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This season, reward your child with a gift that will let his or her talents shine, and can be enjoyed by the whole family.
For the musician: Find out whether your kid has the musical tendencies of Beethoven or Bieber with the Rock And Roll It flexible roll-up instruments (pictured above). Made of flexible silicon, the 49-key piano or drum kit can be rolled out on most surfaces and rolled up afterward for easy clean up and storing.
$49.99; available on Amazon.com and at Grandrabbit’s Toy Shoppe, 2525 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder; 303-443-0780
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
For the playful: There’s nothing better than watching kids be kids. With the Zipfy Mini Luge Snow Sled, your little ones can quickly coast downhill while maneuvering the lightweight luge with a built-in lever. Jump in the car and take a trip to the nearest snowy hill and enjoy some family time this winter. We promise you’ll end the day with tired and satisfied kiddos.
Prices start at $29.95; available on Amazon.com and at select Colorado retailers
Courtesy of I See Me!
For the reader: Whether you have a gifted reader or you just want to spend more quality time with your toddlers, nothing will make them happier than seeing and hearing their own names (and their pets’ names!) in a customized book. With I See Me! Personalized Children’s Books, you can customize the classics, like The Night Before Christmas, or create a sing-along book with your child’s name.
$29.99–$49.99 ; available at iseeme.com
Courtesy of Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum
For the imaginative: Let your child learn about the endless possibilities of human flight by participating in the Little Wings Club at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum in Lowry. Every Tuesday, you and your kid (ages 11 and under) can experience an hour filled with aviation- or space-themed storytelling and crafts. Expect to read books like On the Moon by Anna Milbourne, and build and fly balsa planes. Plus, you can also explore the full museum after each class.
The Little Wings Club meets every Tuesday, 10 to 11:45 a.m. at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, 7711 E. Academy Blvd., 303.360.5360; free for museum members ($75 family package) or $12.50 for adults, $6 for kids. Membership available at wingsmuseum.org
Courtesy of Denver Center for the Performing Arts Education
For the performer: If your little one is meant for the stage, then theater classes at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts will give her an opportunity to belt it out in front of an audience. This dynamic, eight-week course lets your kid improv, act, sing, and create a play from start to finish. From Stuart Little to Little House on the Prairie, the DCPA offers various stories depending on your kid’s grade level.
Prices start at $115; the next session run from January 14 to March 11 for children ages 3–18; register at denvercenter.org
Bonus: If your child would rather watch than perform, take the family to see Broadway’s biggest new musical hit, Finding Neverland. Tickets start at $30; Buell Theatre, December 20 to January 1; purchase online at denvercenter.org
Courtesy of Lewis Durkin / Dynamo PR
For the artist: Kids can lift their drawings off the page and into thin air with the 3Doodler Start Essentials Pen Set. This pen uses eco-plastic (for safe, clean fun) and can recharge for portable use. Let your little one’s inner artist shine through while teaching him spatial awareness with this imaginative device.
$49.99; available at the3doodler.com
Courtesy of Spin Master
For the engineer: Your little smarty can finally be the creator of her own Westworld by building, programming, and playing with the Meccano MeccaNoid G15 Personal Robot from Spin Master Corp. Winner of the 2016 Innovative Toy of the Year by the Toy Industry Association, this robot has voice recognition, as well as built-in phrases, jokes, and questions. Build this two-foot robot with your kid and combine innovative technology with playtime.
$179.99; available at select Colorado retailers