As in many families, our children were born two years apart. Having the girls close in age has been great with built-in playmates and easy hand-me-downs, but it also has its challenges. I was always nursing or potty training for the first eight years of parenting. In the beginning, with just one little one I wanted to get out of the house and enjoy a break from building blocks and PBS, but as the girls grew up, older siblings often dictated the need for outings.
Whether you have one little one or several, here are some simple ways to enjoy summer days at home or out and about across the metro.
Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles
Little ones love blowing bubbles. You can make a simple bubble solution at home by pouring one cup of dish soap (for handwashing dishes) into six cups of water and stirring gently. I found that namebrand soap makes the best bubbles. For the very best bubble wands, Grandpa helped the girls make wands using instructions from HGTV. However, if you’re home with an infant or toddler who is not yet able to blow her own bubbles, I’m a big fan of the Gazillion Bubbles bubble machine. Lay a blanket in the backyard and let the machine blow the bubbles while you snap pics of your tike laughing, giggling and enjoying the magic of it all. This is one toy worth the investment (and replacement over the years).
For a change of scenery, bring the bubbles to your neighborhood park or visit a new one. Our favorite parks for little ones feature delightfully imaginative worlds and wide open spaces, perfect for simple toys (like bubbles), a picnic and a meet-up with friends.
- Meadowmere Park at 13610 Byars Rd., Grandview, is home to Brumble’s Forest, a whimsical nature-themed playground.
- Antioch Park at 6501 Antioch Rd., Merriam, is home to the beloved Wild West Village where children enjoy pretending they are pioneers and cowboys. This park also features a beautiful pond, rose garden and picnic shelters.
- Penguin Park at 4124 NE Vivion Rd., Kansas City, MO, has been delighting generations of KC kids with their giant penguin, elephants and kangaroo. The playground is partitioned into age-appropriate play spaces perfect for mommy group meet-ups.
- Lowenstein Park at 2050 NW Lowenstein Dr., Lee’s Summit, is one of our family’s favorites for its wide open spaces. It’s a great place to enjoy a walk on the paved trail, play, and swing, savor a picnic or play ball.
- Leawood City Park at 10601 Lee Blvd., Leawood, is more than just spacious and beautiful. This playground has been designed specifically with specially-abled kids in mind. The Variety KC playground is accessible to children of all abilities, making it an extra special park.
Water, Water Everywhere
The backyard kiddie pool can be a great place to play in the summer. Add to the fun with some toy boats to race, rubber ducks to wash or other games to play. Buy plastic cars or toys and let your little one play car wash or toy wash in the pool. Use the pool as a great opportunity to start practicing water safety and play.
You can also enjoy water play at Paradise Park in Lee’s Summit. Their Discovery Play Area (with a variety of hands-on play areas for young children) includes a water table. Toddlers and preschoolers love playing with the toys and adjusting the path of the water in this hands-on play area.
Science City at Union Station also offers a variety of interactive hands-on exhibits, including a little tikes playground and a nature center. However, one of the most popular spots is the extensive water play area with fountains, spouts, and pumps that allow kids to create their own water pathways and experiments.
Reading Time
Children’s books are easy to find affordably at local garage sales, discount book stores and through swaps with friends. Keep a bin of kid-friendly books (e.g., board books or touch and feel texture books) accessible in your little one’s room or the family living room. Make it a point to enjoy books together daily. We made it a habit to enjoy story time at the lunch table. I’d use funny voices for characters in the girls’ favorite books, and they’d ask for beloved stories over and over. Over the years we enjoyed favorite authors like Mo Willems (we adore Gerald and Piggie), Dr. Seuss, Bill Peet, and Margaret Wise Brown.
Our family also made it a point to attend our local library’s weekly story time where the girls learned to love books, participate in nursery rhymes and songs, and meet other families in our neighborhood. You’ll find a variety of story times on the calendar on KCParent.com.
In addition to the library, you also can foster your child’s love of books with a field trip. This summer, Coterie Theatre is presenting Elephant and Piggie’s “We Are in a Play,” inspired by Mo Willem’s delightful children’s series. This musical production promises to be great fun for little ones and a perfect first play for toddlers and preschoolers.
Fishy Fishy
Our girls’ first pet was a simple beta fish in a bowl on the kitchen table. As little ones, they loved watching the fish while they ate, and feeding it (with supervision) was a great first responsibility. Fish are fascinating for little ones!
Some of our favorite outings included visiting local pet stores to watch the fish, feeding fish from the dock at the marina at Longview Lake (where you can purchase fish food for less than a dollar) and exploring Sea Life Aquarium. On non-peak Toddler Tuesdays there, you can enjoy discounted admission (info at VisitSeaLife.com/kansas-city/tickets/toddler-tuesdays).
These are just a few of our favorite ways to enjoy summer in Kansas City with little ones. You’ll find even more inspiration in the Summer Fun guide on KCParent.com!
Kristina Light’s girls all loved watching the feeding frenzy when they fed fish every summer at Longview Lake, and this is still one of their favorite traditions.