March 27th = School’s Out!

March 27th.  It’s Monday.  And Prince George’s County schools are closed for students today (Professional Day for Teachers).  Boy oh boy.  While proverbial and actual clouds are in the forecast, it’s to be about 70 degrees so sharing some some cool, local ways to make this day a fun one!

Rise + Rhyme (Ages 0-5)
9:30 am Rise + Rhyme = music & storytime for 0-5 crew. May even be able to enjoy a coffee and/or some food while your lil one boogies on down! See my review here: http://bit.ly/2nU1ika
When: Mondays, 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m-ish
Where: Busboys and Poets, 5331 Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville
Cost? $5 suggested donation at the door. Well worth it.

Storytime on Screen @ Old Greenbelt Theatre (Best for ages 0-5)  
Storyime on screen + popcorn + crafts?  What more do you need?  Read my review here: bit.ly/2nChru7
When: 10:30-11:30am
Where: Old Greenbelt Theatre,
Cost: Free!
** Never checked out Storytime on Screen at the Old Greenbelt Theatre? Check out our review

Patuxent Research Refuge (All Ages)
Get outdoors and take the kid(s) for a stroll through the Patuxent Research Refuge – inside & out!  Check out my review & ideas on prep here!
When: 9am-4:30pm
Where: 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop, Laurel, MD 20708
Cost: Free! 

Rollingcrest’s Indoor Splash Playground!  (All Ages)

Great for kids of all ages!  Specialized water play area with slides and spray features, family pool with water slides and spray features, a vending area and shower /changing facilities with lockers (lockers are available but require you to bring your own lock).  While parts of the facility are dated, kids always have a blast. 
When: 12-5pm
Where: Rollingcrest Chillum Splash Pool, 6122 Sargent Road, Chillum 
Admission:  2 & under are free! Ages 3-17: $5. Adults:$6

Kids Passport to Maryland – Laurel Library (All ages)
Families and children are invited for an afternoon of hands-on history activities, from churning butter to discovering dinosaurs!  On a related note, if you haven’t yet visited the newly renovated library, now’s your chance!  So many hands-on activities to keep them occupied – including a Smart Table and pretend play area – and enough computers/reading nooks for even older kiddos to have a place to themselves. Bonus:  There’s even a playground adjacent to the library, so they’ll get to flex their brain and body muscles with this visit!
When: 1-5pm (Library hours) – 3-7pm (Kids Passport Event)
Where: Laurel Library, 507 7th Street, Laurel
Cost: Free!

Puppet Show! (Ages 2-10)
Enjoy a nature-themed puppet show & meet an animal.
When: 2-3pm
Where: Watkins Nature Center, 301 Warkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro
Cost: $3 

Smaland at College Park’s Ikea (All Ages) 

Credit: Ikea

Free, 1 hour, supervised, enclosed, safe & clean play area near the entrance.  Enjoy some shopping or just relax/eat/peoplewatch at the restaurant upstairs while your young one(s) has a blast at Smaland.  Children must be potty trained and be 37” to 54” tall (so children typically b/w ages of 3-6).  Tips: (1) Best to arrive earlier on in the day as day progresses, so do the entrances lines; & (2) Join Ikea Family & kids get extra 30 minutes to play (depending on capacity) & you get free coffee! 
When: 10:30am – 7pm
Where: 10100 Baltimore Avenue, College Park
Admission: Free!

PLAYGROUNDS! 

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.
When: Sunrise to sunset…
Where: 3400 Stanford St, Hyattsville
Cost: Free! 

Indian Creek Playground (All Ages)
Any time this weekend, check out this really fun and creative playground designed after Berwyn Heights’ earliest residents – a group of Algonquian people known as Nacotchtank.  Kiddos will have  a blast climbing teepees, in an out of canoes and up and down dream catchers.  If you get hungry afterwards, check out
When: Sunrise to sunset
Where: 8900 56th Avenue, Berwyn Heights
Cost: Free!  

Paint Branch Parkway Park Playground (All Ages)
Get outside and check out this recently renovated playground, rivaling any great playground you’ve been to in DC, NYC or anywhere! Among other great things, its fireman’s pole use a fun hydraulic lift to boost kids (and adventurous adults…) up and down a log plank is a blast! (I know some folks have had trouble locating this playground, so sharing some notes from our recent visit: If heading north on Route 1, make R on to Campus Drive, pass Aviation Museum, pass Ice Skating rink and shortly thereafter, will see small sign for “Calvert Road” (as well as sign for “Paint Branch Parkway” & “Disc Golf”).  Make L and playground will be down a bit on your left.)
When:  Sunrise to sunset
Where: 5202 Campus Drive (if old GPS, enter 5202 Paint Branch Parkway), College Park 
Cost: Free!  

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