Tag Archives: City of Boulder

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 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.

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.

Boulder Family Events: May 10 to 13, 2013

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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 10

What is happening today? Some ideas: Family movie night, take a hike on the Annie U. White Trail, Bike at the Valmont Bike Park, Walk along the Bobo Link Trail

Saturday, May 11

  • Kids’ Bike Day at Community Cycles. Free event which includes bike tunes for kids bikes, a bike rodeo, bike safety, and lots of other fun stuff. Every kid who participates gets a prize! No need to register just make your way over. 11:00 to 3:00.
  • FREE Day at the Longmont Museum
  • 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.
  • Dinosaur Day at Chautauqua Millions of years ago, they stalked the earth! Drop by the Chautauqua Ranger Cottage to see and touch fossils that tell the stories of Boulder’s prehistoric creatures.  Help assemble a life-sized replica of a duck-billed Edmontosaurus skeleton! Feel a real dinosaur track, and a tooth from the awesome T. rex, and visit with naturalists who will show you pictures of what Colorado used to look like in the days of the thunder lizards. (Hint: prepare to be amazed).  Dinosaur costumes and clothing, and lots of questions, are encouraged. Free event. 10:00 to 2:00
  • Boulder Home and Garden Show at 29th Street Mall. Lots of great ideas and products, food trucks, and an Alpaca Petting Zoo. 10:00 to 4:00
  • Best of Mary Sue and Cari Be ready to clap, stomp, sing and enjoy “The Best of Mary Sue & Cari” From buzzing like insects to dancing like fairies, these talented musicians will captivate you with their original kid-centered rhythmic music, relevant to kids and parents alike. Lauded by Downtown Boulder as, “The best kids music in Boulder!” this is a concert you won’t want to miss. Free event. 11:00am at the George Reynolds Branch Library AND 3:00pm at the Meadows Branch Library.

Sunday, May 12 

  • Midsummer’s Night Dream performed by the Boulder Ballet. At the Boulder Theater. 2 shows: 11:00am and 2:00pm. 
  • FREE Day at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
  • Walking Through the Language of the Landscape Shapely mountains, textured meadows, communities of plants – these are the voices of the landscape, patiently waiting for an observer to discern their stories. Join naturalist Lynne Sullivan as we learn to read the language of the landscape for the subtle and significant stories of our beloved wildlands. Meet at the Chautauqua Ranger Cottage with water and snacks for this 3 mile moderate hike. Attn: appropriate for teens and up. Free event. 9:00 to Noon.
  • Bach 4 Kids Concert at the Main Boulder Library. The Annual Bach 4 Kids Concert opens with a performance of a movement of Bach’s “Double Violin Concerto” by Boulder Suzuki Strings under the direction of Amy Gesmer-Packman. The Boulder Bach Trio–Benjamin Tomkins-violin, Ysmael Reyes-flute, and Karen Terbeek-cello–follows with a hands-on demonstration of how Bach ornaments his music by “decorating” it with added notes and trills. Kids will create and “decorate” their own melodies, using the aria from Bach’s “Goldberg Variato”.

Monday, May 13

  • Rain, Mud, and Bees! Celebrate moisture, mud and May as naturalist Ellen Orleans reads lively picture books at the Chautauqua Ranger Cottage. Your children (or grandchildren!) can join in the fun with pitter-pattering, foot stomping, buzzing, and the color of the week. At 10:30, we’ll take off for a kid-friendly “Signs of Spring” hike. Wear clothes to match the weather and bring a snack if you like. The story portion of this program is wheelchair-accessible. Free event. Geared toward 3 to 6-year-olds. 10:00 to 11:00.

Boulder Family Events: May 3 to 5, 2013

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Photo - Red-winged Blackbird

Photo credit: City of Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks

The snow may still be on the ground, but warmth is in the air. Please do share your plans or other fun things going on around town here [comment here] or on our Facebook Page. 

