Looking for fun activities for preschoolers during the month of September? There are plenty of activities on the calendar from story times to nature series and festivals to all around fun that will appeal to preschool-aged kids and their families in Maryland. Whether you live in Annapolis or Baltimore or anywhere in between, there is something on our list just for you and your preschooler.
Updated Sept. 2016
2 Friday
Greenbelt Labor Day Festival
Sept. 2-5. Amusement rides, carnival games, live bands, entertainment, food, sports, art and photo contests, used book sale, Labor Day parade and more. Free. Hours vary daily. Roosevelt Center, Greenbelt. greenbeltlaborday.com
3 Saturday
Solomons Island Kite Day
Celebrate kites with Wings Over Washington Kite Club. Bring your own kite or make one. Free; kite kits, $5 (cash only). 10am-4pm. Glascock’s Field, Solomons. 410-326-2042, calvertmarinemuseum.com/233/Annual-Events
Nature Scavenger Hunt
Be a detective for the day and find out what is in the woods. Prizes awarded to every participant who completes the scavenger hunt. $5. Noon-2pm. Carrie Murray Nature Center, Baltimore. 410-396-0808, carriemurraynaturecenter.org
Turtle Time
Hear a turtle story, make crafts, meet live turtles and more. Registration required. Ages 3-6. Members, $2; nonmembers, $4; family rate, $10. 1-2pm. Benjamin Banneker Historical Park & Museum, Catonsville. 410-887-1081, facebook.com/events/947184185407564
4 Sunday
Annapolis First Sunday Arts Festival
Arts and craft show featuring local and regional artists, live music, dance, street performers, food and more. Free. 11am-5pm. Calvert and West streets, Annapolis. firstsundayarts.com
People’s Party in the Park
Old fashioned Labor Day celebration. Music, food, old car show, children’s activities and more. Free. Noon-6pm. Fountain Park, Chestertown. 410-778-3500
Family Movies on the Potomac
Watch “Tomorrowland,” rated PG. Shown on the plaza screen. Bring chairs. Free. 6pm. National Harbor. nationalharbor.com
6 Tuesday
Back to School Breakfast Parfait
Children’s culinary workshop using all-natural ingredients. Registration required. $5. 11-11:45am. Whole Foods Market, Annapolis. 410-573-1800, wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/Annapolis
Imagine Mars
Learn about Mars and NASA’s plans to send people to Earth’s “sister planet.” Activities and crafts. Free. 4-7pm. Largo-Kettering Library, Upper Marlboro. 301-336-4044, pgcmls.info/website/branch/location/LargoKettering
7 Wednesday
Wearable Tech
Make a high-tech fashion bracelet using felt, LEDs, conductive thread and your imagination. Free. 4-5:30pm. Crofton Library. 410-222-7915, aacpl.net/location/crofton
Dog Days of Summer Dog Swim
Bring your dogs to the pool for a swim. $10. 4-7pm. Truxton Park Pool, Annapolis. 410-263-7958, facebook.com/AnnapolisRecreation
8 Thursday
Prince George’s County Fair
Sept. 8-11. Racecars, beautiful baby contest, rides and more. $5-6. Thurs. and Fri., 5-10pm; Sat., 11am-10pm; Sun., 11am-6pm. Show Place Arena, Upper Marlboro. countyfair.org
9 Friday
Fall Fun Festival
Sept. 9-Oct. 31. Corn maze, giant pillow, petting zoo, giant slides, cow train and more. Weekdays, $7.50; weekends, $10.25. Season passes available for $32.50. 10am-6pm. Gaver Farm, Mt. Airy. 301-865-3515, gaverfarm.com
10 Saturday
Indian Discovery Day
Explore and celebrate Indian life and culture. Learn skills, try crafts, watch demonstrations and more. $10; students, $6; ages 5 and younger, free. 10am-4pm. Historic St. Marys City. 240-895-4990, visitstmarysmd.com/events-entertainment/indian-discovery-day
