childcare

Gyms and studios that offer childcare in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC

March 2, 2020

Have you kept your New Years Resolution of maintaining a healthier lifestyle? Maybe you need a little convenience to get you sweating, we sure do! Here’s a list of area gyms and studios that will take care of your Bambinos so you don’t have to worry about them climbing on your back while you do a downward dog. This list should help you achieve your healthy goals this year if being at a gym is your thing. All you have to do is find the gym closet to you and sign up- most offer a free day or week! Let us know if we can add a gym to the list that you know has childcare. Also, check out Pearachute as they offer drop-in’s at a few gyms and studios with childcare.

Barre3
It’s easy to fit exercise into your life when you can bring the kids. Minors under 18 years of age are welcome. If minors are on the premises while guardians are in class, you must purchase a play lounge package. Reservations are highly recommended. Please reserve under your name and not your child’s name.

Equinox
The Kids’ Club is the ideal place to drop your tots while you work out. The space is bright and inviting. It is available to children ages three months and older. Appointments and drop-off services are available. With tumbling, art, obstacle courses, and plenty of inspired programming, it’s a pint-sized haven of well-being.

acac
When you include your kids on your acac membership, they have an all-access pass to active fun in the Kids Zone. The mission of the acac kids zone is to keep children physically and emotionally safe, while facilitating an engaging, clean, healthy, and kid-friendly environment of fun, age-appropriate activities and social behavior. Kids zone child care is available for children ages 6 weeks through 12 years. Parents must remain on acac grounds.

LA Fitness
Thanks to reader, Amy for letting us know LA Fitness has childcare. Tip: British Swim School is also offered here.

Life Time Athletic Fitness
A family oriented environment where the kids program encourages healthy activities and playing for for child. Available for children ages 3 months to 11 years old. They also offer classes, birthday parties and camps for children!

The St. James
Members can take advantage of up to three hours of complimentary childcare each day. Children are actively engaged in free play time as well as supervised educational programming.

Mint Dupont
Childcare begins at 4 months and goes up to 11 years old. The childcare hours vary but is available 7 days a week.

Rock Creek Sports Club
For members, they offer a low monthly rate so you can maintain your fitness goals by visiting the club as many times as you wish with your kids. They allow you to keep your child in the childcare room for up to 2 hours, which allows you plenty of time to take your favorite class, workout, AND shower. Babysitting is for children ages 6 weeks to 8 years old, and reservations are not required. They also have classes for children.

Sport & Health
The mission is to provide quality gyms with child care in a safe, sanitary, and welcoming environment while you enjoy the full benefits of the workout facility. Hours are listed on the individual health club pages. Childcare starts at 3 months and some locations with a separate area for infants and older children. Most are complete with cribs, swings and toys. They recommend calling 24 hours ahead of time to reserve a spot. Locations that offer childcare: Bethesda, North Bethesda, Northwest, Old Town, Tysons, Capitol Hill, McLean, Lakeforest & Worldgate

Washington Sports Club
A club within the club “For Kids Only”. 6 months to 12 years old. Reservations required 24 hours in advance. Hours vary seven days a week. Costs also vary depending on whether it’s a drop in, a hotel member or member paying per hour. The area is large and has very nice indoor play equipment and toys.

The Women’s Club
Childcare is available 7 days a week with no reservations required. Put your mind at ease and enjoy quality time exercising while your children play and learn in an exciting and safe environment. Educational and creative crafts are offered daily. These activities and services are available for children 8 weeks to 12 years.

XSport Fitness
It’s easy to get your me-time in at the gym with our supervised Child’s Play area, a fun place for your little ones to hang out while you work out. Activities and games are ready to keep them occupied, with morning and evening hours available, all for a small fee in addition to your monthly membership.

YMCA Anthony Bowen
As a service to valued members, YMCA Anthony Bowen Child Watch/Cool Kids Club programs provide positive and fun on-site childcare during your visit to the facility for a maximum of 2 hours per day. Parents must remain in the building while their children are in the Child Watch or Cool Kids Club programs. See other YMCA locations here.

Related posts-
Exercising with Bambinos
Yoga with Bambinos

Guest post: Three reasons to consider live-in childcare

February 27, 2019

Sarah Vogel is a Cultural Care local childcare consultant with Cultural Care Au Pair. In this role, she helps families decide if hosting an au pair the right childcare solution for them and provides year-round support to host families and au pairs in Bethesda and Chevy Chase. Sarah is also the co-founder of DC Baby, an organization that supports new and expecting parents through networking and educational programs. Her most challenging and rewarding role is being a mom of two little ones (ages 2.5 and 4.5).

(Photo: Cultural Care Au Pair)

“What should I do about childcare?”

