KCKidsFun

Kansas City, MO Mayor Sly James recently proclaimed October 19th “K- SEA day” to commemorate the ground breaking of SEA LIFE Aquarium.  SEA LIFE Aquarium is located in Kansas City, Missouri at Crown Center and is expected to open in April 2012.

Mayor James and dignitaries from Merlin Entertainments and Crown Center dug into over 2 tons of sand after talking about how SEA LIFE Aquarium will  benefit Kansas City tourism, continue to revitalize downtown Kansas City and  increase employment opportunities in the Kansas City area.  For locals, it’s a welcome addition to our city!  My kids are thrilled and can hardly wait for this to open.  We’ve always enjoyed visits to Crown Center, and have spent many summer and winter days exploring the area.  This will be an amazing addition!

If that weren’t enough, did you know that Kansas City is also welcoming a LEGOLAND Discovery Center? Scheduled to open just behind SEA LIFE (in May 2012), this will be the fourth LEGOLAND Discovery Center in the United States.  To commemorate LEGOLAND Discovery Center’s groundbreaking earlier this month, twenty thousand LEGO bricks spilled to the ground outside the construction site!

Described as stepping into the biggest box of LEGO bricks in the world, the $15 million, 30,000-square-foot interactive attraction will feature a MINILAND® exhibit which recreates landmark buildings in Kansas City out of LEGO® bricks, hands-on play areas, a 4-D Cinema, master classes from the LEGO® Master Model Builder, rides, and special party rooms for birthdays and other celebrations.

The MINILAND exhibit will be amazing- and you can vote on your favorite KC landmarks to be memorialized in LEGOs! Vote from landmarks like Arrowhead Stadium, Kauffman Center, J. C. Nichols Fountain and Union Station.   The top 10 will be announced November 7th.  (Personally, I would like nothing more than to see the Country Club Plaza in LEGOs!)

*images courtesy of INK inc.

On Saturday, Oct. 1, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., the City of Grandview Parks and Recreation Department is hosting the Fifth Annual Kansas City Ability Day/Recreation and Education Fair at ‘The View’ community center, 13500 Byars Rd., in Grandview, MO. This year, The View is partnering with The Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City for their Ability Quest annual run/walk.

Individuals with disabilities and their families are welcome to attend the event free of charge to learn what Kansas City and Midwest agencies, organizations, and providers can do for them and their loved ones living with disabilities.

Here is the schedule:

8:00 AM      Ability Quest Run Begins

9:00 AM      Ability Quest Walk Begins

10 AM 1 PM Ability Day Events – Softball, Zumba, Golf, Soccer, Adapted Bikes, Archery, Swimming, Baseball, Track & Field, Rock Climbing, Youth Wheel Chair Basketball and Ballroom Dancing.

Sluggerrr, the mascot of the Kansas City Royals, will also be on hand to share in the festivities.  Individuals and families of all ages are welcome to participate in various adapted programs and sports during the event.  The sporting events will be hosted by organizations that offer camps, clinics and/or sessions in a particular sport.

Chris Cakes, the famous pancake flippers, ice cream vendors and other refreshments will be available.  To sign up, individuals and families can contact Lynn Howard, event organizer and Aquatics Coordinator at The View by calling 816-316-4888.

Roselyn Turner and her son Austin, who has autism, participated the last couple of years and are joining the event again this year.  “We loved it,” said Roselyn. “We had a wonderful time. It was very organized and a great opportunity for my son to be involved with activities that help him grow and build his self-esteem. It was fun and interesting for all of the kids.”

The organizing committee and sponsors are:

-          The Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City

-          City of Grandview Parks & Recreation

-          Kansas City Parks and Recreation

-          YMCA of Greater Kansas City

-          The Kansas City Royals

-          Jackson County Parks and Recreation Special Populations

-          Variety – The Children’s Charity

-          Special Olympics Kansas City Metro

It’s that time!  And we are ready for it…cooler weather (thumbs up for sweatshirt and shorts days!) and much lower humidity.  This weather ushers in the ever-popular Pumpkin Patch/Fruit Orchard season in and around Kansas City.

If I’ve overlooked your favorite pumpkin patch or orchard…please leave a comment and we’ll get it added.  Also – if you operate one of these businesses and would like to purchase a Sponsored Listing (affording you prime, top-of-list placement along with a graphic) please contact me at kiran@kckidsfun.com.  It’s just that easy!

