If you’re new to the area and looking for activities for kids in Alexandria, look no further. We’ve done a comprehensive roundup of the best programs and activities for kids in town. From swimming to singing, from ballet to bass, you’re bound to find a program your child will love!
Activities for Kids in Alexandria
Dance and Performing Arts
Tiny Dancers
621 S. Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Tiny Dancers is a specialized dance program for children ages 2-12, using a literacy-based ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop and musical theater program to provide young dancers with a strong technical foundation in a fun setting. The curriculum features choreographed stories and fairy tales, and countless custom-made costumes and props. Tiny Dancers’ Wiggletoes program for toddlers ages 2-3 encourages learning through self-expression, exploration of movement, and age-appropriate choreography.
Chris Collins Dance Studio
5408 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22304
Open since 1975, Chris Collins Dance Studio offers a wide variety of dance classes ranging from creative movement for young students (starting at age 2.5) to tap, jazz, ballet, pointe, lyrical/contemporary, acro, hip hop, and even musical theatre.
BalletNova Center for Dance
3443 Carlin Springs Road, Falls Church, VA 22041
BalletNova offers dance classes for children starting at age three. Its Discovering Dance, Pre-Ballet and Ballet classes are designed for children ages 3 – 8 and its Youth & Teen Division offers classes in ballet, tap, jazz, modern and Hip Hop for ages 9 – 17. BalletNova is also home to a young men’s program for boys ages 7 – 12.
Just Dance
1606 Belle View Blvd, Alexandria, VA 22307
Just Dance is located in the Belle View shopping center. Owner Sally Tierney has more than 30 years of dance teaching experience in Classical Ballet, Broadway Jazz, and Broadway Tap. Manyof her students have gone on to dance professionally.
The Little Theatre of Alexandria
600 Wolfe Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
The Little Theatre of Alexandria (LTA) offers a wide variety of drama classes for kids in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. Its offers three sessions per year (spring, summer, and fall), plus special workshops. Kids can take classes in improv, comedy, musical theater, dance, Shakespeare, and much more. It also offers a program for younger kids, ages three to five. Check out LTA’s fantastic lineup of shows here.
Swimming
WeAquatics
Chinquapin Park Recreation Center
3210 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22302
WeAquatics offers a variety of swim classes including a one-on-one Infant Swimming Resource (for babies six months and older), a 30-minute Learn-to-Swim classes for kids ages four and up, and Young Masters, which is designed to introduce young swimmers to competitive swimming.
Goldfish Swim School
3155-B Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Goldfish Swim School’s swimming lessons are specially designed to make learning to swim fun! Its classes, designed for babies and kids from four months to 12 years of age, have a low 4:1 student-to-teacher-ratio. Also, check out its Family Swim classes for a terrific family experience!
Gymnastics
The Little Gym
With two locations in Alexandria (Van Dorn Street and Telegraph Road), The Little Gym is a great option for introducing your child to gymnastics. It offers something for everyone: parent/child movement from ages four to three, preschool gymnastics for ages 3 – 6, and gymnastics for ages 6-12.
My Gym
5810 Kingstowne Center, Suite 110, Alexandria, VA 22315
My Gym offers programs in movement and gymnastics for children ages seven months to ten years. Check out its Ninja Training class for kids ages 5-10, which focuses on developing strength, stamina, and agility with relays, games, team-building and obstacle courses!
Dancensations Dance Center
7572 Telegraph Road, Alexandria, VA 22315
This dance studio also offers gymnastics classes. Its gym includes a full-size trampoline, balance beams, and bars, and offers programs for kids ages three to 18. Dancensations also offers a
competitive group program to help to further develop students’ performance and technical skills.
Terry’s School of Dance
8730 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA 22309
This Mount Vernon area studio offers gymnastics in addition to its comprehensive dance program. It begins with a Junior Gym Program for kids ages three to six. This class is designed to develop motor skills and practice social interactions while focusing on introductory gymnastics skills, balance, coordination, and flexibility. From Junior Gym, Terry’s offers a four-level gymnastics program which allows children to progress at their own pace
Martial Arts
Potomac Kempo
2050 Ballenger Avenue Alexandria, VA 22314 (plus locations in Fairlington, Huntington, and Kingstowne)
Kempo is a type of martial arts that’s been around for more than 1,500 years. This form of self-defense is a blend of Karate and Kung Fu that also relieves stress and increases self-discipline. Potomac Kempo’s classes for children begin at age four and develop physical fitness — including running, jumping, balancing and moving with precision and strength — while instilling a sense of respect and honesty.