It’s a question I’ve heard many times personally (as a mom of two) and professionally (as the co-founder of DC Baby). And it’s not always an easy one to answer. From scouring listservs for nanny recommendations to waiting for a coveted spot in a daycare center; finding the right childcare for your family is no simple task. Especially in the DC area, which boasts the highest childcare costs in the country.

One option many parents have heard about, but haven’t considered for themselves, is hosting an au pair. Au pairs are young people from around the world who provide live-in childcare for American host families for up to two years. This cultural exchange program is regulated by the U.S. State Department. All au pairs have childcare experience and undergo a multi-step screening and training process before joining their host families.

Often, people will tell me that the au pair program sounds great, but they aren’t sure about having an au pair live in their homes. It’s natural to feel a bit uneasy about having a new person live in your home, but there are three big benefits to choosing this option for your family and for your children. These include:

Convenience: Having a live-in caregiver means traffic jams or Metro delays won’t cause schedule changes that make you (and your caregiver) run late. It also means that you’ll save time explaining the ins and outs of your household because your au pair is part of it. He or she knows how to run the dishwasher and where to look for your son’s lost stuffed animal. And if you ever need to get in touch them outside working hours, you can simply knock on their door or ask them over dinner.
Flexibility: There’s nothing quite like the flexibility of live-in childcare when there’s a snow day or an unexpected early release from school. When you have an au pair, you can schedule them to work up to 45 hours a week (maximum of 10 hours per day)—and since they’re in the home with you, it’s easy to adjust these hours on the fly. These hours can include days, evenings, and weekends. This flexibility is one of the major reasons why families choose to host au pairs year after year.
Trust: We all want to trust our children’s caregivers, and living with an au pair helps you develop a stronger sense of trust sooner than you would with a nanny or daycare teacher. Often, au pairs and host families form a relationship that feels like family. In fact, one host family I work with calls their au pair “the niece they wish they had!” Sharing time and space makes it natural to form close ties. And those close ties help your au pair better care for your little ones!

Are you intrigued? I’d be happy to talk to you and share more information about this childcare option. You can also check out my other blog post written for Beltway Bambinos reader on tips for finding the right au pair to welcome into your home!

Guest Post: Four Tips to Find the Right Au Pair for Your Family

February 12, 2018

Sarah Vogel is a Cultural Care local childcare consultant with Cultural Care Au Pair. In this role, she helps families decide if hosting an au pair the right childcare solution for them and provides year-round support to host families and au pairs in Bethesda and Chevy Chase. Sarah is also the co-founder of DC Baby, an organization that supports new and expecting parents through networking and educational programs. Her most challenging and rewarding role is being a mom of two little ones (ages 3.5 and 19 months).

“What should I do about childcare?”

It’s a question I’ve heard many times personally (as a mom of two) and professionally (as the co-founder of DC Baby). And it’s not always an easy one to answer. From scouring listservs for nanny recommendations to waiting for a coveted spot in a daycare center, finding the right childcare for your family is no simple task. Especially in the DC area, which boasts the highest childcare costs in the country. It’s enough to make even the calmest of parents lose their cool.

There’s one answer to this question that you may want to consider: host an au pair.

Au pairs are 18-26 year old young people from around the world who provide up to 45 hours a week of live-in childcare for American host families. This cultural exchange program is regulated by the U.S. State Department. All au pairs have childcare experience and undergo a multi-step screening and training process before joining their host families.

Hosting an au pair may be right for you if:

You need childcare with flexible hours and schedules (au pairs can work evenings, weekends, and days. Plus, their schedules can shift from week to week).
You’re looking for more affordable childcare options. Au pairs can work up to 45 hours a week for approximately $1,587 a month.
You want to expose your baby to a new language or help your older child become fluent in one that they are learning at school.
You have older kids and need help before and after school.
You’re open to hosting a young person in your home and learning about his or her country and culture.

Are you intrigued? You aren’t alone. Thousands of families decide to welcome an au pair each year. But how do they find the right person? Here are four tips that can help you through this process:

Start early. When people ask me how long it takes to match with an au pair, I tell them: “The more time you have, the better.” Why? Because finding the right au pair to join your family takes time. It’s not a decision you want to make with a looming deadline.Try to give yourself 8-12 weeks to fill out your host family application thoroughly, review different au pair applications, figure out what you do and don’t like, and have interviews with your top candidates.

If you would like an au pair from a particular country (France, for example), make sure you apply at a time when the most candidates from that country are available. In the case of France, many au pairs want to arrive in summer as their academic year ends in June.

Figure out your “must haves” and “dealbreakers.” As you can imagine, finding the right au pair can feel a lot like dating. That’s why I tell potential host families to think about their “must haves” and “dealbreakers” when considering potential au pairs.

