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Where Kids Run Free, and Parents Finally Get a Vacation Too.
Kids & Teens Program
Our Tots, Kids, Tweens, and Teens programs aren’t an add-on; they’re the reason families return year after year. Each program is thoughtfully designed by age, led by exceptional staff, and built around real adventure. Your kids will enjoy a full-day experience tailored to the maturity level that gives them independence, confidence, and connection – all while you enjoy the freedom to fully unwind.
No managing schedules, no negotiating screen time, or wondering if they’re bored. Our youth program will handle all the details and provide an experience that your kids will love, and at the end of the day, you come back together with stories worth sharing.
A Program Designed for Every Stage
From curious toddlers to independent teens, each age group experiences Vista Verde differently, while still sharing the same spirit of adventure. Our youth program is roughly based around the U.S. school breakdown of preschool (3 years – PreK), elementary school (K – 5th grade), middle school (6th – 8th grade), and high school (9th – 12th grade). The age breakdowns for our program are the following:
- Tots (3 – 5 years old)
- Kids (6 – 10 years old)
- Tweens (11 – 13 years old)
- Teens (14 – 17 years old)
Let Them Run.
A Safe and Engaging Program
A youth program is only as good as the people running it, and we take that seriously. The goal of our youth program is to provide a safe, engaging program that lures kids in, but also gives parents a sense of comfort knowing their children are safe and free to run. Every member of our kid and teen supervisor team is carefully selected through a multi-step interview process that evaluates character, outdoor experience, and genuine love of working with young people. These are college-aged men and women with strong values – the kind of people you’d want in your kids’ lives, even outside of a ranch setting – and are first aid/CPR certified.
What safety looks like at Vista Verde
We know that handing your children off to a program at an unfamiliar place asks something of you as a parent. Here’s what we’ve built to honor that trust:
- Supervised Hours: Kid Supervisors are with your children from 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM and 2 – 4 PM each day. Outside of those hours, kids are returned to be with their families
- Small, Age-Appropriate Groups: Each age program operates as its own group, keeping activities calibrated to both physical ability and emotional maturity. We do not mix age groups upward (i.e., a younger child does not move into an older group), though older kids may occasionally join a younger group’s activity at their own choosing to be with a sibling if asked.
- Dedicated Meeting Points: Each age group has its own home base on the Ranch. Kids and Tweens meet at the Kids Hut; Teens meet at our Barn Loft; Little Buckaroos meet at our Buckaroo Tipi.
- Equine Safety: All riding activities begin with a horse orientation session so children can develop confidence and comfort with their paired horse before heading onto the trail. Our wranglers are trained in safe horsemanship for guests of all ages and abilities
- Responsive and Accessible: Our team communicates with families throughout the week, and staff are always reachable through the front desk during program hours.
We can accommodate your child: If your child has a food allergy, dietary restriction, developmental consideration, or needs a little extra warmth to settle in, please let us know before arrival. We’ve worked with all kinds of kids, and we tailor the experience accordingly. A quick call with our team before your trip goes a long way, and there is no one-size-fits-all kids at Vista Verde – we meet you where they are.
Tots (Ages 3 – 5)
The little buckaroos’ first taste of the West – handled with care.
For many families, traveling with younger children means compromise. To us, it means possibility. That’s why we expanded our kids program to include 3 – 5 year-olds: the littlest of our kiddos! Our Tots (or Buckaroos) program introduces your youngest travelers to the rhythms of the Ranch in a way that feels safe, gentle, and, of course, fun. Each day, these tots will venture out on activities under the care of our attentive and experienced kid supervisors as they explore, play, and build confidence; all while parents get some “me time.”
What A Typical Day Looks Like:
- Lead-line pony rides in a safe, enclosed arena
- Visits to our petting zoo
- Nature walks and outdoor play
- Simple crafts and hands-on activities
- Rest time when needed
Although they’re not quite ready for the trail, Tots are fully part of the experience by forming early connections with animals, nature, and new friends. When evening comes, you can relax and enjoy elevated cuisine during our Formal Dinners, knowing your littles can join the other youth for a kid-friendly meal and activity with our Dine n’ Dash. Any special requirements? Yes! Kids must be 3-years-old on arrival and must be potty-trained.
