Month: May 2021

KidzToPros: Denver STEM, arts and summer sports camps for Pre-K to grade 12

KidzToPros offers a range of popular STEM, arts and sports summer camps for kids from Pre-K to grade 12. Some of a child’s favorite experiences come from participating in summer camps. At KidzToPros camps, kids can explore a variety of topics in a fun and engaging environment. Strong partnerships with Colorado schools allow KidzToPros to bring the highest quality programming directly to your community. In-person camps are back!  Summer is almost here. Kids are ready to get outdoors, explore, and have some fun.  That’s what summer camps are all about! Camps are where kids play and make new friends. Recharge their batteries. Explore new interests and learn skills that will last a lifetime. This summer, KidzToPros delivers popular, educational and super fun camps to families in Colo...

Free skiing for Colorado kids: Register now for Epic SchoolKids 2021-22 season

For the past four years, my family has purchased Epic Passes for the entire family, which is even that much more affordable when you pair them with EpicSchool Kids, a free program for Kindergarten through 5th graders that provides four days of skiing and riding at each of the state’s top-ranked resorts: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, and Crested Butte.   That’s right. Four TOTALLY free days on each of Colorado’s resorts…20 free days of skiing for kids. Not only can they develop a life-long passion for the sport but they can bond with Mom and Dad while they’re at it (buy your Epic Passes here). Pro tip: Many of my friends register their kids for Epic SchoolKids and if they want to ski more than the four times, the adult Epic Passes include disc...

Pay $49 now for epically cheap Vail Resorts Epic Passes in 2021-22

It is arguably the best ski deal in Colorado for adults AND kids…and it runs out on Memorial Day.  $49 is all May 31, 2021 will be the last day you can lock in your Vail Resorts’ Epic Pass purchase with a $49 down payment, with the remaining balance not due until September. And, through Memorial Day, the purchase of an Epic Pass will come with the bonus of 10 “Buddy tickets,” good for significantly discounted lift tickets for family and friends. And after the crapshoot COVID year, Vail Resorts is making it even more enticing than ever: Epic Pass prices are 20% lower than last year. Purchase an Epic 4-day pass for $323, an Epic Local Pass for $583 or an Epic Pass for $783.  Epic SchoolKids After you snag your adult/teen passes, be sure to register for the Epic Schoolki...

How to make friends as a mom (even when you’re an introvert)

Full disclosure: I am an extrovert. Making and keeping friends has never been an issue for me…until I became a mom and all of sudden, there was a whole new rulebook. And after spending a year in quarantine, many of us have forgotten how to socialize, let alone make new friends. This Denver mom nails many of our awkward social interactions.             View this post on Instagram                         A post shared by Taylor Wolfe | Writer (@thedailytay) When I moved to Denver 19 years ago as an unmarried woman, most of the women my age had kids. When I finally started reproducing, my peers the same age had kids entering middle and high school.  And now, I’ve moved to a new place whe...

Deals: Memorial Day weekend events, free USA flag & more!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! Yes, my neighbors are once again planning a bbq and we will resume the Friday night movies on the driveway.  Don’t miss 75 family-friendly Memorial Day weekend events in Denver!  Also, we just release our Colorado Family Vacation Guide for Summer 2021.  Mile High Flea Market. Admission is free on the last Friday of each month this summer May 28, June 25, July 30 and August 27. Enjoy farmer’s markets, stalls, shops, food and drinks as well as music. This might be a fun way for you and the family to enjoy a fun kickoff of a weekend! Secure Vail Resorts Passes Now. It is arguably the best ski deal in Colorado for adults AND kids…and it runs out on Memorial Day. May 31, 2021, will be the last day you can lock in your Vail Resorts’ Epi...

Family travel: Enjoy home on the range in this unexplored corner of Colorado

Do you long for home on the range? Sure, Coloradoans love their mountains but families itching to get back on the road this summer can experience northeast Colorado’s wide-open spaces, outdoor adventures and unique events. Visitors can set their own speed with heart-pumping activities like speedway races or watersports, have fun at the disc golf capital of Colorado, giddy-up at a tractor pull or a buckling battle or take it easy by bird watching at a natural area or shopping on one of the region’s charming main streets. And, visitors and locals can gather safely once again at the many quintessential summertime events. Want more family vacation ideas in Colorado? Scroll to the bottom for our comprehensive guide.  Upcoming Summer Events Visitors can experience a variety of unique commun...

