Tag Archives: July

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: July 27 to August 2, 2012

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Summer Feet!

July 27 to August 2, 2012

Listed here are some great family events. Most are free. They are all opportunities to be together as a family and engage your kids of all ages. HAVE A FANTASTIC WEEK!

This Weeks Special Events: Walker Ranch Summer Heritage Day, Noon Tunes Puppet Show, Sketch & Stroll with OSMP, & The Boulder County Fair Opens

Friday, July 27

Saturday, July 28

  • Children’s Saturday Storytime at the Main Boulder Library. Free. Ongoing activity.
  • Boulder Farmer’s Market. 8:00 to 2:00pm. 13th Street between Arapahoe & Canyon Blvd. Great opportunity for families to purchase locally grown produce, eat delicious food, listen to live music and so much more! A Boulder kids’ favorite.
  • Boulder Museum of Contemporary Arts [BMOCA] Check out Art Stop which provides FREE guided art activities for kids on Saturdays during the Farmer’s Market. I have heard that they have a space where you can throw a cup at the wall. Kids love it! 8:00am to 2:00pm. All ages
  • Twenty Ninth Street Live! presents Chris Daniels & The Kings at 29th Street Mall. Opening band at 6:15pm. Main band at 7:30pm. This is a fun family-friendly event!

Sunday, July 29

  • Walker Ranch Summer Heritage Day. See costumed volunteers demonstrating chores and activities of ranch life. Your family can participate in many old fashioned chores and activities. Free. 10:00 to 4:00pm.
  • Go Club for Kids & Teens at the Main Boulder Library. 2:00 to 5:30pm. Ages 5 and up. Free. “Learn to play the ancient and mysterious game of Go.”
  • The Taming of the Shrew is brought into the modern day by the Longmont Theater and presented at the Community Park in Louisville, so bring a picnic and pull up some grass for the whole family to watch a fun performance. Free. All ages. 4:00pm.

Monday, July 30

  • Rise and Shine Storytime @ Barnes & Noble. 9:30am. Don’t forget the fun train table!
  • Children’s Storytime at the Main Boulder Library. 10:15 to 11:00am.
  • No Meadow Music this week. This is a treat for families and includes live music and nature education. Consider bringing a picnic and enjoy the show. Ages 2 to 8 [but all ages are welcome!]. 5:30 to 6:45pm at Chautauqua

Tuesday, July 31

  • Children’s Storytime at George Reynolds Branch Library. 10:15 to 11:00am. Ongoing event.
  • Sketch and Stroll with OSMP. Take a stroll and sketch nature on this easy hike, suitable for families. Free. Ages 7+.
  • Dance for Children [and the Whole Family]! Participatory dance program for children of all ages and their parents! A fun way to learn dances from around the world, find out what young folks like in other countries. Outside on the Plaza beside the Dushanbe Teahouse, 1770 13th (between Arapahoe & Canyon) in Boulder. Free. All ages. 6:15 to 7:00pm. Ongoing activity.

Wednesday, August 1

  • Boulder County Fair opens today and runs through Sunday, August 4. There are many free events for families. More information here.
  • Wednesday Storytime @ Main Boulder Library. 10:15 to 11:30am. Free. Ongoing.
  • Family Garden Story and Song Time with Kristin at Barnes and Nobles. Free. All ages. 1:00pm.
  • Boulder Farmer’s Market. 4:00 to 8:00pm. 13th Street between Arapahoe & Canyon Blvd. Great opportunity for families to purchase locally grown produce, eat delicious food, listen to live music and so much more! A Boulder kids’ favorite.
  • Valmont Bike Park Family Rides. Bring the bikes and the family for fun rides on the amazing terrain at Boulder’s coolest bike park. All ages. 4:00 to 6:00pm. Free.
  • Boulder Museum of Contemporary Arts [BMOCA] Check out Art Stop which provides FREE guided art activities for kids on Saturdays during the Farmer’s Market. I have heard that they have a space where you can throw a cup at the wall. Kids love it! 4:00 to 8:00pm. All ages
  • Band on the Bricks on Pearl: A different band each week will rock Pearl Street! This is an ongoing event each Weds night throughout the summer. All ages. 7:00 to 9:00pm.

Thursday, August 2

  • Children’s Storytime at Boulder Public Library. 10:15 to 11:00. Free. Ongoing activity.
  • Grand Rabbits Playdate. Ages 2 to 6 join with their peers for a playdate replete with a different theme each week. Free. 10:30 to 11:15am. Caregivers required to stay.
  • Boulder County Fair’s Young Guns Kids’ Rodeo. Kids enjoy the fun atmosphere of this kid oriented rodeo. They can enter the stick pony pull or the goat tail pull for a small entry fee. Kids under 5 are free, the rest need tickets [$5 to $15]. 6:00pm.
Upcoming Events:
  • Kids Races in Boulder: August 9, August 30. Lengths vary, but these are just pure fun for families! Click the link to find out how to register and more information.

