Mile High on the Cheap » Family Activities

Home Depot Free Kids ‘How-To-Workshop’ Today

Claire & Laura — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 09:25:08 +0000

Kids can learn do-it-yourself skills and get a boost of confidence by attending Home Depot’s FREE kids “How-To-Workshops” held the first Saturday of every month. This month, it’s today, February 4 from 9 a.m. to noon at all stores. The classes promote tool safety for kids ages 5 to 12, as well as encourage some quality time between parent and child. The February project is a wooden Keepsake Box the kiddos can build and paint. The box can hold private treasures or be given as a Valentine’s Day gift. All participants not only take home their project, but receive a FREE orange apron (sort of a mini-version of what Home Depot associates wear) and a pin. No reservations required.

Denver Zoo Welcomes You For Free

Claire & Laura — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 09:20:51 +0000

The Denver Zoo is world-class and thanks, in part, to funding from the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District, you can hang out with the primates, predators, polar bears, pachyderms, peacocks and even critters that don’t start with the letter “p” for FREE on Sunday, February 5 and Monday, February 6. Be sure to check out Predator Ridge populated with lions and other carnivores, the indoor rainforest Tropical Discovery and Bird World. Open daily (winter hours) 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Denver’s City Park on 23rd Ave. between Colorado and York, 303-376-4800.

Arvada’s Annual Chocolate Affair, 2/4

Claire & Laura — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:40:22 +0000

Historic Olde Town Arvada celebrates all things chocolate at the Annual Chocolate Affair on Saturday, February 4 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The fun, family event includes a chocolate tasting (six sampling tickets for $5), a FREE Chocolate Treasure Hunt (compete for prizes), the Chocolate Cookie Contest open to all amateur bakers, and FREE kid’s activities like storytelling and face painting. Festival action is at w. 57th Ave. & Olde Wadsworth. For information call 303-420-6100.

Denver Art Museum Offers Free Entry

Claire & Laura — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:05:26 +0000

The Denver Art Museum holds its next “First Saturday” tomorrow, February 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy the museum’s world-class art collections and non-ticketed exhibitions without spending a dime. FREE tickets are available for everyone, not just Colorado residents, at the museum entrance starting at 10 a.m. Reminder: The FREE admission does not include any special exhibitions. The museum is located on 13th Avenue between Broadway and Bannock Streets in downtown Denver. 720-865-5000.

Affordable Snowshoe Excursions in Nederland

Claire & Laura — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:37:39 +0000

Dave “Bigfoot” Felkley leads snowshoeing excursions for all ages on trails around Nederland this Saturday, February 4 and again on the 18th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Adults and youngsters alike will learn a lot about the winter environment, get out into the fresh air and have a great time, because Bigfoot is an informative, engaging and delightful guide. The group meets at the Wild Bear Mountain Ecology Center and heads for the trail with that day’s best snow conditions. The suggested donation is $5 per person; snowshoe rentals are $10 for adults, $5 for children. Registration is required (by E-mail to registrar@wildbear.org or by calling 303-258-0495). The center is at 20 Lakeview Dr., Unit 107, Nederland. That’s the shopping center just south of the Nederland roundabout at the intersection of Hwys. 119 and 72. And when the tour returns, cross the parking lot and take a bargain $1 ride on the Carousel of Happiness. Also, the center hosts a FREE presentation by NCAR weather scientist Steve Wilson this evening, February 2, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. as part of its Thursday Night Speaker series. He discusses long-range seasonal weather predictions from NOAA’s National Weather Service and Climate Prediction Center and about the impact of global weather patterns such as El Niño and La Niña on our state’s climate. No preregistration required.

Free Kids Crafts Every Saturday at Lakeshore Learning Store

Claire & Laura — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:30:23 +0000

Every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lakeshore Learning Store offers FREE craft activities for kids ages 3 and older. The January/February schedule promises a lot of hands-on fun. Here’s the lineup: January 28 — create a Groundhog Puppet, February 4 — design a cool, flip-open notebook for drawing and writing, February 11 — make a heart-shaped Valentine Mailbox, February 18 — President’s Day is extra special with a Log-Cabin Collage, and February 25 — celebrate Dr. Seuss’ upcoming birthday with a super-silly stick puppet. Colorado’s Lakeshore Learning Store is located at 8680 A Park Meadows Drive., Littleton, 303-768-8484.

