This month I’m celebrating the launch of the 3rd edition of my guide book Denver Playgrounds & Parks. After having been out of print for half a year, it feels great to have more books available again. With an additional 160 playgrounds and a new focus on the very best 50 parks in town, this 2016 edition is more fun than ever! So to mark the occasion, I’ve listed my own personal top 5 Denver play areas… it’s a question I get asked a lot. Happy exploring! The guide is available as a book and iPhone app. The book is sold at Amazon and at local stores such as Timbuk Toys, The Bookies, and The Tattered Cover. Carpenter Park This mega-playground in Thornton was constructed in 2013 and truly offers something for everyone. In addition to the 10 swings, 8 slides, and 6 spinners, the play ...
I am so proud of living in Colorado where Gov. John Hickenlooper signed into law legislation needed to put the renewal of the successful Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) before voters in November (please plan to vote YES) once again. The bill gives funding to SCFD facilities giving us access and these great FREE days! Also of note this summer: General admission to the History Colorado Center and plus all six of these Community Museums statewide are FREE for kids ages 18 and under every day through Labor Day! June Thursday, June 2 – Molly Brown House Friday, June 3 – Clyfford Still Museum Free Evening 5-8 p.m. Saturday, June 4 – Denver Art Museum Sunday, June 5 – Denver Museum of Nature and Science and Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dol...
A few months ago, I decided that I’d like to run the Bolder Boulder on Memorial Day. Since I have never run a 5K…or any-K for that matter since P.E. class in High School (Class of 1600 BC), I bribed my family to do the Family Walk division in the Bolder Boulder this year so I can do a test run (no pun intended) and see what it’s all about. My thoughts are that I’ve had a bit of time to train. I’m not a runner by nature (well, unless you count running errands!) I love to shop, so I more or less go at a leisurely stroll (so as not to miss any bargains, of course). If shopping was an Olympic sport, hands down I’d have the gold! But here I am, committing to this 5K. I’m motivated, driven, I even bought a cute new running outfit. I’m putting it ou...
We’ve allllllll been there. In a video labeled on YouTube as the “Most Patient Dad Ever,” we see in 19 seconds what every parent goes through during the daily grind called parenthood. I mean, you can only hear the same question (“why?”) so many times before you want to scream. P.S. He is frosting a cake. In case you didn’t get that the first 10 times.
Who is ready for some summer salads? Panera Bread has been busy creating new salads and updating your favorites. The best news of all? They are all deliciously clean without artificial preservatives, flavors sweeteners or colors from artificial sources. Currently, 85-90 percent of Panera’s ingredients are natural and their chicken, turkey, sausage and ham are raised without the use of antibiotics. There are 27 bakery-cafes in the Denver/Boulder area and here are the delicious salads you’ll find this summer: (New) Chinese Citrus Cashew with Chicken. Because I’m a huge fan of the Asian Sesame Chicken Salad, I’d highly recommend this new salad made with romaine, napa cabbage blend, cucumber, fresh pineapple and cilantro. Oh, and while we’re at it, thr...
Summer is a time for fun, water fights, watermelon, BBQs and messes. Lots and lots of messes. If you’re a parent who feels like you’re constantly cleaning up after your kids (who isn’t?), then this new video from the lovable Holderness Family will give you some comic relief. Now, get back to cleaning up.
FREE at-home lessons and activities available on Speedometry website In 2014, the Mattel Children’s Foundation and the USC Rossier School of Education partnered to introduce Speedometry, an innovative program that uses cars, tracks and household items to make STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) learning fun and engaging. Hot Wheels® Speedometry™ aims to deepen students’ understanding of speed, angles, slopes, collisions, kinetic energy and potential energy. The free-to-use curriculum targets fourth grade (8-9 year old) students and aims to put them on course for success in science and mathematics. In fact, recent classroom testing of the curriculum revealed positive results from implementation, and showed that fourth graders who learned science and math concepts with Speedomet...
Sunscreen, snacks, sunglasses, and a book in hand — these are the summer essentials for all bookworms, kids and adults alike! Whether your family is traveling on vacation or sticking closer to home, the season offers wonderful opportunities for readers of all ages to dive into new reads. Every book is a new journey and the more books you pick up, the more summer adventures you’ll have! Brightly has a lot to offer when it comes to getting your family’s summer reading ready. Broken down by age and stage, you’ll discover great reading recommendations (everything from fun mysteries for young kids to romantic beach reads for moms), printable activities, road trip listens, and so much more —perfect for outdoor reading, family trips, and all-around summer f...
We in Colorado are fortunate to have a variety of adoption camps held right here each summer. Heritage Camps for Adoptive Families has been forging connections within and among adoptive families for 25 years. Which camp is just right for you? African Carribbean, June 9-12 Cambodian, July 14-17 Central Asian, July 21-24 Chinese, Sept 2-5 (Fraser, CO) Chinese II, June 23-26 (Denver, CO) Domestic Adoption Camp, August 4-7 Eastern European, July 21-24 Filipino/Indonesian/Pacific Islander, August 4-7 Indian Nepalese, July 7-10 Indonesian/Pacific Islander, August 4-7 Korean, June 16-19 Latin American, June 23-26 Russian/Eastern European/Central Asian, July 21-24 Pacific Islander, August 4-7 Thai, July 14-17 Vietnamese, July 14-17 Adult Adoptee Retreat, July 29-21 My family has already registered...
When James Corden loses his patience with Chewbacca Mom in the car, “Star Wars” director J.J. Abrams has some notes for Candace Payne and gets James in on the fun. Does anyone else want to be her BFF? That laugh just doesn’t get old!
There are plenty of events in Denver this Memorial Day weekend including Water World’s season opener, Colorado Remembers Concert, BolderBoulder, Denver Day of Rock and more. See our event calendar for additional information. Denver Day of Rock, 16th Street Mall, Denver May 28, 2:30 pm – 9:30 pm Denver Day of Rock is a free one-of-a-kind music event presented by Amp the Cause to raise awareness of the children in our community. This free event will feature five stages of live music throughout downtown Denver. Colorado Remembers Concert for Memorial Day at Springhill Community Park May 28, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm Everyone is welcome to attend this full day of family-friendly events and activities, including a military ceremony honoring our veterans, a children’s instru...
I am an outdoors girl. I always have been. I’m glad I live in a super state like Colorado where we have so many outdoor spaces and places and we are lucky enough to have National Parks! I feel like I personally own a piece of the National Parks (I used to live in Steamboat which is in the middle or Routt National Forest and my mom used to work for the Forest Service). So I was SUPER excited when I got to invite my mom to join me at the IMAX “National Parks Adventure” (opening this Friday at Denver Museum of Nature and Science). The documentary film is in celebration of the centennial anniversary of the National Parks this August. The epic on-screen adventure will take us to ALL the national parks. Baskin Robbins. Baskin-Robbins, the world’s largest chain of ice cream sp...