Ice Skating at Crown Center

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Ice Skating is one of my family's things to do in the winter and Crown Center is one of our favorite rinks. After the holidays, the crowds thin and skaters can enjoy a much less crowded skating rink. The outdoor rink is a Kansas City winter landmark and a perfect place to make family memories.

When we visited the rink after the Christmas holiday, we found we nearly had the rink to ourselves! (Weather and holiday breaks will play a significant part in the crowd attendance).

KC Parent readers!

Things to Know Before You Go Ice Skating at Crown Center:

• Price: Regular admission is $7, or free for adults over age 60 and children age 4 and under. Skate rental is $3, or skaters may bring their own.
• Ages: Skaters age 12 and under must be under the supervision of a parent or guardian (21 or older).
• Nov-Jan Hours: November, December and January: Sunday – Thursday, 10am – 9pm, Friday- Saturday, 10am – 11pm.
• February and March Hours: Sunday, 10am -9pm, Monday – Thursday, 11am – 9pm, Friday, 11am – 10pm,Saturday, 10am – 10pm
• Two-for-One Tuesdays! After 5 p.m., pay one full price admission and receive a second for FREE. (Skate rental not included, but it's just $3 per person.)
• Group rates Monday through Thursday for groups of 20 or more people. Reservations are required. Call for more details about group rates and private parties.
• Learn to Skate: Sign up for skating lessons! 

Helpful Tips for Outdoor Ice Skating at Crown Center:

• Bundle Up: My girls frequently swap from heavier ski gloves to lighter knit gloves as they start skating. The exercise warms them up and they adjust layers. Our favorite ice skating strategy is to wear layers (shirt, hoodie, coat) so they can adjust as they skate.
• Bring snacks: The snack bar hours at the rink vary. Bring bottled water and a few snacks for breaks.
• Take photos: Remember to catch some fun pictures while your family skates.
• Morning is best: To avoid crowds, the morning hours tend to be the least crowded of all.

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More Crown Center Attractions to enjoy after you skate: 

Crown Center Shops & Restaurants

Take a break from skating and enjoy a bite at one of the many restaurants in Crown Center. Children love Fritz's (where trains deliver food to your table), but I'm partial to Unforked (the tilapia tango taco is my favorite), and the pizza at d'Bronx. There are also a variety of fun shops to explore. Walk The Link to Union Station and catch a film on the Extreme Screen or explore Science City.

LEGOLAND® Discovery Center!

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LEGOLAND® Discovery Center in Crown Center (2475 Grand Boulevard, KCMO. 816.471.4386). www.LEGOLandDiscoveryCenter.com, is a larger-than-life attraction! Begin your journey on a ride into the unknown on laser chariots. Play with the world’s biggest box of LEGOS®. Watch a film in the LEGO® Studios 4D cinema and explore a miniature Kansas City that highlights 10 of our most popular local attractions in LEGO® MINILAND®. Your imagination will run wild in this new family favorite! Get the inside scoop on this attraction with our Review of LEGOLAND! 

Sea Life Kansas City

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Next door to LEGOLAND, you'll find Sea Life at 2475 Grand Blvd, KCMO. 816.471.4386. At Sea Life your family will be transported into an amazing underwater world with up-close views of more than 5,000 sea creatures! Come nose to nose with sharks in the walk-through underwater tunnel, experience the touch pool where you can hold a crab or touch a starfish, participate in educational demonstrations, watch animal feedings and explore this state-of-the-art home for many of the ocean’s most majestic creatures! www.Facebook.com/SeaLifeKansasCity 

Kaleidoscope

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Plan on attending the earliest session at Kaleidoscope possible. In the summer, we're all tempted to enjoy lazy mornings, so Kaleidoscope's FREE Walk-In Sessions for ALL Ages (perfect if you have multiple children with a span of ages as we do), tend to have the smallest crowds at the earliest sessions.  If the sessions aren't crowded, they'll let you walk in a few minutes late or early and they won't require you to leave at the end of the session (this depends on the size of the crowd).  Children love Kaleidoscope where creativity and imagination play in Kaleidoscope's magical hands-on world where children create masterpieces with super cool, super fun supplies, in a super amazing atmosphere all thanks to Hallmark. This is truly one of Kansas City's BEST family-friendly attractions!  Find the complete Kaleidoscope Calendar.

Hallmark Visitor's Center

Visit the Hallmark Visitor's Center next door to Kaleidoscope, another FREE attraction and one of our favorite "Watch it Made in KC" attractions. Children are given a scavenger hunt to follow as they learn the history of Hallmark, artists demonstrate their craft (we recently watched as an engraver prepared designs for greeting cards and watched the machines that assemble the cards), kids make their own bows with the press of a button, and the self-guided walk through tour almost always ends with a gift (frequently these are the music playing cards for the upcoming holiday, but we have even been excited to receive FREE recordable books for gifts). The Visitor's Center is especially nice if you are visiting with multiple generations (it is a favorite when grandparents are in town visiting) and you're able to enjoy it at your own pace.

This year, enjoy the special exhibit Norman Rockwell’s Christmas: Original Artwork for Hallmark Cards thru Jan. 27. Enjoy paintings and drawings for the artist’s popular Christmas cards. Seen here together for the first time, this exhibition of works from the Hallmark Art Collection provides a rare opportunity to view the meticulous craftsmanship that set Rockwell apart from his peers.