KCKidsFun

**Wed 1/13 UPDATE: Good Morning!  Head over to the Kids Fun Facebook page by 2pm today and enter our latest giveaway! 2 sets of foreign language classes for kids…  WOW!**

We first noticed this trend last year and by the looks of it, Daddy/Daughter Date Nights (or Dad/Daughter Dances, or any of several names we’ve seen used) must be wildly popular. Many local parks & recreation departments are hosting these father/daughter bonding evenings. And they look like fun!

Most of the events seem to be scheduled in the few weekends just before and just after Valentine’s Day. All of them include dancing, many include dinner. It’s a great excuse to gather some friends, dress up and pay extra attention to the littlest lady in your life! (And all of these events welcome “other-than-dad” dates like grandpas, uncles and family friends!)

Here’s our list of Kansas City-area father/daughter dances for 2010:

Friday, February 5, 2010

• Daddy/Daughter Valentine Dance, sponsored by Blue Springs Parks & Rec – girls ages 4 & up; registration req’d
• Father/Daughter Enchanted Wonderland Dance, sponsored by Lee’s Summit Parks & Rec – registration req’d
• Daddy Daughter Ball sponsored by Olathe Parks & Recreation – ages 5 to 12, registration req’d
• Daddy/Daughter Date Night at Cinderella’s Ball, sponsored by the city of Shawnee – ages 5 to 13

Saturday, February 6, 2010

• Leawood Daddy/Daughter Date Night, Lodge at Ironwoods Park – registration req’d
• Daddy/Daughter Valentine Dance, sponsored by Blue Springs Parks & Rec – girls ages 4 & up; registration req’d
• Father/Daughter Enchanted Wonderland Dance, sponsored by Lee’s Summit Parks & Rec – registration req’d
• Daddy & Daughter Dance – Providence Community Church, Lenexa – registration req’d

Friday, February 12, 2010

• Father Daughter Valentine’s Ball, Matt Ross Community Center, Overland Park, KS – registration req’d. Call 913/895-6390 to register

Friday, February 19, 2010

• Daddy/Daughter Date Night sponsored by Blue Valley Recreation Commission, south OPKS, registration req’d, K-5 only
• Daddy/Daughter Dance sponsored by Gladstone Parks & Rec – girls from 3 to 15, registration req’d

Saturday, February 20, 2010

• Daddy/Daughter Dance sponsored by Gladstone Parks & Rec – girls from 3 to 15, registration req’d

Saturday, March 27, 2010

• Dad and Daughter Date Night sponsored by Spring Hill Recreation Commission – registration req’d

We also found a few mom/son “date nights” – a great idea (though probably a bit less fancy)!

Friday, April 23, 2010

• Mom/Son Date Night, Blue Valley Recreation Commission – K-5 only

Friday, April 30, 2010

• Mother/Son Spring Soiree sponored by Lee’s Summit Parks & Rec – registration req’d

Labor Day Weekend in Kansas City is already upon us! How did this happen?! Where has summer gone?!

I’ve got a second-grader and a first-grader (as well as two-year-old twins) and we’re already knee-deep in homework and reading logs and school projects. And I’m looking forward to relaxing this weekend with the kids. It will be the last non-soccer weekend for two months – so I’m going to enjoy the lack of schedule. But I also want to end the summer of 2009 on a fun note for the little ones.

We’re considering the Irish Fest at Crown Center and Pops in the Park. I know some folks who are headed to Independence for Santa-Cali-Gon Days. How about you? Does anything on our list of Kansas City’s family-friendly Labor Day events sound good?

Friday, September 4, 2009

• Royals vs. Angels- Kauffman Stadium – Buck Night (popcorn, small pretzels, small Pepsis and peanuts just $1!) and FIREWORKS FRIDAY!
• Secret Garden, Barn Players Theatre, Mission KS – August 28-30 and September 4-6 and 11-13
• Kansas City Irish Fest – Crown Center (KCMO) – thru September 6 – food, crafts, activities, music and dancing – admission free for kids 12 and under
• Santa-Cali-Gon Days, Independence, MO – huge carnival, games, food, music and more! – thru September 7
• Friday Family Fun Night – Kansas City Public Library, Plaza branch – 7pm – FREE!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

