About Boulder's Child-Friendly City Maps /
El mapa de la ciudad amigable para niños de Boulder

Growing Up Boulder's Child-Friendly City PRINTED and DIGITAL Maps seek to educate and inspire children, families, and community organizations through the creation of a print and online, bilingual, child-friendly city maps that highlight favorite locations in Boulder. They promote universal values of inclusion, diversity, community engagement, collaboration, and celebration.  Our map-making project is co-created by children and families for children and families. By working with children and their preschools, elementary schools, homes, and after school programs, we aim to reach a wide cross-section of Boulder's 0-10 year olds. 
Where to find the printed maps
Free printed maps are now available at locations such at the Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Visitors' Center on the Pearl Street Mall, Chautauqua, recreation centers, Gateway Fun Center and more.

How to support the maps

Be a part of the map!  We are currently seeking sponsors for the new, digital map and for the 2020 version of the printed map!
Please donate to keep the maps free! We are a not-for-profit and every donation matters.
cfcmapfinal_printready.pdf
File Size: 12671 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Map Resources and Links / Recursos


Disclaimer: Some of the "map reference locations" listed in the amenities chart are incorrect (the file did not save the corrections); this will be fixed for the next printing.  
Read the new Growing Up Boulder Child-Friendly City map report below.
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cfc_map_report_2018-19.pdf
File Size: 8050 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Child-Friendly City Map Development Timeline

Child-Friendly City Map Survey

A Child-Friendly City Map Survey, available in both English and Spanish, was distributed through multiple media channels to the general public and to all families whose children attend a Boulder-based Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) elementary school. The data collected from the survey informed the locations and features of the map.

Child-Friendly City Map with 16 Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) Classes

GUB worked with 16 classes at 4 elementary schools in Boulder; this included Whittier International Elementary School's 1st grade Emergent Bilingual class, 3rd grade, and 5th grade classes, Horizons K-8 Kindergarten classes, University "Uni" Hill Elementary School bilingual 2nd grade classes, and Crestview Elementary's kindergarten class.   In addition, we gathered feedback from Uni Hill parents at the students' bilingual showcase exhibition at the Museum of Boulder, and from Crestview parents and teachers at the Family and Educators Together (FET) meeting.

Child-Friendly City Map with Boulder Journey School

Growing Up Boulder worked closely with prekindergarten students and teachers from Boulder Journey School, a school for innovative early education in North Boulder.
In the development of the city map, students excitedly shared their favorite locations to visit in Boulder and drew maps of the places they have been. Using a child-friendly lens, teachers and students then went out and explored some of these community spaces, picking out aspects that work well for children and their families and those that need improving. 
Throughout the 2018-2019 school year, the children and teachers in the Prekindergarten classroom had enjoyed playing board games together. After getting their hands on the final child-friendly city map, students noticed many visual similarities between the map and many of the games they were playing. The children were inspired to create their own game, based on exploring Boulder, with the sole objective of, “going to the place you want to go.” Children and teachers set out to four popular destinations around Boulder to explore and decide if the locations should be included in the game. Throughout the process, the children discussed different modes of transportation, various community members, and what it means to be a community.

Play the game here: 
the_exploring_boulder_game_booklet.pdf
File Size: 12697 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Child-Friendly City Map Engagement with Imagine!

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Imagine!'s Out & About After School Program, which serves children and teens with developmental disabilities, was contacted by GUB to help with creating the Boulder child-friendly city map. GUB hosted Out & About at the Boulder Public Library one afternoon and held a workshop to brainstorm ideas.  To read more, visit: ​https://voicesofimagine.blogspot.com/2019/02/growing-up-boulder.html
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"I recommend that Growing Up Boulder puts nature on the child-friendly city map, 
because hiking is fun!"
-Fritz, Imagine! Student

Child-Friendly City Map with I Have A Dream

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Growing Up Boulder worked with I Have a Dream Foundation's Elk class to provide input to the map.  Children drew their favorite places to visit and spend time in Boulder.  Recommendations included natural spaces, soccer fields, and Target.

​“I recommend that Growing Up Boulder puts pathways on the child-friendly city map because some kids like to go on hikes like me.”
-Isabella, I Have a Dream Student, 12/17/18
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Map Partners
We are grateful to these child-friendly city map partners:

Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau, Boulder County Head Start, Boulder Housing Partners, Boulder Jewish Community Center, Boulder Journey School, Boulder Public Library, Boulder Valley School District,  BVSD Lifelong Learning, City of Boulder, CU Museum of Natural History, Dairy Arts Center, El Centro Amistad, I Have a Dream Foundation, Imagine Colorado,  Moxie Moms, Museum of Boulder, and Walk 2 Connect.
Growing Up Boulder is funded by the City of Boulder, the University of Colorado Office of Outreach and Engagement, and the University of Colorado Program in Environmental Design.  Growing Up Boulder is a program of the CEDaR (Community Engagement, Design, and Research) Center at the University of Colorado Boulder.

​Growing Up Boulder esta fundado por la ciudad de Boulder y la Universidad de Colorado Boulder.  Growing Up Boulder es un programa del centro CEDaR (Oficina de participación comunitaria, diseño, e investigación) de la Universidad de Colorado Boulder.

EDRA 2019 Conference 

In May 2019, GUB Program Director, Mara Mintzer, delivered a presentation on the CFC map for the 2019 Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) Conference. The title of the conference was, “Sustainable Urban Environments: Place-making: Personal, Social and Cultural Meanings of Space.” Below is a link to the accepted abstract.

How designing a child-friendly map can lead to a more sustainable city

Examples of Other Child-Friendly Maps

North Vancouver, Canada
​It’s a map designed especially for kids and families so they can explore the City by foot, bike or bus. With puzzles to solve, things to find, and new places to discover, it becomes a  very interactive piece. Link Below!
​https://www.cnv.org/city-services/planning-and-policies/cnv4me/kid-city
Edmonton, Canada
​This digital map recognizes businesses that strive to create a welcoming space for all children through attitude, amenities and activities. Link below!
​data.edmonton.ca/w/8exj-qc3h/depj-dfck?cur=d-zeiiYaM-Q&from=root
Oakland, California​​
​This digital map includes places for families to explore, play, read, learn and shop. Also included are youth and family-serving organizations and even a few yummy places that people of all ages can enjoy.  Link Below!
​http://www.familyoakland.org/map.html

Map printing and celebration event sponsored by:

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Growing Up Boulder is Boulder's child and youth-friendly city initiative. 

​Growing Up Boulder is a program of the Community Engagement Design and Research (CEDaR) Center at the University of Colorado Boulder.