Boulder Arts Week = Great Arts Opportunities for Families!

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Screen Shot 2014-03-27 at 2.15.29 PMThe first annual Boulder Arts Week is shaping up to have tons of potential! The line up looks great! Here are some fun family-friendly events to check. There is plenty more where these came from in many disciplines! The ones I am highlighting are FREE – some of the others cost.

Boulder Arts Week is March 28 – April 6, 2014. Get the entire Boulder Arts Week schedule here.

March 28, 2014: Frequent Flyers® Aerial Fabric Solo
Frequent Flyers® Aerial Dance will present a solo aerial fabric performance on Friday, March 28th, 6-6:50 PM in the lobby of the Dairy Center for the Arts. The inimitable Kim Townsend will dazzle patrons with her strong, sensual, graceful and lovely performance. Free. 6 to 7pm.

March 29, 2014: Children’s Storytelling Hour
Please join JoLee Wingerson, storyteller and author, to hear three original children’s stories. All ages welcome, from birth to 100 +. 10 – 11am

March 30, 2014: Boulder Creek Balancing
Stone balancing will be executed by Andrew Davis and Michael Grab at Ebin G Fine Park. Kids of all ages love to try their hand at rock balancing! 9am – 5pm.

March 31, 2014: Pearl Street Mall: Student Banner Project People’s Choice Award
Downtown Boulder, Inc. worked with 66 budding artists from Columbine Elementary School, Casey Middle School and Boulder High School to create banner art for the 50 small banner poles that line the Pearl Street Mall. This year’s theme is “What I love about Boulder” and designs include images of local wildlife, Chautauqua Park, downtown Boulder landmarks and much more. Mediums used to create the banners range from collage to pencil art, water colors, and digital art.

April 5, 2014: BMoCA Presents FAMILY DAY: Art That Soars!
Bring the entire family for a fun afternoon of making ‘Art That Soars!’ with BMoCA’s inspiring art educators. Taking an ordinary balloon, and using assemblage techniques, we will create fanciful characters and abstractly imaginative shapes that will soar high above our heads and delight the town!! Free. 9 to 11am

 

#boulder #colorado #arts #boulderartsweek

BVSD Offers Students/Employees Seriously Cheap Refurbished Computers!

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BVSD is offering students and employees refurbished desktop PC’s for seriously discounted rates – $25 for students and $50 for employees. The Adopt-a-Computer program is about to close for the year. The last date to get one of these for your home is March 20, 2014! So if you need one, time to get on it!

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More info on the computers & the process of getting one here. It seems easy from what I read…

#technology #bvsd #families #students

Foodie Kids. Where is a Boulder Family to Go?

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Enjoying sushi at Hapa Sushi on Pearl Street

Boulder has amazing food options! Recently I was asked where to go with the kids and here is what I said…

1. Wahoos. We love Wahoos for a semi-fast meal. The kids love watching the fun surf and skate videos and the overall vibe. I like the food because it is semi-healthy too. Kids Eat Free on Weds nights. 

2. Backcountry Pizza. This place is great if you have a kids who want some entertainment before or after dinner. It has a great casual and easy going vibe. They have a great arcade room that kids love!

3. Southern Sun. They have fun games, healthy-ish pub food, as well as great beer! The restaurant loud and kids feel right at home! We love playing games while waiting and when you have a beer it can be helpful. You can check out Under the Sun which is downstairs too.

4. Hapa Sushi [on Pearl]. They have a fantastic kids menu. The kids’ menu is inexpensive, healthy, and kid-friendly. Sit at the counter so the kids can enjoy watching the sushi chefs at work.

5. The Kitchen Next Door. This foodie favorite on Pearl Street offers a menu that resonated with kids – from kale chips to garlic smashers. The food is healthy and fast. And parents love the diverse and delicious food!

Interested in Kids Eat Free option in Boulder? Find a list here.

Vail Offers Families More Than Skiing and Snowboarding! Here is what Skyler and I found when we took off our skis

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The crew is ready!

The crew is ready!

