Jennifer Marino Walters
Jennifer Marino Walters is the DC and travel editor for Mommy Poppins and the author of over 20 beloved children's books. A proud mom of three—plus twins!—she lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and busy brood. When she’s not writing or editing, you’ll find Jennifer cheering from the sidelines of a baseball game, supporting her daughter’s cheerleading squad, diving into a good book, or exploring new destinations. Connect with her on Instagram @jmwalters718.
Latest posts by Jennifer
If you're looking for a quick and easy day trip for your family that's only about a 30-minute drive from DC, consider visiting Fairfax, Virginia. This Northern Virginia suburb is home to so many kid-friendly restaurants, shops, parks and playgrounds, museums, and more fun things to do with kids. The city, which began as the Town of Providence in 1805, is also steeped with history—it was the site of several Civil War battles and home to many historic buildings.
Here are 25 fun things to do with kids in Fairfax, Virginia, including great places to eat, play, and walk around. For more fun day trips, check out our list of things to do in Clifton, Virginia with kids and our guide to visiting Kensington, Maryland with kids.
If it seems like colleges are becoming more competitive, you're not imagining it. These days good grades, great SAT scores, and solid extracurriculars don't always cut it—many colleges also want to see some hands-on, real-world experience. That's where summer internships come in. While many summer internship programs are geared towards college students, the DC area offers plenty of programs for high school students with a variety of interests.
Here are seven great summer internship opportunities near DC for teens. These internships in the fields of STEM, biomedical research, history, and more will really help your child stand out from the pack. The opportunities are listed in order of application deadline, so keep a close eye on them—the deadlines fall before most teens have started thinking about their summer plans. As these programs tend to be competitive, encourage your teen to get an early start on applications.
Whatever summer internship or job your teen ends up with, they'll still need to make time for fun. Check out our Summer Activities Guide for DC Kids and our list of 12 fun things to do with tweens and teens near DC for ideas that will impress even the most jaded teen.
When the weather turns colder, it gets harder to entertain the kids without spending money. Free outdoor events such as festivals and concerts in the park aren't happening. Splash pads and spraygrounds are closed. Playground equipment freezes up. Fortunately, there are still plenty of free activities near DC for kids and families to enjoy this winter.
Some of these free activities for kids are located indoors. Others require the family to bundle up and brave the cold. But all of these free events and activities will brighten up even the dreariest winter day.
Here are 15 free activities near DC to do with kids this winter. For more ideas for cold-weather fun, check out our Winter Activities Guide for DC Kids.
Venues across the DC area gradually opened back up in 2021 after being closed for much of the year prior due to the pandemic. And along with the reopening of many beloved museums, indoor play spaces, and other kid-friendly places, there were several new things that opened near DC for kids and families. They include the National Children's Museum, the newly renovated Franklin Park, and several other new exhibits, playgrounds, play spaces, and more.
Here are our picks for the 12 best things that opened near DC for kids and families in 2021. Be sure to check the websites for updated Covid policies!
There is nowhere in the DC area that has more Christmas in one place than Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor. From the annual ICE! event to visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus to over-the-top lights and decorations, you'll feel like you've stepped into a holiday movie.
My family has come to experience Christmas at Gaylord National nearly every year since moving to the DC area 11 years ago, and it only seems to get more magical each year. One year we even stayed overnight to ensure we'd get to do everything!
This year, only my 11-year-old daughter was able to attend with us. Read on to learn all about our 2025 visit to Christmas at Gaylord National, all the holiday activities the resort is offering, and my tips and tricks for getting the most out of your experience. Then check out our Christmas Activities and Holiday Guide for DC Kids for more holiday fun!
The truth is, it's never too soon to start thinking about preschool. Some of the schools below have January application deadlines; choosing a preschool is a difficult and important decision, so parents of toddlers in the DC area should start doing their research now.
There are many factors to consider when choosing a preschool. Do you want a play-based or a nature-based school? A full-day or a half-day program? Do you have your heart set on a language immersion program or a Montessori school? Be sure to schedule tours or attend Open Houses of any preschools you are interested in to get a feel for them and see if they're a good fit. And keep in mind that popular and highly rated preschools can fill up quickly.
With so many great preschools in the DC area, it can be hard to narrow down your search. To help you get started, here we've rounded up 15 popular preschools in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia.
When it comes to role models for our children, especially our girls and young athletes, we couldn't ask for anyone better than Olympic gymnasts Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles. Last week, Biles, Chiles, and other U.S. gymnasts wrapped up their 32-city Gold Over America Tour in Boston. They took time out of their busy tour schedule to speak with us about mental health (including Simone's new partnership with mental health app Cerebral), travel, playing sports as a child, and some of their favorite cities from the tour (here's looking at you, DC!).
Pages
