KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Mon, Jul 20: Movie Nights at Infinity Park | The Princess Bride
Mon, Jul 20: Monday Night Movies at Edgewater Public Market: 10 Things I Hate About You
Tue, Jul 21: Sully's 1st Birthday Party at Cheyenne Mountain
Zoo
Fri, Jul 24: Evergreen Jazz Festival 2026
Fri, Jul 24: 2026 Free Daytime General Admission Days at Four Mile
Historic Park
Sat, Jul 25: Summer Artline Block Party!
Sat, Jul 25: School of Rock at Meow Wolf Denver
Sat, Jul 25: The 13th Annual Cheesman Park Art Fest
Sat, Jul 25: Birding for Families at Majestic View Nature Center (ages 4+)
Sat, Jul 25: Douglas County Fair Parade
Sun, Jul 26: July Free Day at the Clyfford Still Museum |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
In last week's column, I wrote about the Humble Abode, the kids-only hideout my sister and I created behind the giant azalea bush in our backyard. We dragged in chairs and treasures and made a little home in the hollowed-out
branches. At the time, I thought of it as something we had built. But of course, we didn’t create it from nothing. We were makers, yes, but we were making inside a world that was already alive. Summer is the perfect time for kids to experience that lesson up close and personal, with all their senses. The world is warm, green, buzzing, blooming, squelching, chirping, dripping, and growing almost too fast to track. Kids can smell lake water and tomato leaves, feel bark and moss
and mud, watch ants organize themselves with alarming competence, and notice that the same trail looks different after rain. Nature doesn’t need a lesson plan. It offers immediacy first: I am here. This is real. Pay attention. And then, quietly, it offers perspective. A child is legitimately the center of his or her own universe; we all are, from the inside. But Nature gently complicates that story. The robin is not singing for us. The creek does not hurry because we
are late. The sunflower turns toward the sun whether or not anyone remembers to admire it. Clouds, tides, weeds, and weather all proceed with their ancient business, reminding us that we belong to a world much larger than our schedules and preferences. That perspective should not make us feel small in a bad way, but instead help us feel rightly-sized. Humans have the wonderful ability to create, repair, improve, and beautify our little corners of the universe. But we do it
best when we understand the nature of the world we’re working within. So use this summer to include as much Outside Green Time as you can, looking up and around and in. Poke gently. Nature will do the rest.
—Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build
Strong Communities
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. If you like my publisher's column, you can easily scroll through past columns in the "Notes
from Deb" section of our site. |
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Looking for an easy and entertaining date night? Lakewood Cultural Center is pleased to announce its 2026-2027 LCC Presents season. Whether you’re looking for something new, nostalgic, soul-stirring, family-friendly, or simply entertaining, you’ll find it here in this vibrant mix of music, dance and theater. The theater is easily accessible at Wadsworth and Alameda, just 15 minutes from downtown Denver, with surface and garage-level parking. Ticket prices start at $40. Stop by your favorite Belmar restaurant for dinner before the show and you've created the perfect date night! We look forward to welcoming you to the theater!
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Step into pure magic on Tuesday, July 21st from 3pm - 5pm at the Carousel of Happiness in Nederland for a whimsical, all-ages tea party. Generously sponsored by Indian Peaks Real Estate, families are invited to dress to impress in their most whimsical attire for an afternoon filled with live music, face painting, carousel rides and delightful tea-time treats. Sip delicious tea provided by The Boulder Tea Company and enjoy an unforgettable tea party perfect for the young and the young at heart. Bring your imagination and join us for tea, spins, and smiles!
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Finish Summer Strong with Lemonade Day Denver! Looking for a fun, meaningful activity before school starts? Join our Back-to-School Business Challenge and give your child the opportunity to build confidence, financial literacy, and entrepreneurial skills through a real lemonade stand! Thanks to our amazing Sweet Spot partners, families can choose to operate at high-traffic storefront locations or in their own neighborhood. Complete at least two stands by July 31 for a chance to earn Lemonade Day swag, back-to-school supplies, and a $50 Amazon gift card. Register today and help your young entrepreneur finish the summer strong! Email [email protected] to learn more. |
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Shaping Lines Disc Golf camps give kids and teens a fun, active way to enjoy the outdoors while learning a lifetime sport! This summer, campers can join sessions at Johnny Roberts Disc Golf Course in Arvada, Silo Park in Greenwood Village, or Ken-Caryl Ranch in Littleton. Programs are designed for ages 6-16, with age-based sessions that help players build skills, confidence, and course know-how. Kids will practice throws, play games, explore creative activities like decorating discs and drawing course maps, and enjoy plenty of fresh-air fun. Registration is required, so sign up online at shapinglines.com.
