Are your kids excited about being home for spring break but you’re starting to worry about how you’re going to fill the days? Then have no fear! Route One Fun’s 2019 Spring Break Guide’s got you covered with plenty of fun spring break activities along Maryland’s Route 1 Corridor, DC & beyond (couple of day-trip ideas in here)! Packed with plenty of local, affordable and fun ways to keep toddlers, preschoolers and older kids busy and happily entertained this spring break! From Mount Rainier to Laurel & beyond, we’ve got you (and spring break) covered!
Monday Spring Break Activities
Ages 0 – 5 years old
Rise + Rhyme @ Busboys and Poets (Best for ages 0 – 5)
Move & grooe with Marsha Goodman-Wood, well-known for her quirky, plain fun lyrics that mix science lessons with positive social messages. A creative parent and music teacher, Marsha knows how to bring it!
When: Mondays, 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m-ish
Where: Busboys and Poets, Hyattsville, MD 20781. Rear parking lot.
Cost? $5 suggested donation at the door. Well worth it.
Photo source: Marsha Goodman-Wood
Wegmans Wonderplace
Does your kiddo love grocery stores or stacking (and perhaps hoarding) play vegetables? Then this is the place for you all! Located inside the National Museum of American History, this grocery store-themed spot will keep your kiddo occupied for a good hour or so. After that, you can all check out the rest of this amazing museum!
When: 10am – 4pm
Where: National Museum of American History, Washington DC
Cost: Free!
All Ages
Indoor Rock Climbing @ Climb Zone! (Best for ages 2+)
Grab some workout gear and get your kids ready to soar to new heights. Your admission covers 3 hours & little ones under 2 are free! (there is a tikes indoor play area onsite). Spring break will be extra busy so make a reservation and complete a waiver form before you go. Check out this special discount on Certifikid!
When: 10am-8pm
Where: 13200 Mid Atlantic Boulevard Suite 130, Laurel
Cost: $25 ages 6+, $12 ages 2-5 (under 2 free with paid admission)
Check Out a New-To-You Library, Laurel Library (All ages)
We love spending time in the Kids’ Room of this fresh and so clean, clean library. Read about why we dig the Laurel Library, here! Bonus, they have a room where kids can eat, drinking fountains, bathrooms with changing tables, and outdoor lounging/reading space and a playground. Enough said, you’re outing mission is complete with all your kid-outing bases covered! (*Also note, the architects who designed this library are also the team designing the Hyattsville library.)
When: 10am-6pm
Where: 507 7th Street, Laurel
Cost: Free!
Movie Time! (All ages)
Go see a movie and have the theatre practically to yourselves! How about an animated adventure film called Missing Link where your kids get to meet BigFoot! Or maybe you’re looking for a classic like Dumbo, why not check out the American fantasy adventure remake? So many choices. Enjoy the show! (and don’t forget to silence your cellphones, please :-).
When: See locations for listings
Where: Regal, AMC – whatever floats your boat
Outdoor Sun + Sand + Beach Fun at Sandy Point State Park
With beautiful weather in the forecast and a half-day for many PGCPS students, pack a picnic, some blankets and some sandcastle tools for a trip to Sandy Point State Park. You’ll likely have the beach and a view of the Chesapeake Bridge all to yourselves! At about 45-minutes drive, it’s a great place to add to your outdoor fun list. Check out our time at Sandy Point (& travel tips) here.
When: 7 am to sunset
Where: 1100 East College Parkway, Annapolis
Cost: ~ $3/vehicle
Tuesday Spring Break Activities
Ages 0 – 5
Ready 2 Read STEM: Egg Submarines (Ages 0-5)
Bring your kids on over to enjoy some egg-citing free fun at the Oxon Hill library auditorium. Let your kids fill up their very own “egg submarine” with all sorts of knick knacks. Maybe it’ll float or maybe it’ll sink? Hm, I say, only one way to find out, go, go, go to this experimentally fantastical event!
