Best outing ideas for babies and toddlers in Washington DC

Spring has sprung, finally! While we’re pretty good at getting out and about in chilly weather, it’s definitely easier to get around when it’s over 50f! We’re relishing the fresh air, birdsong, daffodils and sunshine. Having lived in DC for over a decade, and now home full time with a one year old, and a 3.5 year old - I have a growing list of great places to take them around town. Excited to share my current faves here, and I’ll be adding to this list as I make the time!

The other day my husband mentioned how he sees these news articles about ‘ten best places to take kids in the DC area’ - and how many of them are often an hour away in Maryland, or Virginia. While we don’t mind crossing state lines here and there for an exciting event or pumpkin patch etc, with a car-hating baby, it’s nice to have ideas 15-20 minutes from our house ready to go! I have to add - I’m not one to hit up a crazy crowded kids’ museum on a Saturday morning so most of my recs will be beautiful spaces where the babes can roam 🍃

📍 Rock Creek Park

It goes without saying that the forest is one of the most amazing parts of living in DC! It’s always just a few minutes away! I love the areas near Peirce Mill (we even got engaged there by the water 🫶) and to the north, the little trails above Beach Drive (I like to park at ‘Western Ridge Parking’) and walk towards Peirce Mill to see the ducks. People often throw pieces of bread to them, though I’m unsure of the legalities involved.

📍 Guy Mason Rec

This is a solid playground! It definitely has some areas for KG-aged kids as well as toddlers. There’s a nice sand box area which - I hope the city cleans up this spring as it could use a little care. If that happens, it would be even better. I love that there’s a huge parking lot on one side where there is always loads of space, and a Whole Foods takeaway spot in the other side for grabbing a kombucha or something on a hot day!

📍 Lafayette Pointer Park

This is a large, open, grass-covered, sprawling playground (and splash pad!) with a younger child’s area and older area as well. There’s also a lovely picnic spot behind the playground to the west, on a sprawling grassy slope with a gorgeous tree. The park overall is a little tired, but sweet. There’s a cute section in the middle with musical elements, and some little structures to play in. I park nearby on Quesada Street and walk in either of the entrances from the alley around there. Last time we went I drove by a cute little market, Broad Branch Market, that we’ll check out for snacks the next time we go.

📍 Tudor Place

We first came here in the early summer of 2024 when my youngest was just a few months old - it was a perfect summer morning outing, we even saw a bunny hopping around the bushes, delighting my toddler. The flowers had stattted blooming and the gardens were practically empty. Pro tip - leave the travel or double stroller in the car as there are some stairs in a couple of places around the garden, and the driveway was very pebbly! A single stroller is easier to maneuver. Easy street parking near the entryway, and a plethora of cafes and shops just a couple blocks away on Wisconsin Ave NW and of course, M street just a few blocks to the south. Fave spots for a coffee or croissant for the children nearby on Wisconsin would be Tatte, Yellow, or Maman.

📍 The Phillips Collection in DuPont Circle

We’ve been members here for years and adore it. I took my first here solo often during the week and now hit it near-monthly with my two - usually snagging a baguette or crusty sourdough from Bread Furst cafe downstairs on the way out for a car snack! We saw the new exhibit a couple of weeks ago, a stunning collection of Alphonse Mucha. We always take the kids to the regular collection, and whatever is on display for their current exhibits - there’s a ‘family room’ which is nice as a little pit stop area to hang in, nurse, and take any children to the restrooms next door, and one of my favorite paintings is in there right now - Franz Marc’s ‘Deer in the Forest’. Parking can be a little hairy if it’s a busy time of day, but around 10am I usually find a spot within a block or two. If you bring a push chair, you can use the elevator between floors and an outside separate entrance to the other building (ask at the front desk!)

📍 Postal Museum

This is a relatively small museum to hit up if you have an hour or so (in my opinion), but there’s quite a lot to see in the main hall. There’s a full semi cab that you can sit in, a trolly (old post trolley) and a super fun mail sorting station for kids in one corner. Across the street from Union Station, you can make a morning of it and take the metro in! Pro tips - there’s a full security checkpoint so don’t overload your stroller as you’ll have to put everything in security bins. Most importantly - don’t get a large latte nearby and bring it in (whoops) because you’ll be downing that in the upper hallway before entering the museum.

my son, enjoying some casual mail sorting

More soon!

For example one of my toddler’s favorites: Reopening in May, is the Children’s Garden area at the US Botanic Garden on the Mall (unless it’s been defunded… TBD!) see photo in-header for this lovely spot…