DC questions again - what to do with my 6 yr-old?

White house tours need to be set months in advance. Most you can do now is the Visitors Center.

What about the Zoo? He would probably like that.

The White House tour would not be good for a 6 year old anyway, although certainly worthwhile to see the White House from the Ellipse (look for the new vegetable garden planted in the SW corner of the South Lawn). As a local and father of two little ones, several thoughts:

-Natural History Museum has dinosaur bones, a nice mammals exhibit, a new oceans exhibit, and an insect zoo, all good for kids. And they have a butterfly exhibit with a separate admission (see link below).

-Consider reserving in advance online tickets for an Imax movie at Natural History or Air and Space, or for the planetarium at Air and Space.

http://www.si.edu/imax/

-There is a carousel on the Mall near the "Castle" building of the Smithsonian. After that walk through the lovely gardens located just to the left of the Castle (between the Castle and the Arts and Industries building). Also kids can get exposure to a little art at the Hirshorn's sculpture garden (sunk into the Mall right in front of the Hirshorn), and at the National Gallery's Sculpture Garden (between the National Gallery of Art and the Natural History Museum--the cafe in this garden is one of our favorite places to lunch).

-The Navy Memorial, located on Pennsylvania Ave right across from the National Archives, is good for kids because it has a big globe on the ground and relief sculptures with ships and stuff.

-I second the Zoo recommendation.

-You can go up to the tower in the Old Post Office building on Pennsylvania Avenue, nice view with less hassle than the Washington Monument. If you want to do the Washington Monument, try to get tickets in advance on-line.

http://www.recreation.gov/tourParkDetail.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=77811

-The FDR Memorial is good with kids. Walk through its four outdoor "rooms" and then back along the Tidal Basin (be careful there is no railing along the Tidal Basin walkway).

-There are free performances every day in the Kennedy Center at 6 p.m. Before or after the performance, go up on the roof of the Kennedy Center for a beautiful view along the Potomac River.1

http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/schedule.html

-Often-overlooked attractions that are worth stopping in as you are wandering are the National Botanical Gardens (at the SW corner of the Capitol grounds) and the National Building Museum (near the Gallery Place Metro stop, just a few blocks from the aforementioned Navy Memorial).

It's been a while since I've been to the Cherry Blossom Parade, but I don't think it gets the kinds of crowds where you need to stake out your position and wait way in advance.

I hope if you have nice weather your son won't mind walking, as DC generally involves a fair amount of that. Of course you can do the Tourmobile or Old Town Trolley hop-on, hop-off bus thing, but that can mean waiting in lines (which would be a lot worse for our kids than the walking). This bus might be helpful, but note the line around the Mall only runs on weekends:

http://www.dccirculator.com/routemap.html

Purpletulip, unless your son has an intense interest in either news or engraving and printing, I would skip both of those museums. The Newseum takes a long time to go through and involves lots of reading, and honestly, Engraving and Printing is just plain boring. May I suggest the Postal Museum (an often overlooked Smithsonian adjacent to Union Station?) The museum captivated our 7 year old--it's a very family-friendly museum that can be covered in a couple of hours, has plenty of hands-on opportunities, and Union Station is next door for a quick lunch.

The suggestion for the Botanic Garden is a good one, and, if you're in that general direction, the Library of Congress has a young explorer activity (plus interesting exhibits for young children.)

I second (or third?) Air & Space, Natural History, the Carousel and the FDR Memorial. They're all favorites with us.

Some other thoughts for you-

Call your Congressional or Senator's office. They can get you tickets to the White House, Capitol, Engraving and Printing, and Kennedy Center, so that you don't have to wait in line!

Also, the Kennedy Center has a free performance on the Millenium Stage every day at 6 pm. It is always a family friendly, high quality performance. Your son would likely enjoy going up to the Kennedy Center rooftop for a view over the city as well. It is right above the Potomac River, and just below where the planes come in to land at DCA. If he likes airplanes at all he'll get a huge thrill every 6 minutes as a plane comes in to land.

