# Things to do with toddlers and little kids in Kansas City: the parent guide > Kansas City is a good city for little kids: a zoo and aquarium, Crown Center’s indoor attractions, a children’s farmstead, free nature centers and a lot of fall farms. - Last checked: 2026-10-18 - 21 places for ages 0–6, with admission and menu prices from each place’s own site - Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/kansas-city/guide/ - This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/kansas-city/index.md - Visiting guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/kansas-city/visiting/index.md - City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/kansas-city/llms.txt ## Kid-friendly restaurants ### Fritz's Railroad Restaurant (Crown Center) - You order by phone and your food is lowered to the table from an overhead train. - Price level: $ - Menu prices: burgers & sandwiches ~$5–$8 - Hours: Crown Center: Mon–Thu 10:30am–7pm; Fri–Sat 10:30am–8:30pm; Sun 11am–6pm - Kids usually order: Lil' Engineers kids menu - Why kids like it: Food delivered by a toy train on overhead tracks - Good for: Train-crazy toddlers. Food arrives on an overhead train, and plates are about $5–$8. - Skip if: you want a late dinner; Crown Center closes by 7pm on weeknights. - Price source: https://www.fritzskc.com/menu/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://www.fritzskc.com ### Chicken N Pickle (North Kansas City) - Chicken, pickleball courts and yard games, so kids have room to roam while you eat. - Price level: $$ - Menu prices: entrées ~$14–$16 - Kids usually order: Lil' Peeps kids menu - Why kids like it: Yard games and open play space - Good for: Room to roam with yard games while you eat. - Skip if: you want a calm meal; it’s loud and busy on weekends. - Price source: https://chickennpickle.com/kc-menu/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://chickennpickle.com/kansas-city-gather/north-kansas-city-outdoor-seating/ ### Spin! Pizza (Several locations) - Personal pizzas and gelato, quick enough for a toddler's patience. - Price level: $$ - Menu prices: kids’ meals $6.95, sandwiches ~$11–$14 - Kids usually order: Kids pizza, Gelato - Good for: A quick pizza when patience is short; kids’ meals are $6.95. - Skip if: you’re after a local barbecue experience. - Price source: https://www.spinpizza.com/menu/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://www.spinpizza.com ### Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que (Kansas City, KS (gas station original)) - Well-known Kansas City barbecue; the original is inside a gas station. - Price level: $$ - Menu prices: sandwiches ~$10–$14 - Good for: A famous barbecue lunch at about $10–$14 a plate. - Skip if: you hate lines; the original gets long ones. - Price source: https://www.joeskc.com/pages/restaurant-menu (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://www.joeskc.com ### Gates Bar-B-Q (Several locations) - A longtime Kansas City barbecue institution. - Price level: $$ - Good for: Classic KC barbecue with several locations to pick from. - Skip if: your kid won’t touch smoked meat; the menu is built around barbecue. - Website: https://gatesbbq.com ## Indoor play & trampoline parks ### LEGOLAND Discovery Center (Crown Center) - Indoor LEGO play at Crown Center. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: Tickets from $21.99. Online price; from $24.99 on the day - Good for: LEGO-loving preschoolers on a rainy day; book online from $21.99. - Skip if: you’re visiting with only a baby or young toddler. It’s built for builders. - Price source: https://www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/kansas-city/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/kansas-city/ ### SEA LIFE Kansas City (Crown Center) - An indoor aquarium at Crown Center. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: Tickets from $19. Online price - Good for: A short indoor aquarium visit at Crown Center, from $19 online. - Skip if: you want a big aquarium day; it’s compact. - Price source: https://www.visitsealife.com/kansas-city/tickets-passes/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://www.visitsealife.com/kansas-city/ ### Sky Zone Kansas City (Kansas City) - Trampolines under one roof. Check the schedule for little-kid times. