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.

It’s October in Kansas City.  Brisk mornings, sunny afternoons. Maybe a little bit of rain here and there, but all in all— fantastic weather. The leaves are at their peak and many trees have already dropped theirs for the winter.

What better time to get the kids outside! The Kansas City area has several fabulous nature centers with walking trails. We love the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens in south Overland Park. Stop in at the visitor’s center for a fun scavenger hunt list for the kids to take on your walk.

For an easy stroll, there is a paved path of decent length. The Arboretum also has non-paved, mulched walking trails through the woods. The walk is beautiful and full of things to see, especially for little eyes that like to spy critters and “perfect” leaves.

Other similar spots to check out around town include:

• Ernie Miller Park & Nature Center in Olathe – check their schedule for fun storytimes and exhibits at the Nature Center in addition to their gorgeous prairie walking trails

• Anita B. Gorman Discovery Conservation Center in Kansas City – just a hop, skip and a jump from the Plaza, Midtown and Brookside, can you believe it? The Discovery Center has FANTASTIC Saturday programming for kids and it’s all usually FREE!  Don’t miss BIG BROWN BATS on Halloween–Oct. 31, 2009!

• Burr Oaks Woods Conservation Nature Center in Blue Springs – four great trails to walk and super programs for kids and babies.

• Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary in Liberty – several walking trails (several are handicapped accessible) and wonderful kids’ programs and events.  The annual Fairy Tale Forest just concluded, but you’re sure to find fantastic programming in November, too!

• Lakeside Nature Center in Kansas City – in Swope Park near the Zoo, you can hike the trails with a naturalist.

• Wilderness Science Center in south Overland Park – this nature preserve is owned by the Blue Valley School District. Located behind Blue River Elementary School and Blue Valley Middle School, its building is primarily intended for use by school groups but the trails are open to the public after school hours and on weekends. A lovely walk in the woods.

• Kemper Outdoor Education Center in Blue Springs – located in Fleming Park, you’ll find everything from fossils, reptile and wildlife displays, gardens, walking trails and more!

Many parks around town also have great walking trails if you’re not looking for the formal educational offerings of a nature center. Pack some water, some snacks and a kid or two or four and head to:

• Kill Creek Park, Olathe

• Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park, Lenexa

• Longview Lake Park, Kansas City

• Weston Bend State Park, Weston, MO

• George Owens Nature Park, Independence, MO

For more ideas:

• Bike and Hiking Trails

Get outside and enjoy the beautiful fall!  The city has so much to offer— better yet, it doesn’t cost a thing!!!

Summer in the Kansas City metro means fairs and festivals! And they’ve already started! The Brookside Art Annual was held last month and the next few weeks brings the first wave of true summer events. The best news? Each and every fair has a TON of awesome activities to share with your kids!

So, get ready for Tilt-A-Whirls, funnel cakes, ferris wheels, corn dogs, cotton candy, livestock and live music. Fair and festival season is starting…and there are so many that you have ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSE to not catch at least one!

The 2009 Kansas City fair and festival schedule looks like this:

Prairie Village Art Fair, Prairie Village, KS – May 29 thru May 31

Serb Fest – St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, College & Greenwood (west of Pflumm), Lenexa KS – May 29 and May 30

Old Shawnee Days – Shawnee, KS – June 4 thru June 7

Lee’s Summit Downtown Days – June 5 thru June 7

Festa Italiana – Zona Rosa, Kansas City North – June 5 thru June 7

Mardi Gras Days – downtown Overland Park, KS – June 5 and June 6

Vaile Strawberry Festival, Vaile Mansion, Independence, MO – June 6

Irish Street Fair – Kansas City, MO – June 6

Sugar Creek Slavic Fest – Sugar Creek, MO – June 12 and June 13

Greek Festival – St. Dionysios Greek Orthodox Church, Overland Park – June 12 thru June 14

Scottish Highland Games & Celtic Festival, E.H. Young Park, Riverside, MO – June 12 thru June 14

Dragon Boat Festival – Country Club Plaza, KCMO – June 13

Fiesta Filipina – Filipino Cultural Center, 79th St. between Antioch & Frontage in Overland Park – June 13 thru June 14

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

KC Riverfest – Berkley Riverfront Park, KCMO – July 2 thru July 4

Cass County Fair, Pleasant Hill, MO – July 14 thru July 19

Amelia Earhart Festival – Atchison, KS - July 17 thru July 18

Miami County Fair, Paola, KS – July 18 thru July 26

KC Fringe Festival – various KCMO locations – July 19  thru July 26

Platte County Fair, Platte City, MO – July 22 thru July 25

Douglas County Fair, Lawrence, KS – August 5 thru August 9

Wyandotte County Fair, Kansas City, KS – July 28 thru August 1 (CANCELED THIS YEAR DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF SPACE AT THE WOODLANDS)

Johnson County Fair, Gardner, KS – August 3 thru August 8 – don’t miss the rodeo, Family Fun Night or the parade!

Missouri State Fair, Sedalia, MO – August 13 thru August 23 – 12 & under FREE every day; lot of free kids’ entertainment

Festival of Butterflies, Powell Gardens, Kingsville, MO – August 7 thru August 9 and August 14 thru August 16 – no carnival but still super cool!

Leavenworth County Fair, Tonganoxie, KS – August 11 thru August 15

Ethnic Enrichment Festival, Kansas City, MO – August 21 thru August 23

Trails West!, St. Joseph, MO – August 21 thru August 23

Parkville Days Riverfest, Parkville, MO – August 21 thru August 23

Lewis & Clark Trail Days, Buckner, MO – August 21 and August 22

Santa-Cali-Gon Days, Independence, MO – September 4 thru September 7 – 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 4 thru 6- awesome children’s area at this Crown Center event

Kansas City Renaissance Festival, Bonner Springs, KS – August 30 thru October 13

The 48th Annual Annunciation Greek Food Festival, Kansas City, MO – September 11 thru September 13

Old Settlers Days, Olathe, KS – September 4 thru September 6

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

Kansas State Fair, Hutchinson, KS – September 11 thru September 20 – Nat & Alex Wolff, the Naked Brothers Band closes the Fair on the 20th!

Blue Springs Fall Fun Festival, Blue Springs, MO – September 18 thru September 20

Zona Rosa Art Festival, Kansas City north, MO – September 18 thru September 20

Jesse James Festival, Kearney, MO – September 11 thru September 20

Plaza Art Fair, Kansas City, MO – September 25 thru September 27 – spend some time at the Kids’ Art Workshop!

(Photos via jonathan_moreau)