Category Archives: Uncategorized

Boulder Family Events: July 19 to July 25, 2013

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Friday, July 19

  • Boulder Rural Fire Station Kids Day. Do you have young kids who love fire trucks? Join the Boulder Rural Fire Station for a great story time and exploration. Following an age appropriate fire safety story, children will be given a tour of our station and the apparatus by our firefighters. [They will do it again August 16 if you miss this one] Located at 6230 Lookout Rd, Bldr. Join them at 10:30am. Free for children 3 to 5.
  • Noon Tunes on Pearl Street Mall. Head down to Pearl Street for some free, grooving good tunes. Let the kids play in the pop fountain and dance the afternoon away. Noon to 1:30pm.
  • Friday Storytime at the Main Boulder Library. Come listen to stories. Free. 10:15am.

Saturday, July 20

  • Nature Hikes for Kids and Parents: Wildflowers. Experience wildflowers and the roles they play on the land and for wildlife. Learn about pollination and how insects are attracted by color, fragrance, and shape.  Hike beautiful Chautauqua Meadow with Debora Martin, Early Childhood Educator/Volunteer Naturalist.  Meet at the Chautauqua Ranger Cottage for an easy hike on Bluebell-Baird. Bring a nature journal and camera. (optional)   Ages 6-8
  • Boulder Farmer’s Market. Meet your farmers, do some artwork, get some lunch. There is always so much going on at the market! 8:00am to 2:00pm.
  • FREE Day at BMoCA. Join them all day to delight in their exhibits or stop by during the Farmer’s Market for a fun kids craft.
  • Twenty Ninth Street Live! Live musical performances Saturday nights throughout the summer. Food trucks, drinks, music. All outside at the Twenty Ninth Street Mall. 7:00 to 10:00pm. IMG_1292

Sunday, July 21

Monday, July 22

Tuesday, July 23

Wednesday, July 24

  • Waneka Lake July Concert Series.Tonight is the Chain Station
    Chain Station is a 4-piece, high-energy, get ‘em out on the dance floor stringband from the Front Range.     Good fun for the whole family. Starts at 7pm at the Waneka Lake Park.
  • FREE Day at the North Boulder Recreation Center. Swim. Workout. This is a great indoor kid friendly pool!
  • Bands on the Bricks. Get down and enjoy great live music playing on the Pearl Street Mall. Check out the line up here. Free. 7:00 to 9:00pm [libations starting at 5:30pm]
  • Boulder Farmer’s Market. Meet your farmers, buy some veggies, get some dinner, listen to live music and even have a beer. There is always so much going on at the market and it’s not as crowded as Saturdays, so it’s great for families! 4:00 to 8:00pm.
  • FREE Night at BMoCA. Join them all day to delight in their exhibits. 4 to 8pm.
  • TEBO Train on Pearl Street Mall. Free. 10:00am to 11:15am. More details in the June 10 listing.
  • Kids Eat FREE tonight at Wahoo’s!

Thursday, July 25

Come One, Come All to the Summer Heritage Evening at the Historic Walker Ranch Homestead

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On July 20, 2013 your family has an incredible opportunity to go back in time to get a sense of what it was like to be a homesteading family in the Boulder area. To be clear you need to head up early evening of July 20 to Walker Ranch to take part in their Summer Heritage Evening.

This is where you will find volunteers doing historical re-enactment of the homesteading lifestyle. It is always a bit different, but well worth the trip up Flagstaff to engage in activities such as learning to rope a cattle, playing with early settler’s toys, watching baking, blacksmithing, etc… Think Little House on the Prairie right in our back yard.

Time: 5:00 to 7:30pm

Location: Walker Ranch [To get to the Walker Ranch homestead, go approximately 7.4 miles up Flagstaff Mountain Road, west of Boulder]

Cost: Free

More information about the Walker Ranch Summer Heritage Evening can be found here.

