50+ Free Summer Activites in Kansas City

Summer is long and can get expensive between keepings the kids fed and entertained. We’ve pulled together a list of over 50 free activities for your family to enjoy this summer including lots of fun indoor activities for those brutally hot summer days.

Free Indoor Summer Activities in Kansas City

Free Indoor Play Areas

• Foundry Church in Lenexa has a coffee shop and a small indoor play area best for
  

  

  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.

• 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.

Summer Programming at Local Libraries

Check out our guide to the summer reading programs at all the metro area libraries. You can participate in multiple programs!

• Johnson County Library summer programming includes storytimes, crafts, concerts, book clubs, and lots more.
• Olathe Public Library has tons of free activities including outdoor storytimes, clubs for teens, contests for Lego building and designing stickers and bookmarks, and tons more.
• Mid-Continent Public Library has storytimes throughout the summer as well as crafts, STEAM labs, music and movement, yoga, plus lots of programs for teens.
• Kansas City Kansas Public Library has activities every day from storytimes to crafts to dance and even water play.
• Kansas City Public Library has summer reading kickoff parties at various branches, storytime, music and movement classes, art and STEM workshops and young actors workshops.

Activities at Crown Center and Union Station

• Enjoy a crafting session at Kaleidoscope.
• Visit the Hallmark Visitors Center.

  

• From May 23 – September 7, check out The Pigeon Comes to Kansas City, the new free exhibit at Crown Center. The exhibit is on the first level of Crown Center back by the Coterie theater.
• 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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  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 (June 14, July 12, August 9). Parking is also free.
• 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 charges nothing for admission.
• Admission is free on June 6 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.
• Enroll in a Vacation Bible School program.
• Kids bowl free at participating bowling alleys. Shoe rentals are not included.
• Lowe’s and Home Depot have free monthly workshops for kids on Saturdays.

Free Outdoor Summer Activities in Kansas City

• Visit a splash pad.
• Go to an outdoor movie and bring your own snacks.

  

• 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 summer festivals offer free admission.
• Admission to the Overland Park Arboretum is free on the first Tuesday of the month (June 2, July 7, August 4) 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).
• Second Saturdays at Park Place in Leawood.

Free Outdoor Summer Concerts

Mobile Music Box Outdoor Concerts with the Kansas City Symphony pop up at locations all around the metro.

Kansas

• Lenexa has a summer concert series at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park.
• Olathe hosts theirs at Stagecoach Park as well as Tuesday lunch concerts in downtown Olathe. Also check out Fourth Fridays in downtown Olathe.
• Overland Park hosts concerts at Thompson Park, the Arboretum, and children’s concerts at Roe Park and Tomahawk Ridge Community Center. Prairiefire also hosts a summer concert series.
• Shawnee has monthly Jammin’ on the Green concerts at Shawnee Town.

Missouri

• Blue Springs has a series of summer concerts in Rotary Park.
• Lee’s Summit has fourth Fridays concerts in Howard Park.
• Kansas City, MO has concerts at Ward Parkway Center every weekend and a summer dusk series in the Northeast Arts District.
• The Northland offers Friday nights at Zona Rosa, NKC Friday in the Park at Macken Park, the Liberty Summer Band, and The Perfect Pitch series in Parkville.

Sunflower Summer Program from July 9 – August 2