For children I would highly recommend checking out the National Geographic Museum (and not Engraving and Printing or the Newseum). It is very hands-on and has lots of exhibits that a little boy (and his parents) will declare "Cool!"

When my son was 6 and we lived in DC, the thing he enjoyed a lot was riding the length and width of the Metro, with the highpoint (maybe literally) the stop at the airport, where you could watch the apron traffic, etc. from the platform. Last time I was there, it had been built up enough that there was less you could see. But I'm partly saying that he'll enjoy a time out from Official Important Sites and like just riding around -- esp. if you live in a place without Metro, etc. Ditto double-decker bus, Tourmobile, etc.

Seeing the flights in and out of DC from the K. Center is good, but if you have a car, going down to the Marina south of the airport, it's even better.

Ditto re the Postal Museum and just riding Metro, especially the river crossing to the airport via the Yellow line -- big hits when my 5yo nephew visited me (from Kentucky, probably not so much if he lived in NYC). The Postal Museum is all about moving the mail, with examples of old planes, trains etc. (at least those were on exhibit several years ago), so quite appropriate for kids in their "cars and big equipment" phase.

Another vote for the Postal Museum. It's a lot of fun, and if your son is a fan of trains, right across the street from Union Station. That's a good spot for lunch.

Check the Smithsonian website for daily and one-off activities for kids. Lots of hands on and engaging stuff there.

Also, rent a paddle boat for a special view of the Jefferson Memorial and the cherry blossoms from the Tidal Basin.

http://www.tidalbasinpaddleboats.com/

I also agree that the Newseum and the Printing & Engraving might not captivate a six year old.

"Seeing the flights in and out of DC from the K. Center is good, but if you have a car, going down to the Marina south of the airport, it's even better."

At Gravelly Point park off of the GW Parkway just North of the Airport the planes fly directly over your head as they take off or (usually in our experience) land. Quite a rush, particularly close to 5 p.m. when they are just coming in one right after another.

Engraving and Printing is just plain boring.

My kids loved watching money being printed when they were that age.

Thanks so much for all the information!

I have decided to do the Postal Museum instead of Newseum.

I know we can't get into the White House. But is there a place for us to have a peek of the building? My son is really curious about where the president lives.

He also wants to see how the money is printed. He is not so into the zoo though. We have been to the San Diego Zoo numerous times, and he doesn't seem to be very interested.

Also, is the DC Duck ride fun for young kids?

There is a Visitors Center at the White House that you could go to.

Re a peek at the White House (which, trust me, your son will have WAAAYY more fun doing than the actual tour, which was pronounced "boring" by 12-year-olds I used to take) - you can walk on Pennsylvania Avenue and look through the widely-spaced bars of the grounds fence, see the front of the White House and take a photo where the White House will be visible, if cropped, in the background.

As far as Duck Tours, my experience is that they are annoying for adults but kids love them - they will not listen to much, but they like the whistles and the stares they get from passing cars, so I would do it if I could get a discount and wanted to treat the kid.

One point - not sure where you are from, but next week will be chilly for you if you are from San Diego - you can check weather forecasts at www.capitalweather.com - they are the best for local forecasts. You may need to keep that in mind when planning outdoor activities to have a few "warm-up" spots mapped in.

You get a great view of the White House from outside. I've been in Washington many times and have never taken the tour --just doesn't interest me, but the view from outside never fails to excite me. Here's what you can see:

http://tinyurl.com/ddoo66

I can't believe nobody has mentioned the Spy Museum. That was surely the highlight of our recent trip with grandchildren 6,8, 10, and 12. You can buy timed tickets online before going and build other things around your scheduled time. It is near the Navy Memorial and National Archives. If you walk between them, you can go through Chinatown, which may be interesting or provide a good meal. (There is a McDonald's, so if your child is not into food adventures, you can pick up something for him and you can enjoy the excellent Chinese food.)

We had trouble getting out then 7 year old daughter out of the Museum of Natural History. She thought she needed to examine every rock & dinasour bone. She loved it. Have fun.