Boulder Family Events: July 12 to July 18, 2013

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Friday, July 12

Saturday, July 13

Sunday, July 14

Monday, July 15

Tuesday, July 16

Wednesday, July 17

  • Waneka Lake Concert Series. Good fun for the whole family. Starts at 7pm at the Waneka Lake Park.
  • Bands on the Bricks. Get down and enjoy great live music playing on the Pearl Street Mall. Check out the line up here. Free. 7:00 to 9:00pm [libations starting at 5:30pm]
  • Boulder Farmer’s Market. Meet your farmers, buy some veggies, get some dinner, listen to live music and even have a beer. There is always so much going on at the market and it’s not as crowded as Saturdays, so it’s great for families! 4:00 to 8:00pm.
  • FREE Night at BMoCA. Join them all day to delight in their exhibits. 4 to 8pm.
  • TEBO Train on Pearl Street Mall. Free. 10:00am to 11:15am. More details in the June 10 listing.
  • Kids Eat FREE tonight at Wahoo’s!

Thursday, July 18

Boulder Family Events: July 5 to July 11, 2013

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Friday, July 5

Saturday, July 6

Sunday, July 7

Monday, July 8

Tuesday, July 9

Wednesday, July 10

  • Pearl Street Mile Race. The Pearl Street Mile is the “signature event” of the Downtown Boulder Race Series. The event includes a ½ mile race just for the kids. After crossing the finish line head over to Bands on the Bricks to relax, enjoy some music, and bask in your accomplishment. Fun for the whole family! 5:30pm. Register ahead of time here.
  • Bands on the Bricks. Get down and enjoy great live music playing on the Pearl Street Mall. Check out the line up here. Free. 7:00 to 9:00pm [libations starting at 5:30pm]
  • Boulder Farmer’s Market. Meet your farmers, buy some veggies, get some dinner, listen to live music and even have a beer. There is always so much going on at the market and it’s not as crowded as Saturdays, so it’s great for families! 4:00 to 8:00pm.
  • FREE Night at BMoCA. Join them all day to delight in their exhibits. 4 to 8pm.
  • TEBO Train on Pearl Street Mall. Free. 10:00am to 11:15am. More details in the June 10 listing.
  • Kids Eat FREE tonight at Wahoo’s!

Thursday, July 11

Family Friendly 4th of July Events

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Check out some great family-friendly 4th of July options in and around Boulder this year! For families with really young kids, or those who just don’t want to be out late, check out Parenting Place’s Kids’ July 4th Bike Parade OR head over the Boulder Rez for some daytime fun. The evening events are all fun, but remember you can see a lot of them from outside of the crowd if you want a more mellow experience for your family. Whatever you decide to do–enjoy!

Boulder: Ralphie’s Independence Day Blast: Gates open at 8 p.m. Program at 8:30pm. boulder4thofjuly.wordpress.com

Boulder: Kids’ July 4th Bike Parade. 10am to 1pm. www.myparentingplace.org

Boulder: Boulder 4th of July at the Boulder Rez. Race, family-friendly activities, food trucks & more. 6am to 6pm. Boulder Rez

Broomfield: Broomfield County Commons Park: Celebration begins at 5:30 p.m. broomfield.org

Lafayette: Waneka Lake: Celebration begins at 4 p.m. lafayettecolorado.com

Louisville: Coal Creek Golf Course: Events begin at 6 p.m. louisvilleco.gov

Longmont: Boulder County Fairgrounds: Fireworks planned for 9:30 p.m. ci.longmont.co.us

Boulder Parks and Recreation Offers FREE Events in July!

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Boulder Parks and Recreation is offering FREE Events in July! 
 
Check out these Free Days at their pools & Rec Centers in July! Want to try out a recreation center or pool? Here is your opportunity to try it for FREE!
 
  • East Boulder Community Center July 9
  • Boulder Reservoir July 22
  • Spruce Pool July 16
  • North Boulder Recreation Center July 24
  • South Boulder Recreation Center July 29

There are also FREE Concerts in the parks throughout July! Find your neighborhood park and plan a night out! All concerts are from 7:00 to 8:00pm.

