Exploring D.C. with kids? There's a new must-read book

The big picture: The project began during the pandemic, when Graff set out to explore every neighborhood with his then-3-year-old, teaching her the alphabet along the way. "A for Anacostia," "B for Brookland."

• What started as a sanity tactic became a growing list of a thousand kid-friendly spots, eventually narrowed to 111.

Zoom in: Graff's superpower is spotting the unexpected — even in plain sight, usually with a joyful lens.

• His book highlights tucked-away museum corners like a dynamic children's area at the American Indian Museum, local gems like crafting studio Merry Pin, and quirky finds like unicorn statues near Rock Creek Park.

The intrigue: His daughter, now 9, is his main collaborator. Her picks helped shape the book — from those unicorn statues to under-the-radar playgrounds and the Planet Word Museum.

• The guide spans age zero to teens, with future editions already in mind. "I didn't know how my daughter would introduce me to the different layers of the city — as she's grown, her interests completely changed," Graff says.

Now, he's still exploring — often via Capital Bikeshare (he's an O.G. member) — and updating his ever-growing lists.

• His guiding philosophy, shaped by a childhood abroad: "Wherever you are, be very present, be curious, be all there."

📘 Catch Graff at local book events, including Solid State Books (May 12), DC History Center (May 26) and East City Bookshop (June 3).