Month: April 2019

2019 Denver Summer Activity Guide (150+ ideas!)

Warmer weather is here! As the sun lingers in the sky longer before settling behind the mountains, how should we fill the time? What activities are sure to be a hit? Well, with the help of our readers (yes, that’s you!) Mile High Mamas has compiled a list of fun activities in the Denver area this summer.  All of these places and activities in one handy list!?  Awesome! Need an idea for an inside activity? It’s here! Need a new outside activity to try? It’s here! See something that isn’t on the list? Let us know, and we’ll add it! Be sure to bookmark this page and check back often. It’s your Summer 2019 Guide to Fun in Denver.  Don’t miss 2019 Summer Vacation in Colorado: 75+ ideas for families. Also, scroll to the bottom of this article for our...

Deals: Free succulents at farmer’s market, teacher appreciation and more!

I love a reason for a party! This weekend we will have both Cinco De Mayo as well as the Kentucky Derby. Maybe I will wear my fancy hat while I take down a plate of nachos?  Farmers Market. Its’ time again for farmer’s markets! The Union Station Farmer’s Market opens on May 11 – giving the first 100 moms a potted succulent. Plus, for the first year, the market will have a Chef’s Council where 5 chefs through the season will provide recipes for dishes to make with market ingredients.  9Health Fair. Several years ago, my dad discovered he has high blood pressure, thanks to a 9Health Fair. Over 100 communities bring health screenings to their residents.  Volunteers organizes the free (or inexpensive) fairs in locations all across the state offering health screenings. To fi...

Avid4 Adventure offers the ultimate summer camp adventures

I am frequently asked about my recommendations for the best outdoor summer camp in the Denver area and without hesitation, I always respond Avid4 Adventure because they do a fantastic job empowering Pre-K – 11th graders to develop a life-long passion for the outdoors. Summer Day Camps are offered in Boulder, Lafayette, Superior, Golden, Highlands Ranch, Washington Park, Stapleton, Greenwood Village, Castle Rock and Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Hadley and Bode attended Avid4 Adventure summer camps for several years and learned to kayak, canoe, stand-up paddleboard, rock climb, bike, hike and thrive in the outdoors. During our latest camp, I was a bit worried my kids would take a been-there, done-that attitude but their experience could ...

More mental health staff and less law enforcement at our schools?

A new report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) finds that an overwhelming number of K-12 schools across the nation experience scarcity in school-based mental health personnel and a surplus of law enforcement personnel. The report finds that this stark contrast contributes to the over-criminalization of black, Latino and Native American students and harms students who need mental health supports. During the past 10 years, the suicide rate among children ages 10 to 17 has increased by 70 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adolescent mental health struggles in Colorado are particularly acute; the suicide rate for teens ages 15 to 19 hit a record high in 2017, at 21 deaths by suicide per 100,000 teens in th...

Colorado 9-year-old takes world by a snowball with new book and movie deal!

In December 2018, Dane Best, age 9 took the world by storm, putting his tiny, snowcapped town of Severance, Colorado on the map, fighting to overturn a nearly 100  year old snowball ban.  A law in Severance, Colorado states, “It is unlawful for any person to throw or shoot  any stone or any other missile upon or at any person,  animal, building, tree or other public or private property;  or at or against any vehicle or equipment designed for the transportation of persons or property.” This included snowballs, and Dane wanted to do something about it.    After all, can you imagine not being able to throw snowballs? Let alone in Colorado? However, overturning a century-old law was no easy task. Where do you even begin? Who would listen to a 9 year old?...

Calcutta is My Mother: the Healing Journey of a Transracial Adoptee

For decades — lifetimes, really — the adoption narrative has been woven primarily by people like me: adoptive parents. To adoptive parents and to society at large, adoption can seem like a win-win construct. Longing parents get a baby/child, and the baby/child gets a forever family. All win, no loss. But in recent years adoptee voices have joined together to also influence the adoption narrative. One of those voices belongs to Reshma McClintock, the subject of the documentary Calcutta is My Mother, creator of the website Dear Adoption, daughter, wife, and mother, and former Denver-area resident. Calcutta is My Mother is the latest contribution an adoptee-led effort to encourage people in general — those who have direct experience with adoption in some way, and those who d...