Colorado Jeep Tours: A fun and educational adventure for the whole family

School is out. Summer has begun! Does that mean that the learning has to stop? Absolutely not! Even better, this summer you can learn something while you’re having fun. That is spoken, of course, by a parent, not a kid. But honestly, you AND your kids will love Colorado Jeep Tours. And for those who are homeschooled the tour is a true learning field trip/class. Colorado Jeep Tours is based in Canon City just about an hour west of Colorado Springs and an easy drive from Denver as well.  Canon City may best be known for Royal Gorge (the train is popular) and the prisons but that is certainly not ALL the town is about. Last summer, Mile High Mamas had a blast in the Royal Gorge region. We climbed the Via Ferrata (a protected climbing route) at Royal Gorge Bridge and Park, white-water raf...

Track chairs give disabled Coloradoans access to the outdoors (plus, don’t miss Adaptive Recreation Weekend)

Staunton State Park strives to give access to all Coloradoans in the outdoors and they are now accepting reservations for disabled Coloradans who’d like to “hike” the trails in one of Staunton State Park’s two-track chairs.   “Being able to offer the therapeutic benefits of the outdoors to all of our visitors is truly rewarding,” said Zach Taylor, park manager for Staunton. “We now have four track chairs and one grit freedom chair.” Trips will start Friday, June 4 and run through the end of October. Individual trips are run on weekends and group trips for organizations are run on weekdays, Monday-Thursday. If an organization is interested in running a group trip they can email [email protected] to set that up.   Reservations for indiv...

Mornings, Meltdowns, and Mindfulness: Parenting through stressful struggles

This week, I joined my 5-year-old daughter for the social-emotional learning component of her virtual school day. She and my son are enrolled in our local public elementary school, which is fully virtual through at least January. The school has set aside 10 to 20 minutes a day for focused social-emotional learning, including practicing mindfulness skills, learning how to identify and express feelings, and spending time connecting to each other. This kind of skill-building feels especially important to do in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, when children may be even more emotionally vulnerable than they were last year at this time. The teacher posted the instructions to the Zoom room and I was ready: “We’re going to breathe!” My daughter’s response? “I HAT...

Great fishing ponds for kids in Denver and beyond

Do you want a chance to get outdoors and enjoy nature? Fishing is a rite of passage for kids and we’re here to share 25 great places to go fishing in Denver.  There are literally hundreds of small ponds, gravel pits and golf-course lakes throughout Colorado’s Front Range that hold fish. Despite their abundance, however, it’s important to do some scouting to determine which waters offer both public access and good fishing. To improve your chances of success, Colorado Parks and Wildlife stocks many of these neighborhood waters with a variety of warm-water fish. CPW also stocks some locations with catchable-size rainbow trout when water temperatures are cooler in early spring and late fall. Before you go: Make sure you sign up for a fishing license. Need gear? The Tailored Tac...

Free Fishing Weekend and Beginner Tips for Learning to Fish in Colorado

Have you wanted to try fishing with your kids? Colorado Parks and Wildlife is holding its annual free fishing weekend in Colorado is June 5 and 6, 2021.  The free fishing weekend is a great w​ay to get outside with family and friends and take adva​​ntag​e of Colorado’s extensive opportunities to fish for a myriad of cold and warm water fish species​​. Never fished before? Don’t worry, this Colorado Outdoors “Quick Tips” video will show you the basics to setting up a rod.  Here are a few other resources to get started: Denver fishing ponds – 25 great fishing ponds for kids in Denver. Fishing Atlas– This is an interactive map that shows the many waters people can fish in Colorado. Stocking Report– The stocking report shows lakes, ponds, and...

This Denver Pediatric Chiropractor shares important signs to watch in your child’s development

Is reading and walking early good for kids? Did you know they can actually be a sign of sensory processing problems affecting brain development? Reading and walking are big stepping stones that parents look forward to in the development of their children.  As a Denver Pediatric Chiropractor with Arvada chiropractic services, we regularly educate families that if certain stepping stones are not reached first, they will cause a child to be more susceptible to developmental delays that can follow them into life as an adult.  The good news is these delays or signs can be spotted if you know what to look for.  Depending on when the developing brain is exposed to triggering stress and genetics will determine the effect on brain development.  This stress affects the developing...