15 Fun Things to Do with Teens in Kansas City

If your teen is filled with energy and enjoys being active, there’s plenty to do in Kansas City. Try Topgolf in Overland Park or T-Shotz in Kansas City’s Northland to get some practice at the driving range. Even if your teen isn’t a golfing pro, it’s still fun to take a few swings with the various golf games and enjoy a great meal.  

Kansas City is a hoops city, and that’s evident at the College Basketball Experience in Downtown KC. Bring your basketball fan to explore two floors of interactive exhibits where they can try to slam dunk, challenge friends in a full-court press and broadcast live from the ESPN desk.  

Challenge your teen’s brain and body at BRKTHROUGH or Activate in Overland Park, which feature dozens of challenge rooms with a tech twist. There are games with lasers, climbing walls and more—think “The Floor Is Lava” or “Red Light, Green Light.” Competitive teens can even track their points and progress, seeing how they stack up against others.

Enroll your crafty teen in a DIY class at one of the KC area’s local studios. Paint pottery, decorate a stylish hat or make a piece of wall art at Creative Culture before enjoying a massive milkshake. Create a custom candle atEmbers Candle Bar or paint a welcome sign at Hammer & Stain.

Is your teen constantly dreaming up new inventions? Take advantage of the equipment in the Johnson County Library’s MakerSpace. It features tech like 3D printers, laser cutters and specialty software, all free to use. Reservations are required.

Challenge your teen to learn new skills with a cooking class at the Culinary Center of Kansas City in Overland Park. Or learn to bake pies and roll sushi at Taste Buds Kitchen in Leawood.

Hungry? Kansas City’s food halls offer a wide range of cuisines, everything from African dishes to Thai food. With so many options, your food-crazed teen will have plenty of new choices to try. Check out Strang Hall, which has three locations across the metro, or explore the Iron District in North Kansas City.

Explore Kansas City’s signature cuisine with the KC BBQ Experience app. Your teen can check in at over 100 local restaurants, earn badges, post photos and even take on themed BBQ trails.

Put your mind to the test with KC-area escape rooms like the River Market’sBreakout KC, special effects-heavy Tick Tock Escape Rooms in Overland Park, spooky The Basement in the Crossroads and The Escape Game on the Country Club Plaza. 

Hop over to Kansas City, Kansas and let your teen’s alter-ago come to life at Atlas9. Here, they can follow the narrative of movies come to life, solve puzzles, explore interactive exhibits or take advantage of themed photo opportunities.

There’s also FlipSwitch VRin the Crossroads, Double Tap KC in the River Market or Sandbox VRin Leawood, which utilize free-roam, multiplayer virtual reality. Your video game-obsessed teen can suit up with a headset to fight against hoards of zombies and other enemies in a growing catalogue of games.

If you’re tired of buying so many new board games, consider taking your teen to a local tabletop gaming space where they can play hundreds of games. Cardboard Corner Caféin Overland Park and Lenexa, Pawn and Pint in Downtown KC, and Mission: Board Games in Mission and KC’s Northland are favorites, but adult supervision is required at many businesses.

You don’t have to be an expert to take a swing at pickleball. It’s a sport for all ages and abilities. With other 100 courts in the Kansas City area, there’s likely one nearby. For snacks and serves, try Chicken N Pickle in North Kansas City and Overland Park or SERV in Overland Park.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art collection contains nearly 40,000 works, which means there’s bound to be something to interest your teen. Plus, it’s totally free. To add to the fun, find the famous shuttlecocks in the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park or play mini golf on the Art Course.