Photo credit: Sam Kittner/Newseum

FRIDAY APRIL 27

On Friday, April 27, the Newseum will open the HP New Media Gallery, an interactive experience that uses the latest technology to allow visitors to physically step into a social network that shows media’s powerful impact on our world. Live Twitter feeds fill touch-screen monitors and connect visitors with trending news stories. The 2,500-square-foot gallery is the first permanent addition to the museum since its grand opening in 2008.

As visitors enter the gallery, they are directed to the “Check-In” area, where they can post photos of themselves to screens in the gallery and comment on events of the day. At two 11-foot-wide interactive touch walls, visitors are encouraged to explore dozens of important news events and viral videos, including the first Twitter reports of the 2008 China earthquake and the Facebook posts that fueled the Egyptian revolution in 2011.

In the “Choose the News” area, visitors can flip through the latest stories and build custom news pages, then publish them to a large video wall. The “Game Zone” features motion-tracking technology that allows visitors to use hand gestures to test their knowledge of social media.

SATURDAY APRIL 28

Fenton Street Market returns to Veterans Plaza in downtown Silver Spring on April 28, from 10:00am – 4:00pm! Every Saturday through October 27, over 60 local vendors a week will showcase their wares: original artwork, handmade and imported crafts, antiques, jewelry, furniture, vintage clothing, unique services such as acupuncture and henna tattoos, and much more. Community programming will include a screen printing demonstration by Pyramid Atlantic, an interactive model train exhibit by the Riverdale Model Train Club, and music by market favorites Snakehead Run and Israel Dempsey. Veterans Plaza is located in front of the Silver Spring Civic Building, at the intersection of Fenton St. and Ellsworth Dr., Silver Spring, MD 20910.

SATURDAY APRIL 28 & SUNDAY APRIL 29

USA Science and Engineering Festival
Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, D.C.
April 28: 10:00am-6:00pm
April 29: 10:00am-4:00pm
Admission FREE

This huge and awesome free festival which features over 3,000 hands-on science and engineering activities, and more than 100 stage shows on six stages! It’s a science loving family’s dream! Attendees can operate state-of-the-art robots; converse with astronauts, Nobel Laureates, storm chasers, science celebrities like Bill Nye the Science Guy or the MythBusters and even scientists of the past; fly a fighter jet simulator; enter a virtual reality environment, be a CSI agent and so much more. Students can also leave with information about science and engineering scholarships, internships, mentorship and future jobs.

Before you go, be sure to download the FREE USA Science and Engineering Festival App. It lists all activities, stage shows, 36 Featured Authors, and gives you a map and more. The app is available for both iPhone and Android.

Highlight for Young Kids 

Visit the PBS Kids Sid the Science Kid Booth for fun hands on activities for children all day, a photo opportunity with the Sid the Science Kid costume character, see Sid the Science Kid will perform his “Science is Everywhere” singalong on the Curie Stage on Saturday at 10:50am and 12:50pm and Sunday at 10:00am and 11:50pm, and be entered to win a Sid the Science Kid collection of merchandise drawing each day.

Also, leave a comment on this post to win one of TWO copies of the Sid’s Backyard Campout DVD! The winners will be randomly drawn in one week.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Washington, DC National Children’s Museum Launch Zone at National Harbor: A Preview of the Coming New Children’s Museum

Last week the kids and I were invited to the Launch Zone to learn about the new offerings and programs, and a good deal has changed since I reported on the free children’s learning site back when it opened. Although the upcoming National Children’s Museum (NCM) at National Harbor is scheduled to open in 2013, kids can get a taste of what the museum will offer NOW at this interactive, free play space.

Here is what the Launch Zone has to offer for your family:

Toddler Tuesdays – Free Drop-In Programs for Children Age 2-4 and Their Parents from 10:30am-2:30pm

Tuesdays at the Launch Zone are all about toddlers and preschoolers. Activities have a different theme each month and include games, art projects, stories and movement for kids and parents to experience together (it’s a drop-in program, not a drop-off). No reservations are necessary.

• Upcoming themes: September – The Sun and Stars, October – The Wizard of Oz, November – The Human Body.

You can find Toddler Tuesdays on the A Parent in Silver Spring calendar.

Special Weekend Programming and Themes

On Saturdays and Sunday, the Launch Zone goes big with the learning projects for families who stop by. With a different theme each week based on a seasonal or interesting educational topic, kids age 3-8 are the stars of the Zone. Here are the upcoming weekend special celebrations in learning:

• September 10 and 24, 11am-4pm at Launch Zone : Get Eggcited for Better Breakfast Month - Come learn how to make your own breakfast with the School Nutrition Association.
• September 18, 12pm-6pm at Lane Manor Park in Adelphi: 30th Annual Hispanic Festival – The NCM is an exhibitor and invites families to take part in cultural dances, sample cuisine from various countries, enjoy live entertainment, an interactive children’s and teen area, carnival rides and games. Free admission.
• October 8, 11am-4pm at Launch Zone: Dino-Mite Dinosaurs – Join a dinosaur dig, skeleton puzzles, claw printing and more.

You can find all of the Launch Zone’s weekend activities on the A Parent in Silver Spring calendar.

Developing Programming for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

Families with a child with ASD are invited to help make the upcoming NCM as accessible as possible. Be part of the prototyping by assessing the social story for the museum and help create a successful visit for children with ASD.

