The most up-to-date information for the Vail Valley

Nanny/Babysitting Services - When you need a consistent, trained, reliable, and proactive caregiver, you can count on a nanny professional from Mom's Best Friend. Our Nannies do more than supervise your children – they can plan and implement daily curriculum, monitor your child's development, and plan fun games, projects, and activities throughout the Vailk Valley.

Providing Quality, Professional Childcare is our Business! Mountain Sitters has been proudly serving Vail Valley since 1998 in Your Location! We also serve all of Summit County. Mountain Sitters is Licensed and Liability Insured and Sitters are 20+ years old, CPR Certified & bring a “Fun Bag” for your child’s enjoyment. Excellent Reputation for Service. Just ask anyone! Office hours are Monday—Saturday * 8 a.m.—5 p.m. MST (closed Sunday).

Guided garden education programs for children & families, weekly Wednesdays from 10:30-11:30am from approximately mid-June through mid-August. A hands-on activity is always an integral part of each program.

Don’t miss Bravo’s Free Family Concert at the Amphitheater Thursday, July 16 at 11am. The National Repertory Orchestra will perform Fancy Fiddlin’. Fun for all ages! www.vailmusicfestival.org or (877) 812-5700

This museum, the largest ski museum in the United States, is worth a visit, if only for an hour or two. With more than 11,000 artifacts representing more than 130 years of Colorado skiing, there's plenty to peruse. The museum revels in the development of ski technology over the years, from the wooden slats skiers once strapped to their feet, to the machines hauling them up thousands of feet to mountain tops. An entire room details the 10th Mountain Division, a Division of Army soldiers that trained in brutal Colorado winter conditions before shipping out to Europe during World War II.

Small World Play School is located in the Park Plaza at Beaver Creek. Open 8:30am - 4pm, Weekdays only. Small World Play School TM offers quality childcare for ages 2 months to 5 years for guests of Beaver Creek Resort. Individual infant, toddler and pre-school age programs. High staff to child ratios. Camp-type activities for ages 2-5 years including arts & crafts and outside play.

For kids, shoe Store.

The Art factory is a full-time art enrichment program for kids ages two and up that provids an opportunity for children to explore art freely in a comfortable and relaxed studio setting. Classes and projects are theme based. Sign up for daily, weekly, or monthly sessions. Located in Edwards in Riverwalk, Garnet Bldg. Suite 211, (970)926-7444.

From June 25- September 1, 2008, the Beaver Creek Children's Museum educates children (and adults alike!) in a fun and interactive way. In addition to the featured exhibits listed below, there are also special presentations for the entire family scheduled through the summer. These include special educational workshops, star gazing nights, visits from Smokey the Bear and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Open: 10am-4pm; Wednesdays- Sundays. Located next to the Beaver Creek Hiking Center in the village. For more information on this program and the Children's Theatre, call (970) 926-5855 or email info@bluecreek.com.

Free performances throughout the village during the summer, June 25 through Friday, August 29, 2008, 11am, Wednesday- Friday. The Beaver Creek Children's Theatre, presented by Blue Creek Productions, has been entertaining our youngest guests for twenty years! The professional theatre troupe's specialities are animating children's literature, poetry, fractured fairy tales and folk tales from around the world. Stories include tales of dogs that think they're human, insecure super heroes, crazy young inventors, bubbles that want to take over the world, "The Green Hobgoblin" and "The Amazing Adventures of the Robin Hood". All the stories are brought to life in a fast moving, high energy, and engaging way.

Summer: This is Vail's mountaintop activity center. Catch the Eagle Bahn gondola to Eagle's Nest for food, fun and frolic. Most kids will want to spend their days in Vail skiiing or snowboarding their way down one of the most extensive networks of trails in the world. But they won't complain when you take them to Adventure Ridge for an afternoon, which is packed with entertainment for the whole family at an altitude of 10,350 feet. In summer enjoy Bocce Ball, mountain biking, disc golf, croquet and much more.
Winter: In winter enjoy tubing, laser tag, ski-biking, orienteering, snowmobiling for adults and kids, ice-skating and snowshoeing. The Gondola is free for foot passenger after 2pm. Call (970) 476-9090 or (970) 476-5601 for times, fees and more information.

Looking for activities for the kids? Let Apex Mountain School’s highly trained guides take them out climbing. Transportation/equipment provided. All abilities welcome. The most fun you’ll have in the Vail Valley! (970) 949-9111 or visit www.apexmountainschool.com

The Log Cabin in Avon is the center of activities for Nottingham Park and Lake. In winter, skating is free on the frozen lake and skate rentals are available if needed. Ice hockey, broomball, speed skating and even ice fishing can be found. The Cabin provides a warm indoor place to take a break, food concessions and restrooms. In the summer, paddle boat rentals are available, and watch for the annual fishing derby. Visit www.avon.org or call (970) 748-4280.

The Avon Recreation Center is a spacious multi-use facility with over 40,000 square feet of fun! Within its doors lies a variety of activities which will exceed you and your family’s fitness and leisure needs. Whether you want to join one of our many award-winning yoga classes, swim laps in our five-lane lap pool, or simply relax and daydream while floating along the lazy river, the Avon Recreation Center and its staff can surely accommodate your needs. Our Mission is to bring the community together through comprehensive recreation programs and services.

Pony Rides!! Available at Piney and Beaver Creek Stables. Children age 7 and older are welcome on the trail, and younger buckaroos can ride, brush, feel and love the pony. 10am-3pm daily. Beaver Creek Stables (970) 845-7770; Piney Stables (970) 477-1171

This arena is open year-round with lunchtime sessions for pubic skating. A second, outdoor rink is added during the winter at the Vail Golf Club. US$5, rental skates US$3. 321 East Lionshead Circle, Vail. Phone (970) 479-2270.

