Best of April in Kansas City: 2012

April is an exciting time to live in Kansas City! The much-anticipated Sea Life opens! Spring attractions open for the season. And local performers captivate imaginations with family-friendly productions you don't want to miss!

Narnia: The Musical

• When, Where, What: April 4-8 presented by Starlight Theatre at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.
• Why We LOVE It: Starlight brought family theater inside this year with their debut production of Aladdin... a winner for the entire family! And, this spring they invite you to the world of Narnia. The classic work is brings to the stage an enchanted world filled with mythical creatures and spirits. The principal inhabitants, intelligent talking animals, are ruled by the majestic King Aslan, the great lion of Narnia. When four children enter Narnia at a time of high adventure, they come away with lessons of courage, selflessness and wisdom that will help them grow.

Grand Opening: Sea Life Kansas City

• When, Where, What: Opening April 6, Sea Life is located at 2475 Grand Blvd, KCMO. 816.471.4386
• Why We LOVE It: Ask KC parents one of their top wishes for KC kids and "a local aquarium" is always at the top of the list! On April 6th, the wish is fulfilled with the grand opening of the much-anticipated Sea Life Aquarium! Your family will be transported into an amazing underwater world with up-close views of more than 5,000 sea creatures! Come nose to nose with sharks in the walk-through underwater tunnel, experience the touch pool where you can hold a crab or touch a starfish, participate in educational demonstrations, watch animal feedings and explore this state-of-the-art home for many of the ocean’s most majestic creatures! www.Facebook.com/SeaLifeKansasCity

Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead opening for the Season!

• When, Where, What: The Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead (13800 Switzer, Overland Park, KS) is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., April 1 to Oct. 31. During the summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day), the Farmstead is open until 8 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. Admission is FREE Monday-Thursday, and $2/ea Friday-Sunday. 913.897.2360
• Why We LOVE It: The Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead is one of our family's FAVORITE outings in Kansas City! The children love feeding goats, watching horses, turkeys, prairie dogs, bison, and chickens. My girls LOVE taking pony rides, but they also offer wagon rides, mining, and fishing. Explore the Dairy Barn, pond, petting zoo, one-room country schoolhouse and the Indian Encampment. The children's butterfly garden is a great place to play or take a photo. Nothing says spring quite like a day at the farm!

Nettie Wells Dollhouse: A Family at Play

• When, Where, What: April 7 at the Toy & Miniature Museum.
• Why We LOVE It: The Toy & Miniature Museum of Kansas City is one of our favorite attractions! The young and the young at heart are captivated by the museum's collection of toys. This year, in conjunction with the Nettie Wells Dollhouse exhibit the Toy and Miniature Museum will bring Nettie's story to life through first-person interpretation, interactive tours and a hands-on cigar box dollhouse workshop. Young actor Maycee Steele will perform the part of Nettie Wells, a real girl who lived in Kansas City in the 1880s.

Miller Marley presents Peter Pan

• When, Where, What: Miller Marley presents Peter Pan on April 14 & 15 at the Lewis & Shirley White Theater in Overland Park, KS. General Adm. $12/ea. 913.492.0004
• Why We LOVE It: We can always depend on Miller Marley for fun family-friendly productions, and this year's spring show brings Peter Pan, the boy who won't grow up, flying to stage whisking audiences away to Never Neverland in this magical dance production.

Kite Flying & Flights of Fancy Kite Festival

• When, Where, What: Check out the Flights of Fancy Festival on April 21 from 10am-4pm at the MCC-Longview Campus Lawn. Mega kites of the Kansas City Kite Club grace the skies over the campus. Pack a picnic, bring your own kite and check out this local FREE Festival or visit your favorite park and go fly kites! Check out our Guide to the to the Best Places to Fly Kites in Kansas City!  
• Why We LOVE It: What is childhood without the memory of kite flying with the family? Can you think of a better way to spend a windy day in Kansas City? We can't!

Seussical the Musical

• When, Where, What:  The Culture House presents Seussical: The Musical April 19-21
• Why We LOVE It: We love Dr. Seuss and we LOVE seeing Seussical on stage! This spring, The Culture House captivates audiences with the fantastical, magical, musical extravaganza! The story centers around Horton the Elephant, who finds himself faced with a double challenge--not only must he protect his tiny friend Jojo (and all the invisible Whos) from a world of naysayers and dangers, but he must guard an abandoned egg, left to his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird. Although Horton faces ridicule, danger, kidnapping and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him, the only one who recognizes "his kind and his powerful heart." Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family and community are challenged and emerge triumphant, in a story that makes you laugh and cry.