• Saturday Morning Storytime for Preschoolers, Toy & Miniature Museum (KCMO) – 10:30am – free with museum admission
• Free Movie at Kearney Amphitheatre (Kearney, MO) – movie starts at dusk – High School Musical 3
• Secret Garden, Barn Players Theatre, Mission KS – August 28-30 and September 4-6 and 11-13
• Kansas City Irish Fest – Crown Center (KCMO) – thru September 6 – food, crafts, activities, music and dancing – admission free for kids 12 and under
• Tallgrass T-Shirts – Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center (KCMO) – 10am to 3pm - FREE!
• Kid Flicks at the Library, Johnson County Library, Oak Park branch – 2pm (bring a pillow and a friend!) – under 7 must be accompanied by parent – FREE!
• Pops in the Park – Kansas City Symphony at Shawnee Mission Park, Shawnee, KS – concert at 7pm; gates open at 5pm with “Instrument Petting Zoo” at 5:30pm
• Saturday Dive-In Movies at the Westin Crown Center (KCMO) – movie begins at sundown; food/drink available for poolside service – this week’s flick: Wall-E (open to registered hotel guests only)
• Santa-Cali-Gon Days, Independence, MO – huge carnival, games, food, music and more! – thru September 7
• Renaissance Festival, Bonner Springs, KS – weekends thru October 18

Sunday, September 6, 2009

• Secret Garden, Barn Players Theatre, Mission KS – August 28-30 and September 4-6 and 11-13
• Kansas City Irish Fest – Crown Center (KCMO) – thru September 6 – food, crafts, activities, music and dancing – admission free for kids 12 and under
• Santa-Cali-Gon Days, Independence, MO – huge carnival, games, food, music and more! – thru September 7
• Renaissance Festival, Bonner Springs, KS – weekends thru October 18
• Kansas City Museum – First Sunday Family Fun Day

Monday, September 7, 2009

• Royals vs. Angels, Kauffman Stadium – Royal Nite – $5 upper level seats!
• Live at the Legends (KCK) – live music for mom & dad; Wonderscope Kids’ Zone for the little ones! – noon to 3pm
• Santa-Cali-Gon Days, Independence, MO – huge carnival, games, food, music and more! – thru September 7
• Renaissance Festival, Bonner Springs, KS – weekends thru October 18

Believe it or not, it’s almost time for Kansas City’s 2009 Fall Consignment Sales! There are lots of them popping up all over the city.  Your kids are growing like weeds and the economy is sputtering…a consignment sale might be just what you’ve been looking for.

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 September 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: Sept. 23-26, Holiday Inn, Olathe, KS; Sept. 30 – Oct. 3, Cedar Ridge Christian Church, Shawnee, KS; Oct. 22-24, Apple Tree Center, Independence, MO

Basic Listings:

Double Joy Mothers of Multiples Club (Lee’s Summit, MO) – next sale: September 19, 2009, Lakeland Community Church, Lee’s Summit, MO

Greater Kansas City Mothers of Twins Club (metro-wide, meetings in south KCMO) – next sale: September 26, 2009, First Church of the Nazarene (119th & State Line), KCMO

Here We Grow Again (multiple locations around the Kansas City metro) – next sales: September 23-26, 2009, Holiday Inn near Great Mall, Olathe, KS; September 30 – October 3, 2009, Cedar Ridge Christian Church, Shawnee, KS; October 22-24, 2009, Apple Tree Center, Independence, MO

Johnson County Mothers of Multiples Club (Johnson County, KS) – next sale: September 26, 2009

Just Between Friends (Northland) – next sale: September 19-20, 2009, KCI Expo Center, KCMO

Just Between Friends (Lee’s Summit, MO) – next sale: August 28-30, 2009, The Pavilion at John Knox Village, Lee’s Summit, MO

Just Between Friends (Overland Park, KS) – next sale: September 11-13, 2009, Overland Park International Trade Center

Just Between Friends (Shawnee, KS & Kansas City, KS) – October 16-17, 2009, Kansas Speedway, Garage D

Kids’ Closet Connection (multiple locations across the Kansas City metro) – next sales: September 9-13, 2009, Gardner, KS; August 27-29,2009, Lawrence, KS; October 7-10, 2009, Leavenworth, KS; August 31-September 4, 2009, Overland Park, KS; September 9-11, Topeka, KS; October 3-5, 2009, Blue Springs, MO; September 10-12, 2009, Lee’s Summit, MO; October 22-24, 2009, Northland; September 14-18, 2009, St. Joseph, MO

Times Two KC (Overland Park, KS) – next sale: October 22-24, 2009, First Church of the Nazarene (119th & State Line), KCMO