A few years ago, Benjy started a summer camp that offered kids community service opportunities when school was out. Camp Kind is going on its sixth year engaging young people from across the metro, but attendance this year will likely drop as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis also sent Rivka home from New York City.

Back under her parents’ roof with a lot of free time, she’s taken on a project that may help spread Camp Kind’s mission as kids stay at home.

Volunteer in a Box offers service opportunities mailed right to people’s homes: kits to make soap, dog toys or teddy bears that are meant to be given away. The “give away” part is on the buyer to figure out, though Benjy said kids can mail their finished products back if they want help with distribution. The boxes range from $17 to $30 on Volunteer in a Box’s website.

“We want to show kids that being kind is cool,” he said. “We always wanted a way to take Camp Kind to more people.”

Music Lessons at Littleton School of Music are the Perfect Antidote To “Gadget Fatigue”

Ask your kids what they want to do “today,” and they might look up from their tablet or phone long enough to say “Uh, I dunno.”

After all, kids say that a lot.

Left to their own “devices,” kids might spend all day and night on their electronic devices!

But they will likely be more bored with that than they’ll realize… and more fatigued with it than they’d ever tell you.  And when they look back on this summer, well…

… They might not remember a thing about it.

So since “I dunno” is likely to be the standard answer you get from your kids, you might want to come up with your own answer for what they’ll likely look back on most fondly.

Maybe this is the summer your kid starts on the road to vocal stardom… piano virtuosity… or even rock ‘n’ roll legend!

Fun, Safe Music Lessons… Online, Or In Person

What might create the most memorable summer imaginable for your kids… even in the wake of the unfortunate events of this “interesting” year?

Piano lessons?  Voice lessons?  Maybe learning to play the guitar like a-ringin’ a bell?

I know: It might be hard to imagine how kids could embark on life-changing, inspiring music lessons and stay safe in the current environment.

That’s a challenge we’ve been working on for weeks here at Littleton School of Music… and I’m proud of the way we’ve handled it.

For starters, we moved into a beautiful new space at the beginning of this year, with a lot of brand-new furnishings and facilities.

Our school is clean, well-lit, and just about the safest place you can bring your family for music lessons.

Once the pandemic became a reality in our lives, we engaged the services of the most heavy-duty disinfecting service available anywhere.  Our surfaces and environments are treated regularly with the most powerful germ-killing stuff on the market.

The “bugs” just can’t survive here!

But students, their families, and our cherished employee staff are as well-protected as anyone could be when they’re here at Littleton School of Music.

And we offer online lessons, too, if that’s what families prefer.

Our Inspiring “Musical Ladder” System

Another reason your kids will remember Summer 2020 – fondly! – is that they’ll have the opportunity to create real achievements for themselves as their music lessons progress.

And they’ll be recognized for those achievements!

Our “Musical Ladder” system rewards students of all ages as they make progress with the instrument of their choice.  Your young virtuoso will likely be bringing home trophies, wristbands, and certificates of accomplishment as they progress through their personal musical journey.

All while enjoying lessons with top-flight instructors who make learning both productive and fun.

Give us a call today, and I’ll be happy to send you a FREE copy of my book, I Fell In Love With Music, to help you learn more about this great answer to the “summertime blues” – for the whole family!

Stephan Hume, founder of Littleton School of Music, appeared on the hit MTV show “Made,” and created the school in 2006.  His music degree is from the University of Colorado (Denver), and he’s a past president of BNI “Action Partners.”  Stephan lives in Littleton with his wife, Lauren, and his young son and daughter.

Summer day camps in Colorado are allowed to start June 1, 2020.

Gov. Jared Polis announced guidelines on Monday that give the greenlight to day camps, but residential camps must wait. The decision on whether overnight camps can open in July and August will come in a few weeks.

The guidelines require day camps to maintain physical distancing and maximum group sizes of 25 children outdoors and 10 children per room indoors. Employees must wear masks where possible, and campers must wear masks during transportation to and from the camp.

