Summer in KC: Family-Friendly Staycations and Therapy

 

Park Reviews Submitted by Moms:

Shawnee Mission Park (Shawnee, KS)- Visit the inclusive playground located at 17431 80th St, Shawnee, KS. Explore the nearby stream or walk along the paved trail. Take a hike on one of the nearby dirt trails or drive further into the park and explore the lake.  

Parkville Nature Sanctuary (Parkville, MO)- 115-acre nature sanctuary with about 3 miles of trails. .9-mile Old Kate Trail, which is a loop that travels along the valley floor and is very toddler-friendly and relatively flat If you want something longer, add on White Tail Trail for another 1.5-mile loop with a bit of an uphill climb. There is an exploration area for kids with nature play elements.  

Kill Creek Park (Olathe, KS)- Beautiful park with lake, paved and dirt trails, and playground. 

Black Hoof Park (Lenexa, KS)- 31-acre park surrounding Lake Lenexa. The park offers several miles of paved and dirt trails. There are a few parks, featuring natural play areas and play stream in the summer. Be sure to check out the dam and spillway. Recommend parking by the Oak Shelter located by the North Entrance off 90th street. 

Burr Oak Woods (Blue Springs, MO)- 1,071-acres of trails, woodlands, and prairies to explore. Nature Center is open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Be sure to check out the large limestone boulders and outcroppings along the Bethany trail.  

Ernie Miller Park and Nature Sanctuary (Olathe, KS)-  116-acre park, consists of a diverse range of habitats such as tallgrass prairie, upland meadows, bottomland forest, and a beautiful stream to explore. Three miles of nature trails, including a self-guided 1/4 mile accessible nature trail. Pets and bikes prohibited on trails. Nature Center open Monday through Saturday 9am – 5 pm and Sunday from 1pm to 5pm. 

Cave Spring Park (Raytown, MO)- 4.5 miles of winding trails. Lots of unique things to explore, including a small cave, cascades, and ruins of cabins. There is a small, paved trail, but primarily dirt trails. Kids play area. 

Big Bull Creek Park (Edgerton, KS)- Nature-based play area, sprayground, ¾ mile paved trail and dirt trails to explore. 

Lakeside Nature Sanctuary (Kansas City, MO)- Free and open to the public 9am-4pm, Tuesday- Sunday. 

Antioch Park (Merriam, KS)- Historic Dodgetown playground and two other playgrounds. Combination of paved trails and dirt trails. Look for turtles and frogs in the lake. Explore the rose garden in the summer. 

Wilder Bluff Park (Shawnee, KS)- 40 acres of parkland with a unique treetop canopy playground, hillside slide and a natural themed sprayground. Sprayground hours are 10am-7pm. The park has a 1.38-mile trail. 

Leawood City Park (Leawood, KS)- Inclusive playground and paved, shaded trails on both the Tomahawk Greenway Trail and the Indian Creek Greenway Trail. 

Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead (Overland Park, Kansas)- Visit more than 250 animals and birds, learn about growing flowers and vegetables, experience a Kanza Indian encampment or a one-room schoolhouse, and take a stroll through main street to the fishing pond. Open daily, 9am-5pm, April 1 through October 31st. Admission is $3 per person, ages 3 and older. Admission is free for all guests after 2 p.m., Monday through Thursday, except on holidays. The Farmstead hosts two free admission weekends each season. In 2022, free admission weekends will be June 4 and 5 and August 6 and 7.

Lake Olathe (Olathe, KS)- Sprayground is great to visit in the summer. Hours are 10am-8pm, but nearby stream can be played in earlier. There is also nature playground located by the Beaver shelter and paved trails around the lake.