KCKidsFun

It’s that time of year…preschool enrollment time!  It’s hard to believe that it’s time to register your little ones for Fall 2012 preschool classes.  Many area preschools have already started the enrollment process for current families and will open up to the public within the next week.  Typically, priority enrollment is given to current families, church members, alumni and then the general public.

KC Kids Fun has compiled an extensive and very useful directory of preschools around the Kansas City metro area. We’ve got a separate list for each of the following areas:

• Kansas City, MO -south of the river (including Grandview & Raytown)

• Northland – Clay and Platte Counties, MO

• Johnson County, KS

• Eastern Jackson County, MO (Lee’s Summit, Independence, Blue Springs, Oak Grove, Grain Valley)

• Cass County, MO (Belton, Harrisonville, Raymore, Peculiar)

• Wyandotte & Leavenworth Counties, KS

If we’ve missed a good one (or if you find a broken link or closed facility amongst our list), please let us know in the comments section. Thanks for your help.  It takes a village to keep this updated and current!!

Good luck! We hope everyone finds a great preschool/parents day out program for their child!

KC Kids Fun provides its readers with contact information for the listed preschools. We make every effort to supply you with up-to-date information, but we cannot guarantee each school’s capabilities. All information listed on preschools is subject to change without notice.Because selecting a preschool for your child is a personal decision, you should visit the schools to determine which you and your family feel is best for your child and your circumstances.

It seems that everyone likes trains.  Grandparents, travelers, children…you name it.  Luckily, Kansas City offers ample opportunities to take in a train ride. Here’s a rundown of some railway-related activities!

It’s that time of year…when Thomas & Friends/Day Out With Thomas gets ready to roll into Baldwin City, KS.  If you’re not familiar with the program…The Midway Railway in Baldwin City is where it all goes down.  There are six dates for Thomas’s 2011 appearance…June 3,4,5,10, 11 and 12.

“The Leader of the Track Tour 2011″ includes a 25-minute ride with a full-size Thomas the Tank Engine, a meeting with Sir Topham Hatt, Storytelling, Live Music and more.  Tickets are $18 for ages 2+ and advance purchase is strongly recommended.  Thomas is rain or shine!

The Midland Railway operates excursion trains on a line originally constructed in 1867. Train rides feature an over-20-mile round trip from Baldwin City via “Norwood, Kansas” to Ottawa Junction, Kansas, traveling through Eastern Kansas farmland and woods via vintage railway equipment. It is a completely volunteer-staffed, non-profit, common carrier railroad operated to preserve and display transportation history as an educational demonstration railroad.

You can click here for regular Railway Schedule and Fares.  Baldwin City is on U.S. 56 Hwy, 4 miles east of U.S. 59 Hwy; 10 miles north of 1-35 (Ottawa) and 17 miles south of 1-70 (Lawrence). From U.S. 56, turn south onto 8th or 11th Streets, then right (west) onto High Street. Follow the signs to the Midland Railway Depot.

If you take Hwy 71 South, you’ll end up in Belton, MO.  There, you will find the Belton, Grandview & Kansas City Railroad.  The Belton, Grandview and Kansas City Railroad Co. is a short line passenger railroad and demonstration museum just south of the Kansas City Metro Area. The BG&KC offers excursions on their line running south from Belton on a 5 mile, 45 minute round trip. It is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving rail travel and railroading.

If you want to head north, you will find the Kansas City Northern Railroad/Line Creek Route. Take I-29 North to NW Waukomis Drive. The route is open May-September and fare is 50 cents per ride, all ages! Now seriously- when is the last time something cost 50 cents?!?  Trains depart from the depot approximately every 7 minutes.  Again, when do you recall only waiting 7 minutes for something fun?!? The restored Miniature Train Company (MTC) and Allen Hershell G-16 trains operate on ½ mile of track in the park. All trains are powered by V-4 Wisconsin air cooled gasoline engines of 26-28 horse power. These engines were used in hay balers and early Bobcat skid loaders. The tunnel is 110′ long and the face stone for the portals came from the old Paseo High School when it was torn down. Group charter rides can be scheduled for Fridays during open season for only $20.00.  They also charter by the hour–the cost per hour is $75.00.

