2017 Kansas City Summer Bucket List

Welcome to the 2017 edition of The Kerrie Show's Kansas City Summer Bucket List! The more I homeschool, the more summer is a relief. Don't get me wrong: I LOVE HOMESCHOOLING. But it does get harder ... the more kids you homeschool and the older they get. Sure, Joel does a lot of independent high school work, but also there is a lot more that goes into figuring out his future while trying to find that balance of not being too pushy (YOU MUST ATTEND HARVARD!) and not being too laid-back (eh, do whatever you want when you turn 18, including video games all day long and not having a job ... it's all good).

ANYWAY ... I was like a regular teacher this year counting down the days until I could sit in my pool chair chatting with my friends and reading a book or listening to a podcast. Getting a tan. Hopping in the pool to cool off. Going down the slide with the kids (but NEVER the diving board for me, thank you). RELAXATION instead of running from thing to thing and haranguing about homeschooling stuff.

So here is our Official Summer Bucket List. Some we have already hit because school ended pre-Memorial Day for us this year due to fishing trips and some other things going on. A lot of these activities are educational, but DON'T TELL MY KIDS THAT!

Some of these places we have been before and they are tradition. Some we have never done and want to try. Please check the links to head to a blog post about our experiences, past and current, complete with photos!

*means we’ve never done it before

Nature, farm to table, fitness

✅Pick strawberries at Wohletz Farms near Lawrence, KS (here is the post from 2015) ... we did it again May 25, 2017 and this time just took one friend, our neighbor Matthew :-)

✅Pick blueberries at The Berry Patch in Cleveland, MO (here is a post from 2014) ... went at night July 14 and we were practically the only ones there and it was much cooler at night. Don't forget your bug spray!

*See sunflowers at Grinter Farms near Lawrence, KS (August) ... I keep checking but they are not ready yet as of August 13

Deanna Rose Farmstead in Overland Park, KS (here's a cute pic on the blog from 2009 before Sam was even born and here's our post from 2011 when the kids were teeny tiny) ... planned for August 4

Ernie Miller Nature Center in Olathe, KS

Beanstalk Children’s Garden in KCMO

Burr Oak Woods hike with my dad (Poppy) and the kids

Nature hike at Lakeside Nature Center in KCMO

Topeka Zoo in Topeka, KS

George Owens Nature Park in Independence, MO

Go camping with my family anywhere with a lake and sandy beach! shoot for spring

Sar-ko-par park in Lenexa, KS (eclipse day?)

What we call “School Hill” Park in Lenexa, KS (night after dinner instead of TV)

*Some cool parks in Lee’s Summit next year

Meadowmere Park in Grandview and take our friends (try to do this in the fall after Theology of the Body has started and a bunch of their friends are right  up the road)

Franklin Park in Prairie Village

Free!!!

✅Chik-fil-A dress like a cow day (July). We have done this for years ... about 5, I believe. Here is a post with last year's picture and also some pictures from years before that!







*Bowling with Kids Bowl Free

✅Apple Camp (signed up to find out about it here) ... Callie and Michael will be attending the week of July 10

*Money Museum

*Old Shawnee Town

*Ride streetcar downtown

✅Home Depot free build first Saturday (monthly) and we were able to get that done June 3rd (post is here)

Kaleidoscope (here is a post from 2013 when the Curious George exhibit was on the ground floor of Crown Center; we also like to hit Fritz's for food if we can because a train delivers your meal!)

Helpful, friends, religious

Volunteer at Harvesters (planned for Michael and Aron August 25)

*Have a BBQ and invite everyone from co-op

*Have a BBQ and invite all other friends

*Have a BBQ and invite all family

*Go to daily Mass for one week

Miscellaneous

✅Check out $1 movies at Cinemark. Yes! We saw Angry Birds!

✅Go to the drive-in at least once (we saw Cars 3 on my son's 16th birthday)

✅*Lawrence: Laugh Out Loud (went May 26, 2017 and post to come)

Lawrence: KU Natural History Museum and stuff that goes with it like Burrito King and Dairy Queen … the royalty meal and treat

✅Chuck E Cheese because I haven’t been since my bigs were little

*Go to Brick Fest Live with Michael July 8-9 if he wants to (he probably wanted to but I forgot and also we didn't have the money ... and we ended up being busy all weekend). Check it out for next year.

Long weekend at The Elms because the kids want to do the outdoor pool this time (can't afford it since we're saving for Florida ... add this to next year)

Water fun

Lawrence: Aquatic Center because it’s the best; go with friends. They chose Merriam Pool instead.

✅Splash Cove in Shawnee for half price night (here is the post of that from 2014)

Paddle boats at Shawnee Mission Park in the early evening

*Have pizza delivered to the pool one night (planned)

✅Read a bunch of books while lounging at each of the five Overland Park Pools. Okay, maybe not a BUNCH of books and I don't think I finished one thing. But I chatted with my friend Jill a lot and sometimes also Ginette, Shannon and Kitty. And when they weren't around I listened to some great podcasts by Brave Writer, Organize365's Lisa Woodruff and the Homeschool Sisters. Also the Homeschool Highschool Podcast. Wait, I did listen to The Husband's Secret on audio  by Liane Moriarty and some of Hourglass by Dani Shapiro and then started What Alice Forgot, also by Moriarty.

✅*Lenexa Pool, Lenexa, KS (went for a birthday party so it was FREE ... well, the cost of a gift haha)

Indian Creek, Overland Park, KS

✅*Roe Park Splash Pad, Leawood, KS ... went May 16, 2017 and post to come

ADVANCED BUCKET LIST, as in, someday when we can find time or afford it:
Silver Dollar City in Branson (I grew up spending long weekends in Branson when Shepherd of the Hills was much different and untouched; I'd love to get my kids to Marvel Cave)
Starlight Theatre (this is where the Pointer Sisters signed my 8th grade yearbook and I'd love to get my kids there for the magic of a show)
Read about Thomas Hart Benton and then go to his home in KCMO near Roanoke and a park where we play!


Please leave me a comment about your favorite things to do in Kansas City with kids (you don't even have to have kids to comment ... grandkids, nieces and nephews, kids you babysit, whatever!). I'm willing to travel a bit so broaden my geographical horizons!