Are you a grandparent looking for fun and easy places to take your grandkids in Kansas City? Whether you’re looking for educational experiences, hands-on activities or play centers, Kansas City has a lot to offer! This curated list is mom approved, will detail why you should visit with your grandkids and tips for how to make it an easy outing.
Arabia Steamboat Museum
Why It’s Easy and Fun: Fascinating history with minimal walking.
Why Kids Love It: History loving kids will appreciate the 200-year-old artifacts and a real steamboat engine.
Why Grandparents Love It: Engaging history lessons.
Parking: Free and easy.
Special Features: Great for history lovers or grandparents who are looking for an educational outing. Fun restaurants and ice cream shops are also within walking distance.
The Belton, Grandview, and Kansas City Railroad
Why It’s Easy and Fun: An actual train ride is included with a ticket!
Why Kids Love It: Toddler and young train-loving children will love the ride and ability to see different locomotive equipment around the area.
Why Grandparents Love It: Requires little time but highly entertaining for small children. Can wander at own pace. Affordable.
Parking: Free and easy.
Special Features: A small gift shop is available for grandparents to purchase day-of memorabilia. Best to pre-purchase tickets before day of riding.
Creative Culture
Why It’s Easy & Fun: Make a multitude of DIY projects that are easy for any age to complete.
Why Kids Love It: Kids will get to enjoy outrageous milkshakes while they create.
Why Grandparents Love It: Relatively hands-off for grandparents as employees can help to facilitate projects. Grandkids can make a display piece as a token of their time together. Parking: Free and easy at the Leawood location.
Special Features: Two locations within the metro.
Ernie Miller Nature Center
Why It’s Easy & Fun: Short trails, live animals and an indoor learning center make it a simple destination.
Why Kids Love It: Interactive nature exhibits. A 500 gallon aquarium showcasing native stream fish and a wildlife viewing room overlooking a water feature with bird feeders are the main draws for animal and nature loving kiddos.
Why Grandparents Love It: Benches, shade and rest areas are located throughout the nature area.
Parking: Free, on-site.
Special Features: Special nature programs available daily.
Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead
Why It’s Easy & Fun: Kids can interact with farm animals, enjoy a fishing pond and take a hayride. Paved walkways make it easy to navigate.
Why Kids Love It: Play structures, cute animals, interactive exhibits and lots of room to roam make this a huge draw for babies, toddlers and older children.
Why Grandparents Love It: Easy, manageable and low cost.
Parking: Free and easy.
Special Features: Shaded in many areas and food options are located on-site. Can visit multiple times a season and always see something new and exciting.
See our Guide for a Day at Deanna Rose!
Fun Run
Why It’s Easy & Fun: The possibilities are endless in this 9,000 square foot building full of energy draining play areas.
Why Kids Love It: Inflatables, slides, games and more will keep them entertained for hours.
Why Grandparents Love It: From toddlers to tweens, this place can wear out any energetic kid. It is affordable and convenient.
Parking: Free and easy.
Special Features: Specific toddler area provides a safe place to play. A cafe resides on site, so no need to leave for lunch.
Johnson County Museum
Why It’s Easy & Fun: Small, easy-to-walk museum with engaging exhibits.
Why Kids Love It: KidScape play area is perfect for busy toddlers and younger children who love imaginative play.
Why Grandparents Love It: Well-designed displays, small and manageable.
Parking: Free and easy.
Special Features: Local history focus. Low cost for entry.
See our Guide to Kidscape!
Kaleidoscope at Hallmark
Why It’s Easy & Fun: Free art activities for all ages. Everyone can be creative and feel good about their creations.
Why Kids Love It: Creativity at its best! During each 50-minute studio session, kids are invited to explore and create in an open-ended way using materials leftover from Hallmark’s manufacturing processes.
Why Grandparents Love It: A quick outing, where the mess stays at the venue and requires no clean up.
Parking: Free with validation.
Special Features: Reservations recommended. Sensory friendly events happen often, so check their calendar and reserve before arriving. Located within Crown Center, meaning lots of food and additional fun options.
See our Guide to Kaleidoscope!
