Denver Botanic Gardens

I never would've imagined loving a botanical garden so much! Coming from Maine I must admit that I did visit the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens several times and thought it was a fabulous place, but there's something about strolling through the city and then walking into this wonderworld filled with amazing plants, flowers, fountains and art pieces right in the heart of it. Not only are the original gardens beautiful, but there is a separate space just for the Children's Garden which is amazing! The first time that I went I missed a lot of it because I didn't realize how big it really is. The nice things about the Denver Botanical Gardens is that there are trees everywhere, so you are constantly surrounded by green which helps to hide some of the city view and also the crowds at times. I also liked how the Children's Gardens are so spread out that you can spread yourself out from the crowd as needed. 

I keep mentioning the crowd because yes, there seems to always be a good crowd, even when we started going in late April. But I can't complain because it is that nice that its worth venturing to over and over and finding places to play away from the most crowded spots, and come on now, this is Denver, I'm guessing I'll never go to a hot spot thats not crowded. There is a fee, but I am a lucky enough nanny to have had my charge's family buy a yearly membership so that we can go whenever we please! Check their website, too, as they offer free days every now and then (just remember that these days are even more crowded). 

There is so much to see and do and everything is so beautiful that I couldn't help myself but to take tons of pictures to share. However, the pictures don't even do justice- you must see it for yourself!

Entering the Children's Gardens

Wide pathways through a field of various flowers and plants.
Signs saying to 'look' and 'touch' are abundant.

Leave the entryway and large field to go up the small slope to Pika's Peak and a bouncy bridge,
or go under the bridge to the stream, teepees, and the lower level with a pond and picnicking area. 

So much fun on the bridge! It's actually quite entertaining watching
him explore the bridge now that he is beginning to walk on his own. 

View from the top of the bridge area overlooking the entryway (left) and large field.
Main garden to the right see picture below. Pretty nice view if I don't say so myself, lucky little shits...

Josephine intersects the parking garage (where the Children's Gardens are located on the top) and the main garden, which you can see the entry to in the left center of the picture.

Still on Pika's Peak overlooking another area to explore that includes rocks and tiny cave.
Also a nice picnicking area on the left there. 

  

The stream! Every child loves this small stream that they can splash in.There are also logs and other natural items that they can manipulate in the water (and all over the garden, too).

And although it is a fabulous spot, as you can see it fills up easily and can get pretty crowded. Plan accordingly (I usually give him about 10-15 minutes in the steam and then carry him away to where he can't see it and he gets happily busy doing other things). 

Exploring a basket of pinecones in a teepee. The sign says "Buzz like a bee",
and there are three insect vest-costumes to play with if you're into that. 

Little science spurts can be found all over. I'm sure that the more we visit the
more we'll stop to explore these little things that my young guy passes right by now (yet he is still very busy!).

Touching small purple flowers (the moment before I start saying "be gentle!")

Stream and entryway up to the right, following the path to the left to the pond and picnic area below. 

Beautiful pond! So many plants, flowers, insects, rock sculptures and more to see down here.

A small playhouse and a fountain to watch right next to a covered picnic area (to the right).

After several visits I realized that if I wore out my little guy and gave him food right at the end of our Children's Gardens visit I could cruise through the main gardens and have some some-what downtime for myself. On this day we watched a man setting up for the Chihuly Exhibit coming mid-June. This is a hand blown glass sculpture that this man is very carefully putting together. I can't wait to go back and see the rest of this amazing exhibit!

Museum of Nature and Science

  Although this may not be the top-of-the list choice for an outing, if you are close by and need a wide-open space for getting out some energy after a few rainy days or in the summer when its hot then this is a great spot. We usually only stay about an hour but my little guy always leaves wiped out. Don't forget to go in the observatory area to see the beautiful views!

*Note that our visits have taken place prior to the early childhood exhibit opening early June, 2014. We will absolutely be checking out the new exhibit when it opens and will update you with how it is (the sketches online look like so much fun!). 

  In the Healthy Body exhibit (May 2014) there is actually a small room remolded especially for very young children. The lighting is dim and calm and the aspens remind me of the Children's Museum. There is a small log tunnel to crawl through, steps for climbing, a small slide, body outlines and things to manipulate on the walls. It's a small space and gets busy when there's only a handful of children, but it is a great little spot to play and explore otherwise. 