26 family events in Denver this week

Fun events this week include Dia de los Libros, Shakespeare in the Parking Lot, free day at Denver Museum of Nature and Science and more. See our event calendar for more information.  Stand Against Racism Week in Boulder, Colorado  Apr 22 – 29  During Stand Against Racism Week, the YWCA will unite our community in a bold demonstration that delivers a clear message: we are on a mission to eliminate racism. Events are planned in nearly every state across the country including engagement in public policy and advocacy, community education, and public proclamations. Colorado Rockies vs. Washington Nationals at Coors Field – Home of the Colorado Rockies  Apr 22 – 24  Enjoy exciting major league baseball and come out to this series between the Colorado Rockies ...

Summer Camp: Lights, Camera, Action, Fun!

Talk to the Camera summer camps turn screen time into hands-on, interactive play time!  With intentional use of technology, children learn useful life-long skills that change how they use screen time this summer. 3 ways to turn screen time into something positive! Screen time can be a bonding experience – Collaboration and teamwork are a huge part of social-emotional learning and friendship building. When children have opportunities to discover new skills and work together in a small group creating videos, their self-esteem increases. From Little Stars camps for preschoolers to Alien Invasion camps for tweens, children have fun-filled days of discovery, laughter, and creation working together and making new friends. Screen Time can be educational-  Actively engaging in all ...

30 Ways to Show Kids You Care

As children grow and develop, support and positivity in their daily lives mean a lot to them. It is important for parents, caretakers, neighbors, coaches and other adults to show children that they care. When a community invests in children’s mental, emotional and physical well-being, they are raised to be happy and healthy.  “Children thrive when they hear encouraging words,” says The Kempe Foundation President & COO Julia Stone. “Meaningful phrases like ‘I’m proud of who you are,’ ‘You are intelligent and kind,’ and ‘You can do this’ give children a sense of capability and self-worth.”  Communities can also support children by spending time with them, even if it’s just a few minutes.  “Many studies have shown that quality time is more beneficial for children than quant...

Outdoor Pop-up ‘The Bed Cinema’ is coming to Denver

When was the last time you went to Denver’s drive-in theaters, The Denver Mart Drive-In and The 88 Drive-In Theatre?  The drive-in is a fun novelty for families but sitting in your car can get cramped.  We all love movies in bed. Now here’s another reason to stay in bed with the world’s most comfortable outdoor cinema entitled The Bed Cinema which is coming to cities across the U.S. this summer. Starting in August 2019, the outdoor cinema will screen a number of blockbusters from the comfort of 150 double beds with pillows, blankets and an LED-lit bedside table at your side to hold your goodies while you watch a film.  The experience is traveling across the U.S., hitting cities such as Los Angeles, Venice Beach and of course – Denve...

Deals: Free G Line Rides, Treble by Train and Dia del Nino

I joined a gym! For those who have known me for a long time, that shouldn’t maybe sound as exclamatory as it feels to me. I’ve not been to a gym in three years. I couldn’t find the money in my budget, my kids were still the focus of my time – driving them in circles. It seemed like I had every excuse in the book. All except the real story, I just didn’t feel like it. But as I was realizing that it will soon be summer (and more of me will be showing), I realized I have to do something. I chose Chuze in Littleton because they have team training, classes, clean gym, great kids club, hydromassage and tanning. So they really have it all – and some of the memberships for as little as $9.99 per month (which I will likely get for my teen daughter). Plus, for a limited time, (and exclusively i...

Teach your kids to fish: 15 clinics in Colorado

Join Colorado Parks and Wildlife for our upcoming fishing clinics with classes ranging from fly fishing in the high country to family events. Check out the April, May and June schedules below.  April Angler Education Clinics Rocky Mountain Fly Clinic – Saturday, April 20 in Littleton, CO. Register online for clinic details and registration. ​ Family Crappie Fishing & Cooking Clinic – Saturday, April 27 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Buckingham Lake in Loveland, CO. This clinic is a great family opportunity where participants will learn successful techniques for crappie as well as how to fillet and cook them. $10 registration for an individual or $20 for a family. To register, email Alex Doehling at alex.doehling@state....