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Kids Korner |
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Did You Know?
- There are 31 bathrooms and 132 rooms in the White House, including a lot of offices for the people who work for the President. But there weren’t always indoor bathrooms. The earliest Presidents had to use an outhouse on the grounds! The President and his family don’t live in all of those rooms; they live on the top floor. You can contact your Congressman in advance and request a VIP tour. You can also request a VIP tour of other Washington sites including the Supreme Court and, of course, the Capitol. Check out the White House website for kids at www.WhiteHouse.gov/kids. You can also sign up one month in advance of your trip for a regular White House tour by calling (202) 456-7041.
- A lot of kids and pets have lived in the White House—everything from Caroline Kennedy’s pony named Macaroni to Russell Harrison’s pet goat named Old Whiskers (who once escaped down Pennsylvania Avenue!). The Clintons had a cat named Socks and a dog-named Buddy. President Bush has two dogs named Barney and Spot.
- President Clinton was the first President to get e-mail in 1993.
- The 36 columns outside the Lincoln Memorial represent the 36 states that existed when Abraham Lincoln died. Lincoln had a secretary named Kennedy who warned him to cancel his night at the Ford Theater, where he was shot. Former President John F. Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln who suggested he skip his trip to Dallas, where he was assassinated. It’s really fun to visit the Lincoln Memorial at night. Visit: www.nps.gov/linc
- The U.S. government is based in Washington, D.C., but a mayor and a city council run the city. Washington, D.C., residents don’t have a voting representative in Congress, either, although they pay federal taxes. Washington isn’t a state or part of any state because it’s a federal district created to be the seat of government. It’s named, of course, for George Washington, and the Columbia in the District of Columbia is named for Christopher Columbus. Check out www.washington.org.
- There are no skyscrapers in Washington, D.C. One monument, though, is taller than all the other buildings—the Washington Monument. It is 555 feet, 5 1/8 inches tall. Advance tickets to the monument are available through the National Park Service Reservation System. Call 1-800-967-2283 or visit www.nps.gov/wamo/ for more information.
- The Capitol building is where the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate meet – in separate “chambers.” Check out the dome in the center of The Rotunda. The painting is called The Apotheosis of Washington. Apotheosis means “to rise up” and the painting shows George Washington rising up into the clouds. Stop in and visit your Congressman or Senator or arrange a tour. You can email your Congressman from http://www.house.gov/writerep and link to your Senators’ offices from www.senate.gov.
- The Smithsonian Institution is really 14 different museums, including the National Zoo where you can meet Giant pandas Mei Xiang and Tian Tian and the baby Tai Shan. Kids especially like the National Air and Space Museum where you can see flying machines from the Wright Brothers’ Kitty Hawk Flyer to the Apollo 11 Command module. You can touch the bugs at the Insect Zoo at the National Museum of Natural History. Don’t miss the hands-on areas just for kids and in the summer, the world’s oldest carousel on the Mall. Check out www.si.edu and the site especially for kids: www.smithsonianeducation.org/students/.
- A 21-year-old architecture student, Maya Lin, won the design contest for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which honors the soldiers who were killed, were prisoners of war, and those who remain missing in action today. Their names are all listed chronologically on the monument. The “Wall,” has become the most visited memorial on the National Mall. Visit: www.nps.gov/vive/.
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt served longer than any other president—12 years and 39 days. He died in office very early in his fourth term. No other president has, nor likely will, serve more than two terms. In 1951, the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was passed, limiting presidential terms to two four-year terms. You can visit the FDR Memorial: www.nps.gov/fdr/.
- The Library of Congress is the biggest library in the country. It’s got 535 miles of bookshelves! But there aren’t just books here. This is the place to see Houdini’s magic tricks, the Wright Brothers’ flight log books and more: www.loc.gov. But you won’t find the original Declaration of Independence here. It’s at the National Archive. Visit: www.archives.gov.
- Washington, D.C., was without a major league baseball team for 34 years, from the time the Washington Senators left (to become the Texas Rangers) until 2005 when the Washington Nationals (formerly Montreal Expos) came to town. If you visit in the spring or summer, you can go to a game. See the schedule at: www.nationals.mlb.com. Or, depending on the season, you can see the Washington Redskins play football: www.redskins.com or the Washington Wizards or the WNBA team the Washington Mystics play basketball: www.nba.com/wizards and www.wnba.com/mystics.
