I was watching my daughter as she slept on the couch. Her soft little face, angelic and peaceful. Her chubby little hand grasped tightly around the leg of her favorite toy, a stuffed blue bunny named Bun-Bun. She seemed so tiny and fragile, and then in the blink of an eye, she was almost grown. A sixteen year old young adult, who just started her junior year of high school this week, who’s legs are so long that the couch struggles to contain her whole body.
Where did the time go?
In our hectic lives, it’s easy to rush through our days leaving them behind in a frantic blur. Racing on to the next day and the next responsibility and before we know it, years have literally passed.
“The days are long, but the years are short.” ~ Gretchen Rubin
Some of my children’s favorite memories are of little one-on-one dates I would take them on, or that they would go on with their father. Whether we just went to breakfast alone without the family, or on a long drive to catch up without the interruption of others, our alone time was precious and we all still remember those moments fondly.
Going on a parent-child date is about being fully present with your child. Taking the time to truly enjoy your children (regardless of their ages) laughing, playing and listening to their stories, is not only valuable to them, but the benefits to your health and well-being are both immediate and long-term. Even if it sometimes feels like your kids are shaving years off your life, some studies have discovered that the life expectancies of parents can sometimes be 30% greater than the life expectancies of their child-free friends. Time is the very best gift you can give your child, so turn off your phone, immerse yourself in the moment and allow yourself to enjoy your children!
Kid friendly fun can be found in and around every corner of Colorado Springs! Here are just a few suggestions, many of which you’ll only be able to enjoy in and around the Springs…have fun!
OUTDOORSY FUN
- Hiking or biking the Sante Fe Trail http://www.santafetrailscenicandhistoricbyway.org/bikehike.html
- Bear Creek Park http://adm.elpasoco.com/CommunityServices/ParkOperations/Pages/BearCreekRegionalPark.aspx
- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo http://www.cmzoo.org/
- Uncle Wilber Fountain http://unclewilberfountain.org/
EXPLORER’S FUN
- Geocaching http://www.geocaching.com/local/default.aspx?state_id=6
- Cave of the Winds http://caveofthewinds.com/
- Seven Falls http://www.sevenfalls.com/
- Helen Hunt Falls https://coloradosprings.gov/
PLAYFULLY ARTISTIC
- Children’s Theatre at The MAT http://www.themat.org/category/kids-first/
- Color Me Mine (pottery painting) http://www.coloradosprings.colormemine.com/
- Bemis School of Art http://www.csfineartscenter.org/bemisevents.asp
- Magic Town https://www.michaelgarman.com/magic_town/
- Simpich Marionette Theater http://www.simpich.com/
EDUCATIONAL
- Free day at The Fine Arts Center http://www.csfineartscenter.org/freeday.asp
- Money Museum https://www.money.org/
- Pioneers Museum http://www.cspm.org/
- Story Times and puppeteers – Pikes Peak Library District http://more.ppld.org:8080/kids/events/
- Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center http://www.rmdrc.com/
BREATHLESS-GIGGLE INDUCING FUN
- Monkey Bizness http://coloradosprings.monkeybizness.com/?gclid=COjQsb-pqb0CFQqEfgodMJwAJg
- North Pole – Santa’s Workshop http://northpolecolorado.com/
A HOLE IN ONE
- Mini-golf https://www.facebook.com/legendsminigolf
- Glow-golf http://www.opryglowgolf.com/lo_coloradosprings-chapel-hills.htm
SUPER ADVENTUROUS
- Paintball https://www.dragonmans.com/
- Indoor rock climbing http://www.climbcityrock.com/
- Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center http://www.wolfeducation.org/
PROPERLY FANCY
- Tea in a Castle http://www.miramontcastle.org/index.php/tea-room
ATHLETIC
- Roller Skating http://www.skatecitycolorado.com/
- Ice skating https://coloradosprings.gov/
- Batting Cages http://www.adventuregolfandbattingcages.com/
- Sky Sox game http://coloradosprings.skysox.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t551
- Mom/Dad and me yoga http://www.ensomama.com/