Colorado Parent March 2021 by Colorado Parent Magazine

March 2021

Summer Camp Showcase Inside! Growing Great Families Since 1986

Losing Sleep Over Kids Losing Sleep? EXPERT TIPS TO GET MORE Z’S

Engaging STEM Activities For Your Preschooler Camp is On! What To Know Before They Go Fresh Breakfast Ideas Kids Will Love

91 Ideas for Family Fun

PART OFOF THE PART THE

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A LIFETIME OF LEARNING STARTS WITH LICENSED, QUALITY CHILD CARE As you prepare for your baby’s arrival, one of the most important things to think about is child care.

Not sure where to start? We’re here to help! Colorado Shines helps you find and research licensed, quality child care programs so you can find the best fit for your family. Search for child care using the Colorado Shines search, call 1.877.338.2273 or text ‘child care referral’ to 898-211

2020

CONTENTS March 2021 features 26

How to prepare for 2021 summer camp in Colorado. (Tip: Be flexible.)

Experts share simple solutions for catching more z’s.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT CAMP THIS YEAR

departments 6

ON THE WEB

FROM THE EDITORS

The latest tips and news on ColoradoParent.com

advertising

What We Learned

GOOD TO KNOW

Sleep Squad Features Young Writer from Aurora

LET’S GO

READ TO ME

Wander Through a Wetlands Habitat

GOOD STUFF

FUN & ACTIVITIES

LEARN & GROW

FAMILY FOOD

Early Learning Showcase

Camp Showcase

Get Better Sleep!

Set up a Leprechaun Trap

STEM for Preschoolers

Fresh Ways to Serve Breakfast

ROUNDUP

8 Local Bookstores for Kids

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Our monthly roundup of local events, featuring virtual and in-person activities around town.

Great Bedtime Books

on the cover

LOSING SLEEP…OVER LOSING SLEEP

20 STEM Activities for Preschoolers | 22 Fresh Breakfast Ideas 26 Camp is On! What To Know Before They Go 30 Summer Camp Showcase | 32 Losing Sleep Over Kids Losing Sleep? 37 91 Ideas for Family Fun

Colorado Parent | March 2021

Cover: Sappington Todd/Getty Images.

Family biking: Getty Images. Tart: The Good Food's Project Bake.

2020

COLORADO

GaylordRockies.com

EXCITEMENT ALL IN ONE EXTRAORDINARY PLACE

On the Web

Colorado Parent Online

Celebrate the day of shamrocks and leprechauns with these adorable projects.

Spring Break Camps and Classes Fun activities and events to keep your little ones busy this spring.

Easy School Lunch Ideas Tasty bites to pack in a lunchbox or to serve up at home.

Revising the Lesson Plan How students, educators, and community members are organizing for curriculum change.

CONNECT WITH US

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Colorado Parent | March 2021

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Crafts: Elle Bee, Crafterward.com. Lesson plan: Anna Sutterer. Camps: Getty Images. Lunch: Weelicious.

8 Cute St. Patrick’s Day Crafts

Global VillaGe academy Learning Through Language and Culture

NǏ HǍO! Bonjour! ¡HOLA! Privet! During my nine years at GVA, I have had teachers from Chile, Mexico, Spain, Argentina, and Peru. These teachers have given me a broad understanding of the Spanish language and the small things that differ in the dialect from one country to another. Not only has school allowed me to speak English and Spanish daily, but I also speak Spanish to my father every day. My 86-year-old Abuelo is proud that I can speak Spanish with him too. Knowing two languages will help me when I become an adult. I will have additional job opportunities monolingual adults won’t have. Bilingual workers that can read, write, and speak another language get paid more because they are in high demand. I can be anything from a translator to a lawyer. I can go to college in Mexico or Spain. I am proud to be bilingual as it has provided me a bridge to other cultures, including the one that I am part of in Sinaloa, Mexico.” - Diego Z

Our Students Learn Another Language and So Can Yours! K-8th Grade, Tuition-free, Public Charter Schools GVA Douglas County is K-5th grade.

Learn More About Our Schools Here! www.gvaschools.org/learnmore

Now Enrolling for the 2021-22 School Year Global Village Academy students become fluent and literate in English and a second world language, excel academically in core content subjects and develop 21st-century skills, including cross-cultural understanding.

Aurora • Northglenn • Parker • www.gvaschools.org

From the Editors

What We Learned… EDITORIAL edit@coloradoparent.com Editor Deborah Mock Senior Associate Editor Kara Thompson Editorial Assistant Anna Sutterer Copy Editor Lydia Rueger

LO V

The effects of the pandemic have seeped into every corner of our children’s lives: school, mental health, social development, and even sleep. This month, as we turn the clocks forward and battle that shift to daylight saving time, read expert tips to help your family get more z’s. Page 32

Things that inspired this issue, and what our editors discovered along the way.

ADVERTISING SALES Advertising Director Brigette Swartz brigette@coloradoparent.com Account Manager Hilary Angel hilary@coloradoparent.com

Take part in an immersive bedtime experience with Sleep Squad, page 11.

PRODUCTION Art Director Heather Gott

TRENDING

VE EA

Camp is on! Find out what you need to ask during your camp research this year, on page 26.

Put down the dry cereal box. Your kids will love the fresh breakfast ideas on page 22.

CREATIVE SERVICES Creative Services Director Carly Lambert Print Production Manager Megan Skolak Lead Graphic Designer Chelsea Conrad Digital Advertising Manager Shundra Jackson Graphic Designer Caitlin Brooks Production Coordinator D'mitrius Brewer MARKETING Director of Marketing Piniel Simegn ADMINISTRATION Billing and Collections Manager Jessica McHeard DISTRIBUTION & CIRCULATION Audience Development Manager Caitlin Kittrell circulation@coloradoparent.com

CAN’T WAIT Spring is around the corner and outdoor adventures await. We’re excited to explore Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat, a pristine Front Range marsh with plenty of opportunities for bird watching, fishing, and happy kids. Page 14.

Please recycle this magazine. 5280 PUBLISHING, INC. 1675 Larimer Street Suite 675, Denver, CO 80202 P (303) 832-5280 | F (303) 832-0470 Visit us online at ColoradoParent.com CEO & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Daniel Brogan VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGY Andrea Bott

YOU SAID IT

VICE PRESIDENT, REVENUE Zach Wolfel

Sleep is the building block for all the tasks of childhood—learning, relationships, transitions, development. It’s such an important part of growth and development. —Melissa Bucholz, Psy.D., a child psychologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado on page 32.

Share your feedback and ideas! Email us at edit@coloradoparent.com.

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Colorado Parent | March 2021

Colorado Parent is published monthly by 5280 Publishing, Inc. Please note that the advertisements in this magazine are paid for by the advertisers, which allows this magazine to be free to the consumer. Limit of one free copy per reader. Additional copies can be purchased for $5.00 per issue. Call (303) 320-1000 to request additional copies. Unless specifically noted, no advertisers, products, or services are endorsed by the Publisher. Editorial submissions are welcome. Colorado Parent (ISSN 1937-1020) ©2020 5280 Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

Aurora

Academy

Charter

School

Providing a well-rounded, rigorous curriculum with high academic standards for Kindergarten through 8th grade students. aacademy.org | 303-367-5983 | 10251 East 1st Avenue, Aurora, CO 80010

INCLUSIVE SCHOOL COMMUNITY: AURORA ACADEMY is the first charter school in the Aurora Public Aurora Academy embodies a culturally and racially diverse student and School District, opening its doors in the fall of 2000. It is recognized by family population who, together, create an important fusion of rich cultural, the Foundation of Great Schools and has a “Performance” rating from the social, and economic backgrounds that assist in the learning process of Colorado Department of Education. acceptance, respect, and opportunity. KEY COMPONENTS: • 41.7% of the student population is African American • Full-day Kindergarten • 35.1% of the student population is Hispanic • Gifted and Talented Program • 14.8% of the student population is Caucasian • Core Knowledge approach: putting knowledge at the heart of schooling • 0.4% of the student population is American Indian/Asian • Music and Art an integral part of academics • 2.7% of the student population qualifies as Other • One-to-one technology • 60% of the student population are English Language Learners • Families play a vital role in our school community • 31 different languages represented among the student population • A STEAM based before and after school program • 14% of the student population identified for Exceptional Student Services • Competitive middle school sports Quick

Facts

GRADES: Kindergarten through 8th Grade AVERAGE CLASS SIZE: 26

ENROLLMENT: 520 OPEN ENROLLMENT: aacademy.org/enrollment

Now Enrolling for the 2021-2022 School Year JOIN US FOR AN INFORMATION SESSION! MONTESSORIDELMUNDO.ORG/INFORMATION-SESSIONS

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Montessori del Mundo is dedicated to developing and preparing tomorrow’s bilingual leaders through a racially, linguistically, and socioeconomically diverse community that makes the educational experience rich and equitable for all students. Serving ages 3 years - 6th grade.

(720) 863-8629 • montessoridelmundo.org • 15503 E. Mississippi Ave., Aurora CO 80017

JOIN US FOR ALL KINDS OF CLASSES

Dig into nature with online options, family make and take, homeschool and Botany in a Box! Programs and activities for toddlers to 12-year-olds. Sign up today. 1007 York Street

Colorado Parent | March 2021

Good to Know HELPFUL NEWS, IDEAS, AND TIPS FOR COLORADO PARENTS

Sleep Squad Features Young Writer from Aurora Want to hear a kooky bedtime story authored by a local kid? Climb aboard the REM spaceship with Sleep Squad’s Captain Siesta Shuteye for an adventure in Slumber Galaxy. The Sleep Squad immersive musical theater experience, presented by kid entertainment team Story Pirates, takes viewers, or “recruits,” through exercises that will help them sleep soundly and dream. The show’s producers invited kids to share original stories for the chance to be featured. Sonali Herbert, a nine-year-old from Aurora, who’s been a fan of the Story Pirates podcast for about a year, offered her Stuck Island tale. It goes a little something like: Larry and Jerry were on the Titanic but were asleep for the big sink. When they woke up they were stranded on an island and very hungry. After some attempts to leave, the mighty dog Carlton (who happens to be Sonali’s beloved pet) saves the day. The Story Pirates crew turned her submission into the program’s first “dream mission.” Co-founder and creative director of Story Pirates Lee Overtree says Sonali’s submission was the perfect way to kick off Sleep Squad. “The desert island setting of her story allowed us to play with the textures and sounds of the ocean and beach to create a relaxing, immersive audio experience. Best of all, Sonali's story included one of those perfect details that only a kid could come up with—a talking dog named Carlton who becomes king and drives a turtle car." Sleep Squad is appropriate for ages four through 12. Tickets for a two-week streaming window are available online through April 11. Ticket holders may purchase a "dreamtime travel kit" that includes Sleep Squad badges, a dream journal, starry night light, and sleep mask. $35 video only, $50 with one dream kit; $15 additional dream kit. storypiratessleepsquad.com

Sleep Squad: Shawn Herbert.

—Anna Sutterer

March 2021 | ColoradoParent.com

Good to Know

Littleton-based South Suburban Parks and Recreation opened a 206,000 square-foot sports complex in February. The facility houses two turf fields, two gyms with multipurpose courts, plus three sheets of ice (one of which has bleachers capable of holding 800 spectators, enough to host regional and national competitions). A bar and restaurant serves casual fare such as pizza, sandwiches, burgers, and appetizers. Enjoy skating classes and open skate times on the rinks (600 pairs of inline and figure skates are available for rental), or reserve court and turf time for a team practice or a birthday. Party packages include two hours with a dedicated room that includes a TV, Bluetooth speakers, tables, a sink, and a mini fridge, plus serveware and balloons. Families can bring their own cake/dessert to the party rooms, purchase the premium package which includes cheese pizza, or opt to purchase food on site. SSSC can also adjust the menu to fit different dietary restrictions. Ice skating party packages for 11 children run from $129 to $149 (in-district) and $139 to $159 (non-district). Birthday parties for the gymnasium and turf fields are also available, contact the complex at 303-798-7515 for details. ssprd.org/0/Sports-Complex —Anna Sutterer

Pie for Dinner? You bet! Chicken pot pie, that is. Buttery handmade crusts filled with tender chicken and veggies in a savory sauce, pot pies are the ultimate dinner treat. (The kids may not even pick out the veggies.) But forget those grocery store versions, these Denver-area restaurants and bakeries make serving up a handmade version of the classic dinner as easy (and delicious) as, well…pie.