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: per jumper, 90 min $23. All day $32; SkySocks $5 - Good for: Little-kid jump times on a cold afternoon. - Skip if: you can’t make a little-kid session; open jumps get crowded with big kids. - Price source: https://www.skyzone.com/kansascity/ways-to-play/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://www.skyzone.com/kansascity/ ### MY Play Café (Northland) - A play cafe for little kids in the Northland. - Price level: $ - Tickets: per child, 6 mo–6 yrs $12; Adults free. Plus tax; babies under 12 months free with a paying sibling - Good for: Ages 6 months to 6, with adults free; $12 a child plus tax. - Skip if: your kids are over 6. - Price source: https://www.myplaycafe.com/faq (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://www.myplaycafe.com ## Amusement parks, water parks & pools ### Worlds of Fun & Oceans of Fun (Northeast KC) - A theme park and water park in northeast Kansas City. - Price level: $$$ - Tickets: Day tickets from $39.99; 2 and under free. Online price; from $59 at the gate - Good for: Summer rides; 2 and under are free and online tickets start at $39.99. - Skip if: you’re paying the $59 gate price for a toddler-only day. - Price source: https://worldsoffun.enchantedparks.com/passes-and-tickets/park-admission/daily-tickets/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://worldsoffun.enchantedparks.com ### Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium (Swope Park) - A big zoo in Swope Park with an aquarium. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: 2 and under free. Gate prices run $12.50–$14 for kids and $25–$28 for adults; cheaper online - Good for: Picking a few areas and going early; 2 and under are free. - Skip if: you want to see it all in one morning. It’s big. - Price source: https://kansascityzoo.org/visit/tickets-and-pricing (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://www.kansascityzoo.org ### Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead (Overland Park) - A city-run farm in Overland Park with animals to see and feed. - Price level: $ - Tickets: Everyone $5. Free after 2pm Mon–Thu - Good for: Toddlers who want animals up close, at $5 per person. - Skip if: you’re looking for big rides; it’s a gentle farm. - Price source: https://www.opkansas.org/things-to-see-and-do/deanna-rose-childrens-farmstead/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://www.opkansas.org/things-to-see-and-do/deanna-rose-childrens-farmstead/ ### KC Parks pools and spraygrounds (Around the city) - City spraygrounds and outdoor pools that open each summer. - Price level: $ - Tickets (last season): Pools closed for the season; Everyone 2 and up $5. 2026 day pass, cash only · Spraygrounds are free - Good for: Free spraygrounds in summer. - Skip if: it’s off-season; the pools are closed for the year. - Price source: https://kcparks.org/places/grove-park-pool/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://kcparks.org/amenities/sprayground/ ## Museums, zoos & farms ### Science City at Union Station (Union Station) - Hands-on science inside Union Station. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: Everyone $17.25. Plus preservation fee - Good for: Hands-on science inside Union Station on a wet day. - Skip if: you’re budgeting per head; it’s $17.25 for everyone plus a fee. - Price source: https://sciencecity.unionstation.org/event/science-city-general-admission/ (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://unionstation.org/sciencecity/ ### The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (Midtown) - A free art museum with a sculpture park. - Price level: Free - Good for: A free outing with a sculpture lawn to run around on. - Skip if: your toddler needs to touch everything inside. - Website: https://nelson-atkins.org ### Arabia Steamboat Museum (River Market) - Cargo from a steamboat that sank in the Missouri River in 1856, including children's toys. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 4–14 $6.50; adults $16.50; 3 and under free - Good for: Curious preschoolers who like old toys; 3 and under are free. - Skip if: your kids won’t look at glass cases for long. - Price source: https://www.1856.com/hours-rates (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://www.1856.com ### National WWI Museum and Memorial (Crown Center area) - A museum and memorial tower overlooking downtown. - Price level: $$ - Tickets: kids 6–15 $11.50; adults $19.50; Under 6 free. Locals $10 combo ticket through Dec 30, 2026 - Good for: A view from the tower and a short visit; under 6 is free. - Skip if: you need kid-centered