Yes, plenty is free with little kids in Washington, DC this week: we found 36 free outings, including Hill-O-Ween on Capitol Hill, Costume Carnival at the Gateway Pavilion and Stamp & Scream Family Festival at the National Postal Museum, plus nine library programs. 11 free days and events are coming up, each with its date. And seven places never charge admission, like U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory and DC Public Library.
This week
Every free outing on this week’s DC list, rebuilt every Thursday. Library programs may need a quick sign-up.
Benning (Dorothy I. Height) Neighborhood Library · 3935 Benning Road Northeast, Washington, DC 20019
Trick-or-treating, pumpkin painting and a costume contest with prizes, inside the library. Free.
Georgetown Neighborhood Library · 3260 R Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20007
The branch’s yearly Halloween party for kids and caregivers on the patio. It moves inside if it rains. Free.
Southeast Neighborhood Library · 403 7th Street Southeast, Washington, DC 20003
A Halloween party for kids at the Capitol Hill branch. Free.
Parklands-Turner Neighborhood Library · 1547 Alabama Avenue Southeast, Washington, DC 20032
Fall fun and a Halloween party in Congress Heights. Free.
Capitol View Neighborhood Library · 5001 Central Avenue Southeast, Washington, DC 20019
The branch’s annual Monster Mash party. Free.
Petworth Neighborhood Library · 4200 Kansas Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC 20011
Decorate a pumpkin and make spooky bookmarks. Free.
Southwest Neighborhood Library · 900 Wesley Place Southwest, Washington, DC 20024
Stories and rhymes for babies from birth until they walk. Free.
Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Library · 900 Wayne Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910
A Halloween party and costume parade on the library’s fifth floor. Free.
Quince Orchard Library · 15831 Quince Orchard Road, Gaithersburg, MD 20878
A baby story time with optional costumes, followed by play time. Free.
Long Branch Library · 8800 Garland Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20901
A bilingual story time with a local firefighter and their truck. Free.
Germantown Library · 19840 Century Blvd., Germantown, MD 20874
An evening story time. Pajamas encouraged. Free.
Largo-Kettering Branch Library · 9601 Capital Lane, Largo, MD 20774
Stories, songs and fingerplays for toddlers and preschoolers. Costumes welcome. Free.
Central Library · 1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington, VA 22201
A Halloween lapsit for babies up to 12 months. Free.
Eastern Market · 225 7th St. SE, Washington, DC 20003
Capitol Hill’s Friday-before-Halloween party around Eastern Market, with trick-or-treating for kids in costume.
Gateway Pavilion at St. Elizabeths East · 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20032
Events DC’s free Halloween carnival in Congress Heights, with trick-or-treating and a costume contest.
Central Library · 1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington, VA 22201
Halloween stories for families with young kids. Free.
Westover Library · 1644 N. McKinley Road, Arlington, VA 22205
A Halloween story time for families. Free.
Greenbelt Branch Library · 11 Crescent Rd, Greenbelt, MD 20770
A fall-themed baby storytime with stories, songs and fingerplays. Free.
Oxon Hill Branch Library · 6200 Oxon Hill Rd, Oxon Hill, MD 20745
Stories, music and play for children 0–3 with and without special needs. Room for 12 community children, first come, first served, and no entry after a five-minute grace period.
National Postal Museum · 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Washington, DC 20002
Halloween at the Postal Museum by Union Station. DC Public Library leads story times at noon and 2pm, and the costume parade starts at 1pm. Leave the masks at home.
Glen Echo Park · 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, MD 20812
Crafts, a costume contest and trick-or-treating at the park’s art studios. The Puppet Co. has “Jennie the Cat” at 11:30 and 2:30, and Adventure Theatre has “Beatrice Likes the Dark” at 11 and 2. Park at 5801 Oxford Road.
National Museum of the American Indian · 4th St. and Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20560
A free day of Día de los Muertos music, dance and crafts on the Mall.
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - Central Library · 901 G Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20001
Trick-or-treat around the central library all day. Costumes encouraged. Free.
Chevy Chase Neighborhood Library · 5625 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC 20015
A sensory-friendly story time for kids of all abilities, especially kids on the autism spectrum. Free.
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - Central Library · 901 G Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20001
Songs, stories and play for ages 0 to 5. Free tickets are first come, first served from opening. Free.
Northeast Neighborhood Library · 330 7th Street Northeast, Washington, DC 20002
A family story time with an ASL interpreter. Free.
Woodridge Neighborhood Library · 1801 Hamlin Street Northeast, Washington, DC 20018
A fall festival in the park behind the library. Free.
Petworth Neighborhood Library · 4200 Kansas Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC 20011
Afternoon trick-or-treating at the library. Free.
Petworth Neighborhood Library · 4200 Kansas Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC 20011
Musical play time with drums. Free.
White Oak Library · 11701 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20904
Not-so-spooky stories, then a costume parade. Free.
Wheaton Library · 11701 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20902
A Halloween story time. Costumes encouraged. Free.
Germantown Library · 19840 Century Blvd., Germantown, MD 20874
Music, face painting and crafts about Día de los Muertos. Free.