Regarding the Lincoln Memorial: My boys enjoy the memorials, and walking around outside is a nice break for them. They find the memorials (and everything else in D.C.) more interesting when they have background information. We live near D.C. and one day we did a kind of scavenger hunt on our bikes at the memorials. Your son might like some of the trivia associated with the Lincoln Memorial--it will give him something to look for. This website has a nice list. http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/15346

Pretty sure you will need reservations for the Washington Monument and the Bureau of Printing during Spring Break. 7th graders from around the country will be there. Go the the National Park Service website for reservations. Also, don't forget about Mt. Vernon! It's so beautiful and well run (not by the park service!)

I second Mt. Vernon if you have enough time! My 5 & 8 year old loved it last year. You can take Metro subway & bus to get there from downtown & they also have boat rides there from DC(although if you take the roundtrip option you only get 3 1/2 hours there - wouldn't have been enough for my kids)

The last two mentions above of White House views are from Pennsylvania Ave, the "front" of the White House. You also get a lovely, but somewhat further view from the Ellipse (where you would be if you walked due North from the Washington Monument). There is a small building on the NE corner of the Ellipse with bathrooms (which for some reason don't seem to be open at night, unlike the restrooms at the Lincoln Memorial, FDR Memorial and WWII Memorial).

Nearby in the Department of Commerce Bldg is the White House Visitor's Center (the Commerce Bldg is also the site of a small but recently renovated acquarium). The new vegetable garden on the White House grounds is located in the SW corner of the White House lawn, see the WaPo article below.

http://www.nps.gov/whho/planyourvisit/things2do.htm#CP_JUMP_100461
http://www.nps.gov/whho/planyourvisit/index.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/20/AR2009032002396.html

"I can't believe nobody has mentioned the Spy Museum...It is near the Navy Memorial and National Archives. If you walk between them, you can go through Chinatown, which may be interesting or provide a good meal."

DC's small Chinatown is actually a couple of blocks NE of the Spy Museum (which is great but IMO would be better for a bit older child), while the Navy Memorial is about 2 blocks due South of the Spy Museum. Note that the "Wok 'N Roll" restaurant on the East end of the Chinatown block was the Surratt Boardinghouse where the Lincoln assasination co-conspirators met.

OP, will you have a car?

IMHO, the Spy Museum is too text-heavy for the average 6-year-old. And pricey once you buy tix for everybody. Take them to Natural History instead.

I live in DC and have a little one. The Zoo and Building Museum are a MUST for a kids. THe Building Museum has a couple of play areas that kids just ADORE! Additionally it is a great place to go if it is too hot, cold, or rainy outside. DC Moms take their kids their on a regular basis in the winter and summer. Kids never grow tired of it.

As for a guided tour, it is not necessary, but I will admit that I had a blast when I did one. I had lived in the city for 8 years before taking the Trolley Tour and was pleasantly surprised (I am sure that the Duck tour is similar). Kids love it because of things already mentioned above. I found it interesting because the guides gave me some little known facts about areas I visit or pass by everyday. I found it to be worth the money and I don't say that very often.

Spy museum is really fun, but expensive. There are things for kids to see and do, but they may want to move through it faster than an adult since the displays and accompaning text are facinating. If there is an interest, then I wouldn't dismiss it. Every time I go I see tons of kids enjoying themselves.

Definitely get tickets for the Wash Monument and the like prior to coming to DC. It will save time and aggravation.

One more thing to consider--take an umbrella stoller along. My son is 5 1/2 and normally wouldn't be caught dead in a stroller. But a friend suggested this (nearly insisted on it) when we went to Disney a couple of months ago...my son balked at first, but once we got there, after a few minutes of walking he was ready and willing to hop right in. I actually think he would have sat ON his sister (age 3) had we not had a stroller of his own. I took it again to NYC last weekend and was thankful--we were able to accomplish so much more with him in the strololer, and I was surprised he wanted to get in it as often as he did. We talked to him about it beforehand, that when on trips in a big city it is just easier even for big kids to sit in a stroller, and many other kids were in strollers too, so he was fine with it in the end. The umbrella kind folds up so easily that it isn't like you have to lug it around a lot either. And if it becomes an issue you can always just throw the thing away--they cost like $10...no need to get anything expensive. Just a thought...it was a lifesaver for us--twice.