exhibits. - Price source: https://www.theworldwar.org/plan-your-visit (checked 2026-10-17) - Website: https://www.theworldwar.org ## Staycation spots ### Great Wolf Lodge Kansas City (Kansas City, KS) - An indoor waterpark resort in Kansas City, Kansas. - Price level: $$$ - Good for: An indoor water-park weekend in town. - Skip if: you have a noise-sensitive kid; indoor water parks echo. - Website: https://www.greatwolf.com/kansas-city ### The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center (Crown Center) - A hotel at Crown Center, close to LEGOLAND, SEA LIFE and Fritz's. - Price level: $$ - Good for: Walking to LEGOLAND, SEA LIFE and Fritz’s. - Skip if: you’re planning to spend most of your time in the Northland. - Website: https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/mciwi-the-westin-kansas-city-at-crown-center/overview/ ### Hotel Phillips (Downtown) - A historic hotel in downtown Kansas City. - Price level: $$ - Good for: A historic downtown base. - Skip if: you need a pool for the kids. - Website: https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/mkccuqq-hotel-phillips-kansas-city/ ### Weston Bend State Park (Weston, MO (about 40 min)) - Campsites and trails above the Missouri River. - Price level: $ - Good for: Camping and short trails about 40 minutes out. - Skip if: you need hookups and indoor comfort with a baby. - Website: https://mostateparks.com/park/weston-bend-state-park ## Free things to do - The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art - Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center - Lakeside Nature Center - Loose Park ## Best for under 3s - **Crown Center (SEA LIFE and LEGOLAND Discovery Center)**: The aquarium works well from a stroller. - **Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead**: Animals at toddler height, and ages 2 and under were free on our listing. - **Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center**: Small and calm, with nature at toddler pace. ## With a baby or a 1-year-old ### Baby and lap-sit storytimes - **Baby Storytime** (Johnson County Library): Mondays at 9:30am and 10:30am · Blue Valley Library. Birth to 18 months. A lapsit program of songs, rhymes and movement for babies. https://jocolibrary.bibliocommons.com/v2/events - **Baby Storytime** (Johnson County Library): Mondays at 9:30am and 10:30am · Central Resource Library. Birth to 18 months. A lapsit program of songs, rhymes and movement for babies. https://jocolibrary.bibliocommons.com/v2/events - **Baby Storytime** (Johnson County Library): Thursdays at 9:30am and 10:30am · Corinth Library. Birth to 18 months. A lapsit program of songs, rhymes and movement for babies. https://jocolibrary.bibliocommons.com/v2/events - **Baby Storytime** (Johnson County Library): Fridays at 9:30am · Merriam Plaza Library. Birth to 18 months. A lapsit program of songs, rhymes and movement for babies. https://jocolibrary.bibliocommons.com/v2/events - **Baby Storytime** (Johnson County Library): Tuesdays at 9:30am and 10:30am · Monticello Library. Birth to 18 months. A lapsit program of songs, rhymes and movement for babies. https://jocolibrary.bibliocommons.com/v2/events - **Family Storytime** (Johnson County Library): Tuesdays at 10am · Cedar Roe Library. Families with babies, toddlers and preschoolers. The whole family will enjoy this flexible Storytime. https://jocolibrary.bibliocommons.com/v2/events ### Babies get in free - **Worlds of Fun & Oceans of Fun**: 2 and under free. https://worldsoffun.enchantedparks.com/passes-and-tickets/park-admission/daily-tickets/ - **Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium**: 2 and under free. https://kansascityzoo.org/visit/tickets-and-pricing - **Arabia Steamboat Museum**: 3 and under free. https://www.1856.com/hours-rates ### Changing tables and nursing rooms - **Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium**: Universal changing tables in Sobela Ocean Aquarium and at the Elephant Expedition restrooms, and family restrooms with toddler seats. ### Stroller notes - **Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium**: Rentals are at the stroller barn near the entrance. ## Library storytimes - **Mid-Continent Public Library and Johnson County Library**: Weekly; days and times vary by branch. Baby, toddler and preschool storytimes at branches across the metro, with many branches on both sides of the state line. https://www.mymcpl.org/ ## Happening this week - **Boo at the