Children’s Day: Nature, Art and Play
Hands-on learning stations, educational presentations, crafts, music, magic shows and more. Free with admission. $18; ages 2-12, $9. 11am-4pm. Ladew Gardens, Monkton. 410-557-9570, ladewgardens.com
Kids Pirate Pizza Cruise
Dress like a pirate, eat pizza and cruise the Patuxent River. Registration required. $15. 11:30am-1pm. Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons, 410-326-2042, calvertmarinemuseum.com
Summer Sendoff
Food, drink specials, live music, relay races, kids activities and more. Free; fee for some activities. 5-10pm. Downtown Cambridge. 443-477-0843, cambridgemainstreet.com
11 Sunday
Police Pace
Family-friendly 5K with all proceeds benefitting families of officers killed or injured in the line of duty. Displays of police equipment, motorcycles and K9s. Face painting, balloon animals and more. $19-45 to participate; spectators, free. 8:30am. Centennial Park, Ellicott City. 410-313-3200, policepace.com
Arts Festival
Live performances, art and food vendors, and children’s activities. Free. 3-8pm. Fairwood Community Park, Bowie. pgparks.com
Family Movies on the Potomac
Watch “Wreck it Ralph,” rated PG. Shown on the plaza screen. Bring chairs. Free. 6pm. National Harbor. nationalharbor.com
12 Monday
Full Steam Ahead
Interact with books, crafts and experiments while exploring science, technology, engineering, art and math. Ages 4-8. Free. 6:30-7:30pm. Calvert Library Prince Frederick. 410-535-0291, calvert.lib.md.us/pf.html
13 Tuesday
Kids Club: Owl Toast
Children’s culinary workshop using all-natural ingredients. Registration required. $5. 11-11:45am. Whole Foods Market, Annapolis. 410-573-1800, wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/Annapolis
14 Wednesday
Dot, Dots, Dots
Listen to the story “The Dot” by Peter Reynolds, sing songs, create art and more. Ages 3-5. Free. 9:30am. Annapolis Library. 410-222-1750, aacpl.net/location/annapolis
Anne Arundel County Fair
Sept. 14-18. Food, crafts, contests and more. $5-7, ages 5 and under free. Wed., 4-10pm; Thurs., 10am-10pm; Fri., 4-11pm; Sat., 9am-11pm; Sun., 9am-8pm. Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds, Crownsville. aacountyfair.org
16 Friday
The Great Frederick Fair
Sept. 16-24. Competitive exhibits including livestock, home arts, farm and garden, and 4-H/FFA. $5-8; ages 10 and under, free. 9am-10pm daily except 2-10pm Sept 16. Frederick Fairgrounds, Frederick. thegreatfrederickfair.com/the-fair
Market Festival
Farmers market, moon bounce, carnival games, music, food and more. Free. 4-7pm. Chesapeake Christian Fellowship, Davidsonville. 4thelord.org
$2 Family Fun Night
Crafts, story time and more. Discounted admission for tickets purchased after 4pm. $2; ages younger than 2, free. 4-8pm. Port Discovery Children’s Museum, Baltimore. 410-727-8120, portdiscovery.org
Elkton Fall Fest
Sept. 16-17. Car show, crafters, contests and more. Free. Fri., 5-8pm; Sat., 9am-8pm. Elkton Alliance Inc., Elkton. elktonfallfest.com
17 Saturday
Musical Petting Zoo
Touch, feel and play with musical instruments alongside the Baltimore Gamer Symphony Orchestra. Free with zoo admission. Adults, $18; children, $13. 10am-2pm. The Maryland Zoo, Baltimore. 410-396-7102, marylandzoo.org
Monarch Festival
Celebrate the monarch butterfly. Educational displays, children’s activities, games, crafts and more. Free. 10am-2pm. Patuxent National Wildlife North Tract, Laurel. 301-497-5887, fws.gov/refuge/Patuxent
