Things to do with kids in Kansas City, MO
Checked · All times are local Central Time (Kansas City time)
Coming up in Kansas City: GloWild: Hidden Treasure at the Kansas City Zoo (from Nov 1), Holiday Reflections at Union Station (from Nov 20), Christmas Light Shows on Crown Center Square (from Nov 27) and 3 more events. 7 always-open places, led by Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium, SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium and LEGOLAND Discovery Center Kansas City. Prices and hours come from each official site.
Christmas & holiday events: Santa, lights and tree lightings
GloWild: Hidden Treasure at the Kansas City Zoo
- When
- Sun, Nov 1 – Sun, Dec 27 (Nightly through Dec 27) · 6–10pm
- Cost
- Separate ticket from zoo admission; see the official page
- Ages
- All ages · Outdoor
A mile-long nighttime path of larger-than-life lantern sculptures on a treasure-hunt theme: shipwrecks, buried treasure, expedition camps and jungle scenes.
✓ Checked Oct 31, 2026 on the organizer's official page
Holiday Reflections at Union Station
- When
- Fri, Nov 20 – Mon, Jan 4 (Daily Nov 20 – Jan 4) · 10am–8pm daily (last entry one hour before close)
- Cost
- $10 Mon–Thu, $12 Fri–Sun and Dec 21 – Jan 4 (plus a 10% preservation fee); members $9; 12 months and under free
- Ages
- All ages · Indoor
Union Station’s indoor holiday attraction, open daily through the season. Cards only (no cash); online reservations are strongly encouraged.
✓ Checked Oct 31, 2026 on the organizer's official page
Christmas Light Shows on Crown Center Square
- When
- Fri, Nov 27 – Sun, Dec 20 (Hallmark Christmas Experience weekends: Nov 27–29, Dec 4–6, 11–13 and 18–20) · Evenings (see the official page for show times)
- Cost
- Crown Center Square is open to the public; Hallmark Christmas Experience programs are ticketed
- Ages
- All ages · Outdoor
During the Hallmark Christmas Experience weekends, Crown Center Square is open to the public with light shows on the 100-foot Mayor’s Christmas Tree and surrounding buildings, live music and a Christmas market with local vendors.
✓ Checked Oct 31, 2026 on the organizer's official page
Santa at Destination North Pole (Crown Center)
- When
- Fri, Nov 27 – Thu, Dec 24 (Daily Nov 27 – Dec 24) · Mon–Thu 10am–7pm; Fri–Sat 10am–8pm; Sun noon–6pm; Dec 24 10am–5pm
- Cost
- Photo packages from $12; your own photos are free
- Ages
- All ages · Indoor
Crown Center’s new holiday exhibit: walk through a candy cane forest with interactive stations and letters to Santa flying overhead to Santa’s village, where kids meet Santa for photos.
✓ Checked Oct 31, 2026 on the organizer's official page
Mayor's Christmas Tree Lighting at Crown Center
- When
- Fri, Nov 27 · 6pm
- Cost
- Free
- Ages
- All ages · Outdoor
Kansas City lights one of the largest Christmas trees in the nation, with Youth Chorus KC, remarks from the mayor and a fireworks finale.
✓ Checked Oct 31, 2026 on the organizer's official page
New Year's events in Kansas City
Noon Year's Eve in Science City
- When
- Thu, Dec 31 · Noon–6pm
- Cost
- $17 general admission (plus a 10% preservation fee); Union Station members free
- Ages
- All ages · Indoor
A kid-friendly New Year’s Eve with Science City’s 300-plus hands-on exhibits open all afternoon. Select Dec 31 when buying tickets; the full schedule is still to come.
✓ Checked Oct 31, 2026 on the organizer's official page
Always-open family places
Most popular first: zoos, aquariums and museums, then nature spots, parks and libraries. Prices come from each official site; "Not stated" means the site doesn't list one.
Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium
- Price
- $$ (estimated price level)
- Best for
- Ages 0–17+ (our guidance)
Large zoo in Swope Park with the Sobela Ocean Aquarium; weekdays 9:30am–4pm, weekends 9:30am–5pm
SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium
- Price
- Tickets from $19 per person (prices vary by date)
- Best for
- Ages 0–17+ (our guidance)
Aquarium at Crown Center with 5,000 creatures in 11 themed exhibits; 10am–5pm (last entry one hour before closing)
✓ Price verified Oct 31, 2026 · source
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Kansas City
- Price
- Online tickets from $21.99 per person; from $24.99 on the day (prices vary by date)
- Best for
- Ages 2–12 (our guidance)
Indoor LEGO play center at Crown Center with 12 zones, rides and a 4D cinema; 10am–5pm (last entry 3:30pm)
✓ Price verified Oct 31, 2026 · source
Science City at Union Station
- Price
- $$ (estimated price level)
- Best for
- Ages 0–17+ (our guidance)
Three floors and more than 300 hands-on exhibits inside Union Station; open 10am–5pm; Union Station members get in free
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
- Price
- Free
- Best for
- Ages 0–17+ (our guidance)
World-class art museum, free to visit; the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park (with the giant shuttlecocks) is open sunrise to sundown; museum closed Tue–Wed
✓ Price verified Oct 31, 2026 · source
Wonderscope Children’s Museum
- Price
- Ages 2 and up $16; under 2 free; members free
- Best for
- Ages 0–10 (our guidance)
Hands-on children’s museum in south Kansas City; Tue–Fri 9am–4:30pm, Sat 9am–5pm, Sun noon–5pm, closed Mondays
✓ Price verified Oct 31, 2026 · source
Kansas City Public Library – Central Library
- Price
- $ (estimated price level)
- Best for
- Ages 0–17+ (our guidance)
Downtown library in a historic bank building, with children’s areas and family programs
Frequently asked questions
What is there to do with kids in Kansas City this weekend?
This weekend (Oct 31–Nov 1) we list 1 family event in Kansas City: GloWild: Hidden Treasure at the Kansas City Zoo (Sun).
What are free things to do with kids in Kansas City?
These are free according to their official sites: 1 place and 1 upcoming event in Kansas City, including Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Mayor's Christmas Tree Lighting at Crown Center (Fri, Nov 27).
Where can kids play indoors in Kansas City when it's cold or rainy?
We list 5 indoor places in Kansas City: SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium (Tickets from $19 per person, prices vary by date), LEGOLAND Discovery Center Kansas City (Online tickets from $21.99 per person), Science City at Union Station and Wonderscope Children’s Museum (kids 2–15 $16). See all 5 above.
When and where can kids see Santa in Kansas City?
We list 1 event with Santa in Kansas City: Santa at Destination North Pole (Crown Center, Nov 27 – Dec 24). Our Santa guide for the Kansas City area has more nearby.
Where can I take my kids to see Christmas lights in Kansas City?
We list 2 holiday light events in Kansas City, 1 free: Christmas Light Shows on Crown Center Square (Nov 27 – Dec 20) and Mayor's Christmas Tree Lighting at Crown Center (Nov 27, free). Our holiday lights guide for the Kansas City area has more nearby.
What is there to do with toddlers in Kansas City?
We list 4 places in Kansas City that welcome kids under 2, including Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium, SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium and Wonderscope Children’s Museum. See all 4 above. Age ranges for places are our own guidance.
What are the big family attractions in Kansas City?
The best-known family attractions we list in Kansas City are Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium and SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium (Tickets from $19 per person, prices vary by date). See all 4 above. They're listed first under always-open places.
How much do Kansas City family attractions cost?
Prices from the official sites for 3 places in Kansas City: SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium (Tickets from $19 per person, prices vary by date) and LEGOLAND Discovery Center Kansas City (Online tickets from $21.99 per person). See all 3 above. Confirm before you go; prices change.
Our weekend search covers Phoenix Metro & Arizona for now, and more areas are coming soon. This guide is hand-checked the same way.
How we build this page: each event comes from the organizer's official website and shows the date we checked it. Prices marked verified were copied from the venue's official site; others show an estimated price level or "Not stated". A place is called free only when its official site says so. Read how we verify listings · Arizona weekend search.
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