Family Day Trips in Maryland for the age of Make Believe

Is your child at the age where the mention of pirates or princesses can inspire hours of imaginative play?  Hand them a stick and the sword fighting begins, provide a pair of mom’s fancy shoes and a tea party ensues.  At Pirate Adventures we love this age and encourage make-believe.  These 5 Family Day trips in Maryland are perfect for kids who are ready to explore the stories they have read at home.  These family day trips in Maryland take the backyard games and make them a little more real.  The look on a five-year old’s face when he or she is hauling a real treasure chest out of the water or climbing aboard a real fire truck for the first time is a priceless memory for any parent.  Check out our list and leave a comment with your own special places for kids that inspire a child’s imagination.

Pirate Adventures on the Chesapeake

Pirate Adventures on the Chesapeake is centrally located in Annapolis and makes a great family day trip from just about anywhere in Maryland, DC, and Northern VA.  We say our trip is age appropriate for children ages 3-9.  The experience is about two hours long and begins with face painting and dress-up.  Once the young pirates are dressed up and looking the part we take them on our a pirate ship in search of sunken treasure marked with an X.  Water purchase generic valtrex Cannons aboard the ship are used in defense of the stinky Pirate Pete and the crew of little pirates follow along with a story they will be telling in backyards for months.  We hear from many parents that their kids played pirate all summer long after joining us on a Pirate Adventure.

AnnMarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center

This garden in Southern Maryland is a find for families who want their kids to be able to be kids and explore art in a family-friendly atmosphere.  The AnnMarie Sculpture Garden is a winding path through the forest and they allow bikes, scooters and even pets in the garden.  The exhibit that makes this a perfect day trip to spark your child’s imagination is a collection of fairy houses and gnome houses scattered throughout the garden.  There are at least 50 houses, one about every 50 feet.  Watch as your children discover each fairy house hiding in the woods.  The path ends in an enchanted forest setting with campfire circles and castle playhouses.  AnnMarie is our favorite place to visit with kids in the spring.

Imagination Stage

Imagination Stage, a children’s theater is located in downtown Bethesda.  Take your kids to one of their interactive performances in the Reeve Theater for a more intimate setting.  Kids get the chance to take part in the shows often times they get to sit in a circle around the “stage”.  Music, lights, and storytelling at its best!

B and O Railroad Museum

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum is perfect for the younger set obsessed with trains. Your kids can live  the life of Thomas or Chuggington at this museum complete with a roundhouse.   Located in Baltimore this is a nice place to avoid the crowds at the Aquarium and the Science Center.  There are model trains, real trains to climb on and you can board a train for a short ride.

Maryland Fire Museum

Located just outside of Baltimore at the Maryland Fire Museum the kids can climb on a real fire truck.  They provide firefighting gear for dress-up and the kids can pull a fire hose and ring the firehouse bell.  This small museum is perfect for kids who play with model fire trucks and are ready to see the real thing.

Enjoy exploring Maryland with your kids and leave a comment if you have found a unique place to let the kids use their imagination.

Looking for more ways to encourage your child’s imagination?  Check out these posts:

• Parents Magazine – The Magic of Make Believe
• Washington Post – Robin Hood at the Kennedy Center
• Pirate Adventures – Pirate Playgrounds in MD, DC, and VA
• Pirate Adventures – Pirate Treasure Hunt Ideas
• Today’s Parent – How to Encourage Creative Play