Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Kansas City, KS

My daughter and her posse all have birthdays around the same time, since they were in the same class at daycare for a long time. As a result, starting in January of each year, we get to see the sights of kid-birthday venues around town.

My favorites thus far are as follows:

• Reading Reptile -- They will do a birthday party, plan an activity, read stories to the kids, serve cupcakes and make handmade invitations and thank you cards all for one price.  Plus, your kid is guaranteed to get some new books!
• Lakeside Nature Center -- I just attended a birthday party at this Swope Park venue.  We had a large party room all to ourselves, and as a bonus, one of the staff members brought in an owl, a snake and a possum for the kids to squeal over.
• Kauffman Stadium and the Kansas City Royals -- Kids' tickets can be covered and adults can pay their own way.  Baseball, Slugrrr, hot dogs, cotton candy, cake in the parking lot -- everyone's happy.