Bringing Books to Life at Kansas City Museums
Reading bedtime stories is one of the most cherished childhood memories for parents and kids. Together the classics are passed on from generation to generation. As you read to your children, you can bring their favorite stories to life by adding to the fun with an outing specifically suited to their favorite tales. Here are a few of our favorites in Kansas City:
The Little House Series
Laura Ingalls depicts the life of pioneers vividly in The Little House Series. As you read about churning butter, trundle beds, covered wagons, ox yokes and log cabins, take an outing to a local landmark. Some of our favorites include Missouri Town 1855 (8010 Southeast Park Rd., Blue Springs, MO, 816.524.8770) and Shoal Creek Living History Museum (7000 NE Barry Rd., Kansas City, MO, 816.792.2665). These are historic villages with dozens of buildings among them. You’ll discover homes, schools, churches, a working mill, blacksmith shops and more. Both facilities offer events where families may participate in living history firsthand. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Read about The Little House Project for many more wonderful museums and sites to visit.
Mark Twain's Classics
Mark Twain takes us on wild steamboat adventures in his classics, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Living so near the Missouri River, it is appropriate that we pay homage to the history of riverboating at the Arabia Steamboat Museum (400 Grand Blvd., KC, MO, 816.471.4030). The steamboat Arabia sank in 1856 in the Missouri River, and the Hawley family excavated her remains, creating one of the most fascinating museums in the metro. With the treasures of the shipwreck on display, you’ll discover intriguing steamboating and river tales here. Read our full review of the Steamboat Arabia Museum.
Magic School Bus Series
If your children love science, you are probably familiar with the Magic School Bus Series, where the dynamic teacher Miss Frizzle takes her class on journeys through water, space and even the human body. Your children can experience the fun firsthand with an outing to Science City (30 W. Pershing, KC, MO, 816.460.2020) where you walk through a human heart, dig for dinosaur bones, travel to outer space, watch a planetarium show and more. For young children, Wonderscope Children’s Museum (5700 King, Shawnee, KS, 913.287.8888) offers hands-on exhibits from H2Oh!, where they experiment with water, to Raceways, where they play with gravity and motion, and more.
Katie Series
Author James Mayhew tells remarkable stories in his Katie Series where a young girl visits art galleries and soon discovers herself inside the paintings. From Van Gogh to Monet, the Katie books introduce children to famous masterpieces in a way that is captivating and memorable. Take your children on a visit to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (4525 Oak St., KC, MO, 816.751.1278), one of Kansas City’s jewels, where you too can discover the art of the masters.
As your children discover new favorites on their bookshelves, consider an outing to one of Kansas City’s other beloved museums to enhance the experience and create memories for the entire family.