This Kansas City Mama's Guide to Summer Family Fun

 Can we all admit that last summer was just plain awful? It was for us! We took social distancing to the enth degree and truly followed the stay at home orders as much as possible. Like, it felt like we never left! And when we did, we did everything outdoors. Sure we made it fun, but we tried to continue to explore our city that we love so much, and hopefully made memories for years to come! But man, I missed doing our normal summer fun in the city stuff, so I thought I would bring you some highlights of years past so you can plan your Summer Family Fun.

1) Plaza Fountain Tour

This is by far one of my favorite summer traditions! This all began the summer of 2014. I had been laid off that spring and was looking for inexpensive things to keep us busy that summer. One morning I told McKinley that we were going on a fountain tour. We strolled the Plaza, took photos in front of all the fountains we found, held hands, and had a packed lunch while on the go. McKinley was only three at the time, and still in a stroller, so it helped to eat while we explored. This is still possible with bigger kids as well. There are plenty of benches along the sidewalks or you can find a sunny or shady spot at around the J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain. 

2) Kauffman Gardens

While you're at the Plaza, take the short drive over to the Kauffman Memorial Gardens. This space is lovely! Fountains, a gorgeous array of flowers, benches for sitting and taking in the beauty, and another free admission spot for those looking for budget friendly ideas. Right now, they have a super fun "Sprinkles" exhibit taking place for the spring. There are 1000 tassels, hand-tied from acrylic yarn, hanging from picture wire to create a dynamic canopy of color as you enter the Garden. I'm not sure how long it's intended to last, so get there soon! You don't want to miss it! Check out their website for all information related to safety measures they have in place for the garden. 

 3) Deanna Rose Farmstead

I will die a little on the inside when McKinley finally outgrows the farmstead! This is my happy place! His too! As soon as it was announced that they were opening for the 2021 season, he immediately smiled and asked when we were going. Fingers crossed it's this weekend! This space is one of the most peaceful spots in Overland Park for us and we just leave in a better mood! McKinley is one with the goats, but the pens won't be open to the public this season. You can still bottle feed through the fence. It's the little things. Admission to the Farmstead is required for all visitors. It is $3 per person, ages two and older. Admission is free for children under age two. Admission is free for all guests after 2 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, except on holidays. The Farmstead hosts two free admission weekends each season. In 2021, Free Admission Weekends will be June 5-6 and August 7-8. Head here to get all the information regarding the safety measures they have put in place and what to expect for your visit. 

4) A Day at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Arts

Take an afternoon and spend it on the lawn of the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. There is so much to do in this outdoor space. Pack a picnic lunch and take advantage of the gorgeous lawn and sculptures all around you. The shuttle cocks are impressive! There is shade to be found, but bring along hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen in case it's all being utilized by others. Also bring frisbees or other smallish lawn games to play because the lawn is pretty expansive. While there, take the picnic back to the car and make sure to reserve a time to play mini golf along the Art Course. This mini nine hole course highlights art work that you find inside the Nelson. Some holes are easy, but some are a challenge. And if you feel like spending tons of time at the Nelson, head on inside to see the pieces in person! Admission to the Nelson is free. Parking is not! Head here for all the details for the Art Course and Nelson guidelines. 

5) KC Mural Tour

Last summer we took an unofficial tour of some amazing murals around Kansas City! Man, we have some incredibly talented people in our town! This tour is a driving tour, so make sure you are loaded with snacks, drinks, a camera, and a devise to help navigate you around the city. We relied heavily on our maps app!! We visited the Kansas City Public Library murals, the Jazz Murals, KC Loves, I'm So In Love Kansas City, Love You Like a Summer Night, and so many others. Here is a great site to get you started! 

6) Crown Center

We could honestly spend an entire day at Crown Center! Between the places to lunch and play, this center allows for hours of family fun! On our personal bucket list for the summer, McKinley wants to spend time at Sea Life. Located just across the street from Crown Center, you can visit both Sea Life and Lego Land. After you've explored all the sea creatures at Sea Life, head over to Crown Center's Showplace. They are back and this year's play space is Under the Sea Adventure. "Plunge into a fun, creative environment in this free exhibit that will delight kids who love to explore the deep blue sea. Discover buried treasure in a sunken pirate ship, ride a dolphin and seahorses, paddle your way to the mermaid's house, explore in the submarine, and many more aquatic adventures. It's fathoms of fun, and it's totally free!" We love exploring this creative space and playing with all the interactive displays so creatively created! 

7) Union Station

If you're at Crown Center, you should take the Sky Walk over to Union Station. We could spend hours there as well. McKinley's favorite thing to do there is the Model Train Layout exhibit. It's so cool! Several different layouts with at least five different model train scales. McKinley loves to tell me which scale is which, the scales Granddaddy owns, and simply sitting on his knees in front of the layouts just watching the trains go by. After that, we walk out onto the bridge that overlooks the train tracks that run through downtown in hopes of catching a glimpse of one pass by. We also love to head to Science City for a day of fun learning. They offer so much in the way of hands on exploring. Science fun without realizing all the ways they are learning! Who doesn't love that? Like summer school without the tests! You can also visit their Planetarium, Laser Light Show, and tons of other exhibits taking place throughout the station. Check out their website for current attractions, ticket prices, and much more. 

8) Overland Park Arboretum

Another gorgeous garden to visit in Kansas City. McKinley loves to go for the train layout. I love going for the walk along the beautiful landscape. We pack our lunch for a bench picnic in Byrd's Grove in front of the pond and bring along scrapes of bread to feed the koi. They have a children's garden that offers kids a space to climb to the top of a spiraling walkway, visit the frog pond, explore a shrinking tunnel, and study fossil and animal footprints. Or, enjoy the story tree and nature play area. Admission is free under age 6, $1 ages 6-12, and $3 ages 13+. They do offer free days through the year so head to their website for additional information.

9) U-Pick Orchards 

There are so many u-pick orchards around town so head to your favorite ones! We are big fans of Gieringers Family Orchard where we pick strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and peaches. Right now is optimum strawberry picking time, but finding a weekend where rain isn't in the forecast has been the hardest so far! Fingers crossed we can head there Friday! Some other favorites are Wohletz Farm and Meulebeke Market. This is really a fest or famine kind of sport, as you have to be on Facebook at just the right time, in order to find a farm that has their signups available and not sold out! 

10) Your Own Backyard

Let's be honest, some days you just don't even want to leave the house, and that's okay! Remember what Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz? "If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own back yard..." Last year, we turned our backyard into an epic waterpark per McKinley's request. He played on his Slip-n-Slide, ran under an inflatable shark sprinkler, swam in our patio inflatable pool, played water games with water balloons and homemade sponge balls, and we had a luau complete with decorations and watched Moana on our patio movie setup! We had S'Mores nights. Dinner on the patio nights. Honestly, we did just about everything on our patio and loved it! Turn your backyard into anything imaginable! This summer, McKinley wants to camp out in the backyard. I'm game. It's all about making memories. 

And there it is, a Top Ten Guide to summer fun in KC! You can spend as little or as much as you want on your summer of fun. But go find it! That's the point of all of this. There is so much fun to be found around our city. And share with us the things you do! Like the song says, "Kansas City, here I come!"

XO,

Andrea