We’ve already established that Northern Colorado is an excellent area to raise a family. Complete with a charming historic downtown area and proximity to outdoor recreation, Greeley is a particularly ideal town to settle down in. In fact, it was ranked the #6 city to raise a family in Colorado by HomeSnacks!
The next time you hear the dreaded “I’m bored” from your kids, take out this list of kid-friendly activities in Greeley to tire them out and entertain them for hours. If you’re looking for more things to do in Greeley (for all ages), check out The 10 Coolest Things to Do in Greeley, Colorado.
Learn Something at Centennial Village Museum
Part of Island Grove Regional Park just north of downtown Greeley, Centennial Village Museum is a living history experience. The seasonal museum features costumed interpreters, heritage farm animals, 8 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds, and more than 35 historical buildings, including some of the oldest structures in Weld County.
When you stop by, you may get the chance to see printing at the High Plains Post historic print shop, blacksmithing at the forge, rope-making, chuckwagon-style cooking, scrub board laundry techniques, corn shucking and grinding, food preparation on cast iron stoves, and adobe horno cooking! While they are closed September through May, the museum opens for a few off-season special events, including Howl-O-Ween Trick-or-Treat, Homesteader’s Holiday, Baby Animal Days, and more!
Splash Around at the Family FunPlex
Photo Courtesy of The City of Greeley
The Greeley Family FunPlex is much more than your typical community recreation center. Situated within the Twin Rivers Community Park, the facility offers an array of amenities, services and programs, including a multi-court gymnasium, an 18-hole miniature golf course (open year-round, weather permitting), a lap pool, an indoor waterpark, a workout area, group fitness classes, personal training, birthday party packages, room rentals and more.
One of the best kid-friendly attractions at Family FunPlex is the Adventure Island Indoor Waterpark, a year-round indoor waterpark. In the warm water pool, families can take a spin around the lazy river, children can explore the zero depth pool and play structures, and everyone can take a ride down one of several massive waterslides! The waterpark also features a water basketball court, a 25-meter lap pool and an outdoor patio area perfect for summer picnics.
Skate at the Greeley Ice Haus
Greeley’s premiere indoor ice arena, the Greeley Ice Haus, hosts public skate sessions, classes, clinics, leagues, tournaments and more. They offer public skate hours every day of the week in addition to cosmic skating, skating programs, public ice hockey, broomball and more. Kids can take beginner skating lessons, play hockey (for free!), or skate with you and the rest of the family during Family Skate Sessions, which cost $25 for two adults and up to four children (with skate rental included!). To see everything you can do at the Ice Haus, click here.
Play at Aven’s Village at Island Grove Regional Park
Photo Courtesy of Landscape Structures Inc.
Island Grove Regional Park is a 155-acre historic park and fairgrounds, home to Centennial Village Museum, Island Grove Splash Park, Greeley Stampede and Greeley Blues Jam. You could spend an entire day exploring this diverse and scenic park, but your little ones will especially love the playground here. Called Aven’s Village, the inclusive farm-themed playground welcomes all ages and abilities to learn, play and grow together. It features custom roofs, concrete-sculpted chickens, farm-themed activity panels, and custom graphics throughout. Plus, the OmniSpin® spinner, Oodle Swing®, ZipKrooz® Assisted, Molded Bucket Swing Seats in addition to various playground slides, climbers and more create a unique family destination for hours of fun and active play.
Run Around at the Greeley Recreation Center
This 105,000-square-foot full-service community center has everything you need to wear out your energetic kids. It features a fitness room, racquetball courts, an indoor pool, a rock climbing wall, two gymnasiums, and rooms for parties and special events. Plus, they offer community programming for both adults and children, so keep an eye on their calendar to see upcoming special events! Admission ranging from $2 (ages 5 and under) to $6 (adults) grants access to use of the gymnasiums, swimming pool, racquetball courts, climbing wall, weight room and locker room, with an additional fee for renting racquetball and climbing wall equipment.
Visit the Colorado Model Railroad Museum
Photo Courtesy of Natalie Stevens for Greeley Unexpected
Most kids are fascinated by trains and railroads, making this next stop an ideal destination for families! The Colorado Model Railroad Museum began in 2002 as a small passion project driven by big dreams. Today, it’s one of the finest, miniature accomplishments in the world, encompassing 5,500 square feet over five years and 280,000 volunteer hours. The one-of-a-kind museum showcases hundreds of railroad scenes, more than 500 scale locomotives, 80 scale miles of train track, about 28,000 handmade trees, and thousands of other handmade artifacts. In addition to the miniature railroad, guests can also see artifacts like a 1919 Colorado and Southern Caboose that is open for tours.
Hike at Pawnee National Grassland
Located 25 miles northeast of Greeley, Pawnee National Grassland is a 193,060-acre grassland ideal for outdoor recreation. Internationally known as a popular birding area, the park is also frequented for hiking, biking, camping, picnicking, horseback riding, stargazing and wildlife watching. Throughout its history, the land has seen the promise of the frontier, the tragedy of the Dust Bowl and the regrowth of the west. Little ones will love hiking along the 4.7-mile out-and-back Pawnee Buttes Trail, which features beautiful wildflowers and gorgeous scenery. This trail can become pretty windy, so may be best for older children — or you can simply conquer a portion of the trail with your younger kids.
See a Show at Union Colony Civic Center
Photo Courtesy of aJorge Jaquez-Marquez via Union Colony Civic Center
Owned and operated by the City of Greeley, the Union Colony Civic Center was built in 1988 and is home to two performance venues. Monfort Concert Hall seats more than 1,500 and Hensel Phelps Theatre seats just over 200. Together, they host more than 100 musicals, concerts, comedy shows and events with the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra and The Greeley Chorale every year. Take a look at their upcoming shows, many of which (if not all), are perfect for kids!
Bowl a Strike at Chipper’s Lanes
With several locations throughout the region, Chipper’s Lanes is a favorite amongst kids living in Northern Colorado. In addition to bowling, Chipper’s Lanes offers arcade games, laser tag, live music, a restaurant, and endless fun for all ages. Keep an eye on their amazing deals, like their ever-changing Daily Deal, Chipper’s Fivers, and our favorite, Unlimited Bowling, which ranges from $9.95 to $14.95 per person. This is an activity the whole family will love — whether you’re a bowler, arcade enthusiast, or you simply want to watch all the action with a beer and a burger in hand.
Explore Downtown Greeley
Home to the Moxi and countless other local businesses, downtown Greeley is a Colorado Certified Creative District. As such, it’s the Greeley headquarters of arts, culture and entertainment. You can experience all of that at family-friendly neighborhood events like the monthly First Friday: A Night of Art, Blarney on the Block in the spring, Friday Fest throughout the summer, and OktoBREWfest and Trick-or-Treat Street in the fall.
And all year long, you can embark on your very own Downtown Greeley Scavenger Hunt! Choose different roles for each person in your group, and go on a 1–2 hour walk through downtown, learning about local history, solving clues, and seeing creative art along the way.
For more downtown Greeley activities, click here.
What kid-approved activities would you add?
Let us know your favorite kid-friendly activities in Greeley. Comment below with your suggestions!
Comments