Taekwondo Masters
1514 Belle View Blvd, Alexandria, VA 22307
Taekwondo Masters in the Belle View shopping center offers a wide variety of programs for kids, including after school programs. It also offers its classes for adults and families!
OneKick Martial Arts of Alexandria
364 S. Pickett Street, Alexandria, VA 22304
OneKick’s Taekwondo classes are offered six days a week and are designed to increase fitness and reduce stress. Its programs include the Tiny Tiger Curriculum (for ages 4-6) and a Children’s Program (for ages 7-12) in which kids learn kicking, form, self-defense, sparring, and blocking. Classes for teens and adults are also offered, as are after school programs and summer camps (for ages 4 – 12).
Seichou Karate
807 N. Royal Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Seichou Karate classes are offered six days a week for both kids and adults. The studio also offers plus birthday parties, Juke (Japanese) language, and even calligraphy classes!
Art
Kidcreate Studio
724 Jefferson Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Specializing in children’s art classes, workshops, and camps, this Old Town studio will introduce your child to a wide variety of artistic mediums. Classes are offered for children ages 18 months – 12 years old. Check it out with a free trial class! Kidcreate Studio also offers art-themed birthday parties and private classes.
Metamorphosis Art and Enrichment Center
1801 N. Quaker Lane, Alexandria VA 22302
This studio focuses on “character development through the process of art” and strives to “unleash the creative potential that is within all of us.” Its “My Art Mom’s Art Playgroup” is a truly a unique program for parents and children to enjoy the process of art together. You’ll learn about a master artist in each session and then create artwork with paint, pastels, or watercolors. The focus is on the creative process – no prior art experience is necessary! Metamorphosis also offers the unique “Crybaby Art Studio,” a baby-friendly activity for new moms to exercise their creativity with babies in tow!
The Art League
305 Madison Street, 2nd Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314
The Art League’s exceptional children’s classes start at age five. In the Art Fun-damentals class, children explore texture, line, shape, and color and are introduced to working with a range of materials. Other classes for kids include cartooning, ceramics, and clay animation. The Art League also offers week-long art camps and teen workshops are offered each summer.
A | R Workshop
1212 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Families and kids can get creative at this studio which offers workshops and clinics for kids and families. Kids can pick a project like a wood plank sign, pedestal tray, Lazy Susan, or a canvas pillow and personalize it however they wish. A | R Workshop also offers specials events like holiday crafting workshops for kids ages seven and up and special drop-off programs for kids ages ten and up.
Music
Music Together Alexandria
Music Together is a well-known program that develops kids’ natural enthusiasm for music and movement. Its 45-minute classes are designed for children from infancy to age five. Ten week-sessions are offered at two Alexandria churches. Not sure yet? Sign up up for a free demo here. Live in the Mount Vernon area? Check out its sister program here.
Alexandria Music Company
1502 Belle View Blvd, Alexandria, VA 22307
This store not only sells and rents a variety of band and orchestral instruments but also has a comprehensive program of instruction. It offers lessons for string, woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments, piano, and even voice lessons, all with highly qualified instructors with music degrees. Alexandria Music Company holds annual recitals for its music students.
Music & Arts
4664 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22302
The Alexandria Music & Arts offers guitar, violin, and piano lessons as well as instrument repairs and rentals. You can also pick up music accessories, books, and sheet music at this Bradlee Center shop.
School of Rock
114 East Del Ray Avenue, Alexandria, VA
School of Rock’s Little Wing music program is designed for preschoolers and toddlers. For older kids, it offers beginner guitar lessons, music and voice lessons, and a performance program for kids ages 8 – 18. Additional advanced programs for teens and adults are available. Its signature Rock 101 program is a performance-based music class for kids with no previous musical experience. These students have a weekly group rehearsal to learn classic rock songs that have been simplified specifically for beginner musicians!
Del Ray School of Music
2405 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301
The Del Ray School of Music has been a local institution since 2000. It offers a variety of music lessons for children and adults at all levels of expertise. Its Munchkin and ME class is for kids ages one to three years (with a parent) while Munchkin Rock is available for kids ages four to seven. Del Ray School of Music offers instrument (including group acoustic guitar), voice, and songwriting lessons, composition training, and Rock School, a 12-week program for kids ages eight to 18.
The Bottom Line
We are so fortunate to live in a city with so many amazing opportunities for kids! No matter what activity you’re looking for, you’re likely to find it in Alexandria.
Did we miss your favorite activities for kids in Alexandria? Please let us know so we can check it out and add it to our list!
