Discover Story Land Fun in Kansas City

A favorite childhood book is never forgotten and is often treasured and shared with the next generation. Did you know you can celebrate many children’s classic tales throughout Greater Kansas City? Here are just a few fun suggestions:

Crown Center

From May 23 to Sept. 7, be sure and take the kids to the free exhibit “Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites.” Seven popular children’s picture books will be featured in a playful learning environment. Children up to age 8 will enjoy this fun attraction and will even get to create their own storybook art to take home with them!

Crown Center Shops Showplace, Level 1

2450 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO

816.274.8444

Beanstalk Children’s Garden

Just like Peter in Beatrix Potter’s beloved The Tale of Peter Rabbit, children can discover the many wonderful foods a garden can produce!  Here, children can use all of their senses to learn the benefits of six different types of gardens. The Water Garden with its water lilies, fish and frogs is always a favorite. Perhaps you may even catch a glimpse of a flying frog on a lily pad, just like in David Wiesner’s Tuesday.

Leanna Flandermeyer Beanstalk Children’s Garden

Kansas City Community Gardens

6917 Kensington Ave., Kansas City, MO 64132

816.931.3877

*Bonus: You can see rabbits, frogs and many other cool critters at Science City’s Nature Center in Union Station.

Kansas City Zoo

Your little one can go on a scavenger hunt throughout the Kansas City Zoo to find each animal Spot’s mom sees while searching for her puppy in the fun lift-the-flap children’s book Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill.

Kansas City Zoo

6800 Zoo Dr., Kansas City, MO 64132

816.595.1234

*Bonus: Find your own Spot by adopting a dog (or any animal!) from one of Kansas City’s many animal rescue centers! Or take your own faithful companion to one of Kansas City’s awesome dog parks!

Kansas City Ice Center and Ice Pavilion

Did you know that you can enjoy the thrills of winter, even at the height of a Kansas City summer? Well, you can at the Ice Sports Arena! Just like Peter in The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, kids can experience the fun cold weather can bring by taking skating lessons, catching an ice hockey tournament or by watching a figure skating freestyle session.

Kansas City Ice Center

19900 Johnson Dr., Shawnee, KS 66218

913.441.3033

Shatto Milk Company

Every child knows that milk and cookies go together! And the mouse in the delightful children’s book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff knows this too! You and your family can view the farm-to-table journey of milk at the local dairy farm, Shatto Milk Company. You can feed a calf its bottle, then have a picnic and enjoy a cookie with a glass of fresh milk on the grounds after your tour of the dairy!

“And chances are if he asks for a glass of milk, he’s going to want a cookie to go with it.”

Shatto Farm

9406 N. Hwy. 33

Osborn, MO 64474

816.930.3862

*Bonus: Watch a cow being milked and then enjoy an ice cream cone in the big barn at Deanna Rose Farmstead!

Tree Climbing Kansas City

What child doesn’t love the rhyming alphabet book by Bill Martin, Jr., and John Archambault, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom? Just like the alphabet in the story, your child (age 8 and up) can climb a tree safely at Stagecoach Park by taking a tree climbing lesson from the club Tree Climbing Kansas City. Classes are held in the oak in front of the community center.

Stagecoach Park

1205 N. Kansas City Rd., Olathe, KS

913.261.9707

*Bonus: For the little ones, visit any Johnson County Library and check out the ABC 6 x 6 Program’s Learning Bag. It includes the book and several fun activities to go along with it!

Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium

In Abuela by Arthur Dorros, young Rosalba imagines that she and her abuela are flying high above their city. Have your child take his grandparent on a special trip to Stargaze Kansas City at Union Station to gaze at our own sky above Kansas City!

*Bonus: After your trip to Union Station, hop on the Kansas City Fun Trolley and take a tour of our amazing city!

Union Station

30 W. Pershing Rd., Kansas City, MO 64108

816.460.2020

Don’t forget—these books, plus many other children’s favorites, can be found at your local library!

Margaret Bristow enjoys discovering new childhood favorites with her two boys in and around Kansas City.