The animal exhibits have low rails around wide open hallways and buttons that play various animal sounds. My little one loved walking through this area, and before he could take steps on his own he cruised along the rails screeching with excitement. He used all his might to reach for the buttons and bounced happily when he heard a sound after. Luckily, there are also benches along the middle of the hallways so that you can rest your back for a short time! The hallways are wide so that you could probably fit a stroller, but I prefer to bring a backpack to hold our coats and water bottles as we are usually in and out within an hour. 

Pressing buttons.

Exploring a bronze seal in one of the corner hallways. 

PH- Congress Park

Playground Hopping

  Small and quiet makes for the perfect little playground. On the corner of 8th and York you'll find Congress park nestled behind trees and fields. The play area is sand and although the climber isn't very big it still has a few things for a little one (bouncy bridge, steering wheel, curvy slide for two). There are also bouncy things to ride, but since they have added sand recently a little one can safely stand and shake it easily so that you don't have to hold them sitting on it. 

  Beginning in early June the swimming pool at Congress Park is scheduled to open. Other than at Kennedy Park in Lewiston, Maine (oh, my!) I haven't seen a community pool. We will definitely be checking it out especially since there is a small, shallow pool too. 

Path leading to pool entrance.

  I would recommend this park for any day. It is easy to walk to, there is a large playground with swings and a large sand area to play in, there are numerous picnic tables and several large fields. I will fill you in once we visit the pool this summer!

Fields (playground to the left, York Street to the left).

PH- Westlands Park (Greenwood Village)

Playground Hopping 

  Although this park is another drive-to spot, it is well worth it! Located near the Denver Tech Center in Greenwood Village it is nestled in between large office buildings and surrounded by trees, a large field and many walking paths. There is lots to see at this playground, and I especially loved how there were numerous things to play on and do for ALL ages. 

  Walking in from the parking lot is a big beautiful concrete wall with carvings of birds. You then see the play area below, which is a large structure for older children on one side, another side with smaller equipment for little ones including a sand box and swings, a large climbing wall to the back of the play yard, another play area with things to climb on that are very unique and interesting looking (should be a lot of fun with preschoolers and older), and there is also a tree house type stairway to climb, numerous picnic tables, bathrooms and paths to follow all around. 

View from the top picnic area looking at
the play area for the littlest ones.

Rock climbing wall.

  We ended up walking down the path to a small covered area with numerous picnic tables overlooking what appears to be ponds (pic to the side), although they are currently doing construction. I laid out our blanket and we had some puffs, blueberries and water as we watched the digger- a new interest that my little one has!

Field views.

    I would recommend this playground for a longer outing with snacks or a picnic to bring along. There is a lot to see and climb on, and I'm assuming that this playground is frequently filled with other little playmates. What a great spot to go! It would also be great for having two little ones of different ages, that way the older child can have plenty to do without leaving the little one with not much at all.  

PH- City Park

Playground Hopping

  City Park is walking distance for us, so I packed up the stroller and we headed out right after first morning nap and snack. I find that it works out much better if I can get the little one that I'm with out immediately after his first nap and a big snack/light lunch. He's almost guaranteed to fall asleep in a car or stroller, especially after being outside and playing at the park, and if I don't want the afternoon nap to be a huge fight thanks to catnapping in the stroller on the way home I make sure to walk (or drive) home no later than 1:30 (nap start times currently range from 2-3). Once we're home I then give him another light meal/big snack and short play time. Hopefully as he gets older we can begin to pack a picnic lunch instead and not worry so much about the two nap schedule. 

  We entered City Park from the Cap Hill neighborhood crossing at the Steele Street crosswalk. From where we are we either have to go east to Colorado Blvd. or west to Steele to get an actual crosswalk signal with lights as crossing 17th is otherwise impossible with a stroller. We start by going to the first playground which is closest. This is a perk, as we can just come to this area of the park if we are only looking for a shorter outing versus going to both play areas. This area has woodchips as it's ground surrounded by grass and has large concrete paths that lead all around the park.

Although this playground is bright colors and clean the little one needs lots of help. I help mine on the rocking animals, swing, walk across the bouncy bridge, and then we slide together down the twirly slide. There are also 2 baby swings. 

