Living and Visiting with Kids in the Richmond Arts District
Living with kids in the Arts District
A list of fun ways to keep your kids happy, entertained and involved in the community while living in Downtown Richmond.
Richmond Public Library: Provide your child with endless fun and knowledge by taking them to get their very own library card at the Richmond Public Library. The Main Library is located on East Franklin street in downtown Richmond and is the largest of the Richmond Public Library locations. All of the locations offer fun and enriching children’s programming on a regular basis. They offer book lists that helps recommend books for different age groups and interests. There is homework help for kids on Monday evenings from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the main location. They have crafts and storytime activities for different age groups include babies, preschoolers, children teens.
Ballet Classes: If you have a kid with a passion for dance then classes with the Richmond Ballet are an excellent opportunity. The Richmond Ballet has classes for ages 3 and up. Their classes are divided up by age group and eventually also by skill level so even if your child is new to dance they could still have an opportunity to learn with the Richmond Ballet.
Youth Orchestra: The Richmond Symphony offers a youth orchestra program for school-age kids. They have four youth orchestras and a wind ensemble. Kids interested in music can recieve beginning to advanced musical training with the Richmond Symphony. There is even financial aid, carpool opportunities, and some instruments that are provided to help make joining the symphony more accessible. All of their shows at the Dominion Energy Center are free and open to the public.
Affordable Child Care: The Sprout School located in the Richmond Arts District on North Fifth Street offers child care for children aged 18 months to five years old. The Sprout School offers financial aid to help make child care more affordable for all families. Their teaching technique focuses on discovery, creativity and community.
Art 180/Atlas: Art 180 partners with local schools and youth organizations to provide kids with the opportunity to express themselves through art. The Art 180 community programs are geared towards kids living in difficult circumstances. Their Atlas teen programs are first come, first serve and they give high schoolers a unique creative outlet. They offer programs on topics like hiphop and anime.
Exploring with kids in the Arts District
Find ways to enjoy a kid-friendly day in the Arts District regardless of if you’re just visiting or a local.
Little Nomad: Lugging your little one around the mall all day just to go to a store or two that has clothes for them definitely seems less than ideal but shopping small and local can make your life a lot easier. Little Nomad is a children’s clothing store located in the arts district that sells cute whimsical clothes that never seem cheap or corny. They sell clothes perfect for play and clothes for the occasions where they need to be dressed up. In addition to the clothing they host fun events for kids as well. Every other week they have a kids yoga on Wednesday mornings and drag queen story time on the third Friday of every month.
Grab a bite to eat: Is your kid a picky eater? If so you definitely want to grab a bite to eat somewhere with a kids menu. Tarrants Cafe and Max’s on Broad have great kids menus with all of the staples that kids love like pasta, hot dogs, chicken tenders and more. You also don’t have to worry about them trying to finish their food with these perfect kid sized portions. There are plenty of other things on the Tarrants menu that will appeal to kids such as sandwiches, chicken and waffles, pasta and pizza.
The Valentine: The Valentine is a museum designed to preserve and narrate the history of the City of Richmond. If you have older kids interested in history then this museum is a great place to spend your day. If you’re trying to get younger kids excited by history, the Valentine Museum’s website suggests you make a scavenger hunt for the kids by researching what the museum is currently showing and making a list of objects the kids hope to see while there.
Lollipops shows at Richmond Symphony: The Arts District doesn’t just have visual art opportunities, the Richmond Symphony has shows at the Carpenter Theatre Dominion Energy Center. If you think there’s no chance your kid will ever be into classical music then think again because the symphony’s Atlantic Union Bank LolliPops series will prove that theory wrong. The Lollipops series is geared towards kids five and up, kids can attend the pre-show festival and try out instruments and participate in other interactive activities. The show themes are always fun and kid friendly to ensure that the entire experience keeps kids entertained and happy.
Go out for ice cream: Charm School Social Club serves delicious homemade ice cream every afternoon and evening. They even have vegan flavors for customers with allergies or lifestyle choices that make normal ice cream off limits.
Stay the night: The Graduate Hotel is just outside the boundaries of the Arts District but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy everything the Arts District has to offer while staying there. They have a family suite with connecting rooms and bunk beds for your kids. Which means no more listening to the kids complain when you snore!