Kids' Activities In Washington, D.c.

Sightseeing options for kids in Washington, D.C. range from the Smithsonian museums to the National Zoo. The nation’s capital, however, isn’t just a city for spectators. The District of Columbia offers kids a menu of sporting options to stay fit. Kids can choose to learn a variety of sports, including non-mainstream activities.

Golf

The First Tee of Washington, D.C. program teaches kids how to play golf and aims to instill values including honesty, integrity and responsibility. Instruction is at the city’s Langston Golf Course and the East Potomac Golf Course. The six-week sessions are in spring, summer and fall. The World Golf Foundation runs the national First Tee program with support from the PGA Tour, the United States Golf Association and other golf organizations.

Ice Skating

Kids can learn three ice-related sports at the Fort Dupont Ice Arena. The venue offers figure skating, speed skating and ice hockey lessons. Additionally, the arena offers public skating sessions. The National Park Service owns the arena, and it’s operated by the Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena.

Organized Sports

Washington’s Department of Parks and Recreation sponsors seasonal youth sports leagues. Kids can play organized basketball, baseball, football and soccer. They can also join a boxing program, a track and field club and a cheerleading and dance team.

Rugby

Rugby isn’t a sport found in many American cities. The popular European sport, however, has a presence in the nation’s capital. The Washington, D.C. Youth Rugby club was founded in 2004 by the Washington Rugby Football Club. The club has teams that compete in under-11, under-13, under-15 and under-19 competitions. Rugby is similar to American football.

Swimming

Kids can have water fun in Washington.The city's Department of Parks and Recreation operates five children’s pools, developmental pools ranging in depths of 1 to 3 feet. The city also has eight spray parks that shoot up water to cool off kids. Children 5 to 18 can compete on two swim teams, DC Wave and the Takoma Park D.C. Swim Team.