Colorado Family Attractions for Kids 10 & Under

Colorado has more than its share of stunning natural attractions, but sometimes the kids are eager for a little more than mountain vistas and scenic drives. We’re happy to oblige with attractions for the whole family in every region of the state.

Denver Zoo in Denver, CO
Epic Discovery at Vail
Epic Discovery at Vail
Cave of the Winds in Manitou Springs
Cave of the Winds in Manitou Springs
Old Town Hot Springs in Steamboat Springs
Old Town Hot Springs in Steamboat Springs
Jet Boat Colorado near Grand Junction
Jet Boat Colorado near Grand Junction
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad in Antonito
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad in Antonito
Bent's Old Fort near La Junta
Bent's Old Fort near La Junta
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Here are a few suggestions for kids 10 and under — from children’s museums and zoos to hot-springs pools, tubing hills and wildlife experiences. For even more, visit COLORADO.com/attractions.

Denver & Cities of the Rockies Region

  • Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park: Ride scream-inducing roller coasters, little-kid-friendly rides and slippery water slides. (Check website for seasonal hours.)
  • Children’s Museum of Denver: Learn about the world in the museum’s child-sized grocery market, fire station and construction workshop.
  • Denver Zoo: See the more than 3,500 animals that call the 80-acre zoo home. Monkey Island and the big cats exhibits are among the top crowd pleasers.
  • Downtown Aquarium, Denver: Feed a slippery stingray and gaze at hypnotically moving jellyfish, stealthy sharks and frisky fish of every color.
  • Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Center, Broomfield: Walk through a tropical rainforest habitat filled with free-flying butterflies. Sniff exotic plants, pet a sea star and hold a tarantula.
  • Denver Museum of Nature & Science: Watch an out-of-this-world show at the planetarium and IMAX theater. Tour exhibits about space, gems and minerals, dinosaurs and the human body.
  • Denver Art Museum: Explore, learn and play. Get creative with hands-on activities for all ages, relax in one of the family fun areas and discover world-class art.
  • Colorado Railroad Museum, Golden: Stroll the museum's 15-acre railyard featuring more than 100 railcars — come Saturdays for the train rides!
  • Aurora Reservoir, Aurora: Spend a day on the white-sand beach, paddleboard, ride the bike trail and more.
  • Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, Denver: See dozens of historic airplanes, space vehicles and interactive exhibits. The collection includes a rare B-18A Bolo–one of only five remaining WWII-era bombers–five Century-Series fighters.
  • Fort Collins Museum of Discovery: Kids love the blend of science, history and culture at this hands-on experience in Fort Collins.
  • The Wild Animal Sanctuary about 45 minutes from Denver amazes visitors with its Mile Into the Wild walkway that lets you observe lions, wolves, grizzlies and other rescued exotic and endangered species from above.
  • Pottery painting: Pick a piece of pottery at Color Me Mine in Boulder and Crackpots in Longmont. Make it your very own with paints and stencils.
  • Fun Parks: Keep busy all day with rides, mini-golf, go-karts, arcade games, batting cages and giant slides at Gateway Park Fun Center in Boulder, Fort Fun in Fort Collins, and Ride-A-Kart & Cascade Creek Mini-Golf in Estes Park. (Check websites for seasonal hours.)
  • Bee Family Centennial Farm Museum, Fort Collins: Experience farm life with activities such as washing clothes on a washboard, milking cows, pulling a horse-drawn plow and grinding corn for chickens at this working farm. (Open Friday and Saturday, May to October.) 
  • Mineral-rich fun, Idaho Springs: Play in the mineral-water swimming pool at Indian Hot Springs or pan for gold at Argo Mill & Tunnel.
  • Colorado Model Railroad Museum: In Greeley, examine intricate model railroad layouts, a wooden caboose from the Colorado and Southern Railroad and more than 1,000 railroad artifacts. See actual trains come and go on nearby tracks.
  • Trout Haven Ranch Trout Pond, Estes Park: Cast your line in Trout Haven’s stocked pond — a perfect first-time fishing experience. (Check website for seasonal hours.)
  • Edge Ziplines & Adventures, Castle Rock: Scale a climbing wall, zipline and freefall from a platform.
  • Water World, Federal Heights: Cool off at one of the biggest and best water parks in the nation. 
  • Dinosaur Ridge, Morrison: Encounter more than 100 fossilized dinosaur tracks and more.
  • Hidee Gold Mine, Black Hawk: Head down into an operating gold mine and pan for gold!

Rockies Playground Region

  • Epic Discovery at Vail and Breckenridge: Immerse yourself in nature, challenge yourself with thrilling activities like mountain coasters, zipline tours, adventure courses and much more.
  • Hot-springs pools: Splash around and soak up the mineral waters year-round at Glenwood Hot Springs Pool and Iron Mountain Hot Springs, both in Glenwood Springs.
  • Summer fun parks: Sample the activities at mountain-top parks with alpine slides, mini-golf, bungee rides, climbing walls, mountain-bike parks and more in Breckenridge, Copper Mountain, Snowmass, Vail. There’s also Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park in Glenwood Springs.
  • Mountain Top Explorium, Breckenridge: Become a fireman in the costume studio, create a masterpiece at the Creation Station and make wildlife tracks in the wildlife exhibit.
  • Ice rinks: Skate around with beautiful mountains as your backdrop in many resort towns, including Copper Mountain, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Vail and Breckenridge. (Winter only.)
  • Tubing hills: Float down a hill on a bouncy tube, then ride the lift to the top to do it again and again in Keystone, Vail, Copper Mountain and Beaver Creek. (Winter only.)
  • Ski schools: Learn to ski or snowboard in kid-focused programs at one of 11 ski areas and resorts in this region. (October to April.)

Mountains & Mesas Region

The Great West

Pikes Peak Wonders Region

Mystic San Luis Valley Region

Pioneer Plains + Canyons & Plains Regions

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Photo courtesy of Denver Zoo/Dave Parsons.