Best of June in Kansas City: 2014

June is here! Summer Fun awaits at Kansas City's attractions... with wonderful live performances including The Wizard of Oz and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang,  fabulous gardens, live concerts, living history, and more - there is something for everyone in Kansas City this summer!

Day Out with Thomas

• When, Where, What: The Midland Railway (1515 W. High St., Baldwin City, KS). Day Out with Thomas is offered May 30, 31, June 1, 6, 7 & 8. Advance reservations required. This event always sells out! Tip: Use the Coupon Code KCPARENT14 to save $2/ticket.
• Why We LOVE It: The Midland Railway begins operation in June and they kick off their season with their annual event, "Day Out with Thomas." Fans ride with Thomas the Train and meet Thomas the Train characters! Thomas is inviting you to enjoy The Thrill of the Ride 2014 Day Out With Thomas tour at the Midland Railway! Presented by HIT Entertainment and sponsored by MEGA Brands, Day Out With Thomas provides an opportunity for kids to take a ride in their favorite tank engine, meet the railway controller Sir Topham Hatt, have fun in Imagination Station, enjoy magic shows, live music, play miniature gold, and much more! Questions? Call 913.721.1211

FREE for All at KC Watersports

• When, Where, What: June 1 from 11am-3pm at KC Watersports (25825 Edgmore Rd. Hillsdale, KS). Free event for everyone to come out and try wakeboarding. 
• Why We LOVE It: KC Watersports (25825 Edgemore Rd., Paola, KS, 913.783.4300) is one of the newest businesses in the Metro, now offering the best wakeboarding destination in the Midwest. Their 7.5-acre cable lake is home to a five-tower Rixen Cable, an overhead cable system with the ability to carry six riders at the same time.  The lake boasts the most challenging set of rails, ramps and sliders in the United States.  They offer classes, programs and camps covering skiing, wakeboarding, waterskating, kneeboarding and standing paddleboard for all skill levels from novice to experienced. KCW offers something for every ability level! On June 1, try wakeboarding for FREE!

Okee Dokee Brothers at Wonderscope!

• When, Where, What: June 1 from 1:30-3pm at Wonderscope Children's Museum! 913.268.4176 www.Wonderscope.org
• Why We LOVE It: Wonderscope Children's Museum GRAMMY® Award-winning Okee Dokee Brothers will be appearing at Wonderscope! Kids love their style, parents love their message. With a personal passion for the great outdoors, they share their love of nature with their American Folk Style the whole family loves.

Mosaic Life Care Friday Film Fest

• When, Where, What: FREE Films starting at 7 p.m. on June 6, 13 and 27 in the courtyard of Mosaic Life Care at Shoal Creek for our Friday Film Fests in June. 
• Why We LOVE It: This event features a family-friendly movie, healthy and delicious snack and dinner options and fun activities for kids of all  ages. Movies will start at approximately 8:40 p.m. What's better than free summer fun for the entire family? 

The Wizard of Oz & We Will Rock You

• When, Where, What: at Starlight Theatre 816.363.7827 KC Starlight Theatre!
• Why We LOVE It: Our girls have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Dorothy on the Starlight stage. Every summer, we enjoy family shows at Starlight and The Wizard of Oz is the beginning of a fun-filled family-friendly season of entertainment! 
• The Wizard of Oz: June 10-15: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new production of The Wizard of Oz is an enchanting adaptation of the all-time classic, totally reconceived for the stage. Click your heels together and join Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion, Dorothy and her little dog Toto, as they journey through the magical land of Oz to meet the Wizard and obtain their hearts’ desires. Watch out for the Wicked Witch of the West and her winged monkeys as you rediscover the real story of Oz in this fantastic musical treat for all the family.
• We Will Rock You: We Will Rock You features the greatest hits of the legendary British rock group, Queen. Now in its 11th year in London and seen by a staggering 15 million people worldwide, this hilarious, multi-award-winning and record-breaking phenomenon boasts a fantastic score of killer Queen tunes that you just can't resist singing along to, such as "Another One Bites The Dust," "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," "We Are The Champions," "Bohemian Rhapsody" and, of course, "We Will Rock You." It's the world champion of musicals and the show that rocks harder than any other, so don't miss the party!June 17 - 22: 

FREE Sprint Family Fun Days

• When, Where, What: June 14 from 11am-3pm at KC Power and Light District. Sprint Family Fun Days are offered on the 2nd Saturday of the Month May-Oct.
• Why We LOVE It: June's Family Fun Days theme is Ultimate Field Day. Fun activities include: Hedrick's Pig Races are scheduled for 11:15 a.m., 11:50 a.m., 12:15 p.m. 12:45 p.m., 1:10 p.m., 1:40 p.m., 2:15 p.m. 2:40 p.m. (Event ends at 3 p.m.) Other activities include: Obstacle Course*, Face Painters,* Bounce House*, Arts and Crafts, Slam Dunk*, Batter Up Baseball Challenge*, Football Challenge*, Pop-A-Shot*, Radar Speed Throw*, Soccer Kick Challenge and More!  Dress your little ones up in your family's favorite team gear, then take photos with their favorite Kansas City team mascot!  Photo ops are free - Bring your camera! Mascot times will be posted soon! KC Wolf: Sluggerrr:   11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Remember - ALL SPRINT FAMILY FUN DAYS attendees receive $2 parking at the KC Live and Main Street (next to Cosentino's Market) garages - Just tell the attendant you are coming to Family Fun Days in the Power & Light District or get your ticket validated at any Power & Light District restaurant, shop and venue!

