If you’re at the point in parenthood where you have a tween in your family, you know this stage is a bit of a mystery. Those years between 9 and 12… they aren’t little kids anymore, but they aren’t grown up enough to go places on their own or do a lot of the stuff meant for teenagers.
Play places meant for small kids no longer interest them, but they’re still too young for many of the freedoms or privileges that come with driving and being a teen. So where do we take them for entertainment? What will they enjoy (and, most importantly, is also appropriate for them)?
Here is a list of 10 things, tried and approved of by tweens themselves, around Denver that will help you safely occupy their time.
10 Places to Take Tweens in Denver
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iFLY (Lone Tree)
Discover the thrill of skydiving without actually having to jump out of a plane! Tweens who are too young to actually take skydiving lessons and do the real thing will love this
experience. It’s also great for those who would like to experience skydiving without actually having to take a big risk. iFLy also welcomes individuals with physical or cognitive challenges. Check out their website for details and packages.
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SkyZone
There are 4 locations across the Denver metro. Check the website to find the location nearest you and verify that location’s pricing. With a snack bar area for you to sit and work or relax, you can stay on property while also letting your kids feel like they have some independence playing and flitting from activity to activity as they burn plenty of energy.
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Urban Air
Similar to a SkyZone where you can stay on property and hang out in the snack bar but give your kiddos some independence, Urban Airs are a great place for tweens to burn all that excess energy and have some much-needed friend time. Urban Air offers 5 locations from Westminster to the Springs. Check out the website of your best location to verify their pricing.
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Boondocks: Food and Fun (Parker and Northglenn) or Main Event (Highlands Ranch, Thornton, Windsor and Colorado Springs)
From bowling and arcade to bumper boats, mini golf, go-karts and ropes courses, Boondocks and Main Event locations have something for everyone. They are different yet very similar businesses but the combination of the two serves the greater Denver area nicely. Find the location that works best for you and check their particular website to see exactly what that location offers. Your tween could spend hours without looking at their screens once!
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Park Meadows Mall (Lone Tree)
If you have spent any time around tweens at all, you know they are beginning to develop their own sense of style and wanting to start spending time with their friends away from mom and dad. They want to do things that feel a little more grown up. A great way to do that safely is to take a group of friends (or siblings) to the mall and let them roam while you stay on site. With periodic check-ins and rendezvous points, they can feel slightly independent and you can rest assured that you are still there to help them if needed. Park Meadows Mall is a great indoor mall option with a large food court, snack kiosks and a large variety of stores to suit all tween tastes.
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Pirates Cove (Englewood/Littleton)
Let’s be honest – water parks can thrill kids and adults of all ages, so this is a win-win for the whole family, not just your picky tweens. Pirates Cove is a smaller water park but the advantage is lower prices. They still have something for everyone from slides, a lazy river and even just a good old-fashioned pool and diving board. This summer, drive off the boredom and keep them active in the sunshine!
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Water World (Denver)
Water parks have some things in common, but Water World is a bigger option than Pirates Cove and serves the northern part of Denver (or anyone who would like to drive up north). Check out their website for opening day, schedules and pricing options. If this is your child’s idea of fun, a season pass might be a good idea.
It might not be open year-round, but during the warmer months and for special Halloween and Holiday events, this a great place to take your kids or gather up a group of their friends and another parent friend or two and make a fun group outing out of it. Between fun rides, games and food, they’ll love every minute.
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TopGolf (Centennial, Thornton or Colorado Springs)
Make it a one-day family outing or invest in a membership or lessons. However you do it, paired with the delicious food on their menu, they are sure to have a good time. Take just the tweens in your family or make it an outing with their friends.
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SNOBAHN (in Centennial/Littleton and Thornton)
Does your kiddo love to ski and wishes it was always winter? Snobahn is a great place to teach them to ski or allow them to increase their skillset without actually having to drive in to the slopes or wait for the first snowfall of the year.