Please let me know of any upcoming events that should be listed here. I am happy to include your free, low cost or unusual event in Boulder Family listing of weekly events. You can reach me at Boulder4Families@gmail.com or visit us on Facebook.

#families, #free, #boulder, #events, #boulderfamilies #July #August

Boulder Families Trip Review: Touring The Denver Mint

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My kids are fascinated with money. For kids it is a constant source of questions: Can I buy that? Is it too expensive? Why can’t we buy that $500 toy? If you are reading this blog I know you get it. I thought it would be great for my kids to see how money is made and so we toured the Denver Mint this Monday. Touring the Denver Mint is a fun, free activity for kids in Denver.

History: The Denver Mint produces the most coins in the United States. They have a long and storied history that is part of the gold rush throughout the Western United States. The building is impressive–old and beautiful. It also holds a LOT of gold.

Experience: If you are like our Boulder family you know you are doing something special because you are going to the big city: Denver! You stand in line and get checked in by security much like the airport. Immediately you realize this is serious business and your small group [20 people] move into the building to check out some displays. The displays are somewhat interesting, but not overwhelmingly so because they are not hands on. Two tour guides take you through a few different rooms that hold displays. They also explain what is going on below you through the windows: they are making coins of all kinds. This is captivating! They are rolling out the coins we use daily. There were kids of all ages on our tour who seemed interested in the experience.

Logistics: You have to make reservations ahead of time on their website. They book far in advance, but if you can keep checking back and sometimes things open up.

Cost: Free!

Time: 30+ minutes

What we liked most: Seeing coins made and hearing the old lore about the Mint

What we liked least: The tour was short. It was not hands on.

Recommendation: We recommend going if your kids are seven [7] or older. Younger ones can go, but this older group will actually enjoy it the most.

Tinkering and the Value of Engaging Our Kids in Building

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What Tinking looks like for 10 year olds.

Kids are natural tinkerers. We all are really. But give them some wood, pvc, tape, glue, paper, markers, and when they are older power tools, and watch those kids who just moments ago said they are “bored” become engaged. Consider creating a Tinkering Kit or a place where kids know they can go to pick up scraps and create things. Encourage kids to follow their imagination! They can draw out a picture before hand or just go for it and create what they imagine along the way. I am always amazed at what my kids create!

Tinkering Kit:

  • Papertowel rolls [used]
  • Screwdriver & different size screws
  • Wood and/or balsa wood for younger kids [various sizes]
  • PVC [various sizes]
  • Hammer & different nail sizes
  • Tape [electrical & duct tape are great!]
  • Glue [non-toxic craft glue] and/or a glue gun [adult use only]
  • Recycled objects [plastic containers, corks, any item you are throwing away could be considered]
  • Art supplies [to decorate the creations]

Tinkering is messy. It is creative. It is fun. It is frustrating. But if we leave the tinkering open ended our kids come out with something they are proud of creating. Consider making a project with your child or making one of your own while they are making one. Remember as parenting we need to step back and let them make mistakes and learn from the process. If they nail something in and it cracks the wood, what can they learn from this process? If it doesn’t come out the way they want, should they have drawn out a picture first? Or could they simply change what they expected? Just help them through the process of considering how to improve next time.

For more on tinkering, watch this video on The Tinkering School and take a look at the post from OutdoorMom.com, Kids Love Plumbing.

Boulder Family Events: July 20 to 26, 2012

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july 20 to 26, 2012

Listed here are some great family events. Most are free. They are all opportunities to be together as a family and engage your kids of all ages. HAVE A FANTASTIC WEEK!

