The Kroc is a relatively new community center in Dorchester. It was completed in April 2011 and features a gorgeous indoor water park in the heart of the city.

Family swim is 90 minutes from Monday to Thursday, which is the perfect amount of time for your little to practice kicking, swimming, floating, and blowing bubbles. The pool is rarely crowded in the early afternoon, which is great for water exploration. The Kroc has a water slide, a kids spray ground, a lazy river, and a zero-depth entry. This means little ones can waddle into the water instead of having to sit on the side of the pool and jump in.

Swim diapers are required for kids who aren't potty trained, which you can get for FREE at the front desk. To be gentler on the planet, we used reusable swim diapers. Below is a sample photo from Amazon.

Reusable swim diapers (just like disposable swim diapers) do not absorb water. This means they will not fill and become heavy while your little one is in the pool. Disposables are single-use and have to be thrown away after each wear. But reusables can be washed and worn over-and-over again. If you size up, they can last a couple of years. But the diaper must fit snug around the thighs to keep unwanted presents from entering the pool. We bought ours at Marshalls (I think). Unfortunately I can't find a swim diaper (we love) online, so shop around until you find one that works for you.

You may also want to pack...

• Towels (hooded ones will keep your little ones warm) >

• Kid's water shoes (for the shower) >

• Kid's one-piece swim suit >

• Adult one-piece swim suit (two pieces are prohibited)

• Adult flip-flops (for the shower) >

• Swim cap (totally optional -- this one is for long hair, locs + braids) >

• Soap (there may be some in the shower room, but we like to bring our own) >

• Conditioner >

• Lotion >

• Dry/Wet Bag (a totally optional way to keep wet towels separate from your dry items) >

This may seem like a ton of gear. Our family uses family swim as our sport for the season. Meaning, we go as much as possible to take full advantage of our investment.

The Kroc has a decent-sized family room, so that you can take your time getting rid of the chlorine immediately after your pool time. There is also an enclosed outdoor playground (if you're children aren't exhausted after swimming).

While they sell locker locks at the front desk, you may want to try more mom-friendly versions. Here's a regular combination lock. But you can also find word locks, directional locks and fingerprint padlocks online.

Lastly, a Kroc family membership is $570 a year. If you go swimming once a week, that equates to $10.96 a visit, or $47.50 a month. You can also try a one-day pass ($10 for adults), if you're not ready to commit. The membership also gives you access to their workout facility upstairs, their rock climbing wall and more.