“Colorado kids will be able to enjoy day camps and youth sports camps this summer in as safe a manner as possible,” Polis said in a statement. “The risk, though less, is still very real, and it’s up to families to make the best decisions that work for them. We also appreciate the critical role that day camps, along with daycare, which has already been operating in as safe a manner as reasonably possible, play in supporting working parents.” -NPR

Summer Camp Guide

So, where does that leave Mile High Mamas’ summer camp guide? Stay tuned to our summer camp landing page because we will be regularly making updates about how Denver’s summer camps are adapting to the changes. 

Are you looking for some excitement to make the summer fly by? You look at the gazillion camp ads and wonder what children will gain from these experiences.  You ask yourself if this camp will help children with their self-confidence or master new skills, make new friends and better yet… keep these new friends … and then there is the Biggy … will it be so much FUN they want to go back next summer?  

Put your mind at ease!  We have you covered! At this very moment, we at Iliff Preschool’s Summer Adventure Day Camp are asking the same things!  We are brainstorming, surveying past campers, and coming up with amazing activities…activities like dashing and splashing at the pool and taking a risk coming down slippery slides. We have set aside a whole week of searching for hidden treasures…getting down and dirty digging for artifacts, rocks, and fossils. 

Just because we all like getting sticky and covered in fun, we have invited mad scientists who can show us how to concoct goo just by heading to the kitchen. We will discover things that pop and sizzle and others that grow in the night.  We have scoured the city, digging out activities campers love and are busy arranging field trips from eye-opening museums to state-of-the-art, high tech centers. We have even discovered a secret wilderness park where we can run and hike and a hill where we can freeze our backsides ice sledding in July!

Still wondering?  Let these reflections from our past campers help plan a camp experience for your child his summer:

• I laughed, I played, and was silly all day long. 
• I got better at what I like to do.
• I liked being outside…. running, swimming, jumping, and hiking.
• I tried new things.
• I made my mother happy taking a break from TV and the internet. 
• I got to make decisions for myself without teachers!
• My dad tells me I need to be in camp at Iliff because I cause a lot less trouble than when I am in school.
• Sign me up for next summer!

Our camps are for post-kindergarten through 12 years old and centrally located in Unversity Park, Denver. Enjoy exploring your options for dates and times to enroll your child by visiting our web site at www.iliffpreschool.com.

The Allen Family of Blue Mountain Ranch is doing now what they’ve done for the last 74 years – making preparations for another fun-filled summer at their exceptional camp located just west of Pikes Peak.  An anomaly in today’s world, Blue Mountain Ranch remains a small, private coeducational summer camp attracting some of the finest families in America and throughout the world.  Though some aspects of camp life remain much as they were years ago, exciting innovations have brought the program into the future.  A just re-worked ropes course, technical climbing, a new gymnasium and special events each summer combine with horseback riding and hiking in the Pike National Forest, swimming and sports to make this one of the most comprehensive programs in camping.  Coach Bill Allen and his wife Dorothy wanted to create a summer fun camp free of competitiveness – their daughter and son-in-law, as well as their grandsons, continue in this fine family tradition.

 Located just 35 miles south and west of Florissant, Colorado, Blue Mountain Ranch is situated in an ideal setting for summer camping.  Nestled in the foothills of Pikes Peak, surrounded by Pike National Forest, the camp is in a beautiful valley with a mountain stream that leads to a fishing and canoeing lake. Large open areas are used for sports fields, tennis courts, outdoor volleyball and other activities.  Staff members are carefully chosen for their enthusiasm, ability to work with children and their leadership abilities.  Those who work with horses, swimming, canoeing and ropes and rappelling either have special training when they arrive or are trained by our staff during orientation. Our many returning staff and campers assure the continuance of our camp spirit and traditions.

 A summer at Blue Mountain Ranch takes you back to an easier time; a time when kids could be kids doing what they do best – being active all day and then playing outdoors until dusk.  On the first day of camp, each camper chooses 5 activities to participate in for the first week.  There are five activity periods a day.  At the end of that week, they may remain in that class or switch to something else.  They can even make a change in the middle of the week if necessary.  There are also fun evening and weekend activities, including a Fourth of July Parade.  Everyone is in the parade!  The campers are busy doing what THEY enjoy doing – and most kids really like that!

