Building Tue–Sun 9am–4pm (closed Mon); gardens and trails daily dawn to dusk
Lakeside Nature Center · Kansas City
Kansas City's nature center houses about 60 native animals, including bald eagles and other birds of prey, plus mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish, and runs a wildlife hospital. The building is open Tuesday through Sunday, and the gardens and trails around it are open daily from dawn to dusk.
Verified Oct 28 · lakesidenaturecenter.org
No catch
Kids & familyFree (worth about $60)Eligibility applies
Museum Tue–Fri 9am–4:30pm, Sat 9am–5pm, Sun noon–5pm; closed Mon
Wonderscope Children's Museum (pass from any MCPL branch) · Kansas City
Adult Mid-Continent Public Library cardholders can check out a Wonderscope Children's Museum pass good for basic admission for up to six people (ages 2 and up; under 2 are free). Keep it up to a week; the museum keeps the pass when you visit. One pass per branch.
Verified Oct 28 · mymcpl.org
Catch: MCPL library card, age 18+ · One pass per branch: check out for up to 7 days
Fridays 9:30–10am and 10:30–11am: Oct 30, Nov 6, Nov 20, Dec 4, Dec 11, Dec 18, 2026 (not Nov 13 or 27)
Central Resource Library (Storytime Room) · Overland Park
Stories, songs, fingerplays and movement in English and Spanish for babies through age six and their grown-ups. Two sessions each date. Space is limited: pick up a free ticket at the Questions Desk when you arrive.
Verified Oct 28 · jocolibrary.bibliocommons.com
Catch: Free ticket at the Questions Desk; space is limited
Mid-Continent Public Library, Raytown branch (Community Room) · Kansas City
Operation Wildlife brings pelts, skulls and casts of paw prints to Mid-Continent Public Library's Raytown branch and talks about the animals they belong to. Free; registration required.
Little ones sing songs, read books, explore the galleries and make their own art with a Kemper Museum educator and a Kansas City librarian. Listed as free; the museum's program card doesn't say whether to register, so check its programs page before you go.
Right after the Independence Square Association's lighting ceremony, the city's Santa's Village at the Uptown Market has photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, reindeer games, hot cocoa and cookies, and goodie bags for kids while they last.
An Independence tradition: walk lit paths past sculptures, live birds of prey, bonfires, community displays and Christmas lights, with kids' activities and complimentary hot chocolate. Paths are accessible.
Meet Lakeside Nature Center's animal ambassadors whose relatives shared the world with the dinosaurs, like turtles and opossums, hear fun facts about who lived before, during and after them, and do arts and crafts. Free for kids and adults.
Nov 27–Dec 24: Mon–Thu 10am–7pm, Fri–Sat 10am–8pm, Sun noon–6pm; Dec 24 10am–5pm
Crown Center Shops, Level 1 Showplace · Kansas City
Walk through a candy cane forest with interactive stations and letters to Santa flying overhead, then meet Santa in his village. Visiting is free and you can take your own photos; professional photo packages are optional, starting at $12. Santa arrives by horse-drawn carriage on Nov 27 at 10am.
Verified Oct 28 · crowncenter.com
No catch
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