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

Art For Edison!

May 01, 2009

Everyone is hurting these days. Especially our local schools.

Have you heard about ART FOR EDISON?

Due to DPS wide budget cuts, the Edison Elementary CSC was forced to cut the art teacher position for next year. This was a devastating blow to the Edison community, and a groundswell of calls for action emerged. As this quickly changing scenario unfolded, Christopher Scott, PTA President, immediately began working to address this through the PTA. Christopher floated the idea of raising money to hire a teacher by Randy Thomae. As an entrepreneur, raising money and quickly achieving the Big Goal triggered a subprimal urge within Randy. Randy and Christopher set out to solve this problem. They started Art for Edison on February 22 to provide Art to all 575 Edison students next year. They can do this by meeting the Big Goal:

Raise $60,000 by May 28.

This will allow them to hire a full time Art teacher. This is 3 times their fundraising goal for the entire school for the whole year, in 1/3 the time.

HOLY COW.

How can you help? Edison is hosting restaurant nights over the next few weeks all over Northwest Denver:

May 6: Duo 2413 W. 32nd (303) 477-4141 and Red Trolley 2639 W. 32nd (303) 433-7200

May 11: Patrick O’Carroll’s 3961 Tennyson (303) 458-6666

May 13: Shazz 4262 Lowell (303) 477-1407 and Bang 3472 W. 32nd (303) 455-1117

May 20: Venue Bistro 3609 W. 32nd (303) 477-0477

GO. EAT. SUPPORT.

Or... support the school directly with donations or purchase of student art.
http://www.artforedison.org/support/

As a graphic designer, of course I believe in this cause. But you should too.

Elliot Eisner, an education professor at Stanford University, has spent his career studying the mental abilities and disciplines developed by the arts. Here are a few items from his impressive list:

• The ability to wrestle with problems that have no single correct answer.
• The ability to analyze a problem from many different viewpoints.
• The ability to absorb new information even while immersed in a project.
• The ability to change strategies and even set new goals, if that's what new information demands.
• The ability to make good judgments in the absence of fixed rules.
• The ability to work with others toward a common goal.
• The ability to imagine what doesn't yet exist.

Need another reason?

ART. IS. FUN.

Go get 'em Edison. 

Kid Art Auction for Earth Day 2009!

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

February 09, 2009

In the springtime last year, my son Declan had this amazing idea. He decided that, instead of a standard lemonade stand, he wanted to have an Art Sale in the backyard. When I posted about it, friends contributed ideas and we had an ONLINE version that raised nearly $800 for environmental causes - in just a few weeks.

This year, we are trying to spread the word early so people have plenty of time to participate!

Whadya say? Wanna play?



























This year, the beneficiary will be The Nature Conservancy. It is their mission to "preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive." Kinda perfect for Earth Day, right?

All the details are on a post over at my personal blog, Greeblemonkey. But you don't have to be a blogger to participate, or be from Denver even.

Come one, come all! Let's rock Earth Day!
 Read more...

Best Spots To Play Indoors When It's Cold Outdoors

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

January 20, 2009

Uhhhh. This is a weird post to write seeing as it's been nearly 70 degrees all week in Denver, but trust me. We have a long while till this warm weather sticks around for good - so you will be thanking me for this post later! So, what do *you* do when the cold weather is swirling all around the Mile High City? Here are some of my favorite "hot" spots. HA! Downtown Aquarium - They keep it warm  Read more...

Getting Kids To Actually Keep Track

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

January 15, 2009

As we talked about yesterday , it's time to try journaling, scrapbooking, or SOME form of diary that suits the style of your child. Therein lies the key! Figure out what works for your child! Do they like to draw? Then a more artistic, scrapbook-style memoir is appropriate. Maybe you even just get a portfolio style sleeve to slip all their artwork in and not make it all that formal. Something  Read more...

Journaling For Kids, Where To Find The Supplies

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

January 14, 2009

So, you like to keep track of your kid and their lives, right? Maybe it's through a blog, or through scrapbooking, or even just a good old fashioned journal. And your child is interested in the same things! How fun! But of course they are not as sophisticated in their memory-preservation. Really, all you need for a kid's "journal" are some good old fashioned art supplies and some imagination.  Read more...

My Top Ten for 2008

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

December 30, 2008

I can't believe this year is drawing to a close already. And it's been really fun talking about all the great things to do in Denver. And just like everyone does at the end of the year - let's take a look back! Here are my ten favorite posts from 2008. I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did! Local Pride: 5 Awesome Reasons To raise Kids In Denver Top 99 Things We Must Do With Our Kids In  Read more...

Make Holiday Cards With The Kids!

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

December 05, 2008

It's that time of the year, right? Time to get those holiday cards in order. Well, except for me, the process started back in September. I actually put up a post on my personal blog looking for input on how to go about holiday cards this year. Because 1) the sheer number of cards was getting out of hand 2) so many people in my life "see" us on a daily basis through the magic of the internet (so,  Read more...