Quieter activities include arts and crafts, nature crafts, music class and drama during which the campers write and produce their own play for Parents’ Day.  Rainy day activities include bingo or charades in the dining hall, dodge ball or floor hockey in the rec hall or basketball or karaoke in the gym.  There is always something to do at camp!

Sessions are either 16 days or 25 days and some kids will stay for a combination of both. Come share with us the warmth and spirit of a summer at Blue Mountain Ranch where children of all ages participate in new and traditional activities and where they are led by a family and staff who have their best interest at heart.  For further information contact Suzie Allen Graf, P. O. Box 146, Florissant, CO  80816.  (719) 748-3279

In this digital age, the need for children to be engaged in physical activity is more important than ever. Because biking is so fun, it’s an activity they can do for an extended period of time while experiencing the benefits without realizing it. Biking also brings friends and family together as they enjoy the outdoors together and create wonderful memories.  

Here are some of the main benefits of going to bike camps as they learn to ride: 

Increases stamina  

As kids cycle and increase their heart rate, they are exercising their body and cardiovascular muscles, which increases their stamina. This will give them the energy to do other activities for a longer period of time.

Relieves stress 

Sitting most of the day at school and learning a lot of material can be exhausting. Biking can help kids recharge their energy, release stress, and help keep them calm.  

Improves self-confidence 

Biking helps increase self-confidence because they can move around independently and navigate their surroundings effectively. After they feel great learning new bike skills, they will be eager to try other things.   

Develop social skills 

Kids can make new friends at camp, especially as they do group activities and play fun games. Not only do they learn how to ride a bike, but also learn how to ride safely in a group setting and communicate effectively. 

Pedalheads Bike is a bike camp that has taught over 300,000 kids how to ride with confidence. The most popular camp is Level 1 Newbees that shows helps kids get off training wheels in a fun group environment. They have a proven track record of getting kids off training wheels in a week.  

One happy Colorado parent said, “My 7-year-old son learned how to ride a 2-wheeler in 1 day and was totally shocked and happy. I can see that whatever happened during his camp has increased his self-confidence exponentially.  The camp counselors were all so professional and personable and enjoyed chatting with them.” 

Importance of being out in nature 

Many scientific studies talk about the many advantages of being in nature as children grow and develop including improved short-term memory, increased mental energy, and less inflammation. Kids can feel a stronger connection to the environment and think more holistically.  

Nature is restorative and allows people to concentrate more. Studies have been done where they tested students who took a short walked around in nature compared to a group that walked around the city. Students who walked in nature scored 20% better than the first time while the group that walked around the city did not consistently improve.  

Being in nature can even improve vision! An Australian study followed almost 2,000 children for two years and found that those who spent more time outdoors had lower prevalence of near sighted-ness among 12-year olds.   

New Trail Riding Camp in Colorado 

We are blessed to have many stunning areas to see around Colorado that are best explored by bike! Families can enjoy riding together as they appreciate nature’s beauty. 

This year is the launch of the Pedalheads Trail program in Stapleton where rides can go on a biking adventure through the trail systems around Stapleton Central Park. Riders who are 4 and up will learn how to bike on uneven paths, learn cool tricks like front wheel lifts, and avoid obstacles. 

About Pedalheads

Pedalheads offers learn-to-ride bike programs in over 140 cities across Canada and the USA. In Colorado, you participate in our bike and brand new trail program! 

Learn-to-Ride Bike Camps

Our program is reputed for helping kids ages 3-12 get off training wheels and safely ride on the road. Our program includes:

• Beginner to advanced levels
• 3-hour half-day camps and 7-hour full-day camps
• Private lessons
• Before and aftercare options

Believe it or not, summer camp season is here! 

To help you navigate the many wonderful camps in Denver, we have compiled a Colorado Summer Camp Guide for 2020.  In addition to this directory, we will be featuring a variety of Denver camps over the next few months that give a more in-depth glimpse of camp life so keep checking in.  Also, don’t procrastinate–many spots are filling up quickly! There have been some closures due to COVID; be sure to read the governor’s directives on the matter.

Camp Categories

Arts Camps (music, dance, etc.)

