FREE Live Music the Whole Family Can Enjoy this Summer!

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Screen Shot 2013-06-05 at 10.30.48 PMThe summer is such a fun time to see live music. It’s better if we can take the kids along! Here are two Boulder classic music series that include free 10 week of live music: Noon Tunes & Bands on the Bricks. Both are family friendly. Noon tunes is great for the little ones and those who need something fun to do on Fridays.

Noon Tunes: Every Friday throughout the summer Noon to 1:30pm enjoy live music on the 1300 block of Pearl Street. Imagine heading downtown with a picnic, or pick something up right on Pearl, allow the kids to run through the pop fountain, and enjoy free live music. A great afternoon! For more details click here.Screen Shot 2013-06-05 at 10.37.04 PM

Noon Tunes Line-up

Bands on the Bricks: This is a 10 week FREE live music series happening every Weds. night from 7 to 9pm. Enjoy performances from the best local musicians along the front range while dancing under the stars.  For the parents this year is featuring an outdoor beer/wine/margarita garden starting at 5:30 p.m. every Wednesday night, featuring Rio Margarita’s and a new local brewery every three weeks. Of course there is food downtown for the kids and the pop fountain is a hit any time of day or night. For more details or to listen to music from this great line up click here.

Bands on the Bricks Line-up

These are great family-friendly music options. Get creative and work these into your week. Enjoy!

Family Movie Nights [Not the ones in the movie theater!]

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My family loves a good movie night! We often have a tough time finding a movie we agree upon. Recently we have tried to find some good oldies and it’s worked. The kids actually like them. And they tend to be free or cheap to watch.

home-aloneYou don’t have to pay [or pay much] to watch some wonderful movies! To get them free or almost free you have to stick to the older movies. Most kids won’t jump up and down for joy when you tell them you are going to play Princess Bride, but they usually end up loving them despite themselves. Head to the library, use Amazon Prime Instant Video [if you’ve got it already], or check your cable company’s free On Demand movie section. Babble has an interesting Top 10 List of free or almost free movies: 10 Picks for Cheap [or free!] Family Movie Nights.

In Boulder you can check out the Boulder Outdoor Cinema’s showings too. Some are better for the family than others! For 2013 it looks like Despicable Me & Princess Bride are the family-friendly winners in the line up.

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You cannot always count on movie ratings, especially with older movies, to tell you all you want to know about the movie you are considering watching with your family. To check out the appropriateness of a movie you can head to Common Sense Media where you can look into the movie themes and appropriateness for your kids’ age group. This is a fantastic resource since it really is tough to know what is appropriate for your family!

Enjoy family movie night without the huge expense of taking the family to the movie theater! The oldies really are goodies when it comes to watching movies with your kids!

Any other movie recommendations? What are your family’s favorite movies?

Origami Is An Amazing Art Form!

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Origami is a beautiful, meditative practice that is great for kids and adults alike! If you love origami, or you don’t know anything about it, you will love this video of the unfolding of a complicate origami rhino!

Or watch the making of an origami koi fish:

If you are inspired to create origami consider taking a look online for some great tutorials. I would start with YouTube. There is also a group of origami folders in Boulder: Boulder Folders. They offer origami training and practice at the Boulder Public Library from time to time. The next Boulder Folders is June 11, 2013 from 6:30 to 8:30pm. For more information on that event click here.

Origami is a beautiful, meditative practice that is great for kids and adults alike!

Boulder Family Events: May 31 to June 6, 2013

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Friday, May 31

Saturday, June 1

  • FREE Day at the Denver Art Museum. 
  • Snow White performed by Theater-Hikes Colorado. Audience and actors take a moderate hike amidst the scenic backdrop of Boulder Open Space while scenes from “Snow White” are performed along the way. There are additional performances, but in the past this has sold out, so get your tickets!
  • 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.