Recently I was asked to attend a media day at Vail. Gladly I accepted. My family has loved skiing Vail since our kids were young and we feel like the area is our second winter home. It really is. So I boldly took Skyler, my 4th grader, out of school [TCAPs happening and all] and we headed up the mountain. This was going to be a day of experiential education! 

We pulled up to the Arrabelle and valet parked our car [Thanks, Vail and yes, I would love to stay with my family at the Arrabelle one day!]. All the little touches that ensure you know you are at a high end resort were present and made this space subtly magnificent. But alas we were not checking in so we gave our keys over to parking attendant, poured ourselves some hot chocolate and coffee, and headed out to our Vail playground destination.

We made our way to the gondola [right around the corner] and met up with our media day crew. Many of these writers brought their kids along too which made it even more fun! We immediately headed up to Adventure Ridge with the intention of trying out their zipline, tubing, & snowmobiles. We wanted to know what families with kids who don’t ski, or families wanting to take a day off, can expect from the on-mountain activity center. It turns out Adventure Ridge is a great option!

Tubing

I have to be honest. I am scared of heights and going too fast. I ski fast only to keep up with my family at this point. But I was not going out there with a bunch of kids and parents and not getting on the activities. I had to save face at all costs. So Skyler and I grabbed our tubes and got on the sort of odd conveyor belt that took us to our destination at the top of the hill. The other option was walking up, so we were fine with the ride. Skyler went first. He plopped the tube down, asked the attendant a few questions [he likes to make sure he does things the right way], and off he went. So quickly I almost missed his ride.

Me on the other hand, I slowly and cautiously got in my tube trying not to make eye contact with the ride organizer. But I didn’t go unnoticed so she made her way over and gave me a gentle shove off the edge. It was really fast! So fast.  But it was exhilarating and awesome at the same time. I was sold. I jumped off my tube and ran to catch up with Skyler to take another run. This time we went together. He wanted a spin. We settled on just going down forward this time. Next time we spun. And spun. And spun. Smiles!!!!

Snowmobiling

Then we headed over to the snowmobiles because the kids were ready for the ride of their lives. The kids donned extra cool helmets and got on their steads. These snowmobiles are super cool and the kids clearly felt like rock stars as they took off around the track. At times the scene looked like bumper cars, but the Vail staff had it fully under control. Deep breath for us helicopter parents…

Ziplining

IMG_4673 To top the morning off we got back on the conveyor belt and headed up to zip down the mountain. This is a highly technical activity! You get to put on cool harnesses, weigh in, and fly over the ski slopes on a wire. On a wire! Once again I let Skyler go first. I hung back and checked this one out. I watched as Skyler happily put on the harness and was prepped for his flight. He was methodical and careful as he got ready [his style]. But then before I knew it he had his feet up on the gate, hanging in mid-air, ready to fly. Then he was off… At the end I checked in and all he could say was, “I wish it went faster!”

More Family-Friendly Vail Options

Adventure Ridge offers amazing on-mountain family-friendly things to do in Vail when you are not skiing.  But depending on how old your kids are, if they ski yet, or you just don’t want them in ski school yet, you can check out ice skating at Lionshead, the Pirate Boat Playground and the water fountain at the base of the mountain in Vail Village, head to Fuzziwigs for a sweet old fashioned treat, or downstairs to Joe’s Famous Deli and Ice Cream for some delicious ice cream. These are all things my kids still love to do in Vail when the skis are off and have for a long time!

Thanks to the Vail Communications Crew for letting us experience Adventure Ridge! We will be back to play with the whole family again. What are your favorite non-skiing/boarding family-friendly options in Vail?

#Vail #LikeNothingOnEarth #AdventureRidge #family #familyfriendly #kids

Kids Learn to Love Snowboarding at Burton’s FREE Riglet Park in Vail [Friday/Saturday]

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It turns out the Burton US Open is not only for the pros because they have brought along Riglet Park Program is a FREE program that offers kids ages 3 to 6 an opportunity to check out snowboarding. They get geared up with demos and get to mess around on small scale snow features.