Academic Camps

Outdoor Camps

General Camps

Sports Camps

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Featured Summer Camps

Pedalheads Bike and Trail Camps

Pedalheads offers learn-to-ride bike programs in over 140 cities across Canada and the USA. Parents love the small class sizes so they can get individualized instruction and ultimately, we want the kids to gain confidence and have fun! Our program is reputed for helping kids ages 3-12 get off training wheels and safely ride on the road. Our program includes:

• Beginner to advanced levels
• 3-hour half-day camps and 7-hour full-day camps
• Private lessons
• Before and aftercare options

Bike camp locations: Hampden South, Stapleton, Washington Park, and Highlands Ranch.  Pedalheads is planning to run camps this summer albeit they may look a bit different. There are inherent safeties of our camps being outdoors and done on bikes that create additional social distancing. Register at https://pedalheads.com/camp

Avid4 Adventure

Iliff Adventure Day Camp

Iliff’s Post-Kindergarten Adventure Summer Camp is designed to provide experiences for everyone to build lasting relationships that encourage healthy development, positive risk-taking and a sense of belonging and security. Campers spend their days with professionally trained counselors who focus entirely on the success of the children, encouraging them to explore and play, swim, participate in sports, and experience activities in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and music). In addition, campers explore all that Denver offers in privately- owned school buses.  Enrollment forms and Weekly Themes (Post kindergarten-Age 12) available online or by calling the center. Ask any camper and they will tell you….it all adds up to a super fun summer. iliffpreschool.com

Denver Kent School

Have the best summer ever at Kent Denver School! We offer 100+ camps for kids ages 3–18 in arts, athletics, tech, academics & more! Partners offering camps at KDS this year include Eurekus, Central City Opera, Denver Children’s Choir, Lighthouse Writers & TriVelo.

• Perform in Lion King, Beauty & The Beast, Fame, Seussical, Hairspray, or Magic Treehouse. Explore Hogwarts, sing with Denver Children’s Choir or Central City Opera, and more!
• Sports camps with Kent Denver’s legendary coaches: basketball, field hockey, football, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, volleyball, strength/conditioning, plus bike camp with TriVelo!
• Arts classes in painting, sculpture, photography, cooking, ceramics, fabric, paper mache and more for kids of all ages!
• Tech classes in VEX robotics, coding, architecture, plus amazing STEAM classes from Eurekus!
• Academic opportunities speech & debate, transitioning to middle and high school, creative writing with Lighthouse Writers, SCUBA certification, outdoor survival, future doctors, young architects and more!

Go to kentdenver.org/about/summeratkds

Play-Well TEKnologies

Blue Mountain Ranch

Blue Mountain Ranch as made the difficult decision to not open this summer. There are many factors that led us to make this decision. Between the guidelines from the American Camp Association and the Environmental Heath and Engineering and the pace at which information is coming from the state and local governments surrounding Covid-19, we realized that the joy and discovery of the Blue Mountain Ranch experience could not be achieved this summer. This decision was made with the goal of protecting the safety, health and wellness of campers, staff and families. When you break it down, social distancing and summer camps just do not go hand and hand. We will be back next summer for our 75^th anniversary! bluemountainranch.com

Dinosaur Ridge Summer Day Camp

Dinosaur Ridge Summer Day Camps are an unforgettable adventure! We offer 9-weeks of day camps for campers ages 6-13. Each weekly camp offers an exploration of the Dinosaur Ridge fossil sites, hands-on science projects, as well as expert guest presenters in the fields of paleontology, geology, art, earth science, or local plants and animals. These experiences are designed to foster excitement and wonder for science, art, and the outdoors while engaging in our hands-on educational curriculum. Our weekly camps keep kids moving and discovering in the incredible setting of our National Natural Landmark. The small group sizes give every camper the opportunity to play, explore, and expand their knowledge. Camps run weekly from June through early August, learn more and register at dinoridge.org/summercamps or email erin.lacount@dinoridge.org. 

