Budget-Friendly Family Activities in Littleton, Colorado

Littleton, Colorado, a South Denver suburb has a population of approximately 40,000. Though it is less than a half hour away from Denver, it has a much slower pace, and a small town feel. It's a great place to raise a family, and there are numerous parks and activities that families can enjoy, without breaking the bank.

One of my favorite places in Littleton, is theLittleton Museum, located at 6028 S. Gallup Street. The Littleton Museum was expanded and renovated in 2004. It is considered to be one of the top 10 history museums in the United States and has full accreditation by the American Association of Museums. The museum is part of the Smithsonian Affiliates Program, which is a rich source of exhibits for the museum.

The Littleton museum has a children's play area, exhibits that show the growth and progress of the city of Littleton, and temporary exhibits that range from local art to themed exhibits. The thing I like most about the Littleton museum is the grounds. The grounds include Gazebo Island, working farms, a blacksmith shop, an old, one-room school house and old homes that have been refurbished. In the spring you'll encounter baby animals such as lambs and any time of the year you may cross paths with peacocks. The Little museum is free, though donations are welcome.

To see photos of the Littleton Museum, please visit my slideshow.

Right up the street from the Littleton Museum, Bemis Library is a great place for not only books, but for free classes and events. The favorite one I've attended so far was an East Indian dance demonstration. There are also classes on various topics such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and so on. There are, of course, story times for children of various ages, and free movies. There is a special teen section with popular items for teens, including a large selection of manga. Your teen can also learn skills at the library such as photography, and babysitting. They even have set times to play Wii games, so if your teen wants a Wii and you either can't afford one or prefer not to have one, he can enjoy playing Wii with other teens in the community.

Hudson Gardens is a beautiful place to take the family and between the months of November and February, admission is on a donation basis only. Of course, those months are not always the best in terms of weather, so if you love gardens, I'd recommend picking up a an annual family membership. At the time of this writing, the cost for a year-long family membership is $50. Besides beautiful gardens, Hudson Gardens, has concerts on Sunday evenings during the summer, and an up close and personal fireworks show on the Fourth of July. The Fourth of July concert and fireworks show is one of my best Fourth of July Memories.