Cheap Indoor Toddler-Friendly Activities in Kansas City
Something that really saves my sanity during the cold Kansas City winters or sweltering Kansas City summers is indoor, toddler-friendly activities! When you need to get out of the house but don’t necessarily want to be outside, indoor activities are key. I keep a list of indoor activities in the notes on my phone so that I can quickly select something when we need to burn off some energy! Plus, when the activities are indoors my toddlers are CONTAINED.
When the snow keeps coming week after week or we get a streak of 100-degree days, I don’t want to be shelling out a lot of cash each day to take them places. I love a cheap activity that gets us moving and is easy on the budget. That way we can do more activities for less money! For the sake of this blog, I’m going to label “cheap activity” as one that is under $8 per child. We all have different interpretations of cheap, but when I’m able to mix in a few free activities with a few paid activities, it seems to even out the spending.
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Pricing, hours, availability, and programs are all subject to change. Please visit their website or call before going for the most up to date information.
Open Gyms for Toddlers in Kansas City
The Foundry - Community Center
A community center inside a church with a coffee shop, large gym, and playroom. This free activity is perfect for toddlers or any family! A place to run, climb, and ride a bike is perfect for a rainy day. They have some toys available in the gym, but you’re welcome to bring in your own, like scooters or basketballs. This open gym is available to the public during the week, but check their online calendar before going to make sure they don’t have another event booked.
Cost: Free
Online Registration/Tickets: No
Hours: Tuesday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Location: The Foundry 8835 Lackman Road Lenexa, KS
Kaw Prairie Community Church
My toddlers love going to Kaw Prairie’s Open Gym! It has a full-size gym, a coffee shop, and an indoor play place. My son loves the slide in the play place; my kids could play in this area for hours! It’s a little tricky for my two-year-old to navigate on her own, but she still enjoys following her brother around. We always bring our own bikes and scooters to ride in the gym and enjoy sharing toys with the other kids that come to play. The coffee shop has very affordable kid-friendly snacks and hot or cold drinks. You can also pack and bring your own snacks or drinks. My kids love taking their “tiny backpacks” and can wear them easily. I can easily fit a change of clothes, diaper, snack, and water bottle in them.
Cost: Free
Online Registration/Tickets: No
Hours: Monday - Thursday, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Kaw Prairie Community Church 9421 Meadow View Dr Lenexa, KS
Lenexa Community Center or Rec Center - Gym For Me
Now, this was a fun one! We went with a few friends to the Lenexa Community Center on a Monday morning for their Gym With Me event. They host these twice a week at this location and also once a week at the Lenexa Rec Center. There was an inflatable bounce house, tons of ride-on cars/bikes/trikes/toys, a car "rollercoaster,” and plenty of space to run around. My kids loved it, especially the bounce house. After about an hour and a half, my two-year-old was exhausted from going-going-going!
Cost: $2 per child (geared towards children age 5 and under)
Online Registration/Tickets: No
Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Location: Lenexa Community Center 13420 Oak St., Lenexa, KS 66215
Hours: Tuesday, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM (not open during Shawnee Mission School District school out days)
Location: Lenexa Rec 17201 W. 87th St. Pkwy., Lenexa, KS
Matt Ross Community Center - Explorer Room
The Matt Ross Community Center in Overland Park, KS has been a little-known secret but is starting to get more recognition. My kids LOVE going here to play in this indoor play place called the Explorer Room. It has a small, toddler area on the ground level with wall-mounted activities and a climbable rabbit and log. Children over two are able to walk up the steps to the other two floors of this play place. It has a suspended tunnel, corner climber, crawling and swinging features, and a large twisty slide at the very top.
Somehow, my kids typically convince me to go down the slide at least a few times but I normally bring a book to read or a little work to do while they play. No food or beverages are allowed inside the room but you can exit the room and enjoy a snack on one of the couches in the lobby. We always bring our water bottles with a click top so they don’t spill.
A lot of times we go and we are the only ones there or with only a handful of other kids, but other times it can get really busy. Early morning or evenings are great to beat the crowds but know that they often host birthday parties at Matt Ross so you can get swarmed on a weekend night if you go then.
Cost: Free
Online Registration/Tickets: No
Hours: 7 days a week during normal hours but closes 30 minutes before the center closes
Location: Matt Ross Community Center 8101 Marty Overland Park, KS
Indoor Toddler Swim Time in Kansas City
Lenexa Rec Center - Splash With Me
The cheapest indoor pool I have found in the Kansas City area! My two kids love to swim and started asking to go to the pool after the summer season was over. I hit Google and Instagram and found this indoor pool that has a special toddler/preschool swim time every morning!
