# Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Washington, DC: the parent guide

> DC with little kids is easier than it looks: the big museums are free, and the zoo is too.

- Last checked: 2026-10-28
- 10 places for ages 0–6, with admission and menu prices from each place’s own site
- Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/washington-dc/guide/
- This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/washington-dc/index.md
- Visiting guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/washington-dc/visiting/index.md
- City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/washington-dc/llms.txt

## Kid-friendly restaurants

### Union Market (NoMa, 1309 5th St. NE)

- A food hall with more than 50 vendors under one roof, so everyone can pick something different.
- Price level: $$
- Good for: Lunch with picky eaters.
- Skip if: you need a quiet meal; it’s loud on weekends.
- Website: https://unionmarketdc.com/

## Indoor play and rainy days

### U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory (Capitol Hill, 100 Maryland Ave. SW)

- A free glasshouse at the foot of the Capitol, with a jungle room toddlers like to walk through. No tickets.
- Price level: Free
- Tickets: kids Free; adults Free
- Hours: Conservatory daily 10am–5pm; closed Dec 25
- Good for: A warm, free hour on a cold day.
- Skip if: it’s Dec 25; it’s closed.
- Price source: https://www.usbg.gov/visit (checked 2026-10-28)
- Website: https://www.usbg.gov/visit

### DC Public Library (Citywide)

- Free story times, baby lap times and family events at neighborhood branches across the District.
- Price level: Free
- Good for: A free morning in any neighborhood.
- Skip if: you need it on a holiday.
- Website: https://dclibrary.libnet.info/events

### Montgomery County Public Libraries (Montgomery County, MD)

- Story times, play dates and family events from Silver Spring to Germantown.
- Price level: Free
- Good for: A free story time in the Maryland suburbs.
- Skip if: you need it on a holiday.
- Website: https://mcpl.libnet.info/events

## Parks and outdoor play

### Clemyjontri Park (McLean, 6317 Georgetown Pike)

- A free playground in Fairfax County built so kids of all abilities can play together, with a carousel in season.
- Price level: Free
- Tickets: kids Free; adults Free
- Good for: A free playground morning in Northern Virginia.
- Skip if: you’re counting on the carousel in winter; it’s seasonal.
- Price source: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/clemyjontri (checked 2026-10-28)
- Website: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/clemyjontri

### Glen Echo Park (Glen Echo, 7300 MacArthur Blvd.)

- An old amusement park turned arts park, home to the Puppet Co. and Adventure Theatre, both with shows for small kids.
- Price level: $
- Good for: A puppet show and a picnic.
- Skip if: you want a playground day; it’s mostly theaters and studios.
- Website: https://glenechopark.org/fallfrolic

## Museums, zoos and big outings

### National Children’s Museum (Federal Triangle, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW)

- A STEAM museum built for kids up to about 12, in the Ronald Reagan Building. Tickets are timed; buy online.
- Price level: $$
- Tickets: kids 1 and up $18.95 through Oct 31, $19.95 from Nov 1; adults $18.95 through Oct 31, $19.95 from Nov 1; under 1
- Good for: A rainy morning with kids 1 and up.
- Skip if: your baby is under 1 and you came only for them; there’s more for walkers.
- Price source: https://nationalchildrensmuseum.org/visit (checked 2026-10-28)
- Website: https://nationalchildrensmuseum.org/visit

### Smithsonian’s National Zoo (Woodley Park, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW)

- A free zoo in Rock Creek Park. Admission is free, but every guest needs an entry pass, babies included. Reserve online.
- Price level: Free
- Tickets: kids Free; adults Free. Free entry passes required for everyone
- Hours: Grounds 8am–4pm; last entry 3pm; animal buildings 9am–3:30pm
- Good for: A long morning with a stroller; the hill is steep, so start at the top.
- Skip if: you show up after 3pm; that’s last entry.
- Price source: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/visit (checked 2026-10-28)
- Website: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/visit