  • July 1: Harlow Platts Park [1360 Gillaspie] Presents the Boulder Summer Concert Band
  • July 8: Salberg Park [19th St and Elder Ave] Presents the Boulder Summer Concert Band
  • July 15: Scott Carpenter Park [1505 30th St] Presents the Boulder Summer Concert Band
  • July 22: North Boulder Park [9th St and Dellwood] Presents the  Boulder Summer Concert Band
  • July 29: Chautauqua Park [900 Baseline Rd] Presents the Boulder Summer Concert Band

Boulder Family Events: June 28 to July 4, 2013

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Friday, June 28

Saturday, June 29

  • Boulder Farmer’s Market. Meet your farmers, do some artwork, get some lunch. There is always so much going on at the market! 8:00am to 2:00pm.
  • FREE Day at BMoCA. Join them all day to delight in their exhibits or stop by during the Farmer’s Market for a fun kids craft.
  • Twenty Ninth Street Live! Live musical performances Saturday nights throughout the summer. Food trucks, drinks, music. All outside at the Twenty Ninth Street Mall. 7:00 to 10:00pm. 

Sunday, June 30

Monday, July 1

Tuesday, July 2

Wednesday, July 3

  • Bands on the Bricks. Get down and enjoy great live music playing on the Pearl Street Mall. Check out the line up here. Free. 7:00 to 9:00pm [libations starting at 5:30pm]
  • Boulder Farmer’s Market. Meet your farmers, buy some veggies, get some dinner, listen to live music and even have a beer. There is always so much going on at the market and it’s not as crowded as Saturdays, so it’s great for families! 4:00 to 8:00pm.
  • FREE Night at BMoCA. Join them all day to delight in their exhibits. 4 to 8pm.
  • TEBO Train on Pearl Street Mall. Free. 10:00am to 11:15am. More details in the June 10 listing.
  • Kids Eat FREE tonight at Wahoo’s!

Thursday, July 4–Happy 4th of July!

Common Sense Media Helps Parents Make Informed Movie Choices!

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Today my 9 year old and I sat down to find an appropriate movie for him to download for our upcoming trip. We headed to Common Sense Media because it is tough to determine what shows are acceptable for him AND that he will enjoy. I was amazed. I was able to search for movies, then his age, and up popped a list of options. Not only do they have a great list, but the list includes trailers, Common Sense Media’s take on the show, and a rating of appropriateness. Just what we needed!

Want the scoop on age appropriate movies? Head to www.commonsensemedia.org and click on “Reviews” in the left corner.

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Add your criteria such as age, genre, etc…

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And you get some great suggestions with detail on what you are watching, what is good about the movie, what to watch out for, and what you may want to discuss with your child after or before watching the movie. Common Sense Media is opinionated! I like it!

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I am so thankful that we have Common Sense Media to help us make tough decisions about movie watching!

Do You Instagram? This Social Media Tool Is Not Just For The Kids!

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Instagram is a really cool social media tool that allows you to take photos, use great filters to make them look amazing, and then share them on a photo stream with your friends. You choose who shares your photo stream so you can keep your circle as small an you want. Instagram quickly becomes a photo journal of your life.

I love Instagram for families! Let me tell you why…

  1. Take Fun Photos! You can take really fun photos and easily manipulate them with filters. It can be addictive!
  2. Share Your Photos: You can share photos with select friends/family/others–you choose!
  3. Photos Are Available Immediately: The photos you share show up on your photo stream immediately so people can share your experiences and see what you are up to. Even grandparents can keep up to date on what’s happening in your family’s life via your photo journalism.
  4. Photos Are Archived: you can always look back for photos you took.
  5. Print Your Instagram Photos: You can now create great photo prints with your Instagram images.
  6. Keep Tabs On Your Kids: You can follow your kids and even their friends–essential for the teen crowd! If you have a teen you know what I mean.
  7. Share Via Email or Other Social Media Sites: After you snap an Instagram photo you can share those photos via email or many other social media sites. It makes it easy to integrate these images into your life.
  8. And Now Video: Instagram just added up to 15 second video capability with some of the same great filters to make your videos look great!

Instagram Example 1: This weekend we went camping with some friends. The kids and I snapped Instagram photos and uploaded them immediately. It was fun to share the journey with our friends and family! I use the photos to document our adventures.

Instagram Example 2: My husband travels a lot for work. I snap Instagram photos and he can follow what we are up to in almost real time. He can “like” or “comment” on all the photos so he can interact with me and they kids too.

Instagram Example 3: The other day I set my mom up with an Instagram account [took under 5 minutes]. She can now follow her grandkids and our whole family. She does this on her iPhone, but she could do it on another mobile device [iPad, iPad Mini, etc…]. She loves it!

Want to get started on Instagram? Here is how.