Friday, May 3

Saturday, May 4

  • A Midsummer Night’s Dream Storytime.  A special storytime reading of selections from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, presented by ballerinas from the Boulder Ballet Company! Free. Boulder Bookstore at 11:00am.
  • Boulder Jazz & Artfest. Head to Pearl Street for live jazz and shopping from unique artisans. Fun for the whole family!
  • 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.
  • FREE Day at the Denver Art Museum. Great opportunity to explore the DAM.
  • FREE Day at the Colorado Railroad Museum. Check out all the cool train cars and much more!
  • Family Day: Digging in the Dirt at the CU Museum of Natural History. Much of what we do at the museum starts with digging in the dirt. We’ll explore artifacts and fossils dug up by archaeologists and paleontologists. But it’s not just scientists who dig in the dirt – lots of animals dig for food or to make their homes. And we won’t forget the plants, whose roots bring food and water from the dirt. Don’t be afraid to get a little dirty as we explore the world under our feet! Free entry. 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Sunday, May 5

  • Wild Earth Day. Join the Wild Bear Mountain Center to enjoy Boulder County’s largest Earth Day celebration. Hands on events for kids. Central Park in Downtown Boulder. 11:00am to 4:00pm. 
  • Boulder Jazz & Artfest. Head to Pearl Street for live jazz and shopping from unique artisans. Fun for the whole family!
  • Marsh Songs. Listen for bird songs in a local marsh with naturalist Dave Sutherland and hear selections from the orchestral work. Early birds should meet at Sawhill Ponds, on 75th Street about 0.6 miles north of Valmont Road, for this easy hike. This program is free and open to the public. Beginning bird watchers strongly encouraged! 8:00 to 10:30am.
  • Nature for Kids & Parents: Birdsong. Find out why birds sing and where each bird gets his song.  Learn a song, dance, and game while observing the many local birds.  Go on a bird hunt to listen to the song the birds are singing, so you can tell exactly what is on his mind. Meet at the Lehigh Street entrance to Shanahan Ridge (map search 1903 Lehigh, where Lehigh and Lafayette Streets intersect) for an easy hike.  Parking is available along the street. Ages 6 and up. 1:00 to 3:00pm.

Top Family-Friendly Bike Rides in Boulder

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Photo Credit: SMBA

Boulder is a bike town. No doubt. My son is riding with Singletrack Mountain Bike Adventures [SMBA] and were we in for a surprise when we showed up. The kids on the team have nicer bikes than my husband and me combined. Really. 10 year olds with really nice full suspension bikes. But that’s okay, they are getting out to ride together and that is what counts [fancy bikes and all!]. Here are some of Boulder’s top bike rides for kids.

Top Bike Rides for Kids

  1. Valmont Bike Park: Ride the fun trails, try some bowls, learn to ride the stairs, take the downhill courses. The best part about this park [other than it is free] is that it has something for everyone!
  2. Marshall Mesa: This is a tame ride on some rolling terrain. There is some uphill and some downhill, but they are easily walkable if necessary. There are many options here. There are also interpretive signs along the way showing how this area was a coal mining site and the fires that burned here in the past. This ride can be good for many ages and abilities.
  3. Boulder Valley Ranch/Boulder Reservoir: This is great for kids because it is relatively flat, gets them close to a working ranch, and does go by a few ponds. It is open and exposed, so in the mid-day this may not be the best option. This has seemingly endless options for extending the ride for older kids.
  4. Harlow Plats Park: This South Boulder gem has a 1 mile look as well as a shorter loop. It also has a wonderful lake, Viele Lake. Then there is a park for after ride play. Great for young kids!

Boulder Biking Resources:

Upcoming Bike Event: kids bike day

Kids Bike Day at Community Cycles, May 11, 2013

Boulder Family Events: April 26 to 28, 2013

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I think spring has sprung here in Boulder, Colorado. Hopefully! There are so many great things going on this weekend! I hope your family has a joyous weekend. Please do share your plans or other fun things going on around town here [comment here] or on our Facebook Page. 

Friday, April 26

  • Live Alpacas at the UMC at CU. An educational experience for audiences of all ages! Meet, greet, photograph and learn about the huacaya (pronounced wah-KI-ah) alpaca. The alpacas are a sustainable animal with even their manure going back to the garden and pasture as an outstanding fertilizer. Meet some of the cutest creatures, live near the fountain on the CU Campus. Free. 2:00 to 5:00pm. 

Saturday, April 27

  • Tulip Fairy & Elf Parade on Pearl Street Mall. Bring your sweet ones down to join in this hugely popular event. Kids love it. Parents love it. There are many different activities and productions during the event. It’s just fun! Free. 3:00 to 6:00pm. 
  • Wake the Bears Concert with Jeff Kagan and Paige Doughty featuring hilarious nature songs for children. There will also be an official from the Colorado Division of Wildlife to remind us what to do if we see a bear, lion or coyote in the wild. He will have a mustache. Free. 4:00 to 4:45pm on Pearl Street Mall.
  • La Cenerentola [aka: Cinderella] is the current Boulder Opera kids production. This is a short, 1 hr, production that has been highly anticipated. It should be a great show!
  • Prairie Saga Puppet Show at the CU Museum of Natural History. Bring your family to  explore animals that live in the ground. The Prairie Saga Puppet Show will take you through a day in the life of a prairie dog colony. We will have real specimens and a hands-on activity to round out your museum experience. Free. 1:00pm.
  • Shakespeare Storytime with the Boulder Ballet. Bring your children to enjoy Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with one of Boulder Ballet’s dancers! They’ll get to meet the delightful Puck, played by Melissa Heslep, hear her read the classic story, enjoy her beautiful costume and toe shoes, and even dance with her and the other kids! Free. 11:00am at Barnes & Noble.
  • 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, April 28

