Cooking Classes

1. Culinaria Cooking School — Virginia

In addition to its wide variety of adult cooking classes, this cooking school in Vienna offers several classes for kids ages 9-13 and their caregivers. Kids and adults work in pairs to create meals as they learn proper knife skills and cooking techniques from professionally trained chefs. The school's popular Child and Parent—Thanksgiving Teamwork class has become an annual tradition. Participants receive printouts of all of the recipes to bring home with them.

2. Tiny Chefs — Virtual

Burgers, cupcakes, guacamole—oh, my! Tiny Chefs offers both live and on-demand virtual cooking classes for families. Kids (and parents!) will learn how to measure, combine, calculate, and follow recipes from the comfort of their own home. Private online classes and virtual birthday parties are also offered.

Dance Classes

3. Perfect Pointe — Virginia

Perfect Pointe two locations in Arlington and Springfield, offer a Creative Movers class that introduces children ages 18 months to 2.5 years to basic concepts of movement and music. These Parent and Me classes incorporate creative movement activities, song and dance routines, basic tumbling, and pre ballet. "Me Moments" sprinkled throughout the class allow the grown-ups to get in some exercise of their own with quick conditioning exercises using the toddlers as weights.

4. Tiny Dancers

This dance studio's three Northern Virginia locations in Alexandria, Fairfax City, and the Mosaic District offer a Wiggletoes class for dancers ages 2-3 and their parent or caregiver. Each class begins with activities such as bending, stretching, and swaying and progresses to loco-motor movements including marching, galloping, and jumping. The class also includes a story and a themed costume, making for adorable photo ops! Wiggletoes students are invited to take part in a special daddy-daughter performance at the spring recital.

Music Classes

Parachute time is part of every class at Gymboree Play & Music. Photo courtesy of Gymboree 

5. Gymboree Play & Music — DC

Gymboree Play & Music in northwest DC offers music and movement classes for newborns through 3-year-olds and their caregivers. Each 45-minute class includes singing, dancing, climbing, and exploring the space using a variety of props and equipment. There are also family art classes and music classes for kids up to age 5. You can purchase monthly memberships that include unlimited classes or buy a 10-class package for $300.

6. Little Steps Music

Little Steps Music follows the Music Together program, designed to introduce newborns through 5-year-olds to song, movement, and musical instruments alongside their caregivers. The classes optimize the mixed ages to foster "family learning"—younger kids learning from watching and imitating the older ones and older children learning by leading the younger ones. The 45-minute classes are offered seasonally in 10-week blocks at more than 25 locations in DC and in Arlington, Falls Church, and McLean, Virginia.

Swim Classes

7. British Swim School — Virginia

British Swim School's Tadpole program introduces babies and toddlers ages 3-36 months to the water for the first time with participation from a parent or caregiver. Though the kiddos will practice an assisted back float and submersion, there are also lots of songs, splashing, and independent exploration of the water. British Swim School has three Northern Virginia locations in Dulles, Fairfax, and Falls Church.

8. KIDS FIRST Swim Schools — Maryland and Virginia

KIDS FIRST's five DC-area locations—four in Maryland and one in Springfield, Virginia—offer popular Mommy & Me classes for babies and toddlers age 3 months and older. The classes are meant to develop children's natural water instincts and teach them the primary skills of buoyancy, propulsion, and breath control, all while they have fun with their caregivers. Pools are kept at a balmy 90 degrees for little ones' comfort.

Workout and Yoga Classes

9. Breathing Space — DC

Breathing Space offers yoga classes for parents and their little ones through its Early Childhood Yoga program at nine locations throughout DC, as well as private online classes. Classes incorporate games, breathing exercises, and meditation in addition to yoga. Baby Yoga & Play mixes yoga movements with music, play, and fun for pre-crawlers, and Family Yoga emphasizes movements that kids and their caregivers can do together. Lactation support and infant massage classes are also offered. Sessions run anywhere from just one class to 10 weeks.

10. Fit4Mom — DC, Maryland, and Virginia

Fit4Mom specializes in prenatal to postnatal exercise programming, creating a community so that moms feel supported as they embark on their fitness journey before and after baby. Offerings such as Stroller Strides, Stroller Barre, and Run Club all get moms outside with their kiddos during the nice weather. There are also indoor Mommy & Me classes during the colder months. And with more than 65 locations in the DC metro area (in DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland) as well as virtual classes, you're sure to find one that works for you!

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