Your baby’s first year of life goes by quickly. For many parents, it’s a time is full of snuggles, marathon feeding sessions on the couch, and naps in the rocker. But when you are lucky enough to live in the Washington, D.C. area, there are tons of other activities you can do with your baby before he or she turns one. Just because they won’t necessarily remember any of these experiences doesn’t mean you have to stay at home! Here are 40 ideas for getting you and your baby out of the house:
1. Go to an Itsy Bitsy Yoga class or another yoga class geared towards pre-crawlers. It’s a fun way to bond with your baby and meet other new moms.
2. Even though your baby can’t read, she can still have fun playing at a library. Many libraries have baby-friendly children’s areas with board books at baby-height and even toys to play with. (Noyes Library for Young Children is a perfect choice!)
3. Go to story time at Politics & Prose bookstore. Story time is typicaly led by Bearsong, The Guitar Man, who incorporates plenty of music and movement into the program. Meet a mom friend for breakfast or lunch at the famed bookstore’s new and improved café, or take your baby to play and read in the Rabbit Hole in the children’s department.
4. Attend a Tiny Tots puppet show from The Puppet Co. Theatre in Glen Echo Park. Even the littlest kids enjoy the energetic show put on by the former puppeteer for Mr. Rogers.
5. While your baby is still sleeping most of the day take advantage of the opportunity to go to a mommy and me flick like the Silver Baby movies at the AFI Movie Theatre.
6. Check out a class at the Breastfeeding Center of Greater Washington. The Breastfeeding Center goes beyond nursing to offer yoga, classes on cloth diapering, introducing solids and more. Many lifelong friendships for babies and moms have been formed as a result of these informative and social classes.
7. Go to a Rise + Rhyme performance at Busboys + Poets. A rotating schedule of some of the area’s performers makes this program worth a trip. Coffee and tea is included for caregivers and many parents stay after the show for lunch!
8. Explore new toys and books at one of Barstons Child’s Play’s locations. Some stores have a train table, marble run and sample toys out for kids to explore. Spend some time discovering new favorite books on a bean bag chair in the book section and get expert recommendations for your child’s age and interests while you’re there.
9. Go for a swim at one of our area’s many public pools—the baby swim area at Wilson Pool is a fantastic one to try! It’s free for D.C. residents. Residents of other jurisdictions can use the pool for just a few bucks.
10. The Playseum in Bethesda is a great choice for an indoor activity for little ones. There are plenty of baby-friendly toys and comfy chairs for nursing. (Check out our guide before you go!)
11. Even babies need to stay cool in the hot D.C. summer! Check out one of these spray parks and have fun in the water with your baby during their first summer.
12. Visit one of our favorite indoor play areas, such as Magic Ground, that have activities appropriate for even the littlest visitors, including a ball pit, little swings and a soft play area.
13. Nature Centers are great places for little ones to explore or just to go for a hike with a wee one. Check out our list of nature centers in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia—bonus, they’re all completely free!
14. Hike in Rock Creek Park or another trail. Not sure where to start? Go to Hike It Baby to locate a baby-friendly hike near you.
15. Scope out the Snugglers program at the Botanic Garden for a special guided tour designed just for caregivers with babies in snugglies. Or just wander the beautiful gardens with your little one using our guide.
16. The new Wegman’s Wonderplace at the National Museum of American History is very baby-friendly with a blocked-off area for the smallest babies as well as a nursing/bottle nook.
17. Or head to the Q?rius Jr. discovery area at the National Museum of Natural Histort—you’ll find fun activities for the little ones including puppets, books and sensory items.
18. Stroll the National Zoo and show your kid the animals! Wander the outdoor paths but don’t forget to explore some of the indoor areas as well, like the fantastic Amazonia exhibit that looks and feels like a real rainforest.
19. Take in the monuments on the National Mall—make sure to stop for baby’s first ride on the carousel (it’s a great photo opportunity!).