When: 11am-12pm
Where: 6200 Oxon Hill Road, Oxon Hill
Cost: Free!
Tiny Tots on Tuesdays Roller Skating (Ages 5 and under)
Remember the good ole days of roller skating? Here’s your chance to lace up some skates on your little ones ‘cause only on Tuesdays does the Laurel Roller Skating Center hold classes for the 5 and under crowd. A steal for monthly classes or drop in classes (check out the costs below). I hope your kids have as much of a blast as I know we used to, oh, way back when!
When: 5:30-6pm
Where: 9890 Brewers Court, Laurel
Cost: $5 per class or $15 per month
All Ages
Nature Craft & Story (Ages 2-10)
Calling all crafty critters! Come craft away at this nature/animal-themed event brought just to you by the naturalists at the Watkins Nature Center. After storytime, make and take home your very own art project!
When: 2-3pm
Where: 301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro
Cost: Free!
National Zoo
Take a trip to the National Zoo! Check out the Ape House makeover with The Good of the Hive Mural or The Me and the Bee Playground! Pack a picnic (save $ and time otherwise spent in line) and make a day out of it. We’ve both taken the car ($25 parking) and the Metro (about a 10-12 minute walk from the Woodley Park/Zoo Metro stop).
When: 9am-6pm
Where: National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC
Cost: Free!
Open Gym @ Prince George’s Sports & Learning Complex (Ages walking to 12)
This place is really great for 1-12 year olds! HUGE. Two climbing walls. Two foam pits. Tons of equipment for curious ones to explore and blow off some steam. Very clean. Spaces are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Parents are required to be on the floor with the children (Maximum 3 child:1 adult). Check out our visit to this open gym here!
When: 11:30am-12:30pm
Where: PG Sports & Learning Complex, 8001 Sheriff Road, Landover
Cost: $7 per child
Patuxent Research Refuge
Even when there’s not a specific program to check out, this place is still a good morning/afternoons spent exploring the exhibits, taking your pick of any of the activities on the “Family Adventure Cart” including an Adventure Backpack, Scavenger Hunt, Bug Kits, Field Guides, etc. My review of Patuxent Research Refuge here!
When: 9am-4:30pm
Where: 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop, Laurel
Cost: Free!
Wednesday Spring Break Activities
Ages 2 – 10
Live Animal Puppet Show! (Ages 2-10)
It’s showtime! Not only will your kids get to enjoy a seasonal-themed puppet show performed by naturalists at this event, they’ll actually get to meet a live animal featured in the show! Holy cow! (well, it probably won’t be a cow, but some sort of amazing creature for sure…). Stick around post-show and your kids get to try their hand at puppetry in the Center’s kid-friendly puppet theater in their exhibit hall. Never-ceasing to amaze you showtime.
When: 10-10:45am
Where: 301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro
Cost: $3
Ages 5 & Up
Gametime @ Board & Brew (Best for ages 5+)
Board & Brew is a fun place to check out with your 5+year-old crowd. Why? Read our review here. With over 500 board games including Operation, Perfection, Hungry Hippos, etc., you’ll easily have a good time! Speaking of eating up, they also have a good menu of kid-friendly options. And for my fellow coffee afficionados, they rotate between various coffees– so you’ll be sure to get a tasty, quality brew while you’re there!
When: Opens at 7:30 am
Where: 8150 Baltimore Ave, College Park
Cost: Last we knew, before 4pm, $2.50 p/p for games + the cost of whatever you may order from menu. Check with the store.
STEM-tastic! (Ages 5-12)
Have your kids gone mad about science? Well, this here’s an event for them. Bring your kids to Beltsville Branch (large meeting room) for some hands-on, experimenting with a science flare that’s sure to bubble up some concoction you’d probably rather they’d tried out at the library (first!) before practicing at home. 🙂
When: 4-5pm
Where: 4319 Sellman Road, Beltsville
Cost: Free!
Let’s Go Bowling!
