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The school year has come to a close, and kiddos around the Centennial State are basking in their newfound freedom. The luxuries of sleeping in, spending hours at the park and pool, and perhaps getting a bit more screen time than usual won’t lose their luster right away. When they do, head out to pick flowers, spread out the checkered blanket at one of the prime picnic spots around town, or maybe even catch an outdoor flick. By our estimate, that means parents have approximately 45 more minutes before the “I’m bored” refrain sets in.
Stave it off even longer when you gather your gaggle for one (or all) of these experiences. Found all along the Front Range, each activity inconspicuously hides a learning opportunity within a healthy dose of fun. Shhh: School’s in for summer.
Watch vets in action at CSU Spur.
- Where: 4777 National Western Drive, Denver (Elyria-Swansea)
- Cost: Free
If your child has ever attempted emergency surgery on a stuffed animal, CSU Spur is their Disneyland. At this public-facing outpost of Colorado State University, kids can observe a working veterinary clinic, where real doctors perform everything from routine checkups to spay and neuter procedures. Then, they can play veterinarian themselves, examining plush patients in a mock clinic and lab.
The rest of the gleaming, modern complex (opened in 2022) is equally hands-on: Taste liquid-nitrogen ice cream in the test kitchen, explore the rooftop greenhouse, or strap on a virtual reality headset for a science-powered field trip. Visit on a Second Saturday for even more programming, including special workshops, demos, and opportunities to to try drumming and ukulele in the Music Lab.
Experience the sweet life at Hammond’s.
- Where: 5735 Washington St., Denver
- Cost: Free (book 24 hours in advance)
All Willy Wonka fans in your household will be pumped to see the real thing during a (free!) tour of Hammond’s Candies Factory. Over its 100-plus-year history, the Denver-based confectioner has introduced signature treats that run the gamut from traditional lollipops to gooey Natural Chocolate Mitchell Sweets to eye-catching art candy (like their limited-edition batch celebrating the World Cup).
On your 30-minute trip through the sugary world (don’t worry, no psychedelic tunnels of terror in this workshop), you’ll see where and how more than 5,000 pounds of Hammond’s delights are pulled, twisted, and stretched each day. Then, sample a treat of your choosing—no golden ticket required.
Try intergalactic travel at Fiske Planetarium.
- Where: 2414 Regent Drive, Boulder
- Cost: $8 for children/seniors/veterans, $12 for adults
You can take your kids to space this summer even if you don’t have a Jeff Bezos–size budget. Just journey over to Fiske Planetarium, situated in the heart of the University of Colorado’s Boulder campus. Beneath the 65-foot diameter dome, the largest between Chicago and Los Angeles, astronauts of all ages will launch into the stratosphere. Tweens and teens can immerse themselves in the stories of Apollo 11 or our cosmic origins, while explorers as young as four will enjoy tagging along with Max the dog and his human Tori as they visit the moon. Adults: Listen closely for familiar narrators like Liam Neeson, Benedict Cumberbatch, and George Takei of Star Trek fame. Many of the films, which typically run for 30 to 45 minutes, are followed by a Q&A with one of Fiske’s stellar staff members.
Pack meals at the Food Bank of the Rockies.
- Where: 20600 E. 38th Ave., Aurora
- Cost: Free (advance registration required); volunteers must be 10 or older and accompanied by an adult
Not every summer lesson has to come from a museum exhibit. At Food Bank of the Rockies, kids can spend a few hours doing something that matters: helping put food on a neighbor’s table (one in eight Coloradans struggle with food insecurity). The nonprofit welcomes volunteers as young as 10 (with an adult), making it one of the metro area’s most accessible opportunities for families who want to give back together.
During warehouse shifts, volunteers sort produce, pack food boxes, and prepare meals for distribution across Colorado and Wyoming. (Younger children ages eight and nine can participate at select mobile food pantry events.) Think of it as a playdate with a purpose: teaching your kid about community and philanthropy.
Pet the whole zoo at Lil’ Buckaroo’s Farm.
- Where: 4738 Weld County Road 5, Erie
- Cost: $20 for adults, $16 for children four to 17, $12 for kids one to three years, free for kids under one year
Biology class is in session, and it’s all hands-on-fur at Lil’ Buckaroo’s Farm. Established in 2022, the family-owned petting zoo includes an 8,400-square-foot barn filled with “the sweetest animals from around the U.S. that we could find,” says owner Gina Mackovic, adding that they specifically chose breeds with calm dispositions. “Well, except for the rowdy goats,” she adds. The farm brigade includes mini breeds of cows, horses, pigs, and donkeys, along with silkie chickens and Sheldon, a tortoise in his 30s. Sheep, alpacas, turkeys, cats, and rabbits round out the menagerie.
The ever-present farm staff explain what the animals eat and where they prefer to be scratched as they welcome guests to enter the enclosures for a snuggle or two. They also encourage children to ask their own questions, perhaps regarding whether or not Sheldon can feel your youngster stroking his shell (he can!). Guests can visit during one-hour, self-guided tours or join for an event like Toddler Time.
Teach a raptor to fetch at the Broadmoor.
- Where: 1 Lake Ave., Colorado Springs
- Cost: $209 for a beginner’s class
Forget Fido and his slobbery ball. This summer, take the kids to the Broadmoor and watch how humans train birds of prey to return with wild game. Falconry is a 4,000-year-old tradition still practiced today—including by the licensed falconers leading your 1.5-hour beginner’s lesson. You’ll start by getting acquainted with Rip the gyrfalcon (the largest species in the falcon family) and a quartet of hawks dubbed Maverick, Iceman, Goose, and Phoenix. If Leila the Eurasian eagle owl is feeling friendly, you just may feel the whoosh of wind as she soars right above your head. Then, you’re off to the flying field, where your instructor will explain why falconers use hoods to keep the winged hunters calm and how they use rewards to train birds on what to catch before a free-flight demonstration.
Parents, get the camera ready for the lesson’s end, when your burgeoning bird-whisperer will get a chance to safely hold one of these majestic creatures.
Whip up something yummy at the Cooking Studio.
- Where: 123 N. College Ave., Suite 130, Fort Collins
- Cost: $147 per child for two-day Kids Camp, $157 for parent and child at Parent/Child Class
Have an aspiring Rachel Ray or Bobby Flay on your hands? Help them expand their culinary repertoire from Pop-Tarts and PB&J to coq au vin and bacon-wrapped dates with one of the many classes and two-day camps available through the Cooking Studio. Kids will master foundational cooking and baking techniques like how to properly cut an onion and clean as you go, as well as honing skills that go beyond the kitchen, including responsibility, organization, and creativity. “It gives them so much confidence to be trusted to manage the kitchen environment,” says founder and owner Trish O’Neill. “They often go home and make the same recipes at home for their families.”
Parents are welcome to cook alongside their kiddo, too. Just opt into one of the Saturday afternoon parent-child lessons.
Bottle-feed a joey at Kangaroo Ranch.
- Where: 4910 Iris St., Wheat Ridge
- Cost: Starting at $71 to meet a kangaroo, $99 for kangaroo yoga, and $109 for joey bottle-feeding
Most Front Range kids spend their summers spotting prairie dogs, white-tailed deer, and raptors. But after a visit to Kangaroo Ranch, they can meet, pet, and even bottle-feed joeys under the supervision of owner Keaton Crawford, an exotic-animal caretaker who previously ran the Zoo Chateau in Golden.
The animals, which are sourced from accredited zoos and rescue organizations, may look cuddly, but they’re impressive athletes capable of leaping up to 25 feet in a single bound. Which is to say, children need to be five or older—preschoolers are just too wiggly.