STEUBEN’S Well known for their menu of classic American comfort food, Steuben’s blends roasted chicken, carrots, peas, onions, and a chicken supreme sauce in a house-made crust for their tasty chicken pot pie. Individual five-inch pies ($10) are frozen and ready for pick-up at either Steuben’s location in Uptown or Arvada. steubens.com

COLORADO CHERRY COMPANY The Lehnert family has been tempting Coloradans with their grandma’s cherry pie recipe for four generations, but their addictive chicken pot pie is a must have. Denver-area families don’t have to wait for a trip to Estes Park to pick up the savory pies though, a new location of Colorado Cherry Company is opening on Tennyson Street this spring. Five-inch ($10) or 10-inch family size ($20) pies are available baked or frozen. coloradocherrycodenver.com

HINMAN PIE Obsessed with crust? Hinman’s chicken pot pies are stuffed with pulled chicken and veggie, and surrounded in a generous helping of thick, flaky crust. (We drizzled honey on the crust for a perfect savory-sweet delight to end the meal.) In five-inch ($13) and nine-inch ($28) sizes, as well as a hand pie version ($18 for 3 hand pies), pies can be ordered baked or frozen for Friday pick up at the Arvada location. hinmanpie.com

Need Something To Do Over Spring Break? Delanie Holton-Fessler remembers hanging out inside cardboard boxes when she was a kid, just for fun, and running through the woods of her family’s suburban Chicago property. When she visited her Colorado grandparents at their land near Red Feather Lakes, “Grandma had a big basket of junk that she would put out for all the cousins,” she remembers. “There was always an attitude of creative play.” She brought this concept

Colorado Parent | March 2021

to the business she started in 2014, an arts and crafts workshop studio in Denver’s City Park West neighborhood called The Craftsman & Apprentice. Now, Holton-Fessler offers more than 20 of her favorite kids’ projects to families at home through her book, Maker Camp: Heritage Crafts and Skill Building Projects for Kids. Explore fiber and wood projects, how to set up a maker space, and safe risk taking. craftsmanandapprentice.com

South Subrurban: Tess Lackey. Steuben's: Steuben's. Colorado Cherry Company: Colorado Cherry Company. Hinman's: Debbie Mock. Maker Camp: Roost Books.

South Suburban Opens New Recreation Complex

KIDS WHO HAVE SPENT THE YEAR STARING AT SCREENS NEED SOME TIME STARING UP AT THE STARS.

Empowering kids in grades 4-12 THROUGH growth-focused wilderness expeditions on many of the world’s greatest rivers since 2010.

www.goalsonrivers.or g March 2021 | ColoradoParent.com

Good to Know | Let’s Go

Binoculars: Nataliya Hora / EyeEm/Getty Images. Coffee: Xinzheng/Getty Images. Walden Pond: Jamie Siebrase.

LET’S GO

Wander Through a Wetlands Habitat By Jamie Siebrase VIBE: Super chill, the locational equivalent of sipping chai lattes in your favorite pair of cotton joggers on a lazy Saturday morning. DRIVE TIME: About 35 minutes from downtown Denver and only seven miles east of Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall. TIP: There are a couple of parking options inside this Boulder County refuge. Bypass the first lot at Wally Toevs Pond and park at Cottonwood Marsh, near the site’s large welcome sign and outhouse. This gets you to the prettiest features fastest. It’s hard to believe Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat used to be a gravel pit. Today, families are greeted with 2.9 miles of flat and serene trails weaving through a pristine marsh. In addition to five ponds, there are interpretive signs and plenty of nooks where curious kids can get up-close with their surroundings. Heed the one-way traffic flow by crossing a series of wooden bridges first (you’ll see the signs), then explore at your child’s pace. My kids loved the shallow bank at Duck Pond, and we also stumbled upon a secret teepee near Bass Pond.

Kids delight in discovering hidden areas in the habitat.

Practice using binoculars at home before beginning your fieldwork. Use interpretive signs to lear n more about the ponds.

BRING BINOCULARS This biologically diverse site attracts large numbers of migrating birds. During a recent visit to Walden Ponds, my sons and I spotted two bald eagles hanging out on a utility pole near Wally Toevs Pond. Like all wildlife viewing, birding requires patience and a certain level of silence. Challenge your kids to listen for birdcalls. ACCESSIBLE FISHING OPPORTUNITY Right past the entrance—and equipped with an ADA-accessible fishing pier and restrooms—Wally Toevs Pond is a fabulous fishing destination reserved exclusively for people with disabilities and guests 65 and older (youth companions welcome). The pond is stocked seasonally, in the spring and fall. PRINT A “MYSTERY GUIDE” AT HOME Boulder County’s Nature Detectives Club program keeps grade-school kids entertained with Mystery Guides, available in English and Spanish on the Walden Ponds Wildlife Habitat homepage (bouldercounty.org). In addition to a kid-friendly trail map, the Walden Ponds guide contains several activities for children to tackle on-site. Print a copy before heading out, and don’t forget a pencil.

Colorado Parent | March 2021

Take in the pond views from one

of the trails.

Post-hike, grab coffee and cocoa at the Old Oak Coffeehouse in nearby Niwot. If you’re comfortable with playgrounds, stroll over to Niwot Children’s Park.

Bedtime for Sweet Creatures: Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky. Child of the Universe, Go Sleep in Your Own Bed, Lilah Tov Good Night: Penguin Random House. Venetian Lullaby: Page Street Publishing. I’m Not (Very) Afraid of the Dark: Usborne. It’s So Quiet: Chronicle Books.

Good to Know | Read to Me

Bedtime for Sweet Creatures

by Nikki Grimes; illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon (Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky, 2020)

Recommended by the Denver Public Library, “this timeless story of a mother lovingly encouraging her energetic child to go to bed feels like a classic, even though it was just published in 2020,” says children’s librarian Liesel Schmidt. The story features a child who doesn’t want to go to bed, alongside unique collage illustrations of animals, which mirror the child’s emotions and mannerisms.

READ TO ME

Great Bedtime Books

Child of the Universe

by Ray Jayawardhana; illustrated by Raul Colón (Make Me A World/Random House Children’s Books, 2020)

Just before bed, a father tells his daughter about her place in their interconnected universe in this book recommended by Liesel Schmidt. Cosmic illustrations of planets and stars accompany the father’s observant and complimentary words about his girl.

By Lydia Rueger

Lilah Tov Good Night

by Ben Gundersheimer (Mister G); illustrated by Noar Lee Naggan (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2020)

Ah, sweet bedtime, when parents can relax a bit and take a breath. Help kids settle down to sleep in a peaceful, positive way by sharing these stories.

Words from a beloved Hebrew lullaby pair with illustrations of a refugee family in this bedtime story. As a Jewish family leaves their home and travels by boat, they say “Lilah Tov”—good night— to all their familiar surroundings. The story ends with a child sleeping safely in a new home.

Go Sleep in Your Own Bed

by Candace Fleming; illustrated by Lori Nichols (Schwartz & Wade, 2017)

A favorite of Boulder Library specialists, this book teaches kids about bedtime on the farm and all the different places animals sleep, with a twist. Pig goes to his sty to find Cow sleeping there. Cow goes to her stall to find Hen sleeping there. Each animal tells the other: “Go sleep in your own bed!” Sound familiar, parents?

It’s So Quiet

by Sherri Duskey Rinker; illustrated by Tony Fucile (Chronicle Books, 2021)

Mouse can’t get to sleep because it’s too quiet. Then he learns the night is full of all kinds of sounds, such as croaking bullfrogs and howling coyotes. Kids will laugh and squeal through this silly, not-so-quiet bedtime read-aloud from the author of the well-known book, Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site.

Find more books about bedtime at ColoradoParent.com

I’m Not (Very) Afraid of the Dark

By Anna Milbourne; illustrated by Daniel Rieley (Usborne, 2018)

The dark can be scary, but it can be other things, too. Readers learn this as they peep through laser-cut holes in this book’s pages. It comes recommended by Jaclyn Stevens, an Arvada homeschool teacher and Usborne Books & More consultant. “Light shines through the cut outs,” she says, “which is particularly beautiful at the end when the boy discovers there are some things you can only enjoy in the dark—stars.”

Venetian Lullaby

by Judith L. Roth; illustrated by Kendra Binney (Page Street Publishing, 2021)

A soothing lullaby carries a baby on a gondola ride past the sights and sounds of Venice, Italy, with mother as gondolier and father as serenader. Rhyming text guides the family floating through the city and past historic landmarks, pigeons, pets, people in apartments, and businesses.

March 2021 | ColoradoParent.com

Good to Know | Good Stuff

Get Better Sleep!

Bedtime finds that will help you and your kids catch some much-needed z’s. By Kara Thompson

Light up the night with this aesthetically pleasing yet kid-approved Projecting Star Nightlight. Different settings allow you to run it as a nightlight, projector, or both at the same time. When the projector is switched on, your kiddo will see a starry night scene before they hit dreamland. $49, potterybarnkids.com

The Dohm Natural Sound Machine proves that simple products are sometimes the most effective. While other machines on the market have an overload of sound selections, this one is made with a real fan inside that fills the room with true and soft white noise. $50, yogasleep.com

Help your toddler breathe easy through the night with this Crane Ultrasonic Humidifier. The cool mist provides 500 square feet of coverage, offering soothing moisture that can help relieve common cold symptoms or dry skin. $55, crane-usa.com

One of the best ways to recommit to a healthy sleep routine is by learning about the various health benefits. Why We Sleep will inspire you to regain control of your sleep rhythm while outlining the positive effects it has on the brain. Remember, being a present parent starts by taking care of yourself first. $18, simonandschuster.com

Tuck your little one in with this adorable Zestt Organics Cotton Lovey so they can snuggle with it throughout the night. Made with 100 percent cotton, this sustainable pick is ultra-soft, easy to care for, and might just be your child’s first best friend. $34, maisonette.com

Colorado Parent | March 2021

Background: Nora Carol Photography /Getty Imaages.

Up late nursing a newborn? Wrap this Simply Organic Bamboo Blanket around yourself to keep cozy and offer up a little self-love. Bonus: It’s a great choice for those with sensitive skin or allergies as bamboo naturally repels dust mites, mold, and mildew. $79, simplyorganicbamboo.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Early Learning Showcase iliff preschool

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4140 E. Iliff Ave., Denver 303-757-3551 | Iliffpreschool.com

Mackintosh academy Littleton

montessori children’s house of denver

New horizon academy

ADA Preschool & Jr. K programs provide a highquality experience in a safe nurturing environment as students are prepared for the classical model of education through song, poetry, hands-on exploration, & literature that emphasizes God’s story.

7018 S. Prince St, Littleton | 303- 794-6222 MackintoshAcademy.com

Your child will learn, play, explore, and grow in our award-winning PreK-8th grade International Baccalaureate school for gifted and creative learners. Hands-on, engaging curriculum offered in small, safe classes. Beautiful brand-new art spaces and outdoor classrooms.

We proudly serve children 15 months to five years of age. We have many schedule options for the school year. Small class sizes create a strong community at FPLC. We offer before and after school care. We look forward to meeting you!

303-322-8324 | MCHDenver.org

MCHD offers a safe & nurturing environment that fosters a bridge between home and school. Our highly trained teaching staff set children on a path to lifelong learning and success. MCHD is not just a school, it’s an investment in your child’s future.

Est. 1963. Year round play based programs focusing on social development and academic enrichment for toddlers through Private Kindergarten. Popular Summer Adventure Day Camp for post kindergartners to age 12. Enrollment forms online.

720-419-3353 | NewHorizonAcademy.net

New Horizon Academy is a family-owned and operated company providing high-quality care and education for more than 50 years. Focusing on developing a healthy sense of self in each child and striving to provide your child with skills to succeed.

Tell Colorado Parent readers about your early learning center!

Ricks center for gifted children Thorne nature experience 2040 South York St. 303-871-3715 | du.edu/ricks

Ricks Center is a school, preschool to eighth grade, dedicated to gifted learners. Flexible, differentiated curriculum designed around the whole child. Teachers who know, understand, and care deeply about gifted education and each student.

Boulder & Lafayette 303-499-3647 | thornenaturepreschool.org Thorne Nature Preschool is built on the simple idea that kids grow better in nature. With dual goals of fostering whole-child development and nature connection, Thorne Nature Preschool prepares young children to succeed in school and in life!

Contact 303.832.5280 for more information.

March 2021 | Early Learning Showcase | 17

Fun & Activities

Photos: Handmade Charlotte.

Set up a Leprechaun Trap St. Patrick’s Day is near! Make a towering maze filled with gold to lure in a lucky little leprechaun. By Rachel Faucett from Handmade Charlotte

ave you ever built a leprechaun trap? They are a fun way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, and this one uses up cardboard from your recycling bin. This leprechaun trap is a stackable tower similar to a house of cards, but the handy slots keep it from collapsing. Among this towering maze of green grass, we’ve hidden some shiny gold coins to lure in any

Colorado Parent | March 2021

leprechauns that might be nearby. Even if you don’t catch a real leprechaun this year, you can always make your own from a toilet paper roll.

YOU WILL NEED:

• Corrugated cardboard • Craft knife • Cutting mat

• Ruler • Pencil • Green, beige, orange, and brown paints • Paintbrushes • Gold foil • Glue • Empty toilet paper roll • Scissors (optional, if your kids want to do some cutting)

Fun & Activities

Create a Grass Maze 1. Pick out a shade of green paint and apply it to both sides of a piece of corrugated cardboard. We used three different shades of green for variety. Let dry. 2. Use a paintbrush to apply little strokes to look like blades of grass all over the painted cardboard. Let dry. 3. Cut the cardboard into rectangles using a craft knife on a cutting mat. Playing-card size is ideal, but you can customize the size to best make use of the cardboard you have on hand. Feel free to cut a variety of sizes—they don’t all need to be the same. 4. Cut slots into the cardboard with the craft knife, making sure they are wide enough to fit over another piece of cardboard but not so wide that it wobbles around. Cut slots into different sides of the cardboard so that kids have a few options for how to stack the pieces together. Make Gold Coins 1. Flatten a mini golden cupcake wrapper and glue it onto a piece of cardboard. You can use whatever you have on hand, like wrapping paper or foil from a chocolate bar. Let dry. 2. Cut out the golden coin and cut a slot into one side. 3. Make as many gold coins as you’d like, then hide them throughout the maze.