20. Explore one of the area’s coolest playgrounds (many have specific baby-friendly sections!). Some babies only need a bucket swing to be happy, but some playgrounds also have equipment appropriate for crawlers or new walkers as well.
21. Even babies love the open-air trains at Wheaton Regional Park and Cabin John Regional Park. Go for a ride on one of these trains and relax while enjoying the scenery.
22. There are tons of music classes for little ones and there’s probably one you can find close to home! Babies love the music and motion, and caregivers like the opportunities for socialization and to learn new games to play with babies at home.
23. Even tiny ones can take a gym class at a place like Gymboree that has programs with lots of songs and movement for the one-and-under set.
24. Hillwood Museum is one of our area’s great secrets. Choose a nice day and wander the gardens with your baby, or allow your newly-mobile little one to crawl and roam free on the vast grounds. Picnics are welcome at Hillwood and even babies love to lounge outdoors and have a leisurely lunch (or at least a bunch of Cheerios!).
25. Many locations of Barnes and Noble have a well-stocked children’s section with a train table. Go and play while looking for your—or your baby’s—new favorite book.
26. Head to a local ice cream parlor to give your child their very first taste of ice cream! Look for a cute place like Larry’s Homemade Ice Cream and Cupcakes with homemade ice cream in unique flavors to create a memorable experience.
27. Check out My First Imagination Stage created just for the littlest theater-goers. No one is expected to sit in a seat. Instead, kids and their caregivers grab some floor space to watch these short, highly interactive plays that include some playtime at the end.
28. One-year-olds need cake! As your little one approaches their first birthday, think about doing a cake smash or getting a truly personalized cake from one of our area’s great local bakers like the mom-run Aspen Street Cakes.
29. Try an exercise class, such as Stroller Strides or Fit4Moms, that allows you to bring your baby along and helps keep you in shape.
30. Make a trip to Port Discovery in Baltimore to play in one of their large rooms designed just for babies. Look for activities in Tot Trails or The Oasis including fun music time activities designed for the youngest visitors.
31. Head to the Smithsonian’s Discovery Theatre for one of their family performances—their “Tot Rock” series is a favorite with babies.
32. Check out a mom’s group, like Pace, or go to a Moms Meetup.
33. Get familiar with one of our area’s consignment shops, like the Wiggle Room in Bethesda, to scope out which shops carry the kid-styles you like the best. If you’re lucky, you may even find a piece of pricey baby gear or a coveted stroller on sale that’s a steal.
34. When your baby is nearing their first year, check out One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure at the National Air and Space Museum. This short planetarium show features not just Big Bird, but Elmo and lots of friends from Sesame Street.
35. The Building Museum may not sound like a great place for babies but its vast, open atrium and Building Zone play area is the perfect spot for little ones to explore.
36. Introduce the very young to the joys of live music at Boogie Babes DC (they have three locations around town).
37. Put a photo shoot on the calendar. Choose a location that’s quintessentially D.C—perhaps somewhere filled with cherry blossoms—or use the monuments as your background.
38. Head to Georgetown to explore the gardens and house at Tudor Place. It’s relaxing to wander to grounds with a small baby and new walkers will have plenty of room to roam. Once your baby is a little older, keep Tudor Place in mind for their great toddler classes.
39. Take your baby along to a coffee or lunch date with a friend at a baby-friendly restaurant, or get a sitter and go somewhere you’ll be sure not to see any diapers or bottles. You and your baby will both appreciate you taking some “me” time!
40. Relax and enjoy! Sure, there are plenty of things to do in the D.C. area with your baby but don’t forget to slow down and enjoy the first year—it goes by quickly.
Photo credits: Jamie Davis Smith, Puppet Co.Theatre, Jamie Davis Smith, Jessica McFadden, Alexis Aschenbach, Jamie Davis Smith, Stephanie Barnhart, National Building Museum
