You already know that there is an abundance of great information about everything there is to do in Kansas City here at KCParent.com. Spend a few minutes clicking around and I guarantee you will have a LONG list of things you want to do around town!
I wanted to share with you a few of my personal picks for best VALUE here in KC. These activities may not all be FREE, but in my opinion they are more than worth the money you are going to spend.
The Kansas City Zoo: I spent a lovely morning at the zoo yesterday with my kids and felt like I should share how AWESOME it is to have a membership to the Kansas City Zoo. For just $79/year, you and your family will get into the zoo for FREE as many times as you want and get to take advantage of tons of other benefits (info HERE). If your kid are like mine and love to ride the train/tram/carousel, then you can upgrade to a "gold" membership for just $110 total per year and get unlimited rides! I'm telling you, this membership pays for itself in just a couple of trips to the zoo (literally...if you have a family of four and bought tickets for 2 adults/2 kids and also purchased the $5/person rides pass for everyone, that would be $60...so two trips to the zoo and you've paid for it already) and allows you to visit as often as you want. It is great to have the flexibility to go just for a couple of hours in the afternoon or make a whole day of it.
So if you want unlimited access to the fun at the zoo, go here and sign up today! You're kids will think you are a hero!
The Kansas City Royals: Attending a Royals game is more than just watching baseball and eating hot dogs (though that is enough to get me there!)…there are tons of fun activities for the kids from a carousel to batting cages to mini golf. Fun for kids (and parents) of all ages! There are a few ways that you can take your family to a Royals game without breaking the bank. Check out a list of all of the available promotions here. Some of my favorites are Youth Nights (kids 14 and under can get seats for just $3 on select Thursday games), Uniformed Heros (active and retired military, police officers,& firefighters can purchase up to 4 half price tickets to most Sunday-Friday games), Dri-Duck $7 seats, and Jackson County residents can get half price tickets to select games…check out the details here. You can also sign your kids up for the Hyvee Blue Crew Fan Club and get a Royals replica batting practice jersey; kids-sized Royals cap; VIP access to the Sprint Fun Run; two (2) Royals game ticket vouchers; three (3) complimentary vouchers to any of the following Outfield Experience games, Little K, batting cages, speed pitch, base running, mini-golf and carousel; one (1) free child's admission to a stadium tour; a youth admission to the Kansas City Zoo: Blue Crew Nights at The K and special offers from Royals partners all for just $20. (WOW!!!!)
Coco Key: For a limited time, you can buy weekday day passes to Coco Key indoor water resort for just $5 per person (good only Mon-Thu with some limitations). My family and I visited Coco Key recently and the kids had a BLAST! My kids are on the younger side for Coco Key (they are 3 and 5), but even though they couldn’t go on the biggest slides, they had non-stop fun. A day at Coco Key would be MORE than worth $5/person! Here are some of my tips: bring your own towels (they do not provide them), put your youngest kids in life jackets or swimsuits with flotation devices, get there as soon as it opens and claim a table as your “home base,” bring flip flops or beach shoes if you aren’t already wearing them, and wear your swimsuit under your clothes so you can be prepared to jump right in as soon as you get through the door! Also, be prepared for a big crowd…it doesn’t affect the fun that the kids are having, but as an adult it was a little nerve wracking for me. Also, the $5 price is only for M-Th, and until June, Coco Key is only open from 4-9 p.m. on those days. However, you can buy day passes for June and beyond, and at that time the park is open from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Go HERE for more information and to buy tickets!
Bowling: I’ll end on something FREE! Sign up your kids HERE and they will get 2 free bowling games at participating AMF lanes all summer long! There are a lot of locations all over the metro area..you will pick the bowling alley that you want to go to then register on that site. They will ask you if you want to purchase the family pass, which is $24.95 for the summer and allows up to 4 adults to bowl as well, but this is OPTIONAL and you don't have to add it. You can’t beat free bowling inside a nice cool bowling alley on a hot summer day!
Written by Sara Keenan, a Kansas City mom and Savvy Shopper!!