Secretly Educational Things to Do in Kansas City

The end of the school year is approaching, and with a season of vacation comes summer brain drain. How can the savvy parent sneak some learning and educational reinforcement into the mix of summer fun? Discover secretly educational outings in KC that are so much fun your children won't even realize they are learning! 

Curl Up with a NEW Book

When they learn that children don’t like books, local librarians often first recommend taking them to the shelves and letting them choose their own books. “They simply haven't found the right book yet," a librarian likely will say. It's okay if your favorite books aren't your child's favorites. What’s important is getting kids to read, and summer is a great time to broaden literary horizons! Add to their summer reading fun with terrific incentives local libraries offer when kids participate in a summer reading program. You’ll find a guide to KC Summer Reading Programs. 

Get Creative with Lego 

Consistently topping toy lists as a favorite for children of all ages, Lego is certainly at home in Kansas City, where the young and the young-at-heart enjoy creativity and inspiration. Lego KidsFest® is coming to Kansas City, MO, May 13-15. This event brings all of the creative hands-on, minds-on fun of Lego building and experiences together in one activity- and entertainment-packed family event for children of all ages and builders of all skills and interests. Year-round, you can enjoy the Legoland Discovery Center, a favorite for families. Imaginations run wild at the 30,000-square-foot interactive attraction featuring hands-on play areas, a 4D cinema, master classes from the Lego master model builder, Lego  rides and exhibits, including Miniland, a Lego model city celebrating Kansas City’s most beloved landmarks.

Explore the world through the eye of an artist

Every visit to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art offers new and exciting discoveries, whether they are treasures in the extensive Chinese and Japanese galleries, African and Indian art, American Impressionists, European classics or modern art. For added fun, print out our Nelson-Atkins scavenger hunt before you go. Other ideas include letting your child bring pencils and a sketchpad to draw his favorite pieces, bringing a camera to take photos or using the artwork as inspiration to write fictional tales together. Remember to save your work for a summer scrapbook! For a hands-on art outing, visit Kaleidoscope, a FREE art center for children sponsored by Hallmark. Kaleidoscope offers walk-in sessions; simply check Kaleidoscope's calendar for details at HallmarkKaleidoscope.com.

Live Like Pioneers in Kansas City

Step back in time for a hands-on history lesson as pioneers, the frontier, covered wagons and Westward Expansion come to life at local museums through educational programs and tours. Work with a blacksmith at Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop, participate in living history at Shoal Creek, go West in Independence, where you can load a wagon and learn about the trails at the National Frontier Trails Museum, experience an 1850s village at Missouri Town 1855, or take a touch-and-learn tour at the John Wornall House Museum. 

Take a Jurassic Journey

This summer, journey back to the prehistoric world when more than 20 dinosaurs and oversized ancient insects return to Powell Gardens May 21-Oct. 3. At Jurassic Garden—A Prehistoric Adventure, you can step back in time to discover the plants and animals of the prehistoric world through an exhibit created by Missouri's own Guy Darrough. This is just one dinosaur adventure in the area. Other favorites include visits to the KU Natural History Museum in Lawrence, where you can see a Mosasaur fossil, the largest known lizard to have lived, and Science City, where children can dig for dinosaur fossils. You also can visit Dinosaurs Alive at Worlds of Fun, an exhibit with life-sized animatronic dinosaurs, which are scientifically accurate based on the latest paleontological knowledge and created by Dinosaurs Unearthed. 

Undertake an Oceanic Adventure

Learning about the ocean and the environment is an interactive experience at Sea Life Aquarium, a favorite local attraction. Guests explore sea life on a 2- to 3-hour journey from the fresh waters of the Missouri River, into the mighty Mississippi River, then out into the warm, blue, coral-strewn waters of the Caribbean Sea, ending in the deep, dark abyss of the Atlantic Ocean. Come nose to nose with sharks and enjoy astonishingly close views of everything from starfish and seahorses to graceful rays. A favorite is the tropical ocean tank with a walk-through underwater tunnel.

Learn about Economics

The Money Museum is the best place to get a firsthand lesson on the nation's financial system. On a tour, you'll learn how the Federal Reserve Bank works and its role in the U.S. economy. Interactive exhibits explore banking, basic economics and the financial policies that affect your family. You'll also be able to take a peek into one of the nation's largest cash vaults, create your own monetary artwork and view coins from each U.S. presidential administration. Visitors also enjoy taking home a FREE souvenir bag of shredded cash. 

Discover the Story of World War I

Within the walls of the National World War I Museum and Memorial lies one of the best historic sites in the Midwest. With tremendous state-of-the-art exhibits telling the story of World War I and, more importantly, the soldiers and civilians of the era—their sacrifices, their journeys—this is one of Kansas City’s most important attractions. Realizing that World War I is a complex era of history for anyone, especially the youngest visitors, to grasp, the museum provides a free family gallery guide booklet for children. The guidebook includes a map of the galleries, games, puzzles, question and answer sections for various exhibits and a scavenger hunt to complete throughout the galleries. Hands-on exhibits engage throughout, including large-screen technology allowing visitors to design propaganda, explore World War I-era Kansas /City and learn more about the period. 

Still looking for more great family fun ideas in Kansas City? Check out our Kansas City calendar of events and Going Places.

Kristina Light, a Kansas City homeschool mom, makes it a priority to include education along with entertainment on outings with her daughters.