Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in denver, CO

New Exhibit at the DMNS! Nature Unleashed!

February 13, 2009

Several local bloggers were invited to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science this week to preview their new exhibit, Nature Unleashed, which opens to the public today. Kind of appropriate given the amount of weather craziness this week, including the huge tornado that touched down in Oklahoma - plus I know my kid has *always* been majorly curious about such things. But even more cool was the fact that DMNS curator of astrobiology David Grinspoon was on hand to answer our questions, which made my geeky husband nearly run home and grab his latest Seed Magazine for David to sign. Non-geek translation: David knows his stuff and is very awesome.

The exhibit itself is very awesome too.  It covers all sorts of big weather: hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanoes, etc. The topics can be big and scary, but the museum was sure to also bring things down to kid level - with stuff to touch, buttons to push, videos to watch. Declan loved the section where you raise levers up and down to add gas or silica and create several different kinds of volcanoes.

As for me? My favorite part was standing in a semi-enclosed spot with video walls all around as a tornado approached and passed over you. Creepy and cool and much safer than actually chasing a tornado.

There was also an area to share your own natural disaster stories and pin them to a wall. We got a big kick out of reading the one that said: "1986, paying to see Ishtar."

Declan took the idea and ran with it:

If you can't read that because it's too small or kid-like: "2009. Once upon thare was a dog named Poe and he was 17 week's old and Poe allwase chewed my soks. - Declan"

I can't TELL you how proud I am.

But definitely. Go check out the new exhibit. It's open now through May 3rd, 2009.

And what's even *cooler*? The DMNS has shared a coupon for $2.00 off admission through March 9th, 2009. Just print it out and bring it with you to the museum, easy as pie, have at it, and HAVE FUN.

And let me know what crazy "natural disasters" are up on the wall by the time YOU get there.

Camping with Kids in Colorado

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

July 11, 2008

Alright, seriously. Camping and Colorado go hand in hand, right? With the amazing Rocky Mountains at our back door, how could it not? Here is a sampling of some camping ideas from around the state to start you off with. But please, keep adding more and more. Because given the beauty that surrounds us, this list could go on forever! Golden Gate Canyon State Park This park is one of the closest  Read more...

Three Days in Denver: Day 1

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

July 08, 2008

In the wonderful tradition of the United Airline's Three Perfect Days, we'd like to give you some great sample itineraries to guide you whether you are visiting the Mile High City for the first time, or a seasoned Denverite, the next three days on Being Savvy Denver will be posts you want to bookmark. Because I am going to go through everything from soup to nuts, collecting fun things to do in  Read more...

Stargazing

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

June 09, 2008

My husband Bryan has always been fascinated with astronomy. So, a few years ago, I sucked it up and got him a decent telescope for Christmas. HE LOVED IT. It's not super powerful, because, let's face it, neither could we afford a super-duper telescope nor could I have figured out what to get even if we had the bank to go hog wild. But he could care less. He loves that he can pull out his  Read more...

Top 99 Things We Must Do With Our Kids In Denver Before They Grow Up

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

May 29, 2008

It's all rushing by way too fast, isn't it? Blink and they grow 2 inches. And all along you keep making these mental notes of things you want to do with them, in your city. Things that will be SO FUN! So memorable! But that you never get around to actually DOING. Ack. That stops here and now. I am going to start a list, with my top 50 things I would like to do with Declan before he grows up (or  Read more...

Planes, Trains and Automobiles: Things That Go Vroom!

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

May 13, 2008

OK, maybe you all can settle a bet for me. I have a friend who moved to Denver from New York about 3 years ago, and she claims we live in the Midwest. I laugh at this, and KNOW we live squarely in the WEST. There are so many things around that support this notion, not the least which being the NATIONAL WESTERN STOCK SHOW every January. But I digress. My point being, this post will further  Read more...