Staying in town for spring break? Remote work has made it easier for many folks to stay at home with their kids for the week (running April 1-10 for students in Arlington County Public Schools), but you still may want to mix things up with some easy outings within driving distance. Consider adding some of these local events and destinations to your calendar.
Synetic Theater Presents Beauty and the Beast
April 1 | 8 p.m.
Catch the final weekend of Synetic Theater’s Beauty and the Beast, a “dark and mystical take” on the classic tale. If you’re coming for the Angela Lansbury hits, please note that this is not a recreation of the 1991 Disney film, but a reinterpretation of Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve’s La Belle et la Bête. Be prepared for some special stage effects and lots of movement. And if you can’t make it Saturday, you can also watch the closing matinee on April 2 at 2 p.m. // Synetic Theater, 1800 S. Bell St., Arlington. $35+. Recommended for ages 7+.
Art Blooms at Mosaic
April 1-2 | 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
The blooming trees may be past peak, but the fun continues. This National Cherry Blossom Festival event will take over Mosaic for the weekend, with more than 90 local makers and vendors, live music, sip-and-stroll cocktails, a farmers market and more. Performers include Vienna Singing Princesses, Latin pop/rock band Ocho de Bastos and cover band Uncle Jesse. // Mosaic, 2910 District Ave., Fairfax. Free.
Weekend of Wordplay at Planet Word
April 1 | 10 a.m.
Scrabble fan? Immerse yourself and your kids in a day of letter-tile fun at Planet Word, a D.C. museum dedicated to language that’s loaded with interactive experiences for all ages. Presented as a companion to the North American School Scrabble Championship, the vocab fest includes Scrabble demos and tips, “A Brief History of Scrabble” from Word Freak author Stefan Fatsis, and hands-on activities at the museum’s Lexicon Lane. // 925 13th St. NW, Washington, D.C.
Onstage: Beatbox with Christylez Bacon
April 1 | 1:30-3:30 p.m.
D.C.-bred progressive hip-hop artist Christylez Bacon—a 2010 Grammy nominee for Best Musical Album for Children—comes to Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton for a two-hour show geared toward kids, especially beatboxing fans. While at Workhouse, pop into some of the art center’s galleries as well as the Lucy Burns Museum, which illuminates an important chapter in the history of women’s suffrage in the U.S. // Workhouse Arts Center, McGuire Woods Gallery, 9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton. Free.
Spring Egg Hunt at Potomac Overlook Regional Park
April 1-9, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Stop by this lush, 67-acre park for a self-guided, egg scavenger hunt, complete with prizes for those who complete it. After the hunt, consider hiking the trails or strolling through the organic vegetable garden. // Potomac Overlook Regional Park, 2845 Marcey Road, Arlington. $8 per child.
Sakura Sunday
April 2 | 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Celebrate Japanese culture at this National Cherry Blossom Festival event in National Harbor. The day of activities include a pre-festival meditation, jujutsu demonstration, Japanese/Korean pop cover band KuroPOP and a market featuring anime, bubble tea and more. // National Harbor Plaza, 150 National Plaza, National Harbor, Maryland. Free admission.
Pedal with Petals
April 2 | 8-10 a.m.
Tysons is embracing the flowering season with a family-friendly bike ride. Take the kids on this outdoor tour on wheels that ends with cherry blossom-themed games and crafts. // Tysons Corner Center Plaza, 1961 Chain Bridge Road, Tysons. Free.
Public Skate at Medstar Capitals Iceplex
April 3 | 10:10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
While outdoor ice skating has mostly wrapped up for the season, you can skate year-round in the same Ballston facility where the Caps practice. Lace up for an hour of indoor skating, then head over to Ballston Quarter Market for a snack. The food hall is home to several tasty eateries, including Rice Crook, Hot Lola’s and Ice Cream Jubilee. (The iceplex offers public skating several times during the week; check the schedule for more details.) // MedStar Capitals Iceplex, 627 N. Glebe Road, Suite 800, Arlington (Ballston). $15 admission (includes skate rental).
Meet the Author: Amina Luqman-Dawson
April 4 | 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Earlier this year, Arlington-based author Amina Luqman-Dawson took home the John Newbery Medal for Children’s Literature and the Coretta Scott King Award for Freewater, a middle-grade novel that explores life in the Great Dismal Swamp for a community of people in the early 1800s who escape slavery. Join Luqman-Dawson for a book signing and children’s activities related to the work, prefaced by remarks from Delegate Alfonso Lopez (D-District 49). Books will be on hand for purchase from One More Page Books. // Shirlington Library, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Free. RSVP is recommended as space is limited.
Arlington Art Truck: Count Your Joys
April 8 | 8 a.m.-Noon
Pick up some fresh veggies and add some art to your life at this pit stop from the Arlington Art Truck. The roving gallery will be making a cameo at the Arlington Farmers Market with a new activation: Count Your Joys. In it, Arlington-based artist Heloisa Escudero invites visitors to quantify the things that bring them joy. // Arlington Farmers Market, 1400 N. Courthouse Road, Arlington. Free.
McLean Spring Fest
April 8 | 10 a.m.-Noon
Grab some bunny ears and a basket, and head to this rabbit-forward event. The festivities include an egg hunt, selfie opportunities with the Easter bunny and plenty of crafts. // McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Ave., McLean. $5 per person, children under 3 are free.
Easter at The Perch
April 8 | 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Kids and adults alike can have a blast at this sky-high weekend event, set at Capital One Hall’s sky park, The Perch. The littles can scramble for eggs, play putt putt, take their chances at sack races, and cozy up to bunnies and alpacas at a visiting petting zoo. As for the grown-up set, yacht rock will be flowing from Captain Seawalker and Starr Hill Biergarten will be open for beverages and munchies. // 1805 Capitol One Drive, 11th Floor, Tysons. $20 per children participating in the hunt.
Explore the National Children’s Museum
Ongoing | Open Daily 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (Closed Tuesdays)
If your family generally sticks to this side of the Potomac, spring break may be a great time to explore some of D.C.’s museum offerings. The National Children’s Museum has much to offer, including STEAM-focused, interactive exhibits that incorporate engineering, statistics, meteorology and more. // National Children’s Museum, Woodrow Wilson Plaza, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. $15.95 admission for adults and children age 1 and over.
Get Lost in an Escape Room
Ongoing | Open Monday-Friday 4-10 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Nothing fosters family bonding like working together to get everyone out of a locked room. Escape Room Arlington offers multiple spaces loaded with clues, codes and curious artifacts, including the Supervillains Room; here, participants are tasked with entering the world of comics and saving the land from escaped foes. // Escape Room Arlington, 2301 Columbia Pike, Suite C, Arlington. $75 admission.
Hang Out with Baby Lambs
Ongoing | Daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
News flash: More than two dozen lambs were recently born at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, home to Hog Island sheep, chickens, cattle and other animals whose breeds have called the estate home for centuries. Pop by the farm to meet the bleating babies, and check out the 16-sided barn replica while there. // George Washington’s Mount Vernon, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon
Paint Some Pottery
Ongoing | Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday Noon-5 p.m.
Get out of the house and summon your creative juices for a relaxing afternoon or evening at Clay Cafe. Pop in anytime without a reservation with your budding artists in tow, select an object you’d like to customize, and paint away! The studio will then fire your creation and prepare for pickup. // Clay Cafe Studios, 101 N. Maple Ave., Falls Church