GUB Director Mara Mintzer listens to third grader share her ideas.

CEDaR's Growing Up Boulder program spins off as a nonprofit

March 11, 2021

For the past 12 years Growing Up Boulder was a part of CU Boulder's  Community Engagement, Design and Research (CEDaR) Center. Now one of the most successful child-friendly city initiatives in the world, GUB is transitioning to an independent nonprofit, a model for how the university can develop, nurture and then spin off nonprofit activities.

Heatherwood Elementary School children study the ecosystem and offer recommendations for nature discovery at the City of Boulder's Wood Brothers property

Growing Up Boulder, a CEDaR program, nationally recognized for finding innovative ways to bring children back to school safely during the pandemic

Nov. 13, 2020

GUB Director Mara Mintzer presented to the National COVID-19 Outdoor Learning Initiative, which supports schools and districts nationwide to develop outdoor spaces as cost-effective tools for keeping schools open during a pandemic.

Children sitting around a table.

Growing Up Boulder, a CEDaR program, featured in 'Britannica for Parents' podcast

Nov. 12, 2020

Early-childhood experts often like to say that a child’s environment is one of their most important teachers. But what can our built environments learn from children? In this "Raising Curious Learners" episode of "Britannica for Parents," Mara Mintzer, co-founder and director of Growing Up Boulder, discusses the importance of involving young people in the city planning process.

Mara Mintzer shows children from the Uni-Hill School the child-friendly map.

Colorado Public Radio: Building child-friendly cities

Jan. 23, 2020

In an interview with Colorado Public Radio, hear Mara Mintzer, director of Growing Up Boulder, speak about the creation of the nation's first "child-friendly city map."

Louise Chawla and Mara Mintzer at the May 24th awards program in New York.]

Mara Mintzer and Louise Chawla win 2019 EDRA Achievement Award

May 24, 2019

Louise Chawla, CEDaR fellow and professor emerita, Mara Mintzer, Growing Up Boulder program director, and Victoria Derr, authors of "Placemaking with Children and Youth: Participatory Practices for Planning Sustainable Communities," received the 2019 Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) Achievement Award for their publication at EDRA’s 50th anniversary conference. The book has received endorsements from many of the most respected child/youth environmental researchers, practitioners and advocates.

Girls point to a map they designed

Growing Up Boulder interviewed on KGNU about new Child-friendly Map

May 3, 2019

KGNU has a live conversation about a new, first in the nation, printed child-friendly city map that’s helping kids learn how to navigate their way around Boulder.

Whittier Elementary first-graders Sean Lee, from left; Tevin Loku Umagiliyage and Eber Garcia-Gonzalez get their first look at a kid-friendly map of Boulder they helped create through Growing Up Boulder. Growing Up Boulder, a collaboration among Boulder, the Boulder Valley School District and the University of Colorado Boulder, worked with about 700 elementary students for the project.

Growing Up Boulder's collaboration with 700 elementary students on city map featured in Daily Camera story

April 29, 2019

Working with about 700 Boulder elementary students and two University of Colorado Boulder environmental design seniors, Growing Up Boulder has created a new, child-friendly map of the city.

Mara Mintzer being interviewed on Channel 8

First Child-Friendly Map featured in Boulder's Ch. 8

April 29, 2019

Kids in Boulder will now be able to navigate around town thanks to the first ever child-friendly map, a map made for kids, by kids.

Three children sitting around a map.

10th anniversary Growing Up Boulder and launch of the nation's first child-friendly map

March 15, 2019

Celebrate Growing Up Boulder's 10th anniversary and the launch of the nation's first child-friendly map.

Three children hold red frames around an abandoned cart in a playground, signifying they don't like to see carts in their playgrounds.

What happens when kids help

March 15, 2019

Greater Good magazine talks with Mara Mintzer, director of Growing Up Boulder, about how GUB incorporates children’s ideas into city planning for friendlier, greener and more inclusive spaces.

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