Kanga’s Indoor Playcenter
Why It’s Easy & Fun: Designed for children 1-11 years, kids will be entertained for hours while grandparents watch on from the café.
Why Kids Love It: In addition to the multi-level play area, kids will love the huge swinging pirate ship ride, indoor rock climbing and age specific areas.
Why Grandparents Love It: Kids can play their hearts out while adults sip coffee and watch.
Parking: Free and easy.
Special Features: Specific toddler area provides a safe place to play.
Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium
Why It’s Easy & Fun: The zoo offers tram/train rides, with an easy-to-navigate layout. The new aquarium is a must-see and ever-evolving exhibits mean there’s always something new to observe.
Why Kids Love It: Animals, interactive exhibits and a new aquarium!
Why Grandparents Love It: Plenty of benches, shaded areas, ability to rest legs on tram/train and multiple food options are located throughout the park.
Parking: Free and plentiful.
Special Features: Stroller and ride-on rentals available. The purchase of a yearly pass allows visitors to catch only one section of the zoo a day, waiving the guilt of feeling like they must see it all.
See our Guide to The Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium!
LEGOLAND Discovery Center & SEA LIFE Aquarium
Why It’s Easy & Fun: Small enough to explore without exhaustion and hit two attractions in one day.
Why Kids Love It: LEGO building zones, rides, play areas, touch pools and underwater tunnels.
Why Grandparents Love It: Shorter walking distances, manageable with smaller kids, stroller friendly.
Parking: Paid parking available nearby with direct access to the venue.
Special Features: Online combo attraction ticket discounts. Walk across the street to Crown Center to continue the fun or grab a bite to eat.
Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm
Why It’s Easy & Fun: Historic farm with real stagecoach rides.
Why Kids Love It: Hands-on, 1800’s activities. There is an in-house blacksmith and other various era specific artisans, along with an outdoor exhibit. Great for toddlers and younger children to run around and feel free.
Why Grandparents Love It: Low key learning experience.
Parking: Free, on-site.
Special Features: Seasonal events available so check calendar before planning visit.
The Money Museum at the Federal Reserve Bank
Why It’s Easy & Fun: A unique, FREE experience. Advanced tickets are not required.
Why Kids Love It: The chase to see real money being made.
Why Grandparents Love It: A short but interesting visit.
Parking: Free, located on the west side of the building.
Special Features: Take home shredded money!
Museum of Illusions
Why It’s Easy & Fun: A mesmerizing visit within Union Station that hits with a wide range of children, from school age to teenagers.
Why Kids Love It: Quirky exhibits will blow their minds!
Why Grandparents Love It: Great photo ops, educational and takes less than an hour to visit.
Parking: Paid garage parking.
Special Features: Set within Union Station, it can be one stop in a day of fun without having to drive to multiple places.
Museum at Prairiefire
Why It’s Easy & Fun: Interactive science exhibits in a stunning building.
Why Kids Love It: Dinosaurs, sea creatures, AI generated interactive screen, hands-on displays, sand pit and small animals to see.
Why Grandparents Love It: Easy walking and engaging atmosphere. Small enough to sit in one place and see children at all times.
Parking: Free, on-site.
Special Features: Great photo opportunities, close to Scheels (another great place to entertain kids of all ages) and restaurants.
See Our Guide to Museum at Prairiefire
The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures
Why It’s Easy & Fun: A slow-paced, fascinating collection of toys from different eras. Great for kids who understand they can look at most toys, but not touch.
Why Kids Love It: Miniature dollhouses and fun exhibits.
Why Grandparents Love It: Nostalgic and engaging.
Parking: Free and nearby.
Special Features: Perfect for storytelling. Great way to bond over being a kid and remembering being a kid!
National WWI Museum and Memorial
Why It’s Easy & Fun: Stunning views from Liberty Memorial coupled with interactive exhibits and kid-friendly scavenger hunts make this a great spot to visit with older children.
Why Kids Love It: History buffs will appreciate all of the artifacts and important information conveyed throughout the museum.
Why Grandparents Love It: Educational, accessible and easy to navigate.
Parking: Free lot parking available.