Drop-In Play and Learning ANYTIME

Looking for a fun way to spend a day with your child? Head to National Harbor and visit the Launch Zone. In addition to the free rotating open play and arts and crafts options available during the week for children, you can ride the ferry/water taxi, play on The Awakening, hit Family Fest the last two Saturdays remaining on September 3 and 10, climb on the Calleva Pirate Ship Course (there’s a weight minimum, best for bigger kids), visit the Peeps store, eat, shop and explore all the National Harbor has to offer.

Hours and Location

Now until September 6th: Open Sunday 11am-5pm, Monday-Thursday 10am-5pm, Friday & Saturday 10am-7pm

September 7 – October 31: Open Sunday 11am-5pm, Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm

Hours at other times of year

The NCM Launch Zone

112 Waterfront St.

National Harbor, MD 2074

Map and Directions

Disclosure: My children and I were invited to the Launch Zone to meet the staff, have lunch and play.

For years my two oldest children have awoken on Saturday mornings and immediately started begging my husband and I to take them to  “the outside zoo” or “the inside zoo.” The outside one is, of course, the Smithsonian National Zoo where my family and I are FONZ members.

“The inside zoo” is my kids’ nickname for their beloved Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. This is also their favorite place in the world to attend with their school class for a field trip!

They call it thus because of the truly amazing taxidermy in the Hall of Mammals. They also go crazy for or the O. Orkin Insect Zoo which has 15 incredible habitats for over 65 live species of arachnids, centipedes, crustaceans, insects and millipedes. They can spend over an hour with the many preserved species, interactive displays, video presentations, hold-the-creepy-crawler opportunities and tarantula feeding demonstrations, rivaled only by how long they can play scientist in the Children’s Discovery Room.

Charlie and Eve also love when we spring for tickets for a 3D IMAX show in the Johnson theater on site, or treat them to a trip through the Butterfly Pavilion.

I’ve had the honor of serving as a parent chaperone on one of Charlie’s class field trips to the Natural History Museum. How lucky are we that our DC-area kids have some of the best museums in the world for their class trips? But with budget cuts at many schools, field trips are becoming rarer experiences all the time.

That’s why I’m a fan of the Kleenex Save the Field Trip sweepstakes on Facebook.  As back to school season nears, Kleenex is helping support more field trips for students. Register your school, because the 100 schools with the most votes on Facebook will win $5,000 each to use towards field trips!

All you have to do to register your child’s school for the chance to win is “like” the Kleenex Facebook page and click the pink “support your school” button on the Facebook page, then follow the instructions. After you register, promote the voting to your fellow parents, the school faculty and staff.

What a great way to pay for more school buses, Metro tickets, IMAX and Butterfly Pavilion passes!

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
Open every day of the year except Christmas
10am-5:30pm
Located at the intersection of 10th Street and Constitution Ave. NW on the Mall in Washington, D.C.
Visitor information
Free, except for Butterfly Pavilion Special Exhibit & IMAX Films

You can NEVER have too many school field trips!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Kleenex. I readily agreed to write it because I believe field trips are so fun and educational, and attending museums such as the Smithsonian Natural History with my kids? That’s so my bag, baby!

Photo of a past Family Day in the gorgeous (and air conditioned!) Kogod Courtyard. 

Washington Nationals Baseball Family Day at the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum‘s Kogod Courtyard is this Saturday, July 9, from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

My family and I can’t wait to combine two of our loves: art learning and the Nats! And this event is totally free. It’s a summer Saturday home run!

A Q-and-A session with two Nationals players will begin at noon; between 12:15 p.m. and 1 p.m. children will be able to pose for pictures with the players. 

Highlights of the event will include:

• An opportunity to take pictures with players
• Decorating picture frames for your family’s photo with the players
• A station to make pennants and big fingers
• Face painting
• The Courtyard Café will offer traditional ballpark fare for purchase, including hot dogs, popcorn and ice cream
• After the event concludes a special, docent-led tour titled, “Runs, Hits, Errors: The Boys of Summer at the National Portrait Gallery” will be offered. The tour will meet in the F Street Lobby at 3:15 p.m

Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery at Eighth and F streets N.W.The museums are located above the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metrorail station. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, except Dec. 25. Admission is always free.

See you there!

Kogod courtyard pic courtesy Elvert Barnes on ipernity via a share alike license, Nationals pic courtesy the National Portrait Gallery.

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is hosting a Family Day tomorrow focused on the Kites of Asia – right in time for primo kite-flying season on the National Mall and just one week before the Blossom Kite Festival on March 27

Here are the deets from their website:

Kites of Asia
Saturday, March 19
10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Throughout the National Mall building
Admission: Free

Experience the beauty and artistry of kites from across Asia, with a special focus on India and Nepal.

Activities

Make your own kite.

Design a hachimaki headband.

Color Indian and Nepalese art.

Build an anemometer and learn how to measure force and direction of wind.

View a static display of Pan-Asian Kites.

Experience the grace of indoor kite flying.

Watch Nepalese and Indian dance and music performances, demonstrations, and workshops.

And don’t forget that the Air & Space Museum  offers a free storytime for kids EVERY Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 11am, and every Saturday at 1:30pm. The target age is 3-6 years and kids must have an adult companion. This recurring event is listed in the A Parent in Silver Spring calendar.

Driving directions to the Museum on the National Mall

And here is the complete info on the Blossom Kite Festival on Sunday March 27.

Photo courtesy yerffej9 via a Flickr Creative Commons license.