toddler tuesday: winter fun challenge + 10 kid-friendly Utah winter activities

Okay, so our epic relaunch wasn't quite as epic as we had hoped - partway through, the hard drive that housed my entire digital life failed, and I lost every file I've created for the last three years.... including all of my photos of Kumquat. Some are backed up and saved in different places, but a huge chunk of them are gone, and I sort of lost all will to live there for a while (lesson learned: store shit in the cloud).

I'm starting to piece things back together though, and in my quest to recover my files, I did find these beautiful photos of Kumquat that I took on her first birthday (the only ones I was smart enough to store in the cloud). She's grown so much - her second birthday is just a few months away - and my thirtieth will be here even before that.

With our birthdays on the horizon, and following the loss of our memories from last year, I'm starting to itch for adventures again - I love building memories with my baby girl and our family. Last summer was pretty exciting for us, but winter has been pretty quiet and I think even Kumquat is starting to feel restless; so, in lieu of New Years resolutions, I've decided to spend the rest of winter creating fun new memories with my little Kumquat before she's all growed up.

As part of that quest, I've put together a list of ten kid-friendly winter adventures that Kumquat and I will be tackling before the snow melts. Find it + more adorable photos of Kumquat on her first birthday after the jump >>>>

If you'd like to join us in our escapades (and I hope you will), I'll be hosting a link up party each week for us to share the new adventures and memories we're creating. I'll be posting our progress here every Tuesday, beginning next week; you'll be able to submit your own post (and have a chance to be featured) on every Toddler Tuesday post. There's no specific order - pick whatever you can do that week and get it done, or post your own list and work your way through it. The link ups will be open from Tuesday to Saturday each week for blogging about your adventure from the previous week.

1. Visit the University of Utah Natural History Museum
Adult admission is $13, young adults (13-24) are $11 and kids 3-13 are $9 (kids 2 & under are free). Check the museum's website, nhmu.utah.edu, for hours and exhibit info.

2. Check out the Living Planet Aquarium
This one is a bit more pricey, with adult admission coming in at $17.95 and kids at $12.95, but it's my understanding that the new Draper location is pretty snazzy. Kids 2 & under are free. Check out their website, livingplanetaquarium.com, for more details.

3. Tubing at Soldier Hollow (Midway) or Gorgoza Park (Jeremy Ranch/Park City)
Don't ski? No problem - try tubing instead. Gorgoza Park is nestled right at the top of Parley's Canyon, just off the Jeremy Ranch exit in outlying Park City. Toddlers can't ride the hill, but they do have a playground area for the littles. Soldier Hollow is a bit further out (in Midway, near Heber), but is worth the drive if you have tots - toddlers ride the kiddie hill free, and parents can simply chase them down the hill (Kumquat's dad took her recently, and she LOVED it). Be sure to bundle up - parkas, hats and gloves are musts!

Get the details on hours, activities and admission prices on their respective websites:
Gorgoza Park - www.gorgoza.com
Soldier Hollow - soldierhollow.com/tubing

4. Visit the Salt Lake City Public Library (main branch)
The main branch of the Salt Lake City Library features art exhibits, shops and a magnificent collection of books. Non-SLC residents can sightsee for free, but you can also pay a small fee if you'd like a shiny membership card for checking out publications to your heart's content - a great way to encourage your kids to read and learn. Visit their website, www.slcpl.org, for more info.

5. Check out Discovery Gateway
Basically, an interactive museum/learning experience built with kids in mind. General admission is $9.50 per person; kids 2 & under are free. Learn more about this cool museum at discoverygateway.org.

6. The wAIRhouse Trampoline Park
Unfortunately Kumquat is too bitty for this one (ages two and up only), but it's only a few short months till she's there; we're including it on the winter list because an indoor trampoline park is just too much fun, and the admission price isn't too hefty ($5/hour before 5pm and $8/hour after, free adult pass with a 2 year old jumper). Check out their site, www.thewairhouse.com, for more info.

7. Jungle Jim's Playland
My mom would never take me here as a kid, so now that I have one of my own, I'm excited to have an excuse to go as an adult. Entry is $10 for one and up for unlimited rides; single rides can be purchased at $2 per ticket - or you can go on Tuesday for just $2 admission. More on their site @ junglejimsutah.com.

8. Treehouse Museum
Named #17 in a list of the top 25 children's museums in the country, Treehouse Museum is a hands-on, interactive learning experience museum that focuses on literacy and the arts. Their slogan is "Step into a story" - and as a writer, that's a slogan I can get behind. The best part? Admission is $7 for kids one & up and just $5 for adults (13+). Find out more about their exhibits, hours, admission and membership packages on their website, www.treehousemuseum.org.

9. The Leonardo
A unique museum whose current exhibits include one showcasing mummies (mummies!), this is probably the one I’m most excited to visit - in no small part due to Leonardo’s Studio, where you’re not just encouraged to interact, but it’s actually part of the experience. In Leonardo’s Studio, you can create your own work of art and share it on social media. Adult admission is $9.95, kids 12-17 $7.95 / 6-11 $6.95, FIVE and under are free*. Visit their site for more info on exhibits, hours and address: www.theleonardo.org.

*Regular passes don’t include the Mummies of the World exhibit, but Mummies of the World passes do include general admission. $22.95/adults; $19.50/kids 12-17; $18/ kids 6-11; five and under free.

10. Sweet Candy Company Factory Tour
What could be better than touring a candy factory? How about free samples and - the best part - the fact that the whole thing is free? It IS by appointment only, and only runs during school hours, but it's educational, right? Visit www.sweetcandy.com/factorytour for more on setting up your own Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory type experience.

These are just a handful of the vast array of fun-but-educational adventures you'll find here in northern Utah; Kumquat and I are planning to visit the UofU Museum of Natural History or the Leonardo this week - or maybe both! Where will you take your kiddos this week? Share your plans, and anything you'd like to add to this list, in the comments, after these adorable Kumquat photos.

Our winter challenge ends on March 5th, after which we'll start a spring challenge; the first official link up will open next week!