Aspen Kids' Activities-- Aspen Center for Physics

Activities for all ages
Ideas for Independent Fun
Further afield 		Preschool, ages 3-6 and daycare
Area Day Camps
Area Overnight Camps
Note these are mostly summer activities. For winter, consider the ski school day camps.
See also the list compiled under "local activities" at www.mountainparent.com and the camp list here
and the elementary school aged kids list from Aspen Elementary School.

Activities For All Ages

  • Ajax Adventure Camp, ages 8-16, outdoor adventure camp from 9-5, based at Aspen Middle School, with weeklong and punch-pass signup available. 970-205-9392, http://ajaxadventurecamp.heroku.com.

  • Anderson Ranch -In Snowmass Village. Offers week-long workshops. Excellent in many media. They fill up quickly, so call early. andersonranch.org [923-3181]

  • Aspen Art Museum -Kindergarten through teenager; classes and week-long day camps; so many choices, under "learn" at their website and then workshops. [925-8050]. aspenartmuseum.org

  • Aspen Ballet School -Dance classes [925-7175 x16] aspensantafeballet.com

  • Aspen Basketball 927-1840, www.aspenbasketballacademy.com

  • Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES)- Countless classes, some day-long events. Aspennature.org [925-5756] closed on Sundays.

  • Aspen Filmfest 925-6882, ext2, www.aspenfilm.org

  • Aspen Historical Society (or Heritage Aspen)- Preschool and up. All sorts of on-going and one-time events. Week-long art camps for children in grades 1 to 4 (tied to Aspen Art Museum), also museum tours www.aspenhistory.org

  • Aspen Ice Garden-Ice skating [920-5141 or 544-4121] also see the ARC below.

  • Aspen Institute Youth Programs/Discussions, 544-7929 www.aspeninstitute.org

  • Aspen Junior Golf [920-3221] Saturday golf clinics from 9-3. Provides equipment. Register ASAP-available until filled.

  • Aspen Recreation Center- from Play House for preschoolers to events for teens, there is so much to do, including day camp for elementary-aged kids. Aspenrecreation.com [920-5140]

  • Aspen School of Theatre Arts -1 day to 2.5 week-long sessions for ages 5-adult in various aspects of acting. [925-9313] info@TheatreAspen.org, http://www.theatreaspen.org.

    Aspen Science Center intensive 3 week program for High School students.

  • Aspen Writers' Foundation -Ages 8-15, week-long writing camps [925-3122] aspenwriters.org

  • Aspen Youth Center-[925-7091] www.aspenyouthcenter.org

  • Blazing Adventures [923-4544]- Ages 13+ Biking, rafting, rock climbing, horse back riding. Blazingadventures.com 6 and up can go rafting, 8 and up can go hiking with parents.

  • Camp Ecology and Camp Eco Sports ages 5-8 and 7-10 respectively, June 19 to Aug 25. 970-274-2267.

  • Colorado Mountain College [970-925-7740] Summer classes for children. Coloradomtn.edu

  • Cozy Point Ranch equstrian day camp run by city of Aspen

  • EARTHcamp, for kids entering grades 3 to 6, June 26-30, 9am to 4pm (half-day Friday), at Windstar Land Conservancy in Old Snowmass. 970-927-5430.

  • Fly Fishing Clinic ages 12-16, learn how to fly fish with Taylor Creek Fly Shop in a 2 day class, 927-8214 www.basaltexpressedc.org

  • H2J Riding School [923-9297] www.h2j.com Ages: 7-17 years. Hours: 10-4.

  • Kids' Trout Fishing 923-8647 9:30-1:30 pm. $50/person includes transport, equipment, guide, snacks, drinks. Reservations required, start June 8th. meet at 4 Mountain Sports.

  • Kolor Wheel-Ages: 6-12. Paint your own ceramics studio. Camp by the day or week. [544-6191]

  • Living Arts Studio Foundation- Dance and other classes [925-7018]

  • Music Associates of Aspen-Check the summer kids' brochure or arrange for a music tutor [925-3254]

  • Pitkin County Library- Story hour for preschoolers, reading program (win cool stuff) for elementary through teen, and storytelling class. Pitcolib.org [925-4025]

    Run and Gun Paintball Daily $40/person includes all equipment and one round of paint. Reservations. children under 7 are not permitted. 923-1227.

  • Radio Skateboard Camps, 925-9373 (424 Cooper Ave. in downtown Aspen), 10-2, 7 days/week.

