What are some good family attractions in D.C.?

I am going with a group of toddlers and their parents.

I don't know when you are going - but t he Children's museum is now closed.

Some of the Smithsonian Museums have good stuff for kids, even little ones. The National Museum of Natural History is always interesting to kids, but be careful if big animals (stuffed) will scare your child. The dinosaurs are cool also. The Postal Museum, next to Union Station is surprisingly good for kids - with lots of colorful things to visit and have fun with. And of course the Zoo is good.

When my kids were small I would strap them in a stroller on a summer evening and walk down the mall monuments with them. There is plenty to look at, and if they don't have to walk, they are usually content. The Korean War Memorial is interesting to kids, and the lit up monuments in the evening are pretty.

One unknown gem, great for a toddler, is the National Aquarium. I don't mean the one in Baltimore, but the one on 15th Street near the Mall in the Commerce Building. It is small and in a basement, but all the colorful fish are of great interest to kids.

The National Gallery of Art, surprisingly, has a lot for kids, mostly older ones, but their sculpture garden, located between the NGA West Building and the National Museum of Natural History is a great place with a big fountain and some fanciful sculptures during the summer, and with an ice rink and some fanciful sculptures in the winter. Especially if you are planning a trip in warmer weather, this is a great place to spend some time.

Baltimore has a couple of interesting things for kids, including a great Children's museum that is hand's on and interactive. While the Capitol Children's museum is out of commission, that is a good option.

There are a number of great parks you can spend some time in. Just sitting on the mall is great, as is Rock Creek Park and West Potomac Park. The FDR memorial would be a good one for kids - rocks to climb on and the like, and lots of art that kids can get at least a little. They won't understand it, but they will enjoy it.

Don't spend time in line to go up the Washington Monument with small ones. Instead go up the tower in the Post Office Pavilion, just off Pennsylvania Avenue at 12th Street. The view is as good, and the lines are minimal. Lots less crowding, and the park service folks here are much friendlier (perhaps due to the lower stress nature of the place.)

Places to avoid:

The Spy Museum, the Holocaust Museum, the Air and Space Museum. Toddlers are just too small for what they have to offer and they can get scared by the big things in there. The Holocaust Museum is particularly bad for any child under 8. Your nightmares are made of these things.

The Art Museums, except the National Gallery.

Most of the Government buildings. Do not stand in line for hours to see the declaration of independence with a two year old! The exception might be the Capitol, where there is lots of statuary, and the tour only comprises about 5 rooms.

Hope this helps.

Addendum: On Mondays (but not Federal Holidays) Gadsby's Tavern, a colonial site in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, has a Toddler's day - where you can take your toddlers and they play in an historic manner, and you get to sit and relax at the Tavern.

Washington has Capital Children's Museum which is very educational for kids, you can also go to the botanical garden, Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, National Air and Space Museum, and National Zoo. The kids will enjoy the tour to those places.

Washington, DC has many fun museums for kids, so I would recommend purchasing a book at a bookstore (really helps!) One famous museum is the Spy Museum, but depending on how old the kids are, they might be too young. Also, if it isn't too cold, they have a merry-go-round that toddlers might like! And if you go the Sunday before St. Patrick's Day, there's a HUGE parade, although it can get pretty chilly!

To correct the first answer, be aware that the Capital Children's Museum is currently closed, pending construction of a new building.