Sponsored Listings

Faulkner’s Pumpkin Farm Faulkner’s Ranch huge Pumpkin Season Celebration Sept. 30th -Oct. 31st, 2011.  10am – 6pm daily.  Family Play Area admission just $7.00 per person plus tax.  Quality fall family fun, pumpkins galore and fall decor.  New group hayride package, birthday parties, and playdates. Click here for more details!  Sat. Oct. 1- Sun. Oct. 2 – Grandparents Weekend, Sun. Oct. 8 and Sun. Oct. 9 Faulkner’s Ranch Pony Show 1pm – 1:30pm, Sun. Oct. 9 Girl Scout Pumpkin Science Lab (reservation required), Sun. Oct 16th Jim “Mr. Stinky Feet” Cosgrove @1pm.  Every Monday in Oct: Fall Playdates 10:30am.  Appearing every Sat. and Sun. in Oct:
1pm – 5pm – Sheriff Terry and 11am – 1pm – Reggie Gray Magic

KC Pumpkin Patch (Gardner, KS) – TONS of fun things to do (and they have pumpkins!)  This place has so much to see and do–general admission gets you into the petting zoo, haunted barn, hay bale maze, zip line on weekends, and more! They will even host birthday parties and school field trips.

General Listings

Northland:

Alldredge Orchards (Platte City) – apples, pumpkins, playground and more!

Blue Valley Recreation: 19th Annual Family Fall Festival. Saturday 10/15, 1-4pm at the Rec Complex, 9701 W. 137th St., OPKS.  Ages 9 and under. Games, face painting, petting zoo, huge kites, horse-drawn hayrides, clowns, moonwalk, & refreshments! First 500 registered receive a pumpkin and a treat bucket. $5; non residents: $6. Register by calling 913.685.6000 or online.

Carolyn’s Country Cousins Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze (Liberty, MO) – pumpkins, hayrides, train and many other activities

Looper Farms (Holt, MO – just north of Clay County on I-35) – u-pick pumpkin patch, hayrides, trainrides

Pumpkins, Etc. (Platte City, MO) – pumpkins, mums, haystacks and fall decor

Red Barn Farm (Weston, MO) – pumpkins, animals, hayrides and corn maze

Schweizer’s Orchard (St. Joseph, MO) – pick your own apples and pumpkins!

Vaughn Orchard, 816-386-2900 (Weston, MO) – pick your own apples and pumpkins

KCMO:

Faulkner’s Pumpkin Farm (Kansas City, MO – south of I-470) – a TON of family-friendly fun!

7th Annual Pumpkin Patch for DeLaSalle School – Oct. 1, 2011, 10am-2pm, Brookside Park (56th St at Brookside Blvd, KCMO)  features pumpkins, ponies, inflatables and music!  Admission is free with donation suggested  for pumpkins.

Cass County, MO (just south of KCMO):

The Berry Patch (just south of Leawood & Martin City) – UPick blackberries available until the first hard fall freeze.

Dunn’s Cider Mill (Belton, MO) – cider and donuts!

Johnson Farms (Belton, MO) – you pick pumpkins, playground, animals and more!

Pumpkins & Pines (Pleasant Hill, MO) – tons of varieties of pumpkins!

Shuck’s Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch (Pleasant Hill, MO) – HUGE cornfield maze, pumpkins and variety of activities

Johnson County, KS:

Wagon Wheel Orchard (Gardner, KS) – fall apples and pears… no peaches 2011.  But be sure to check the picking report!

Miami County, KS (just south of Johnson County, KS):

Louisburg Cider Mill and Country Store (Louisburg, KS) – cider, donuts and fun activities!

Louisburg Corn Maze (Louisburg, KS) – doesn’t appear to be open for fall 2011

Powell Pumpkin Patch (Louisburg, KS) – you pick pumpkins, playground, hayrides, corn maze

Douglas County, KS (just west of Johnson County, KS):

Pendleton’s Country Market (Lawrence, KS) – pick your own pumpkins and more

Schaakes Pumpkin Patch (Lawrence, KS) – you pick pumpkins, hayrides, mazes, animals

Eastern Jackson County, MO:

Sibley Orchards (Sibley, Jackson County, MO) – apples, pumpkins, hayrides & cider!

Wyandotte County, KS:

Kerby Farm Pumpkin Patch (Bonner Springs, KS) – pumpkins, corn maze, hayrides

Our friends over at VisitKC.com put together a terrific Google Map showing most of these locations:

View Fall Pumpkin Patches and Apple Orchards in a larger map

(And if you haven’t checked out VisitKC.com, what are you waiting for?! It’s a terrific resource for locals and visitors alike.)

* image of Jim Cosgrove courtesy of KC Pumpkin Patch