Splash With Me at the Lenexa Rec Center is open on weekdays from 10-11:30 AM and it’s only $2 per person! It’s a great way to practice swimming in the off-season. We brought Puddle Jumpers and didn’t need them, but my son insists on “safety first.” There is a lifeguard on duty and the kids can enjoy the zero-entry pool and indoor pool playground with slides and a bucket dump. The rest of the pool is closed during this time (besides the lap pool for adults) and we still had a great time!
They also host birthday parties at the Lenexa Rec, so consider this for your pool-loving kid with a winter birthday (like my son)!
Cost: $2 per person (geared towards ages 5 and under)
Online Registration/Tickets: No
Hours: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM for toddler/preschool swim. More times are available for general open swim during the week.
Location: Lenexa Rec Center 17201 W. 87th St. Pkwy., Lenexa, KS
Gregg/Klice Community Center and Tony Aguire Community Center - Open Swim
These two Kansas City community centers each offer open swim for youth (1-17) for only $2! Adults are $5 for open swim. This is another great indoor pool option in the Kansas City metro for such an affordable price. These are typical swimming pools and do not have the playground or water slide features, but they are a great way to practice swimming skills with an adult.
Cost: $2 (child), $5 (Adult)
Online Registration/Tickets: No
Hours: Various hours
Location: Gregg/Klice 1600 John Buck O'Neil Way, Kansas City, MO 64108
Tony Aquire 2050 W Pennway St, Kansas City, MO 64108
Matt Ross Community Center - Pool
Matt Ross Community Center is back with another cheap indoor toddler-friendly activity in Kansas City! If you want more than the free explorer room, purchase a day pass at Matt Ross in Overland Park for access to the indoor pool! It’s open 7 days a week at various times, for $7 per person. We like to go in the morning and stay until lunchtime for a fun, tiring morning activity. The pool has zero entry access, a small turtle-shaped slide, a waterfall table, a spinning umbrella fountain, a lazy river, and a tall water slide. The area by the kid activities is shallow but it gets progressively deeper towards the lazy river, so my kids do wear their Puddle Jumpers in that section.
They have a lifeguard on duty and the children’s play features turn on at 11:00 AM. The main water slide isn’t always open in the morning, so if you have older kids check the calendar before you go so you can see what features are available. It’s great when a friend comes with me or my husband because we can trade off who watches the kids and who takes a dip in the hot tub!
Cost: $7 per person (free under 2 years)
Online Registration/Tickets: No
Hours: Open 7 days a week with varying hours, pool closes from 2:00-4:00 PM every day. View the calendar before going!
Location: Matt Ross Community Center 8101 Marty Overland Park, KS
Gymnastics Open Gym for Toddlers
Mill Creek Activity Center - Open Playground
On Mondays and Fridays, you can take your children under 5 years old to the Mill Creek Activity Center for “Open Playground.” Use the play equipment and climb through obstacle courses for an hour of fun, indoor playtime. These free-play gymnastics are great for your toddler who needs to get out and MOVE. Plus, it might tell you if they are interested in gymnastics before committing to classes. Registration is available online and it can fill up, so put your names on the list ahead of time.
Cost: $5 per child (ages 5 and under)
Online Registration/Tickets: Yes
Hours: Monday and Friday from 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Mill Creek Activity Center 6518 Vista Drive Shawnee, KS
Liberty Gymnastics Academy - Open Gym
If you live in the north Kansas City area, give Liberty Gymnastics Academy a try! They have an open gym on Friday mornings for children over one and kids can enjoy an inflatable obstacle course, and plenty of space to run, and climb on the gymnastics equipment. There isn’t a way to reserve a spot online so you’ll just have to show up when it opens. If you’re a homeschool family, they have a special homeschool day on the first Wednesday of the month. There are also select Saturday open gyms that you can find dates for on their website!
Cost: $8 per child (12+ months) or $60 for a 10-punch card
Online Registration/Tickets: No
Hours: Fridays from 9:30-11:30 AM
Location: Liberty Gymnastics Academy 801 Haines #100, Liberty, MO
Above All Trampoline Park- Toddler Time
An indoor trampoline park with a morning toddler time! Your little ones (under age 6) can run and jump for an hour on Wednesday and Friday mornings. This Northland attraction features wall-to-wall trampolines with plenty of space to play. The Ninja Course is not available during toddler time but there is still plenty for little kids to enjoy here.
