Yes, plenty is free with little kids in Kansas City this week: we found ten free outings, including West Wyandotte Library Trunk-or-Treat, Trick-or-Treat in Downtown Overland Park and Kids Create Art: Spooky Crafts, plus seven library programs. Eight free days and events are coming up, including two museum or zoo free days, each with its date. And four places never charge admission, like The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center.
This week
Every free outing on this week’s KC list, rebuilt every Thursday. Library programs may need a quick sign-up.
Cedar Roe Library · 5120 Cedar St, Roeland Park, KS 66205
A flexible storytime with stories and songs for the whole family.
Shawnee Library · 13811 Johnson Dr, Shawnee, KS 66216
The same flexible family storytime in an after-work slot.
De Soto Library · 33145 W 83rd St, De Soto, KS 66018
Each family builds and decorates a haunted cottage on a base made by the library's MakerSpace.
Central Resource Library · 9875 W 87th St, Overland Park, KS 66212
Stories, songs, fingerplays and movement in English and Spanish.
Oak Park Library · 9500 Bluejacket St, Overland Park, KS 66214
Songs, classic rhymes and fingerplays for little ones, built to get the whole room moving.
West Wyandotte Library · 1737 N 82nd St, Kansas City, KS 66112
The library's annual trunk-or-treat in the east parking lot. Treat bags are provided, costumes are welcome but optional, and it moves inside if the weather turns.
Downtown Overland Park · 7950 Marty St, Overland Park, KS 66204
Costumed kids walk the downtown blocks and collect treats from local shops.
Mid-Continent Public Library – Parkville · 8815 Tom Watson Pkwy, Parkville, MO 64152
An eerie tale, Halloween games, crafts and spooky book picks for kids 6 and up. Costumes are optional.
Mid-Continent Public Library – Riverside · 4510 NW Gateway Ave, Riverside, MO 64150
A Halloween craft hour for kids 6 and up, with all supplies provided.
Kansas City Kansas Public Library – Main Library · 625 Minnesota Ave, Kansas City, KS 66101
Craft stations for National Apple Month, including beaded pipe-cleaner apples, apple-slice painting and an apple tree to color, plus games. For kids 3 and up with their families.
Nothing free on this day yet. Try an always-free place.
Mark the calendar
Museum and zoo free days, free festivals and other one-off free events, soonest first. Some free days are only for residents or cardholders, so each one says who gets in free.
Crown Center Square · Crown Center Square
See Crown Center. The rink's season runs through March 14.
Science City at Union Station, National WWI Museum and Memorial, and Negro Leagues Baseball Museum · Kansas City
Only the cardholder gets in free, so bring the card and an ID.
Longview Lake (starts at Frank White Jr. Softball Complex) · 3901 SW Longview Road, Lee's Summit, MO 64081
5:30–10 p.m. Sun–Thu; 5:30–11 p.m. Fri–Sat. 39th year; more than 1 million lights and 200+ animated displays built by Jackson County Parks + Rec. Weeknights early in the season have shorter lines.
Crown Center Square · 2450 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108
See official page
Crown Center Shops, Level 1 Showplace · 2450 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108
Mon–Thu 10 a.m.–7 p.m.; Fri–Sat 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sun noon–6 p.m.; Dec 24 10 a.m.–5 p.m. New walk-through candy-cane forest exhibit leads to Santa's village. Indoors.
Crown Center Shops, Grand Boulevard entrance / Atrium · 2450 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108
10 a.m. (about 15 minutes). Santa arrives by horse-drawn carriage, then heads to Destination North Pole.
Crown Center Square · Crown Center Square
See Crown Center. Santa visits continue at Crown Center through Dec. 24.
Wonderscope Children’s Museum
Any day
Parks, gardens, nature centers and museums that don’t charge admission.
Every week
Baby, toddler and preschool storytimes at branches across the metro, with many branches on both sides of the state line.
Weekly; days and times vary by branch
Keep planning
Good questions
This week we found ten free outings for ages 0–6, including West Wyandotte Library Trunk-or-Treat, Trick-or-Treat in Downtown Overland Park, Kids Create Art: Spooky Crafts and Apple Party at the Main Library. See free this week; the list is rebuilt every Thursday.
Bank of America Museums on Us weekend: Sat Nov 7, Sun Nov 8, Sat Dec 5 and Sun Dec 6. $5 admission with EBT, WIC or SNAP at Wonderscope: Any open day ($5 per person with an EBT, WIC or SNAP card; $10 annual memberships for qualifying families). Dates come from each venue’s own page; see free days and free events.
Christmas in the Park, Mayor's Christmas Tree Lighting, Santa Visits at Destination North Pole and Santa's Arrival at Crown Center are free this season. Dates and times are on each card under free days and free events.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center, Lakeside Nature Center and Loose Park don’t charge admission. Some charge for parking or special exhibits; the cards say so where the place does.
Yes. Mid-Continent Public Library and Johnson County Library runs free storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers. Times change by branch, so check the calendar linked below.
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 19, 2026, and we recheck them every Thursday for dated events and once a month for free places. How we choose and check.
Littles Weekly
One short email every Friday morning with the best things to do with little ones in KC that weekend, free ones flagged.
Indoor play in KC
Thanksgiving weekend in KC
Noon Year’s Eve in KC