Summer is in full-swing! BBQs, campfires, day camps, longer days, sunburns and crazy heat are all part of Colorado summers. It’s wonderful having the kids around, but no matter the age, hot weather affects us all and usually not for the better. : ) With the kids home from school, keeping them occupied, happy and cool can get difficult unless you have a plan. Often we forget to look in our own “backyard” for relief during the heat!
Break out of your routine and try these local spots to keep kids occupied and cool!
Air-Conditioned Options:
1) *Denver Museum of Nature & Science– Fun for the whole family! Hands on activities sprinkled throughout each exhibit will keep both adults and kids entertained and learning! Don’t miss “Discovery Zone” especially for kids, 6 months and up where they can dig for dinosaur bones, participate in story time, explore arts and crafts, put together puzzles and so much more!
2001 Colorado Blvd. Denver, CO 80205 Open Daily 9:00am-5:00pm (Discovery Zone Opens at 10:00am) Adults: $20, 18 & under: $14, Kids under 3 Free. Free Parking. http://www.dmns.org
2) *Denver Downtown Aquarium A full day of fun for everyone! Learn about different underwater creatures from all over the world. Mermaid shows, carousals and Sharkey Fun Zone, are just a few attractions kids of all ages will love! Check out Family Fun Nights, Monday-Thursday, during the summer where discounted admission, activities and special kid friend activities (s’mores anyone?) make for a great way to cool down with the family after a long summer day.
700 Water Street Denver, CO 80211 Open Daily 10:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. Adults (over 12): $18, Under 12: $12 2 & under: Free. Parking: $7 or free with restaurant validation. http://www.aquariumrestaurants.com/downtownaquariumdenver/default.asp
3) Monkey Bizness- with multiple locations throughout the Denver Metro area, this is a fun indoor play place where kids of all ages can climb, slide, jump and play. It can get a little crazy when it’s busy and older kids are around, but there is a crawlers section. A small café with some food options and coffee are available, but they allow carry-ins, so pack a lunch and make it a day! Another perk, Free WiFi and Admission for Adults!
Locations in Centennial, Denver, Colorado Springs, Lone Tree, Parker and Westminster. Check website for more information on hours and tickets prices at the location nearest you on their website: http://www.monkeybizness.com
4) *Denver Children’s Museum- This is the spot for endless entertainment for kids of all ages! Here your little scientist can create his own rocket, your little Picasso can forge his own masterpiece or cool down by getting wet in their summer exhibit, Just Add Water! Every exhibit is completely hands on and allows for kids of all ages to learn through play and experimentation. There is a special area for young ones (newborn- 4 years), where they can play and develop skills on their level. Bonus, there is also a nursing room.
2121 Children’s Museum Drive Denver, CO 80211 Open Daily, check website for hours. Admission Ranges from Free- $9.00 depending on age. Free Parking. http://mychildsmuseum.org/Default.aspx
5) Local Libraries- Our tax dollars help to have a location very near you with numerous resources to keep kids busy while keeping them cool! Spend an afternoon picking out books, audiobooks or magazines with your kids. Many libraries have kid stations set up with toys and activities! Check the website to find the closest library to you and look at their daily schedule of events. Most libraries offer multiple story times, craft times, movies, special guests and events for all ages. Best of all..it’s free! Check Website for Locations, Hours and Events. http://www.publiclibraries.com/colorado.htm
Water Options:
1) Water World, Denver- This is the “Mother” of all waterparks in Colorado! The biggest, the baddest, the most fun and by far, the most expensive! Water World has everything you could image, slides, tube rides, wave pools, cabanas, a lazy river, kiddie area and lots more! There are plenty of food options but I prefer packing lunch and storing in the lockers for a small fee. Let the kids help with making the lunches and make sure your drinks are in a sealed container. Crowds can get bad making for long lines, so try getting there early. You’ll also have a better shot at reserving some lounge chairs in the shade. Mid-day entry (1:45-6 p.m.) is also an option saving you about $15 a ticket. Check the website for other discounts and buy tickets online to skip the line once you get to the park.