Cost: $6.99 per jumper (socks are $2.50/pair)
Online Registration/Tickets: Yes
Hours: Wednesday and Friday from 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM or 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Location: Above All Trampoline Park 1927 Industrial Dr, Liberty, MO 64068
Emerald City Gymnastics - Parent Tot Open Play
Emerald City Gymnastics in Overland Park hosts Parent-Tot Open Play on weekdays for children under age 5. Parents or caregivers can bring their toddlers or preschoolers for a fun hour of playtime using the ground trampolines, zipline, rock wall, foam pit, slides, triple-swing, and more. This open gym does require online registration and play spots tend to fill up early, especially during snow days.
Cost: $8 per child, Geared towards children under age 5
Online Registration/Tickets: Yes
Hours: Monday - Friday from 11:00 AM -12:00 PM (Sunday for $12, 10:30a-12p)
Location: Emerald City Gymnastics 9063 Bond Street Overland Park, KS
Nature Centers near Kansas City
Lakeside Nature Center - Nature Storytime and All About Babies
The Lakeside Nature Center in Kansas City, MO, close to Swope Park and the Kansas City Zoo, provides an animal hospital and wildlife rehabilitation services. It also has many educational and recreational opportunities! You can learn about native Missouri wildlife and plants, hike the outdoor trails, and see animals up close inside the Nature Center. Some of the indoor exhibits include a bald eagle, a native aquarium, and mammals like flying squirrels and coyotes. There is a children’s play area inside with a library of books to sit and look at, perfect for a rainy day.
They often have free events for families like Nature Story Time where “Mother Nature” reads a story to children and they make a craft to take home. The All About Babies events are interactive animal presentations where kids can learn about wildlife babies and make an activity, like keychains. These are great indoor toddler-friendly activities right in the heart of Kansas City! If you decide to go out around the grounds, we like to take these mesh bags to store small treasures like rocks and sticks.
Cost: Free
Online Registration/Tickets: No
Hours: Indoor nature center building is closed on Mondays and open from 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Tuesday-Sunday
Gardens and trails are open from dawn until dusk every day
Location: Lakeside Nature Center 4701 E Gregory Blvd, Kansas City, MO
Ernie Miller Nature Center
Even if it is rainy or cold, you can enjoy a visit to Ernie Miller Nature Center in Olathe, KS. The indoor portion of the nature center can keep your little ones entertained for a long time. We enjoyed the interactive exhibits like listening to animal noises on the telephone, touching animal pelts, and climbing in the beaver den. There is also a bird-watching room with some animals to view like snakes and frogs. My kids enjoyed the kids’ corner with books, puppets, and puzzles. You can see an owl and other wildlife from inside the nature center too!
Cost: Free
Online Registration/Tickets: No (some events do require sign-ups)
Hours: The nature center is open from 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM Monday-Saturday and Sundays from 1:00 - 4:00 PM. The walking trails are open from dawn until dusk.
Location: Ernie Miller Nature Center 909 North, KS-7, Olathe, KS 66061
Love nature centers? Here are the FREE Kansas City area nature centers.
Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Garden
Does your little one love to walk and explore nature? The Overland Park Arboretum is a lovely place for a child-led walk through the gardens. This botanical garden includes lots of walking trails with some being very stroller friendly. It also has an indoor nature center with a children’s section that always has things to do! My kids love looking at books, playing with nature-themed toys, and exploring all the hidden features inside this center. When the weather gets nice, take a walk around the pond and enjoy all the beautiful flowers. There is a mini-train exhibit outside as well! Your little ones will enjoy the little fairy gardens and sculptures on the walking trails if you venture outside the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Garden’s nature center.
Cost: Free Under Age 5 ($2 ages 6-17, $5 18+)
Online Registration/Tickets:
Hours: Sun-Tue: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wed: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thu: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fri-Sat: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Overland Park Arboretum 8909 W. 179th Street Overland Park, KS 66013
Toddler Storytimes in Kansas City
You’ve gotta love free fun at the library! We enjoy going to story time at the library because 1. It gets us out of the house. 2. They are short yet highly interactive. 3. We get to learn something new! 4. There are toys to play with (my son’s favorite part). At first, the library intimidated me with two young kids. I’ve found that the libraries around Kansas City are super kid-friendly! The children’s areas are often either on their own floor or in separate spaces so you don’t have to whisper the whole time. Children are encouraged to play, read, and explore.
Johnson County Public Library - Story Time
Story Times at the Johnson County Public Libraries are always free, but some library branches require online or in-person registration. There are baby, toddler, preschool, family, and bilingual events. I’ve found the best way to look up these story times is either through the free quarterly magazine the library puts out or online on the “events” page, filtering for story time.