For the next few days at the Vail base area of Lionshead you will find Burton’s Riglet Park. What is a Riglet you ask? A Riglet is somewhat like a Grom [skate and surf speak for beginner], but younger still. Riglet Park is a magical opportunity for your young ones [ages 3 to 6] to try out snowboarding in a really safe environment–with instructors who work with them one-on-one. Riglet Park is open and ready to have your little Riglet join them and find the joy in snowboarding!

I was invited to take a media tour of Vail’s family friendly activities and Riglet Park was one of them. Skyler got a chance to strap on a snowboard and try out the mini-park Burton created just for the little ones. Of course Skyler is 10, so he was on the large side, but the Riglet Park folks were happy to oblige and found him boots right away. They got him on a snowboard and in no time he was pulling 180s on their mini half pipe. He was in love!

Here is how Burton describes their Riglet Program:

The Burton Riglet program is a snowboard learning experience geared towards kids ages 3-6. A Riglet Park has the allure of a bouncy castle and is as safe as one too. Mellow rollers, small berms and ground level features allow young riders to feel the balance they need to ride—and they do it while they’re riding. Two feet strapped in, being pulled through a zone set up just for them with safety, fun and learning in mind. From the kids to the instructors, everyone wins.

We will have a Free Riglet park setup in Lionshead village right next to the Eagle Bahn lift. Stop in with your child to experience everything they’ll need to get started riding. We’ll provide free demos of board, boots, and bindings designed specifically for the youngest kids, as well as Burton’s specialized Riglet reel. Certified instructors will be on hand to teach kids the basics and get them having fun standing sideways. This program is free and open to the public. Sign ups will take place at the Riglet tent near the Eagle Bahn lift in Lionshead.

Details here.

Riglet Park Operating Hours:

March 7 & 8 [Fri/Sat]
10am – 12pm
1pm – 3pm
4pm – 6pm

#Vail, #Snowboard, #Burton, #BurtonUSOpen, #Snow

Free Days: What’s Happening Around Town?

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Screen Shot 2014-03-03 at 10.51.18 AMThere was recently a question about finding Free Days. Free Days are great! They are specific days when some of the best museums around town are free. This means you can stay as long as you like without feeling like you just dumped down a lot of money and have to get the value. It increases the fun!

Free Days include locations such as:

  • Denver Art Museum
  • Denver Museum of Natural Science
  • Boulder History Museum
  • Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art
  • Denver Botanic Garden
  • Colorado Railroad Museum
  • Denver Zoo

Want to plan a trip or just see what Free Days are coming up? Check out the Free Days Calendar 

#getoutside #freedays #free

Talking With Your Kids About Disasters/Emergencies

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For years I had heard about floods in Boulder. The forms came home many times a year in my kids’ folders from school. I glanced at them. Recycled them. Went on my way.

After the September Floods I get it. Here is some information about how to speak to your kids about different natural disasters. The idea is that knowledge is power. You don’t have to scare your kids, but simply talk about who your family handles issues when they come up.

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To read specifics about talking to your kids about natural disasters/emergencies check out this website: http://www.ready.gov/kids/know-the-facts.

Simple Yet Powerful Questions to Increase Emotional Intelligence and Critical Thinking Skills

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Powerful Questions To Ask Your Child/Student

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You are one of your kids’ most important guides on this journey. So help them expand their thinking. Kids ask the best questions. It is easy to answer, but help them delve deeper with a question. Get curious. Don’t get too attached to the answer. Let your kids explore. Go there with them. Keep asking. Keep being curious. Let the questions lead the way.

Get curious. Don’t just let them say something and leave it there. Help them think critically.

By asking some key open-ended questions you are helping to increase your child[ren]’s emotional intelligence as they get to know themselves and the world better. It’s easy to do. These open ended questions help connect us to our children. Of course we need to ask these questions of ourselves too!