Special Features: Guided tours available. Would be the perfect outing for elementary-aged children or pre-teens. Take a picture together from the top of the memorial with Union Station in the background.
Overland Park Arboretum
Why It’s Easy & Fun: Get outside on a nice day and enjoy the beautiful paved trails through landscaped gardens.
Why Kids Love It: Children’s garden, train garden and waterfalls will entice kids to want to explore.
Why Grandparents Love It: Many areas are shaded, benches are located throughout the area and beautiful flowers can be seen at every stop.
Parking: Free, plentiful and easy.
Special Features: Seasonal events entice visitors throughout the year to visit.
See our Guide to the Overland Park Arboretum!
Powell Gardens
Why It’s Easy & Fun: There’s paved walking trails within sprawling gardens of wildflowers.
Why Kids Love It: Play structures, butterfly gardens, seasonal festivals and a spray/splash area will appeal to a multitude of ages.
Why Grandparents Love It: Easy, manageable and low cost.
Parking: Free, plentiful and easy.
Special Features: Shaded in many areas, food located on-site. Beautiful for grandparents, fun for kids.
Rainbow of the Heartland
Why It’s Easy & Fun: Cure the winter blues while still getting to enjoy outdoor play equipment without having to be cold.
Why Kids Love It: Trampolines, giant wooden swing sets and room to run crazy.
Why Grandparents Love It: Grandparents can relax and watch from a bench while kids play in a safe environment.
Parking: Free and easy.
Special Features: Open play is available Monday through Friday. Outside food and drink are allowed.
The Rabbit Hole
Why It’s Easy & Fun: Playful exhibit celebrating children’s literature that grandparents will remember and kids will appreciate.
Why Kids Love It: Imaginative, interactive, colorful with ability to roam and play.
Why Grandparents Love It: Nostalgic, educational and small enough to manage easily.
Parking: Free and easy.
Special Features: Changing exhibits and special spaces make it an interesting visit time and time again. Purchase tickets in advance.
See our Guide to the Rabbit Hole!
Science City at Union Station
Why It’s Easy & Fun: Mostly indoors with interactive exhibits and plenty of seating. Weather is not an issue visiting Science City!
Why Kids Love It: Hands-on science experiments, fun play area, entertaining for all ages.
Why Grandparents Love It: Air-conditioned, educational and easy to supervise.
Parking: Paid parking in Union Station’s garage, and only a short walk over.
Special Features: Planetarium shows available, easy access to the rest of Union Station’s great amenities, attractions, and restaurants.
See our Guide to Science City!
TWA Museum
Why It’s Easy & Fun: Aviation history with a manageable size.
Why Kids Love It: Old airplanes and flight simulators.
Why Grandparents Love It: Fascinating and nostalgic. Could make for a perfect segue into the past of grandparents and storytelling.
Parking: Free and easy.
Special Features: Guided tours available. Would be an appropriate outing for elementary-aged children or pre-teens who love planes. Watch aircrafts take off from the downtown airport before and after! Maybe you’ll see Taylor Swift’s jet?!
Union Station Model Train Exhibit
Why It’s Easy & Fun: Fascinating train displays in a historic and beautiful environment.
Why Kids Love It: Miniature trains in action with different scenes throughout.
Why Grandparents Love It: Low-energy, high-interest activity especially for toddlers and preschoolers.
Parking: Paid parking in Union Station’s garage.
Special Features: Free exhibit. Union Station also houses a movie theater, coffee shop, restaurant, Science City and rotating exhibits.
See our Guide to Union Station!
Wonderscope Children’s Museum of Kansas City
Why It’s Easy & Fun: Hands-on learning in an easy-to-explore setting. Indoor and outdoor activities. Can entertain toddlers and elementary-aged children.
Why Kids Love It: Water play, building stations, pretend-play areas and climbable structures.
Why Grandparents Love It: Plenty of seating and engaging exhibits. Easy to keep track of children. Feels clean and managed well.
Parking: Free, on-site.
Special Features: Special interactive programs offered daily. Central location within the metro. Ice cream and restaurants nearby.
See our Guide to Wonderscope!
There you have it! Twenty-five approachable, manageable and exciting destination to make memories with your grand babies.