Check out the bowling alley (in old AMF bowling location) for some Wednesday afternoon bowling! They’ve also got an arcade section and Wednesdays are half-price arcades. Yes, baby, I love me a good bargain. Their snack foods will exceed expectations!
When: 4-11pm
Where: Bowlero, 9021 Baltimore Ave, College Park
Cost: Impossible to find on site but recall average pricing.
All Ages
Wings of Fancy Live Butterfly & Caterpillar Exhibit @ Brookside Gardens
Trust me: You’re going to love this magical experience. Pass through ‘butterfly security’ and enter a world of brilliant butterflies from the world over sipping on sweet nectar from equally beautiful flowers. Watch as your kids make a new butterfly friend on their sleeve. Your kids might even pick up a thing about amazing metamorphosis as they gaze upon caterpillars in their many phases and get ideas for keeping a butterfly garden at home.
When: 10am-5pm
Where: Brookside Garden South Conservatory, 1500 Glenallen Avenue, Wheaton
Cost: $8 ages 13+, $5 ages 3-12
Photo source: Brookside Garden’s Facebook Page
HyperLocal Hyattsville! @ Pizza Paradiso
Because sometimes all you really need is pizza to keep your gremlins happy, why not head out to Pizza Paradiso’s for one ‘hyperlocal’, exciting day when they’ll be serving Maryland-themed pizzas! We love coming here for the kid-friendly ambiance (& kid-sized pizza). Afterwards, walk to the Robert J. King Memorial Park playground on Gallatin Street.
When: 11:30am-9pm
Where: 4800 Rhode Island Avenue, Hyattsville
Cost: See menu
Thursday Spring Break Activities
Ages 5 & Up
Explore Insects (Ages 8-12)
Explore the world of insects and learn about their life cycles and how they can be harmful or helpful. A short hike is included to search for some insects in their natural habitat.
When: 10-11:30am
Where: Watkins Nature Center, Upper Marlboro
Cost: $4
Go Kart Track (8-80, see notes below)
What kid wouldn’t think you’re the bestest parent on earth if you were to give them a temporary driving pass! One ticket, seven trips around the race track. As long as your kids 8 and 54 inches they can ride alone. 16 or older? They can drive a double and bring your 3+ crowd along for a thrill of a ride.
When: 2pm-9pm (weather permitting)
Where: 4300 Kenilworth Avenue, Bladensburg
Cost: $7 gets you 1 ticket (or 7 laps), 11 tickets or more $6 per ticket
Family Game Night (Ages 5-12)
Game on, people! @ the Bladensburg Library Branch. Bring one of your own or play one of their games. Either way, just play and have fun with the whole family! Feeling adventurous, challenge your neighbor to a game or two. You know your game brings all the friends in the yard, d*#! right, you might have to charge! 😉
When: 5-6pm
Where: 4820 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg
Cost: Free!
All Ages
Lake Artemesia
Get outside and go for a stroll or a bike ride or a slow but enjoyable crawl along lovely Lake Artemesia! Last time we went, spotted some turtles, frogs, ducks & birds of all stripes, beautiful lillipad & more!
When: Sunrise to sunset
Where: Berwyn Rd & 55th Ave, Berwyn Heights
Cost: Free!
Playground at University Hills Duck Pond Park (All Ages)
Pack a picnic, check out the duck pond and then have fun at 1 of the 3 playgrounds at this park! There’s one right at the entrance off of Wells Blvd but if you wander a bit on the bike path you’ll find there’s an even bigger one just down to the right with structures for the toddler and 5-12 crew. My review here!
When: Sunrise to sunset…
Where: 3400 Stanford St, Hyattsville
Cost: Free!
Friday Spring Break Activities
Creature Feature: All About Reptiles (Ages 3+)
Meet and learn about the center’s live reptiles, such as lizards, turtles, and snakes. Pet them, learn about their natural habitat, their diet and how they contribute to the ecosystem. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to learn more about our “friendly neighborhood” reptiles!