Craft a Mini Leprechaun 1. Paint a face and beard onto an empty toilet paper roll before painting the rest of the roll green. Let dry. 2. Create the brim of the leprechaun’s hat by tracing the circular end of the empty toilet paper roll onto a piece of cardboard and draw a slightly larger circle around it. 3. Cut out the brim and paint it green to match the tube. 4. When dry, slide the brim onto the tube; it should fit snugly. Glue in place if needed.

Serving Highlands Ranch and the surrounding communities.

Experiences: Ranger 1 & 2 Explorer Shark Ecology

Launch into the world of marine science and scuba diving

Handmade Charlotte celebrates every day with DIY crafts, recipes, and ideas for creative family living. Find more crafty ideas at handmadecharlotte.com.

Ages: 8-18 For more info visit-

New Spring Dates

March 2021 | ColoradoParent.com

Learn & Grow

Mother and child: JGI/Jamie Grill/Getty Images.

STEM for Preschoolers Engaging activities to do together at home. By Sarah Lyons

oes your child have an interest in figuring out how things work? Do they enjoy experimenting with their surroundings? You may have a budding engineer, astronaut, mathematician, or scientist on your hands. Even kids who are not naturally drawn to all things math and science enjoy exploring their environment and figuring out how they work. STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, are activities that engage kids of all ages in these specific areas. According to a 2017 report from the U.S. Department of Commerce, STEM occupations are growing 14 percent per year and STEM degree holders command higher wages than their non-STEM counterparts.

Colorado Parent | March 2021

While a career in the STEM field may seem a long way off for your preschooler, STEM education promotes critical thinking, increases science literacy, and enables innovation of new products in the future. Most would agree that jobs of the future will require a basic understanding of math, science, and technology and it is never too early to start developing your child’s interest in these areas. Schools are enhancing STEM curriculums for classrooms, but there are plenty of things you can do at home to kick-start your preschooler’s love of science. STEM IN THE KITCHEN Your school teachers were right, you do use math and science in everyday life. You may already love

cooking with your kids, so consider incorporating science and math lessons at the same time. While baking cookies, have your children help measure the ingredients and count the scoops of flour, then talk about what happens if you do not use the correct measurements, and discuss what the purpose of baking powder and baking soda is. (It leavens the batter to rise while baking.) Make the experience fun and educational at the same time. Your child may not even notice they are learning about math and science while baking and sampling tasty treats. DIY SCIENCE LAB Create your own science lab mixing station at

Learn & Grow

Mother and child baking: LightFieldStudios/Getty Images.

Rocky Mountain Theatre for

2021 Summer Camps In Denver & Boulder

Outdoor & Indoor Camps

home. All you need is several plastic or glass containers (see-through are best) of any shape and size. Fill containers with dry ingredients, such as baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cornstarch. Fill additional containers with wet ingredients such as water, white vinegar, lemon juice, and ice. It may be wise to lay towels underneath your mixing station or set up the ingredients outside so you can have fun without worrying about clean up. Once your science lab is set up, it’s time to get creative. Let your kids experiment with what happens when different ingredients are mixed. This activity is great for preschoolers but can also be adapted for older children by providing them with a journal to record the results of each combination of ingredients when they are mixed. (Remember! Do not incorporate hazardous liquids or cleaning supplies into lab time. Even some common household products can become dangerous when mixed together; for instance mixing vinegar and bleach or ammonia and bleach can create toxic vapors. Always supervise “lab” time and remind little ones not to do experiments without mom or dad.) USE WHAT YOU HAVE Set up a sensory bin using dried

beans, water beads, or rice as a filler then hide items inside. Ask your child to find the red dinosaur, count the green items, or close their eyes and guess what items they feel. Encourage your little engineer or architect to build a tower using toothpicks and marshmallows or fill a tray with shaving cream and blocks and ask if they think the shaving cream will help their blocks stick together. Sharpen their math skills with colored cereal like Fruit Loops. Ask your child to sort the pieces by color and count them. Then have them string the cereal on yarn to make a necklace. Make it fun and see what potential STEM activities you have laying around the house. Preschoolers love to explore with their hands and all of their senses which makes the possibilities endless. Plant a garden, fill water glasses with food coloring and mix to learn about colors, count and sort items throughout the day, talk about and chart the weather, or play with magnets and a cookie sheet. STEM is all around us just waiting to be explored. Sarah Lyons is a freelance writer and stay-at-home mom to six kids, including three-year-old triplets.

YOUNGER COMPANY

ages 5-9

• Winnie the Pooh • Charlotte's Web • Alice in Wonderland • Wizard of Oz & more!

OLDER COMPANY

ages 8-18

• Les Miserables • Addams Family • Descendants • She Kills Monsters

& more!

"Youth Theatre At Its Best!" 8:1 student staff ratio, full production elements, professional venues, & summer camp fun.

Save $50-$100 by Mar 31! www.theaterforkids.net/coupon

303.245.8150 www.theaterforkids.net March 2021 | ColoradoParent.com

Family Food

Fresh Ways to Serve Breakfast

Amp up morning staples with these simple (and delicious!) ideas kids will love. By Anna Helm Baxter

Rainbow Oatmeal

Make breakfast colorful and healthy by arranging fruit in fun shapes. YOU WILL NEED: • ½ cup rolled oats • 1 cup water or milk (for creamy oatmeal) • Honey, to serve RAINBOW: • Raspberries • Oranges, segmented and cut into small pieces • Mango, cut into small pieces • Green seedless grapes, cut into small pieces • Blueberries • ½ banana, sliced into 6 pieces

Colorado Parent | March 2021

Breakfast photos: Anna Helm Baxter.

DIRECTIONS: 1. Make oatmeal according to package directions. 2. Spoon oatmeal into a shallow bowl. Starting with the blueberries, create a small arc in the center of the bowl. Follow with grapes, mango, oranges, then raspberries. 3. Scatter banana slices at the ends of the rainbow to create clouds. Serve with honey.

Family Food

Breakfast Fondue

Set up this build-your-own breakfast board on a slow weekend or over spring break. YOU WILL NEED: • ½ cup vanilla yogurt • ¼ cup granola • ¼ cup cereal • 1 banana, peeled and halved • Strawberries • ¼ mango, cut into thick wedges • Small bunches of grapes • Honey, to drizzle • Popsicle sticks, for serving DIRECTIONS: 1. Spoon the yogurt into a small bowl and drizzle with honey. Pour the granola and cereal into separate bowls. Place on a tray, large plate, or board. 2. Push popsicle sticks into the cut ends of the bananas. Fill the tray with the bananas, strawberries, mango slices, and grapes. 3. To serve, dip the fruit into the yogurt and coat in the granola and cereal.

Alternate Ideas for Dipping: French toast sticks Bagel pieces Cake donut holes Chunks of challah bread Alternate Ideas for Coating: Finely chopped nuts or seeds Cocoa nibs Toasted shredded coconut

March 2021 | ColoradoParent.com

Family Food

Cheddar & Chive Waffle Omelet

Ditch the syrup and offer your kids a savory version of a beloved breakfast classic. YOU WILL NEED: • 2 large eggs • ¼ cup grated extra sharp cheddar • 1 tablespoon of finely chopped chives • Pinch of kosher salt • Pinch of freshly ground black pepper • 2 slices of bread • Butter, for the toast DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat a waffle maker on high. Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Add the cheese, chives, and salt and pepper, and mix to combine. 2. Pour the egg mixture into the waffle iron and close for 15 seconds. Release the latch and prop the lid open until the eggs are just set, about one minute. Use a rubber spatula to remove to a cutting board. Cut into wedges and divide between two plates. 3. Meanwhile, lightly spray the bread with cooking spray, or spread lightly with butter on both sides. Working one piece at time, place into the waffle maker and cook until lightly toasted, about 30 seconds. Repeat with remaining bread and serve immediately.

Colorado Parent | March 2021

N OW I S T H E T I M E T O

FIND A PRESCHOOL

& ENROLL YOUR CHILD FOR THE FALL

The Denver Preschool Program offers tools to help you find a preschool that best meets your needs. We also provide tuition support to help lower your monthly costs at more than 250 quality programs.

Learn more at

DPP.ORG OR CALL 303-595-4DPP

COLORADO PARENT DIGITAL EDITION IS LIVE! As the world continues to change, we change with it. We want to bring you all that Colorado Parent has to offer— and now you can have it right at your fingertips! NOW YOU CAN READ THE FULL ISSUE FOR FREE ONLINE!

VISIT COLORADOPARENT.COM TO READ THE LATEST ISSUE

March 2021 | ColoradoParent.com

What to Know About Camp this Year Plan to be flexible as you prepare for 2021 summer camp in Colorado.

Colorado Parent | March 2021

Opener: Getty Images.

By Kelly Smith

Illustrations: Getty Images.

eading into a second summer with COVID-19 concerns hanging on, planning for summer camps will require yet another level of research. Along with classic issues such as how to choose a camp and what to pack, parents now have real-world concerns such as quarantine procedures and socially distant gatherings. As with many other public venues, camps are subject to state and local regulations. At press time, Colorado day and residential camps are operating under Colorado Public Health Order 20-36, which denotes the varying levels under which camps can operate depending on community spread and the COVID-19 dial. Various organizations including the American Camp Association (ACA) and the Colorado Camps Network are working with the governor’s office, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), and the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) to develop clear guidance for both overnight and day camps regarding summer 2021 camp. “While camps have experience managing communicable diseases in the past, this summer requires a very thoughtful and informed approach when it comes to COVID-19,” says Reid McKnight, administrative director at Geneva Glen Camp. McKnight is part of Colorado’s Advisory Committee on Licensing of Child Care Facilities and volunteers with the ACA, serving as chair of the Colorado and Wyoming region. He is also a member of the National Standards Commission which oversees the ACA Accreditation program. In addition, he’s preparing to send his own two children to overnight camp this summer. The ACA encourages camps to use their Field Guide for Camp Operations to learn how to safely operate their camp programs, including the use of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), which are designed to reduce the risk of introducing and/or spreading COVID-19 at camp. As McKnight explains, NPIs may include health screening before and during camp, the use of face coverings, cohorting (the use of small groups), increased sanitization practices on high-touch areas, physical distancing, frequent hand washing and other hygiene practices, and increased ventilation in indoor spaces. “There is no ‘magic bullet’ that will keep a camp COVID-free,” McKnight says. “But using a layered approach with these NPIs will help greatly reduce the risk of the disease spreading at camp.” Given all these considerations, it is possible to safely send your child to camp this summer. In an independent report published by the CDC, researchers found that camps that utilized a multilayered prevention and mitigation strategy were successful in identifying and isolating asymptomatic COVID-19 cases and preventing secondary transmission.

McKnight shared these important considerations for families when preparing for summer camp in the age of COVID. • The COVID landscape is changing rapidly with things like vaccinations, faster testing capabilities, and COVID variants. Plans will need to be changed and updated, which is going to require patience and adaptability. • Preparing for camp might include pre-screening and/or symptom tracking, requiring a COVID test, and possible quarantining or adjusting social behavior to reduce the chance of exposure prior to drop-off. • Drop-off and pick up will likely be different from past summers. Some camps are planning drive-through drop-off and pick-up to limit exposure, and there might be increased health screening or even testing. • Children will need to know that some activities and special camp events may not be possible this year due to safety restrictions. The whole camp gathered hand-in-hand around a campfire probably isn’t realistic in 2021. • Your child will likely be using the same preventive measures at camp as they did in school, including wearing a face covering, cohorting, and increased handwashing, for example. Parents shouldn't be afraid to ask questions—any question is a valid one. Well-prepared camps will be glad to share their plans and discuss if camp is right for your child this summer. But, bear in mind that they may not have all the answers right now, as they await guidance from state and local health departments. Here are some questions to explore during your research: • What are the staff time-off policies? Previously, summer camp staff would be able to go off-premises during their time off and between sessions. Ask if any changes have been made to those policies to help minimize exposure risk. • What will happen when your camp has a suspected or a confirmed case of COVID-19? This is important, because while prevention should be the priority, it is critical that the camp have an updated communicable disease plan that addresses outbreak and response strategies. • What will happen with my child should they get sick? How will they be cared for? Will I need to pick up my child and in what time frame? Will the camp test my child if symptoms are displayed? In our new normal, camps will have updated safety guidelines, but the essence of the experience remains the same, including, says McKnight, “a sense of belonging, opportunities for challenges, and immersive experiences—all under the supervision of role models in a safe and supportive environment.” Kelly Smith is an award-winning editor and writer who lives with her family in the Denver area.

