Savvy parents know the key to successfully beating the winter blahs to always be prepared with a few ideas for great outings on a budget. We have the Best FREE Winter Outings in Kansas City!
Get Out & Play!
- Johnson County Museum (6305 Lackman Road, Shawnee, KS). Admission: FREE. Hours: Monday-Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Closed Sunday and major holidays 913.715.25550. Read our review of KidScape here. KidScape is a delightful educational and hands-on exhibit for kids ages 3-9 (but our younger-than-3 children love it too!). Children escape into a child-sized suburban streetscape, where children role-play as community figures in educational environments: bookstore, park, City Hall, hospital, fashion boutique, farm, and theater.This is a terrific indoor option for super hot or rainy days! And, be sure to explore the rest of the Johnson County Museum on your trip. My children adore the pioneer home complete with a kitchen, dining table, and chicken coop. The historical exhibits in the Johnson County Museum tell the story of the area for older children - adults. Hot Tip: This winter the Johnson County Museum also offers great programs, including children's concerts, Pop 'n Play programs, storytellers and more... all for a nominal fee or free! See the Johnson County Museum Calendar for more information.
- Enjoy snowy days and take the family sledding on one of Kansas City's Best Sled Hills.
Build Something!
- Lowe's Build 'n Grow Workshops FREE to the public and occur every other Saturday at 10am. Registration opens a few weeks before each clinic's date. Each child receives a kit with all of the necessary materials to build a project, an apron, a patch, and a certificate. Parents work with their children to follow the instructions and assemble the project, which they get to keep!
- Home Depot's Kids Workshops on the 1st Saturday of Every Month from 9am-Noon at Home Depot stores across the metro. FREE hands-on workshops designed for children ages 5 - 12. Workshops teach children do-it-yourself skills, tool safety and accomplishment. All kids get to keep their craft and receive a FREE Kids Workshop Apron, commemorative pin and certificate of achievement.
Make a Masterpiece!
- Kaleidoscope is a FREE hands-on art center for children sponsored by Hallmark. They offer walk-in sessions all summer, simply check Kaleidoscope's Calendar for details! Creativity and imagination play in Kaleidoscope's magical hands-on world where children create masterpieces with super cool, super fun supplies, in a super amazing atmosphere all thanks to Hallmark. This is truly one of Kansas City's BEST family-friendly attractions! PLUS it is indoors... making it perfect for rainy days or days when you just need to "stay in the a/c"! Hot Tip: While you're there, stop by the Hallmark Visitor's Center next door, one of our "Watch It Made in KC" picks!
- FREE Craft Project at Lakeshore Learning Every Saturday from 11am - 3pm. at Lakeshore Learning at Merriam Town Center (5670 Antioch Road., Merriam, KS).
Explore Nature!
- Kids love to be up close and personal with nature, and Kansas City is home to many terrific nature centers with wonderful trails, animal exhibits, and FREE (or cheap) programs to teach kids about nature firsthand! AND they are open year-round with terrific hands-on exhibits for kids. These 3 are our Favorite Nature Centers in KC (most animals and exhibits and best free programs):
- Burr Oak Woods (1401 NW Park Rd, Blue Springs, MO. 816.228.3766). Burr Oak Woods is one of our favorite family field-trips in Kansas City as one of the largest nature centers in the area. With an animatronic Smokey the Bear teaching children fire safety, a large aquarium of Missouri's fresh water fish, snakes, turtles, toads, and more, and wonderful hands-on educational exhibits for children, Burr Oak Woods is a great place to spend an afternoon. The Nature Center also features miles of beautiful trails for walking or bicycling. The Little Acorns programs for preschoolers, and family nature programs for all ages, offered throughout the year are FREE and fantastic! Check the Burr Oak Woods Calendar for upcoming events and hours.
- Lakeside Nature Center (4701 E. Gregory Blvd, KCMO. 816.513.8960). Lakeside Nature Center features one of the BEST animal exhibits in the area. The staff at the center rescue injured animals and keep them in a safe environment. See falcons, owls, eagles, toads, frogs, fish, insects, and wonderful exhibits on the animals in our city and in our homes. The Nature Center also features a gravel trail for walking and exploring.
- Prairie Park Nature Center (2730 Harper St. Lawrence, KS. 785.832.7980). This nature center features MANY fantastic animal exhibits, from reptiles (iguanas, alligators, snakes and more!), to amphibians (several species of frogs and toads), to birds (including native birds of prey) and mammals. The hands-on center for preschoolers features nature puppets, puzzles, and hands-on activities. The park includes grassland, forest, and lake with trails for walking and exploring.
- Discover many more wonderful nature centers in the Kansas City area.
Explore Art!
- The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (4525 Oak, KCMO) is open Wed, 10 a.m.—4 p.m.; Thurs, Fri, 10 a.m.—9 p.m.; Sat, 10 a.m.—5 p.m.; Sun, Noon—5 p.m. Winter Events: Every Saturday and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. enjoy FREE activities for all ages! In January and February, discover how art tells stories with looking and hands-on activities in the galleries. And, every 2nd Saturday of the month in Noguchi Court for story time at 1:30 p.m. Watch the Nelson-Atkins Calendar of Events more more events including the annual Chinese New Year Celebration in February! This is one outing where you will discover something new upon each visit. Families will especially enjoy the all new FUN Spot, located in Bloch Lobby, where visitors and families to learn what activities are available for them that day to maximize their fun. Tip: Use our Nelson- Atkins Scavenger Hunt on your visit for added fun! We offer two scavenger hunts: one for tweens, teens, and adults that can be a little more challenging and fun for groups and another for young children (even pre-readers... images provided!). You can race against two teams to complete the scavenger hunt, or try to complete one as a family project. And, the hunt for young children features objects found in multiple works of art. Track how often you find any one thing or try the hunt more than once to discover there is more than one way to solve it.
- Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art (12345 College Blvd. Overland Park, KS) is open Tues, Weds, Thurs, Sat: 10 am - 5 pm; Friday: 10 am - 9 pm; Sunday: 12 pm to 5 pm; Closed Monday and all JCCC Holidays.This 41,000-square-foot museum is the largest contemporary art museum in the four-state region, hosting 16 temporary exhibitions annually. Ask for a children’s guide at the front desk to enrich your experience. Additionally, the museum houses the 200-seat Hudson Auditorium, Café Tempo, two classrooms, a museum store and a New Media Gallery. Always check the Nerman Museum's Calendar before visiting for upcoming events and exhibits.
FREE Weekly Events:
- Tues-Sun FREE Open Play 8:00AM, Parkside Coffeehouse at Cedar Ridge Christian Church 8835 Lackman Road Lenexa, KS.. Indoor playground and toys for children and coffeehouse. Open daily. 913.393.3000
- Tuesday Coffee Playground 10:00 AM - 1:00PM, OPKS 1st Assembly of God. Every Tues, the coffee shop is open. Kids 5 and under enjoy inflatables, balls and toys. FREE.
- Friday Night Family Fun 6:30PM, Kansas City Library Plaza Branch 4801 Main St., KCMO. Every Friday the library hosts new events from film festivals to puppet shows and concerts! Follow their event calendar for weekly details!
Note: This list was compiled by the staff of KC Parent Magazine and may not be reproduced in print or online without permission. If you have an addition to this list, please email kristina@kcparent.com