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The Rooftop Rodeo is presented by the Town of Estes Park. Known as "the rodeo with altitude," this annual 6 day rodeo features the Professional Rodeo Cowboy's Association best competitors-both animals & cowboys/cowgirls. The Rooftop Rodeo is an event not to be missed! It has been the winner of Best Small Rodeo of the year & nominated for Best Medium Sized Rodeo. Please visit the official Rooftop Rodeo website for a complete rodeo week schedule, ticket sales and other event information.
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"The World’s Largest Dinosaurs” invites you to explore the mind-bending biology and amazing anatomy of sauropods — the largest land animals to ever live. From eating and breathing to reproducing, size affects almost everything an animal does. Through imaginative and enthralling exhibits and displays, including a towering, life-sized model of a 60-foot-long Mamenchisaurus, you will go beyond the bones and into their bodies to discover the fascinating mechanics behind how these titans lived their lives on Earth millions of years ago. Exhibition content is presented in English with the option for a Spanish audio guide.
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Summer rides start Tuesday, May 26, 2026 and run Monday - Friday mornings through September 4*. Children ages 10 and under (along with accompanying adults) will chug along Pearl Street in this one-of-a-kind experience. The Summer Tebo Train boards in front of Wells Fargo at the corner of 13th and Pearl. The rides start at 9:30 am each day. The last train leaves the station at 11 am SHARP.
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Join us for Shark Weekend! The Downtown Aquarium aims to raise awareness for shark conservation with fun, exciting activities for all ages. Sign up for our Dive with the Sharks Program or even try our Shark Cage Experience! Must sign up online!
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Join the Colorado Celebration of African American Arts and Culture for the 40th Annual Colorado Black Arts Festival, a vibrant, three-day celebration of African American arts, culture, and community. Enjoy a weekend filled with live music, visual art, cultural storytelling, and delicious food that reflects the rich traditions of the African diaspora. Take time to explore the festival grounds and support over 80 local artists, creatives, and Black-owned businesses in the marketplace. Entertainment will be ongoing across three stages, showcasing everything from traditional African drumming to jazz, hip-hop and R&B.
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Join Birgitta De Pree for a hilarious, family-friendly adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s beloved fairy tales, featuring silly emperors, brave princesses, wild swans, and flying suitcases brought to life with humor and imagination.
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The Town of Castle Rock's annual Pedal the Moon event returns Saturday, July 11, with new family-friendly fun. Take a festive twilight bike ride along East Plum Creek Trail and then enjoy a screening of "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" at Festival Park. The ride will depart from Castle View High School, 5254 N. Meadows Drive, at 7 p.m. Or, take the shorter route and leave from Douglas County High School, 2842 Front St., at approximately 7:15 p.m. As dusk falls, riders will follow East Plum Creek Trail to Festival Park, traveling approximately 6 miles on mostly flat terrain suitable for all ages.
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The museum’s Sensory-Friendly Mornings is a program for kids with neurodiversity or sensory-processing disorders and their families to visit the museum in a safe and fun way. The museum will open early, dim the lights, and provide tools to aid and guide a sensory-friendly experience for the whole family.
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Catch World Cup matches while you shop, eat, and enjoy the market atmosphere. Bring your friends, wear your favorite team’s colors, and make Mile High Flea Market part of your summer game-day plans. The market will host a variety of events and activations throughout the entire series!
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2026 winners in KidsOutAndAbout's survey of the Top 20 Places to Take Kids in the Denver area. Our Top 20 results page includes a list of your top picks, including winners in the special categories: Top Arts Educator, Top Sports Educator, and Top STEM
Educator!
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Nothing says SUMMER like an amusement park! Denver parents have lots of options! If there is a resource that we have missed, please email us to let us know, and we'll add it promptly. Thank you!
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KidsOutAndAbout's Denver-area 2026 summer camp guide for kids! Pick the dates you want to explore on our calendar and see what summer camps are available. Hundreds of local summer camps: day camps, overnight camps, sports, drama, music, theatre, arts &
crafts, technology, robotics, horseback riding, preschool, & more!
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Fruit picking is a great activity to do together as a family. It helps little ones understand where their food actually comes from, and it's a fun tradition to share every year right through the teens. Here's where you can go for strawberry picking, cherry
picking, blueberry picking, raspberry picking, peach picking, and other pick-your-own opportunities around Denver.
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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