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Earth Day in Kansas City: 2011

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Celebrate Earth Day in Kansas City with Family Fun all month long! Families will enjoy learning more about "Going Green" at local shows, festivals, parties, classes and workshops. Participate in hands-on experiences at local nature centers and sites.

Bonus: Celebrate Earth Day! Five Lucky readers will Win one free copy of the book "Planet Earth: 25 Environmental Projects You Can Build Yourself" by NomadPress.net. Contest ends on 4/22/2011. Enter to win here!

 

Savings and Sales:

Spend $30 get $10: Children's Orchard & Earth Day Event April 23, Children's Orchard Olathe and Independence (Olathe: 913.780.6600 and Indep: 816.373.4585). At Children’s Orchard we buy, sell and recycle top-quality, gently used kids stuff for a fraction of the original cost. So if green is your color do something your kids thank you for: Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.And Leave them a gently used planet. Leave them with a gently used planet. Celebrate Earth Day with us. Enjoy FREE seed packets, coloring contests, activities, and more! More details online at www.ChildOrch.com  

FREE Admission for Earth Day: Powell Gardens April 22, Powell Gardens. Free admission on Earth Day! Garden admission is waived in honor of Earth Day—a great time to view spring blooms and visit the conservatory exhibit, Enchanted Garden: Orchids, Begonias & Fairy Houses. 816.697.2600 www.powellgardens.org

Ongoing:

 

Enchanted Garden: Orchids, Begonias & Fairy Houses through April 24, Powell Gardens. A mix of exquisite orchids and bright begonias make a perfect background for a magical display of fairy houses in Powell Gardens’ conservatory. Visitors also can purchase their own orchids from Bird’s Botanicals throughout the exhibit. $9.50/adults, $8.50/seniors, and $4/children 5-12. 816.697.2600 www.powellgardens.org

Theater & Puppets:

 

Itsy Bitsy Spider Who Changed the World through May 13, Martin City Melodrama at Metcalf South Shopping Center. New original musical for children! With song, dance, and simple legends this play shares a valuable lesson for children... the importance of respecting others, that anyone (no matter how small or overlooked) can contribute to the world in a big way, and the importance of taking care of and respecting the world around us. Read the KC Parent Review of "An Itsy Bitsy Spider Who Changed the World." $5.99/ea. 913.642.7576 www.martincitymelodrama.org/Martin_City__Jr.html

“Goldilocks and the Three Bears” the Ecological Version. Through April 15, H&R Block City Stage on level B at Union Station. In this lively, musical version of the beloved folktale Mama, Papa, and Baby Bear lead a very green “ecologically correct” existence until their lives are disrupted by the intruder, Goldilocks, a modern show biz kid from the city, and her two upscale and clueless parents. Baby Bear learns how to sing, dance and act from his new human friend, Goldilocks, and together they bring peace to their feuding families through music and dance. Themes include tolerance and finding peaceful solutions to problems. Curricular connections: European folk tales, conflict resolution, environmental education. The single ticket price is $8.00. Groups of 15 or more are $5.50 per person with a reservation. . 816.460.2083 www.tya.org/shows_Acurrent.htm

Puppets for the Planet April 16. Puppets for the Planet FEST 2011: Eco Game Shows, new puppets, and some of the best talent in the city! Free interactive events. Build your own puppet, make Aztec Art, learn how to compost, join the drum circle, find out how to recycle better and just have fun as we celebrate the planet we live on with ART www.stonelionpuppets.org/festivals.html    

Story Time:

 

Mother Nature Reads Every Saturday at 10:00 AM, Lakeside Nature Center. Each Saturday morning at ten, children of all ages join Mother Nature's representative in the Nature Center's library area. They hear a story, learn 'cool facts' about the animal of the month and make something to take home. Sometimes the animal of the month is a resident of the center and is used in a short interpretative program. Other times, the kids see and handle feathers, wings, egg replicas, track casts, scat replicas and furs. 816.513.8960 www.lakesidenaturecenter.org

Green is Great April 1, 10:30 AM, Prairie Oak Nature Center. Story Time: These delightful story times are held in the natural resource library at the Prairie Oak Nature Center. Includes the reading of several animal or nature inspired stories with discussions. Registration is required. Call 913.681.0902 x 10. One - 30 minute class. www.leawood.org

Learning Experiences:

Home Depot Kids' Workshop: Planter/Basket April 2, 9:00 AM, Home Depot Stores Across the Metro. Designed for kids 5-12, these free workshops teach do-it-yourself skills and tool safety, while instilling a sense of accomplishment. The workshops teach children do-it-yourself skills and tool safety, while at the same time helping to instill a sense of accomplishment. Additionally, this fun time allows for quality one-on-one time between adults and children.In addition to the newly constructed project kit, each child receives a kid-sized orange apron, similar to The Home Depot associates' aprons, and an achievement pin. ages 5-12. www.homeimproverclub.com