- The annual spring Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates the spring and the gift of 3,000 cherry trees to the United States by the Tokyo mayor in 1912. There’s always a big parade. See: www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org.
- Every Easter since 1878, the President invites young kids to the South Lawn of the White House for the annual Easter Egg Roll. See: www.whitehouse.gov/easter/2006/.
What Other Kids Say You Should Do While In Washington, D.C. . . .
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Kids, Tell Your Parents . . .
- There is so much to see in and around Washington, D.C., that you won’t see half of it during your first visit. Many of the city’s museums are free, so you can come back more than once. There are some good websites and books to help you plan. Start with www.washington.org. If you’re visiting in late spring or summer, find one with a pool like the Holiday Inn Central, Doubletree Guest Suites Hotel, or the Hilton Washington. Kids also like the Hotel Helix (www.hotelhelix.com), the Georgetown Suites, Embassy Suites, and Homewood Suites.
- Check out Fodor’s Around Washington, D.C. with Kids, Frommer’s Washington D.C. with Kids, and The Unofficial Guide to Washington, D.C. (all available at local bookstores and on websites like www.amazon.com).
- You may want to use public transportation to get around town, so make sure your hotel is near a Metro stop (See: www.wmata.com). Another good bet is the on-off Washington Old Town Trolley tours (See: www.historictours.com) that includes a running commentary about the city and various sites. You can get off at any of the major sites and catch the next trolley when you’re ready to leave. The company Children’s Concierge (See: www.kidsgotoo.com) can organize special tours and itineraries for your family and Washington Walks (See: www.washingtonwalks.com) also offers some kid-friendly tours.
- More than 30 area theaters offer a free ticket for kids age 17 and under for each adult ticket bought with some exceptions (See: www.lowt.org). The Kennedy Center has an ongoing calendar of family events at www.kennedy-center.org.
- Let the kids help plan the itinerary so you make sure to see the monuments and museums that especially interest them. And make sure to leave time to play in the park, (Rock Creek Park and Nature Center is a great bet and includes a planetarium. See: www.nps.gov/rocr) or visit the zoo. The National Mall around the reflecting pool between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial (See: www.nps.gov/nama/) is a great spot to relax and people-watch because you don’t want to overdose on history! Remember, all of the monuments will be here on your next visit!
You also might want to see:
- Arlington National Cemetery where the kids can check out the grave site of John Lincoln Clem, a Civil War Drummer Boy who was only 12 when he became an active duty soldier. Visit www.arlingtoncemetery.org.
- Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home, outside of Washington, D.C., in Virginia where there are many activities designed for kids. Visit www.mountvernon.org.
- Hirshorn Gallery and Sculpture Garden, the Smithsonian’s modern art museum where there are special “Young at Art” programs. Visit http://hirshhorn.si.edu/.
- The National Postal Museum, next door to Union Station, where kids can make a souvenir postcard or learn about the Pony Express. Visit www.postalmuseum.si.edu/.
- The International Spy Museum where kids can test their skills as junior spies, learn about the history of espionage, and participate in the kids spy program. Visit www.spymuseum.org.
- The National Gallery of Art with special tours for kids, drop-in workshops, and ice skating at the Sculpture Garden ice rink in the winter. Visit www.nga.gov.
- The National Geographic Explorers Hall which includes an 11-foot globe (the biggest in the world). Visit www.nationalgeographic.com.
- The National Museum of Health and Medicine (for science-minded kids) which has the world’s biggest collection of microscopes and the bullet that took Abraham Lincoln’s life. Visit www.natmedmuse.afip.org.
- The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum that includes a special children’s exhibit, called Daniel’s Story, which follows a young boy from his comfortable middle class life to being caught up in the Holocaust. Visit www.ushmm.org.
- The Bureau of Engraving and Printing where kids can watch money and stamps being made. Visit www.bep.treas.gov.
See Past Editions of Kids Korner.
By: Eileen Ogintz, Author of Taking the Kids™