Boulder Family Events: June 21 to June 27, 2013

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Friday, June 21

  • Noon Tunes on Pearl Street Mall. Head down to Pearl Street for some free, grooving good tunes. Let the kids play in the pop fountain and dance the afternoon away. Noon to 1:30pm.
  • Friday Storytime at the Main Boulder Library. Come listen to stories. Free. 10:15am.
  • Wanda & The Wave Children’s Theatrical Performance. A giant wave looms over the home of Wanda. “Drip-drop!” she scolds the wave, as she goes about daily life with her dog Bones, not realizing that the wave is a companion who loves her.  A stranger muses on the possibilities of the wave, awakening Wanda’s curiosity as to what lies beyond. Told through puppetry, “Wanda & The Wave” is a whimsical tale about
    appreciating the world around us. The audience will have the opportunity to meet and interact with the puppets and performers. 7:00pm.

Saturday, June 22

Sunday, June 23

  • Ballet in the Park with the Boulder Ballet. The ninth-annual outdoor concert series, free to the public! This family-friendly repertoire concert features excerpts from the season along with new works, in classical and contemporary styles. Come early with a picnic, enjoy a beautiful summer evening with the ballet, and then marvel at the spontaneous dancing by children from the audience after the show! Performance length is approximately one hour. Boulder’s Central Park Bandshell, Downtown. Free. 7:00pm.
  • Charlotte’s Web performed by the Now or Never Theater brings this classic tale to life with puppets, shadows and storytelling performed by Betsy Tobin and Margarita Blush. Children and adults will love this touching story enacted with puppets and magical shadow imagery of the webs that Charlotte weaves for her friend, Wilbur.
    at the Boulder Public Library. Free. 2:00 to 3:00pm at the Main Boulder Library Canyon Theater.
  • Wanda & The Wave Children’s Theatrical Performance. See description on 6/21. Showtimes: 3:00pm

Monday, June 24

Tuesday, June 25

  • GrandRabbits’ Play Day. Join this great toy store for unique crafts and activities each week. Free. 11:00am.
  • TEBO Train on Pearl Street Mall. Free. 10:00am to 11:15am.
  • PJ Storytime at the George Reynolds Branch library. Wear your PJ’s and bring a teddy bear for this fun filled storytime. 10:15am.
  • Teen Summer Film Festival presents Lincoln. For middle- and high schooled- aged youth only! Pizza in the Teen Art Gallery at 5:00. Movie in the Boulder Creek Room at 5:30.Lincoln, directed by Steven Spielberg. As the Civil War continues to rage, America’s president struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield and as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on the decision to emancipate the slaves.
    Seating in chairs or on floor instead of theater seats—bring pillows and blankets for comfort!

Wednesday, June 26

  • Summer Reading Crafts at the George Reynolds Branch Library. Open to all. 3:00pm.
  • Bands on the Bricks. Get down and enjoy great live music playing on the Pearl Street Mall. Check out the line up here. Free. 7:00 to 9:00pm [libations starting at 5:30pm]
  • Boulder Farmer’s Market. Meet your farmers, buy some veggies, get some dinner, listen to live music and even have a beer. There is always so much going on at the market and it’s not as crowded as Saturdays, so it’s great for families! 4:00 to 8:00pm.
  • FREE Night at BMoCA. Join them all day to delight in their exhibits. 4 to 8pm.
  • TEBO Train on Pearl Street Mall. Free. 10:00am to 11:15am. More details in the June 10 listing.
  • Kids Eat FREE tonight at Wahoo’s!

Thursday, June 27

  • History Hunters at the Boulder Public Library. Enjoy the musical quest as the History Hunter sets out to search through the world’s history, discovering stories of remarkable people who have made a difference along the way. Filled with amazing songs, festive dances, and a cast of wonderful characters. 11:00am Canyon Theater at the Main Boulder Library.
  • LEGO Club at the George Reynolds Branch Library. Do you like LEGOs? Do you like stories? Then you’ll love LEGO club at the George Reynolds Branch Library! Join us the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month for storytime and LEGOextravaganza. If you’re a great LEGO builder, or a first timer, this is the place for you. Open to anyone interested, no need to sign up.
  • TEBO Train on Pearl Street Mall. Free. 10:00am to 11:15am. More details in the June 10 listing.