Mommy FTW

I was just back in Washington D.C. for a few days and of course Cameron and I went back to the Wilson Aquatic Center for some swimming.  Each time I go I see more and more parents with little kids, which is great!  The Center is really catering to families.  They have added stroller parking under the stairs that lead down to the locker room area (see pic – sorry it’s so blurry!)

A terribly blurry iPhone pic of the stroller parking area

There are also lots of “Learn to Swim” classes being offered, many of which are geared to little ones (5 months plus).  You can check the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation website for a schedule of all the classes available at the Aquatic Center (scroll down the page to the “Information” section.)  These classes are very affordable – $10 for Washington D.C. residents, and $50 for non residents.  When I was there last week there was a parent child class going on which included singing, having the kids jump in the water, and learning to go underwater without being scared.  Lots of the kids seemed like they were under 2.  So, if you are local to the Washington area, check out the classes!

Cameron and I braved the snow and made a recent trip back to Washington, DC.  Of course, while we were there we went to the Wilson Aquatic Center (3 times!)  I learned a few new things I wanted to share.

Let's get this show on the road!

1)Babies are now required to wear swimsuits and swim diapers.  We found this out the first day from one of the lifeguards.  He allowed us to stay, but said we should get one for next time.  We were able to find an ugly, but affordable swimsuit at Feline’s Basement in Mazza Gallerie.  Problem solved!

2)The Women’s locker room – which has warmer showers than the family locker room, and is much bigger, and has a swim suit dryer – also has a diaper changing station.  So if you feel more comfortable in there (I like it better, personally) try taking your little one to that locker room instead.

3)Be sure to bring lots of Quarters for the meters outside.  If you don’t have any, you can park at the lot that services Whole Foods.  If you get your ticket stamped it saves you a few bucks.

4)While getting my ticket stamped in Whole Foods (due to all the snow we couldn’t park on the street at a meter) I also got Cameron some lunch.  They have a great salad bar, hot food bar, and soups.  Cameron ate some squash soup, fresh mozzarella balls, peas, white beans, and pesto chicken salad.  Yum!  Upstairs they have a place you can sit and eat, which has 2 high chairs.  Unfortunately I didn’t have my phone with me – so no pics – but believe me when I say, there are lots of choices for mom and baby, and plenty of seating too!

While we were in Washington, DC recently Cameron and I (and Grandma) went back to the Wilson Aquatic Center for some winter time swimming. This time the water was much warmer and it was almost empty!  Here’s a few more tips that I picked up on my recent visit, as well as a few pictures of the family locker room (hey, it’s no spa, but it’s clean with plenty of space).

Let's go swimming already!

1) All the times I’ve gone the water for the shower in the family locker rooms was cold. You are required to shower before going into the pool, so Cameron and I braved the cold for a few seconds out of necessity.  This time my mom was with me in the family locker room and she said that the showers in the women’s locker rooms was much warmer. So if you go to the family locker room and the shower is freezing, duck into the other locker room with your baby. It’s much more comfortable!

If this shower is cold, try the other locker rooms.

2)The men’s and women’s locker rooms also have swim suit dryers.  The family locker room doesn’t have one.  But, there are diaper changing tables in the family room, which is really helpful.

I've got my swim diaper on and I am ready to go!

3)The lockers in the locker rooms don’t have locks on them. If you are really worried about this you can bring your own lock to use.

Plenty of lockers, but bring your own lock.

4)If you a not a resident of Washington DC you have to pay a small fee to get in. They don’t take Cash – so bring some plastic! Also, bring your ID. They will check it!

5)I’ve never had a problem parking on the street, even though the Wilson Aquatic Center is right by the Tenlytown metro station.  Just be sure you bring lots of quarters for the parking meters!  There is a clock prominently displayed on the wall in the pool area, so it’s easy to tell how long you’ve been there so you don’t run out of meter time.

Need more info on the Wilson Aquatic Center?  Check out their official website.  Here you can find info about hours or operation, admission requirements, amenities, and costs.

Have fun swimming!  You can bet Cameron and I will be back next time we are in DC!

I grew up in the Chevy Chase / Friendship Heights / Tenlytown area of Washington DC, and my parents still live there.  We just went down for the Christmas holiday and my mom insisted we check out the new Wilson Aquatic Center over by the Tenlytown stop on the DC metro with Cameron.  During the summer Cameron really loved swimming at our little local pool on Clermont, so I thought it was worth a try… I had even saved a few swim diapers in anticipation of our trip.

The Wilson Aquatic Center is brand new and is very family friendly.  They have family locker rooms with plenty of room for a few kids and parents to change.  Each locker room has its own shower, toilet, seat, sink, and diaper changing area.  There is an amazing “beach pool” that has a entrance like the beach (goes from 0 depth to a few feet) with some cool water jets and buckets that fill and drain.  This is a great area for babies.  There are basketball hoops, kickboards, and other floating things the kids can play with.  The life guards are very attentinve.  There is also an area for the parents to swim lap in the beach pool, as well as a seperate “therapy pool” (big hot tub) and gigantic lap pool with diving boards (this was a little advanced for us!)

The beach pool with water jets and other fun stuff

Cameron checks out the main pool from above

For all the moms out there in the Washington DC area, or who will be visiting, you must check out the Wilson Aquatic Center!  It is FREE to DC residents, and 4$ per adult for non residents.  Be sure to bring your ID with you.

It was so much fun!  You can be sure we will be back next time we visit DC.  By the way, if you are wondering where you can get swim diapers in the middle of winter, check out Diapers.com or Amazon – they both have them in stock.