Sunday, June 2

  • Circle Boulder By Bicycle Fun Ride presented by Community Cycles. Kick off Boulder Walk & Bike Month in style. This non-competitive ride follows the city’s bikeways, beginning and ending at Scott Carpenter Park and is open to all ages. Riders can register for free and start the ride for the approximately 26-mile or 16-mile  rides. Participants that need extra time, for either ride, can register earlier. Participants will loop around Boulder using a linking network of paths, neighborhood streets and unpaved trails. A free, post-ride party will take place at Scott Carpenter Park, where the ride began. The free party starts at 5 p.m. and will include refreshments.
  • Snow White performed by Theater-Hikes Colorado. Audience and actors take a moderate hike amidst the scenic backdrop of Boulder Open Space while scenes from “Snow White” are performed along the way. There are additional performances, but in the past this has sold out, so get your tickets!

Monday, June 3

Tuesday, June 4

Wednesday, June 5

  • West End 3k/1.5k Kids Run. This local favorite kicks off the Downtown Boulder Race Series, taking runners through the vibrant West End district of Pearl Street. The race will include a special 1.5K distance just for the kids. Click here to REGISTER.
  • 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.
  • Kids Eat FREE tonight at Wahoo’s!

Thursday, June 6

DIG INTO READING with the Boulder Public Library’s Summer Reading Program!

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The kids are out of school and summer if finally here in Boulder! Want to keep them motivated to read? I highly recommend kids being a part of the Boulder Public Library’s Dig Into Reading summer reading program. My kids have done it for years! They run a great program every summer and this year is no exception. Registration is open! Here is what you do to get involved:

  1. Stop into ANY Boulder Public Library and sign your child up. It’s free and easy to sign up. Pick out a book at that time.
  2. Read! Your child/you complete the tracking form.
  3. Head into your library each week to show your tracking form and get a prize
  4. It is really easy and motivating to the kids!

To keep things interesting there are a lot of programs happening throughout the summer. Attend a wide variety of programs. Including:

Get more information on Dig Into Reading here. Or Call 303-441-3099 for more information!

Boulder Creek Festival Family Friendly Events: Monday, May 27, 2013

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Boulder Creek Festival Family Friendly Events: Monday, May 27, 2013

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Community Dance Stage

11:00-11:30  AM     Kids’ Open Dance

11:30 AM-12:00  PM     Nederland Mountain Movers Community Dance Group

12:00 – 12:30 PM   Salsa Challenge – Salsa Los Canineros

12:30-1:00  PM     Celtic Steps School of Irish Dance – Soft & Hard Shoe Irish Dance

1:00-2:00   PM     Mile High Belly Dance – Sampling of Denver/Boulder’s Premiere Belly Dancers

2:00-2:30   PM     O Dance – Hoop Dancing

2:30-3:00   PM     A Big Noise – Tap Dancing

3:30-4:00  PM      Boulder Karate Demo

Band Shell

12:00-1:30 PM         Teen Stage Battle of the Bands Winner

2:00-3:00 PM           BluezHouse (Blues)

3:30-5:00 PM           Face (All Vocal Rock)

5:30-7:00 PM           Hazel Miller (Blues/R&B)

Family Friendly Boulder Creek Festival Events Today [Sunday]

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Boulder Creek Festival Community Dance Stage: Sunday, May 26, 2013

10:00-10:15 AM     Boulder Karate Demo

10:15-10:45  AM     El Badree – Cabaret Belly Dance

10:45-11:30 AM   Dance Dimensions

11:30 AM-12:00  PM     Salsa Challenge – Salsa Los Canineros

12:00-1:00  PM    Streetside Studio – Hip Hop/Jazz/Modern

1:00-2:00  PM     Mile High Belly Dance – Sampling of Denver/Boulder’s Premiere Belly Dancers

