Activities for Pre-school kids in Washington, D.C.
 

Going to Washington D.C. with grandchildren ages 4 and 5.
Interested in finding some special activities for them.

We have planned to walk around the mall area and show them White House, Lincoln Memorial etc.
There also will be a day spent at the National Zoo and a short visit to the Air and Space Museum.
Maybe some Fodor families with little kids can share some more ideas.
Thanks for your help,

My grandson, who is 3-1/2 and lives in DC, loves the national zoo and the Building museum.

https://www.nbm.org/

Natural History Museum was a hit with our daughter.

Sf--Million thanks for suggesting The Building Museum. I think that will be a hit with the kids are they are real "builders." They are pretty good at making great building with their Legos and other bricks. Their parents have filled the garage with cardboard boxes of all sizes and they seem to build towns, trains and homes on the weekend. Thus, I think they will love this museum.
MichelleY--Thanks also for your suggestion. Natural History museum is our favorite too and that is also on the list.
We truly appreciate the wonderful museums we can see in Washington D.C. and broaden the horizon of our grandchildren.
Have a great day.

My daughter was six on her first visit to DC. She loved the zoo, the aquarium, the Natural History Museum, the Museum of American History, and the Air and Space Museum. She was NOT impressed with any of the memorials or monuments.... I was pleased that she later developed an appreciation. :)

Yes, the zoo! Double check with the Botanic Gardens near the Smithsonian Indian Museum (they might enjoy that also)--they often have some activities for little ones.

The Portrait Museum and the contiguous American Museum of Art might have something of interest--new portraits of the Obamas is generating lots of press.

Have fun!

At that age: Air and Space museum took a day, zoo took a day. Natural History Museum and American History Museum--one day each.

Fodor friends--Sincere thanks for sharing your ideas to keep the little kids excited and entertained during a Washington, D.C. trip.
It is truly an exciting place to visit with so much to do and as always time is short to cover everything. But a list has been made and we plan to cover as much as possible during the short visit. Now we hope to have good weather and cooperating children.
The museums will be all so amazing for them and we hope to have a fun time.
Thanks again.

For a future trip, go to Baltimore. The National Aquarium and the Inner Harbor were favorites for my kids. Camden Yards is also within walking distance if anyone has an interest in O's baseball.