KCKidsFun

Believe it or not, it’s almost time for Kansas City’s 2010 Spring Consignment Sales! There are lots of them popping up all over the city.  Your kids are growing like weeds and the economy isn’t…a consignment sale might be just what you’ve been looking for.  Not only can you get some really cute clothes for next-to-nothing, you can even make some money, too.

Here’s how they work:  you can generally participate by becoming either a consignor, volunteer or shopper.  (Therefore, you can both make and spend money!)  You’ll need to price and tag your items and be prepared to pay an entry fee in the neighborhood of $10.  Then, get ready to take home up to 70% of your sales!  Some sales are limited in scope to only clothing, while others accept and sell anything from clothing to furniture to sporting goods.  We’ve compiled a listing of upcoming sales and maintain a listing of Consignment Sales year-round–you can click here to see it.

If you run or represent a consignment sale–and would like to purchase featured, prominent placement via a Sponsored Listing – (like “Here We Grow Again”) – all you need to do is contact me.  Just write to me at kiran@kckidsfun.com or leave a comment below.  Happy Selling!  Happy Shopping!

Sponsored Listings:

Here We Grow Again (multiple locations around the Kansas City metro). We are looking for consignors, shoppers and volunteers! We accept and sell quality gently-used and new kids clothing, toys, bedding, furniture, sporting and play equipment–anything having to do with kids!! We hope to see you at the sale!! Next sales: (multiple locations across the Kansas City metro - March 24-27, 2010, Olathe, KS @ 421 Rawhide Rd, Olathe(just west of I-35 and Santa Fe in large white building next to Grass Pad).April 7-10, 2010, Independence, MO @ 4621 S. Shrank Ave. in the Apple Tree Center. April 21-24, 2010, Shawnee, KS @ Merriam Village/Merriam Town Center (I-35 and Johnson Drive).

Basic Listings:

All About Kids (Independence, MO) at the KC Sports Lodge, April 9-11, 2010.

Double Joy Mothers of Multiples Club (Lee’s Summit, MO) – next sale: April 9-10, 2010 at Lakeland Community Church.

Greater Kansas City Mothers of Twins Club (metro-wide, meetings in south KCMO) – next sale: March 27, 2010 at First Church of the Nazarene, KCMO.

Johnson County Mothers of Multiples Club (Johnson County, KS) – next sale: April 17th, 2019 at Indian Creek Community Church, Olathe, KS

Just Between Friends (Northland) – next sale:  February 27-28, 2010, KCI Expo Center, KCMO (With an EXCLUSIVE pre-sale extravaganza on February 26th for Volunteers, Consignors, First Time Parents, Daycare Owners/Managers and Teachers!)

Just Between Friends (Lee’s Summit, MO) – next sale: August 29 thru September 1, 2010

Just Between Friends (Overland Park, KS) – next sale: March 4-7, 2010 at Overland Park International Trade Center.

Just Between Friends (Shawnee, KS & Kansas City, KS) – March 26-28, 2010 at Kansas Speedway.

Kansas City Northland Mothers of Multiples Club – next sale: March 20, 2010 at King of Kings Lutheran Church, Kansas City North

KC Kids Sale April 29- May 1, 2010, Shawnee, KS @ Cedar Ridge Christian Church.  May 13-15, 2010, Lawrence, KS @ Knights of Columbus.

Kids’ Closet Connection (multiple locations across the Kansas City metro –  March 2-6, 2010, Lee’s Summit, MO @ Lakeland Community Church – 913 NE Colbern Road.  April 20-25, 2010, Blue Springs, MO @ Sports City – 425 NE Mock Ave.  North Kansas City– Dates TBD.  April 5-9, 2010, Topeka, KS @ Sunrise Optimist Club – 720 NW 50th St.  April 20-24, 2010, Lawrence, KS @ Douglas County Fairgrounds – 2110 Harper St.

Love It Again (Blue Springs, MO) – next sale:  April 1-6, 2010, American Legion Hall – 499 SW State Route 7.

My big kids didn’t have school on Tuesday (because, well, I have no earthly clue why…). They had a doctor’s appointment at 11. So, we dropped the little ones off at Mother’s Day Out and I took my first- and second-graders to brunch at First Watch in Prairie Village. It was a special treat to go out with my big kids without the chatty presence of their three-year-old brothers.

We popped in and out of the pediatrician’s office after a pile of chocolate chip pancakes. And we headed to Brookside.

We live in south Johnson County so Brookside is a fun outing – for me and for the kids. I didn’t live in Brookside as a kid but I did spend a lot of time there, “back in the day”. My cousins were Brookside kids – we roamed the neighborhood on foot and on bikes for hours at a time. Bruce Smith Drugs on the corner, the Dime Store, Brookside Toy & Science and more.

