, and at its best before the crowds arrive.
Tickets
Free, but entry passes are required for all guests including infants
Know before you go
- Grounds 8am–6pm with last entry at 5pm
Who it's for
Any age — go at 8 or 9am, when the animals are most active
U.S. Botanic Garden — Washington
A free conservatory with a Children's Garden of hands-on watering, and the indoor fallback when the weather turns.
Tickets
Free, with no tickets required at all
Know before you go
- Conservatory 10am–5pm daily
Who it's for
Toddlers, and any afternoon that turns wet
Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens — Washington
Lotus ponds on the Anacostia that bloom through the hot humid summer months.
Tickets
Free, and no entrance pass of any kind
Who it's for
Kids who will walk a pond boardwalk in July heat
Theodore Roosevelt Island
A wooded island in the Potomac, about a 10-to-15-minute walk from Rosslyn Metro across Key Bridge.
Tickets
Free
Know before you go
- Driving: the lot is reachable only from the northbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, so southbound drivers cross the river and double back
Who it's for
Walkers — it is a trail island, best reached on foot from Rosslyn
Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land — Washington
Formal gardens in Northeast DC, open daily.
Tickets
Free, donations appreciated
Know before you go
- Gardens open 9am–4:45pm
Who it's for
A quiet hour with children who will walk rather than climb
Georgetown Waterfront Park — Washington
Free Park Service land on the river, with a fountain, a labyrinth and stepped “river steps” seating.
Tickets
Free
Who it's for
A riverside break between Georgetown and the Kennedy Center
Skip if
You promised a playground — there isn't one
Getting around: Metro and strollers
Metro is cheap with small children and awkward with a stroller. Nothing loops the Mall, so plan on walking between the monuments.
- Two children age four and under ride free with each fare-paying adult, on rail and bus; from age five everyone pays and needs their own payment method
- Weekday peak rail is $2.25 to $6.75 by distance; after 9:30pm on weekdays and all weekend it is $2.25–$2.50, and regular bus is a flat $2.25
- A new SmarTrip card costs $2 in physical or digital form, or tap a contactless card, phone or watch straight at the faregate
- DC's Kids Ride Free program is a different thing: District residents aged 5 to 21 enrolled at a school in the District, with a card from a school administrator
- Open strollers have been welcome on Metrobus since 2023 — priority seating area, brakes locked
- On rail only folded strollers are allowed on escalators; an occupied stroller means the elevator
- Metro runs 320 elevators and publishes a live elevator and escalator outage page — check it before you leave, not at platform level
- The one free connector is The Wharf's own shuttle, a continuous loop linking The Wharf, the SW Duck Pond, L'Enfant Plaza Metro and the National Mall
Rainy days, and the closed-day trap
Two of the best indoor options for young children are closed on days you would not expect. The free fallback is the Botanic Garden conservatory.
- Smithsonian museums open daily 10am–5:30pm and close only on December 25
- The American Art Museum runs 11:30am–7pm, which makes it the useful late-afternoon option
- Sort food out first: most Smithsonians prohibit outside food entirely, and there is essentially no coat check
- Picnicking on the Mall needs no permit for a family — first-come tables and benches, alcohol prohibited — and Guest Services runs nine food kiosks on and around it
National Building Museum — Washington
A vast Great Hall that stops a child mid-sentence, plus a museum shop — both free to walk into.
Tickets
$18.95 for adults and $15.95 for youth and seniors; the Great Hall and the shop cost nothing.
Know before you go
- Open Thursday through Monday only — closed both Tuesday and Wednesday
Who it's for
Ten free minutes of ceiling-gazing on a wet morning
Skip if
It is Tuesday or Wednesday
National Children's Museum — Washington
Purpose-built indoor play, three blocks from Metro Center.
Tickets
$18.95 for adults and for children aged one and up; under-ones free.
