Our First 3 Months in Kansas City

Well, this summer my family of 4 made the move from Jacksonville, Florida to Kansas City. Specifically, the Missouri side, but we are learning to love and appreciate every part of this area!

We jumped right into busy life when we arrived, but here and there we have made time for some super fun family outings. I wanted to make a list of what we’ve done so far mostly so that I could remember when we look back on this time. If you’re looking for something relatively easy to do with a young family in Kansas City, I hope this list can inspire you! If not, I hope you find it at least entertaining!

For context, we have a 2.5 year old girl, and a 7 month-old girl. As a family we have mixed opinions on how much is too much when it comes to walking and being indoors/outdoors, and we try to do as much free or low-cost as possible when we are this fresh out of a move!

What is there to do with toddlers in Kansas City?

The things we’ve vetted for the rest of the world so far:

Streetcar

We can’t believe the streetcar is free to ride! We got on at Union Station, got off to walk around the River Market, then got back on to ride back to our car. So fun for our vehicle-obsessed toddler!

Donutology

We love mini donuts! And the space and science theme 🙂

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

Collin took the girls to this museum while I was busy elsewhere one day. They all had a blast and learned so much! Our toddler came home telling everyone that her favorite baseball player is Satchel Paige.

Loose Park

Complete with a playground, swings, ponds, gardens, and so much green space! This is a very commonly used photography location and for good reason!

Arno Park

Big playground with unique attractions like a raised turf area and more advanced playground equipment like a giant blue tarp slide.

Neale Peterson Park

We love that this park has an imaginative toddler-sized fire engine and firehouse. Like I’ve said, our girl is vehicle-obsessed right now!

World War I Memorial

To be fair, we haven’t gone to the memorial as a family yet, but I have shot some photo sessions there myself. As soon as I saw it in person, I made a mental note that I would love to take the whole family very soon. I think they’ll love the space to run around and see the view of the city from such a high elevation.

Crown Center/Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant/Kaleidoscope

Fritz’s is an experience unlike any other because your food is delivered to your table by toy train! And if your children love to be creative and make artwork like ours, you must go to Kaleidoscope. I wanted to join in on the fun myself!

The Escape Game

Yes, we’re biased. No, it did not keep me from adding to the list because I have played 2 full games by myself with both the toddler and the baby and it was still fun! So far we have done The Depths and Timeliner at The Escape Game Kansas City. These escape rooms were not scary at all for Scout and she loved pushing buttons and helping me find clues!

Country Club Plaza Fountains

Scout loves to find the fountains that she calls “The baby fountain” and “Jesus and the horsies.” Enough said!

Ward Parkway

Yes, it’s just a street, but it’s been our favorite drive because of the beautiful architecture, trees, and fountains that line it!

Kansas City Public Library

We been to the South Plaza branch of the KC public library and absolutely adore the kids section! It is so well organized and taken care of. We have also loved driving past the downtown branch, but haven’t been inside yet to see what it’s like!

Made in KC Marketplace & Cafe

We have spent so much time just browsing the fun things that Made in KC has to offer, but we especially love the coffee and treats at their cafe in the Plaza!

Kansas City Zoo

The Kansas City Zoo is so expansive we have hardly scratched the surface of all there is to see. So far we loved the new aquarium, and the farm animals that you can feed! Scout loves a good zoo carousel ride, so the fact that they had one made it an A+ experience for her.

Kansas City International Airport

Okay, I realize this may be an odd pick for the list, but we have already flown in and out of the Kansas City International Airport a few times and I just had to share my appreciation for it! We loved how efficiently it is laid out. Our toddler loved that there is currently a play area. It puts me at ease being so far away from family and friends here that whenever we need to fly we will have a good experience at the airport.

We have a long list of other things we are excited to try as a family in Kansas City, so keep an eye out for updates to this post as time goes on! If you are not based in Kansas City, I hope this post can inspire you to explore your own town and try something new!