Tiny Tots Can Go “Inside The Orchestra”

Claire & Laura — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:25:26 +0000

Tiny Tots Inside the Orchestra has been introducing little ones age 6 and under to orchestral music for a quarter of a century. Performances take place February 1 to 13 at venues throughout metro Denver (from The Wildlife Experience and El Jebel Shrine to Temple Sinai, Temple Emanuel and the huge Boettcher Concert Hall). Children literally are “inside the orchestra,” surrounded on the stage by the professional musicians who play familiar melodies. Plus live opera music is performed by local Central City Opera Ensemble Artist Chad Regan. All performances take place at both 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. You’ll find a schedule here. Because some spaces fill quickly, be sure to get your seats as soon as possible. Tickets are $5 (and FREE to those who can’t afford it and children under age one). You can download an order form online or pay at the door the day of performance.

Kids Eat Free on the Weekends at Spicy Pickle

Bryan — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:40:07 +0000

Founded in Denver, Spicy Pickle serve high-quality meats and fine Italian artisan breads, along with 10 different cheeses, 21 different toppings and 15 proprietary spreads to create flavorful panini and sub sandwiches. For a limited time, kids can eat FREE on the weekend – Saturday and Sunday. With the purchase of an entrée (panini, sandwich, salad or combo), you’ll get a kid’s meal at no extra charge. The deal cannot be combined with any other offer and is valid at participating locations only. There’s one location in Boulder (2660 Pearl St.) and 10 in the Denver Metro area.

Join Boulder Y in January & Save

Claire & Laura — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:30:59 +0000

Join the YMCA of Boulder Valley by January 31 and you’ll pay no joining fee, plus you’ll get two FREE personal training sessions and FREE enrollment in Whole Foods Markets’ new Healthy Eating Challenge. The normal joining fee is $50 for one adult, $25 for a student or youth and $75 for adult couples and families (up to two adults and up to seven children). The Y has two locations: 2850 Mapleton Ave., Boulder, 303-442-2778, and 2800 Dagny Way, Lafayette, 303-664-5455. Visit either for a tour or to join.

Free Community Cinema Showings of Important Films

Claire & Laura — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 09:35:46 +0000

Rocky Mountain PBS sponsors FREE Community Cinema screenings of historically and culturally important but unheralded films in large Colorado cities and small towns. The next is “Daisy Bates: The First Lady of Little Rock.” Bates was a complex, unconventional, and largely forgotten heroine of the civil rights movement who led the charge to desegregate the all-white Central High School in Little Rock in 1957. In Denver, the film screens on Wednesday, January 25 at 7 p.m. at the Denver FilmCenter Colfax. For Denver, you need to RSVP as space is limited. Here’s the rest of the schedule — Grand Junction: Tuesday, January 10, 7 p.m.; Durango: Tuesday, January 10, 8:15 p.m.; Steamboat Springs: Monday, January 16, 6:30 p.m.; Telluride: Wednesday, January 17, 6 p.m.; Palisade: Thursday, January 18, 6:30 p.m.; Fruita: Wednesday, January 25, 6:30 p.m.; Montrose: Wednesday, January 25, 7 p.m.; Pueblo: Thursday, January 26, 6:30 p.m.; Mancos and Naturita: TBD

Tots Discover Art at Monthly Lunch-Time Program

Claire & Laura — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:23:04 +0000

The Lone Tree Arts Center’s “Seedlings,” a lunch-time program designed for parents and children from toddlers to kindergarteners, is described as “art for your tot to grow.” This is an age-appropriate introduction to arts, culture, science and entertainment is offered the first Tuesday of every month 11 a.m. to 12 noon. “Tales-n-Tunes” takes place on January 3. Admission is $3 per person; under 1 year, FREE. Boxed lunches from Heidi’s Deli are available in advance with a ticket purchase at $4 per adult and $3 per child. 10075 Commons Street, Lone Tree, 720-509-1010.