  

  I will forewarn you though: City Park is covered with Geese Shit! I mean, it is literally everywhere, along with the geese! They are sweet to watch though and we've even been following the growth of a gander of baby goslings born this spring. My little one sometimes likes to watch them on the little island in the pond when they are flapping around and honking at one another. 






  Follow the path to the northeast of the pond. On the right you'll see the Museum of Nature and Science, then the zoo, and then it will open to more grassy green space and another playground.
If you stay on the path veering left instead of going straight along the side of the zoo you'll end up at a beautiful historical building that is fun for a little one to pad around on, if they're into that, and then loops back around the pond. If you go straight you'll see an area for parking, and behind that is the other playground. This playground is much bigger and looks unique and fun, but still outdated and lacking real stuff for baby to stay entertained with (at least without constant adult support). We still had a great time and a found a few things that were perfect for little guy- if you know what to look for that is! 

Practicing for future picnics: blueberries, Cheddar Bunnies, and 1/2 a pouch. We also brought a ball and 3 books, which he  is very interested in these days. I was surprised at how much he was willing to sit and even listen to a story, maybe he was regain energy after the first play area!

Wide open pathways great for trying to walk through!

Trying to walk, tapping on and wiggling bars,
and watching kiddos below us.

  

This was a big hit! Little guy loved standing at this and moving it. Luckily it was connected with chains, so he couldn't move it too much resulting in falling over. It was also under the climber and in the shade. 

  I would recommend City Park if you are looking for an outing involving a lot of walking.  It's also nice to have to two separate areas, plus plenty of space for picnicking.The park is also nice if baby is under the weather, you can just walk around the park and omit the playgrounds, yet still have beautiful things to look at and no vehicle traffic. 

PH- Lindsley Park

Playground Hopping

  This park is technically the closest that I can find to where I usually am in Denver, but it also requires crossing Colorado Boulevard between 8th and 13th somewhere. This in itself is nerve-wracking, but after several walks there I've found that crossing at 13th (on the south side of the road, because if you cross on the north side the sidewalk ends soon after the intersection) is the safest and you can follow the sidewalk and use two push-button crosswalks. 

  The playground and park itself are quite nice and an easy go-to. There is a large climbing structure mainly for bigger kids, but it also has stairs going up, so I can hold my little guys hands and have him walk up with me and we can slide down the curvy slide together. There is also a small tunnel on the ground below the climber, which is fun to play in and next to. My little guy also likes to play with the steering wheel, walk along the cement wall to the sand area, and use the baby swings. This playground does have wood chips, so be prepared to find them everywhere and encouraging not eating them! Don't worry, mouthing is a typical developmental stage for an infant/young toddler, you just have to know when to draw the line for safeties sake and redirect their attention to something else.

PH- Downtown Denver Playground

  Playground Hopping

  One of the many playgrounds I'll visit this summer. I wanted to try it out because I read that there was more than one play structure for different ages and also water play, which I've been trying to scope out for a month or so now preparing for the summer heat. I was not in walking distance, but wanted to give it a shot anyways. It did take over 15 minutes to get there which is a bit annoying but typical for Denver traffic, but not as annoying as when we arrived and I realized that parking was going to be scarce, on-street, and would require payment. Luckily I was able to find a metered spot near the Centennial Gardens and one of the entry/exit ways to Elich Gardens (thus making this spot a possible bomb in the summer), although we did still have to walk a few blocks down but the pathway was nice and along the small creek. 

  For being in the heart of the city it was a very nice playground with good city views, too! There were two different climbers, one a little bigger than the other, but both quite modern and with many things to explore and climb on. There was also a covered picnic area and a fountain-type stone structure that looks like it is for children to climb on and get wet in during the summer months. There was a wide open sand play area that ran along a wide grassy area that led to a fence all along the sidewalk along Speer Blvd. For being against such a busy street it didn't feel too busy or traffic filled, and we did get to see a firetruck race by with it's lights on which was a neat show. The ground was rubberized near the play structures, and I'm guessing may be very warm in the hot summer. 

  I would recommend this playground mainly for those who are in walking distance. This would be a great morning cool-off spot if we could walk to it in the stroller. We will definitely go back in the summer though to try out the water area and  explore again, and if we ever need to go downtown or are close-by it'll be a nice spot to push the stroller to, have a short picnic or snack and some playtime.