  • Spring Heritage Days at Walker Ranch. Bring your family up to really learn what it was like to be a homesteading family. This historical enactment is a great event for families. There are hands on opportunities and fun demonstrations. I think this is one of the best events of the year in Boulder!
  • La Cenerentola [aka: Cinderella] is the current Boulder Opera kids production. This is a short, 1 hr, production that has been highly anticipated. It should be a great show!
  • FREE Day at the Denver Art Museum. The Art Museum has something for everyone! Even kids enjoy this museum and there are always rotating hands on exhibits.

What To Do With The Kids When It’s Cold Outside: Ideas and Inspirations!

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BRCThe winter can seem long and cold. When you have got young ones it is always a good idea to have some indoor activities in your bag of tricks. Here are some ideas to help you get the kids moving and engaged.

Swimming Pools

Rock Clubs

Gymnastics/Activities

StorytimeKJ0308.6.mediumMuseums

Tours

Libraries

Parenting Support Groups

Trip Review: Bike Riding With Kids Along South Boulder Creek Trail to Bobolink Trail

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Yesterday we got out for a really fun bike ride with the kids along the South Boulder Creek Trail. I think this one is appropriate for most ages as long as your child is steady on dirt paths. The ride started at Marshal Road right off of Broadway heading South out of Boulder. There is plenty of parking along the road. The South Boulder Trail connects to the Bobolink Trail as it heads under South Boulder Road. Both trails are relatively flat, meandering at times, but generally perfect for most kids.

The ride started with both of my kids begrudgingly getting on bikes. But really as soon as they hit the trail they forgot about their initial feelings and cruised along. We headed out along the wide dirt path and meandered over bridges, under a road, along agricultural land with cattle, along South Boulder Creek and the beautiful trees lining the creek, & checked out some cute prairie dogs [kept our distance]. The kids had a great time! We stopped as often as we wanted along the creek for them to throw rocks, climb trees, or walk along the irrigation pipes. The whole path is a playground.

I will definitely be adding this trail to my Top 5 Bike Rides for Kids in Boulder!

Ride Details

Distance: 2 miles along South Boulder Creek Trail to the connection with Bobolink [out and back]. If you take the trail all the way to Bobolink Trailhead add 1.5 miles from the tunnel under South Boulder Road.

Difficulty: Easy to moderate [only because it is all on dirt trail, so some biking proficiency is helpful]

Website: Bobolink/South Boulder Creek Trails

#bike #Boulder #kids #trails #getoutdoors #Colorado

Trip Review: Valmont Bike Park

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Valmont Bike Park is amazing! Really, truly, amazing! Right here in Boulder we have a world class bike park that offers terrain for ALL rider levels. I love watching the confluence of hardcore riders and kids on wheel-less bikes all riding near each other. All getting along. I even saw a dad with a child in a pack on his back riding some relatively technical rides. Refreshing!

The Valmont Bike Park is located East of Foothills Parkway on Valmont Road [3160 Valmont Road, Boulder]. There are trails for every level here or if your little one is ready for some play time they can take a break at the kids’ area. There is a climbing structure and spinning seats as well as a solid surface that makes it easier for little ones to bike around. All the trails are marked so you know what you are getting into. XS, S, M, L, XL. I know you get the idea. The kids get it too. They quickly learn what level feels comfortable and they can look for the signs that show them which route to take. What I cannot emphasize enough is that this is a space designed for everyone. Go as a whole family, no matter the range of biking abilities in your group.

The Valmont Bike Park does not offer pads at every turn. Your kids are not roped up. And there are a lot of places to test your boundaries. But this place WILL inspire confidence in your kids. I even went over a wooden bridge I would normally not touch. I have to be honest, I was following my emboldened 8 year old and I just couldn’t not try.

Take some time to interact with this incredible resource in our Boulder community. Bring a picnic and stay for a good long time. I know you will love it. The Valmont Bike Park website. Or visit them on Facebook.