Ideas for taking siblings out ages 3-10

[Anonymous]

I'm a SAHM of 3 kids ages 3, 8 and 10. I find it more and more difficult to do outings with all 3 kids. As we prepare for spring break and summer, I would appreciate any and all ideas. We frequent museums but my 8 and 10 year olds no longer get excited. We have been going to the same museums since they were 1 and 3yo.

[Anonymous]

Where do you live?

Have you been to the Marine Corps museum yet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where do you live?

Have you been to the Marine Corps museum yet?

We live in Northern Virginia. My kids used to like the science center at Fair Oaks but we have been a few times over the past few years and my older kids are over it. I can probably take them there once this summer.

My older kids have aged out of playgrounds. They do like places like Dave and Busters but I hate that place.

[Anonymous]

-Hiking is great for all ages. Let the older ones bring a camera, binoculars, or a sketchbook if needed. National Park sites like Great Falls and Rock Creek Park have junior ranger booklets to complete if your kids might be into that.
-the zoo
-a museum chosen after “studying” a topic or time period at home— hone in on something that interests them
-battlefield parks
-mini golf

[Anonymous]

The new DC Children’s museum is worth a trip (not free). Anything physical like a nice hike. Parks like Rocky Run in Arlington where you can shoot hoops, ride bikes, and climb/play. Mini golf. Bowling. Arboretum. Skating.

[Anonymous]

I have 3 kids - ages 10, 8, and 5. We also live in NOVA.

The older two will still do playgrounds if I invite their friends to come too.

During the summer we spend a lot of time at the local pool. I would like to take them back to Cub Run. I have been considering taking them to check out the St James but haven’t done it yet. Other places we go: library, movies, sky zone or flight trampoline (flight might be better for you with the segregated toddler area), random stuff in DC - we most recently went to the Jane Gooddall exhibit at Nat Geo.

[Anonymous]

I have the exact same ages and feel your pain. The key to success seems to be going to places with an hr drive so that i 3 yr old get a car snooze and we can (hopefully) avoid meltdown at the museum. That and you need to give the older kids more autonomy. I stick with the 3 yr old and let the 8 and 10 yr old go off on their own as long as they stay on the same level I’m on or within certain exhibits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have the exact same ages and feel your pain. The key to success seems to be going to places with an hr drive so that i 3 yr old get a car snooze and we can (hopefully) avoid meltdown at the museum. That and you need to give the older kids more autonomy. I stick with the 3 yr old and let the 8 and 10 yr old go off on their own as long as they stay on the same level I’m on or within certain exhibits.

OP here. We recently got a membership to the Maryland Science Center. I think Port Discovery, the aquarium, Richmond Science Museum, Franklin Institute and the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia would be ok with the 3 kids.

[Anonymous]

Climb Zone
Flags Pond
Biking on Capital Crescent trail or similar with 3 yr old in a bike trailer
Kenilworth aquatic gardens
Anne Marie Sculpture garden has a fairy/gnome house tour all summer that is fun

[Anonymous]

Sign up for the Blast Pass and go bowling for free
Dave &Busters is 50% off on Wednesday
Monster mini glow golf in Chantilly
Skyzone, Flight,

-Mom to 4 kids (4 through 11)