March 2021 | ColoradoParent.com

Camp Considerations, No Matter the Year By Christina Katz

Send to Camp for the Right Reasons If going to camp is an option for your child, that’s wonderful. But don’t force camp on a child who is terrified of the idea. At the same time, plant the seed of going to camp in your children’s minds from an early age, so that when they are ready, it

Colorado Parent | March 2021

will be a fun, life-enhancing adventure. If older siblings or friends have gone to camp and enjoyed the experience, younger siblings may be eager to go. But if your child is not enthusiastic, wait until your child feels brave enough to make the leap. Feel free to share your camp experiences and what you got out of them with your kids and invite others in the family to do the same. At the same time, communicate that you love and respect the person your child is. Kids who are secure in their own skin thrive at camp, whereas kids who are insecure and anxious may flounder. If you have worries or concerns about your child, don’t send your child to camp to address those issues. Find someone you can talk to so you can learn to accept your children for who they

are and meet their range of needs. It’s backward thinking to send a child to camp to correct things about them—the person who needs to change their attitude in this scenario is the parent, not the child. Choose with Your Child in Mind Sending kids to camp may have been your idea, but in order for kids to feel good about the adventure, they need to buy in as well. Which types of camps are best suited to your child’s physical, emotional, and mental needs? Would day camp or overnight camp be the better choice at this developmental stage? If choosing overnight camp, would your child prefer to be close or far from home? Also consider

Children in woods: Thomas Barwick/Getty Images.

ne mistake parents can make when choosing a camp is confusing their child’s needs with their own. If you want your child to be happy at camp, focus on who he or she is rather than on who you were as a camper. Your goal is to create a harmonious relationship between each of your children and the camp experience, not for your child to follow in your well-worn hiking boots.

Child on ropes course:

Summer at Ricks Summer at Ricks blends fun summer activities with rich learning experiences all while enjoying the benefits of the University of Denver Campus. Campers entering preschool to sixth grade will enjoy themes including Inventor’s Workshop, Secret Life of Pets, STEAM Adventure, Art in Motion, Silly Science, Clue Camp, Chess Wizards, Coding w/ Kids, Play-Well Legos, and much more.

the mission and style of the camp. Would your child prefer to rough it for a week in the mountains or stay in a cozy, family-style camp with modern amenities? Remember that what was good for you as a child may traumatize a sensitive child or a child with special needs. For example, if you were a rugged and athletic child, these traits may have been widely admired. If your family of origin had a bias against sensitive or artsy kids, you will want to be aware of a possible unconscious tendency in yourself. You may also need to steel your mind against what others think about who your child is. You are not taking a poll. This is not the 1950s or even the 1990s. Try to view the camp landscape through the eyes of each child instead of through the eyes of others from an outdated point of view. Children know intuitively when they are liked and accepted. They also know when parts of them are disliked or rejected. If you choose the best camp for your child, you can relax knowing the folks in charge will see the value in your child. When you recognize the value in your child, others see it, too.

Email ricksctr@du.edu or Call 303.871.3715 to learn more!

Individuation Workbooks For Parents When parents take care of their own emotions, the need to project their desires onto their children diminishes, and healthy boundaries can be restored. Parents can benefit by finding self-expression practices that help them keep up with their needs that are often neglected. These workbooks are a good place to start for any parent who is overidentifying with a son’s or daughter’s choices. The Artist’s Way Workbook by Julia Cameron The Creative Journal by Lucia Capacchione Journal To The Self by Kathleen Adams Start Where You Are by Meera Lee Patel The Secret Me by Shane Windham The Inner Child Workbook by Cathryn L. Taylor Author, journalist, and writing coach Christina Katz has learned that seeing kids as the individuals they truly are always pays off in the long run.

March 2021 | ColoradoParent.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Camp Guide

SHOWCASE artSPARK Creative Studio

Ascendigo Autism Services

A unique artmaking and sewing space for ages one to adult. artSPARK teaches you to think and work like artists through techniques, processes, and play. Enroll now in Spring and Summer Camps. Options for PreK to 8th grade.

Ascendigo Autism Services is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in the Roaring Fork Valley near Aspen, Colorado. We provide opportunities for growth and independence for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

818 Industry Pl., Suite A, Carbondale 970- 927-3143 | ascendigo.org

2630 W. Belleview Ave., Ste. 160, Littleton 303-795-7897 | artsparkcreative.com

Chatfi fie eld Stables

Camp Greenwood

Longest running Horse Camp in CO. 2020 Colorado Parent Family Favorite. Kids ages 7 and older work with horses extensively: riding lessons, horse safety, grooming and saddling. Kids ride many hours at Chatfield State Park. Mention ad for discount.

Camp Greenwood offers youth, ages five to 12, a way to be active and have fun. Our summer camps encourage a healthy lifestyle by providing a safe, fun, and creative environment. Their full-day includes swimming, games, sports, crafts and fun Fridays.

Chatfield State Park, Littleton 303-933-3636 | chatfieldstables.com

CU Science Discovery

4001 Discovery Dr., Boulder 303-492-7188 colorado.edu/sciencediscovery

K-12 summer camps and high school classes covering a range of STEM topics. Summer programs provide an eclectic mix of hands-on, experiential learning activities that are sure to ignite a passion for engaged learning, exploration and summer fun!

5801 S. Quebec St., Greenwood Village 720-838-2496 | greenwoodcamps.com

Flour Power Kids Cooking Studios

2030 E. County Line Rd., Highlands Ranch 720-656-9405 | flourpowerstudios.com

Stir up a ton of fun with us during our full-day cooking camps, where campers (ages five to 12) will prepare their own snacks and lunch, conduct kitchen science experiments, and create fun themed arts and crafts. All supplies are included.

GOALS Youth River Expeditions

Gold Crown Foundation Summer Camps

GOALS uses a unique combination of growthfocused curriculum, inspiring mentors, and inspirational settings to help kids from grades four to 12 explore places physically and mentally that make a profound impact, but are not readily available.

From sports to STEAM Camps, there are enriching opportunities to experience. Basketball and Volleyball camps focus on skill development and confidence building, while our STEAM Camps allow your child to discover new interests through creative technologies.

Evergreen, CO 720-560-8056 | goalsonrivers.org

30 | Camp Guide Showcase | March 2021

303-233-6776 | goldcrownfoundation.com

Colorado Conservatory of Dance

303-466-5685 | ccdance.org

Whether new to dance, or have danced for several years, CCD offers fun and creative summer programs for both girls and boys in a caring environment. We offer diverse programs for those ages three to 22. Hybrid, in-person and Zoom classes available.

Friends School

5465 Pennsylvania Ave., Boulder 303-499-1999 | friendsschoolboulder.org

From preschool backyard camp to classes in music, science, art, acting and sports, Friends School offers one of the most popular summer programs in Boulder for students three to 14 years. Week-long, half-day and full-day camps. Registration opens 2/15/21.

Growing Gardens

303-443-9952 growinggardens.org/peacegarden

Spend a week gardening, cooking, and creating on our one-of-a-kind urban farm! Learn about sustainable agriculture and ecosystems through hands-on learning. We’ll engage our senses through farm-totable cooking, art and science projects, and games.

G S

D M in a d c

Montessori Children’s House of Denver

303-322-8324 | MCHDenver.org

Our highly-trained educators honor the Montessori philosophy that play is the work of the child. With fun themes and extended outdoor play, our summer camps fill campers’ days with exploration, imagination & creativity for lots of hands-on learning.

Renaissance Adventures

Denver, Boulder, Online | 303-786-9216 renaissanceadventures.com Ages six to 17 role-play heroes in award winning mythic adventures in small groups in-person & online. Campers explore compelling tales, solve mysteries and co-create adventures with unique characters, plots and diverse challenges!

YMCA of the Rockies Camp Chief Ouray

1101 County Road 53, Granby 970-887-2648 | campchiefouray.org

Nestled in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, Camp Chief Ouray has been the adventurous playground and traditional overnight camp for kids ages seven to 17. CCO provides the opportunity for independent development in a breathtaking outdoor setting.

Summer Camp ROUNDUP WHEN IT COMES TO SUMMER PLANS, C O L O R A D O PA R E N T H A S Y O U C O V E R E D .

Discover the best summer camps and experiences all in one place— ONLINE NOW AT C O L O R A D O PA R E N T. C O M .

Enter for a chance to win great prizes from our partners! Young Americans Center for Financial Education 3550 E. First Ave. Denver 303-321-2265 | yacenter.org

Summer camps are a great way for young people to experience FUNancial education through awardwinning programs! Young Americans Center for Financial Education offers camps for youth who will enter 3rd to 8th grade in the 2021-2022 school year.

March 2021 | ColoradoParent.com

Losing Sleep Over…

Losing Sleep

With the pandemic still lurking and daylight saving time looming, your family might not be getting the shut-eye you need. Here, experts share why and how to prioritize sleep—and how to solve common disruptions to catching your z’s. [DEK] With the pandemic still lurking and Daylight Savings Time looming, your family might not be getting the shut-eye you need. Here, experts share why and how to prioritize sleep—and how to solve common disruptions to catching your z’s. [BYLINE] By Hilary Masell Oswald

By Hilary Masell Oswald

Opener: Tatyana Antusenok/Getty Images.

Colorado Parent | March 2021

few weeks into the stay-at-home orders last spring, our seven-year-old son began wandering into our room in the middle of the night. “I need help going back to sleep,” he would say, or “I had a nightmare,” which he would then describe in detail while I tried to get him tucked back into his bed. My husband and I began to feel like we were back to the early days of parenting, when the fog of exhaustion hung around our heads all day. What was going on? It didn’t take a child psychologist to sort out that the COVID-19 pandemic—and resulting drastic shift in our daily lives it prompted—felt so disruptive and bizarre to our son that he began to sleep poorly. Shuttered schools meant he (and his sister) were looking at screens far more than they ever had before—and research suggests that the blue light from computers or tablets can disrupt a person’s natural circadian rhythm and make it harder to fall or stay asleep. Our little extrovert also missed his friends, which prompted sadness. And no matter how much we emphasized that his dad and I were keeping him safe—and the virus seemed even then to have a minimal impact on children—he felt anxious. “It just feels so random that a virus could take over the whole world,” he explained to me in the wee hours one morning. Touché, kid, I thought. Maybe we should have seen it coming. “Sleep is often the first place you’ll see the impact of stressors showing up,” says Melissa Bucholz, Psy.D., a child psychologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Sometimes the impetus is a pandemic (obviously), but more often, sleep disruptions can be related to pretty common changes in

Background illustration: VectorBird.

PUT THOSE SCREENS TO BED, TOO! The experts agree: Kids sleep better when they don’t have screens in their rooms or close to bedtime. The blue light from technology screens can suppress melatonin, making it tougher to fall asleep. Tuck those tablets and laptops away (and not in bedrooms!) at least an hour before bed to give growing bodies a chance to self-regulate and prepare for good rest.

a child’s life—a new baby, starting preschool, a transition to a new grade or new school, moving—or developmental milestones. “Sleep disturbances can be a sign of developmental progression, not regression,” says Dr. Jessica Litwin, a board-certified pediatric neurologist and sleep specialist at Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children. “A child experiences attachment to her mom and wants to be with her. That’s positive development. A child’s imagination fires up and she imagines there’s something happening outside her room, and she’s curious. That’s positive development.” Still, she says, “just because [many sleep disruptions] are typical doesn’t mean you have to live with them.” And in fact, maybe you shouldn’t: “Sleep is the building block for all the tasks of childhood—learning, relationships, transitions, development,” says Bucholz. “It’s such an important part of growth and development.” To help us all catch those sometimes-elusive z’s, we asked the experts what parents should know about responding to common nighttime disruptions so we can help our children—and indeed, our families—sleep tight. Wake-ups in the first year of life: The vast majority of babies do not sleep for more than five or six consecutive hours before six months of age. “We might not even want them to sleep very long because their bodies need to eat in the night,” Bucholz says, adding that when babies learn to put themselves back to sleep in the first year of life (key to parents getting a full night’s rest) depends in part on their personalities: Some infants are more easygoing than others. “Parents should work with their child and support them in learning ways to self-soothe and self-regulate,” she says. Parents should also try to put their baby to bed when the child is sleepy but still awake. A predictable (and short) bedtime routine and a dim or dark room can also help ease a baby into slumber, says Jamie Bergren, a postpartum doula and certified pediatric sleep consultant at Rockabye Rockies. (She notes that the Children’s Hospital Colorado ParentSmart Healthline can be an excellent source of information on newborn sleep and feeding for new parents.) Fear of the dark: “This is especially common as children start to understand that there are scary things [in the world], or as children’s imaginations

How Much Sleep?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following amounts of sleep for children, based on their ages:

Infants under 1 year:

12–16 hours (including naps)

Children 1 to 2 years old:

11–14 hours (including naps)

Children 3 to 5 years old:

10–13 hours (including naps)

Children 6 to 12 years old:

9–12 hours

Teenagers 13 to 18 years old:

8–10 hours

March 2021 | ColoradoParent.com

Can Melatonin Really Help Kids Sleep?

