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

Jiggle Jam is this weekend!

by Jenny Meade

May 19, 2009

If you happen to be going down to Crown Center this weekend for Jiggle Jam KC, give a little party booty-shake along with Dan Zanes and They Might Be Giants for me, because I can't be there. Instead, I am driving 12 hours in the car with 2 little boys and a giant poodle to visit family for the long weekend. So yeah, I could use a little booty-shake thought aimed in my direction. (And maybe a margarita. But I digress.)

If you haven't been down to Crown Center with young kids before, you'll notice it can get overwhelming in a hurry. Here are some ideas to make the day run a little smoother:

• Make some plans to seek out shaded, quiet grassy corners to rest and have a drink or a snack and maybe a diaper change so that everyone can catch their breathe before heading back into the crazy jumpy-bounce-house lines.
• While Jiggle Jam doesn't allow you to bring in food or drinks, you can bring lawn chairs and small umbrellas. 
• Bring a wagon instead of a stroller, if your kids are old enough to sit up by themselves. Some wagons even have little shade umbrellas and cup holders! And little ones can fall asleep laying flat, too. 
• If you have to get away for a few minutes, Duck inside the Westin Crown Center Hotel for a breather and some air conditioning, and rest in a lobby chair. They also have a two story water fountain wall with ferns and water splashing on rocks that can be quite mesmerizing.

For those of you familiar with the layout of Crown Center plaza, the concert stage is set up under the canopy where the ice rink lives in the winter-time, which is nice for the shade it offers, and it holds in the sound a little bit. Be careful though - the temporary risors are slim but deep, which means little climbing monkeys can slip through pretty easily if they aren't holding mommy or daddy's hand.

Enjoy!

Arts and Events around KC - November 20-23rd

by Jenny Meade

November 19, 2008

As we head closer to Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, Kansas City literally lights up with wonderful winter things to see and do with your family. Here's a few favorites kicking off just this weekend. The Legends 4th annual Christmas Tree lighting ceremony , Saturday Nov. 22nd Suessical the Musical at the Coterie Theatre , Crown Center Holiday Village miniature train display , Crown  Read more...

RenFest Week The End: Spririt of Adventure

by Rita Arens

October 10, 2008

If you haven't been out to the country's greatest Renaissance Festival , this is the week to do it. Because it's the last week. Better check it out as the festival gropes its way to a close. This week features: Halloween Village, including free classes for kids on Columbus Day, including Costuming 101, Music 101 and Court 101. Classes start every 45 minutes in the village from 10:30-1:30.  Read more...

Renaissance Festival: Week 6

by Rita Arens

October 03, 2008

This week at the RenFest all pet fees will be donated to local rescue missions, so make sure you bring Fido and Fifi in their Drama Wear. Also bring five cans of food for the Harvesters and get $4 off your entrance fee. Special events this week include: Pet contests Pepsi Press-a-Wench (I still have no idea what this is, but I think it's my favorite) And...the wedding of the  Read more...

Renaissance Festival: Week 5

by Rita Arens

September 25, 2008

This weekend you can get $4 off your entrance fee with five cans for Harvesters. By now, the Ren Fest folk will be in their prime, having had five weeks to practice stuffing themselves into period costumes and having slightly cooler weather to work with. This weekend check out the food themes in the Village: Bobbing for turnips Pie-eating contest Blindfolded food tasting Sing  Read more...

Ren Fest Week Three: The Mystic Bazaar

by Rita Arens

September 19, 2008

Bring five cans for Harvesters and get two-for-one entrance at the gates this weekend at the Kansas City Ren Fest. There are Arabian stick horse races, belly dancing, wine tasting and press-a-wench out at the Ren Fest. Also, it's a special weekend for the ladies of the Red Hat Society (which interestingly, is the most popular tattoo for older women, according to one tattoo artist of my  Read more...

The Ren Fest is Back: Huzzah!

by Rita Arens

September 05, 2008

One of my favorite Kansas City guilty pleasures is the Renaissance Festival . We've taken the little angel every year since birth. We've dragged all sorts of friends and family members out there, usually under duress. WE LOVE IT. We love the turkey legs, we love the vats of wine, we love the trashy costumes and exposed flesh. I love it so much I'll be bringing you the deals on Fridays as  Read more...

Independence, MO: Not Just About Mormons and Truman

by Rita Arens

September 01, 2008

First off, who doesn't love a town named Independence? Second, who doesn't love a town that starts a bunch of historic trails? Did you know Independence was the start of the Santa Fe, Oregon and California trails? Nope, neither did I. But guess what, it is, and there's a big spankin' festival to celebrate it every year, and there has been since 1940. Apparently 225,000 people turn out for  Read more...

August Fairs and Festivals

by Rita Arens

August 13, 2008

Summer's gearing up for a going-out-of business sale. If you're stuck in the heat by high gas prices, check out one of these festivals and other parties in the next week to forget all your worries. And if you go to the fairs, by all means eat a funnel cake for me. The Leavenworth County Fair August 12-16 Ethnic Enrichment Festival August 15-17 Missouri State Fair August 7-17  Read more...