Best Fun for FREE in KC

If you’re looking for family fun on a shoestring, Kansas City offers an abundance of terrific free choices. These are a few of our top picks for free family fun! See www.KCParent.com for “Free Fun” all year long!

Kaleidoscope is one of the best destinations in Kansas City, according to our readers and their kids. This free hands-on art center, courtesy of Hallmark, invites visitors into a magical realm of creativity, where kids can create jigsaw puzzles, glow-in-the-dark art, crowns and more.

For unforgettable free fun, visit the Money Museum, where you’ll take home a souvenir bag of cash… shredded cash, that is! Interactive exhibits explore banking, basic economics and the financial policies that affect your family.

Driving through Kansas City, you notice a building with an airplane mounted on the roof, and it arouses your curiosity. What could it be? That airplane has become the trademark of the Roasterie, known for selling premier air-roasted coffee. The business offers one of the most fun free tours in town. Visitors watch as coffee goes from bean to brew. Call 816.931.4000 for reservations.

Experience the story of Kansas City's own Hallmark, from its founding in 1910 to today. Visit the Hallmark Visitors Center and watch as greeting cards and wrapping paper are made, then participate in hands-on fun as you make a souvenir gift bow with the push of a button.

Unleash your inner motorcycle enthusiast with a free behind-the-scenes tour of the Harley Davidson Vehicle and Powertrain Operations Plant, where visitors 12 and up watch the assembly of a V-Rod from start to finish.

There is only one shop in America where professional level violins, violas, cellos and basses are crafted, and it is located right in Downtown Merriam. K.C. Strings is the shop where more than 20 craftsmen make world-class instruments. You can schedule a tour for an in-depth view into the science of stringed instruments by calling 913.403.8999.