When: 2-3pm
Where: Watkins Nature Center, 301 Watkins Park, Upper Marlboro
Cost: $3
STEM-Fun at Diven’s Den (Best for ages 2+)
Check out this new-to-you STEM-inspired playroom, teaching the kiddos about life in 1800s Laurel. Curious? Read my review of Diven’s Den!
When: 10am-2pm
Where: Laurel Historical Society, 817 Main Street, Laurel
Cost: Free!
STEM-friendly fun at Diven’s Den!
Ages 5+
The Spark! Lab (Best for ages 6+)
This place is full of ways for your budding scientists to test their problem-solving skills with fun, hands-on experiments and more.
When: 10am-4pm
Where: National Museum of American History
Cost: Free (FREE)
PINBALL! (Ages 5+)
Over 29 pinball machines to choose from! Young’n plays pinball while you enjoy some fresh coffee or tea from their Witches Brew Cafe. Or you play pinball, too! See what fun we had at MOM’s Organic Market here!
When: 9am-9pm
Where: MOM’s College Park
Cost: Up to you! (Bring dollars/quarters (they have a change machine). Most games are 50 cents to play.)
Xtreme Teens: Indoor Teen Garden (Ages 10-17)
Your teens could start their very own teen garden at this Xtreme teen shindig. Not only will they eat healthy, they’ll grow healthy. Now that’s something to crunch about! Drop them off and let them put their green thumbs to work by planting a few seeds for the future. Before you go, brainstorm some plants ideas they’d like to grow!
When: 7-10pm
Where: 6600 Adelphi Road, Hyattsville
Cost: Free w/ M-NCPPC Youth ID
Monday – Last day of Spring Break!
Ages 0 – 5
Storytime on Screen @ Old Greenbelt Theater (Ages 0-5)
One last day off from work before spring break ends? In need of a quick fix to keep the youngins entertained before their daily feeding and cranky pant time (naptime)? Free popcorn, storytime by a wonderful PGCMLS’s librarian, followed by a brief animated story on screen + crafts. Tip: Pack a lunch (or pick up some food at nearby Greenbelt Co-op) & enjoy lunch al fresco as they kids blow off excess steam before heading home for a nap! Read why we love Storytime on Screen here.
When: 10:30-11:30am
Where: Old Greenbelt Theater, 129 Centerway, Greenbelt
Cost: Free!
All Ages
Cosca Park Hippity Hop (Ages 3-12)
Hop into action with a fun-filled afternoon of crafts, live entertainment, amusements, vendors, pictures with the bunny (additional fee), and a huge egg hunt for cool prizes. Youth will be split into three different age groups for a chance to find the elusive golden egg. We promise you will have an “eggciting” time.
When: 1-3pm, egg hunts start promptly at 2:45pm
Where: Cosca Regional Park, 11000 Thrift Road, Clinton
Cost: $7
Easter Monday & Earth Optimism Celebration @ National Zoo
The Zoo is packed on Easter Monday. That said – it’s also loads of fun that honors springtime traditions like egg hunts and games. This year is even better because Earth Day falls on Easter Monday. The planets clearly aligned just for you (well, at least Earth jumped on this bandwagon of fun!). That means the Zoo is doubling up the pleasure with live music, food trucks and games while children get the chance to discover how they can help save species through hands-on learning led by the Zoo’s conservationists.
When: 10am-2pm
Where: National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC
Cost: Free!
Annamarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center
Oh my gosh, is all I can say. I absolutely adore this place. I know it’s a hike (probably about 1-1.5 hours by car), but you are going to love what you and your kids uncover. Meander through the forest and stumbling across fairies and life sized outdoor fairy-themed play spaces or crafting indoors in their hands-on exhibits and DIY stations.
When: Check here
Where: 13470 Dowell Road, Solomons
Cost: Check here
Photo: Annemarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center’s Facebook page
More Ways to Play Outside
Check out these Route One Fun posts for more inspiration:
More Ideas for Indoor Fun
Check out these post here for more inspiration:
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