Denver Fencing Center

Lighthouse Writers Workshop

Lighthouse Writers is holding summer writing camps virtually, through Zoom or their online platform, Wet Ink. Zoom camps will meet for two hours daily, five days a week, to explore a specific genre or topic. Campers will have the opportunity to schedule a 15-minute, one-on-one meeting with their instructor through Zoom during the week to discuss their specific writing goals. Online studios through Wet Ink are perfect for the camera-shy and will offer an asynchronous opportunity to sample lots of genres and topics anytime throughout the class, as well as an online community to give feedback and support. And our full-day, week-long intensives are application based and meant for young writers of all levels who want to dig into the craft of writing. Free virtual open mics will offer the chance to share writing in front of an audience each Friday afternoon. Check lighthousewriters.org for more information.

It’s not too late to add your summer camp to our guide! Be sure to go here for details. 

Mile High Mamas will soon be launching our 2020 Denver Summer Camp Guide. Now through February 10th, you may post your listing for free: milehighmamas.com/places/camps

What sets us apart is we not only offer an easily-searchable directory but we also offer blog post features for your summer camp at affordable rates. Be sure to email us at themilehighmamas@gmail.com for additional details.

Bring on summer!

Technology: Love it or leave it? Personally, I’d prefer to just leave a lot of it but our kids are growing up in a tech-saturated world and my 12-year-old son Bode looooooves video games. I, however, do not love the time wasted with video games. So, how can we reach a comprise where I feel like his time online is well-spent at least some of the time? 

 CodeWizardsHQ Curriculum

Enter: CodeWizardsHQ which offers a structured and comprehensive multi-year online curriculum available for grades 3rd-12th. Their unique approach combines the benefits of teacher-led instruction and the ease and convenience of online classes. Students attend weekly online classes from the convenience of your home.  Classes are teacher-led, student-centered and project-based. Beginner to advanced experience levels are offered. As students progress course to course, they learn popular programming languages including; Scratch, HTML/CSS, JavaScript, Python, MySQL, and more.  

Bode learned more during his 3-week-long beginner Python class than he did after attending Scratch classes at our local library for 2+ years.  So, what’s the difference? He says CodeWizardsHQ is “interactive, fun and it does a great job building upon the principles of coding.” The courses are deliberate, well-orchestrated and with class sizes under 8 students, instructors are not overwhelmed on the live chats or video conferencing. 

Bode says, “I loved learning how to build my own games. My favorite project was when we designed a game so the fruit would come off and you would click the fruit before it would disappear. There was a scoring mechanism and it was cool to create something I would play in real life.” 

Homework: The Fun Kind

After each class period, they had a homework project that would supplement what they learned every day. It would take Bode between 5-30 minutes and they were enjoyable since they were in the format of a game. If he had questions, students get 24/7 access to course materials and recorded sessions to review course content. They also get 24-hour email support from instructors and also live 1×1 instructor help during our office hours. This support is included in course fees.

Progress Report

Does your child ever go to camp and school and you wonder what they’re doing all day? CodeWizardsHQ sent a daily progress report including their “grade” in the quizzes. 

Missing Class

Have to miss a class because, you know, life?  CodeWizardsHQ records every class as it is delivered. Shortly after the class is over, they make those recordings and the class slides available to the students in that class. These recordings and slides make it easy for students to have another look at the material or catch up on a missed class.

Keep Learning

At the end of each students are assigned a capstone project that incorporates all the skills learned during that course. Every student who successfully completes this capstone project receives a certificate of completion, recognizing the skills they’ve learned and the level of mastery they’ve achieved.

Before Bode’s Python class was complete, I was impressed to receive an email detailing next steps:

They have a structured, long-term coding program that prepares your child for academic and professional success. The program finalizes with a capstone project, internship or a la carte courses that give students real-world web development experience or preparation for exams to earn college credit. Their student’s portfolios stand out in college applications and give them a competitive edge.  

Whoa…an Internship?

After completing all of CodeWizardsHQ’s courses, students are eligible for a 6-month internship with a partner nonprofit organization. This internship will give students real-world web development experience, allowing them to build a portfolio and stand out on college applications. 

Testimonial from a Pro 

My husband owns a Denver-based web development firm and he has been really impressed with the skillset that my son is gaining.  “This place [CodeWizardsHQ] is the real deal. I like how they covered a wide range of topics and taught kids in an engaging way to get them excited and interested about an awesome field of work.”

Go to Code Wizards HQ for more information about their late-summer and (soon) fall courses.