Gardens Gone Wild: An Animal Art Adventure

• When, Where, What: Powell Gardens (816.697.2600. 1609 N.W. U.S. Highway 50 Kingsville, MO.) exhibit Gardens Gone Wild thru Oct. 5.
• Why We LOVE It: Powell Gardens is a summer favorite for our family. This summer, we're looking forward to a fun-filled scavenger hunt as we embark on a  journey through wetlands, woodlands, tropics and more to discover 26 bronze animal sculptures by nationally acclaimed artist Dan Ostermiller. The sculptures include a 12-foot elephant playing and spraying into the Fountain Garden; a pair of wrestling bears near a hollow log kids can explore and even encounter farm animals such as Priscilla, a 5-foot-tall hen making her home in the Heartland Harvest Garden’s Fun Foods Farm!
• Bonus: Powell Gardens is hosting an array of fun extra events in conjunction with the exhibit! Follow their calendar for information.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

• When, Where, What: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at The Coterie June 17-Aug. 3.
• Why We LOVE It: We can always depend on a professional, out of this world, top notch performance at The Coterie. This summer, we can't wait to see what they do with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as audiences embark on a fantastic musical adventure with an out-of-this-world car that flies through the air and sails the seas. The sensational songs include “Truly Scrumptious,” “Toot Sweets,” “Hushabye Mountain,” and the Oscar-nominated title song, “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.”

FREE Future Stages Festival

• When, Where, What: June 22 from 10am-5pm at Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Register for FREE at http://www.kauffmancenter.org/2014/04/06/futurestagesfestival/.
• Why We LOVE It: We are proud of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, one of the most beautiful performing arts venues in the world. The summer, they invite you to celebrate the future of the arts in Kansas City at the FREE Future Stages Festiva. Youth and families are invited to experience a fun-filled day of performances and interactive arts activities. Featuring family-friendly presentations from the Kansas City Ballet, Kansas City Symphony and Lyric Opera of Kansas City and performances from a host of Kansas City’s most talented performing artists and students, Future Stages Festival is a free event for all ages.

Union Station: The Discovery of King Tut & Maker Faire

• When, Where, What: Science City at Union Station is the place to be this summer! 
• Why We LOVE It: Science City is Kansas City’s largest, most interactive science museum with something for visitors of all ages. Favorite exhibits include the Challenger Exhibit where you gear up as an astronaut for space flight, DinoLab where children dig for bones and watch as fossils are preserved, Echo Cave where children learn about nature firsthand, and exhibits about health, engineering, water, optical illusions and more. Top off your visit with a planetarium show for an unforgettable experience. This summer enjoy the Discovery of King Tut Exhibit.
• About The Discovery of King Tut: This never before assembled complete recreation of King Tut’s Tomb and Treasure is making its North American debut in Kansas City. In this breathtaking exhibition, you will learn about and walk in the footsteps of the 1922 discovery of the most significant ancient Egyptian archeological site imaginable. Explore the tomb’s treasures as they were at the moment of discovery. Marvel at more than 1,000 brilliant objects, filling nearly 20,000 square feet. Listen as Howard Carter tells his story of mystery and adventure (audio tour included with every ticket purchase). Additional admission charged.
• About Maker Faire: June 28 & 29 at Union Station. Click for Ticket Information.  Maker Faire: Kansas City celebrates things people create themselves. This family-friendly event demonstrates what and how people are inventing, making and creating. It brings together Makers, Crafters, Inventors, Hackers, Scientists and Artists for a faire full of fun and inspiration. Come see what others are making and be inspired to tap into your own creativity!

Mahaffie Family Fun Nights

• When, Where, What: Mahaffie Family Fun Night 6-8 PM every Thursday Night in June & July, Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm (1200 Kansas City Road, Olathe, KS). FREE admission. Enjoy a variety of historic-themed activities each week. Special activities like stagecoach rides are $2/person. 913.971.5111 www.mahaffie.org
• Weekly Themes: June 5-Kansas Cowboys. June 12-Horse Power. June 19-Border War. June 25-Hit the Trail! July 3-Celebrate Olathe! (Grand Opening of the Olathe Community Center, 19th Century Indepenence Day & 19th Century Fireworks). July 10-Civil War. July 17-Wonders of Victorian Science or Kansas Wheat Harvest (depends on crop readiness). July 24-Kansas Wheat Harvest or Wonders of Victorian Science (depends on crop readiness). July 31-County Fair.
• Why We LOVE It: Mahaffie is hosting special programs on Thursday evenings from 6-8pm when the farm truly comes to life with hands-on history from the 1850s. Activities include free activities (for example: butter churning, planting seeds, tours of the home) and activities with a small fee (for example: Stagecoach rides, working in the Blacksmith Shop, Grinding Corn)and they vary with the theme each week. Our children were enthralled at the blacksmith shop where they made their own "S Hooks" last year and the stagecoach ride is a fun historic experience.
• Bonus:  Read our tips for the most fun at Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop before you go.

