Tag Archives: Kids

August 6 is World Peace Day

Fuzzy Gerdes paper cranes

This day commemorates August 6, 1945 when the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. A young Japanese girl dreamed of creating 1000 paper cranes to release into the wind as a symbol of peace throughout the world. Each year at the Hiroshima Peace Park 1000 paper cranes are released into the wind in the hope that the death and destruction caused by war will never be repeated.

Check out the Au Pair in America Peace Pinterest Pinboard

Photo: Fuzzy Gerdes (Flickr)

Newseum KIDS FREE Summer Fun Deal

From the Newseum website:

Now through Sept. 1, 2014

The Newseum offers everything from the Berlin Wall and Pulitzer Prize-winning photos to interactive games. And this summer, there’s one more great reason to visit — kids get in free! July 1 through Labor Day, the Newseum waives admission for youth visitors age 18 and younger. Up to four kids visit for free with each paid adult or senior admission, or Press Pass membership.

Whether you have just a few hours or want to spend all day, you’ll find something for everyone in the Newseum’s 15 theaters and 15 galleries. Don’t miss “Anchorman: The Exhibit,” on display through Aug. 31, 2014, featuring props from the hit movies and a look at real 1970s news teams. Also see “One Nation with News for All,” opening May 16, 2014, a new exhibit that tells the dramatic story of how immigrants and minorities used the power of the press to fight for their rights and shape the American experience.

Time running short? Remember to save your admission ticket and come back the next day for free!

Create Your Own "Summer Bucket List"

The term “bucket list” was popularized in the 2007 Jack Nicholson/Morgan Freeman movie. The idea is to make a list of things you want to do before you “kick the bucket” (which is an idiom referring to death.) Even though that sounds kind of morbid, the idea has taken off as something much more positive and people create bucket lists to log the things they want to do at some point in their life.

With that said, a Summer Bucket list is a list of things to do before this summer ends.

Click here to print your own summer bucket list

Click here to print your own summer bucket list

Get lots of ideas to put on your list on our APIA Summer Fun Pinterest Board.

June is Zoo and Aquarium Month

Visit your local zoo or aquarium or set up a pretend zoo with play animals and blocks. Invite the host parents to visit your pretend zoo.

Read One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish or If I Ran the Zoo, both by Dr. Seuss. Encourage the children to make up their own animals and draw them.

Think of all the animal sounds you can and play a game guessing what animal you are. You may find that the same animal says one thing in America and something quite different in your own country!

Here are links to our local zoo & aquariums.

National Zoo – Washington, DC

Maryland Zoo – Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore Aquarium – Maryland

Photo: Joseph Bylund

Free & $1 Summer Movies

When the kids are out of school for the summer, one place to cool off is at the movie theater. Below are three theaters in different parts of our cluster area that are offering $1 or free kid’s movies each week of the summer.

Tips to maximize your free movie enjoyment:

  • Movie admission is $1, but bring additional money for popcorn and/or drinks, if desired.
  • I suggest you arrive at least 15 minutes early to get a good place to sit.  Some of the movies can be very popular and fill up.
  • Have all the kids make a bathroom stop before going into the movie.
  • Do your homework and google the movie that’s playing in advance to make sure it will be a good one for your child/ren.
  • As with any outing, ask your host parents before taking the child/ren to the movies.
  • If you take the kids to the movie in Silver Spring, check out the fountain in Silver Plaza afterwards. Bring a towel and a dry change of clothes for the kids.  It’s hard to resist splashing in the fountain.

After the movie, do activities related to the movie:

  • Ask the children what were their favorite parts of the movie.
  • Find crafts related to the movie to complete with them.
  • Let the children act out parts of the movies.  Use household items as props and dress up in costumes to make it more fun.

BOWIE STADIUM 14

15200 Major Lansdale Blvd, Bowie, MD, 301-262-9133

Doors open at 9:30 am, Movie starts at 10 am

6/10-6/11   Hotel Transylvania (PG), The Smurfs 2 (PG)

6/17-6/18   Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (PG), The Pirates: Band of Misfits (PG)

6/24-6/25   Arthur Christmas (PG), Despicable Me 2 (PG)

7/1-7/2       Lego Movie (PG), Free Birds (PG)

7/8-7/9       Adventures of Tin Tin (PG), Rise of the Guardians (PG)

7/15-7/16   Kung Fu Panda 2 (PG), Madagascar 3 (PG)

7/22-7/23   The Croods (PG), Epic (PG)

7/29-7/30   Turbo (PG), Walking with Dinosaurs (PG)

8/5-8/6       Mr. Peabody & Sherman (PG), Rio 2 (PG)


MAJESTIC STADIUM 20 & IMAX

900 Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring MD, 301-565-8884

Doors open at 9:30 am, Movie starts at 10 am

6/17-6/18   Hotel Transylvania (PG), The Smurfs 2 (PG)

6/24-6/25   Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (PG), The Pirates: Band of Misfits (PG)

7/1-7/2       Arthur Christmas (PG), Despicable Me 2 (PG)

7/8-7/9       Lego Movie (PG), Free Birds (PG)

7/15-7/16   Adventures of Tin Tin (PG), Rise of the Guardians (PG)

7/22-7/23   Kung Fu Panda 2 (PG), Madagascar 3 (PG)

7/29-7/30   The Croods (PG), Epic (PG)

8/5-8/6       Turbo (PG), Walking with Dinosaurs (PG)

8/12-8/13   Mr. Peabody & Sherman (PG), Rio 2 (PG)


Annapolis Harbour 9 (FREE)

2474 Solomons Island Rd, Annapolis, MD, 410-224-1145

Doors open at 9 am, Movie starts at 10 am

6/24-6/25   The Croods (PG)

7/1-7/2       Epic (PG)

7/8-7/9       Walking with Dinosaurs (PG)

7/15-7/16   Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (PG)

7/22-7/23   Ice Age 4: Continental Drift (PG)

7/29-7/30 Alvin & the Chipmucks: The Squeakquel (PG)

8/5-8/6       Alvin & the Chipmucks: Chip Wrecked (PG)

8/12-8/13   Mr. Peabody & Sherman (PG)

8/18-8/20   Rio 2 (PG)