Washingtonpost.com: Live Online

Every other Wednesday at noon, local experts from washingtonpost.com share their best bets for arts and entertainment options for kids and their families. Our group specializes in local dining, museum, sports and recreations, day trips, children's theaters and the special events that keep life in metropolitan Washington interesting.

We're happy to answer questions, but we need to hear from you too. Tell us about your favorite public swimming pool, a movie that wowed your family, a toy shop with a "do touch" policy, or a restaurant where pizza is as welcome on the floor as it is on the plate. This is an hour for kids of all ages: So if you have teenagers who need a night out without you -- or vice versa -- ask away. Together we can fill our calendars with memorable activities.

The transcript follows.

Our "With Kids" editor hosts each discussion, but the entire group will be sitting at the kids' table. If you need more ideas, see KidsPost and the Entertainment Guide.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

The Kids' Table: Ahhh, sweet, little February. But have you ever noticed? The shortest month in the calendar family is also one of the most active. (Remind you of anyone you know?) We (Anne, Matt, Maura, Alexa, Lynette and I -- Vicki) are at the Kids' Table, so let's get started, shall we?

Washington DC: What are some places around the area to take a 2 yr. old? We've already done the children's museum, the zoo, exploraworld, and will be taking her to the barney show this weekend. Any information you have would be helpful... thanks.

The Kids' Table: Have you been to the Adventure Theatre at Glen Echo (here's its Web site -- http://www.adventuretheatre.org/) or the National Theatre's free Saturday morning programs? Performances are at 9:30 and 11. Seats are on a first-come, first-served basis. I haven't yet been to one of these, but I plan to take my son (2) to the Babar story, read by Robert Aubrey Davis, on Feb. 22. -- Alexa

Washington, D.C.: This is not a question but a plug for a fantastic, free family event that will take place on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the National Building Museum. The Museum and National Engineers Week will jointly sponsor the Zoom into Engineering Family Festival. From 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., youngsters from elementary school through junior high can enjoy many hands-on activities dealing with all aspects of engineering.

Engineering is fun! This will also be the last day to see an engineering related exhibition: Me, Myself and Infrastructure, that Michael Sullivan on the Post has highly recommended for adults and families.

The Kids' Table: It's always nice to hear from a building; and the National Building Museum is one of the most impressive "in the neighborhood" even if nothing at all were going on inside. Thanks for joining us with a welcome reminder. -- Vicki

Garrett Park: GP again.

Forgot to mention, I recently organized a field trip for my daughter's Brownies troop. We had a mother-daughter afternoon tea at the London Tea House in Bethesda. The staff was great and there was plenty of delicious food - scones, sandwich selections, cream puffs, cookies. And the staff was very willing to give the girls the option of (real) hot cocoa, a sweet warm milk tea or juice. The tea house is very pretty and it was a very successful event that didn't cost us each a fortune.
LTH also books birthday parties, wedding & bridal showers (our Brownies group was 22).
They're at 4953 Bethesda Ave., (301) 656-9268 I believe.
They also serve lunches.

The Kids' Table: Hello Garrett Park. I'm glad to hear you had a nice time up there. I was slightly concerned by the $10 charge for pot of tea when I went. But you do seem to say that it was not a costly occasion. -- Alexa

Arlington, Va.: Hello! I was thinking about taking my kids to the Chinese New Year Parade, but was a little bit worried about the size of the crowd and safety for small children. Do you know how crowded the parade gets?

Thanks!

The Kids' Table: Hi Arlington, I (Lynette) went last year and had a great time despite crowd and cold. It was very crowded but children (from infants on up) made up a large part of that crowd. It's definitely a family and child-friendly event. There are fire-crackers, noise-makers, scarily painted dragons dancing around, all of which might be a concern for some but none of the children in attendance last year seemed frightened. We got there a little early and found some steps on a corner along the parade route that gave us a great view. We've been unable to pin down the parade's start time this year (and if any of our readers has more information, please chime in) but it seems like last year's event began around 1 p.m. and we got there about noon, which worked out just fine. Martial arts demonstrations began along the parade route in the streets before the parade, which were also a lot of fun to watch. Do bundle up for the weather, though.

Washington, DC: Can you tell us what time the Chinese New year parade starts on Sunday? I see it listed in the Post's events, but there's no starting time!