Walk into any grocery store or pharmacy, and you’ll find shelf after shelf of natural supplements containing melatonin—from gummies to powders—that promise to aid in better sleep. Experts say melatonin can be helpful, but is not a good long-term solution, and should not be considered as a complete fix for sleep issues. “Melatonin is a sleep ‘aid’ and one to three milligrams given one and a half to two hours before bedtime may be a short-term approach to help some kids get rest, at the same time you are trying to establish good bedtime routines (bath, pajamas, reading, quiet time, no screens one hour before bed),” says Maya Bunik, medical director of the Child Health Clinic at Children’s Hospital Colorado. Bunik adds that melatonin may help older children and teens reset sleep schedules after vacation or other interruptions. It can also be helpful to children with autism or ADHD. In addition, Litwin says that while melatonin supplements can be helpful, “I would not recommend using them without the input of your primary care provider or sleep specialist, in order to make certain you are using them correctly, safely, and that the dose you are using is appropriate for your child.”

are coming on board”—which generally happens between ages four and six, Bucholz says. Offer a nightlight or a stuffed animal with a small internal light (nothing too bright), which might be enough to calm fears. If that doesn’t work, as frustrating as it can be to respond to complaints of six-headed monsters under the bed, don’t punish or belittle children for their fears. Instead, reassure your kiddos that they are safe in their rooms and their beds. One trick from Rockabye Rockies, for young children: Ask your child what they are anxious about. “Then, turn the conversation away from anxieties and toward something more soothing. Talk about vacations, playing with friends, and happy family gatherings. Focus on repeating affirmations like, 'I'm safe, I'm cozy, I can sleep really well in my bed,'” says Gaby Wentworth, the consultancy’s founder. This way, you’re acknowledging your child’s fears or anxieties but also helping him move past them. Bed wetting: It’s normal for kids to be potty-trained in the daytime before they’re able to stay dry all night, Litwin says, so don’t be discouraged if your three- or four-year-old still needs a Pull-Up for bed. As many as five percent of boys up to age eight might still fail to wake up when they need to use the bathroom in the night. If your elementary-school kiddo is having a hard time staying dry at night, consult your pediatrician about treatment options. Don’t shame a child for wetting the bed. “You just say, ‘It was an accident, and here’s how we clean up accidents,’” Bucholz says. Bed wetting might also indicate other issues, so it’s a good idea to check with your pediatrician

Calming Bedtime Rituals

“When I pass our daughter off to her dad for milk and songs, I always tell her that she is my best girl, and she gives me a hug and pats my back with her little baby hands. It just melts my heart.” —Elise Welch, mom of one from Denver “As a teacher, I love reading with my oldest, and to the younger ones. I love sharing stories, and talking about the characters, and answering questions.” —Katie Cothern, mom of three from Arvada “I love to recite Psalms 23 before bed because I feel like it’s fairly calming and it also helps me to recenter myself. Sometimes I sing Amazing Grace to our son instead." —Laura Moody, mom of one from Arvada

Colorado Parent | March 2021

if your elementary-aged child is struggling to stay dry. And if your kiddo has been continent at nighttime for a long time and suddenly begins wetting the bed again, that’s a good reason to check with the doctor, too. Snoring: Short and sweet: “If a child snores, the child should be evaluated,” says Litwin. “Snoring is not normal.” Call your pediatrician for advice. Restless sleep: As recently as summer 2020, sleep docs added “Restless Sleep Disorder” to the list of possible diagnoses for children ages six to 18 who have periods of big, thrashing movements during sleep, not the small movements typical for most of the population. The result is poor-quality shut-eye, but doctors can figure out what’s going on by conducting a sleep study. Similarly, children can have Restless Leg Syndrome that prevents them from falling asleep or staying asleep. “Often, kids say something like, ‘There’s creepy-crawlies in my legs,’” Litwin says, adding that sometimes limb problems in sleep can be related to low iron levels. A call to the doctor and a clinical diagnosis can help get you answers. “Sleep is such an important topic because it connects closely with mental and physical health”—yours and your children’s, Bucholz says. Her best tips? Model good sleep behaviors by prioritizing your own z’s and talk to your pediatrician about any concerns. Whether a one-eyed boogie man is invading your child’s imagination at night or a pandemic turns his world upside down, take it from this once-again well-rested mom: Sleep disturbances can be solved.

Case Study: Our Son Won’t Sleep Alone! Samantha and Jay Modi’s three-year-old son, Samir, had never been a stellar sleeper—but they dealt with co-sleeping (in their bed) and his meager naps because, well, they could. But when Samantha gave birth to their second child, a daughter named Divyana, suddenly, they realized two things: “Samir’s sleep issues weren’t typical,” says Samantha, a defense contractor for the Navy, “and we were exhausted.” Once Divyana moved into the crib in her own room, where she slept (surprisingly) soundly, the Modis—who live in Lafayette—tried putting Samir to bed in his room. “It was two-plus hours of sitting in his room fighting him to go to sleep,” Samantha says. “We’d finally escape, and 30 or 45 minutes later, he’d be in our room.” After months of battles, Samantha was beat. “I told Jay, ‘For me to be a better mother for Samir, something has to change.’ We needed help.” A desperate Google search led them to Rockabye Rockies, a pediatric sleep

consultancy in Denver. Though they worried that Samir was too old for sleep training, Rockabye Rockies founder Gaby Wentworth promised them he wasn’t, and she could devise a plan that worked with their personalities and preferences. The first step: a family meeting. “You set expectations with three- and four-year-olds,” Wentworth says. “You talk about being ‘super sleepers’ and why it’s important. You outline the bedtime routine and explain that you expect the child to sleep in his bed all night.” For Samir, Jay and Samantha emphasized that sleep helps him grow—and growing enables him to ride more attractions at Disneyland. “We really sold it,” Samantha says. “‘You can jump higher, you can get taller,’ we told him. That really played to his interests.” The family outlined a bedtime routine: read two books, sing two songs, snuggle for two minutes, done. For the first few nights, Samantha or Jay sat in a chair by Samir’s bed but didn’t engage him. By the fifth night, they

moved the chair to the door. A night or two later, they ditched the chair entirely. If Samir got up, they quietly ushered him back to bed. All the while, the Modis communicated with Wentworth via texts and a web-based sleep log, where they would track progress and she would give feedback and encouragement. Samir wasn’t really napping, they mentioned, and Wentworth replied that without daytime sleep, his bedtime of 7:30 was too late. Try getting him down between 6 and 6:30, she advised. “Overtired kids have a harder time falling asleep,” she says—and she was right. About 10 days into their new routine, Samir was falling asleep within about 10 minutes of his bedtime routine and mostly sleeping through the night in his own bed. He’s still an early riser, Samantha says, but the expectation is he stays in his room until his Hatch clock (which changes color when it hits the time a child can come out of his or her room) says 6 a.m. Wentworth helped her see that as long as he’s getting sufficient sleep, getting up early might be OK. Today, the Modis are all well-rested. “Gaby’s program was life-changing for us,” Samantha says. “‘Freeing’ is maybe the right word. I have more time for my relationship with my husband, more time to read a book or relax at the end of the day. I’m a better mom,” she says. “Sleep makes all the difference.” Rockabye Rockies offers two packages: $60 for a 30-minute phone call with a consultant (often just right for parents of newborns to threemonth-olds) and $330 for a tailored sleep plan and a week of support to execute that plan.

LET’S GET YOU INTO A HOME YOU LOVE. Meet the Realtor® Hi, I’m Janet! As a previous labor & delivery nurse, a mother of three, and Littleton native, I know what a hassle the home selling and buying process can be. As a Colorado parent, I strive to understand the needs and issues of each individual circumstance when it comes to finding you the perfect home. I would love to have you as a client and make your home buying or selling experience a pleasurable and fun one. Call or email today at 303-798-5251 or Janet@HomesbyHolmes.org and begin your journey home.

HomesbyHolmes.org | 303-798-5251

March 2021 | ColoradoParent.com

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Calendar MARCH

Our Picks For Little Ones

Opener: The Good Food's Project Bake. Little Ones: Blomquist Photography. Kiddos: James Dewhirst. Tweens: Penguin Random House.

KIDS ART NITE March 5 See page 38

For Kiddos

CONNECTING FROM AFAR: CELEBRATING WOMEN March 13 See page 39

For Tweens

BOOK QUEERIES March 2 See page 38

MARCH

Young bakers can create confectionary masterpieces, including a fruit tart, in this hands-on class.

VIRTUAL

For Teens

Kids Baking Camp: Rustic Fruit Tart

10-11:30am. Learn basic baking skills such as ingredient measuring, separating an egg, whipping cream, and checking for doneness during this virtual cooking class. Registrants will receive a packet with the recipe, ingredient list, substitution and dietary restriction options, and supplies. Ages 9-17. $25. thegoodfoodproject.co

MEET ASTRONAUT ABBY March 26 See page 41

March 2021 | ColoradoParent.com

Calendar | March

Princess: Party Like a Princess.

Calendar What’s Inside SPECIAL FAMILIES

39 MOVIE MOMENTS

WHERE THE KIDS ARE

ONGOING EVENTS

Get stepping to a fun beat with instruction from a princess. March 2.

2 TUESDAY

VIRTUAL Diversión en

español: Arte con Pegotetes

HEADS UP! All events were correct as of press time, however, with rapidly changing restrictions, please phone ahead to confirm event details.

Get listed! Items to be considered for the monthly printed calendar must be received at least six weeks before the month of publication. Email event information to calendar@coloradoparent.com. Information cannot be accepted by phone. See our calendar online at ColoradoParent.com

3:30-4pm. Paint to the rhythm of different musical styles. Learn how music can evoke feelings of sadness, joy, and even anger. Ages 0-5. Pinta al ritmo de diferentes estilos musicales. Aprende cómo la música puede evocar sentimientos de tristeza, alegría e incluso ira. Por años 0-5. denverlibrary.org VIRTUAL Book Party:

Award Winners 4-4:30pm. Learn about a variety of books for children ages 0-8 with Arapahoe Libraries staff. This month’s meeting will highlight recent winning titles of several children’s picture book awards. For adults, parents, and caregivers. Register online. arapahoelibraries.bibliocommons.com VIRTUAL Irish Dance with the Scottish Princess

March 2, 4-4:30pm; March 15, 3:30-4pm. Join the Scottish Princess to learn basic Irish dance techniques and a few traditional steps that are easy and fun. Ages 5-12. Register online. arapahoelibraries.bibliocommons.com VIRTUAL Book Queeries 4:30-

5:30pm. Celebrate queer representation in teen fiction. Teens across the gender and sexuality spectrum are welcome to attend and engage in fun, respectful dialogue and activities. Read stories that resemble your experience and discover others’ perspectives and experiences. Allies are welcome. This month’s book is PET by Akwaeke Emezi. Register online. Grades 6-12. calendar.boulderlibrary.org

Colorado Parent | March 2021

VIRTUAL Stargazing for Everyone 7-8pm. Get familiar with

the night sky, it is not nearly as difficult as you might think. Journey through our solar system, constellations, and deep space objects in this virtual tour. All ages. Register online. Majestic View Nature Center. See Where the Kids Are, page 42.

4 THURSDAY

Just Between Friends Broomfield/Brighton Children’s and Maternity Consignment Sale March 4, 9am-6pm; March 5, 9am-5pm; March 6, 9am-4pm; March 7, 9am-3pm. Shop for everything you need for your kiddos, from birth through teens. Check out clothes, toys, shoes, gear, and sports equipment. Find free tickets online. Walk-ins are welcome, but the number of shoppers at one time is limited to promote social distancing resulting in a wait. Free passes online, $2 at the door. Adams County Fairgrounds, Brighton. broomfield.jbfsale.com VIRTUAL Virtual Little University with Wings Over the Rockies: The Ways We Fly!

3:30-4pm. Virtually visit the Wings Over the Rockies museum and learn about how people can fly using hot air balloons, airplanes, helicopters and rockets. Ages 0-5. Register online. denverlibrary.org

5 FRIDAY

Just Between Friends Broomfield/Brighton Children’s and Maternity Consignment Sale See March 4. Kids Art Nite Grades 1-5, March 5 and 20, 6-8pm; grades pre-K-kindergarten March 13 and 27, 4-6pm. Leave your kiddos at the studio for an art experience while you enjoy a relaxing evening out. Reservation required. $35. artSPARK Creative Studio, Littleton. artsparkcreative.com

6 SATURDAY

Just Between Friends Broomfield/Brighton Children’s and Maternity Consignment Sale See March 4. VIRTUAL Annual African American Youth Leadership Conference 9am and 10:30am

sessions. Log on to the last of a series of workshops for middle and high school

HOT TIP In honor of National Girl Scout Day, March 12, get connected with your local troup and order some of those crazy-good cookies! Take the Girl Scout Cookie Dessert Tour through local restaurants’ recipes based on the popular cookie flavors, then try to whip something up at home. gscoblog.org/ home/girl-scout-cookie-dessert-tour

Garden: Denver Botanic Gardens.

Calendar | March

students. The final seminar is on leadership. Register online. aaylc-co.org VIRTUAL Kids Baking Camp:

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

10-11:30am. Log in to this baking class featuring basic baking skills: kitchen safety, knife skills, how to read a recipe, and how to measure ingredients, and other skills. Registrants will receive a packet with the recipe, ingredient list, substitution and dietary restriction options, and supplies. Ages 9-17. $25. thegoodfoodproject.co VIRTUAL Helping Teens

Thrive…Together 10am-noon.

Teens and their trusted adult(s) can come together and learn how to prevent suicide through promoting connectedness and skill building from this conference. Suicide is the leading cause of death in Colorado for youth, ages 10-24, and prevention is key to increase protective factors and save lives. Register online. accelevents.com VIRTUAL Virtual Little University: Hip-Hop Dance Class 10:30-11am. Learn some fun

dance moves in this class featuring The Queenz of Hip-Hop. Ages 0-5. Register online. denverlibrary.org

Family Make and Take: Leprechaun Gardens March 6, 7, 13, 14; 9:15am, 10:45am, 1pm and 2:30pm sessions. Discover the legend of the leprechaun as you design and create a miniature garden to attract mischievous garden friends. Each project includes one garden container, plant, and access to a variety of natural and man-made materials to use for decoration. Age 5 and up. Register online. $15 per project nonmembers, $12 per project members. Denver Botanic Gardens York Street. See Where the Kids Are, page 42.

