Easy summer outing with toddlers in DC
- discerningdane
- Jul 1
- 2 min read
This is a toddler and baby friendly idea for a simple outing in central DC!
📍Harrison Recreation Center
Overview: there’s a cute little toddler playground with a small slide, and a bigger-kid playground adjacent which has a couple swings and one baby swing! The splash pad at the entrance is tiny, and while some daycares park their kids in strollers near it but don’t let them in, it’s not super crowded.
Parking - come down V from 13th (it’s a one way street) and find street parking. Alternatively, park on 14th near Tatte as you’ll probably want to go there anyways - this is where I typically park without issue.
My two (almost 4 + 1.5) had an absolute ball in the water this morning! The water was supposed to come on at 10:00, but by 10:10—and after some time on the very hot swings—it was still off, and the kids were melting. So we waltzed two blocks over to Trader Joe’s to grab a few things and cool off in the AC. When we came back at 10:45, it was on! Next time, especially when it’s already pushing 90°F, we’ll aim to get to the playground around 9:45 at the earliest.
Schools do frequent this playground during the year, so TBD on how crowded it’ll get over the summer. When we were there, a couple of camps rolled in around 10:00, but they mostly stuck to the playgrounds and didn’t venture into the splash pad.
We got these new swimsuits last week and I am impressed:
Great quality
Super cute prints (this is the ‘Mediterranean Lemons’)
Great prices (get the 20% off first purchase)
Utility - ease of mind with the full body covering and sun protection. Love it.
SwimZip makes hats as well - haven’t tried them but I’m sure they’re great.
I really appreciate that the structured front visor holds its shape rather than flopping down, offering excellent sun protection. It even shielded my baby’s face from a rogue stream of water at the splash pad this morning—she stood there blissfully unaware, and the brim absorbed the full impact.
*pro tip - hit the Tatte one block north on 14th st NW before you get to the playground.
Our favorites:
• palmier (they are off the menu this summer apparently, but perfection)
• morning bun (4 year old’s fave)
• Jerusalem bagel (aka a delicious Arab bread called Kaak) (baby loves)
• peach mint refresher
*Disclosure: some of the links on this page are affiliate links: an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases*
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