Summer fun around Kansas City!

Contributing Authors:

Children's Mercy Families

It’s sweet summertime, and we want you to make the absolute most of it! We’ve curated the perfect summer to-do list that will get you out of the house and bring you great summer memories.

Take a trip to the theater

Oh, summer theater where art thou? Support Kansas City local actors and theaters as they put on their renditions of hit Broadway plays and musicals throughout the greater Kansas City area. Enjoy a nice evening at the Gladstone Theater in the Park as they put on Fiddler on the Roof and Something Rotten. Shawnee Mission Theater in the Park has a great line up of Bye, Bye Birdie, Anastasia, Anything Goes and MORE! The following family friendly productions are also being performed this summer.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory June 18 – Aug. 4
Tom Sawyer June 11-29
Disney’s The Little Mermaid July 6 – 28
Alice in Wonderland July 16 - 27

Go down, or to, The Rabbit Hole

Let your imagination run wild as you step inside the pages of your favorite childhood books. The Rabbit Hole is fun for the whole family! Immersive play has you going down slides, riding carousels and hanging out with your favorite book characters. Once your day is complete and the kids are ready to settle down, follow up your trip with a visit to your local library to pick up a new summer stack of books!

Splish splash

The summer heat has made its entrance. Put on your swimsuit and head out to these great splash pads and spray grounds to cool off.

Kansas Splash pads

Wilder Bluff Park – Shawnee, Kan.
Lake Olathe Spray Ground – Olathe, Kan.
Roe Park – Overland Park, Kan.

Missouri Splash pads

Burrus Old Mill Park – Blue Springs, Mo.
Miller J Fields Park – Lee’s Summit, Mo.
Dagg Park - North Kansas City, Mo.
Loose Park – Plaza Area

Spend an afternoon berry picking

Grab your gardening gear, bug spray and sunscreen then head out to local farms to pick seasonal berries! During June and July, blueberries will be available to pick at the following farms: Happy Valley Farms, Oregon Trail Farm and the Berry Patch. When July ends and August is around the corner, you can find blackberries at Gieringer’s, Duncan’s Berry Farm and Weston Orchard and Vineyard. Happy picking!

Cheer on the Kansas City “teams in BLUE”

It’s time to tailgate for a baseball game! Grab a group of friends, a portable grill and some cold juice boxes to prepare for a fun day or night at Kauffman Stadium. Make sure you stay until the final inning this summer to watch the Friday night fireworks after the game. Keep an eye on the Royals event calendar, and you may be able to participate in running the bases after the game, enjoying Dollar Dog night or receive free giveaways like T-shirts and bobbleheads!

If soccer is more of your thing, then it’s time to put on your teal and root on Kansas City’s very own KC Current! Enjoy great food and a lively environment in the first ever women’s professional soccer stadium. Tickets are still available for matches this summer. Keep the soccer spirit up by taking a trip to Children’s Mercy Park to watch Sporting Kansas City this summer, too!

Family festivals

Holidays don’t have to be the only thing celebrated this summer. Many family-friendly festivals are taking place to help you enrich your summer fun. Search these festivals happening around town for more information.

Boulevardia (June 14-15)
Dragon Boat Festival – Brush Creek (June 15)
Juneteenth Celebrations around Kansas City (June 15)
Make Music Day KC (June 21)
Festival of the Butterflies – Powell Gardens (July 18 – Aug. 4)
Ethnic Enrichment Festival (Aug. 16-18)
Parkville Days (Aug. 23-27)

Summer camps

If you start to hear the dreaded “I’m bored,” break up your child’s daily routine, and maybe give yourself a break, by enrolling your child in one of the various summer day camps offered across Kansas City. Whether your child is into theater, STEM, music or sports, use your child’s passions and interests to find the best summer camp for them!