Toepfer Park in Highlands Ranch

We're staying with Andrew's parents in Highlands Ranch for a while as our house goes through even more showings! We've had interest and offers that have fizzled out on our home, so no contract yet! We're hoping to be under contract soon.

We decided to go check out Toepfer Park. There is a little parking lot off Venneford Ranch Road, but you can't see the playground from there. I thought we were in the wrong spot, but the playground is just down the path beyond a hilltop.

There was some shade over the swings and a nice pavilion, but the playground itself was unprotected from the harsh Colorado sun. I told the kids we could only stay a few minutes because we were there midday.

There were a few other parents and kids at the park. Most of the kids were hanging out at the swings in the shade, and most of the parents were under the pavilion. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, and I had a few parents to talk to. It was nice!

The equipment is made out of good material that didn't get too hot. It was nice that Oliver could go down the slide and climb up the stairs without worrying about getting burned. Because it was tucked away from the road, it felt peaceful.

We had fun at the park and will definitely be back, but we will avoid it again midday when the sun is strongest.

Civic Green Park

I took the kids to Civic Green Park in Highlands Ranch for a MOMS Club meet up.  It's southwest of Broadway and C-470, next to the Highlands Ranch Library.

The park itself is gorgeous.  To enter the park, we passed a plaque thanking dozens of private donors for making this free public park possible. We then walked over a small, man-made waterfall that cascaded into a little river. Around the river bend, kids splashed and played.  Oliver loved watching the water crash!

There was very little shade at the park.  We have very little cloud cover in Colorado due to our altitude, so the sun is brutal.  We walked by a small splash pad, but I just couldn't fathom stopping to let my kids play there in the hot sun.  There was also a play ground, but, again, there was no tree cover.  The equipment looked hot and uninviting.  Across the field, away from the library, we found a second splash pad.

The second splash pad was larger, and it had a large gazebo that provided shade for all the moms there with their young kids.  Oliver, who had gotten crabby walking under the hot sun, improved quickly in the shade.

I was only able to talk him into checking out the water feature a couple times. Every time the water pressure dropped low enough, he'd start to show interest. He'd get close, the geysers would erupt with fervor, and Oliver would step back.  He was definitely a bit nervous about the water geysers.  There were a number of other small children who stayed away from the water, too, but there were just as many little kids who loved it. The kids who seemed to really enjoy themselves were a little older.

Oliver chickened out:

Besides the severe lack of shade, another big problem with this park was how slick the water area was.  We were only at the water feature for about 20 minutes, and I saw two children slip and fall.  One girl was about 10, and she landed right on her tailbone.  Ouch, it looked painful!  If you go, be sure to bring water shoes that have really good traction.

The park is so lovely, that I hate to make it sound like a bad place. It's very charming. There were oodles of older kids shrieking and having a great time in the water geysers and in the little river. I think it would be an ideal stop for kindergartners and elementary school kids. I can see Oliver having a great time here in a couple years. However, as a mother of an infant and a toddler, the lack of shade, the slick ground surfaces, and the strong water pressure were just a little much.

Treehouse Discovery

Yesterday, I took the kids to Treehouse Discovery in Highlands Ranch for a MOMS Club meet-up. The place is a little on the pricey side ($10/kid/day) unless you decide to invest in a membership ($60) to go all the time.

I was very pleased with the place. It's only for children 8 and younger, but the oldest child there was probably 5. There are wooden play sets for kids to climb and slide. There are also little scooters to ride around, tons of various toys and puzzles, and a costume dress-up area. There was very little plastic. Although there was a TV for parents to watch, the sound was off. I loved how bright and simple it was. By that, I mean it wasn't obnoxious at all, like one might expect from a kids' place (think: Chuck E Cheese).

I don't think I'll be making the drive there in the summer months, when I can just as easily go to a nearby park for free. I think it would be a great regular destination for the winter, though!

They also offer some classes. I'm very interested in taking Oliver to Chinese Storytime. It's for kids ages 1-5, and it's designed to get children exposed to the sounds of Mandarin Chinese. The cost is $15/session, but if you pay for the class, you get to play on the equipment afterwards for free.

Here are a few snapshots of our morning there: