Ken is currently slaving away to get this year’s Drowsy Water Ranch newsletter to the printer in the coming week. We’ll be mailing out the paper copy soon and hope you’ll read your copy cover to cover to learn about ranch news. This is a sneak peek at one of the articles about our kids’ program, a true highlight of a Colorado Dude Ranch Family Vacation! And, if you need a copy sent to you, let us know! We’d be happy to send one pony express.
Driving up the dirt road, twelve-year old Tommy started to wonder just what his mom and dad had signed him up for when they booked a ranch vacation. After they parked the car, some dusty cowgirl greeted Tommy’s family. She showed them around the ranch; he saw horses, chickens, maybe a cow or two. They talked about food and horses, but no one mentioned the Wii. No one mentioned the T.V. or Internet access. “Oh no!” Tommy thought as the sound of dooming music lurked in his brain, “No electronics! What is this place?”
Tommy soon found out that the outdoor-focused kids’ programs at Drowsy Water Ranch are a highlight of the family dude ranch vacation. At Drowsy Water Ranch, kids of all ages have a unique opportunity to explore and appreciate the best of Colorado’s outdoors. The Buckaroo program, for kids ages 0-5, and the Rangerider program, for kids ages 6-13, both offer mountains of technology-free fun and unique outdoor activities for kids.
Buckaroos are entertained and cared for while their parents participate in ranch horseback rides, raft trips, hikes, etc. Buckaroos spend most of the day outside doing nature related activities like making bird feeders or exploring the forest for wildflowers. Buckaroos also get to take turns getting led around the ranch on the Buckaroo horse, a horse hand-selected from our herd for its gentle and patient manners.
The Rangeriders are matched to a horse of their own for the week and participate in a riding program that includes lessons, clinics, and trail rides. When they aren’t exploring the forest and learning the lore of the backcountry on horseback, the Rangriders have a counselor at the ranch that keeps them busy outside doing everything from hiking to crafts to archery to swimming.
Both kids and parents experience the magic created in Drowsy Water’s secluded mountain valley. The kids can roam and explore outside without worrying about cars, strangers, or homework. The parents enjoy letting their guard down and allowing the kids to have fun in a safe and exciting world of its own.
For kids like Tommy that are accustomed to the world of technology, a Drowsy Water Ranch vacation is a great introduction to a life-long love for the outdoors. Kids leave Drowsy Water Ranch with a new or renewed respect for animals, sunshine, fresh air, dirt, water, and mountains and kids discover that fun, entertainment, and learning does not always require electricity.