“Winter is not a season, it’s a celebration.” ~ Anamika Mishra
I love the above quote because it’s true! There are so many wonderful things about winter — holidays, traditions, community events, and snow, just to name a few. It isn’t the cold and the snow that makes winter so great, it’s the celebrations that go along with it. Here in Colorado, we don’t let the weather keep us from the outdoors, but we can’t exactly expect our toddlers to play at a park in 30 degree temperatures. For that reason, I have composed an inexhaustive list of indoor places to play and explore with your nanny-kids around Denver and Boulder.
Indoor Playgrounds
All around the Boulder and Denver Metro area you can find indoor playgrounds. When it’s raining, cold, snowing, or even too hot to be outside, kids still need to run around and play. I have found these particular places to do the job.
- The Bounce Place has several play structures and bounce houses, as well as an area for children four and under
- Bounce City is very similar to The Bounce Place
- (Little) Monkey Bizness offers play structures, inflatable play equipment, bikes, obstacle courses, an art area, and a toddler section
- KidSpace has play structures and activities, focusing on STEM concepts, as well as a Planetarium show every hour
- Trampoline parks offer wall-to-wall trampolines, typically geared toward older kids
Museums
- Children’s Museum of Denver
- Wow! Children’s Museum
- Butterfly Pavilion
- The Museum of Nature and Science
- Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum
- Museum of Boulder
The Library
Every library I know of offers FREE children’s story times and activities through out the week, and many also have an indoor play area to explore and read together.
Ice Skating
- There are several places to ice skate around the Denver Metro area, especially with pop-up rinks during the holidays
- This activity is probably best with older kids, and only if you are comfortable on skates
Shopping Malls
- Cherry Creek Mall
- Flatirons Mall
Along with the obvious mall activities, these malls offer FREE indoor play areas.
Recreation Centers
There are so many things to do indoors at your local rec center. Many offer indoor swim lessons, classes, an indoor play area, and activities to keep you busy all season.
The following Recreation Centers offer FREE (for residents and non-residents) indoor playgrounds:
Tumble Rooms
- The Boulder Jewish Community Center
- Peace Lutheran Church (FREE) — Boulder
Looking for at-home holiday craft ideas? I’ve got you covered!