Super Kids Save the World

• When, Where, What: thru Sept. 7 at Crown Center (2500 Grand Blvd., KCMO). On the 1st level, open during shop hours. FREE hands-on children's exhibit.
• Why We LOVE It: Let's face it,  Kansas City summers can get HOT and sometimes you're looking for a little a/c to cool off. The FREE hands-on children's exhibits at Crown Center are a great indoor option for families looking to get the wiggles out in creative and educational ways. The latest exhibit Super Kids Save the World is developed by The Magic House®, St. Louis Children's Museum. Super kids become super heroes when given the power to go green! The exhibit's big message is Reduce, Reuse, Repair and Recycle. In the Garden, kids pick fresh vegetables before selling them in the Farmer's Market. They can sort and hang laundry in the House, sell funky clothes at the Re-Use Charity Shop and use their scientific skills to learn about solar power and bio-fuel in the Research Lab. This is a summer must-see - for FREE! You simply can't beat that.

Train Rides

• Details: Sat & Sun at 2pm thru Oct, and Sat at 11am thru Aug ride aboard the Belton, Grandview & KC Railroad Co. (502 Walnut, Belton, MO) for $9.50/passenger. Every Friday June - Aug, enjoy Ice Cream Trains at 7pm for $10.50/passenger. The Belton, Grandview and Kansas City Railroad Co. is a short line passenger railroad and demonstration museum in Belton, Missouri, just south on US Hwy. 71 from the Kansas City Metro Area. The BG&KC offers excursions on our line running south from Belton on a 5 mile, 45 minute round trip. We are an all volunteer, nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving rail travel and railroading.
• Why We LOVE It: All Aboard! The young, and the young-at-heart, LOVE trains... the charm, the fun memories and nostalgia. This summer, ride the rails with the Belton, Grandview & Kansas City Railroad. The organization is a non-profit volunteer organization run by volunteers like John, who happily tells every visitor his pay is the smile on the kids' faces... and do they ever smile!

Early Mornings at the Zoo & Jazzoo

• When, Where, What: NEW Summer Hours at the Kansas City Zoo, 8:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays; 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends. Beat the heat and arrive in the cool of the morning!
• Why We LOVE It: The zoo is a must-see summer destination and the early mornings are a great way to beat the heat! While you're there, check out the Penguin Keeper Chats, Gorilla Zoo Keeper talk, the Polar Bear Chat, Elephant painting, and Sea Lion Feeding. Kids love to watch the polar bears swim and play when they first arrive at the zoo, followed by the penguins in the Helzberg Penguin Plaza. The African Exhibit has been ranked as the #1 African Zoo Exhibit in America. Visitors now enjoy a bird's eye view of majestic animals on the sky safari - ride above the African plains exhibit at the Zoo. Riders view the giraffes, zebras, antelope, cheetahs, rhinos, birds, and more from an up-close view above the treetops unlike any other. 
• Jazzoo 2014: June 6, 2014 Jazzoo is Kansas City Zoo's largest fundraiser. This event helps raise funds for children’s educational programs and feeds the Zoo’s more than 1,100 animals. Guests will enjoy delicious dishes from many Kansas City area restaurants, limitless libations and entertainment throughout the night on four different stages. Your ticket is your passport to adventure. Show us your animal inspired creative black-tie attire and make a grand entrance at Jazzoo. Tickets for Jazzoo are $175 per person. This is one event you don't want to miss!

Shop at Kansas City's Farmers' Markets! & Special Events

• 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!
• City Market Busker Festival: Jun 21, 2014 from 8:00 am until 1:00 pm at The City Market Third & Main Kansas City , MO. Free, freaky, fun entertainment! Enjoy circus style performances at the City Market--fire breathers, aerial trapeze, glass walking, juggling, and more! 

KidScape at the Johnson County Museum: Summer Arts, Pop 'N Play, & Live Performances

• When, Where, What: Johnson County Museum (6305 Lackman Road, Shawnee, KS). Admission: FREE. Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; Sundays 1:00 - 4:30 p.m. 913.715.25550. Read our review of KidScape. Special events at KidScape in June include: Summer Arts Programs Every Friday (registration required), Wednesday Events  (either Pop 'N Play for little ones or live concerts, story tellers, and special prgrams. Visit the Johnson County Museum Calendar for specific details.
• Why We LOVE KidScape: We enjoy KidScape all year long! The educational and hands-on exhibit is perfect 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.

A Day at the Lake

• When, Where, What: You can fish year-round at one of Kansas City's great Fishing Spots, or enjoy the Kids Fishing Derbies across the metro all month long! Then, Kansas City's Swim Beaches open Memorial Day Weekend for a day of memories swimming at the lake!
• Why We LOVE It: Introduce your kids to the sport of fishing and enjoy a hobby that will last a lifetime. If you're lucky, you may even enjoy a great dinner out of the deal too!