The Kid's Book Illustrator I Learned About In College

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

November 19, 2008

I was a graphic design major in college. And included in that major was a class in illustration. And my teacher for that class was pretty much the toughest teacher I ever had. But, of course, I learned so much from him. One of my favorite lessons was a whole day on the children;s book illustrator Chris Van Allsburg. You may not recognize his name, but you have probably either read his books -  Read more...

The Author In Your House

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

November 06, 2008

I can't tell you how many "books" Declan has already authored. The number is mind-numbing. It's been amazing to watch how they have changed over the years, to now - at age 6 - they really *are* books. Here are some tips for you to encourage the little author in your child. - Teach the idea of "beginning," "middle," and "end." Sure, the younger ones will have a more rudimentary understanding of  Read more...

Need Your Face Painted?

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

September 12, 2008

Last weekend, we attended several birthday parties. (Yes! 'Tis the season!) At one of them, Declan's friend had a face painter in attendance that made the day pretty magical for the kids in attendance. We had varying appearances at the party when she was done - butterflies were very popular, a witch, a puppy dog, several Batmen, and my very own chose a tiger. In fact, my tiger was so happy with  Read more...

A to Z - Ways to Escape the DNC

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

July 23, 2008

So we are T-minus one month to the Democratic National Convention , right? And this is going to be the biggest thing to hit Denver since, well, EVER. There were even rumors swirling that Denver Public Schools was considering postponing the start of the school year to avoid the mayhem that will be the official nomination of Barack Obama - and all that comes with it. Personally, as much as I am  Read more...

Two Great Ways To Go West

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

July 18, 2008

I have jokes several times about how a friend of mine considers Denver as part of the midwest and I think it is solidly part of the west, right? Well, the National WESTern Stock show every January notwithstanding, there are two events happening around these parts this summer to help prove my point. Buffalo Bill Days July 23-27, 2008 Golden, Colorado You don't get any more "wild west" than  Read more...

Three Days in Denver: Day 3

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

July 10, 2008

OK, here we are, the end of our three day tour. I actually feel a little sad! But don't worry, we'll continue to bring awesome stuff to do in Denver, even if it's not packaged up as neatly as this mini-vacation collection! Today we start right downtown! There are several great breakfast places in the LoDo area, so if your hotel is up there definitely stop by. Egg Shell & Incredibles Caf,  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...

Hanging with the kids at DIA

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

July 02, 2008

So you are stuck at the airport. With kids. OH. MY. WORD. But never fear! We actually have a really kid friendly airport with Denver International Airport, and here are some great ideas for things to do to pass the time before your flight. Watch The Water Fountain Mountain - Located in the center of the airport, this water "sculpture" is meant to visually represent the Rocky Mountains. It's  Read more...

The art of the self-portrait

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

June 25, 2008

One of the first things my son started drawing was, quite honestly, himself. I don't mean to make him out to be self-centered, because the truth is (Warning! Mom brag!) he is so NOT self-centered that sometimes I actually have to remind him to think about himself! But I am guessing (just a guess, no official research or anything) that part of the reason Declan, and so many other kids, like  Read more...

Local Pride: 5 Awesome Reasons To Raise Kids In Denver

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

June 23, 2008

I grew up on the east coast, in Maryland. And while it was a fun place to grow up lots of water, lots of history I am just loving the fact that my son is a real, true to life, NATIVE of Colorado. (Am I allowed to get the "Native" bumper sticker if I am a parent of a native?) Growing up here from infancy, Declan will certainly have a different perspective on the Centennial State than I did, but  Read more...

Extracurricular Preschool Activities

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

June 17, 2008

We started Declan in preschool at age 2. I put that in quotes because while I really feel like he was getting the start of a solid preschool education, I also feel a little silly because, um, he was TWO. But, really, who am I kidding? Learning is all around our kiddoes, all the time, every day. So whether your child is in a formal preschool or not, it's all about taking in experiences. And  Read more...

The Budding Art Critic: Appreciating The Denver Art Museum

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

June 02, 2008

First of all, for any kid to appreciate art, mom and dad need to appreciate the local museum, right? One thing that the DAM has going for it that totally rocks: The first Saturday of every month is FREE. And admission for tots under 5 is ALWAYS free. Woot! The second thing any kid needs is a very visceral and creative environment with lots of things to interest them. The revamped Art Museum has  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...

Five Great Day Trips

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

May 22, 2008

So, you and your preschooler have cabin fever, now what? The good news is, Denver is close to a million spectacular things! I've chosen five to highlight, but we'll definitely come back to this topic a lot, seeing as Denver is smack dab in the middle of some of the prettiest country on earth. 5. Lookout Mountain Nature Center & Preserve Yes, i.e. Buffalo Bill's grave! There are great  Read more...

The Littlest Picasso

by Aimee Greeblemonkey

May 21, 2008

My husband and are both graphic designers/web developers. So, it follows naturally that our son is interested in art. In fact, when recently asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, he answered, an Artist. Oh yeah, you can bet I welled up over that one. But how did we get him interested in art? Well, partly I think it was in his genes, just like I got it from my great-uncle Heinrich, a  Read more...