1800 W. 89th Avenue Denver, CO 80260. Open Daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Weekends only beginning August 19th. Admission Ranges from free for under 2 up to $40 for General Admission. Free Parking. http://www.waterworldcolorado.com
2) *Denver Botanical Gardens– Don’t forget this great spot for kids of all ages. With indoor and outdoor activities, both kids and adults will enjoy exploring different flowers, plants and hand on activities. Be sure to check out the Mordecai Children’s Garden where there is SpringMelt Stream where kids can cool off in the stream while getting a chance to explore too!
1007 York Street Denver, CO 80206 Open Daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Adults: $12.50, Kids Under 15: $9, Kids under 2. Free Parking. http://www.botanicgardens.org
3) The Splash at Fossil Trace, Golden- While tiny in space, which allows you to keep your eye on your kids, this is an affordable and fun water park for the whole family! Geared to kids 12 and under, this is a very small park, but has a couple great slides and water attractions that is usually enough to keep the younger kids busy. Also a lap pool for teens or adults looking to get a workout in while the others play.
3151 Illinois Street Golden, CO 80401 Open Daily 10 a.m.- 6:30 p.m. Modified hours after August 19th– check website. Admission ranges from free to $9 depending on age and place residence. http://www.splashingolden.com/PC/index.html
4) Deer Creek Pool, Littleton-A wonderful public pool with all the bells and whistles that kids of all ages will enjoy. Gradual entry pool, slides and other water features allows the kids to stay cool and busy for hours! Lap pool available for adults as well as pavilions to catch some shade while the kids eat lunch from concession stands or your own picnic basket!
8637 S. Garrison Street Littleton, CO 80128. Open Monday-Thursday: 10:30 a.m.-6:30pm and Friday-Sunday: 10:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. Admission ranges from free- $9 depending on age and place of residence. http://www.ifoothills.org/pools_Outdoor.asp
5) Pirates Cove Family Aquatic Center, Englewood- Here is something special for kids under 12. Smaller and less expensive than Water World, Pirates Cove has all you need with a lazy river, large kiddo pool area, slides of all speeds to chose from, tiny sand beach, kids fort area and more! Lockers and food are available and prices aren’t too bad! Mid day crowds can be a problem, so try and get there first thing in the morning or later afternoon once people have gone home! With ticket prices ranging from $8.00-$10.00 per day, grab your sunscreen, towels and kids and go have some fun!
1225 W. Belleview Ave. Englewood, CO 80120 Open Daily 10:00am-6:00pm August 10th-September 2nd– Weekends Only. http://www.piratescovecolorado.com
* Ask about family or annual membership rates. These places have great deals on year- long memberships and you can take advantage of them in the winter months too!
What’s your families favorite way to stay cool on hot summer days?
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Elissa Sungar is the Co-Creator of If Not You, Who? a free website that offers easy and fun in-home educational activities that help prepare children for kindergarten and life. Her passion for early childhood education grew out of her experience as a pre-school teacher at Stanford University’s Bing Nursery School. Elissa loves hiking, running, tennis, yoga, cute workout clothes, good cheese, great baked goods and exploring Denver! Twitter: @ElissaINYW
Author: Mile High Mamas
Amber Johnson
Had to laugh at this list…I’ve done a lot of them this summer. One of our favorite ways to cool down is we go to Olde Town Arvada’s library, head next door to the spray fountains and then get ice cream and old-fashioned candy at Scrumptious! http://www.scrumptiousco.com/
S&D
We like #Denverbotanicgardens! So much to do and see, great way to keep it cool and fun!
Allie
Great List! We love Belleview Park, right next to Pirate’s Cove. They have a stream that runs through the park that the kiddos can play in.
Mariann
love taking my boys to surfside splash park in lakewood off 9th and sheridan! however it is a $1 per person to get in. any local rec. center! they have awesome pools or any outdoor pool.
Bridgett
The fountains at the westminster promenade are fun and free, we like the olde town arvada ones too. The apex indoor pool is fun, but I went last week and that place was a zoo!!