Know before you go
- Open 9:30am–4:30pm
- Closed Tuesdays
Who it's for
Under-tens with a whole wet afternoon to fill
A day that actually works
One museum before noon, lunch outside, monuments in the afternoon. Crowds build from around noon and peak between 2 and 4pm, so the indoor hours are the early ones.
- Be at one museum's door at 10am and leave by noon rather than trying to add a second
- Eat a packed lunch on the Mall between 12 and 1 — you cannot eat it inside anyway
- Treat 2 to 4pm as outdoor time: the monuments, or the Botanic Garden if the weather turns
- Head home before the evening rush rather than after it
- Book ahead: Air and Space passes carry no re-entry, and Zoo passes are needed for everyone including the baby
Family events in Washington this week
Live from our catalog — 26 upcoming, refreshed weekly.
Family Story Time is a great way to further your child’s lifelong love of reading and learning!
FRIDAY
2
OCTOBER
Stamp your calendar for Story Time! Join us every week for a fresh story, a stroll through the Museum, hands-on postal play, and more. Together, we’ll explore mail and all the ways it connects us to people, places, and big ideas. Stop by anytime—whether you stay for one activity or the whole session, this program will…
SATURDAY
3
OCTOBER
Make learning Spanish an exciting 8-week adventure for your child! Brought to you by Go Spanish Now, our fully immersive program is designed to spark joy in learning, build confidence, and help children start speaking Spanish naturally. Through engaging games, music, and interactive activities led by experienced native…
Make learning Spanish an exciting 8-week adventure for your child! Brought to you by Go Spanish Now, our fully immersive program is designed to spark joy in learning, build confidence, and help children start speaking Spanish naturally. Through engaging games, music, and interactive activities led by experienced native…
MOO! OINK! CLUCK! Join us for creative, drop-in play at the Zoo as we learn about different animals that live on the farm. Little Critters: Nature Play is designed for ages 0-5 and their caregivers and families. Activities are designed with early learners in mind, but all ages are welcome. Parents and guardians must re…
Toddler & Me dance classes are for children 18 months up to the age of 3 years. Music, movement, balance and the basic dance steps are introduced in a fun, friendly and positive manner. This type of class includes mom or dad, another loved one or a caretaker participating in the class along with the little dancer. Our…
This sensory-friendly story time is designed to be enjoyed by kids of all abilities, especially kids on the autism spectrum! We will read a story, sing songs, and dance. Children and their grownups are encouraged to actively engage and participate in the ways that work best for them. This can include moving around the…
These 25-30 minute story times are designed to be enjoyed by all ages. Promoting early literacy skills through books, songs, rhymes, and movement, Family Story Time is a great way to further your child’s lifelong love of reading and learning. The whole family is encouraged to participate! If you would like to visit wit…
Share the fun of reading with your children ages 3-5 years! Children and their grownups will explore stories and activities to encourage children to develop a lifelong love of reading and learning. These 30-to-40-minute programs are designed to promote language and listening skills, expand children’s imaginations and a…
Families are invited to an interactive story time featuring a children’s book by a Native author, illustrator, or created in collaboration with an Indigenous community. They will have the opportunity to engage with objects from the museum's Teaching Collection such as photographs, textiles, or natural materials that ca…
Help cut the ribbon for Capitol View Library's new kids' braille book collection - the city's first circulating braille book collection East of the River! After a ribbon cutting ceremony, we will read a story, play accessible games, and make a community art project celebrating the power of braille! For questions or rea…
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MONDAY
5
OCTOBER
This 20-to-30-minute story time is full of books, songs, rhymes and fingerplays for children from birth to 3 years old. It’s a great way to introduce your child to language skills in a positive and fun environment.
Toddler Explorations is an open interactive engagement program for young children and caregivers that uses play and exploration to develop pre-literacy and social skills. Join us in the big meeting room in the basement! Otherwise, if weather and temperatures permit, join us outside in the garden!