This Weeks Special Events: Open Arts Fest, Classic Car Show, FREE day at Denver Botanical Gardens, Teddy Bear Tea, FamilyDance Planet, & Author/Illustrator Kadir Nelson 

Friday, July 20

Saturday, July 21

  • Teddy Bear Tea at Grandrabbits Toy Store. Kids bring their special stuffed friends and join the folks at Grandrabbits for games, activities, face painting and fun. Bring a lunch. Free. Ages 1 to 9. 10:30 to noon.
  • FamilyDance Planet. Come on out to a fun dance party organized just for families. The music is kid-friendly, but parents will love it too. Avalon Ballroom. 9:30 to noon. Families with kids up to 12.
  • French/English Storytime. Join Marie at the Boulder Public Library for a great bilingual storytime for kids. Every 1st/3rd Saturday. 10:15 to 11:00am.
  • Kids Gone Fishing with Boulder County Open Space. Kids learn lots about how to fish. They go through stations learning techniques and practice skills. Please register at 303.678.6219 or mbowie@bouldercounty.org. Free. Ages 5 to 15.
  • Home Depot Building Project. Kids can build something new each time they participate. Drop in. Free. All ages. 9:00 to Noon.
  • Boulder Farmer’s Market. 8:00 to 2:00pm. 13th Street between Arapahoe & Canyon Blvd. Great opportunity for families to purchase locally grown produce, eat delicious food, listen to live music and so much more! A Boulder kids’ favorite.
  • Boulder Museum of Contemporary Arts [BMOCA] Check out Art Stop which provides FREE guided art activities for kids on Saturdays during the Farmer’s Market. I have heard that they have a space where you can throw a cup at the wall. Kids love it! 8:00am to 2:00pm. All ages
  • Boulder Outdoor Cinema: Back to the Future. This is such a fun event and I love it when they show kid friendly flicks! Gates open at 7. Live band starts at 7:30. Movie starts at dusk.
  • Classic Car Show at 29th Street Mall. Restored cars, food & drink. Fun to look at for those car fanatic families. Free. 2:00 to 6:00pm.
  • Open Arts Fest. Lots of artists, demonstrations, children’s activities. Free. 10:00am to 5:00pm.

Sunday, July 22

  • Go Club for Kids & Teens at the Main Boulder Library. 2:00 to 5:30pm. Ages 5 and up. Free. “Learn to play the ancient and mysterious game of Go.”
  • Open Arts Fest. Lots of artists, demonstrations, children’s activities. Free. 10:00am to 5:00pm.

Monday, July 23

Tuesday, July 24

  • Children’s Storytime at George Reynolds Branch Library. 10:15 to 11:00am. Ongoing event.
  • Dance for Children [and the Whole Family]! Participatory dance program for children of all ages and their parents! A fun way to learn dances from around the world, find out what young folks like in other countries. Outside on the Plaza beside the Dushanbe Teahouse, 1770 13th (between Arapahoe & Canyon) in Boulder. Free. All ages. 6:15 to 7:00pm. Ongoing activity.
  • Children’s Author/Illustrator: Kadir Nelson at the Boulder Public Library. This very special event brings award winning author and artist to Boulder. Kadir has been awarded the Caldecott Honor and many others. 7:00 to 8:00pm.

Wednesday, July 25

  • Story Hour and Five Senses Children Hike. It’s story time at the Chautauqua Ranger Cottage!  Join OSMP for interactive, nature-themed books. Children participate with animal noises, sound effects, and more. If the weather is too hot, there will hands-on nature activity in the cottage. Free. Ages 3 to 6. 9:30 to 10:30am.
  • Wednesday Storytime @ Main Boulder Library. 10:15 to 11:30am. Free. Ongoing.
  • Family Garden Story and Song Time with Kristin at Barnes and Nobles. Free. All ages. 1:00pm.
  • Boulder Farmer’s Market. 4:00 to 8:00pm. 13th Street between Arapahoe & Canyon Blvd. Great opportunity for families to purchase locally grown produce, eat delicious food, listen to live music and so much more! A Boulder kids’ favorite.
  • Valmont Bike Park Family Rides. Bring the bikes and the family for fun rides on the amazing terrain at Boulder’s coolest bike park. All ages. 4:00 to 6:00pm. Free.
  • Boulder Museum of Contemporary Arts [BMOCA] Check out Art Stop which provides FREE guided art activities for kids on Saturdays during the Farmer’s Market. I have heard that they have a space where you can throw a cup at the wall. Kids love it! 4:00 to 8:00pm. All ages
  • Band on the Bricks on Pearl: A different band each week will rock Pearl Street! This is an ongoing event each Weds night throughout the summer. All ages. 7:00 to 9:00pm.

Thursday, July 26

Upcoming Events:
  • Kids Races in Boulder: August 9, August 30. Lengths vary, but these are just pure fun for families! Click the link to find out how to register and more information.
  • Summer Heritage Days at Walker Ranch on July 29

Please let me know of any upcoming events that should be listed here. I am happy to include your free, low cost or unusual event in Boulder Family listing of weekly events. You can reach me at Boulder4Families@gmail.com or visit us on Facebook.

#families, #free, #boulder, #events, #boulderfamilies #July