Family-Friendly Itinerary in Kansas City

From hands-on museums to thrilling attractions and animal encounters, Kansas City offers nonstop fun for families with kids of every age. Whether you have toddlers, tweens or teens in tow, you’ll find a mix of high-energy activities, creative spaces and curiosity-filled experiences to fill (at least) a long weekend.

Wonderscope Children’s Museum of Kansas City

Wonderscopesparks imagination through open-ended, hands-on play. Each themed area encourages kids (and kids at heart) to explore, test, and create at their own pace.

The art studio is a highlight. Kids can dig into bins of craft supplies, paint on glass windows and experiment with real tools at the builder station. Other spaces introduce concepts through play, like a water-powered engineering zone, a transportation room with trains and covered wagons, a sports area with balls and gym equipment, and a pretend grocery store and restaurant.

You’ll also find an elaborate, multilevel climbing structure with nets, tunnels and a real school bus. Babies and toddlers have a designated play space, and outside, families can explore the multisensory garden beds, ride tricycles, dig in the sandbox, or climb rope features.

Science City en Union Station

Inside Union Station, Science City packs over 120 interactive exhibits into one destination, blending play with hands-on STEM learning.

Kids conduct science experiments, program robots, build with LEGOs, play instruments and explore themed areas spanning agriculture, dinosaurs, physics and more. The illusion exhibits and energy-focused demos are especially popular, as is the SkyBike, suspended 30 feet in the air.

The indoor climbing maze offers space to get the wiggles out, and classic arcade games add nostalgia for grownups. Don’t miss the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium, where families can stretch out on floor pillows for 3-D dome shows. Seasonal programming includes stargazing and laser concerts.

One of the newest additions, the Light Lab, opened in 2025 and lets visitors explore optics and illumination through light painting and a “secret agent” laser beam mission.

Before leaving, wander through Union Station itself. The 8,000-square-foot model train gallery alone is always a highlight, and rotating exhibits mean there’s usually something new to see.

Experiencia universitaria en baloncesto

Even if you’re not big basketball fans, the College Basketball Experience offers an unexpectedly engaging deep-dive into the game’s history and culture.

Measure your wingspan and shoe size against legendary players, test your vertical jump, try sports announcing in a mock broadcast booth, or explore the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. There’s plenty of time on the court, too, for practicing free throws and dunking.

Located in the Power & Light District, it’s easy to pair with lunch, shopping or other downtown attractions.

Mundos de diversión

For full-throttle thrills, head to Worlds of Fun in Kansas City’s Northland. The amusement park is best known for iconic coasters like the Mamba, Prowler and the re-imagined Zambezi Zinger, but there are plenty of tamer rides for younger kids.

In the summer, the Oceans of Fun water park opens, with wave pools, slides, and toddler-friendly splash zones. Your ticket provides access to both parks.

Insider tip: Buy the all-day dining plan if you plan to stay all day. You’ll get a meal or snack every 90 minutes and drinks every 15 minutes, keeping hungry kids (and parents!) happy without busting your budget or making constant food decisions.

El conejo hOle

Part museum, part living storybook, the Rabbit hOle is one of Kansas City’s most imaginative family attractions.

Billed as a “portal to the page,” it brings beloved children’s literature to life through walk-through scenes. Visitors descend into the space — literally entering a “rabbit hole” — before exploring larger-than-life sets from classics like Goodnight Moon, Where the Wild Things Are, Madeline, Shel Silverstein works, Curious George and more.

Each exhibit is interactive and incredibly detailed with the corresponding book available for on-the-spot reading. A bookshop and cafe round out the experience, offering themed treats (don’t miss the “Sam & the Tigers” Nutella pancakes) and whimsical touches like water bottles repurposed from honey-bear containers.

Centro Crown

Crown Centercombines shopping, dining, arts and attractions in one central district.

Kids can spend hours exploring LEGOLAND Discovery Center, SEA LIFE Aquarium, the free-to-enter Kaleidoscopeart studio or the new Museum of BBQ. The Hallmark Visitors Center gives a behind-the-scenes look at the brand, while multiple theaters host year-round performances.

During the holidays, the Hallmark Christmas Experience transforms Crown Center into a winter wonderland, complete with ice skating, over-the-top decor, and celebrity meet-and-greets. It’s connected to Union Station via the enclosed Link skywalk and serviced by the free KC Streetcar, so you can easily check out multiple attractions in one day.

Zoo y acuario de Kansas City

The Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium covers 200-plus acres and houses over 1,700 animals — a full day if you want it to be. Families can board a train, soar above exhibits on the African Sky Safari, or attend keeper talks with polar bears, penguins and red pandas.

The aquarium is the clear favorite, where you can get eye-to-eye with sharks and rays, watch sea otters play and explore touch pools staffed with educators.

Your 3-Day Itinerary

Here’s how to spend three days exploring Kansas City’s top family-friendly attractions, with built-in flexibility to mix and match.

Day 1: Crown Center and Union Station

Start at Crown Center, choosing one or two attractions: LEGOLAND, SEA LIFE, the Museum of BBQ or Kaleidoscope.
Have lunch at Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant inside Crown Center.
Walk to Union Station via the Link and spend the afternoon at Science City, then check out the Model Train Gallery.
Optional: Catch an evening planetarium show.

Day 2: Choose Your Own Adventure

Option 1: Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium (best for younger children or animal-loving families)

Arrive early and ride the train or gondola for a full-park overview.
Visit the aquarium in the afternoon and check the schedule for penguin feedings or keeper chats.

Option 2: Worlds of Fun (best for tweens and teens)