Do you need someone who can drive? Or an au pair with experience caring for an infant? Is it ok if your au pair wants to spend lots of time with your family when she’s not working, or do you want someone more independent? Answering these questions before you start the matching process can save you time and avoid selecting an au pair who isn’t the right fit.

Also, think of the values you consider most important in both a childcare provider and a housemate, because your au pair will have both roles. Consider topics like cleanliness, sleep patterns, and diet. They will have an impact and it’s important to address that in advance.

Go with your gut. While au pair applications are thorough, your gut can be your best guide in the matching process.Does an au pair sound good on paper, but was aloof during your interview? Move on.Did you think you wanted an au pair from Germany, but find a candidate from Argentina more attractive? Reach out to her. Because you’ll be living with an au pair, it’s more important to consider how that person makes you feel and not just his or her qualifications or availability.

Ask the right questions. It’s important to interview a potential au pair a few times before finalizing a match not only to learn about their experience, but also to figure out if this is the right person to join your family. I recommend having the first interview be a “getting to know you” conversation to see if it’s a good personality fit. The second interview should focus on his or her childcare experience and related skills and interests. Last, but certainly not least, focus your last conversation on life with your family and how you will take on challenges that you may face living together.

Some questions you may want to ask include:

- What do you like most about working with children? What do you like least?
- What do you love most about children that are (insert your child’s age or children’s ages)?
- Tell me about a time when… Here, you can ask about a challenge your au pair may face with your children (e.g. a baby won’t stop crying or a toddler has a meltdown).
- What is the most important thing I should know about you as a person?

Finding the right childcare is such an important decision, and I’m here to help! Please contact me to discuss if hosting an au pair is the right fit for your family.

Washington DC area gyms, health clubs and studios that offer childcare

January 18, 2018

Have you kept your New Years Resolution of shedding some pounds? Or have you already thrown in the towel two months in (like us)? Maybe you need a little convenience to get you sweating. Here’s a list we’ve compiled of area gyms and studios that will take care of your Bambinos so you don’t have to worry about them climbing on your back while you do a downward dog. This list should help you achieve your healthy goals this year. All you have to do is find the gym closet to you and sign up! Let us know if we can add a gym to the list that you know has childcare.

Barre3–
(1000 Wisconsin Ave NW Suite G-100 Washington, DC 20007)
(4900 Massachusetts Ave NW, Suite 105 Washington, DC 20016)
(1832 14th Street NW Washington, DC 20009)
(701 2nd St NE Washington, District of Columbia 20002)
(Bethesda location coming soon)
It’s easy to fit exercise into your life when you can bring the kids. Minors under 18 years of age are welcome. If minors are on the premises while guardians are in class, you must purchase a play lounge package. Reservations are highly recommended. Please reserve under your name and not your child’s name.

Equinox–
(4905 Elm Street Bethesda, MD 20814)
This is a luxurious gym with many amenities. The Kids’ Club is the ideal place to drop your tots while you work out. The space is bright and inviting. It is available to children ages three months and older. Appointments and drop-off services are available. Leave the little ones with us while you’re working up a sweat. With tumbling, art, obstacle courses, and plenty of inspired programming, it’s a pint-sized haven of well-being.

acac–
(20500 Seneca Meadows Parkway Germantown, MD 20876)
When you include your kids on your acac membership, they have an all-access pass to active fun in the acac Kids Zone. The mission of the acac Kids Zone is to keep children physically and emotionally safe, while facilitating an engaging, clean, healthy, and kid-friendly environment of fun, age-appropriate activities and social behavior. Kids Zone Child Care is available for children ages 6 weeks through 12 years. Parents must remain on acac grounds. To view full Kids Zone policies, click here.

LA Fitness–
(8616 Cameron St. Silver Spring, MD 20910)
Thanks to reader, Amy for letting us know LA Fitness has childcare.

Life Time Athletic Fitness-
(1151 Seven Locks Road Rockville, MD 20854)
(9602 Main Street Fairfax, VA 22031)
(1757 Business Center Drive Reston, VA 20190)
(7220 Lee DeForest Dr. Columbia, MD 21046)
(5900 Trinity Parkway Centreville, VA 20120)
(44610 Prentice Drive Sterling, VA 20166)
A family oriented environment. The Kids program encourages healthy activities and playing for for child. Available for children ages 3 months to 11 years old. They also offer classes for children.

Local Motion–
(2377 South Dove Street, Alexandria, VA 22314)
Local Motion offers yoga, Pilates, pregnancy, barre and more. Your child can explore and play in the childcare room at Local Motion Studio while you get the time you need to take care of yourself! The room is clean and bright, and is staffed by qualified, nurturing professionals. There is no television, and the room is set up with a preschool setting in mind. There are safe places for babies, and all toys are safe for all ages. Children welcome ages 6 months and up. Have a child younger? Contact the studio to discuss.

