Kansas City, Missouri Fills the Summer with Fun Free Activities

In Kansas City, MO, keeping the kids and yourself entertained during those long summer days does not have to be a costly pursuit. Kansas City is full of fun free activities suitable for the whole family. From the historic City Market downtown to the neighborhood parks dotting the city, a summer of fun, educational activities is easy to plan.

For people in search of great family friendly entertainment, Crown Center hosts several activities to keep natives and visitors entertained. From June 2-August 19, the interactive science exhibit, Fun 2, 3, 4: All About A Number of Things, will show visitors how to apply math to everyday activities. The weekend of June 23-24 brings the Crown Center Antique Festival. If you're looking for a movie outing, grab a blanket and some snacks, then head down to the Crown to watch a movie under the stars on a huge outdoor screen. The films run each Friday from June 29-July 27. A puppet show series during Saturdays in July and Clown Day on August 4th round out the summer schedule. Don't forget to visit Kaleidoscope, a hands-on art workshop for children ages 5-12, maintained by Hallmark Cards, Inc. and afterward, take a tour of the Hallmark Cards Visitors Center.

If it happens to be a rainy summer day, visit one of the Kansas City Public Library's many branches. Each library provides fun free activities. KCPL offers classes, traditional story hours, arts and crafts workshops and visiting lecturers free of charge to its patrons. The Plaza Library Branch holds a family fun night each Friday featuring an activity suited to the current month's theme.

The City Market celebrates 150 years of commerce in the heart of downtown Kansas City this year. A stroll through the Market's broad variety of gift shops, ethnic grocers and restaurants will stir your senses. One of the Midwest's largest farmer's markets runs here from March to October. Featuring over 170 farmers' and vendors' stalls, the market is held on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Although admission is free, you'll want to bring some spending change and partake of this wide array of fresh and tasty fruits, vegetables, baked goods and more.