# Things to do with kids in Alexandria, VA

> 16 upcoming family events and 1 places and ongoing programs in Alexandria, VA, in the Washington–Arlington–Alexandria area. Listings whose address ZIP code is in this county (Census Bureau ZIP-to-county file). Dates and times are Eastern Time. Today is Mon, Nov 2.

Source: Grassy Knees is a directory of real family events, places and programs for kids across major U.S. metro areas, where every listing is researched from the organizer’s own page and shows the date we last checked it. https://grassyknees.com covers 42 metro areas as of Nov 2, 2026, with more added regularly. About: https://grassyknees.com/about
Freshness: listings are re-checked on a daily research run (latest check 2026-11-01), and new events are added as organizers post them. Sell-outs, weather cancellations and time changes show up on the live page first: https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/counties/alexandria-city-va

## Events ahead

- [Nerf the Turf at Patrick Henry Recreation Center](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/nerf-the-turf-at-patrick-henry-recreation-center--listing-a84d966c338a2e86b054b795) — Fri, Nov 6 · 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM · Patrick Henry Recreation Center, Alexandria · Ages 7–12 · From $19 · checked Oct 20. Nerf the Turf is a Friday-evening foam-dart battle for kids ages 7 to 12 at Alexandria's Patrick Henry Recreation Center on November 6, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Beyond the battles…
- [Carlyle House Family Fun Day: It's Fall Y'all](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/carlyle-house-family-fun-day-it-s-fall-y-all--listing-b1cadd7a8bdf2582c7dd5cac) — Sat, Nov 7 · 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM · Carlyle House Historic Park, Alexandria · All ages · Free · checked Oct 16. Carlyle House Historic Park in Old Town Alexandria hosts Family Fun Day on the first Saturday of each month from March to November, and November's theme is fall. Families gather…
- [Bright Nights — The Winter Village at Cameron Run](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/bright-nights-the-winter-village-at-cameron-run--listing-2e1206c9ed5de503df8270dc) — Nov 14 – Jan 3 · 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM · Cameron Run Regional Park, Alexandria · All ages · From $9 · checked Oct 16. Bright Nights is NOVA Parks' winter village at Cameron Run Regional Park in Alexandria, running November 14, 2026 through January 3, 2027. Families walk among light displays and…
- [Family Field Day Frenzy — William Ramsay Recreation Center](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/family-field-day-frenzy-william-ramsay-recreation-center--listing-405c0ac02795f3da479c492b) — Sat, Nov 14 · 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM · William Ramsay Recreation Center, Alexandria · Ages 6+ · Free · checked Oct 16. Family Field Day Frenzy brings old-school field day games to William Ramsay Recreation Center. Families team up for relay races, tug-of-war, obstacle courses and team challenges…
- [2026 Holiday Tree Lighting - City of Alexandria](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/2026-holiday-tree-lighting-city-of-alexandria--listing-f549786f9d53871d76f6520a) — Sat, Nov 21 · 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM · Waterfront Park, Alexandria · All ages · Free · checked Oct 28. The City of Alexandria's annual Tree Lighting Ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 6 to 8 p.m. Santa arrives aboard the King Street Trolley, the tree is…
- [Owls! at Winkler Botanical Preserve](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/owls-at-winkler-botanical-preserve--listing-4a7f0bcd043ea66856b63538) — Sat, Nov 21 · 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM · Winkler Botanical Preserve, Alexandria · From $10 · checked Oct 16. Which owls live at Winkler Botanical Preserve, and what are they like? This one-hour program answers that by getting hands-on: families handle owl feathers and bones and take…
- [Be a Tree! Story Hike at Winkler Botanical Preserve](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/be-a-tree-story-hike-at-winkler-botanical-preserve--listing-f3d243b45bba4e8d360d43aa) — Sat, Nov 28 · 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM · Winkler Botanical Preserve, Alexandria · Free · checked Oct 16. On Thanksgiving weekend, Winkler Botanical Preserve offers a free story-and-hike program about trees. A naturalist reads the picture book Be a Tree! and then takes families on a…
- [Family Holiday Magic Show at The Lyceum](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/family-holiday-magic-show-at-the-lyceum--listing-aa6fdf7b90f937a0b7109798) — Sun, Nov 29 · 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM · The Lyceum, Alexandria History Museum · Free · checked Oct 24. The Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum hosts a free holiday magic show performed by professional magicians from Ring 50, the DC-area chapter of the International Brotherhood…
- [Alexandria Holiday Boat Parade of Lights](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/alexandria-holiday-boat-parade-of-lights--listing-297835f343ee6f83fae891f8) — Sat, Dec 5 · 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM · Waterfront Park, Alexandria · All ages · Free · checked Oct 16. Illuminated boats cruise along the Potomac River waterfront in Old Town as part of Alexandria's annual holiday celebration. Families can watch from Waterfront Park and the…
- [Family Winter Holiday FUN! — Chick Armstrong Recreation Center](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/family-winter-holiday-fun-chick-armstrong-recreation-center--listing-4fea2924335eaa63b021e8d8) — Sat, Dec 5 · 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM · Leonard "Chick" Armstrong Recreation Center, Alexandria · All ages · From $7 · checked Oct 16. The Leonard "Chick" Armstrong Recreation Center (formerly Cora Kelly Recreation Center) hosts a midday holiday party for families. Children build gingerbread houses, make crafts…
- [Scottish Walk Parade Open House at Carlyle House](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/scottish-walk-parade-open-house-at-carlyle-house--listing-bebff1569dabfcb0558538ab) — Sat, Dec 5 · 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM · Carlyle House Historic Park, Alexandria · All ages · Free · checked Oct 16. On the morning of Alexandria's Scottish Walk Parade, Carlyle House Historic Park opens its museum gates for a free holiday open house. Families can step inside the 18th-century…
- [Ship Biscuit Ornaments at the Alexandria Archaeology Museum](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/ship-biscuit-ornaments-at-the-alexandria-archaeology-museum--listing-cec8471d0d3500f06c23393c) — Sat, Dec 5 · 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM · Alexandria Archaeology Museum (Torpedo Factory Art Center, Suite 327) · All ages · Free · checked Oct 27. Ship's biscuits, like hardtack, were baked to last through long sea voyages, and a nearly complete 18th-century one was dug up at the Robinson Landing site on Alexandria's…
- [Old Town Gingerbread Decorating at Gadsby's Tavern Museum](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/old-town-gingerbread-decorating-at-gadsby-s-tavern-museum--listing-601793e45d3236ea7c912b04) — Sun, Dec 6 · 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM · Gadsby's Tavern Museum, Alexandria · From $25 · checked Oct 16. Gadsby's Tavern Museum turns gingerbread decorating into an architecture lesson. Each kit is a flat gingerbread facade based on a historic building near the museum, with all the…
- [Christmas in Camp at Fort Ward](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/christmas-in-camp-at-fort-ward--listing-24c43da1c64c9572e8183ba0) — Sat, Dec 12 · 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM · Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site, Alexandria · Free · checked Oct 28. Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site's annual Civil War Christmas in Camp shows how soldiers observed Christmas during the war. A Union Santa Claus, based on Thomas Nast's 1863…
- [Grinchmas at Charles Houston Recreation Center](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/grinchmas-at-charles-houston-recreation-center--listing-58364bee46f3f37be25a27e2) — Sat, Dec 12 · 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM · Charles Houston Recreation Center, Alexandria · Ages 2–5 · From $5 · checked Oct 16. Grinchmas brings a bit of Who-ville to Charles Houston Recreation Center for preschoolers ages 2 to 5. Little ones enjoy family-friendly holiday activities, take photos with the…
- [Alexandria New Year's Eve Fireworks 2026 — early 8 p.m. show and midnight](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/alexandria-new-year-s-eve-fireworks-2026-early-8-p-m-show-and-midnight--listing-02f5b996780aef88787fb31a) — Thu, Dec 31 · 8:00 PM – 11:59 PM · Waterfront Park, Alexandria · All ages · checked Oct 27. The City of Alexandria rings in 2027 with two fireworks displays over the Potomac River from Waterfront Park in Old Town. Families with young children can catch the early show at…