You’ll also want to attend the READ to a Dog with Pets for Life (KC) events! My kids loved picking out a book and reading it next to these sweet dogs.
Cost: Free
Online Registration/Tickets: Varies
Hours: Varies for each branch
Locations: Multiple locations - Find one close to you here!
Some of our favorite locations are: Monticello Library, Central Resource Library, Indian Creek Olathe Library, and the Shawnee Library.
Mid-Continent Public Library - Story Time
Throughout the Missouri side of the Kansas City metro you can find dozens of Mid-Continent Public Libraries! Many of them offer story time for toddlers or preschoolers. A few even have a coffee shop where you can grab a hot or iced beverage while your little one enjoys story time or playing in the children’s section. Check out Novella at Green Hills, Post Coffee at the Colbern branch, or Friendly Bean at the Flintlock branch!
For story time information, visit the MCPL website for baby, toddler, and family story times offered.
Cost: Free
Online Registration/Tickets: No
Hours: Vary for each branch
Locations: Vary across Kansas City, Missouri. Find one near you here!
Kansas City Public Library - Story Time and Kid’s Cafe
No matter where you live in the Kansas City metro, you can find a library to attend! Free wifi, computer access, events, and more can all be found at the library. The Kansas City Public Library is also a favorite to visit and each location offers something unique. You can find specific kids and families events on their website which will tell you all about the different storytime options as well as the Kid’s Cafe. This is a free program that provides meals to children and their guardians.
Cost: Free
Online Registration/Tickets: No
Hours: Vary for each branch
Locations: Vary across Kansas City, Missouri. Find one near you here!
First four photos are from the Plaza Library and the bottom four are the Central Library Downtown.
Other Cheap Indoor Toddler-Friendly Activities in Kansas City
Crown Center - Showplace
Crown Center’s Showplace features exhibits that are perfect for toddlers or preschoolers! Inside of Crown Center, next to the Coterie Theater, the Showplace hosts multiple exhibits all year around with Gingerbread Station during the Christmas season to meet Santa Clause. I like to take my small umbrella stroller for my toddler and our tiny backpacks to have the basics with us. All of these Showplace exhibits are free and always have an engaging theme! They can get busy, so if you have a toddler you might be following very closely by. Pick up a parking validation ticket inside the Showplace for free 2-hour parking. After we check out the exhibit we will walk around Crown Center, ride the escalator, visit the toy shop, or even the train-themed Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, take the skywalk over to Union Station from Crown Center!
Cost: Free
Online Registration/Tickets: No
Hours: Mon-Sat 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, Sun 12:00 - 5:00 PM
Location: Crown Center Showplace, Level 1, 2405 Grand Blvd. Ste 200 Kansas City, MO 64108
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Grr-ific Exhibit is coming to Crown Center May 25 - September 2, 2024!
Kanga’s Indoor Playcenter
This indoor playcenter has something for ALL kids, but is perfect for toddlers! If you have kids of a range of ages this playcenter is a great choice for indoor play. There is a separate toddler zone with a ball pit, slides, wall toys, and more! Toddlers are also welcome inside the bounce house or in the large play structure. My two-year-old had a blast climbing around inside here with me following after her. Kanga’s Indoor Playcenter is also one of the most affordable indoor playcenters in the Kansas City area! This doesn’t meet my “cheap” under $8 qualification, but since you get to stay as long as you want from open until close, it is a great value. It is also included in a Pogo Pass KC so you can get one free admission if you have a Pogo Pass! (Use my code KIDSINKC for half off of a Pogo Pass!!)
Cost: Free under age 1, Toddler (1-2 years) $10.49, Child (3-12 years) $13.49, Adults are free
*sometimes they have an “early bird special” where kids are $8.49 from 9:00 - 11:00 AM, Monday-Friday
Online Registration/Tickets: No
Hours: Mon-Sun 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Location: Kanga’s Indoor Playcenter 19700 E Jackson Drive Ste G, Independence, MO 64057
Love indoor play places? Check out this blog of 10 Indoor Play Places around KC!
Getting out with your kids in Kansas City doesn’t have to cost a fortune! I’ve found that mixing in mornings of free activities like library story time with a paid event once a week works well for our family. There are so many incredible, and cheap, options for toddler-friendly activities in Kansas City! Which one of these will you be adding to your calendar?
Want more ideas of places to go in Kansas City with your kids? Download my free A-Z list of K.C. Activities!
Looking for more cheap indoor toddler-friendly ideas around Kansas City? Read my Indoor Open Gym blog for even more options!
2/18/2023, Gabrielle Isom, Kids In KC
updated 4/30/24
