It can sometimes feel impossible to keep little ones entertained for more than 10 minutes! Check out these local events, activities, and outings designed to help engage kiddos and provide them with hands-on experiences.
Seedlings: Musical Garden
Where? 1007 York Street
When? May 8th-10th
This week, Denver Botanic Gardens invites children to delve into the world of plant life. The program features stories, a nature walk, and an art project. This class is best for parents with children between 18 months and 6 years old. The program fee is $12 per toddler, with a $2 discount for members. One adult per child is admitted for free! The Musical Garden program will be hosted on May 8th, 9th, and 10th for different age groups between 9:15 and 11:15 AM each day — so check the calendar to see when your child’s peers will be joining in on the fun.
PRO Tip: Seedings classes have both indoor and outdoor components, so please check the weather and dress accordingly. Any additional adults or siblings should have a reserved general admission ticket.
Sunset Wagon Tour
Where? 21901 East Hampden Avenue
When? May 9th & 10th
The Plains Conservation Center is located in nearby Aurora, with an entrance at the corner of East Hampden Avenue and South Piccadilly Road. Due to the outdoor location, the wagon tours are dependent on the weather. During the ride, visitors will enjoy a unique view of the landscape while they search for prairie dogs, pronghorn antelope, and an array of birds. Guests will learn all about the prairie ecosystem while making stops to look at sod homes and the Cheyenne camp, where children and parents can discover what it was like to be a homesteader or a Native American that called the prairies home in the 1800s.
PRO Tip: If the Sunset Wagon Tour will interfere with bedtime, check out the afternoon Wagon Tour on Saturday from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. The price for both tours is $10 and all ages are invited.
Baby Time at Lakewood Library
Where? 10200 West 20th Avenue
When? May 10th
This Friday, join Lakewood Library for Baby Time between 9:15 AM and 9:45 AM. This event is specially designed to help the littlest minds grow extra large! Parents and their children will bounce, sing, rhyme, and read along. Parents can help get their kids ready to read with the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge — which counts even if it’s the same story again and again! This challenge was formulated to promote reading to newborns, infants, and toddlers and encouraged parents and children to bond through a love of books and literacy.
PRO Tip: This event recurs throughout the month on Tuesdays and Fridays. Tuesday’s Baby Times are moved back an hour from Friday, with the event running from 10:15 AM to 10:45 AM.
Little University Art Studio: Boats
Where? 1498 North Irving Street
When? May 10th
Head over to Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales Branch Library this Friday for an exciting art project. This class is best suited for ages birth to 5 and an adult should plan on accompanying the child throughout the project. Each Friday, there’s a new learning activity that takes children outside the realm of traditional story times. This week, participants will make and play with floating boats.
PRO Tip: This event is free to attend and all required materials will be provided.
Colorado Chocolate Festival
Where? 15500 East 40th Avenue
When? May 10th-11th
The Colorado Chocolate Festival will return to Denver for Mother’s Day Weekend this Friday and Saturday! Head to Crowne Plaza Denver Airport Convention Center to enjoy this indoor fair. Parking is free and you can grab your tickets ahead of time for $10. Kids 10 and under are free, so bring the whole family out to enjoy a wide selection of chocolate treats. Taste tickets for samples are sold for $10 per dozen, with the average festival-goer enjoying 24 samples due to the nearly endless volume of options. There will also be contests, games, and kid’s activities to ensure everyone is engaged and having a great time.
PRO Tip: There will be over 100 booths in attendance and over 30,000 square feet of chocolatey goodness. Wear comfy shoes so you can peruse the wide selection and choose your favorite treats from cakes, cookies, truffles, brownies, and even a chocolate fountain!
Colorado Rockies Vs. Texas Rangers
Where? 2001 Blake Street
When? May 10th-12th
The Colorado Rockies kick off their three-game series against the Texas Rangers this Friday at 6:40 PM. The games are part of the Healthcare Appreciation Series and Sunday features a Mother’s Day Belt Bag giveaway for the first 15,000 fans. At Saturday’s game, the Rockies will wear their Nike MLB City Connect jerseys to celebrate the great state of Colorado. Healthcare professionals can purchase a special ticket package to receive a pair of limited-edition Rockies socks. For families with younger kids, Sunday’s game has an earlier starting time of 1:10 PM, so you can be back home for dinner and the evening routine.
PRO Tip: On Sunday, select players and/or coaches will be available for autographs near sections 116-120 from 11:40 AM to 12:00 PM. Arrive early for the chance to meet your favorite players!
Northglenn Game Days
Where? 1 East Memorial Parkway
When? May 11th
On Saturday, head up to Northglenn for Video Game Days and Table Top Game Days. These activities are designed for ages 10-17 and feature some friendly competition and peer-bonding activities. Video Game Days cost $5 per participant and the fun kicks off at 2:30 PM and runs until 6:00 PM. Kids and teens can play on a PS5, xBox S, Nintendo Switch, or on gaming laptops. Table Top Game Day includes engaging pen-and-paper games, such as Honey Heist, Dishonored, Cyberpunk, and Dungeons and Dragons. Snacks and drinks will be provided and tickets are $5.
