TUESDAY
27
OCTOBER
Toddler & baby activities in Washington, DC this week
Browse story times, playgroups, music and movement, and open play for ages 0–5 in Washington, DC. We reviewed 6,000+ Washington-area events and found 60 toddler & baby activities between October 27 and November 2. Last updated October 27, 2026.
All toddler & baby activities in Washington, DC — October 27 – November 2
Creative drop‑in play about bats in the Bird House Classroom, with hands‑on activities for early learners and families, all ages welcome.
Sing, talk, read books, and enjoy parachute play with pre‑walking babies, followed by an hour of caregiver meet‑ups at Shepherd Park Library, for ages 5 and under.
Museum Educator reads a Native author or illustrator book, while caregivers and toddlers enjoy free play and sensory enrichment in the imagiNATIONS Activity Center, ages 0–2.
Spooky-season storytime with Halloween costumes and a haunted craft at Lamond‑Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Neighborhood Library, ages 5 and under.
Songs, bounces, scarves, shaker eggs, and parachutes fill 20‑30‑minute story times for infants and their caregivers at Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library, for ages 5 and under.
Baby and Toddler Story Time (Palisades Neighborhood Library) — 20‑30‑minute sessions with books, songs, rhymes and fingerplays for children birth to three, limited space, ages 5 and under.
Interactive toddler play on the Children’s Floor at Southeast Neighborhood Library develops pre‑literacy and social skills for ages 6 months to 5 years.
Music, dancing, storytelling and early literacy fill the 2nd‑floor reading area Tuesdays and meeting room Wednesdays, followed by playtime for ages 12 and under.
Thirty‑minute story time with books, songs, rhymes and movement at the Goethe‑Institut, hosted by Shaw Library staff, for ages five and under, first‑come, first‑served.
Sing, dance, and read together at Woodridge Library’s Children’s Balcony, encouraging super‑readers to learn, for ages 5 and under.
Baby & Toddler Story Time (Northeast Neighborhood Library) — 20‑30‑minute sessions of books, songs, rhymes and fingerplays for children birth to three, for ages 5 and under.
Play with Duplos in the Children’s Room at Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library, for ages 5 and under.
Story Time Tuesday at Benning (Dorothy I. Height) Neighborhood Library offers books, songs, rhymes, and movement to nurture early literacy, for ages 5 and under.
Story time with books, songs, rhymes, and movement followed by playtime at Anacostia Neighborhood Library, for ages 5 and under.
Family Story Time (Southwest Neighborhood Library) — 30‑40‑minute sessions with books, songs, rhymes and movement encouraging early literacy; ages 5 and under.
Stories and songs fill a 30‑minute program at Deanwood Neighborhood Library, featuring preschool‑aged tales and music, for ages 5 and under.
Preschool story sessions at Parklands‑Turner Neighborhood Library offer 30‑40‑minute readings and activities that develop language, listening and imagination, for ages 12 and under.
Ghost hunt through Hirshhorn galleries solving the mystery of footprints in Annette Lemieux’s 1988 Nomad, followed by read‑aloud, felt play and art project, for ages 6 and under.
WEDNESDAY
28
OCTOBER
Costumed ghost hunt in Annette Lemieux’s Nomad painting, with read‑aloud, art‑making, and gallery tour at Hirshhorn Museum’s Storytime Studio, for ages 6 and under.
Costume contests and baby races with healthy snacks at Rosedale Neighborhood Library — for ages 5 and under.
Stories and songs fill Coulter Plaza at the National Museum of American History, free for ages 5 and under.
Stories, songs, rhymes and fingerplays fill the Children’s Floor at Southeast Neighborhood Library in 20‑30‑minute sessions for birth‑to‑two children and caregivers, participation expected, for ages 5 and under.
Museum Educator reads a Native author or illustrator book, while caregivers and toddlers enjoy free play and sensory enrichment in the imagiNATIONS Activity Center, ages 0–2.
Legos in the Library — Lego building sessions at Lamond‑Riggs/Lillian J. Huff Neighborhood Library, with caregivers, for ages 2–6.
Parents and caregivers gather at Benning (Dorothy I. Height) Neighborhood Library to let babies and toddlers play with toys and make friends, for ages 5 and under.
Toddler & Me dance class at Hill Center DC introduces music, movement, balance, and basic steps with a parent or caretaker, for ages 18 months–36 months.
Story time followed by an hour of free play in the upstairs meeting room, with air cleaning and toy sanitizing, free tickets required, for ages 5 and under.
Music, dancing, storytelling and early literacy fill the 2nd‑floor reading area Tuesdays and meeting room Wednesdays, followed by playtime for ages 12 and under.
30‑40‑minute story sessions filled with books and activities encourage families to engage together, promoting language and literacy skills, for ages 5 and under.
Play hour at Francis A. Gregory Neighborhood Library offers building blocks, musical instruments, and toy cars for socializing and motor skill development, for ages birth to 12, adult‑accompanied.
Wonderplace (American History Museum, 1 West) — Hands‑on activities and touchable museum objects introduce history; first‑come, first‑served, free timed tickets; for ages 6 and under.
Family Story Time (Tenley-Friendship Neighborhood Library) — Books, songs, rhymes, and movement promote early literacy; tickets at the Children’s Desk, first‑come, first‑served, ages 5 and under.
Story time with books and activities at Chevy Chase Neighborhood Library, tickets required, for ages 5 and under.
Sing, talk, read, and move through books, songs, rhymes, and movement at West End Neighborhood Library — for ages 5 and under.
Strong Start Playgroup (Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library) — Early intervention professionals lead a child‑interest playgroup where children interact with peers and families receive development info, for ages 5 and under.
Fall story time at Rosedale Neighborhood Library with the public library, featuring family storytelling for ages 5 and under.
High‑energy ballet, tap, and jazz combo class mixes three dance styles in a 45‑minute session for ages 3–6 at Hill Center DC.
23 more events through Monday, November 2.
Questions
What counts as a toddler or baby activity?
An event the organizer lists for children 5 and under, or whose listing names babies, toddlers or preschoolers: story times, playgroups, music and movement, open play and parent-and-child classes.
Are these activities free?
Most are. Library programs are free; some classes, such as swim, gymnastics or music, charge a fee. Each event's page has the details.
How often is this list updated?
Every day. We collect events from public library, park and venue calendars and rebuild this page each night.
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