Recreation for children for a full day! Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs, is a great complement to your winter vacation, with a variety of exciting activities for both kids and adults. Ride the scenic tram to the top of Iron Mountain then enjoy a guided tour of Glenwood Caverns’ amazing Fairy Caves or experience the thrill of Colorado’s only alpine coaster as it plunges down the mountainside.

Keep your child busy by the pool side in winter? Your child would love to be here. Imagine the World’s Largest Hot Springs Pool, a three-hundred foot long swimming pool kept at 90 degrees all year long, and a therapy pool that relaxes muscles and relieves aches at 104 degrees. Water This is a must do attraction to elevate the experience of your Colorado ski vacation.

Summer: Open the door to a world of adventure and life-long love of learning for the young scientist in your family at Gore Range Natural Science School. During our Youth Science Day Camps, children experience the wild places of the Eagle Valley while nurturing their connection to the natural world through mountain "backyard" explorations. For more information, visit www.gorerange.org
Winter: In wintertime, they feature an all-ages snowshoe tours that start at the Nature Discovery Center atop Vail Mountain exploring winter ecology, animal adaptations and more. Call (970) 827-9725 for information.

From 9am-4:30pm, the magic will begin for your children with age-appropriate activities like visiting the Matawin Teepee Village, horseback riding and arts & crafts. This will be a summer they won't forget. Reservations required, please call (970) 754-5464. Discovery Camp (ages 5-7) - Activities geared toward our younger campers include face painting, pony rides, panning for gold, sports and children's theatre. Discovery Camp Calendar Adventure Camp (ages 8-13) - For your older ones, Adventure Camp offers a changeing schedule of challenging activities led by counselors and guides. Activities include canoeing, archery, orienteering, swimming and hiking. Adventure Camp Calendar Five-Star Camp (ages 5-13, some age restrictions) - Horseback riding, indoor rock climbing, river rafting, jeep tours, wagon rides, gold mine tours, and more! A one-of-a-kind camp experience.

The Mountain Top Children’s Museum, Inc. is an educational institution that promotes informal learning through interactive exhibits and programs, imaginative play and engagement in active experiences for children ages 10 and under and their families/caregivers.

Snow Limousine offers private, customized recreational tours for kids & families. Owned and operated by Curtis & Calvin Vagneur, 4th Generation in the Roaring Fork Valley, Snow Limousine knows all of the choice spots in the Valley and has a variety of vehicles for a truely unique vacation experience. Float trips, fishing, bicycle trips, birthday parties, bowling and horseback riding are only a few of the fun activities. Large groups can be accomodated. Call them today to discuss which options are best for your family. (970) 319-5701 - cell phone

Join SOS Outreach for summer rock climbing day camps or week-long wilderness camps. Rock climbing camps run Mondays and Wednesdays, 9am-3:30pm. Information and registration available at www.sosoutreach.org or (970) 926-9292.

Horseback rides, Horsemanship Camp, Advanced Horse Camp, Pony Camp, Nature Camp, Private riding sessions. All for Kids. Also there are Horseback rides for teens, adults, families and groups. Open from May 22, 2009 to September 30, 2009.

The Back Bowl is fun for the whole family in Eagle, located just off the I-70 Eagle Exit in the Eagle Crossing Shopping Center. They’ve got twenty state-of-the-art lanes with optional gutter-guards for the kids, special lighting effects and luxury seating. The kids will also be bowled over by the largest video and game arcade in Eagle County.

Vail Gymnastics is more than gymnastics. Classes in Dance, Martial Arts, Trampoline, as well as gymnastics (for ALL ages) are offered at our new 9,000 square foot state of the art facility located in the heart of Vail.

Provides biking sessions for kids. Riders of all abilities will learn the basics of mountain biking, racing, safety, and bike maintenance, while making new friends and exploring great trails. The cost is $120 per three-day session for kids ages 7-13, which includes prizes, t-shirts and a water bottle. Vail Mountain Bike Camps is an equal opportunity service provider and is under special use permit by the White River National Forest.

Summer: Recreation for children - the Imagination Station is a great indoor option for parents to spend time with their children. Perfect for ages two through 12. For ages three to five, the weekly Discovery Bunch program facilitates interactive fun including listening to stories, creating art projects, singing songs and discovering new experiences in a small, structured setting. For ages three to five, Preschool Sports provides children with an opportunity to acquire activity skills in a playful setting.
Winter: The Vail Recreation District provides world-class recreation opportunities to Vail's residents and guests at our numerous facilities, including the Vail Golf Club, Vail Tennis Center at Ford Park, Dobson Ice Arena, Vail Gymnastics Center, VRD Youth Services, VRD Sports, Vail Nordic Center and the Vail Nature Center. Snowshoes and Nordic ski rentals are available at the Vail Nordic Center and can be used on the 17 kilometer set track for skiing, plus the 10 kilometer snowshoe trail.

The VRD’s youth camps include volleyball, lacrosse, soccer, baseball, basketball and performance training. Camps offer young athletes an opportunity to learn new sports, develop new skills and refine existing skills. Visit www.vailrec.com or call (970) 479-2280.

The VRD’s youth summer camps feature hands-on learning about the natural environment, adventure-packed days including rafting and caving, arts and crafts, plus golf, gymnastics, ice skating and more. Visit www.vailrec.com or call (970) 479-2290.

We, at Winterhawk Dogsled Adventures, offer the total dogsledding experience for both children and all others. From mild to wild, three different locations, private parties to large groups, we have something for everyone. Snuggle up under the warm wool blankets and let an experienced guide do all the work or harness up and drive your own team. Afterwards, take a tour of the kennel and spend some time with the puppies. At Winterhawk it’s more than just a ride.