Regal Cinemas’ $5 Value Days

Bryan — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 09:45:56 +0000

This is the best movie deal we’ve seen in a long time. Unfortunately, it’s only available at select United Artists (aka Regal Cinemas) theaters – Greenwood Plaza Stadium (8141 E. Arapahoe Rd., Englewood), Meadows Stadium (9355 Park Meadows Dr., Littleton) and Twin Peaks (1250 S. Hover Rd., Longmont.) Every Sunday, including today, January 1, the three movie theaters offer Value Days – all movies are just $5. We especially love the deal because it includes new releases, which is a rarity. However, there is an additional cost of $3.50 per ticket for 3-D. (A “Value Days” ticket is the lowest possible admission the movie chain offers and that includes senior, student and military discounts, as well as coupons.) Longmont residents are even more fortunate because Twin Peaks offers Value Days every Tuesday, too!

Blockbuster’s Unlimited Kids & Family Rentals for $4.99

Bryan — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 09:30:49 +0000

We know kids can watch lots of movies (sometimes the same one over and over and over…), so Blockbuster‘s Kids Pass is perfect for families – especially during the holiday break. A 1-month pass is only $4.99 for unlimited Kids and Family movie and game rentals. If you’re in it for the long haul, a 6-month pass is $24.99 and a 1 year pass is $39.99. (Obviously, the annual pass is the best deal – making the final cost per month only $3.33.) Of course, there is the fine print: One rental out-at-a-time, valid only at store of initial purchase and limit one pass per membership account at any time. Plus, only 99¢ movie and game rentals are included in the promo. You can keep your rental as long as you want, so you can have a month-long film festival of the same movie or 30 different ones. If you rented a movie every day of the year (assuming you get the annual pass), each one would be about 11¢! Any way you play it, it’s an amazing deal for budget-conscious moms and dads.

Sweet Deal, Free Hammond’s Candy Factory Tour

Claire & Laura — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:35:00 +0000

Hammond’s Candies has been making delicious candies since 1920 and they still do it the old-fashioned way in small batches. FREE factory tours run Monday through Saturday and are a great way to entertain the entire family during winter break. The tour shows the candymakers hand-pulling and hand-twisting oversize candy canes, as well as ribbon candy, lollipops and chocolate. And everyone gets a free candy sample. Sweet!! Tours are offered Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 5735 N. Washington St. (just off I-25 and 58th Ave. — exit 215), 303-333-5588.

Free Nuggets Skills Challenge Underway

Claire & Laura — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 09:33:43 +0000

The Denver Nuggets, in conjunction with the Colorado Parks and Recreation Association, has organized the seventh annual basketball Skills Challenge. Boys and girls aged 7 to 14 are encouraged to test their dribbling, passing and shooting skills at local competitions throughout the state. A handful have started already, Parker is today, December 17 and Arapahoe Park is Tuesday, December 20, but the vast majority take place in January. At the bottom of the page is a link to the online schedule and contact phone numbers for more information on event location and time. One boy and one girl from each local competition will advance to sectional competitions for the opportunity to compete at the finals in March. Last year, 72 finalists emerged from more than 3,000 participants at recreation centers across Colorado.

Buy a Kid’s Bike & Get $25 Gift Card

Claire & Laura — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 09:24:06 +0000

Bicycle Village is giving a $25 gift card with the purchase of any kid’s bike (16-, 20- 0r 24-inch wheels). Children’s bikes start at $99.99. No matter what size bike you’re buying as a holiday gift, take advantage of their FREE Hide-A-Bike service. Make your selection now, and the store will have it assembled and ready to be picked up on or before Christmas Eve. Stores are located in Aurora, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Southwest Denver and Westminster.