Don’t forget about Amtrak, too.  The Missouri River Runner Route will take you all the way east to St. Louis, MO.  You can hop the train in downtown Kansas City, MO, Lee’s Summit, MO and Independence, MO.  What a fun, educational way to see Missouri and travel as a family!

The Kansas City air is getting hot and sticky. The mosquitos are biting and the kids are already complaining of boredom. Must be June in Kansas City!

And June in Kansas City means the start of a long schedule of fairs and festivals! We’ve already seen the Brookside Art Annual, the Prairie Village Art Show, Old Shawnee Days and Lee’s Summit Downtown Days.

But there are plenty left!  And each and every fair has a TON of awesome activities to share with your kids! KC’s fair and festival season is starting…and there are so many that you have ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSE to not catch at least one!

The 2010 Kansas City fair and festival schedule looks like this:

Sugar Creek Slavic Festival - Sugar Creek, MO – June 11 and June 12

Scottish Highland Games & Celtic Festival, E.H. Young Park, Riverside, MO – June 11 thru June 13

Greek Festival – St. Dionysios Greek Orthodox Church, Overland Park – June 11 thru June 13

Dragon Boat Festival, Brush Creek near the Country Club Plaza, KCMO – June 12

Fiesta Filipina – Filipino Cultural Center, 79th St. between Antioch & Frontage in Overland Park – June 12 and June 13

Festival on the Trails, Gardner, KS – June 12

Belton (MO) Community Days, Mackey Park – June 16 thru June 19

Browne’s Irish Street Faire – Kansas City, MO – June 19

Chalk & Walk Festival, Crown Center Square, Kansas City, MO – June 19 & June 20

28th Annual Waterfest, Excelsior Springs, MO – June 26 and June 27

KC Riverfest – Berkley Riverfront Park, KCMO – July 3 and July 4

Cass County Fair, Pleasant Hill, MO – July 13 thru July 18

Amelia Earhart Festival – Atchison, KS - July 16 and July 17

Miami County Fair, Paola, KS – July 24 thru July 31

KC Fringe Festival – various KCMO locations – July 23 thru August 1

Platte County Fair, Platte City, MO – July 21 thru July 24

Douglas County Fair, Lawrence, KS – August 3 thru August 7

Wyandotte County Fair, Kansas City, KS – July 27 thru July 30 (4H fair only this year; to be held in Leavenworth County due to unavailability of new fairgrounds)

Johnson County Fair, Gardner, KS – August 2 thru August 7 – don’t miss the rodeo, Family Fun Night or the parade!

Missouri State Fair, Sedalia, MO – August 12 thru August 22 – 12 & under FREE every day; lot of free kids’ entertainment

Festival of Butterflies, Powell Gardens, Kingsville, MO – August 6 thru August 8 and August 13 thru August 15 – no carnival but still super cool!

Leavenworth County Fair, Tonganoxie, KS – August 10 thru August 14

5th Annual Midwest Kids Fest, Overland Park, KS – August 21 and 22, Overland Park Trade Center

Ethnic Enrichment Festival, Kansas City, MO – August 20 thru August 22

Trails West!, St. Joseph, MO – August 20 thru August 22

Parkville Days Riverfest, Parkville, MO – August 20 thru August 22

Lewis & Clark Trail Days, Buckner, MO – August 27 and August 28

Santa-Cali-Gon Days, Independence, MO – September 2 thru September 6 – TONS of fun for kids and adults alike. If you’ve never been, you should definitely try this one!

Kansas City Irish Fest, Kansas City, MO – September 3 thru 5 – awesome children’s area at this Crown Center event

Kansas City Renaissance Festival, Bonner Springs, KS – September 4 thru October 17

The 48th Annual Annunciation Greek Food Festival, Kansas City, MO – September 10 thru September 12

Old Settlers Days, Olathe, KS – September 9 thru September 11

Valley Fair Days, Grain Valley, MO – September 10 and September 11

Kansas State Fair, Hutchinson, KS – September 10 thru September 19 – Selena Gomez closes the Fair on the 19th!

Blue Springs Fall Fun Festival, Blue Springs, MO – September 17 thru September 19

Zona Rosa Art Festival, Kansas City north, MO – September 17 thru September 19

Jesse James Festival, Kearney, MO – September 10 thru September 19

Plaza Art Fair, Kansas City, MO – September 24 thru September 26 – spend some time at the Kids’ Art Workshop!

(Photos via jonathan_moreau)