The Kids' Table: Hi Washington, as we noted earlier, we haven't been able to get ahold of the parade's organizers to find out the start time. Last year's parade began around 1 p.m., so it may again this year. If any of our readers knows the start time, please share!

Alexandria: Wondering if anyone has been to the Fun Company in Skyline Mall off Route 7. Is it appropriate for 2 and 3 year olds? Is it clean and other wise acceptable given the kind of yucky mall that it is in? Thanks very much!

The Kids' Table: Hi, Alexandria . . . We'll send your query out there early enough to get some feedback. And thank you for the opportunity to remind our table mates that Lakeforest Mall has a Chinese New Year celebration this weekend. Shop and drop in on it. -- Vicki

Beltsville, Md.: I am planning a birthday party for my kids, ages 6 and 7 and would like to do something different. Is there a company that you can rent go-karts from and have them drop the go-karts off at a site for you? I thought I saw an ad for this. Is this an age-appropriate activity?

The Kids' Table: Hi Beltsville, I'm afraid we haven't been able to find any places that will bring the karts to you (and if any of our readers knows of such a company, please let us know). One of the best places to go to for go-kart racing is Allsports Grand Prix in Dulles, VA. There are at least three tracks in southern Maryland, but those have closed for the season (Allsports is open). As to whether go-karts are age appropriate, the tracks take anyone over five years old, so your kids are definitely old enough. Hope this helps.

Arlington VA: I'm looking for fun kid-friendly restaurants where we can take our one-year old. We've been trying to expose him to some of the wonderfully diverse cuisine we have in the DC area but sometimes get poor service or feel unwelcome with a little one at our table. We love Generous George's, Rio Grande, and just tried out the ESPNZone this weekend (lots of visual stimulation there!)but are having a hard time coming up with new and fun places other than chain-type family restaurants. Do you know of any child-friendly sushi, dim sum, Indian, Middle-Eastern with fun atmosphere in the VA/DC area (close enough to travel there and have an outing between naps!)? Thanks for your help!

The Kids' Table: Arlington, the last time I was at the Lebanese Taverna in Pentagon Row, it was well after 9 p.m. and there were tons of kids about. It's a family-run business and they are entirely accomodating, as far as I have seen. Also in that complex is the new Noodles & Co. (1201 S. Joyce; 703/418-0001) which serves all nationality of noodle -- Thai, Japanese, Italian etc. and the place has the casual atmosphere that's necessary. Matuba for sushi (next to the Cinema and Drafthouse) is another goody. Anyone else got any tips? -- Alexa

Washington, D.C.: I have three daughters, ages 13,10,and 6. On the weekends, if they're not over at a girlfriend's or a cousin's house, we're in the house. When the weather is nice, we all go to the arboretum. My oldest does not want to interact with the girls who are her same age who live on our block because of the same ole materialistic views that they all have. I don't want her to isolate herself from them totally, but at the same time, they don't stimulate her mentally. My other two ladies are full of energy and they all love the arts and I mean every aspect of the arts. Please help me to find things for them to do maybe after school or on the weekend. Thank you.

Mrs. Diggs

The Kids' Table: Hello, D.C., and how lucky are your daughters that they already have an appreciation for the arts! That's great. Millennium Stage has free concerts and performances daily at 6 p.m., and it's always a good idea for children, because the informal setting allows you to leave at your leisure. The Edouard Vuillard exhibit at the National Gallery might entice your young ones with its vibrant colors and studied portaits of fashion and Parisian scenes. And you can always search our site for more kids events: right now there are many arts events as a part of Black History Month; also Jen can tell you about children's theater. -- Anne

Alexandria, VA: I'm always looking for places to take my 5-year-old daughter and I just heard that the new Krispy Kreme store in Alexandria is hosting a Kids Day this Saturday from 10-2pm. Supposedly there's going to be doughnut dunking stations for kids to decorate their own doughnuts, arts and crafts stations, a birthday club to sign-up for, and a fire engine on display. It sounds so wonderful! We will definitely be there.

The Kids' Table: Sounds fab.

Springfield, VA: Hello, I've asked this question to the regular GoG's and didn't receive an answer. Are there any local venues other than the big arenas where I can take my 14 year old and listen to a live rock band? Most of the bars in the area won't allow anyone in under 21 after 9pm, which is the time that most bands start playing.

