Make faces at the oh-so-cuddly panda cub or inspect a moon rock. Cheer on a big-league baseball team or practice spycraft.

Who says a learning vacation can't be fun? Maybe the kids griped when you suggested heading to the nation's capital rather than the beach. But that was before they knew how much fun they could have.

Washington is a lot more than boring monuments and stuffy museums. In fact, Washington may provide just the right blend of hands-on museum activities, outdoor fun, hip shopping and kid-friendly restaurants and hotels. (Visit www.washington.org for the best weekend hotel deals, and remember that most museums are free!)

No matter how many days you've got, you won't be able to see everything Washington has to offer. You'll make yourself and the kids crazy if you even try. Instead, let each member of the family choose one must-see site. The historic planes and spaceships at the National Air and Space Museum? The giant panda cub Tai Shan at the National Zoo? The chance to climb to the top of the Washington Monument? Reserve free tickets ahead of time by visiting www.nps.gov/wamo. Book a tour of the White House and the Capitol by contacting your congressional representative (www.house.gov).

GETTING AROUND

Wherever you go, locals say the best way to get around is via Metro (www.wmata.com). I'm also a fan of the Old Town Trolley Tours (www.oldtowntrolley.com) that stop at all the major tourist sites and allow you to get on and off all day.

Just make sure to leave plenty of time to play Frisbee on the National Mall, see the Lincoln Monument at night, check out the weird and wonderful gargoyles at the Washington National Cathedral (www.cathedral.org) and share a terrific pizza (locals say Pizzeria Paradiso is the best; www.eatyourpizza.com). Show the kids the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and tell them how many Americans protested that war. Cheer on the Washington Nationals at their new stadium, or drive to nearby Baltimore to watch the Baltimore Orioles play at Camden Yards.

If the kids are old enough, encourage each one to plan one day of the trip. You'll be amazed at where they lead you! Check out the kids' areas on the websites for the Smithsonian (www.smithsonianeducation.org/students), the White House (www.whitehouse.gov/kids) the National Zoo (www.nationalzoo.si.edu/audiences/kids) and the House of Representatives (http://clerkkids.house.gov/congress/index.html).

Guidebooks such as Frommer's Washington D.C. with Kids and Fodor's Around Washington, D.C. with Kids can also help. See what special activities and workshops are offered during the time you plan to visit.

INTERESTING THEMES

In addition to the major sites, consider activities that tap into your kids' interests-of-the-moment:

• The littlest artists will love The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden's Gallery Tales for Tots, which introduces kids to modern art through storytelling and the chance to create their own masterpieces. The museum (www.hirshhorn.si.edu) also has programs for older children and art labs for teens. The National Gallery of Art (www.nga.gov) hosts drop-in workshops for kids and ''postcard'' tours in which children are given packets of cards with pictures of objects they can find in the museum.

• Future spies and spycatchers can take KidSpy classes at the International Spy Museum (www.spymuseum.org), where they can also test their code-cracking skills.

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