9 TUESDAY

VIRTUAL Drop-In

Drawing Online 1-3pm. Find something that sparks your creativity, then capture that moment in a sketch, photo, or other expression using your choice of materials. Learn techniques with instructor Anna Kaye. denverartmuseum.org VIRTUAL Diversión en español: Experimentos científicos con Rebeca: El clima 3:30-4pm. Explore the

weather using homemade supplies: shaving cream, food coloring, clear cup or bottle, and a dropper. Ages 0-5. Explora el clima usando materiales caseros: crema de afeitar, colorante para alimentos, taza o frasco transparente y un gotero. Por años 0-5. denverlibrary.org

10 WEDNESDAY

VIRTUAL Community Cooks: Giulia Bernardini

5:30-6:30pm. Gather online for a virtual dinner party and cooking demo. Join Giulia as she demonstrates how to cook a couple of popular dishes—pasta e ceci and spaghetti aglio, olio e pomodoro—from her native Rome, Italy. Ingredients lists will be released a week prior. calendar.boulderlibrary.org

13 SATURDAY

Family Make and Take: Leprechaun Gardens See March 6. VIRTUAL Kids Baking Camp: Rustic Fruit Tart See page 37. VIRTUAL Connecting from Afar: Celebrating Women 10:30-11:30am. Connect

with loved ones on this virtual adventure in artwork, games, and creativity. Join the Clyfford Still Museum on Zoom for this month’s activities based off the theme: Celebrating women. Ages 4-8 and family. Register online. clyffordstillmuseum.org

Art Bags for Teens 1-4pm. Create a bag that can be a work of art itself, while holding works of art. Go crazy painting a large, sturdy canvas bag and have fun toting your creation around. Ages 12-16. Register online. $50. Curtis Center for the Arts, Greenwood Village. greenwoodvillage.com Kids Art Nite See March 5.

14 SUNDAY

Family Make and Take: Leprechaun Gardens See March 6.

VIRTUAL

Special

Principles Families of IDEA and IEP March 11. 9am-noon. Learn about helping a student with a disability by learning about educational surrogate parenting. This workshop is for guardians, advocates, foster parents, educators, and caring community members. peakparent.org Special Needs Hip-Hop Dance Class March 2-30. Tue, 5:45-6:45pm. The focus of this class is a fun, constructive, and energetic dance environment. Age 5 and up. Register online. $84, $73 HRCA member. Eastridge Recreation Center, Highlands Ranch. registration.hrcaonline.org Special Needs Taekwondo March 2-30. Tue, Thu; 3:50-4:30pm. Designed to help students improve balance, concentration, self-control, and confidence. This class is open to all ability levels; belt testing requires a separate fee. Ages 5-21. Register online. $115, $100 HRCA member. Northridge Recreation Center, Highlands Ranch. hrcaonline.org VIRTUAL Grupo de Apoyo: Aurora Second Sat, 12:30pm. The Aurora Life Group is a support group for parents with children, youth, and adults with different abilities or special needs. Segundo sábado. El Grupo de Vida – Aurora es un grupo de apoyo para padres con niños, jóvenes, y adultos con habilidades diferentes o necesidades especiales. Únete a El Groupo Vida en línea. elgrupovida.org VIRTUAL Grupo de Apoyo: Broomfield Third Wed, 5:30pm. The Broomfield Life Group is a support group for parents with children, youth, and adults with different abilities or special needs. Tercer miércoles. El Grupo de VidaBroomfield es un grupo de apoyo para padres con niños, jóvenes, y adultos con habilidades diferentes o necesidades especiales. Únete a El Groupo Vida en línea. elgrupovida.org

7 SUNDAY

Just Between Friends Broomfield/Brighton Children’s and Maternity Consignment Sale See March 4. Family Make and Take: Leprechaun Gardens See March 6.

Make and decorate a mini habitat for little leprechaun friends. March 6, 7, 13, 14.

March 2021 | Colorado Parent

Calendar | March

Irish Dance with the Scottish Princess See March 2.

power of art to make change. Watch live on the Longmont Museum’s Facebook page. longmontcolorado.gov

16 TUESDAY

20 SATURDAY

Spring Break Nature Camp 9am-noon. Spend spring

Marine Biologist for a Day March 20, grades 1-4; March 27, grades 5-8; 9am-2pm. See if you have what it takes to be a Marine Biologist. Help prepare food, feed some exhibits, and learn how biologists take care of animals. Registration is required 2 weeks in advance. $65. Downtown Aquarium. See Where the Kids Are, page 42.

break exploring the wetlands and cottonwood forests of Star K Ranch. Get your hands dirty with nature activities, learn about springtime wildlife, and explore the trails. Choose from one, two, or three days. Limited spots available due to social distancing. Ages 6-10. Register online. $10 per day. Morrison Nature Center at Star K Ranch, Aurora. aurora.gov/nature

VIRTUAL Storytime Saturday

9:30-10:30am. Join the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in online pretend play that activates the imagination and emerging literacy skills. Enjoy a mix of story, craft, and whole-body learning. Grades pre-K-2. Register online. $20 each session. denvercenter.org

VIRTUAL Diversión en español: Canta con Lupita

3:30-4pm. Spend a fun afternoon singing and dancing with Lupita. Ages 0-5. Pasa una tarde divertida cantando y bailando con Lupita. Por años 0-5. denverlibrary.org VIRTUAL Parenting

Strategies: Ready to Read

Seven Falls Dancers presents traditional Eagle and Hoop dancing. March 17.

4-5pm. Grow your child’s love for books with help from Arapahoe Libraries’ early literacy librarians. Choose books for your child at every stage starting at birth. Find out how to make reading with children a shared, interactive, and meaningful experience. For parents and caregivers of children ages 0-6. Register online. arapahoelibraries.bibliocommons.com VIRTUAL Lily Williams Book Launch: If Bees Disappeared

4-5pm. Find out what could happen to the world if the small but important bee no longer existed. Lily Williams takes readers through the dangers bees face and what humans have to lose if they disappeared. This reading will include a drawing page and kid-friendly environmental letterwriting campaign. Age 3 and up. Find tickets online. $5-20 pay what you can, free for families who cannot afford programming at this time. secondstartotherightbooks.com VIRTUAL LEGO Build-

Along with Play-Well TEKnologies: Engineering 4:30-5:15pm. Bring LEGO to life from the comfort of your home with the

Colorado Parent | March 2021

guidance of an experienced Play-Well instructor and simple pieces from your own LEGO collection. Plus, connect with other young LEGO enthusiasts. Explore engineering principles, all with a focus on open-ended builds that do not require special LEGO pieces. Ages 6-11. Register online. calendar.boulderlibrary.org

17 WEDNESDAY

VIRTUAL Cultural Concerts on Colfax: Seven Falls Dancers Denver March Pow Wow March 17,

1pm livestream; March 19 recorded release. Tune in to the Aurora Fox Theater’s virtual stage to see this lively exhibition of Eagle and Hoop dancing by local family troupe Seven Falls Dancers. aurorafoxartscenter.org

18 THURSDAY

VIRTUAL Let’s Dance

10-10:30am. Move, sing, and dance in this program that combines early reading skills and music. Parents and caregivers will be grooving to the music right along with their young children. Ages 0-5 with guardians. Register online. arapahoelibraries.bibliocommons.com

VIRTUAL American Women in History

March 18, 4:30-5:30pm; March 27, 2-3pm. Celebrate Women’s History Month with Bright Star Theatre Company’s stories of courageous women throughout American history, including Susan B. Anthony and Amelia Earhart. Ages 5-12. Register online. arapahoelibraries.bibliocommons.com VIRTUAL Words by Heart: A Showcase of the 2021 Colorado Poetry Out Loud 7pm. Catch the 2021 Colorado

Poetry Out Loud Virtual State Finals Showcase on PBS12, kicking off with Governor Polis, emceed by Colorado Poet Laureate Bobby LeFebre, and featuring the creativity and talent of Colorado teens. pbs12.org VIRTUAL Agents of Change: A Conversation on Art & Social Justice

7:30pm. Gather and gain insight on the intersection of art and justice. Theater, dance, music, and visual arts challenge narratives, offer new perspectives and inspire. Join local creatives in a discussion about the

VIRTUAL Kids Baking Camp: Fruit Turnovers 10-11:30am.

Whip up something sweet by following a recipe and gaining tips from chef Chelly at Project Bake. Registrants will receive a packet with the recipe, ingredient list, substitution and dietary restriction options, and supplies. Ages 9-17. $25. thegoodfoodproject.co VIRTUAL Virtual Little University: Weather Exploration 10:30-11am. Pick

up a STEM kit from participating Denver Public Library branches and experiment along with this lesson about clouds. Make your own kit with shaving cream, food coloring, clear cup or jar and a dropper. Ages 0-5. Register online. denverlibrary.org VIRTUAL The Wacky Science Show March 20, 2-3pm;

March 30, 3:30-4:30pm. Find out what you can do with hard-boiled eggs, applesauce, and a flying clipboard at the Virtual Science Show. Ages 5-12. Register online. arapahoelibraries.bibliocommons.com

Kids Art Nite See March 5.

23 TUESDAY

VIRTUAL Drop-In Writing Online 1-3pm. Explore your

Dancers: Seven Falls Dancers LLC.

15 MONDAY

Calendar | March

word mastery through this informal writing session with Lighthouse Writers Workshop. Open to all levels. denverartmuseum.org

30-minute presentation, there will be a 30-minute Q&A session. For tweens, teens, and adults. Register online. arapahoelibraries.bibliocommons.com

VIRTUAL Diversión en español: Zumbini con Siu 3:30-

27 SATURDAY

4pm. Dance along in this interactive Zumba program just for kids. Ages 0-5. Baile, baile, baile en este programa interactivo de Zumba para niños. Por años 0-5. denverlibrary.org

Just Between Friends Aurora Children’s and Maternity Consignment Sale See March 25.

Marine Biologist for a Day

24 WEDNESDAY

VIRTUAL Jewish Arts, Authors, Movies and Music: Michael Twitty March 24, 6:45pm live stream;

re-watch available until April 7, 8:45pm. Join an interactive lecture with James Beard Award-winning author and food historian Michael W. Twitty, who will present about the holiday of Passover and the importance of Exodus/ Diaspora to the Jewish and African American communities. Submit your questions in advance of the event by emailing festivals@jccdenver.org. $18. jccdenver.org

25 THURSDAY

Just Between Friends Aurora Children’s and Maternity Consignment Sale March 25, 9am-6pm; March 26, 9am-5pm; March 27, 9am-4pm; March 28, 9am-3pm. Find many of the supplies you’ll need for your kids at this large consignment sale. Reserve free tickets online. Walk-ins are welcome, but a limited number of shoppers will be allowed at one time to promote social distancing. Free tickets online, $2 at the door. Arapahoe County Fairgrounds, Aurora. aurora.jbfsale.com

See March 20.

The Plastic Problem 9:30-11:30am. Discover what the plastic problem really means for you and your family. Work together with a naturalist to experiment and brainstorm some sustainable solutions. Ages 10-18. Open to nine participants. Register online. $10. Majestic View Nature Center. See Where the Kids Are, page 42. VIRTUAL Whose Tracks are Those? 10-11am. Look for clues

and find out what animals live near you. Find tracks, scat, fur, and other traces of wildlife. All ages. Register online. aurora.gov/nature VIRTUAL Kids Baking Camp: Chocolate Mousse 10-11:30am.

Learn how to bake successfully and safely, all while turning out a delicious treat. Registrants will receive a packet with the recipe, ingredient list, substitution and dietary restriction

26 FRIDAY

Just Between Friends Aurora Children’s and Maternity Consignment Sale See March 25.

Astronaut Abby: Arapahoe Libraries.

VIRTUAL American Women in History

See March 18.

Kids Art Nite See March 5.

28 SUNDAY

Just Between Friends Aurora Children’s and Maternity Consignment Sale See March 25.

30 TUESDAY

VIRTUAL The Wacky Science Show See March 20. VIRTUAL Diversión en español: Exploración de arte con el libro Presiona Aquí 3:30-4pm. Mix your own

inflatable paint and explore colors and patterns while creating artwork inspired by the Press Here book. Ages 0-5. Mezcla tu propia pintura inflable y explorar colores y patrones mientras que crea obras de arte inspiradas por el libro Presiona Aquí. Por años 0-5. denverlibrary.org VIRTUAL Andrea Wang

Book Launch: Watercress 4-5pm. Join Andrea Wang, who tells an autobiographical story of a child of immigrants discovering and connecting with her heritage through harvesting wild watercress. Age 3 and up. Find tickets online. $5-20 pay what you can, free for families who cannot afford programming at this time. secondstartotherightbooks.com

31 WEDNESDAY

VIRTUAL National Geographic Live: Mysterious Seas 8pm.

VIRTUAL Meet Astronaut Abby 5:30-6:30pm. Abigail Harrison

(Astronaut Abby) will talk about her career as an aspiring astronaut, the co-founder of the nonprofit organization The Mars Generation, and her new book Dream Big! How to Reach for Your Stars. Harrison believes that no one is ever too young (or too old) to pursue their dreams. After the

options, and supplies. Ages 9-17. $25. thegoodfoodproject.co

Aspiring scientists and admirers of space, join Abigail Harrison (Astronaut Abby) for a presentation. March 26.