  • Soccer Camp, junioereurosoccercamps.com, 544-5588

  • Spellbinders Young Storytellers Camp: Pitkin County Library July 10-27, 2006, 1-4 pm (middle schoolers, free). Contact Spellbinders at 970-922-1444 or email Germaine Dietsch, Program Director (gdietsch@comcast.net). (Also at Basalt Regional Library July 10-21, split for upper and lower middle schoolers: 10-12 noon for 5th and 6th graders and 1-3 pm for 7th and 8th grades).

  • Surf the Dirt at Snowmass Village [923-0570] Mountain boarding for ages 8-13. Coaches, instruction, gear and boards provided. Aspensnowmass.com

Note: Mountain Parent, a free newspaper, has a calendar of events for parents in the Roaring Fork Valley (Aspen, Basalt, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs and beyond)


Ideas for Independent Fun

  • Parks-Herron Park has a playground area and a small pond along the river. Small children can spend hours here.
    Triangle Park on Lake Avenue in the West End has a small pre-school-age playground.
    Ute Park is semi-wild and has unusual play equipment and Aspen's recently renovated first cemetery.

    The City of Aspen has a list of parks here.

  • Ride the gondola in Aspen or the chairlift at Snowmass. Bring a moutain bike, or ask the lift attendants for frisbees and play frisbee golf. There are FREE kids activities every Monday through Friday, 11 am-2 pm, from mid June til end of summer on top of Aspen Mountain. e.g. Arts & Crafts, Cooking, Yoga, Adventure Hikes, Carnival Games

  • Play in the Hyman Street Fountain-Try the famous Ben Kelly Maneuver, bring an umbrella and see what happens.

  • Hit the Skateboard Park--Near the theater at the Rio Grande Park. Bring a helmet.

  • Take a walk through ACES-Down behind the Post Office, there's a gift shop and a nice walk around the lake. (not open Sundays)

  • The Braille Trail-Is especially fun with little kids because it's geared for the blind, so it offers hands-on opportunities. It's up a few miles on Independence Pass.

  • Visit the historic ghost towns of Independence (on Independence Pass) and Ashcroft (up Castle Creek Road)

  • Attend the Snowmass Rodeo on Wednesday evenings.

  • Rio Grande Trail-Rent/borrow a bike or roller blades

  • Blazing Adventures allows infants and older on jeeping and biking expeditions. Age 6 and up can go rafting. Ages 8 and up can go hiking with parents. Also offers hot air ballooning, rock climbing, and horseback riding.

  • Movies are available at the Isis [925-7584].

  • Check with Physics Center staff about hiking opportunities in the Aspen area.

  • The Aspen Recreation Center (ARC): In 2003 the James E. Moore pool reopened as an indoor pool featuring a short lazy river, a water slide, fountain and kids' play area in addition to the Olympic-sized pool with swim lanes. It also has an ice rink and a climbing wall, youth center & snack bar.

  • Aspen Parks and Recreation also has lists of activities. http://www.aspenrecreation.com

Further afield
  • EL JEBEL:
    • El Jebowl-Bowling 963-1978

    • Movieland- 925-1300

  • GLENWOOD SPRINGS:
    • Glenwood Hot Springs- 945-7131

    • Glenwood Parks w/playground equipment: Sayre Park and Veltus Park

    • Fairy Caves- 945-4228

    • Miniature Golf- 945-9608

  • BEYOND:
    • Laser Bowling -New Castle-970-984-2739

    • Paint Ball in Rifle - 970-625-1506


Preschool Ages 3-6, Daycare

      See also here for more daycare information and here for under 18 month info and here for more listings. Daycare for kids under 2 1/2 requires a lot of advance planning, and even the programs listed here fill up, so planning ahead is a good idea!
      A 2006 list of home daycare providers from Kid's First is here.
      Aspen Ski Company (970-925-1220) maintains a list of babysitters (at the Camp Aspen-Snowmass desk). These people have indicated that they are interested in babysitting, and have differing backgrounds and skills (this is not a referral service, just a list of people who are interested, so you should call them and their references to find out if they are a good fit for you). They do not represent the Camp, and set their prices individually (the list for summer 2007 should be put together by June 22).

  • Aspen Sprouts [920-1055] 8-5 p.m.
    Ages 2 1/2 to 5 years. Focus on outdoor activity. Advance Reservations needed. $90/9 hr. day in 2006.

