Kansas City's Science City

Science City is a kid-friendly science museum located in Kansas City's Union Station. I remember going as a kid and having a blast, so I was excited to take my daughter for their Halloween event. It hasn't changed much over the years. My daughter really enjoyed herself although I wasn't 100% impressed.

Admission: Adults $13.50 and kids are $11.50. I'm not sure why adults are charged more since this is a place for kids. For an average family it would cost $50 to get in, which I think is pretty steep.

When we went the exhibits showed their age and the abuse of the thousands of children that have ran through this place. This doesn't mean they don't have some cool stuff to see and do though. It's all in how you look at it. A few activities were shut down or broken as well. My favorite things are the "mind-bending" illusions and the sets that play with your sense of reality. My daughter loved the dino-dig area and pretty much anything she could climb and play on.

The staff seemed young and not altogether that interested in the kids running around. More like the staff at an amusement park than the staff at a museum...although Science City feels more like an amusement park than a museum. They do have some live animals to see and occasionally host a new exhibit, but if you've done it once, you probably don't need to do it again for a few years since it hasn't changed much since I was a kid!

Some pros to this place is that it is housed in Union Station so you can also explore the KC Rail Experience and the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium. The KC Rail Experience is included in your Science City admission, but the planetarium is not. Sometimes they run deals that include the planetarium, but otherwise it's an additional $6. My daughter loved the planetarium, so I think it's worth the price. If you're on a budget, you can just do the planetarium without doing Science City as well. Science City and Untion Station are also right next door to Crown Center, (and connected via a walkway) which is a fun shopping center.

Parking: Parking is free for 30 minutes, then $1 for every 30 minutes after that for a max of $10. For us, if you are doing just Science City, 2 hours should do it ($3-$4 to park), but parking is free at Crown Center with validation and that's just a short walk away, so plan accordingly!

Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead

The Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead is an institution in the Kansas City area. This place is a fantastic way to spend a day with your kids. Admission to the farm is free on Monday through Thursday and only $2 on Friday through Sunday, making it one of the most affordable activities around. The farm features several fee-based activities to help generate income and has a general store and ice cream shop as well, but your kids will be entertained without spending a dime if need be.

Activities include pony rides, bottle-feeding baby goats, and fishing. Your child can also pedal around on a tractor or play on one of the playgrounds available both inside and outside the farm. Structures on the grounds include a dairy barn, schoolhouse, teepee, and bank, with plans to add more in the future.

The farm has several animals, not all of which are farm animals. The animals on display can change, but we've seen a bobcat, bald eagle, buffalo, and a great-horned owl. The farm animals include your standard pigs, goats, and cows, but they also have ducks and rabbits. There is a butterfly garden and working vegetable and flower garden plots, as well as a short nature trail area. In the Fall the farm offers hayrides and pumpkins, for a fee.

Location:
3800 Switzer Rd
Overland Park, KS 66221
913-897-2360

Hours: 

9am to 5pm

It's only open from April 1 - Oct. 31

I definitely recommend taking your kids here. My babies love this place! 

If you would like to do some of the paid activities, consider getting a combo ticket. Other things to note are that they do not allow outside food and drinks. This excludes water bottles and children's snacks (and therefore is sort of a vague rule) They offer birthday party packages but those seemed kind of pricey to me.

Strollers are certainly allowed and can go just about everywhere without too much trouble. The only problem is that, being a kids place, there are a lot of strollers, so expect some traffic jams! There are a few bathrooms scattered around the grounds. I've found the ones in the dairy barn often have lines.