Get a glimpse into the ocean’s greatest depths, and the fascinating creatures that live there, with two leading marine biologists. Take in the wonder of bioluminescent and biofluorescent marine species how humans impact deep-sea habitats. Register online for the live streamed event. $20 single stream, $40 household. lonetreeartscenter.org

Movie Moments

The Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival: I Put the Bi in Bitter March 4-7. $15, $12 Denver Film members; free on YouTube. Stream online. Created by a majority female, POC, and LGBT cast and crew from Colorado, this mini-YouTube series shows how high school junior Sam attempts to be out as bisexual and struggles to deal with constant heteronormativity. Catch Season Three during the Dragon Boat Film Festival. cdfilm.org

VIRTUAL The Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival: Mastery I & II March 4-7. $15, $12 Denver Film members. Stream online. Mural painter Casey Kawaguchi, contributor to Denver’s CRUSH Walls street art festival, has been establishing an artistic presence in the city since 2016. Glimpse into Casey's philosophy of life, creativity, and the battle to maintain harmony as an artist. cdfilm.org VIRTUAL The Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival: Mechamorphosis March 4-7, Stream online. Follow a young schoolboy, Yining, as he learns to cope with the rigors of family pressure and mechanical success within the dawn of the Chinese Robotic era. cdfilm.org VIRTUAL The Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival: Voices March 4-7. Stream online. This short piece is an expression of struggling voices during the year 2020, those that spoke against antiAsian discrimination, innocent Black people under siege, the climate crisis, and more. Led by Jiayue Cecilia Wu, an Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado’s College of Arts and Media, the artists call for lessons from the past year to spur people into action for balance, peace, and equality. cdfilm.org

March 2021 | Colorado Parent

Calendar | March

Where the Kids Are

The following locations are referred to frequently in the calendar. Discounted annual passes are available at many venues. Note: Check websites for the latest health and safety information.

Aurora History Museum Tue-Fri, 9am-4pm; Sat, 11am-4pm. Free. No more than 10 visitors will be allowed inside the museum at any one time. Reserve tickets for a 1 hour and 20 minute visit. 15051 E. Alameda Pkwy., Aurora. 303-739-6660. auroragov.org/things_to_do/aurora_history_museum

adult, $15.95 senior, $13.95 ages 3-18, free age 2 and under. Purchase timed tickets online. Face masks required. The TRex Cafe will operate at limited capacity. Bring water bottles as the fountains are turned off for safety. 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver. 303370-6000. dmns.org

Butterfly Pavilion Thu-Mon, 9am-4pm. $13

Denver Zoo Daily; 10am-5pm. $15 adult/senior,

adult, $11 seniors, $9 ages 2-12, free under age 2 and members. Timed-tickets reserved online are required in addition to face coverings. 6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster. 303-469-5441. butterflies.org

$10 child ages 3-11, free age 2 and under. Reserve timed tickets online. All purchases on the campus are cashless, and pathways are one-way. 2300 Steele St., Denver. 720-337-1400. denverzoo.org

Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus Thu-Sat, 8:30am-4pm. Four

Downtown Aquarium Mon-Thurs,

90-minute play sessions each day. The Art Studio, Bubbles, Joy Park, Kinetics, Ready Vet Go, 3 2 1 Blast Off, Fire Station No. 1, and Water exhibits are open. Reservations and face coverings required. $14 ages 2-59, $12 ages 1 and 60+, $1 Explorer Pass, free members and under age 1. 2121 Children's Museum Dr., Denver. 303-433-7444. mychildsmuseum.org

Denver Art Museum Daily, 10am-5pm; $10-$13 adult, $8-$10 senior, military, and college student, free age 18 and under. Timed tickets reserved online are required along with face coverings, social distancing and hand washing. The cafe and coat check are currently closed. 100 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy., Denver. 720-913-0130. denverartmuseum.org

Denver Botanic Gardens York Street Daily, 9am-5pm. $15 adult, $11.50 senior and military, $11 ages 3-15 and student, free age 2 and under. Reserve tickets online, wear masks, maintain social distance. Limited access to buildings. Mordecai Children’s Garden is closed. 1007 York St., Denver. 720-865-3500. botanicgardens.org

Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms Daily, 9am-5pm. $7 adults, $5 seniors and students, free members and children 12 and under. Limited access to buildings. The Children’s Play Area is closed. 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Rd., Littleton. 8500 W. Deer Creek Canyon Rd., Littleton. 720-865-3500. botanicgardens.org

10am-8pm; Fri, 8:30am-8:30pm; Sat, 8am-8:30pm; Sun, 8am-8pm. $23.50 ages 12-64, $22.50 senior, $17.50 ages 3-11, free age 2 and under. The 4D theater and carousel are unavailable. 700 Water St., Denver. 303-561-4450. downtownaquarium.com

Four Mile Historic Park Fri-Sun, 10am-4pm. $5 ages 18-64, $4 senior and military, $3 ages 7-17, free age 6 and under. Small groups with timed tickets. 715 S. Forest St. Denver. 720-865-0800. fourmilepark.org

History Colorado Center Daily, 10am-5pm. $14 adult, $12 senior, $10 ages 16-22 and student, $8 ages 5-15, free age 4 and under. Timed tickets for purchase online. Face coverings required. 1200 Broadway, Denver. 303-447-8679. historycolorado.org/ history-colorado-center

Littleton Museum Tues-Sat, 9am-3pm. Walkways will be open and the farm’s livestock will be available for viewing, but the historic buildings will not be open and no interpretive programming will be presented. Museum building is open with limited capacity. Call to make a reservation. 6028 S. Gallup St., Littleton. 303-795-3950. littletongov.org/museum

Longmont Museum Tue-Sat, 9am-3pm. $8 adults, $5 students/seniors, free 3 and under and members. Hands-on areas of the Museum, including the third floor Longs Peak Room treehouse, will remain closed at this time. 400 Quail

Rd., Longmont. 303-651-8374. longmontcolorado.gov/ departments/departments-e-m/museum

Lookout Mountain Preserve and Nature Center (closed) Majestic View Nature Center Closed for walkin visitors, online tickets for limited in-person programs available. 7030 Garrison St., Arvada. 720-898-7405. majesticviewnaturecenter.arvada.org

Museum of Boulder Sun-Mon, Thu-Sat, 9am-5pm; Wed, 9am-8pm. $10 adults; $8 seniors, youth, students; free children under 2 and members. Masks required, and finger cots available for hands-on activities. Find admission tickets online. 2205 Broadway, Boulder. 303-449-3464. museumofboulder.org Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge Grounds open daily sunrisesunset. The Visitor Center is closed. 6550 Gateway Rd., Commerce City. 303-289-0930. fws.gov/refuge/rocky_ mountain_arsenal

University of Colorado Museum of Natural History (closed) Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm; Sun, noon-4pm. $16.95 ages 17-64, $12.95 senior and military, $9.95 ages 4-16, free age 3 and under. Two-hour time limits and guest capacity. Face coverings required. The Kid Zone is temporarily closed. 7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver. 303-360-5360. wingsmuseum.org

WOW! Children’s Museum Wed-Sat; 10am-noon. $5 adult, $10 child, free under age 1 and members. Reserve a timed ticket online, admission is capped at 50 total. Costumes and some fabric exhibit pieces have been removed. Bring a water bottle. No outside food or snacks allowed in the museum at this time. 110 N. Harrison Ave., Lafayette. 303-604-2424. wowchildrensmuseum.org

Denver Firefighters Museum Tue-Sat, 10am-4pm. $9 adult, $8 senior, military, and student, $7 ages 3-12 and firefighters, free age 2 and under. Reservations and masks are required. Hands-on activities are temporarily on hold. 1326 Tremont Pl., Denver. 303-892-1436. denverfirefightersmuseum.org Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys Fri-Sat, 10am-4pm, Sun 1pm-4pm. $5

Denver Museum of Nature & Science Daily; 9am-5pm, open until 9 p.m. on Fridays. $18.95

Colorado Parent | March 2021

Learn about high fliers—winged and human—at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space museum.

B-52: Wings Over the Rockies.

adult, $4 child (4-16) and senior, free age 3 and under. Purchase advance tickets to walk the gallery; wear a mask and follow social distance guidelines. 830 Kipling St., Lakewood. 303-322-1053. dmmdt.org

Calendar | March

Ongoing Events Polar Plunge: Colorado Special Olympics.

VIRTUAL Family Fridays

SEASONAL OFFERINGS

Join the CU Museum online every week for new adventures in the natural world. Find fun facts and fresh ideas to keep your kids curious. Visit the museum’s Facebook page for new postings. colorado.edu

VIRTUAL 2021 Polar Plunge Series Denver Plunge Roulette & 5K

Run, March 7. Windsor Plunge, April 10. Boulder Plunge & 5K Run, April 10. Aurora Plunge and 5K Run, April 17. Colorado Springs Plunge and 5K Run, April 24. Take a plunge outside, or do a virtual plunge activity at home before April 24, in support of Special Olympics Colorado. Register online or in-person for virtual participation and fundraising information. All funds raised benefit more than 15,000 athletes (children and adults with intellectual disabilities). $75. specialolympicsco.org

Read a book and discuss with other lit-lovers. Pick up a book club kit from the Park Hill Branch Library in advance; a kit is not required to attend. See upcoming books scheduled for discussion online. Ages 6-9. Register for the Zoom link. denverlibrary.org

NATURE PROGRAMS AND CLASSES

Micro Open Studio Fri, 1-2:30pm

VIRTUAL Kids Virtual Book Club Second Wed, 4-5pm.

Nose to Toes Sensory Adventure Series 9:30-10:30am. Spend spring break on an adventure through the senses. Make connections with different areas in the Majestic View Nature Center park as you learn how to share experiences with wildlife. Limited to nine participants in each age group: ages 4-7 and 7-12. Register online. $45. Majestic View Nature Center. See Where the Kids Are, page 42.

Star K Kids Thu, 9:30-10:30am. Discover Aurora’s true nature through puppets, interactive activities, and discovery time on the trail. This in-person program is limited to 9 people (adults, and children age 5 and under). Register online. Morrison Nature Center, Aurora. auroragov.org CLASSES, CLUBS, AND PROGRAMS VIRTUAL Academic Writing Help Sessions

Wed, 3:30-5pm. Need help with a school assignment or a particular type of writing? Drop in to an academic writing help sessions on Wednesday afternoons to get help from a Lighthouse Writers Workshop instructor. Ages 8-18. lighthousewriters.org VIRTUAL Accessible Yoga

for BIPOC Mon, 5pm. Join Spirit of the Sun and Dubwise Yoga Denver for chair yoga sessions. Open to people from various racial and ethnic background, allies, and accomplices as safe spaces of healing and mindful movement. All ages and abilities.

Take the cold-water plunge in person or at home and raise funds for Special Olympics Colorado. Register online. Free, donations welcome. spiritofthesun.org VIRTUAL AYO Homework

Help Tue, 4-5pm. Youth who live in Aurora or attend an Aurora school can find academic assistance every Tuesday through Aurora Youth Options. Grades 6-12. Email ayo@aumhc.org to connect with a volunteer who will support students on their specified subject matter. aurorayouthoptions.org VIRTUAL Chance on Dance

Bollywood Cardio Class Wed, 7-8pm. Get moving and feel good with a class from Roshni, a Denverbased multicultural performing arts organization. All ages. Register by emailing roshnidenver@gmail.com. $40 check/cash, $43 Paypal. roshniislight.org VIRTUAL Civic Saturdays

Monthly. Gather with fellow community members to reflect, connect, and create civic traditions that are meaningful and communal. Through songs, readings, discussions, and local artist performances, community members and Anythink Library staff will participate in difficult—and important—conversations. Participating families will be provided materials to encourage young children to engage in the conversation. Register online. anythinklibraries.org

VIRTUAL Colorado Ballet Academy Children’s Division Classes Days and times vary. Leap

into a new season of Colorado Ballet Academy classes including Parent Tot, Creative Dance (levels one and two), and Pre-Ballet (levels one and two), now offered in four-week sessions with the seasonal theme: “Signs of Spring.” Ages 1.5-7. Register online. Program costs vary. coloradoballet.org

Comic Creations Through April

and 3-4:30pm. Experiment, play, tinker, invent, and create with or without the kids. Try out artSPARK studio and leave the mess behind. All ages. Reservation required. $18. artSPARK Creative Studio, Littleton. artsparkcreative.com VIRTUAL Music for Sanity’s Sake Fri, 4-5pm. Connect

with other creatives in a safe space where you can talk about music that helps you make sense of the world, try out free tools to build your artistry, and practice stress management. Join Youth On Record’s Bianca Mikahn in this workshop for youth ages 14-20. youthonrecord.org

2. Fri, 4:30-6pm; No class March 19. Tell a superhero story, a personal narrative, or nonfiction tale through comics. Professional artists will guide students through the comic creation process, from brainstorming and story development to sketches and finished artwork. Ages 9-14. Register online. $50. Curtis Center for the Arts, Greenwood Village. greenwoodvillage.com

VIRTUAL Music Together Demo Class Ongoing classes offered year-

VIRTUAL Creative Writing 101 First Sat, 2-3:30pm.