PRO Tip: It’s encouraged to bring a personal login for your preferred consoles for Video Game Day! The City of Northglenn hosts these gaming events in the community rooms of the rec center.
Colorado Tulip Festival
Where? 18065 Saddlewood Road
When? May 10th-12th
The third annual Colorado Tulip Festival is kicking off this Friday at Kids Ranch in Monument. With over 30,000 tulips in bloom, families will be treated to what’s sure to be a spectacular view. A bulb is included with admission for each person and there will be additional tulips for purchase at the festival, with per tulip and tulip bundle pricing options. Admission is $10 at the gate but can be snagged for $9 online. Children 3 and under get in free. Activities at the festival include tube swings, roller slides, a farm animal petting zoo, pony rides, face painting, and a 30×30 jumping pillow. Many families take Spring family photos at the festival — which makes for a colorful background to commemorate the memories made at Kids Ranch.
PRO Tip: The new entrance for this year’s festival can be located at 2205 East Highway 105. If you can’t make the opening weekend, the festival will continue next weekend!
TriceraTOTs: Compost in a Bottle
Where? 17681 West Alameda Parkway
When? May 11th
On Saturday, head on over to Dinosaur Ridge in Golden for their Compost in a Bottle TriceraTOTs class and activity. These classes are hosted once monthly at the Martin G. Lockley Discovery Center near Red Rocks. This weekend, kiddos will learn all about composting, including the many benefits of reducing household waste. The craft activity will be to make a miniature composting terrarium that can be taken home. Add worms, rolly pollies, and other small critters to the terrarium. Children will also learn how to create a composting container at a larger scale with the help of their parents. There will be two sessions for this event, one at 9:00 AM and the second at 10:00 AM.
PRO Tip: Pricing for each TriceraTOTs class is $5 for participating children. Any accompanying children who are under the age of 2 are free as long as they don’t want to participate in the activity. There’s no charge for accompanying adults.
Zodiac Paint Pour Class
Where? 734 Santa Fe Drive
When? May 11th
This Saturday, Grace Noel Art is hosting a pour-paint class from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. If you’ve always wanted to explore this medium and allow yourself the creative freedom to pour paint, this is the perfect opportunity. All materials are included with the ticket price and attendees will learn how to prepare their canvas, mix their acrylic paint, and how to design a painting that encompasses your personal astrology. This class is totally beginner-friendly, and participants from the age of 5 and up are welcome to attend. Ticket prices range from $30-$45.
PRO Tip: Paintings can be messy and may require additional time to dry. Grace provides attendees with the option to leave the painting to dry, with pick-ups generally ready around a week later. In some cases, shipping may be an option at an additional cost.
Zoologist for a Day
Where? 700 Water Street
When? May 11th
Children with a love of all things animals will adore this unique experience of being a zoologist for a day at Denver’s Downtown Aquarium. Suited for grades 1-12, students will be separated into three age groups: 1st-4th grade, 5th-8th grade, and 9th-12th grade. This gives everyone ample opportunity to learn at their own speed and participate in age-appropriate tasks. The cost per attendee is $65 and the event will last for approximately 5 hours. Children will have the chance to talk to staff, learn the ins and outs of a zoologist career, and spend the day examining species such as birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. Participants should wear clothes that can get a little wet and/or dirty. Closed-toed shoes are required and t-shirts and lunch are included in the cost of admission.
PRO Tip: If the Zoologist for a Day event has sold out, go ahead and give the Downtown Aquarium a call to see if there are any leftover availabilities. Last-minute cancellations happen and there may be space left for your child to participate.
Mommy and Me Day Retreat
Where? 1660 Gilpin Street
When? May 12th
Moms and their little ones are invited to enjoy a day of relaxation and bonding at Sakala in Denver. The afternoon will be filled with pampering, activities and of course — quality time. The event runs from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM and is best for mothers with children between the ages of 4 and 9 years old. This rejuvenating experience is the perfect opportunity to unwind and experience wellness workshops, as well as a yoga stretch, hot cocoa ceremony, spa treatment, and a mini photo session. Mothers and their mini-me can also enjoy crafts and a Warrior Princess/Prince drum circle and dance party. Tickets are $99, with a sliding scale designated for single moms.
PRO Tip: Snacks will be included and participants can opt for a flower or leaf crown if they so desire. Yoga mats and pillows are provided and comfy clothes are encouraged! If desired, attendees can change into a fun outfit for the dance party.
LuBird’s Light Playground
Where? 2501 Dallas Street
When? Anytime!
Denver has a wide variety of playgrounds to choose from, from quaint neighborhood parks to expansive playscape areas that thousands of kids visit each weekend. Stanley Marketplace in Aurora is home to the inclusive LuBird’s Light Playground. With over 74,000 children living with a disability in Colorado, this playground was created to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to experience the joy of playing with their friends. The playground project raised over one million dollars and broke ground in 2020. The playground is now open for children of all ages and abilities to get outside and play.
PRO Tip: Explore Stanley Marketplace after visiting the playground, with over 50 local businesses, restaurants, shops, and activities for families to enjoy.