Dr. Paddy, Dr. Roger, and Dr. Owens all absolutely love winter. Maybe it’s this shared love of winter and healthy smiles that makes them such a great team. Being the snow aficionados they are and the fact that they spend their days hanging out with kiddos and families, they have the scoop on all of the awesome winter activities for kids in Denver, Thornton and Englewood, CO. After our last guide turned out to be a hit, the team here at Kids Mile High put together a second one to keep your family busy throughout the cold weather months. The best part? Everything on this list is either affordable or absolutely free!
- Ice Skating at the Downtown Denver Rink at Skyline Park – Skyline Park, Arapahoe Street, Between 16th and 17th Streets, Denver – Ice skating at the Downtown Denver Rink is one of the most anticipated winter activities for kids in Denver each year. Presented by Capital One, the rink is open seven days a week from the end of November through February 3 and entry is free! You’re also allowed to bring your own skates. If you don’t own a pair, skate rentals are $6 for kids 12 and under and $8 for skaters 13 and older. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 12n to 5pm, Friday and Saturday, 10am to 10pm and Sunday, 11am to 6pm. To really take the fun up a notch, head to the rink on Friday nights between 7 and 9pm and skate to the tunes of a Denver DJ.
- Retro Game Day – Englewood Public Library, 1000 Englewood Parkway, Englewood, CO – The Public Library is a source of tons of free Englewood kids’ activities, as well as things to do with the whole family. On Sundays through April, enjoy a little friendly competition and keep warm at Retro Game Day. The library sets out board games on the tables between 1 and 5pm. All ages are welcome to play and no registration is required.
- City of Thornton Youth & Teen Nights – Thornton Community Center, 2211 Eppinger Boulevard, Thornton, CO – The Youth Council dreams up outstanding Thornton activities for teens, including Youth & Teen Nights. Each event features an activity or theme that provides safe and supervised fun for kids ages 10 through 17. This winter and spring, events will be held on Saturdays, January 19, February 16, March 16 and April 13 from 6:30 to 10pm. Admission is $2.50.
- Kindness Club – Sam Gary Branch Library, 2961 Roslyn Street, Central Park, Denver – I don’t know if we’ve ever heard of a sweeter Central Park activity for kids, teens and grown-ups than the Kindness Club. The group’s goal is to promote kindness through simple acts and it’s open to ages birth to 100 (though we bet they’ll let you in you’re 101). Kids have to be accompanied by an adult. On Tuesday, February 5 from 4 to 5:30pm, in preparation for Random Acts of Kindness Week, the inter-generational club will create bookmarks to hide in library books. You can also make an official Kindness Club member button. If you can’t make that session, the group meets again on Tuesday, March 5 from 4 to 5:30pm to focus on kindness to our feathered friends. Do something nice for others and make friends and meet neighbors in the process!
- Family Classics Film Series – The Cube – 8371 E. Northfield Blvd, Central Park, Denver – If you’re looking for indoor winter activities for kids in Denver, cozy up at the Family Classics Film Series at the Cube. Each month, from January through March, the Central Park MCA will host a family-friendly film. Events begin at 7pm and admission is $5 per person. Before the movie, Dr. Vincent Piturro will lead an educational discussion. Residents can bring their resident card to receive a $4 credit at the concession stand, which will serve up soda, beer, wine and popcorn. On Friday, February 22 watch Mary Poppins and on Friday, March 1 catch Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
- Hit the Slopes at Ruby Hill Terrain Park – Ruby Hill Rail Yard, 1200 W. Florida Avenue, Denver – When it comes to free things to do with kids in Denver during the winter, it doesn’t get much more awesome than Ruby Hill Rail Yard, which was the first free urban terrain park in the entire country. The Ruby Hill Rail Yard opens in January each year when the artificial snow is blown and lasts until the snow melts – usually six to eight weeks. The park is made possible thanks to Winter Park Resort, volunteers and Denver Parks and Recreation. The park is free and open to the public from 5am to 9pm with eight boxes and rails featured in beginner, intermediate and advanced configurations for skiers and snowboarders of all ages.
- Home Depot Kids’ Workshops – 16420 Washington Street, Thornton, CO –Home Depot’s monthly workshops are one of our favorite free things to do with kids in Thornton, CO because they offer hands-on fun. Kids get to make a craft, which they can keep, and they receive a certificate of achievement, an apron and a pin while supplies last. Up next is a heart candy box workshop on Saturday, February 2. Stop by between 9am to 12n and you and your child will get to build a heart-shaped box for Valentine’s Day and then customize it with paint and stickers. All child attendees must be accompanied by an adult. Register here.
- Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) Free Days – Various Locations, Denver, CO – A variety of museums and cultural organizations offer free admission on select days throughout the year, including in winter, thanks to SCFD Free Days. The initiative is partly funded by the residents of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson Counties through the SCFD 0.1% sales and use tax. This year, attend free days at the Denver Art Museum, Denver Botanic Gardens (Denver, Chatfield Farms and Plains Conservation Center), Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Denver Museum of Nature & Science and Denver Zoo.
If getting your child’s smile in tip-top shape is also on your agenda this winter, schedule an appointment at Kids Mile High!