Central Library · 1015 N. Quincy St., Arlington, VA 22201
A Halloween scavenger hunt around the library, all day. Free.
Aurora Hills Library · 735 S. 18th St., Arlington, VA 22202
A Halloween story time for families. Free.
Upper Marlboro Branch Library · 14730 Main St, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
A monster-themed play morning for ages 0 to 5, rain or shine. Free.
The Wharf · 760 Maine Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20024
Face painting, sugar skull decorating and a light procession along the waterfront.
The Wharf · 760 Maine Ave SW, Washington, DC 20024
A family afternoon at The Wharf with Fiesta DC, with live music and cultural performances for the Day of the Dead.
Nothing free on this day yet. Try an always-free place.
Mark the calendar
Museum and zoo free days, free festivals and other one-off free events, soonest first. Some free days are only for residents or cardholders, so each one says who gets in free.
National Postal Museum · Capitol Hill
Tysons Corner Center, Level 1 near Wasabi · 1961 Chain Bridge Road, Tysons, VA 22102
Mon–Fri 11am–7pm to start; see the schedule. Reserve a spot online to skip the line.
The Ellipse, President’s Park · 15th St. and Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20004
Evening. Winners are told Nov 12 and can get up to five tickets.
The Wharf · 760 Maine Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20024
Evening; fireworks around 8pm. More than 60 lit-up boats on the Washington Channel.
The Grove at The Wharf · 760 Maine Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20024
Evening; fireworks around 8pm. Free family photos with Santa during the Holiday Boat Parade & Party, plus ornament decorating at M Street Landing.
Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center · 10209 Main St., Fairfax, VA 22030
11am–noon. A midday countdown for families. Registration opens Dec 10.
Arlington Public Library – Central Library (Barbara M. Donnellan Auditorium) · Arlington, VA
11:15am–12:15pm. For kids of all ages with an adult: a New Year’s Eve storytime, crafts and a photo booth, then a countdown to noon in the auditorium (doors open 11:45am).
Arlington Public Library – Aurora Hills · Arlington, VA
11am–noon. For kids of all ages with an adult: a New Year’s Eve storytime, crafts and a dance party before the countdown to noon.
Montgomery County Public Libraries – White Oak · Silver Spring, MD
11am–noon. For babies through elementary age: a dance party, then a New Year’s craft.
Gaithersburg Library · Gaithersburg, MD
11:30am–12:30pm. New Year's crafts and games, then a countdown to noon. It's for preschool through 5th grade, and kids under 8 need a grown-up with them.
Any day
Parks, gardens, nature centers and museums that don’t charge admission.
Every week
Free story times and baby lap times at neighborhood branches.
Most weekdays and Saturdays
Free story times and play dates in Silver Spring, Bethesda, Germantown and more.
Weekday mornings
Free story times at Central and the neighborhood branches.
Weekday mornings
Every weekly storytime by day and branch: library storytimes in DC.
Keep planning
November: things to do in DCEvery dated listing for the month, by weekDecember: things to do in DCEvery dated listing for the month, by week
Indoor play in DCIndoor playgrounds, toddler times, museums and classes, with pricesLibrary storytimes in DCBaby, toddler and preschool storytimes by day and branch
Ice skating in DCHoliday and indoor rinks, skate aids and prices
Thanksgiving weekend in DCParades, turkey trots and what’s open on Thursday
Noon Year’s Eve in DCKid-friendly countdowns, home by nap
Christmas parades in DCParades and tree lightings with dates and start times
Christmas trains in DCPolar Express, Santa and lights trains with datesThe Nutcracker in DCBallet and touring shows, sensory-friendly flagged
Christmas markets in DCChristkindlmarkts and winter wonderlands with hours
Christmas break in DCWhat’s open on Dec 24, Dec 25 and Jan 1This week in DCDated outings for ages 0–6, checked every Thursday
Good questions
This week we found 36 free outings for ages 0–6, including Hill-O-Ween on Capitol Hill, Costume Carnival at the Gateway Pavilion, Stamp & Scream Family Festival at the National Postal Museum and Fall Frolic at Glen Echo Park. See free this week; the list is rebuilt every Thursday.
Hill-O-Ween: Fri Oct 30. Stamp & Scream Family Festival: Sat Oct 31. Dates come from each venue’s own page; see free days and free events.
Santa at Tysons Corner Center, National Christmas Tree Lighting, Holiday Boat Parade & Party at The Wharf, Santa at the Holiday Boat Parade and Noon Year’s Eve at the Fairfax Museum and 4 more are free this season. Dates and times are on each card under free days and free events.
U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory, DC Public Library, Montgomery County Public Libraries, Clemyjontri Park and Smithsonian’s National Zoo and 2 more don’t charge admission. Some charge for parking or special exhibits; the cards say so where the place does.
Yes: National Museum of Natural History, U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory and National Air and Space Museum. See all of them on indoor play places in DC.
Yes. DC Public Library, Montgomery County Public Libraries and Arlington Public Library run free storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Times change by branch, so check the calendar linked below.
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 30, 2026, and we recheck them every Thursday for dated events and once a month for free places. How we choose and check.
One short email every Thursday evening with the best things to do with little ones in DC that weekend, free ones flagged.
