Guess what I found in my mailbox this week – the THANKSGIVING issue of my Rachel Ray magazine! Yep, the holidays are a-comin’ and they’re closer than I think. Every year they seem to sneak up on me.
Oh, there have been other signs too: the permission slip that came home last week for the holiday concert, the phone call from family members asking about travel plans, and that really nice banner in Kelly’s sidebar reminding me that I should be keeping an eye out for early gift sales. 🙂
All these little reminders have me thinking that I should start saving a little more for the holidays. So this week, I thought I would share one of my ‘go to’ lists when I’m trying to stash away a few dollars:
15 Free Kansas City Attractions
1. The Nelson-Atkins Museum – Amazing events during the holidays (such as the Luminary Walk and musical events over Thanksgiving weekend), interactive activities for kids in the Creative Cafe and a great online app.
2. Native Hoofed Animal Enclosure in Fleming Park – A hidden gem! Grab some apples and head out to feed the elk and bison.
3. Deanna Rose Farmstead – Still free on Mon. – Thurs. (and open through Halloween) and an excellent way to spend some time outdoors while visiting the animals!
4. Kidscape – A mini-town for kids! Put on a play, be a doctor, play at the park or be a farmer all in one place.
5. Kaleidoscope – What kid doesn’t love to create something! It’s like a huge playdate with paint and markers!
6. The Money Museum – Tour the interactive exhibits, see how money is counted and moved, and take home a ‘free bag of money’!
7. Lanesfield Schoolhouse – A fun place to ‘play school’, the one-room school is open on Fridays and Saturdays with special events during the holiday season!
8. – 13. Nature Centers – Ernie Miller, Burr Oak Woods, Lakeside in Swope Park, Schlagle Library, Martha Lafite, & Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center – all have great animal exhibits, hiking trails and fun things to explore!
14. The Library – there’s always a storytime, workshop, craft or movie at your local library – plus books to bring home!
15. Overland Park Arboretum – On these beautiful fall days, get out and enjoy nature at its finest while giving the kids lots of room to run and play.
And there’s a bonus too — most of these attractions have really fun gift shops where you just might find a fun stocking stuffer or unique gift (family fun + holiday shopping all in one place).
This post is by my friend Jacquie Fisher who is the author and curator of KCEdventures. KC Edventures is an online resource that provides parents & grandparents with ideas to keep kids creative, curious and connected to the world around them. (In my speak, they give you ideas that combine hands-on, with books, and places to go in Kansas City.)