### National Museum of Natural History (National Mall, 10th St. and Constitution Ave. NW)

- Dinosaurs, the Hope Diamond and the ocean hall, all free with no passes needed.
- Price level: Free
- Tickets: kids Free; adults Free
- Hours: Daily 10am–5:30pm; closed Dec 25
- Good for: A free rainy day on the Mall.
- Skip if: you hate crowds on Saturdays; go at 10am or on a weekday.
- Price source: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/visit (checked 2026-10-28)
- Website: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/visit

### National Air and Space Museum (National Mall, 650 Jefferson Drive SW)

- Free, with timed-entry passes needed for every visitor. Reserve up to nine at a time.
- Price level: Free
- Tickets: kids Free; adults Free. Free timed-entry passes required
- Hours: Daily 10am–5:30pm; closed Dec 25
- Good for: Kids who love planes and rockets.
- Skip if: you didn’t reserve passes on a busy day.
- Price source: https://airandspace.si.edu/visit/museum-dc (checked 2026-10-28)
- Website: https://airandspace.si.edu/visit/museum-dc

## Free things to do

- U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory
- DC Public Library
- Montgomery County Public Libraries
- Clemyjontri Park
- Smithsonian’s National Zoo
- National Museum of Natural History
- National Air and Space Museum

## Best for under 3s

- **National Children’s Museum**: Free under 1, with toddler areas.
- **Smithsonian’s National Zoo**: Stroller friendly, though hilly.
- **U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory**: Short, easy loop.

## Things to do with a baby or a 1-year-old

### Baby and lap-sit storytimes

- **Baby Lap Time** (DC Public Library): Mondays at 11am · Woodridge Library. Songs, movement and early literacy play. https://dclibrary.libnet.info/event/17578107
- **Baby Lap Time** (DC Public Library): Thursdays at 1pm · Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library - Central Library. For pre-walking babies. Free tickets from when MLK Library opens that day, first come, first served. https://dclibrary.libnet.info/event/17701378
- **Baby Laptime** (DC Public Library): Thursdays at 1pm · Southwest Library. 20 to 30 minutes for babies from birth until they start walking. https://dclibrary.libnet.info/event/17136431
- **Baby Lap Time** (DC Public Library): Thursdays at 1:30pm · Takoma Park Library. Stories, songs and rhymes for pre-walking babies. https://dclibrary.libnet.info/event/17653049
- **Baby Lap Time** (DC Public Library): Mondays at 10am · Chevy Chase Library. 30 minutes for babies from birth until they start walking. https://dclibrary.libnet.info/event/17314947
- **Baby Storytime at McGee Library** (Montgomery County Public Libraries): Mondays at 11am · Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Library. Ages 0 to 18 months. Free tickets on the 5th floor at 10am the same day. https://mcpl.libnet.info/event/17501916
- **Baby Lapsit Storytime** (Montgomery County Public Libraries): Tuesdays at 10:30am · Germantown Library. Ages 0 to 18 months. https://mcpl.libnet.info/event/17158580
- **Baby Storytime** (Montgomery County Public Libraries): Mondays at 10:30am · Rockville Memorial Library. Registration required; limit 20 families. https://mcpl.libnet.info/event/17506493
- **Baby Lapsit Storytime at Central** (Arlington Public Library): Thursdays at 10:15am · Central Library. Babies 0 to 12 months. Songs, rhymes and games, no registration. https://arlingtonva.libcal.com/event/16751111
- **Baby Lapsit Storytime at Westover Library** (Arlington Public Library): Fridays at 11:30am · Westover Library. Babies 0 to 12 months. Songs, rhymes and games, no registration. https://arlingtonva.libcal.com/event/16610183

### Babies get in free

- **National Children’s Museum**: under 1. https://nationalchildrensmuseum.org/visit