Denver’s German-Style Christkindl Market

Claire & Laura — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:50:18 +0000

In the cities Germany, Austria and the German-speaking part of Switzerland, vendors set up stalls in the plaza around the cathedral for the annual Christkindlmarkt to sell charming gift items, candles, sweets, ornaments and all manner of holiday goodies. Denver’s 2011 Christkindl Market takes place downtown in Skyline Park (Arapahoe between 16th and 18th), from November 25 through December 23. Hours are Sunday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with special extended evening hours for the Parade of Lights, December 2 & 3. Vendors from Germany and other European countries and local artisans will sell quality, handcrafted gift items such as traditional hand-carved wooden figurines, handmade candles and ornaments. Traditional German food, pastries, and candy will be featured. FREE live entertainment is also on the docket. A complete schedule of events and entertainment may be found on the Christkindl Market website.

Skate Cheap in Fort Collins

Claire & Laura — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:20:56 +0000

The ice rink on the north end of Fort Collins’s Old Town Square is open for the season through January 30. It is open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Hours vary widely; go to the downtown winter information page and click on ‘2011-12 SCHEDULE HERE‘ for details. Skating is $2 per session; skate rentals, $1. For more information, call 970-221-6833.

Free Small Aircraft Flight for Youngsters

Claire & Laura — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:45:03 +0000

To introduce youngsters to the thrill of flying for pleasure or perhaps for future aviation careers, tens of thousands of volunteer pilots have shared their passion for flight. They have provided more than 1.6 million youngsters in 90 countries an opportunity to experience FREE small airplane flying since 1992 via the EAA Young Eagles program. Click here to find a nearby volunteer pilot in Colorado, and then arrange a convenient time to go flying. The Experimental Aircraft Association, which promotes general aviation and seeks to interest youngsters in becoming pilots, has an FAQ page for parents on their website. Thanks, Tania of Albuquerque on the Cheap, for this high-flying tip.

5th & 6th Grade Ski/Snowboard Passports are Back

Claire & Laura — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 09:35:25 +0000

Reminder: You can still buy Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA)’s popular 5th and 6th Grade Passport programs for a season in 2011-12, offering three days of FREE skiing at each of 21 member resorts and four days of skiing/riding for $99 for 6th graders. For youngsters who don’t yet ski or ride, First Class is a program providing registered 5th Grade Passport holders one FREE ski or snowboard lesson, including rental equipment, anytime during January Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month at one of 18 resorts. Ski areas accepting the CSCUSA card are Arapahoe Basin, Aspen Highlands, Aspen Mountain, Buttermilk, Copper Mountain, Crested Butte, Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort, Echo Mountain, Eldora, Howelsen Hill, Loveland, Monarch, Powderhorn, Ski Cooper, Snowmass, SolVista, Steamboat, Sunlight, Telluride, Winter Park and Wolf Creek. Click here to register.

“Fairy Tales, Games and Make-Believe” Concert for Kids

Claire & Laura — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 09:20:14 +0000

Here’s the perfect way for the little ones to embrace classical music and the workings of a real orchestra. ”Fairy Tales, Games and Make-Believe” come to life on Saturday, November 12 at 3 p.m. at Augustana Lutheran Church (5000 E. Alameda Ave., Denver) and Sunday, November 13 at 3 p.m. at Abiding Hope Lutheran Church (6337 S. Robb Way, Littleton). Children of all ages will be guided through Maurice Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite, which features vivid musical depictions of scenes from well-known fairy tales like Sleeping Beauty, Tom Thumb and Beauty and the Beast. That will be followed by Children’s Games, short pieces by George Bizet that capture the feelings of a bouncing ball, a toy soldier and even a spinning top. Finally, kids will get to make up their own stories for the music in William Walton’s Music for Children. During and after the concert, the kiddos will have an opportunity to see the instruments up close in our musical “petting zoo. Tickets are $10 for adults, seniors & students and $8 for children ages 5 to 12. Tickets may be bought online or by calling 303-388-4962.

Lone Tree Arts Center – $35 Tickets for “White Christmas”

Bryan — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:35:41 +0000

The recently opened Lone Tree Arts Center is launching its first holiday production this season. “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” plays the center from December 13 through December 23. Through Monday, November 21, they’re offering select seats for only $35 with promo codeWCEARLYB. (Service fees may apply.) One of America’s most beloved holiday movies is now live on stage with all the sentiment, humor and unforgettable songs. You can purchase tickets online or by calling 720-509-1000. 10075 Commons St., Lone Tree.