When Lindsay Valerio moved to Arizona seven years ago, she quickly found herself in the same situation as many parents–endlessly searching for fun, family-friendly activities.
“I spent so much time on Google researching parks and activities, it felt like a waste of time. And I still didn’t get enough info from my searches,” Valerio, creator of kidizona.com and @kidizona socials said.
That frustration sparked an idea… What if all the best kid-friendly activities were in one easy-to-access place? And with that, kidizona was born.
Lindsay has turned kidizona into the ultimate resource for parents looking to explore, connect and create lasting memories with their little ones. Soon after launching the website, a friend suggested she expand to social media, and that’s when @kidizona on Instagram took off.
Through a collaboration with State Forty Eight, kidizona also brings savings to local families with the multi-use discount pass, the Explorer Pass.
The beginning of kidizona
Just as Valerio was starting to build her social media presence, the world shut down due to COVID-19. With families stuck at home and public spaces closing, the timing seemed challenging—but she found a creative way to make kidizona more relevant than ever.
“When splash pads started opening back up, I would try to visit every one,” Valerio said. “I called community centers, drove to random cities and would have my kids push the button just to see if it worked.”
By sharing real-time updates on which parks and attractions were reopening, kidizona became a resource for parents eager to get their kids outside again. That was the turning point when her account really started gaining traction.
A resource and community
While kidizona is all about finding fun things to do with kids, the real heart of the platform is connection. Valerio's passion for inspiring others to embrace new experiences is rooted in her deep love for her family.
“I love when parents and families tell me that they had a fun time at a place or activity I posted. My favorite part of all of this is seeing families create happy memories together,” Valerio said. “I have met some really amazing people doing this… Plus, we have gotten to do and experience some amazing things. Not only am I excited to help others make memories, but we have made some amazing memories as a family, too.”
In addition to running kidizona and mom responsibilities, Valerio teaches a social media class at Grand Canyon University. “It’s been so fun taking what I’ve learned and sharing it with the next generation,” Valerio said.
As for what’s next, Valerio is excited to continue exploring Arizona’s different cities with her family and sharing what they find.
The Explorer Pass
Another exciting venture is The Explorer Pass, a program designed to connect families with great local businesses while offering exclusive discounts.
kidizona and State Forty Eight initially collaborated to create a t-shirt that offered savings to local families. That collaboration has now expanded into a pass that prioritizes fun, affordability, inclusivity, and convenience for all families.
“The Explorer Pass is my way of connecting people with great, family-friendly businesses by helping customers save money,” Valerio said. “Check out the discounts on explorer-pass.com.”
Spend less time searching and more time making memories by following @kidizona on Instagram or visiting kidizona.com.
