In the fall there are so many fun family activities to choose from, but the costs can add up quick! We’ve rounded up a list of free activities you can enjoy with your kids this fall in Kansas City.
Free Outdoor Activities in Kansas City
- Take a family hike.
- Visit a new park. Check out our guides to the Best KC Parks, Best Parks for Babies and Toddlers, Inclusive Parks, and Best Shaded Parks.
- Many fall festivals offer free admission.
- Admission to the Overland Park Arboretum is free on the first Tuesday of the month and admission is always free for kids 5 and under.
- Admission to Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead is free after 2 P.M. Monday – Thursday (minus holidays). Closes for the season on November 1.
- Second Saturdays at Park Place in Leawood.
- Visit Jack’s Hollow Haunted Drive-Thru in Gardner, KS. Make sure you sign up for a time slot before they book up!
- Attend one of the MANY Trunk or Treat events around town.
- Visit the Native Hooved Animal Enclosure in Lee’s Summit.
- Visit Weston Red Barn Farm, Pumpkins Etc., Schaake’s Pumpkin Patch, or Powell Pumpkin Patch. All offer free admission to their farm and have some free activities to enjoy.
Free Indoor Fall Activities in Kansas City
Free Indoor Play Areas
- Foundry Church in Lenexa has a coffee shop and a small indoor play area best for
Foundry Church Coffeehouse toddlers and a large gymnasium perfect for kids of all ages. Make sure to bring your own balls, scooters, and ride on toys for the gym.
- Kaw Prairie Community Church hosts pop-up play events on certain weekdays.
- Scheels in Overland Park sadly removed their free play structure to create more retail space, but you can walk around and look at the aquarium, taxidermy animals, and for $1 each you can ride the ferris wheel or play mini-bowling.
- Some McDonalds, Chick-fil-A, and Burger King locations have indoor play areas and free wifi.
- The Explorer Room at the Matt Ross Community Center. has a three story play structure is great for kids age 2 to 10.
Fall Programming at Local Libraries
- Storytimes at Johnson County Public Libraries.
- Check out all the storytimes and activities for little kids through teens at the Olathe Public Libraries.
- Mid-Continent Public Library offers storytime at all of their branches.
- Kansas City Kansas Public Library has activities and storytimes every week.
- Kansas City Public Library has storytimes, art workshops, and more.
Activities at Crown Center and Union Station
- Enjoy a crafting session at Kaleidoscope.
- Visit the Hallmark Visitors Center.
- Walk The Link to Union Station and visit the model train gallery.
- From Union Station you can hop on the KC Streetcar. The Central Library is a great stop between Union Station and the River Market. Make sure to check out their rooftop terrace!
Museums to Visit
Mom Pro Tips: Young kids often get free admission at local museums. If your family receives SNAP or EBT benefits, check out the Museums for All program which offers free or discounted admission to many museums.
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Kidscape at the Johnson County Museum Take a tour of the Harry S. Truman Home in Independence MO. Kids can even earn a junior ranger badge!
- Make a visit to the Money Museum.
- The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures offers free admission on the second Sunday of each month.
- Jazz Storytelling at the American Jazz Museum in KCMO. First Friday of the month at 10 a.m.
- Visit a local art museum. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art offers free crafts for families from 1p.m. – 4 p.m every weekend. The Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art and Kemper Contemporary Museum of Art also charge nothing for admission.
- Admission is free on Wednesday, November 26 at the Johnson County Museum and your little kids will love Kidscape.
- Olathe libraries offers card holders a Discovery Pass to the Museum at Prairiefire that can be checked out.
Other Free Indoor Activities in KC
- Play a new game at Cardboard Corner Cafe at their location in Overland Park or Lenexa.
- Eat at a restaurant when kids eat free.
- Play Bingo at Boulevard Brewing or another local spot hosting Bingo.
- Walk around IKEA. Kids love trying the furniture out, exploring the indoor house set ups, and if your kid is between 37 and 53 inches they can even spend an hour playing in Smaland while you shop!
- Explore one of the many nature centers in the metro area.
- Volunteer as a family.
- See a demonstration of how a marble is made at Moon Marble Company.
- Bass Pro Shops and Cabelas have fish, animals, and other fun things for kids to explore.
- Lowe’s and Home Depot have free monthly workshops for kids on Saturdays.