Zoo** (9:30am–5pm) at Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium. Included with zoo admission: $22–$24 adults, $11–$12 kids online; 2 and under free. https://littlesweekly.com/kansas-city/#e-boo_at_the_zoo_kc - **Spookfest at Science City** (Sat 10am–5pm) at Science City at Union Station. $17.25 general admission (plus preservation fee); Union Station members free. https://littlesweekly.com/kansas-city/#e-spookfest_science_city - **Night of the Living Farm** (5:30pm–9pm) at Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead. $15 non-members, $14 Friends of the Farmstead members; children 2 and under free (online only). https://littlesweekly.com/kansas-city/#e-night_of_the_living_farm - **Kansas City Ballet: The Wizard of Oz** (Thu–Fri 7:30pm; Sat 1:30pm & 7:30pm; Sun 1:30pm) at Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Kauffman Center. Tickets from $39 plus fees. https://littlesweekly.com/kansas-city/#e-kc_ballet_wizard_of_oz - **Louisburg Cider Mill Family Farm** (Mon–Thu 8am–6pm; Fri–Sat 8am–10pm; Sun 9am–6pm) at Louisburg Cider Mill. $15.99 Mon–Thu, $18.99 Fri–Sun; children 2 and under free; jump pillow $2. https://littlesweekly.com/kansas-city/#e-louisburg_cider_mill_family_farm_fall_se Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/kansas-city/index.md ## Holiday pages - [Santa in Kansas City: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/kansas-city/santa/index.md) - [Christmas lights in Kansas City for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/kansas-city/christmas-lights/index.md) ## About this list - Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city. - How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com). - Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list. - How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote. ## FAQ ### Is the aquarium at Crown Center worth it for a toddler? Yes, for a short visit. The aquarium works well from a stroller and is all indoors. Pair it with lunch in the complex and leave before nap. ### What are the best free things to do with little kids in Kansas City? The Gorman Conservation Discovery Center, Lakeside Nature Center, Loose Park and library storytimes are free. All of them are listed above. ### What can we do in Kansas City with a toddler when it rains? Crown Center, the Museum of Kansas City and the library branches are all indoors. ### Are there pumpkin patches near Kansas City? Yes. Weston Red Barn Farm and Louisburg Cider Mill are marked as fall spots above. Weston’s entry was free on this week’s listing. ### What’s good for babies and kids under 3 in Kansas City? Crown Center (SEA LIFE and LEGOLAND Discovery Center): The aquarium works well from a stroller. Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead: Animals at toddler height, and ages 2 and under were free on our listing. Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center is also easy with a baby or toddler. Free for the littlest: Worlds of Fun & Oceans of Fun (2 and under free), Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium (2 and under free), Arabia Steamboat Museum (3 and under free) and National WWI Museum and Memorial (Under 6 free). See [best for under 3s](https://littlesweekly.com/kansas-city/guide/#under3). ### Where are the free storytimes in Kansas City? Mid-Continent Public Library and Johnson County Library: Weekly; days and times vary by branch. Library storytimes don’t need a ticket, but times change by branch, so check the calendar first. See [library storytimes](https://littlesweekly.com/kansas-city/guide/#storytimes), and this week’s dated sessions are on the [KC weekly list](https://littlesweekly.com/kansas-city/). ### How do you choose the places in the Kansas City guide? Every one of the 21 places is somewhere we’d take a baby, toddler or preschooler, with a note on who it suits and when to skip it. Prices, hours and menus come from each place’s own site, and 15 of them have checked admission or menu prices. The guide was last checked Oct 18, 2026. [How we choose and check](https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/). ### How much is the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium for a toddler, and who gets in free? 2 and under free (gate prices run $12.50–$14 for kids and $25–$28 for adults; cheaper online). We checked this on [its official site](https://kansascityzoo.org/visit/tickets-and-pricing) on Oct 17, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.