NASCAR: Sprint Cup

• When, Where, What: April 21-22 the NASCAR Sprint Cup at the Kansas Speedway.
• Why We LOVE It: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will take on Kansas Speedway on April 22 in the STP 400 for the first of two times in 2012.  Immediately following the STP 400, the track will undergo a massive renovation project. This is your chance to see the last race on this racing surface! While there, visiting the souvenir trailers and concessions is a fun thing for a family to do while at the track. Families can tailgate or "trackgate", with horseshoes, frisbees, baseballs, etc., and grills. Of course, at Kansas Speedway, the possibilities are endless with Legends within walking distance. A prerace concert takes place inside the track for fans in the stands to enjoy. And the prerace flyovers would have to be a hit with the entire family.

Sleeping Beauty at Yardley Hall

• When, Where, What: The Moscow Ballet presents Sleeping Beauty April 28 at Yardley Hall at the Johnson County Community College.
• Why We LOVE It: Sleeping Beauty is one of the most beloved fairytales of all time, and the ballet presentation was brought to life by one of the greatest choreographers of all time, Marius Petipa. Regarded as Tchaikovsky’s finest ballet score, this story has become one of the most famous works in classical ballet repertoire, where a princess sleeps for 100 years, awakened only by true love’s kiss.

Animal Tales & Trails" FREE at Crown Center

• When, Where, What: thru May 6 during Crown Center shopping hours. 816.274.8444 Crown Center
• Why We LOVE It: Enter an interactive habitat where children learn about the most interesting creatures. Join the polar bear in his cave and help him icefish, slide down the penguin iceberg slide, jump with the kangaroo on a small trampoline, and much more. A reading area will feature many animal storybooks. The exhibit is best suited for children ages 2-11.

Diary of a Worm, a Spider and a Fly at Theatre for Young America!

• When, Where, What: Theatre for Young America is performing the live play, "Diary of a Worm, a Spider, and a Fly" through April 14 at the Union Station H&R Block City Stage. Call 816.460.2083 for ticket information. The single ticket price is $8.00. Groups of 15 or more are $5.50 per person with a reservation.
• Why We LOVE It: Theare for Young America has been entertaining and educating KC Kids for generations and their latest production, "Diary of a Worm, a Spider, and a Fly" continue the tradition. Based on the popular  books by Doreen Cronin, using a set and costumes of recycled and re-purposed materials, the show features rap, hip-hop, ballads, and boogie-woogie.  This funny play kicks off Earth Day celebrations as it promotes recycling, eco-consciousness and earth sciences and tolerance for differently-abled creatures.

Midland Railway: Easter Egg Hunt

• When, Where, What: Mar. 31 & Apr. 7 at the Midland Railway... 2 Days, 8 Trains! $7/ages 1-11, $14/ages 12 and up (including adults), under 1 (in arms) / Free. 913.721.1211
• Why We Love It: The Easter Bunny is coming to town, by train! Midland's annual tradition is fun for the whole family! Kids ages 0-12 enjoy a train trip, photos with the Easter Bunny, and one of the largest Easter Egg Hunts in town!

Rumplestiltskin.... Recycled!?!

• When, Where, What: Martin City Melodrama's new musical show is a fractured fairy tale, "Rumpelstiltskin...Recycled!?!" running through May 14th 2012.  Tickets $5.99/ person, theatre located in the Metcalf South Shopping Center at 95th & Metcalf in Overland Park, KS. 
• Why We LOVE It: Kansas City moms are always looking for creative ways to teach their children to recycle and take care of the environment. Martin City's newest production is a fun show teaching just that! “Rumpelstiltskin…Recycled!?!”© gives the children’s classic a whole new “spin”.  Once upon a time in the tiny country of Wastealot, the entire Kingdom runs out of paper!  Enivra Mental must spin straw into paper.  Well you know the rest of the story, or do you?  Will Rumpelstiltskin reveal the magical secret of who invented paper?  Does Rumpelstiltskin know just how paper can be spun out of straw?  You ask too many questions!  Find out the answers for yourself in this new musical fractured fairy tale:  “Rumpelstiltskin…Recycled!?!”©

Shop at Kansas City's Farmers' Markets!

• When, Where, What: Kansas City's Farmers' Markets start opening ALL Month long! With over 30 markets to choose from, ranging from small to large all across the metro, there is something for the locavore in all of us. Check out our Guide to Kansas City Farmers' Markets and read great tips for buying local farm fresh produce and discover a Farmers' Market near you.
• Why We LOVE It: We're fortunate to have so many terrific Farmers' Markets in Kansas City to choose from. If you want to eat organic, fresh, locally grown produce, or you are looking for plants for your own garden, or local honey, Amish baked goods, or even live animals... Kansas City's Farmers' Markets have it all! Several even boast live music and entertainment. This is an excellent family outing on a Spring Saturday... you have fun and finish a chore all at once!