  • Camp Snowmass [923-0570 or 800-525-6200 x4570] $89 day, discount for 5 days ($395). Ages 3 to teens. Special activities every day, special activities cost more (horseback riding, rocket camp, etc.) Aspensnowmass.com then click camps, then kids camps. (For winter, seems one needs to click on "family fun" under events and go from there.)

  • Early Childhood Center [923-5846] Ages 1.5 to 5 years.

  • Little Feet [920-9000] Ages: 6 wks - 5 years 7:30-5:30.

  • Little Red Schoolhouse [923-5020] Ages: 1-5 years. Hours: 7:45-5:30. In Snowmass Village, on Owl Creek Road.

  • Wildwood School [925-5678] Ages 3-5 Hours: 8:30-4. Environmental arts preschool program. Advance Reservations needed. Bus transportation provided to/from Aspen. www.wildwoodschool.org.
  • not all day Music Together 923-5020, allvalleymusic.com


Area Day Camps

(see also the list at Mountain Parent, the 2006 list is archived here.)
  • Ajax Adventure camp http://ajaxadventurecamp.herokuapp.com/, at Aspen Middle School and beyond, daily/weekly, also has overnights optional
  • Aspen Club Summer Camp www.aspenclub.com, ages 5-11. m/w/fri 10am-3pm, Jun 9-Aug. 29, Contact Domi Sosna, 920-5874. $35 member, $50 non-member.

  • Aspen Day Camp [920-5140] Ages 5-14 (5 year olds must have completed kindergarten). 7:30-5:30. M-F $40/day ($30 resident). There is also an activity fee per season. Each Friday one can call to obtain the next week's schedule of camp activities. Needs immunization records and forms filled out.

  • Aspen Day Trippers [920-1769] For kids 8-14, in summer 7 days a week, 9-9:30 am to 3:30-4:30 pm. Rafting, biking, water activities, etc.

  • Camp Ecology and Camp Eco Sports ages 5-8 and 7-10 respectively, June 19 to Aug 25. 970-274-2267.

  • Camp Chip A Tooth, 927-0169, 5-12 years. License Program, Mon-Fri, 7:30-6 pm.

  • campcozypoint.com Horseback riding camp 6 miles outside of Aspen, 10-3:30 m-f (shorter times for 4-6 year olds)

  • Camp Aspen/Snowmass [923-0570 or 877-AT-ASPEN], ages 2.5 to years. Swimming, hiking, arts & crafts, sports, games, nature study, horseback riding, tennis. Different activities for different age groups, some extreme sports. $119/day or $59 with pass, pass is $235 before 4/20/14, $285 after 4/20 Adventure camps requiring equipment rental are more expensive. Pick-up and drop-off in Aspen at Yellow Brick Schoolhouse. Hours: 8:00- 4:00 (inquire about additional time in pm). www.aspensnowmass.com/camps/kids.cfm specialty camps include campout, rocket camp (2 or 3 day), pro mountainboard camp, offered some special dates.

  • Wildwood School [925-5678] Ages 3-5 Hours: 8:30-4. Environmental arts preschool program. Advance Reservations needed. Bus transportation provided to/from Aspen. www.wildwoodschool.org.

  • Challenge Aspen, 923-0578, 7-12 years for children with physical or mild mental disabilities

  • Aspen Camp for the Deaf, 923-2511 www.aspencamp.org

  • Sopris Therapy Services, all ages. Daycamps and weekly sessions, horseback riding, fun with horses programs as well as Equine Assisted Learning and Therapeutic programs. Miniature Horse Program for preschoolers with disabilities and special need. $25 per session, 963-4677.
  • See also the daycamps listed on the daycare list.


    Area Overnight Camps

    • Anderson Camp-near Gypsum, Colorado (about 1 1/2-hour drive from Aspen) is an international camp that offers myriad outdoor activities for children ages 7-17. The sessions are two- or three-weeks long. (970) 524-7766/andersoncamps.com

    Phone area codes are all 970 unless otherwise indicated. You need to dial the area code only if you call from outside the Roaring Fork Valley. This brochure is simply an information service for ACP Participants' families. The Physics Center and its funding agencies do not endorse or guarantee any of these programs, events or outings.

    Back to ACP home page.

    Comments or Questions? Contact jcohn@astron.berkeley.edu
    Last modified Mar 8, 2006