The Kids' Table: Hello, Springfield. You sound like one cool parent. This is Fritz, the Bars and Clubs editor. The Black Cat and 9:30 club are always all-ages. You'll find alternative and independent bands at the former, and more MTV-friendly acts at the latter.

Closer to you, the Galaxy Hut in Arlington is all ages when it has live music (starting at 9:30 on Saturday, Sunday and Monday). You'll find plenty of local alternative rock there. You might also want to look at Jammin' Java in Fairfax. It gets some folk and coffeehouse acts in there, but I've seen some great local rock bands there, including Villa Rosie.

Croydon Creek: Has anyone held a birthday party at Croydon Creek Nature Center in the Rockville Civic Center Park? I'm thinking about it but I want to make sure it's worth the money ($160 for 2.5 hour party, includes a 1 hour nature walk with guide, an arts and crafts project, and the invitations; for up to 25 kids; you provide the cake). Just not having to clean the house is probably worth the money! Thanks.

The Kids' Table: Hi Croydon Creek, we'll throw this one out to the peanut gallery to see if other chatters have had birthday parties at Croydon Creek Nature Center and what their experiences were. According to nature center supervisor Valerie Oliver, the center has been open about a year and has done 90 to 100 birthday parties in that time. You (or your child) can choose any nature-related theme for the party. Their most popular programs are the ones where the kids get to touch the center's live animals (snakes, turtles and toads, oh my!) or spend a little less time with the animals and take a hike through the park's 120 acres. While anyone any age can have a party, most of the center's parties have been for kids ages 2 to 12. Other popular themes for parties have covered ladybugs, birds and dinosaurs. Thanks, Lynette

Alexandria, VA: Hello, my sister and her family are coming to DC 2/15-2/18. Will there be any closures due to the holiday on Monday? We have the ice-skating down, but what other ideas do you suggest for the kids (3 & 5)? I always stress because I always want everyone to have the best time! Can you help?

The Kids' Table: Hi, Alexandria, this is Anne, and I admire your advance planning. With preparations like yours, I'm sure there's no reason to stress, plus, you've picked a weekend when there's a lot going on. All Smithsonian museums will be open on the holiday, and Mount Vernon is not only open, it's free that day. If it's bearably warm, I bet the tykes would enjoy running about on its grand lawn. Or, take them to Alexandria's parade in honor of George. Check our Presidents Day page for more special ways to celebrate George and Abe during the three-day weekend.

kid-friendly restaurants...: we have 6 month old twins and although we don't go out often, cafe deluxe (in tyson's corner) is great. they have the "slings" for infant carriers, and then the regular high chairs. they also have paper and crayons for the kids - and a kid-friendly menu yet the menu for adults is excellent.

The Kids' Table: Yes, Cafe Deluxe is very nice to its young customers.

Garrett Park: 2 weeks ago was a question about affordable theatre for kids. I usually head towards The Puppet Co. in Glen Echo ($6 pp, but you can get a book of I think 10 tickets for $5 each) or Imagination Stage at BAPA ($7.50), and now the Black Rock Arts Center in Germantown & Gaithersburg Arts Barn in Kentlands are starting a weekend family series starting at $6-6.50. Compare that to Classika's children's theatre & puppet shows in Arlington - I believe they charge $14 at the door.

But there's also a bargain that will be in offered from now until March by the League of Washington Theatres. It's called "Stages for All Ages" and 1 child's ticket is free with each paying adult. Most of the shows are meant for older children (13-18) and I question some of those shows being offered to as young as 12-13 due to the graphic nature of some of the scripts I know of, plus some plays Iknow are very talky & almost 3 hours long. But a few shows are for "all ages" or kids as young as 5-7. Those would be shows at Imagination Stage, Discovery Theatre at the Smithsonian and the Sat. family matinees at the Stanislavsky Studio near DuPont Cir.

The website listing the shows: www.lowt.org, hit the button for "Stages for All Ages."

The Kids' Table: Thanks, Garrett Park. All are great ideas for affordable theater for kids. For "Stages for All Ages" click here. -- Maura

montgomery village mom: Hi, I work in Chinatown and I have heard that the parade will be at 2 pm on Feb.9th. Here's what I found about it on the web:
January 21, 2003

To celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on February 1, the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) of Washington, D.C. will organize a traditional Chinese New Year Parade on Sunday, February 9 on H Street, NW, between 5th and 9th Streets beginning at 2:00 p.m. The parade will make its way through Chinatown and around the MCI Center.