Mint Dupont –
(1724 California St. NW, Washington, DC 20009)
Childcare begins at 4 months and goes up to 11 years old. The childcare hours vary and is available 7 days a week.

Rock Creek Sports Club–
(8325 Grubb Rd. Silver Spring, MD. 20910)
For members, they offer a low, monthly rate so you can maintain your fitness goals by visiting the club as many times as you wish with your kids. They allow you to keep your child in the childcare room the longest; 2 hour and 30 minutes. Which allows you plenty of time to take your favorite class, workout, AND shower. Babysitting is for children ages 6 weeks to 8 years old, and reservations are not required. They also have classes for children.

Bethesda Sport and Health– (4400 Montgomery Avenue Bethesda, MD 20814)
Sport and Health: Northwest- (4001 Brandywine St NW)
Pike & Rose– (11594 Old Georgetown Rd, Rockville, MD 20852)
The Sport and Health locations above offer childcare for children beginning at 3 months. They have some locations with a separate area for infants and older children. Most are complete with cribs, swings and toys. After getting the run around from many employees, we think we finally found a set price; a whopping $1 per child per hour. They recommend calling 24 hours ahead of time to reserve a spot.

Sportfit–
(100 Whitemarsh Park Drive Bowie, MD 20715)
Thanks to reader, Jennifer for letting us know about Sportfit. Sport Fit is happy to offer childcare 7 days at week! The hours for each day are listed below. Please note that a Child MEMBER receives TWO free hours of childcare per day. A NON-MEMBER Child may use the childcare daily for a $4/hour fee.

Sports Club/LA–
(1170 22nd St NW, Washington, DC 20037)
A club within the club “For Kids Only”. 6 months to 12 years old. Reservations required 24 hours in advance. Hours vary seven days a week. Costs also vary depending on whether it’s a drop in $15/hour, hotel member $18/ hour or member paying per hour $10. The area is large and has very nice indoor play equipment and toys.

The Women’s Club-
(14175 Sullyfield Cir., Suite 100 Chantilly, VA)
Childcare is available 7 days a week with no reservations required. Put your mind at ease and enjoy quality time exercising while your children play and learn in an exciting and safe environment. Educational and creative crafts are offered daily. These activities and services are available for children 8 weeks to 12 years.

Washington Sports Club is one of the older clubs in the area and in turn has many locations, most have childcare options (see list below) for children ages 3 months-10 years old. Contact each club individually for hours and prices.
Columbia Heights- 3100 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20010
Georgetown- 3222 M Street NW, Suite 140 Washington, DC 20007
Bethesda- 10400 Old Georgetown Road Bethesda, MD 20814
South Bethesda- 6828 Wisconsin Avenue Bethesda, MD 20815
Silver Spring- 901 Wayne Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20910
Alexandria- 3654 King Street Alexandria, VA 22302
Clarendon- 2800 Clarendon Boulevard Arlington, VA 22201
Fairfax- 11001 Lee Highway Fairfax, VA 22030
West Springfield- 8430C Old Keene Mill Road West Springfield, VA 22152

XSport Fitness-
(4300 King St. Alexandria, Va.22302)
Your child can rock climb, play with interactive toys and even watch videos. While you work out you can also watch your child on closed-circuit TV’s. Childcare included in membership. Locations in Falls Church, Arlington and Woodbridge as well.

YMCA Anthony Bowen–
(1325 W Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009)
With a membership comes free Child Watch for children 8 weeks-age 4. Hours vary Monday-Saturday. If your kids are older than 4 you can sign them up for Cool Kids Club for a low fee. Children may be left in both for up to 2 hours per day.

YMCA Alexandria–
(420 East Monroe Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301)
With a membership comes free Child Watch for children 8 months-age 5. Hours vary Monday-Saturday. If your kids are older than 5 and younger than 10 you can sign them up for Kids Zone for a low fee. Children may be left in both for up to 90 minutes.

Yoga with Bambinos

DC area gyms, health clubs and studios that provide child care

February 20, 2014

Barre3–
(1000 Wisconsin Ave NW Suite G-100 Washington, DC 20007)
(4900 Massachusetts Ave NW, Suite 105 Washington, DC 20016)
(1832 14th Street NW Washington, DC 20009)
(701 2nd St NE Washington, District of Columbia 20002)
(Bethesda location coming soon)
It’s easy to fit exercise into your life when you can bring the kids. Minors under 18 years of age are welcome. If minors are on the premises while guardians are in class, you must purchase a play lounge package. Reservations are highly recommended. Please reserve under your name and not your child’s name.

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