If your child is having a tough time with a peer or teacher you can use open ended questions to help them process their emotions. In this case stay curious. Name their feelings if they are young and help them see that there is a name for that emotion [sad, angry, jealous, etc…]. Just keep the questions open and don’t try to fix the issue. Let your child find the answers they need.

The same questions can be asked if they are struggling on a sports team. Or if you notice them saying something disrespectful or rude.

We went through a phase where my kids said people or things were “retarded”. We started to delve down into what this really means. How it makes people feel. Why it feels like such a powerful word. We let them come to the conclusion that this was hurtful and the word did not really catch the meaning they intended. The questions can be very powerful!

Boulder Area Summer Camps 2014

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Why do I need to start thinking about summer camps? I feel this way every year. Honestly. And many years I have blown it off and figured it would all work out in the end. It has and it hasn’t. If you wait too long a lot of the really popular camps fill up. So even though there was recently snow on the ground and more is coming it is time to start thinking about summer camps.

There are lots of summer camp listings that come out every year. I like the one the Boulder County Kids pulls together. Click the image to get to the actual camp directory.

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How do you decide which camps your kids should attend. First of all what are your needs? Do you work? Do they provide the hours you need. If you are simply doing these camps as enrichment then what does your child enjoy? What are their interests? The Camp Issue above helps you to sort through these questions.

A quick shout out to some great Boulder camps:

Larger camp programs

  • CU Science Discovery: Very diverse offerings from the fields of science, math, writing, photography. Most kids can find something here they will love!
  • Avid 4 Adventure: If your child loves adventures outside this may be the camp for them. Kayaking, biking, climbing, and most other outdoor pursuits you can name are provided here.
  • Boulder Indoor Soccer: This program offers week long summer soccer camps. They are super flexible, fun, challenging and your kids come back with great skills.

Smaller camp programs

  • Feet on the Earth: Earth bound, skills oriented camps for girls and boys
  • Science Adventure Program: Very sweet farm and survival skills related summer camps for boys and girls situated on a small farm in the Cherryvale area.
  • Growing Gardens – Children’s Peace Garden: Spend a summer learning about the earth, gardening and much more through this small Boulder non-profit.

There are so many great options out there. Take a look. Get excited. All the best on your summer camp journey!

Kids Can Learn to Ride at Burton’s FREE Riglet Park in Vail During the Burton US Open

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Screen Shot 2014-02-15 at 9.30.25 AMThis year Burton is bringing the Burton US Open to Vail, March 5 through 8. It turns out the event is not only for the pros because they are creating a learning experience for the young ones. Burton’s Riglet Park is a FREE program that offers kids ages 3 to 6 an opportunity to check out snowboarding. They get geared up with demos and get to mess around on small scale snow features. Instructors are available to help the kids. Plus your kids can get inspired by some of the best snowboarders in the US who will be in town competing.

I cannot wait to see the Riglet Park Program in action!

Here is how Burton describes their Riglet Program:

The Burton Riglet program is a snowboard learning experience geared towards kids ages 3-6. A Riglet Park has the allure of a bouncy castle and is as safe as one too. Mellow rollers, small berms and ground level features allow young riders to feel the balance they need to ride—and they do it while they’re riding. Two feet strapped in, being pulled through a zone set up just for them with safety, fun and learning in mind. From the kids to the instructors, everyone wins.

We will have a Free Riglet park setup in Lionshead village right next to the Eagle Bahn lift. Stop in with your child to experience everything they’ll need to get started riding. We’ll provide free demos of board, boots, and bindings designed specifically for the youngest kids, as well as Burton’s specialized Riglet reel. Certified instructors will be on hand to teach kids the basics and get them having fun standing sideways. This program is free and open to the public. Sign ups will take place at the Riglet tent near the Eagle Bahn lift in Lionshead.

Details here.

Riglet Park Operating Hours:

March 5 & 6 [Weds/Thurs]
10am – 12pm
2pm – 4pm

March 7 & 8 [Fri/Sat]
10am – 12pm
1pm – 3pm
4pm – 6pm

#Vail, #Snowboard, #Burton, #BurtonUSOpen, #Snow