I've lived in DC for 32 years and have been the "tour guide" for endless numbers of neices, nephews, great-nephews and friends' kids and here's my list of do's and don't's:
1) Do NOT bother with the Spy Museum or the Newseum. Both have kid-friendly sections, but neither one is much fun for the under 8 year old child. Plus DC is a city of free museums and paying $20+ for a museum that you will be dragged through by a bored kid is not cool.
2) No one has mentioned Ford's Theater -- it's newly reopened and there is NOTHING like seeing the box where Lincoln sat that night, not to mention the artifacts they have such as the actual door to the box with the hole in it. Kids love it. Remember, when they start school, it's all about Washington and Lincoln, which leads me to...
3) Mt. Vernon is an all-day affair. It's fun to see the stables and the farm area, but the house tour will not thrill really young ones. However, it's a lot of outside time and that can be good. Plus, remember, it's all about Washington and Lincoln in terms of little kids and American history.
4) I'd skip the zoo if your kids have had zoo-time. It's a great zoo, but it's a full day by the time you get there and walk it, and it's tiring.
5) Better than the zoo is the Natural History Museum (part of the Smithsonian and right on the Mall). Just do the highlights -- the elephant; then to the dinosaurs (so cool!) and then a quick trip to see the Hope Diamond. If more time allows, check out the sea exhibits and then you're done!
6) Food -- there's a Potbelly sandwhich shop on Pa. Ave which is a block up from the Mall and there is a food court in the Old Post Office Pavilion (and by the way, the view up there is really great and generally there's not a huge line. It moves fast when there is one).

It's a great town -- enjoy!

There have been both sides of the zoo issue presented already, but it is one of my favorite places to go in DC. The primate exhibits are amazing as well as the pandas and the new Asia trail. Also, it's free and I find it easy to map out the special animals you want to see, and just visit those. My first trip to DC when I was 6, and my favorite thing was the rocket popsicle from a vendor by the Vietnam Memorial. It's the little things that make it special for us younger folks. Riding the Metro was a big thrill then, and still is now, especially the long escalators. I also loved Mount Vernon, especially the root beer and the crypt.

In addition to the Duck Tour, there's a tour bus that is doubledecker, open air upstairs.

The Spy Museum would be way too much for a 6 year old to process. It's fun, but it's far better if you can read and have a basic understanding of history, surveillance, etc.

Leave time to walk around the Tidal Basin and look at the Cherry Blossoms and Monuments. You don't need to go to parade (unless he's really into parades). Few places are as glorious as DC's Tidal Basin when the cherry blossoms are out on a sunny spring day.

If you have a rental car, or want to take the shuttle, the Udvar-Hazy Smithsonian Aviation Museum (out near Dulles Airport) has a wide range of cool stuff. A small boy should LOVE it.

It's probably worth noting that the OP said ( Mar 25, 09 at 07:13 PM) that her son is not a big fan of zoos.

I agree that Mount Vernon is a great choice especially on a nice day.

I respectfully disagree that Ford's Theater would be very interesting for a very young boy. I agree that the earliest school years are all about Washington and Lincoln but it's pretty superficial stuff with very little historical context. Something about taking a six year old to see where a man was murdered doesn't seem quite age appropriate

"If you have a rental car, or want to take the shuttle, the Udvar-Hazy Smithsonian Aviation Museum (out near Dulles Airport) has a wide range of cool stuff. A small boy should LOVE it."

Note that the shuttle to Udvar-Hazy was discontinued, it's possible but a PITA to get there without a car now.

If you do have a car, a couple of other attractions that are often overlooked by outsiders are Theodore Roosevelt Island and the Claude Moore Colonial Farm.

"I respectfully disagree that Ford's Theater would be very interesting for a very young boy. I agree that the earliest school years are all about Washington and Lincoln but it's pretty superficial stuff with very little historical context. Something about taking a six year old to see where a man was murdered doesn't seem quite age appropriate."