Fast forward thirty years and we rode down 63rd Street not on Schwinns but in a Suburban. First stop, Brookside Toy & Science. We explored from front to back – spending a lot of time looking at insects, skeletons, microscopes, Legos, board games, Madame Alexander dolls and more. My son carefully selected a small Star Wars Lego set and purchased with his birthday money.

We then ventured down a few doors to the Reading Reptile, truly the most welcoming and wonderful children’s bookstore I’ve ever encountered. Each visit is just as fun as the last. My kids enjoy visiting with the store cats, wandering from shelf to shelf and then picking a chair to settle in and read for a while. If you’ve never been, you really should take an hour and explore Reading Reptile – the books are carefully selected by store owners who love children and children’s literature.

And, finally, the New Dime Store. A treasure. The original wooden floors and an always fun and wide variety of merchandise. Party plates and napkins, candles, toys, ribbon, crafting supplies, holiday decor, kitchen gadgets, stationery, cleaning supplies, office goods – all the stuff you didn’t know you needed until you saw it on the shelf at the New Dime Store. My kids love it as much as I did. My daughter chose a Barbie from the toy aisle and borrowed $8 from me to pay for it.

Then, we headed south to pick up the little guys and our day out was done. But our little 20 minute drive was just what we needed to reconnect and enjoy each other. I had to promise both of them that we’d do it again soon!

Next time, we’ll add lunch at Sharp’s followed by Baskin-Robbins or Foo’s Fabulous Frozen Custard to the mix for the quintessential Brookside afternoon…

With my family’s purse strings pulled tighter than ever, the tendency will be to do it all at a big-box retailer this holiday season.  But, Kansas City has so many unique merchants and I think it’s important now, more than ever, to support them.   SHOP LOCAL, if at all possible, I say!  The metro has so many neat, one-of-a-kind, locally-owned stores brimming with interesting gifts. Why not visit a few and put together a unique gift this year? We’ve got some suggestions to make it easy on you.

• Reading Reptile create a Books Basket or treat a lucky kid to a Thursday Story Time at Reading Reptile followed by “select any book you’d like…and it’s yours!”—what a neat gift!

• A Train-Themed gift: The Learning Tree (Leawood, KS and Prairie Village, KS) has some wonderful trains and train gifts. Thomas the Tank Engine is there of course, but so are lots of other choices. Include a certificate for a special meal at Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant at the Crown Center Shops, or head to the new location across the state line in Shawnee, KS (just west of I-435 on Shawnee Mission Parkway) . What kid wouldn’t love to have her meal delivered tableside by a train?

• Unleash your child’s inner mad scientist! HMS Beagle is a wonderful store in Parkville, MO–”The Ultimate Science Store” according to their website.  You can introduce your child to science through a number of neat gifts from the basic chemistry set to a fantastic telescope.  They even have a science club with meetings for K-8th graders!  For the little ones–an easy introduction to science can be found by taking a trip toWonderscope Children’s Museum of Kansas City in Shawnee, KS, featuring arts and sciences exhibits for kids ages 10 and under.

• GO RETRO! Moon Marble gift shop, located in Bonner Springs’ Moon Marble Company, has some great toys and games that have withstood the test of time…remember Pick-Up Sticks, Chinese Jumpropes and the wooden paddle with the red rubber ball attached?  Find all of these and more!

• Enrollment in a class at one of the metro’s parks and recreation offices or community centers is a gift that will last weeks and even months! Your little one can try something new like a beginner’s martial arts class, a dance or ballet class or even try something exotic like fencing! What a great way to spend the winter months. Try Blue Valley Recreation or any of the parks and rec departments listed in our Classes directory!

• Don’t Forget the Music – How about guitar (or other musical instrument) lessons at the School of Rock (North Kansas City), the Toon Shop (Prairie Village, Lee’s Summit or Overland Park) or the Music House (Overland Park)?

• Stop by Laura Little’s Candies in Prairie Village or Topsy’s Popcorn(multiple locations) for sweet treats for stockings

• Shop Etsy Local for unique, handmade items created by talented Kansas Citians like Kate Williams (crayon holders and pinafores), three red trees (terribly cute sock dogs) and Becky Kelly (very sweet paintings and prints for a nursery or little one’s room).

There’s another place you might want to check out– because uniquely Kansas City traditions are being resurrected with each year!  Zona Rosa is a shopping district in North Kansas City at I-29 and Barry Road.  KC’s holiday past comes to life as the 2000-lb crowns are hoisted into place–near-exact replicas of the crowns that decked the streets of downtown KC for over 20 years!  You’ll also find the “Fairy Princess”.  She first appeared in the Kline’s toy department in 1936!  New this year is the return of the “Ice Igloo”.  Modeled from the original Kansas City Museum igloo, a new, more spacious one has been constructed so the younger generation can make holiday memories of their own.

Let us know if you discover something fun and different to do with your family–we’d love to spread the word!  Believe me, this site will be buzzing over Christmas vacation with parents looking for things to do with their kiddos!!!