Take a look at some fun ideas for how to fill the gap between waking and trick-or-treating time! We’ve got Rise & Rhyme, splashingly fun times at Rollingcrest, a Halloween Scream performance and more!
Rise & Rhyme
Every Monday morning from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m, this fun, weekly program promises to get the kiddos (usually best for those 5 years old and younger though any age welcomed) moving and entertained with interactive storytelling and musical performances. Check our my review for more!
When: Mondays, 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m-ish
Where: Busboys and Poets, 5331 Baltimore Avenue, Hyattsville, MD 20781. Rear parking lot.
Admission: $5 suggested donation at the door. Well worth it.
Watkins Regional Park Playground
This. Place. Is Awesome. Truly awesome Wizard of Oz-themed playground where you literally follow the yellow brick road under a rainbow arch as the Scarecrow shows you the way to your choice of six fun areas: Dorothy’s Farm House, Munchkin Land, the Emerald Forest, the Emerald City of Oz, the Balloon Escape, the Ruby Red Shoes. Playground, nature center and farm are free to explore and enjoy!
When: 9 am – 6 pm
Where: 301 Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro
Admission: Free!
Smaland at College Park’s Ikea
This is not a Halloween activity but for those looking to fill the time b/w wake-up and trick-or-treating, this could be a fun option:
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). At check-in, kids receive a name tag marked with the same number as what parent/guardian receives. Also get a beeper which sounds when it’s time to pick up or if Ikea needs to reach you. Tips: (1) Best to arrive earlier on in the day as day progresses, so do the entrances lines; & (2) Join Ikea Family while you’re there and the kids get an extra 30 minutes to play at Smaland (depending on capacity) while you get free coffee!
When: 10:30am – 7pm
Where: 10100 Baltimore Avenue, College Park
Admission: Free!
Rollingcrest’s Indoor Splash Playground!
This place is amazing! Basically, an indoor water park right here in PG. Specifically, includes a specialized water play area for pre-schoolers 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, the kids always have a blast.
When: 6:30am-8:30pm weekdays
Where: Rollingcrest Chillum Splash Pool, 6122 Sargent Road, Chillum
Admission: 2 & under are free! Ages 3-17: $5. Adults: $6
Trick or Trail
A fun activity for you and your bike-adept children! Celebrate and inaugurate the newly completed segment of the Anacostia River Trail with this invitation to #TrickorTrail, a fun bike ride to the ribbon cutting at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. Costumes are encouraged! Groups of rider will be leaving from Bladensburg Waterfront Park at 8:30 am and cycle to the ribbon cutting at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens at 9:15 a.m. (Ceremony itself at 10 am). There’ll be a pop-up pitstop with coffee and treats at Bladensburg.
When: 7:30-11 am
Where: Meet at Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Road
Admission: Free!
Halloween at PG Mall, Featuring Magician!
The Original High Energy Magic of Speed will perform his annual Halloween magic show, filled with high-energy magic, exciting and original stage illusions, audience participation and interaction followed by mall-wide trick-or-treating from 7-8 p.m.
When: 6 pm
Where: PG Mall, Center Court
Admission: Free!
Big Band Halloween Scream Performance
Screaming saxophones, wailing trumpets and spine-tingling piano are a thrill in this “spirited” evening of performances by the UMD Jazz Ensemble, UMD Jazz Lab Band and University Jazz Band. Tip: Neighbors with young children have attended such great, free performances at The Clarice and have described them as “laid back” with a recommendation to sit towards the back/near an exit so that you may gracefully leave when your kids run out of steam!
When: 7:30 pm
Where: The Clarice, Kay Theatre
Admission: Free!
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