Why You Should Add DC’s National Children’s Museum to Your Itinerary!

When I mapped out our 4 day Washington, DC Itinerary, the National Children’s Museum was no where on my radar. Boy…am I glad we veered away from our original plan and made the decision to visit the National Children’s Museum. In a word, it was amazing! Honestly, it was exactly what my kids needed to experience to help break up the monotony of visiting museums and monuments. It gave them an opportunity to let off some steam and be kids.

The National Children’s Museum sparks curiosity in STEAM for children ages 12 and under. STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) activities help develop soft skills (creativity, problem-solving, collaboration), increase engagement and motivation, and help personalize learning experiences for children. The activities help capture their interest in fun, engaging, and innovative ways.

Pro-Tip: Sensory backpacks are available to borrow at no cost. They include noise-reduction headphones as well as fidgets to help ease sensory stimulation. There is also a quiet room on-site.

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Exhibits at the National Children's Museum

Dream Machine

The centerpiece of the museum is the Dream Machine, a massive three-story climber and slide designed for kids 5 and up. The Dream Machine is a futuristic play space consisting of space-like orbs, climbing nets, and a fun, twisty slide. The Dream Machine is wheelchair accessible at multiple points.

The play structure, inspired by clouds, encourages kids to slide, crawl, climb, and explore the structure. It encourages them to use their imagination while testing their balance, strength and agility. Children learn problem solving, risk management, planning, motor fitness and spatial and directional awareness all while having fun!

Little Dreamers

This zone was designed for children 0-3. Little ones can take flight in this cloud and aviation themed area. Kiddos can engage in sight and sound exploration and develop gross and fine motor skills. They work on discovering light and shadow, using their imagination, exploring their senses and testing their limitations.

Innovation Sandbox

Our oldest couldn’t get enough of this interactive exhibit! In this super fun weather inspired interactive exhibit, kids have the opportunity to shoot bolts of lightning, make it rain, create clouds, and more in this technology forward space. How is this possible, you might ask? With a little magic, green screen technology and the simple wave of the hand!

Kids learn cause and effect, decision making, and how their actions are connected to others and the world.

Art + Tech

This fun, interactive space is presented by Nickelodeon. Kids can join SpongeBob SquarePants and the PAW Patrol Crew and learn about building, design, aerodynamics, probability, and light and shadow.

Oh…and of course, there’s slime! Don’t worry, it’s amazingly mess free! The Slime Fun House allows visitors to explore and experience the iconic green gook without getting messing.

In the PAW Patrol Rescue Training section, kids can fight art-fully represented “fires” with Marshall, join Rubble in constructing buildings and create flying machines with the one and only Skye

Data Science Alley

This section, presented by Amazon, is designed for kids 5 to 12. Data Science Alley features a super fun, playful scatter plot where visitors use a magnetic disk to track how high they can jump.

Our kids favorite part was a Pom Pom Poll which is a playful twist on the classic pneumatic-tube system. The drop a pom pom into a tube and watch it travel up to the ceiling before dropping to the ground.

Little Movers

This is another space designed with littles in mind. Kids 0-3 can enjoy this free-movement play space that encourages kids to build gross and fine motor skills.

Engineering Games + Play

Another one of our favorite parts of the National Children’s Museum was the Engineering Games + Play section. Here, kids could design, build, and race vehicles down an adjustable track.

There are also several sports themed STEAM activities like shooting a basketball with a wind machine, scoring a homerun, and more.

Tinkers Studio

The creative hub of the National Children’s Museum is presented by Microsoft. In the space, kids are encouraged to design, create, build, and play based off the of the skills they have acquired in the museum.