Stream Team: Tree Planting April 5, 5:30 PM, Burr Oak Woods Nature Center. You and your family can make a difference. Grab your boots, gloves and shovel. We are heading out to plant native trees on the Conservation Area. Trees help to stabilize stream banks, filter pollution, provide food and shelter for wildlife and provide oxegen for you and me. Imagine 15 years from now when you return to see your trees. Ages 5 and up with adult. . 816.228.2766 http://mdc.mo.gov/regions/kansas-city/burr-oak-woods-nature-center

Science Adventure Club at the Zoo Every Thursday at 11:00 AM, Kansas City Zoo. Come and join our “new” preschool science hour for ages 3-5 years old with a chaperone. All activities are age appropriate, informative, stimulating and fun. Each week we will highlight an animal or other topic with songs, stories, a brief science lesson and a craft. Hope to see you there soon! Every club meeting includes a carousel ride (weather permitting). Zoo admission is not included. Registration not required. Cost: $5 per child with one chaperone ($4 for FOTZ members). 816.513.5800 www.kansascityzoo.org

Get Your Green On! at the City Market April 9, The City Market. The City Market has teamed up with Surplus Exchange to be a one-time drop off location for electronics recycling. Other earth friendly type businesses will have educational information and/or displays on-site at this Earth Day and Electronics Recycling event. Our goal is to bring greater awareness to the public about these organizations and businesses that offer ‘green’ initiatives that are making a difference in the Kansas City area. 816.842.1271 www.thecitymarket.org

Stream Clean April 9, 8:00 AM, Bring the kids and help clean up the streams of trash & debris. Contact Jim Twigg to volunteer. 913.895.6273 www.opkansas.org/Events/Stream-Clean

Arbor Day: Grandview April 9, Meadowmere Park. Join the community in celebrating Arbor Day! Free Oak tree seedlings and wildflower packets will be available to everyone attending, courtesy of the Missouri Department of Conservation. Start the morning out right with pancakes, free from 8:00 am - 9:30 am with your donation or canned good for Grandview Assistance Program. Then at 10:00 am we will honor long a designated citizen of Grandview.

816.316.4800 www.grandview.org/index.aspx?page=484#FatherDaughter

Party for the Planet April 16, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Kansas City Zoo. Get ready to celebrate our! Learn about conservation, marvel at our Party for the Planet performers, enjoy special programs, visit the Scraps to Sculptures display and much more. Regular Zoo Admission Applies. 816.513.5800 www.kansascityzoo.org

Earth Day: Lakeside Nature Center April 16, Lakeside Nature Center. Our theme for 2011 is "What's Out at Night". Come to the center to learn, with a puppet show from StoneLion Puppets, make something to take home and see our night-time stars. 816.513.8960 www.lakesidenaturecenter.org

In Celebration of Earth Day April 16, 10:00 AM, Burr Oak Woods Nature Center. Come out and celebrate the Earth with us! Increase your awareness about how pollution affects the fish, forest and wildlife of Missouri through games and activities for the entire family. Discover how just one person can make a difference. There will be recycled crafts and ideas for living greener. Each family is invited to take home one native tree to plant. 816.228.2766 http://mdc.mo.gov/regions/kansas-city/burr-oak-woods-nature-center

Discover Nature Families: Building Wren Houses April 16, 12:30 PM, Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center. Here's a chance for your family to build a wren house. Working together, you will glue, nail and sand the wood to build a wren house. Learn how to weatherize and maintain your house for long-term wren use. Afterwards we'll go for a short hike to see an example of how to place the house. Reservations are required by April 15, 2011 816.759.7300 http://mdc.mo.gov/regions/kansas-city/discovery-center

Spring Nature Walk April 16, 1:00 PM, Prairie Oak Nature Center. Please join us for this fun nature walk. We will hike approximately one mile while we talk about “nature appreciation.” Your child will learn to identify many species of birds, trees, other plants including poison ivy while learning to respect the plants and animals around them. Refreshments and a close-up look at the nature center animals will conclude this class. One - 90 minute class. Fee $8 / Resident Discounted Fee $7 | Min 6 Max 10. Ages 7 to 10 years. 913.681.0902 x10 www.leawood.org

Little Acorns: Spring has Sprung April 21, 10:00 AM, Burr Oak Woods Nature Center. Spring is in the air and wildflowers are springing up. The Little Acorns will take a hike and look at some of the pretty petals pushing their way up through the freshly thawed soil. Ages 3-5. Register at 816.228.2766 http://mdc.mo.gov/regions/kansas-city/burr-oak-woods-nature-center

Discover Nature Families: Owl Prowl April 23, 7:30 PM, Burr Oak Woods Nature Center. Bring your family to learn about the owls of Missouri and discover the important role they play in the web of life by dissecting real owl pellets. As we prowl the woods and prairies searching for these nocturnal predators, learn how to scan the land for prime owl habitat and how to identify Missouri owls by sound. Families with children 7up. Register at 816.228.2766 http://mdc.mo.gov/regions/kansas-city/burr-oak-woods-nature-center

 

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

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