What are we missing? Help Us Make THE Ultimate Family Map of the National Mall
We’ve been thinking… we know it’s hard going to a new city to visit without the inside scoop. It’s especially hard when you’re toting kids around, outside in the elements, to as many attractions as they can stand on your once-in-a-lifetime trip (or monthly trip) to Washington, DC. Wouldn’t it be great to have all…
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Superstitions and Clues to Life on the Home Front at the World War II Memorial in DC
My boys must have already worn a look of boredom when we walked up to the World War II Memorial. As we approached the memorial from the Washington Monument, a kind Honor Flight Network volunteer approached us and taught my boys and myself a fascinating piece of history that’s represented in one of the bas-relief…
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Step Back in Time with Marian Anderson Singing at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939
“Whoa, did you feel that?! You just traveled back to the year 1939!” As my kids and I ducked under some trees to find relief from the hot sun, we stood next to the Reflecting Pool and looked up at the Lincoln Memorial. I wanted to grab their attention and take them back to 1939,…
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Let’s Go Fly a Kite! Tips for Going to the Blossom Kite Festival in Washington, DC
Every spring Washington, D.C. celebrates spring’s arrival with the National Cherry Blossom Festival. The Blossom Kite Festival is part of that amazing celebration. If you or your children need a little extra encouragement to see Washington D.C. during spring, and you’ve always envied Mary Poppins’ ability to fly a kite, then come send one soaring…
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Dreams Come True at the Butterfly Pavilion at the National Museum of Natural History
My daughter is the “Nature Girl” in our family and dreamed of holding a butterfly. Thankfully, this is an easy dream to fulfill when you live near Washington, DC! One Tuesday in the middle of winter, I loaded up my kids (I was pregnant with #4, so only had 3 at the time) and took…
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3 Fascinating Facts about D-Day to Share with Your Kids at the World War 2 Memorial in Washington, DC
I found myself calling out to my husband and kids, “Hey, did you know….?!” We all marveled at the ingenuity and bravery of the Allied leaders and soldiers as they stormed the beaches of Normandy. The book gave a quick, but rather thorough, overview of why World War II started and the countries involved. It helped me understand for the first time all of the circumstances that necessitated D-Day and the immense planning that went into it. This would be a good book to read before visiting the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC.
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Can You Find the Smithsonite? Free Printable for the Natural History Museum
Are you visiting the National Museum of Natural History on our National Mall soon? Interested in visiting the Gems and Minerals Hall, but you’re not really sure how you’re going to get your kids to go without complaining?! How to Get Your Kids Excited About the Gems and Minerals Hall in Washington, DC. If you…
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Why it’s Taken Me So Long to Start a Blog (& How George Mason Gave Me the Push I Needed)
First I must address the elephant in the room…yes, I know that top image is NOT George Mason, haha. Ghandi was, however, another inspiration leader I “met” in DC who helped me decide to start this blog…keep reading and you’ll understand what I mean. I’ve thought about having a blog on the Field Trip Club…
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Who Started the Smithsonian Institute? An Introduction to the Smithsonian on the National Mall
I’m sure you’ve heard of the Smithsonian Institute and you may even have visited one of its many world-class museums, galleries, or zoo in Washington, DC, but do you know how it came to be?! Growing up in Virginia, my parents often took us to the museums in Washington, DC. I didn’t even realize until…
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Can You Find Mary Cassatt’s Painting? Free Kid’s Printable for the National Gallery of Art
While homeschooling my kids, we studied about the painter, Mary Cassatt, and other Impressionist painters. I especially loved how my children could relate to many of her paintings, such as “The Child’s Bath”, “Children Playing on the Beach”, and “Little Girl in a Blue Armchair”. While planning our trip to see some of her paintings…
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How to Build Your Private Art Collection (in Your Head)
My final project in my Professional Tour Guiding program for Washington, DC was to create a 1.5 hour tour. I knew I wanted to make my tour an interactive, hands-on tour that families with young children would all enjoy. I wanted it to be like a really good children’s movie, that even the adults genuinely…
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6 Strategies for Enjoying a Museum with Your Kids
I have become my father*…I remember visiting the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washinton, DC as a 10 year old, walking sssllloooowly behind my dad as he read aaalll the words on all the little signs in front of each of the dioramas…and back then, there were A LOT of uninteresting dioramas in…
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