We will both sign and vocalize our stories and songs. No prior knowledge of ASL is required. This fun story time is recommended for kids ages 2-5 with a caregiver. If you would like to request an accommodation for a disability, please contact the DC Public Library Center for Accessibility at least 72 hours prior to the…
Children and families are invited to learn, play and create at the Portrait Gallery! Join educators every Monday as we explore a variety of topics and artistic materials. Participants will get a closer look at art with hands-on activities, music and story times. Portrait Gallery Kids is a fun way to engage with art and…
For children in grades 2 - 6 interested in learning and playing chess. Players are grouped by ability, not age. Chess Club is offered through our partnership with the U.S. Chess Center and sponsored by the Friends of the Cleveland Park Library. If you would like to request an accommodation, please contact dcplaccess@dc…
This sensory-friendly story time is designed to be enjoyed by kids of all abilities, especially kids on the autism spectrum! We will read a story, sing songs, and dance. Children and their grownups are encouraged to actively engage and participate in the ways that work best for them. This can include moving around the…
TUESDAY
6
OCTOBER
The Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Library may be closed for renovations , but the story time fun won't stop! Join Shaw Library staff at the Goethe-Institut for a 30 minute story time designed to be enjoyed by all ages. Promoting early literacy skills through books, songs, rhymes, and movement, Family Story Time is a great way t…
Listen to a funny story about two tiny spiders who stowed away on a Space Shuttle. Find out more about the experience of space travel. Learn about the real experiments of sending spiders to space to see whether they can spin webs in microgravity. Takes place at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center each Tuesday and Thursday…
WEDNESDAY
7
OCTOBER
Celebrate Decades Day at Art School! Pick your favorite decade and dress the part, then dance alongside the salsa-goers in Aliza Nisenbaum’s painting Mis Cuatro Gracias (Brendan, Camilo, Carlos, Jorge) (2018). — ABOUT STORYTIME STUDIO Storytime Studio is a captivating blend of play, educator-led read-alouds, and art ex…
This 45-minute family workshop helps young children and caregivers explore healthy digital habits through storytime, creativity, and movement. Families will: Learn about digital well-being, with help from their favorite Sesame Street friends Practice strategies to connect both on and off screens Create a colorful colla…
THURSDAY
8
OCTOBER
NMAAHC Kids at NASM PLEASE NOTE: This program takes place at the NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AIR AND SPACE ( 650 Jefferson Drive SW. Washington, DC 20560 ) and requires free timed-entry passes to enter the museum. NMAAHC Kids joins our friends at the National Air and Space Museum in DC for Flights of Fancy Story Time . Meet us…
Enjoy an afternoon of painting on canvas while sipping on a tasty drink! Drinks, paint and canvases provided. Limited supplies.
This program is for ages 8 - 12. Sewing is a great skill to learn! From the multiple hand-stitches, to mending holes, and reattaching those pesky buttons that may fall off. These are life skills that one can learn at an early enough age. Join Children's Librarian, Mark, as he teaches and gets the kid's started on their…
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FAQ
What can you do in DC with kids for free?
The National Mall and every monument on it, the National Zoo, the U.S. Botanic Garden and its Children's Garden, Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens, Theodore Roosevelt Island, the Franciscan Monastery gardens and Georgetown Waterfront Park. Every Smithsonian museum is free too.
Do kids ride the Metro free in DC?
Up to two children age four and under ride free with each fare-paying adult, on rail and bus. From age five everyone pays a regular fare and needs their own payment method. The District's Kids Ride Free program is for residents, not visitors.
Is there a bus that loops the National Mall?
No, and nothing replaced the one that used to. Families walk, take Metro, use Capital Bikeshare or pay for a tour bus. The one free connector left is The Wharf's shuttle, linking The Wharf, the SW Duck Pond, L'Enfant Plaza Metro and the Mall.
What's the best rainy-day option with young kids?
The Botanic Garden conservatory — free, warm and no tickets at all. If you'd rather pay, the National Children's Museum is purpose-built but closed Tuesdays, and the National Building Museum is closed Tuesday and Wednesday.