A memorable and interactive adventure for kids and parents in Denver.

Why I love it: Hands-on doesn’t begin to describe the Denver Children’s Museum, where your child can become a veterinarian, an artist or a chef, play with bubbles or water, head to the market or learn how aerodynamics work. There are various storytimes throughout the day for a little downtime, as well as a no-shoes allowed baby/toddler room with books, plush toys and lots of fun things to climb — and that’s all before you get to the outside section. Bring a bathing suit and/or clothes you don’t mind getting messy and your kid can play in the sandbox or the splash pad and, if they’re old and/or tall enough, check out the new Adventure Forest, a 500 ft.-long aerial adventure filled with climbing and crawling adventures.

Things to remember: You could spend all day here (and your kids will probably want you to), so keep that in mind when planning out your visit. You can bring a lunch, but there is also a cafeteria with lunch, drink and snack options. The museum can get busy, so if you can head there as soon as it opens or in the afternoon after lunch, you might get lucky and miss the rush. This museum is extremely hands-on, so bring the hand sanitizer (although there are hand sanitizer stations throughout the museum), and be sure to check for materials that the museum has provided for additional safety/comfort. For example, at the entrance of the water room, you’ll find raincoats the kids can put on to avoid getting drenched, and in the bubble room, the eye goggles are very helpful.

(By: Cheryl Lock of Weary Wanderer)

The Denver Children’s Museum is truly a treasure!  It’s interactive and fun, with sections both indoors and out. 

My kids (ages 3&4) had a few favorites.

(1) The Veterinary complete with a check-in counter, several stuffed animals, and veterinary gear (kennels, bandages).

(2) The bubble section, which had several personal areas to make large bubbles. The best part here was the large corner section where adults and kids can create a bubble as big as themselves by pulling down on a weighted rope connected to a large frame

(3) The outside zip line – there are two short zip lines that are great for younger kids (3-5) and you have a nice view of downtown and your kids will want to ride over and over again.

We visited in July and the heat and lack of shade took me by surprise in the outdoor section.  They have a few large umbrellas but they weren’t adequate for the many people visiting, so ensure that you bring sunscreen and hats to protect yourself.

Another nice feature of the children’s museum is that it is very close to the large REI store (with a children’s play area on the top level) and of course the Denver Aquarium.

Free First Tuesday Nights' Free Play 4 - 8 pm