When we are downtown my son, now 8, seems to take his bearings from "the place where Abraham Lincoln was shot", regularly asking what direction it's in. I've never taken him inside the place, but it's on my regular "quickie driving tour of the sights" that I take our out-of-town guests on. (That's two sentences in a row ending in prepositions!) I agree the concept of the assasination is a bit hard for a 6 yo to grasp, we've had a lot of discussions about "why did they shoot Abraham Lincoln."

BTW, for those (over age 6) who are really into the Lincoln assasination, the bullet and fragments of his skull are on display at a museum of medicine on the grounds of Walter Reed:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/medtour/nmhm.html

One more tip about the Zoo (and sorry if I'm duplicating).

The topography is important: The Connecticut Ave entrance is uphill and the Rock Creek Park Entrance is downhill - and it's a steep hill. If you enter down at the RC Park entry, you can take a tram to go up to Conn. Ave. and work your way down hill. If you are using the Metro and the Zoo stop, be aware, too, that it's a little hike to the Zoo entrance - which means at the end of the day, you don't want to have been pulling your 6-yr.-old uphill and then still have to get to the Metro. Use the tram.

Sorry if that's unclear, but it will be pretty clear once you get there.

If you're taking the Metro to the Zoo, get off at the Cleveland Park entrance, which is the stop after the official Woodley Park/Zoo stop, but which is uphill from the Zoo and about the same distance as the Woodley Park stop. Then when you leave the zoo, you can go downhill to the Woodley Park station.

As HKP points out, it's a very hilly area. The Rock Creek park entrance is relevant only if you're traveling by car. But the tram back up the hill towards the Connecticut Ave entrance is useful for everybody!

That;s just a general observation, since the OP has already ruled out the zoo.

Thanks so much for all the great suggestions here! We definitely are gonna go see the White House as suggested. My son will love the see it, just from the outside.

I am not renting a car because I heard parking and traffic is very bad in DC. We will actually stay near the White House and China town, so most of the places should be within walking distance. But we will save the Spy Museum and Newseum for our next trip when the kids are older.

Mount Vernon is a good idea, if we get tired of the big city and museums.

kgh8m, would the Cherry Blossom parade be fun for my son? I am kinda hesitating to go because I am afraid he will be bored after couple hours of waiting.

))))

Too bad, I just went to book the Washington Monument tickets, but all sold out until June 22nd! Is it SO popular?

should be : - ((((((

Can we still go maybe pick up two tickets right there?

They give out a certain number of tickets every morning, but frankly I wouldn't bother. Go up the Old Post Office Tower and/or the Kennedy Center roof. Or even the National Cathedral tower.

The Washington Monument is really popular. If you don't mind standing in line, check the National Park Service website for the time the tkts get handed out (I think it's 8 or 8:30) and then show up 2 hours prior to that.

The Old Post Office Tower is a great backup for the Wash Monument. National Cathedral is a good choice too. Involves a subway and bus ride to get to by public transport.

I would put the Kennedy Center roof terrace above the Old Post Office mostly because it's a wide open space that one can linger in, plus if you time it right you can catch one of the free performances and then enjoy the view at dusk from the roof. There is a restaurant at the top (pricey) as well as a cafe (very moderate by DC standards, with entrees around $10 and a small children's menu). My 7 year old daughter and I will be there Wednesday night for Peter Pan; she already loves the view from the roof, so I'll report back on her food impressions.

Like alot of places, visiting Ford's Theater and Mount Vernon really depend on your child's interests. We spent a weekend in Williamsburg last summer with our daughter, then 6, and she loved it because she loves the Felicity character (of American Girl fame) and knows the stories and had read the relevant Magic Tree House books, and that background gave her visit more meaning. That said, it doesn't take long to visit Ford's Theater and explain what happened there to one of our most popular presidents. You never know what children will remember. Visiting Mount Vernon, on the other hand, can really take up an entire day, especially if you have to wait to get into the house. On a nice day the wait can be upwards of an hour or more if you're not there when the site opens; there's no timed-entry tickets. So if it's just green space and a place to burn off steam you need, the Mall offers plenty of that for free.