## Library storytimes

- **DC Public Library**: Most weekdays and Saturdays. Free story times and baby lap times at neighborhood branches. https://dclibrary.libnet.info/events
- **Montgomery County Public Libraries**: Weekday mornings. Free story times and play dates in Silver Spring, Bethesda, Germantown and more. https://mcpl.libnet.info/events
- **Arlington Public Library**: Weekday mornings. Free story times at Central and the neighborhood branches. https://arlingtonva.libcal.com/


## Happening this week

- **Stamp & Scream Family Festival at the National Postal Museum** (Sat 11am–3pm) at National Postal Museum. Free; no registration. https://littlesweekly.com/washington-dc/#e-stamp_scream_family_festival_at_the_nati
- **Kidchella: Halloween Edition at Arena Stage** (Sat 10am–noon) at Arena Stage. Adults $10, kids 1–6 $5, under 1 free. https://littlesweekly.com/washington-dc/#e-kidchella_halloween_edition_at_arena_sta
- **Hill-O-Ween on Capitol Hill** (Fri 4–6pm) at Eastern Market. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/washington-dc/#e-hill_o_ween_on_capitol_hill
- **Spooky Family Fun Day at Washington National Cathedral** (Sat 10am–2pm) at Washington National Cathedral. Tickets required; see the event page. https://littlesweekly.com/washington-dc/#e-spooky_family_fun_day_at_washington_nati
- **Costume Carnival at the Gateway Pavilion** (Fri 5–7pm) at Gateway Pavilion at St. Elizabeths East. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/washington-dc/#e-costume_carnival_at_the_gateway_pavilion

Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/washington-dc/index.md

## Holiday pages

- [Santa in Washington, DC: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/washington-dc/santa/index.md)
- [Christmas lights in Washington, DC for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/washington-dc/christmas-lights/index.md)

## About this list
- Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city.
- How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com).
- Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list.
- How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote.

## FAQ

### Is DC good for toddlers?
Yes. The zoo, the Natural History museum and the Botanic Garden are free, and the National Children’s Museum is built for small kids.

### What’s free for little kids in DC?
Most of the Smithsonian, the National Zoo (with a free pass), the U.S. Botanic Garden and library story times.

### What can we do in Washington, DC on a rainy or cold day with a toddler?
Go indoors: U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory, DC Public Library and Montgomery County Public Libraries. They’re all under one roof, and most work for a short visit around nap time.

### What can we do with a baby, 1-year-old or 2-year-old in Washington, DC?
National Children’s Museum: Free under 1, with toddler areas. Smithsonian’s National Zoo: Stroller friendly, though hilly. U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory is also easy with a baby or toddler. See [best for under 3s](https://littlesweekly.com/washington-dc/guide/#under3).

### Where are the free storytimes in Washington, DC?
DC Public Library: Most weekdays and Saturdays. Montgomery County Public Libraries: Weekday mornings. Arlington Public Library: Weekday mornings. Library storytimes don’t need a ticket, but times change by branch, so check the calendar first. See [library storytimes](https://littlesweekly.com/washington-dc/guide/#storytimes), and this week’s dated sessions are on the [DC weekly list](https://littlesweekly.com/washington-dc/).

### How do you choose the places in the Washington, DC guide?
Every one of the 10 places is somewhere we’d take a baby, toddler or preschooler, with a note on who it suits and when to skip it. Prices, hours and menus come from each place’s own site, and 6 of them have checked admission or menu prices. The guide was last checked Oct 28, 2026. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/).

### How much is Smithsonian’s National Zoo for a toddler?
Kids: Free; adults: Free (free entry passes required for everyone). We checked this on [its official site](https://nationalzoo.si.edu/visit) on Oct 28, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.

### How much is the National Children’s Museum for a toddler, and who gets in free?
Under 1; kids 1 and up: $18.95 through Oct 31, $19.95 from Nov 1; adults: $18.95 through Oct 31, $19.95 from Nov 1. We checked this on [its official site](https://nationalchildrensmuseum.org/visit) on Oct 28, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.