After-School Family Nights
Family time doesn’t have to come to an end as soon as the first school bell rings. With a bit of creativity, you can set aside a weekly family night to make memories with your kids.
Around Town:
Planning and carrying out a family night takes some work and energy. These local attractions make family night easy to implement!
Fun & Games Night: Arcades, laser tag, ropes courses, billiards, bowling, and tasty meal options make Main Event one of the most popular choices for family night in the metro. On Monday nights from 4:00 to close they offer Monday Night Madness, where you may select one of three super specials for just $10.95 each: all-you-can-play activities, unlimited video game play or a $20 FUNcard. Three metro locations (MainEvent.com) let you choose the one nearest you!
Movie Night: AMC Stubs members save on tickets and concessions on Tuesday nights.
Skate Night: Spend the night roller skating at Landmark Skate in Lee’s Summit, where a family night special of four skaters for $15 is a bargain on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8:30. This weekly event is family-friendly and great for younger skaters, as well as tweens and teens.
Night at the Museum: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art offers free admission daily (and free parking at the Rockhill & 45th lot). On Thursdays and Fridays, the museum is open until 9:00. Pack a picnic to enjoy on the lawn, then explore the sculpture park or the indoor exhibits. You’ll find family guides and maps at the information desk.
Magic & Pizza Night: On the second and fourth Thursdays of the month, from 6:00 to 8:00, David David the Magician performs tableside magic at Waldo Pizza in Lee’s Summit (1543 NE Douglas St.). Tasty pizza and live entertainment make for the perfect kid-friendly night out.
Creativity Night: On the second Friday of the month, Paint, Glaze & Fire offers Family Fun Night from 5:30 to 8:00. Families enjoy painting ceramics and sharing pizza and soda for a creative night together.
Stargazing Night: On clear Friday nights through October, the public is invited to enjoy a free program including a tour of the night sky, viewing through the telescopes (weather permitting), and sometimes an educational presentation on an interesting astronomy topic at Warkoczewski Observatory (Warko Observatory, UMKC Volker Campus, Royall Hall Roof, East 52nd Street, Kansas City, MO).
Nature Night: The Overland Park Arboretum hosts Night at the Arboretum on select Friday nights (Sept. 13, Oct. 4, Nov. 8; 7:00-9:00; $3 admission). Experience the great outdoors at this monthly event as you learn about Native American tribes from Eastern Kansas. Enjoy the gardens at night and gaze at the night sky.
Kids Eat Free: Always check the Kids Eat Free Guide on KCParent.com to find the best meal deal near you every night of the week!
At Home:
Family nights at home can be the best. Just make sure you have a few simple rules in place for quality time: No screens or interruptions allowed, everyone agrees to follow the golden rule and you all set out to have a great time.
Fun & Games Night: When was the last time you challenged your kids to a classic game of charades or Pictionary? Or played Monopoly? Or tried a new card or board game? We love the classics, but we’re also fans of new games from GameWright and ThinkFun.
Movie Night: Experiment with new flavors of popcorn. Concoct your own creation or try a recipe from the Food Network (FoodNetwork.com/recipes/articles/50-flavored-popcorn-recipes). Then, cuddle up with a classic family film, a personal favorite or something new.
Skate Night: So many great skating and biking trails crisscross the metro. Spend an evening rollerblading as a family. Indian Creek Trail, Turkey Creek Trail, Tomahawk Creek Trail, Little Blue Trace Trail and Howard Park in Lee’s Summit are some of our top picks.
Night at the Museum: Take your kids on a “tour” of your family museum. Tell them the stories behind family heirlooms or old photographs. Compare and contrast your interests. Does your son’s book collection more resemble Mom’s or Dad’s taste in literature? Does your daughter enjoy painting like an aunt or grandparent? Tell the story of your family on a tour of your own home.
Magical Pizza Night: Challenge the kids to learn a new magic trick on YouTube and perform it for the family, or dig out the kit they received for a birthday gift. Or, watch clips from a favorite television magician and try to figure out how he made that rabbit appear from a hat. For dinner, make or purchase individual pizza crusts, prepare a selection of toppings and let everyone build a personalized pizza.
Creativity Night: My girls love “to play with our trash.” One of their favorite hobbies is asking to sort through items in the recycling bin (old boxes, egg cartons, newspapers, magazines, etc.) and using these items to make collages, miniature villages, and dioramas. With the addition of a bit of paint, glue, washi tape and stickers from the craft collection, they’ve designed some fun and creative pieces for our rec room art gallery.
Stargazing Night: Pack up your telescope or borrow one from a friend (I’m sure you have a Facebook friend with one she’ll let you borrow) and spend a night stargazing in your own backyard. Or, drive out to the country a bit to get away from the city lights. Enjoy a night of gazing at the heavens. The Google Sky app is useful for identifying stars, constellations, and planets.
Nature Night: Spend the night enjoying your own backyard. Let everyone choose a new fruit or veggie to try on the grill to accompany your favorite backyard barbecue entrée. Then, pass the evening enjoying your own yard. Play volleyball or catch, work on the garden, relax in the hammock with a book, play on the swing set … but, most of all, enjoy some family time away from screens.
Make Up Your Own Night: Ask all your family members to come up with their own perfect family night idea and write it out. Toss all the ideas into a bowl at the beginning of the week. Select one and choose a night to enact the plan. Then, carry it out and make some memories of your own!
Kristina Light’s girls love to play games and work on jigsaw puzzles as a family, but they also enjoy a night on the town.