While driving in my car this morning and actively succeeding in tuning out The Magic Tree House book on tape, I realized that we only have one month of summer left! My great plans for an epic summer haven’t been realized! We haven’t learned another language! We’ve eaten tacos for dinner three nights this week! We’ve watched Moana 19 times!

If you’re like me and feel like you’ve wasted your summer, have no fear! You still have a whole month remaining! Here’s a list of fun and relatively cheap summer activities to do around Kansas City this July and August.

Play:

Roe Park Splash Pad: Located in the newly designed play area in Roe Park, the splash pad is a fun way to stay cool. And when you get bored of splashing around, the new play equipment is some of the most original in town! (FREE)

University of Kansas Natural History Museum: Whether you’re a Jayhawk, a Wildcat, or a Tiger, you will be impressed with this museum’s collection of animals, fossils, insects, and more. ($7 Adults, $4 Kids)

Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop: If you have some Little House on the Prairie lovers, you will not be disappointed with this immaculately preserved 19th century stagecoach stop. Take a stagecoach ride, pan for gold, visit the barn, or sample some food from the original kitchen stove. (W-S $7 Adults, $5 Kids, M-T $3 Adults, $2 Kids)

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: Art museums are NOT just for adults! Bring your kids to take a peak at the mummy, check out the knight and his horse in full armor, or print out some pictures ahead of time for a scavenger hunt! (FREE)

Kidscape: If you haven’t been to the new Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center, you definitely need to head over there. I’ll admit that I was a skeptic (I mean, does Johnson County really deserve a museum of itself?), but the Kidscape area on the first floor is perfect for elementary age kids. A kid sized restaurant, post office, jail, stage and more provide the perfect indoor space for playing pretend. ($5 Adults, $3 Kids)

Thomas and Friends: Explore the Rails: Head over to Crown Center for a Thomas the Tank Engine play area in the Level 1 Showplace. (FREE)

The National Museum of Toys/Miniatures: If you have doll lovers in your family, this museum is a must. They even have a Wizard of Oz exhibit this summer! ($5)

Volunteer:

Boys Hope of Kansas City: This residential scholarship program provides housing and school tuition for academically capable boys in the Kansas City area. Your family can sign up to provide a meal or groceries for the boys and the house parents!

Urban Christian Academy: Participate in a work day on July 29th at Urban Christian Academy, a Christian elementary school in the heart of downtown Kansas City.

Go Green:

The Berry Patch: Head out South to pick your own blueberries! Ride the berry train, play on the hay bales, or even purchase some berry bushes for your own yard. ($2.90 per lb)

Overland Park Farmers’ Market: Open Wednesday and Saturday mornings in Downtown Overland Park, this farmers’ market is stuffed to the brim with all kinds of yummy local fruit, veggies, and treats. There is often live music too!

Powell Gardens: If we get lucky enough to have a cooler day, Powell Gardens in the perfect place to go explore. Their Gardens of Myth exhibit is open the rest of the summer, and the butterfly festival is in August! ($10 Adults, $4 Kids)

Watch:

Theatre in the Park: Bring a picnic and go see a musical (Beauty and the Beast will be playing soon!) or a movie (Finding Dory) in beautiful Shawnee Mission Park. (Theatre $8 Adults, $6 Kids; Movies $1 per person)

Movies at Crown Center: Live music, food trucks, and a movie! Remember the Titans, Jurassic World, and Back to the Future are coming up! (FREE)

Movies at B&B Theatres: Kid friendly movies for when it’s way too hot to be outside, showing at 10:00am. ($3)