ABCs of Summer Fun!

ART: It’s no secret that KC weather can be pretty steamy and miserable in July, so why not stay inside and create masterpieces? Gather some artsy supplies or easy craft kits and let your kids channel their inner Picasso. Suncatchers and Makit and Bakits are some of our family favorites!

BOOKS: There are so many options for libraries around the area! Head to one in your area or take a summer field trip to a different one. Because each one is unique, it will surely hold your children’s interest as they check out something new. Be sure to ask the librarians at the desk what they are offering for summer reading programs!

COOKOUT: Cook a meal, start to finish, using only the grill! Have your kids help you plan out an appetizer, main dish and yummy dessert—all of which can come from cooking over the open fire. They can even help with the preparation!

DRINKS: Be creative with some summer fruity drink ideas for your kids! Try lemonade from scratch, ocean water or pineapple sunrise (both can be found at SouthernBite.com), or different varieties of flavored water.

EXPLORE: Get out there and find someplace new to explore as a family! Kansas City is home to so many parks, nature trails, unique buildings and cool places to visit. The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures, American Royal Museum and Amity Woods Nature Park are just a few of the places you’ll find on KC Parent’s website under the tab Going Places. Check it out to find more awesome spots!

FIREFLIES: Chasing fireflies is a time-honored tradition I grew up participating in but haven’t really let my kids explore much. Perhaps you are in the same boat. Let this be the summer of firefly chasing for your kids for the first time. The joy on their faces will be pure delight!

GAMES: Play plenty of them this summer with your kids! Not only are games fun, but they also keep us adults from taking ourselves too seriously.

HEARTS: Parade of Hearts, that is! Kansas City is lucky enough to have 40 sprinkled around the metro area (all located on the Missouri side of KC). Download the app to your phone to find a map with all the locations, artists and background info.

ICE CREAM: Mmmmmm, good! You can’t go wrong with ice cream in the heat of the summer ... just make sure you eat it quick enough so it doesn’t melt! Swing into the Golden Scoop to see why it was named KC’s number one ice cream shop by Yelp.

JIGSAW PUZZLES: Buy or borrow a jigsaw puzzle and set it up in a common area of your home. Everyone can work on it simultaneously or intermittently. Working puzzles can be a great option for kids because they can spend as much or as little time as they want puzzling ... plus it is an indoor activity too!

KC ROYALS: Check out the Royals baseball schedule for some great games in July. Two of the Sundays feature family four-pack options where you can get four tickets, four hot dogs, four sodas, and a parking pass for either $50 or $100 depending on the seats you choose. Sundays are also fun run days where kids can run the bases after the game, and you can grab a play pass for the Outfield Experience for just $10.

LAKE OLATHE: Need a fun and unique place to cool off this summer? Lake Olathe is the perfect spot! This 170-acre lake features a beach and floating obstacle course as well as kayaks, paddle boats and paddle boards for rent. The splash playground is a great option for younger children, with streams and fountains to wade and play in, as well as sand to build with.

MOVIES: You can host your own movie night at home or go to B & B, Cinemark or Miller theaters, all of which offer a summer movie series with reduced rate tickets. The Olathe Library Indian Creek Branch is showing free summer movies too!

NOTHING: Yep, you read that right. Schedule NOTHING for the day ... or better yet, for a few days out of the month of July! Let your kids entertain themselves or simply do nothing. Being bored isn’t a bad thing, so allow opportunities for that to happen!

OCEANS OF FUN: Home to 40 waterslide attractions, including the new Riptide Raceway, the longest mat racing slide in the world. You’ll find something to cool off everyone here!

POOL TIME: There are many indoor and outdoor pool spots located within a short driving distance to help your family stay cool this summer. Black Bob Bay in Olathe, Adventure Oasis in Independence, Summit Waves in Lee’s Summit and Splash Cove in Shawnee are just a few of the hot spots to check out!

QUICK DAY TRIP: Consider hopping in the car first thing and day-tripping to another area around the metro as a family. You could easily spend a day walking around Weston, Parkville, Powell Gardens, Louisburg, Atchison, Topeka or Lawrence.

R & R: Though we always want to cram a ton of things into the summer, remember part of the fun of summer is not doing things and not overscheduling ourselves. Be sure to schedule plenty of rest, relaxation and downtime.

STREETCAR: If you haven’t yet done it, take your kids to ride the streetcar. It is free, air-conditioned and great entertainment. You can ride the streetcar from Union Station to the River Market. Union Station and Crown Center provide many opportunities for things to do and places to eat either before or after the ride!

TIE-DYE: What kids don’t love adding a bit of DIY color to their wardrobes? Next time you are at a craft store, pick up a tie-dye set and a few white clothing items to let your child decorate. A couple of pro tips (from having made these mistakes myself!): DO actually wear the gloves that are included, 100% cotton items work best, and outdoors or in the garage is the best place to work!

U-PICK: The weather may be hot, but so is the picking in Kansas City! The metro area has a plethora of u-pick farms where you can choose to pick berries, corn, peaches, tomatoes and even flowers! Check out KC Parent’s guide on the website for more information.

VOLUNTEER: Consider volunteering together as a family this summer at Harvesters, which feeds more than 140,000 people per month. Families can help with pantry assistance, unloading donations, stocking shelves, sorting donations and more. Signing up is easy—just head to Harvesters.org for more details.

WORLDS OF FUN (WOF): Though WOF offers plenty of fun to be had during the day, consider checking out 50 Nights of Fire, a 50th anniversary celebration complete with pyrotechnics, state-of-the-art drone technology, as well as a scrapbook of historical memories set to music. Grand Carnivale is another unique international celebration, starting July 22, you won’t want to miss!

XTRA SUNSCREEN: As July tends to be one of our hottest months (when we all start wishing it was winter), be sure to stock up on plenty of sunscreen and apply liberally during any and all outdoor events!

YARD GAMES: Keep the family fun at home and the cost low by playing some good ol’ games in the backyard. Break out cornhole, egg and spoon races, ring toss, water balloons, Frisbee or any other backyard game you have! Why not invite your neighbors over too?

ZOO: Join Kansas City Zoo as they host their last Friday Flamingle on July 14 from 5:00 to 9:00. This 21+ event will feature music, food trucks, yard games and free carousel and train rides. And because the theme is Christmas in July, remember to wear your favorite holiday attire so you don’t end up on the naughty list!

Julie Collett is a mom to four children, ages 5 to 12, and will be employing some of these very ideas to keep everyone sane during the month of July!