Kids (Ages 6 – 10)
The vacation they’ll talk about all year. From the moment they set foot on the ranch, your kids are immersed in a world that feels both exciting and completely their own. No screens, no boredom, and no coaxing required. Just the kind of freedom you remember as a kid, and one most rarely experience anymore today.
What A Typical Day Looks Like:
- Horseback riding sessions and horse time to develop experience for all comfort levels
- Trail rides after orientation
- Educational nature adventures, games, and challenges
- Beach parties at Steamboat Lake
- Gold panning
- Petting zoo wagon rides
Kids start the week learning the basics and developing relationships with their horse, the kid supervisors, and with other kids, while building confidence and quickly progressing into real riding experiences. However, it’s not just about horses; it’s about independence, friendship, and the excitement that comes from trying something new and realizing they can do it.
Tweens (Ages 11 – 13)
This is the stage that is notoriously hard to impress. They’ve outgrown the little “kids’ stuff,” but they’re not quite ready for everything that teens and adults get to do. So, we built an entire program around that exact moment in between that pulls the best activities from both the Kids and Teen worlds, then layers in the independence, challenge, and cool-factor that this age group genuinely craves. They tackle more complex horsemanship, ride advanced trails, and take on adventures that allow them to grow in the best possible way – all while being surrounded by peers experiencing the same things for the first time.
What A Typical Day Looks Like:
- Target practice with 3D archery
- Horseback rides to and from the petting zoo
- Paddleboarding at Steamboat Lake
- Horsemanship training clinics, including working with cattle
- Pool parties
Tweens have the option to join their families for trail rides, hikes, or fishing on any given day, but this program is theirs to shape, and that is the sense of ownership that this age group needs.
Teens (Ages 14 – 17)
Here’s the truth about teens on vacation: if they don’t feel like the experience was built for them, they’ll spend the week half-engaged, scrolling on their phone, or waiting for it to be over. Our staff has seen it happen at other places. It doesn’t happen here.
The Teen program runs parallel to the adult program in both pace and credibility. Teens aren’t managed – they’re included. Our supervisors are young, talented, and genuinely fun to spend time with, the kind of people you’d want a 16-year-old to model after. They don’t talk down to teens; they bring them in. And once they’re in, by mid-week, most teens stop checking their phones to see if they have service.
What a typical day looks like:
- Exploration trail rides designed to cover more ground and go at a pace that matches their energy
- Hands-on horsemanship work with cow penning and herding
- All-day trail rides
- 3D archery target practice
Teen Campout: A Rite of Passage
We keep this one sacred for a reason.
On Wednesday evening, the teens gather for a campfire and overnight stay at Homestead Cabin – our 1936 historic outpost deep on ranch property. Under the stars and away from the main lodge, they spend the night together sharing stories around the fire, no Wi-Fi, no parents, and no pretending they’re not having the time of their lives. This tradition has become the most talked-about moment of the Teen program, year after year. It’s where friendships form that outlast the trip, and teens return to breakfast Thursday morning quieter, more connected, and a little more themselves.
We hold the campout for ages 14 and up intentionally. It’s earned and meant to feel like a rite of passage from kid to teen.
Like Puppies in the Snow.
Our Winter Kids Program
Kids are like puppies in the snow. They jump in it, the roll in it, they eat it, and they seem to never get cold!
A family snow vacation at Vista Verde means quality time together, sharing new experiences, creating memories, but also some time for Mom and Dad to relax and recharge on their own. The engaging kids program is for children 6-12-years-old, and we will wear them out! From tubing to riding horses to snow shoeing to just playing in the snow: we get them outside and keep them going all day long.
Adventures All Day.
Each day brings a new adventure for the kids, and after having breakfast with you, they can run on over to the Kids Hut to meet up with the Kid Wranglers for the morning. After a fun-filled morning they will meet up with you again for lunch, and then off they go again until later in the afternoon. Although we do encourage families to participate in activities together, we know the allure of the fun to be had with the other kids is a strong pull. But, what a great problem to have!
Some evenings are together as a family with casual meals and evening programs. On other evenings we have what we call a “formal dinner” for the adults and the Dine ‘n Dash dinner for the kids. Parents can enjoy a quiet meal with a nice glass of wine and other adult conversation while the kids have a quicker, more kid-friendly dinner and then head off for a fun activity.
Teens are welcome to join the kids program any day, and for any of the Dine ‘n Dash meals. There is not a formal teen program during the winter months, but we invite them into the fun, whether with the adults or the kids.