2:00-2:30 PM      Schiff Dance Collective – Contemporary Dance

2:30- 4:00 PM     Rocky Mountain School of Dance – Jazz/Lyrical/Tap/Contemporary

4:00-4:45  PM     Grace Studios

4:45-5:30  PM      Kakes Studios – Salsa/African/Partner/Hoop Dancing

5:30-6:30  PM      Blue Moon Dance Studio

6:30-7:00 PM      Ascential Dance Theatre Colorado – Modern/World Fusion Dance

Kids’ Place: In this event area dedicated to children, exhibitors are encouraged to host hands-on activities and games in addition to displaying their products and services at their booths. Location: Between Broadway, Arapahoe and 13th Street

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Boulder Family Events: May 24 to 30, 2013

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Climbing in Boulder Canyon with the kids last weekend was great!

Friday, May 24

Saturday, May 25

  • Boulder Creek Festival. This is a fun event for families. There are kids rides, lots of food, kids activities, nonprofits, and lots of great people watching. To get more details on the Kids Place, Teen Fest, and other features of this fun weekend event click here.
  • 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.

Sunday, May 26

  • Boulder Creek Festival. This is a fun event for families. There are kids rides, lots of food, kids activities, nonprofits, and lots of great people watching. To get more details on the Kids Place, Teen Place, and other features of this fun weekend event click here. 

Monday, May 27

  • Boulder Creek Festival. This is a fun event for families. There are kids rides, lots of food, kids activities, nonprofits, and lots of great people watching. To get more details on the Kids Place, Teen Place, and other features of this fun weekend event click here.
  • Bolder Boulder. This is a fun event to run or watch. The link gives you info on the route. There is entertainment all along the way.

Tuesday, May 28

  • Storytime Creekwalk: Clean Up Crew. Meet at the Main Boulder Library for stories and activities including an outdoor explore along Boulder Creek.
  • GrandRabbits’ Play Day. Join this great toy store for unique crafts and activities each week. Free. 11:00am.
  • Musical Story Hour at Chautauqua. Join Boulder Public Library’s Youth Services Staff for a fun story hour full of music, play and dance!  The chosen books will be full of rhythm and song inviting all children and their caregivers to sing along.  The presenters will incorporate movement to help youth feel the groove and joy of books, music and song! The hours are designed for ages 3 to 7 but all ages are welcome. Cost $1. 10:00am

Wednesday, May 29

  • 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.

Environmental Working Group’s 2013 Guide to Sunscreens: They rate them so you know!

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Screen Shot 2013-05-20 at 9.23.05 AMThe Environmental Working Group [EWG] has published their 2013 Guide to Sunscreen. I know this is a big topic of discussion for families at this point in the year. We are all coming out from the long winter and thinking about long days in the sun.

What works? What doesn’t? What can I put on my baby safely? What about my active children? It makes my head spin each season. But the EWG’s newest guide to sunscreens helps to take the guess-work out. They categorize their findings in such a way that everyone can do their research more easily.

I have for year’s loved Badger products, so I did a quick query to find out what EWG thinks of this product. They list 13 Badger products that meet the EWG guidelines for healthy sunscreen. Here are the overall results for this one Badger product:

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I like the EWG’s list because it is easy to use and simple to search. See if your favorite sunscreen is on the list. If it’s not, you can find a new one right there.

What are you favorite sunscreen products? I’m looking for one that stays on in the ocean!

Boulder Family Events: May 17 to 19, 2013

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Photo credit: Kai Wember-Brown

What is your family up to this weekend? Share your plans or other fun things going on around town here [comment here] or on our Facebook Page. 

Friday, May 17

Saturday, May 18

Sunday, May 19

  • Magicians of the Mountain Parks Come meet some of the astonishing magicians who live in our wild backyard – the rabbit, the skunk, the weasel and more. Magician Paul Norton and Naturalist Lynne Sullivan will reveal the amazing survival strategies of our wild neighbors. Join us at the Sunrise Amphitheater on Flagstaff Mountain for this stationary nature magic show. 11:00am.