9am-4pm. Parents, introduce your preschooler(s) to the arts and assist with their creative process. Find supplies to explore art mediums like drawing, painting, and sculpture, plus instructions and inspiration to create watercolor snowflakes, love bugs, button chicks, and a Monet Magical Garden. $25 per kit. Curtis Center for the Arts, Greenwood Village. greenwoodvillage.com/art

Get your start in creative writing. Join Lighthouse Writers Workshop the first Saturday of each month to experiment with stories and words, try writing activities, and talk about your interests. Ages 8-12. Register online. lighthousewriters.org

round. Plant the seeds for musical growth through singing, movement, and instrument play. Mixed age classes; siblings welcome. For infants-age 8. Outdoor and online classes available. Reservations required. Free for first class. mountainsongmusic.com VIRTUAL Pee Wee Art Take Home Kits Every other Wed,

March 2021 | Colorado Parent

Calendar | March

Ongoing Events Saturday Train Rides Sat, 10am-3pm departure times. Climb aboard train rides at the Colorado Railroad Museum, departing every half-hour from 10am to 3pm. Advance ticket purchase is recommended, capacity will be limited. $4 adults, $2 ages 2-17 and seniors, free age 2 and under, plus museum admission. Colorado Railroad Museum, Golden. coloradorailroadmuseum.org VIRTUAL Solo Minded Dance

WHEN YOU NEED A N A LT E R N AT I V E T O

Screen Time PA R E N T L I K E A P R O

ColoradoParent.com Find out new ways to replace screen time. Plus, at home craft ideas, new ways to use imagination, creative ways to get your kiddo up and moving— and a whole lot more! DON’T MISS THIS! YOU CAN NOW READ THE FULL ISSUE OF COLORADO PARENT ONLINE.

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Through March 10. Wed, 8pm. Groove on your own at home with just a little space and some instruction from jazz dancer Laurel Ryan. All skill levels welcome. $10 per session, $55 all six classes. cmdance.org VIRTUAL Virtual Discovery Days Wed-Fri, 10-10:30am or

11-11:30am; no class the week of March 22. Learn together through monthly, live, virtual crafting and storytime sessions. Register online for the craft kits, and receive an invitation to drop-in to the virtual events. Scholarships are available. Ages 2-6 and caregivers. $16-$40 members, $18-$45 nonmembers. longmontcolorado.gov VIRTUAL Virtual Youth Open Mic Last Fri of each month,

4:30-5:30pm. Share your words with other young writers. Ages 8-18. lighthousewriters.org VIRTUAL Wreck This

Book Club! Wed, 4-5pm. Follow a prompt from Wreck this Journal, a book featuring opportunities to fill the pages with mistakes and messes. Use it for inspiration in your own journal, talk to other artists, ask questions, and show off your work. Ages 8-12. denverlibrary.org VIRTUAL Writing in Color for Teens Every other Sat, 2-3:30pm.

1–9 WEEKS OF COVID-SAFE FUN! Traditional Day Camp with sports, arts/crafts, water play, and special events. Tripping Camp with hiking, ropes courses, and ice cream. We’ve got goats, chickens, gardens, multiple fields, gyms, cooking kitchens, climbing walls, and much more!

Colorado Parent | March 2021

DREAMBIGDAYCAMP.COM 303-377-1805

Connect with literature and the spoken word, along with peers and a writing community. Led by local writers of color, this workshop encourages curious teens to explore their ideas and share writing while celebrating successes and processing challenges. This is a safe space that welcomes the

experiences of teen writers of color. lighthousewriters.org VIRTUAL Youth On Record FEMpowered Wed,

4-5pm. Shape and pursue your own artistic vision alongside encouraging peers and music industry professionals. Join weekly virtual gatherings for creative femme-identifying folks. Enjoy periodic networking opportunities and workshops. Ages 14-20. youthonrecord.org VIRTUAL Youth On Record Open Lab Thu, 4-5:30pm.

Interested in creating music, learning about the business/marketing side, hearing from guest speakers, and being part of a community of likeminded individuals? Participate in music seminars and workshops for youth, led by local professionals. Ages 14-20. youthonrecord.org MUSEUM MEANDERINGS

Stonehenge Through Sept. 6. Explore the story of Stonehenge, its change and evolution, through hundreds of artifacts and modern science. Learn where, when, why, and how Stonehenge was built 4,500 to 5,000 years ago. Admission plus special ticket cost. Denver Museum of Nature & Science. See Where the Kids Are, page 42.

After the Asteroid: Earth’s Comeback Story Ongoing. Check out newly discovered fossils found at Corral Bluffs near Colorado Springs. These artifacts help scientists understand how Earth recovered after the asteroid impact 66 million years ago that wiped out the dinosaurs. Handle real concretions and replicas, enjoy multimedia storytelling, recreate the ancient environment in a drawingand-sticker program, and more. Denver Museum of Nature & Science. See Where the Kids Are, page 42.

Birdly Virtual Reality Experience Ongoing. Hop on the Birdly simulation flyer with head-mounted VR display to get a pterodactyl's-eye view of a prehistoric landscape. Riders will experience

Calendar | March

multi-sensory elements such as headwind simulation, 3D audio, and visual impact. Guests must have a 48-inch wingspan to fly, face coverings must be worn, and guests using wheelchairs must transfer to ride. $9 adult, $8 youth and senior; plus admission. Denver Museum of Nature & Science. See Where the Kids Are, page 42.

exhibition featuring 65 artworks by 24 established and emerging Chicano artists. The works demonstrate a diversity of imagery, content, and techniques used by Chicano artists for more than 30 years. $10 adult; $5 military and senior; free students, teachers, and members. Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. fac.coloradocollege.edu

Borderlands of Southern Colorado Ongoing. History

The Light Show Through March 7. See the exhibit that focuses on the quest by humanity and artists to understand physical light in the natural world as well as metaphorical, spiritual, and divine representations of light. Included with admission. Denver Art Museum. See Where the Kids Are, page 42.

Colorado’s newest exhibit centers Chicano, Indigenous, and Mestizo perspectives on the shifting geopolitical history of southern Colorado. It’s rich in oral histories and first-person accounts, and will be a core, ongoing exhibition. History Colorado Center. See Where the Kids Are, page xx.

Drawing Parallels: Community Art & Artifacts from 2020 Explore the relationships between simultaneous events—from world wars, to movements for civil rights, to pandemics—in Boulder’s past and present. The exhibit includes art gathered from the community that encapsulates and evokes the events of 2020. Museum of Boulder. See Where the Kids Are, page 42.

Enduring Impressions: Degas, Monet, Pissarro, and Their Printmaker George William Thornley Through July 18. Enjoy the allure of impressionist paintings, charcoal illustrations, and prints by the greats. Exhibit materials are on loan from the collection of Drs. Morton and Tobia Mower. All ages. $8 adults, $5 students/ seniors, free members and ages 3 and younger. Longmont Museum. longmontcolorado.gov

Friday Family Nights Fri, 6pm. Bring the family to see aquatic wonders at a discount. Enjoy the exhibits and scavenger hunts. $6.99 exhibit pass for age 10 and under, with adult wristband. Downtown Aquarium. See Where the Kids Are, page 42. Papel Chicano Dos: Works on Paper from the Collection of Cheech Marin Thur-Sat, 10am-4pm. Catch this traveling

Watch your child grow at ABA Therapy Summer Camp It’s never too early to start planning for the summer.

Enroll in Summer Camp at The Behavior Exchange today and give your child the benefit of expert therapists and a fun approach to lifechanging ABA therapy. Our camp includes individualized therapy for your child’s needs, using summer-themed programs developed by our own Board Certified Behavior Therapists and provided in a healthy, safe environment. We’ve helped children with autism and other development delays for more than 20 years. We can help your child, too. One-on-One Therapy, our early start program called B.E.E.S., and Social Skills Groups for school-aged children are all available during Summer Camp at The Behavior Exchange.

Enroll today!

SUE: The T. rex Experience Through April 26. Get to know two titans of the prehistoric age, the T. rex and triceratops. Learn how SUE the fossil was unearthed and what the dino’s life would have been like through this multimedia, immersive experience. Feel the texture of dinosaur skin, hear the rumble of a T. rex walk, and see the plants that flourished in the Late Cretaceous period. $9 adult, $7 youth, free under age 3; plus admission. Denver Museum of Nature & Science. See Where the Kids Are, page 42.

Testigos/Witnesses Through March 20. Tue-Fri, noon-6pm. Sat, noon5pm. Museo’s latest exhibit features Gaal D. Cohen and Genaro Fuentes Trejo (of the indigenous Otomi community) in partnered creations made from Amate paper, the original paper of Latin America that predates European contact. The work explores the Otomi people’s witness to millennia of conquest, enslavement, and hardship; and, their resilience. $8, $5 students, military, artists, and seniors, free age 12 and under and members. Museo De Las Americas, Denver. museo.org

720.647.8541

enroll@behaviorexchange.com

behaviorexchange.com

Boulder, CO | Plano & Frisco, TX

Ricks Center Located on the University of Denver campus, Ricks Center is a school dedicated to gifted children. »

Preschool to eighth grade

Curriculum designed around the whole child

Flexible, differentiated curriculum

Active, engaged, hands on learning

Designated time to pursue questions and interests

Low student to teacher ratio

Teachers who know, understand, and care deeply about gifted education and each individual student

VIRTUAL Virtual Experience in Paleontology Hall Ongoing. Experience one of the

CU Museum of Natural History’s most popular galleries from the comfort of your couch. Journey back in time and “walk” through the 3D version of the Fossils: Clues to the Past exhibit, complete with short, educational videos and Spanish translations. colorado.edu

Email ricksctr@du.edu or Call 303.871.3715 to learn more!

March 2021 | ColoradoParent.com

Roundup

PARK HILL COMMUNITY BOOKSTORE 4620 E. 23rd Ave., Denver A not-for-profit used bookstore run entirely by volunteers, the Park Hill Community Bookstore has newer titles, classics, and some books in Spanish, too. Though open for browsing, families can also support the store by purchasing an annual membership for $25 a year, which entitles members to ongoing discounts and credit toward future purchases. BOOKBAR 4280 Tennyson St., Denver BookBar’s curbside pick-up is open daily for book orders as well as to-go food and drink from their bar. In-store browsing has not yet resumed. They maintain a busy virtual kids’ storytime schedule each week, including musical storytime, and French and Spanish storytimes.

8 Local Bookstores for Kids Check out how these spots have shifted their regular offerings to keep little bookworms reading. By Lydia Rueger

upport independent businesses while fostering a love of literature, at these local bookstores that are great for kids.

TATTERED COVER E. Colfax Ave., Historic LoDo, and Union Station in Denver; Aspen Grove in Littleton Tattered Cover’s four locations, with vast selections of children’s titles and resources, are open for browsing. Curbside pickup is also available at the Colfax Ave. and Aspen Grove locations. They currently offer virtual storytimes and author livestreams that families can register for through the online calendar. In addition, find a wide range of COVID-19 resources for parents, a Picture Book of the Month selection,

Colorado Parent | March 2021

kids’ bestsellers lists, and annual kids’ contest information all under the website’s Young Readers tab. THE BOOKIES 4315 Mississippi Ave., Denver The Bookies is known for its knowledgeable staff and is currently open to customers for browsing by appointment and for curbside pick-up. Until in-store storytime can resume safely, Bookies is hosting a virtual themed read aloud each month, with twice-per-month book picks from storytime leader Carolyn

Hunter, accompanied by craft kits that families can pick up at the store. SECOND STAR TO THE RIGHT 1545 S. Pearl St., Denver Open for browsing, Second Star to the Right’s inventory caters mainly to kids and teens. The store regularly hosts virtual storytimes and author events, listed on the website. Recently, they launched Gay It Forward, an in-store swap program of pre-owned or prepurchased books, designed to promote greater access to books with LGBTQ+ characters.

HEARTHFIRE BOOKS AND TREATS 1254 Bergen Pkwy., D122, Evergreen HearthFire is open for browsing and offers a curated selection of children’s books and toys. They also serve up coffee, tea, and frozen yogurt with choose-your-own toppings. Events are on hold for now, but online shopping is still available. BOULDER BOOK STORE 1107 Pearl St., Boulder Find kids’ virtual author events on the Boulder Book Store’s online calendar of events, browse their large children’s section in person, or order for curbside pickup. Check out online book fairs that help raise money for local schools (discounts are available for educators). Teens can apply for the teen advisory board for the chance to read new titles before their release, write reviews for the Teen Lit Section, and plan events. BOOK CRANNY 7580 Grant Place, Arvada Book Cranny maintains a wellorganized, searchable online inventory of used books. Browse in-store and encourage your kids to bring in books for trade—the staff will get back to you on the number of credits you can receive toward future purchases.

Second Star to the Right: Debbie Mock

Second Star to the Right on South Pearl Street hosts a variety of storytimes and author events for young readers.

We believe in a CONTINUOUS CURRICULUM

Now Enrolling Pre-K to 9th Grade Every school day finds our students engaged in uninterrupted learning, giving their all to new challenges and developing mastery. Throughout the school year, our teachers connect every subject into deeper themes and skillsets for more meaningful learning. And over the years, by eliminating school transitions and intentionally guiding children through developmental levels, our curriculum can continually build on past learning. Ensure every school year builds towards your child’s full potential. Schedule a tour to learn more.

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We help kids get back to being kids. For children with asthma, allergies, respiratory and pulmonary illness, and those suffering from persistent symptoms of COVID-19, hope is right here in Denver. At National Jewish Health, the nation’s leading respiratory hospital, our pediatric specialists incorporate the latest research and treatments to help kids of any age get back to being kids. We breathe science, so you can breathe life. To book an appointment for your child, call 800.621.0505 or visit njhealth.org.