## Places and ongoing programs

- [Sportrock Alexandria Intro to Organized Youth Climbing](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/sportrock-alexandria-intro-to-organized-youth-climbing--listing-6b6d3a1577e737a13ff3e01c) — Ask the organizer for the current class schedule and enrollment. · Sportrock Alexandria · checked Oct 11. Eight-week coached introduction to climbing skills, confidence and group participation.

## Recently ended

- [Floating Pumpkin Patch at Chinquapin](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/floating-pumpkin-patch-at-chinquapin--listing-3820b5c440b2b4779f68f4c4) — ended Sat, Oct 31
- [Boo-Fest at Charles Houston Recreation Center](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/boo-fest-at-charles-houston-recreation-center--listing-33c17ab6d73e89c203246250) — ended Fri, Oct 30
- [Family Masquerade Ball — Mount Vernon Recreation Center, Alexandria](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/family-masquerade-ball-mount-vernon-recreation-center-alexandria--listing-5562bd5bf9d655093baf7cc4) — ended Fri, Oct 30
- [Family October Fest — Patrick Henry Recreation Center](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/family-october-fest-patrick-henry-recreation-center--listing-c1e3721ec7baded1772fc6fe) — ended Fri, Oct 30
- [Alexandria Public Safety Trunk or Treat](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/alexandria-public-safety-trunk-or-treat--listing-bdd1887c264696bd3084f977) — ended Thu, Oct 29
- [Ghosts, Goblins & Ghouls Monster Fun Run](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/ghosts-goblins-and-ghouls-monster-fun-run--listing-1fd62f53920c70f48fced747) — ended Sat, Oct 24
- [Hiking Day! Story Hike at Winkler Botanical Preserve](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/hiking-day-story-hike-at-winkler-botanical-preserve--listing-e84416b1e9c91d91eb2d58a7) — ended Sat, Oct 24
- [Spooky Mad Science Expo 2026](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/spooky-mad-science-expo-2026--listing-2dbe53b96be047221bdd739a) — ended Sat, Oct 17
- [STEM Explorers — Walkie-Talkie Circuits](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/stem-explorers-walkie-talkie-circuits--listing-1d68cd4168a9a0f24363e592) — ended Wed, Oct 14
- [LEGO Night — Beatley Library](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/lego-night-beatley-library--listing-6143c2de0984444bff37c343) — ended Tue, Oct 13
- [STEM Explorers — Game Console (Historical)](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/activities/stem-explorers-game-console-historical--listing-c05381428d635cd529b90155) — ended Wed, Oct 7

## Nearby

- Towns in Alexandria, VA: [Alexandria, VA](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/towns/alexandria-va) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/towns/alexandria-va.md)
- [Things to do with kids in Washington, DC](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc.md)
- [This weekend in Washington, DC](https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/this-weekend) (Markdown: https://grassyknees.com/washington-dc/this-weekend.md)

Town pages are listed once a town has 3 current listings, county pages at 10.