The annual event will feature traditional dragon and lion dances, firecrackers, martial arts demonstrations, and floats. All are invited to join the festivities and to welcome in Lunar Year 4701, the year of the sheep.

The Kids' Table: All right, Montgomery Village Mom, you get today's gold star. Thank you so much for helping us out. 2 p.m. it is, starting on the corner of H and 6th. We'll see you there. Lynette

Arlington, VA: Regarding the Adventure Theatre. What age ranges are best for these performances?

The Kids' Table: Hello, Arlington . . . here's our info on Adventure Theatre; looks like the ballpark age is 4 and 5. -- Vicki

Vermont Ave: Hello everyone! Looking for a nice restaurant to take my six year old for her "big girl day". Any suggestions for linen napkin places that won't turn their noses up at 6 year-old?
Thanks!!

The Kids' Table: Having just heard mention of Cafe Deluxe, I might recommend it again as a place to take a 6-year-old. The napkins, if we remember correctly, are linen and it certainly has the feel of a big person's restaurant. -- Alexa

Falls Church, VA: Going out with 1-year-old: We've got a 2-year-old and have gone out since her birth to one or the other of the wonderful Vietnamese/Chinese places in the Eden Center mall (7 Corners). Especially on Sunday it would be hard to find a place without kids in it; usually the restaurants are full of tables of three generations or so. Also Mark's Duck House has a great dim sum, same concept, a few blocks away.

The Kids' Table: Thanks, Falls Church, for passing along helpful info. Following your good example, here's our info on Mark's Duck House. -- Vicki

Fairfax VA: Re Fun Company in Skyline Mall: We have gone to two birthday parties there recently and were pleasantly surprised, especially at the cleanliness (there's two, one at either end: one for older kids, with video games; the other is on the NW end of the mall - enter the parking lot in the middle, tho!). I usually hate those things so my praise is well-earned! It's mostly the big climbing maze thing, but my daughter has always loved those and can happily spend a good hour at one.

The Kids' Table: Thanks, Fairfax, for sharing your experience. We'll have to visit -- I like the fact that the older and younger kids are not mixing it up (little doesn't usually do well in that combo) and clean is ever so nice to hear. -- Vicki

Ashburn,VA: Interested in involving my 1 1/2 yr old in a play class with others his age. Do you have any suggestions other than Gymboree or Little Gym? Thanks in advance.

The Kids' Table: Hi Ashburn. You're in-between Sterling and Leesburg (you knew that), both of which have county-run community centers with a variety of activities for all ages. One and one-half does tend to be an awkward age -- old enough to start exploring but not quite old enough for a lot of structured programs. This link takes you to a list of Sterling Community Center's preschool programs, which include everything from daycare to storytime. Leesburg has Ida Lee Park Recreation Center which has some art and aquatics programs for 18-month-olds. When your young'un hits two years old you'll have more choices than you'll know what to do with.

Alexandria, VA: I'm the one with the 11 yr old brother coming for the weekend. Anything else going on this weekend besides the New Year Parade? Also, is Hershey, PA worth the drive in February? Is there anything else to do there besides touring a chocolate factory?

Thanks

The Kids' Table: Hi, Alexandria. I grew up about 10 miles from Hershey and spent four high-school summers working in that factory tour. Sure, Hershey's a cute place to visit. The street lights are shaped like Hershey kisses, and there's that simulated factory tour, which shows you how they make chocolate, and there's a truly enormous gift shop, complete with indoor palm and banana trees for decorations, with more chocolate than you'll ever see in one place in your life. There's also beautiful countryside and other regional attractions you may enjoy. But besides that, there's nothing in Hershey that you can't find a better version of here: gardens, museums, ice hockey games, a zoo.
There are thousands of Love and Valentines are in the air; if only spring were. Keep warm and busy until the next time we meet (noon Wednesday, Feb. 19) with all that this active month offers, including Black History Month events and President's Day specials (no, silly, not sales).

Thanks to all for gathering at the Kids' Table today and let's talk again in two weeks. By the way and pretty please, if you submit your ideas and questions early, we can be quicker and better at responding -- well, I (Vicki) can only guarantee quicker.

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