Dogfest
Family walk, games, food, demonstrations, obstacle course, games, crafts, face painting and more. Advance tickets, $10; at the door, $15; ages 12 and under, free. 10am-4pm. Baltimore Humane Society. 410-833-8848, dogfest.org
Tot Time
Enjoy outdoor activities, nature treasure hunt and more. Adults, $12; ages 7-17, $7; ages 4-6, $3. 10am-4:30pm. Historic London Town and Gardens, Edgewater. 410-222-1919, historiclondontown.org
Johnny Appleseed Birthday Celebration
Sept. 17-18. Celebrate the beginning of fall with hayrides, straw maze, live music, slides, duck races and more. Adults, $7; ages 2-17, $9. 10am-5pm. Webers Cider Mill Farm, Parkville. 410-668-4488, weberscidermillfarm.com
Artsfest ’16
Sept. 17-18. Artist booths, live performances, kids activities, food and drinks, street performers, shopping and more. $6; members and ages 11 and under, free. 10am-5pm. Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center, Solomons. 410-326-4640, annmariegarden.org
Days End Farm Horse Rescue Fall Festival
Family fun day featuring horse costume contest, Trainers Challenge and more. $1-2; under 6, free. 11am-4pm. Days End Farm Horse Rescue, Woodbine. defhr.org
Art in Action: Fall Festival
Live music, wine and beer garden, kids zone, vendors, crafters, food and more. Free. 11am-4pm. Annapolis Design District. annapolisdesigndistrict.com
Port Towns Day
Community festival with music, prizes, food, crafts, vendors and other activities. Free. Noon-7pm. Bladensburg Waterfront Park, Bladensburg. 301-779-0371, facebook.com/Port-Towns-Day-2016-1018502511516072
Peter Rabbit and Me
Sept. 17-18 and 24-25. From Beatrix Potter’s imagination emerge favorite characters from Peter Rabbit. $14. 1 and 3pm. Pumpkin Theatre, Owings Mills. pumpkintheatre.org
Batman Day
Celebrate the Dark Knight’s legacy. Activities, trivia, coloring and more. Cosplay welcome. Free. 2pm. Barnes and Nobles, Annapolis. 410-573-1115, stores.barnesandnoble.com/store/2866
Chinese Moon Festival Family Story Time
Storytelling, Chinese folk songs and rhymes to celebrate this Chinese festival. Learn about the holiday, make crafts, taste Chinese moon cake and try different Chinese tea. Free. 3-4pm. Hyattsville Library. 301-985-4690, pgcmls.info/website/branch/location/Hyattsville
18 Sunday
Bedpost Derby and PJ Party
Make a bed and race it. Family pajama party, cookout, moonbounce, face painting, sack races, wine tasting, live music and more. Free; small fee for some activities. Check in at 10am; party starts at noon. Downtown Chestertown. 410-810-5661, townofchestertown.com
Trucks for Tots
Big trucks to visit, touch and explore. Free with zoo admission. Adults, $18; children, $13. 10am-1pm. The Maryland Zoo, Baltimore. 410-396-7102, marylandzoo.org
Maryland Avenue and State Circle Fall Festival
Street festival with merchants and vendors, food, family activities and more. Free. 10am-5pm. Maryland Avenue and State Circle, Annapolis. mdave.com
Annual Hispanic Festival
Celebrate the heritage of Hispanic communities. Carnival games, pony rides, arts and crafts, music, entertainment, exhibitors and more. Free, fee for some activities. Noon-6pm. Lane Manor Park, Adelphi. 301-445-4500, pgparks.com/page68883.aspx
Family Movies on the Potomac
Watch “Zootopia,” rated PG. Shown on the plaza screen. Bring chairs. Free. 6pm. National Harbor. nationalharbor.com
Click next below for more events for preschoolers
