Wichita is the perfect place for a family getaway for many reasons. It won’t break your budget, it’s family-friendly and offers plenty of things to do for all ages. From amazing attractions and museums to free and affordable fun, you’ll have to stay the week just to mark everything off your list – or keep coming back to visit the Heart of the Country.
Below you’ll find a breakdown of all the things to do for kids as young as age 3. We hope this vacation-planning guide helps you plan out your next trip to Wichita!
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Kids Ages 3-6
When you’re the parent of littles, it can be hard to figure out what kinds of activities to do to keep them busy. Wichita has a ton of offerings for even the smallest explorers! Here are some ideas if your child is between the ages of 3 and 6.
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Active Fun
- Let them jump around at Urban Air Trampoline Park or Aviate at Wichita Sports Forum
- Visit one of Wichita’s 144 parks, some of which have special activities geared toward younger kids (Riverside Park’s Kansas Wildlife Exhibit and OJ Watson Park’s train rides, pony rides and mini golf)
- Explore Wichita Riverfest for tons of family fun
- Watch the water and light show at the Fountains at WaterWalk
- Bradley Fair Carriage Rides (holidays only)
- Go swimming at one of Wichita’s many YMCA locations
- Learn about Kansas wildlife and habitat at the Great Plains Nature Center
- Play in the interactive splash fountains in Old Town Square and at many of Wichita’s city parks
Educational Fun
- Discover a path through history at Museum of World Treasures, and play in Ivan’s Playhouse
- Become a Little Aviator every Friday at Kansas Aviation Museum
- Explore a hands-on science museum with various traveling exhibits at Exploration Place
- See one of the biggest elephant pools in the world at Sedgwick County Zoo, America’s seventh-largest zoo
- Get up-close-and-personal with a variety of exotic animal experiences at Tanganyika Wildlife Park
- Play in the interactive Downing Children’s Garden and ride the fully restored carousel at Botanica Wichita
- Appreciate the Native American heritage in Wichita at the Keeper of the Plains
- Become an honorary paleontologist and discover prehistoric beings at Field Station: Dinosaurs
- Enjoy the Wichita Art Museum free every Saturday with hand-on experiences for kids in the Living Room and always-accessible outdoor art garden
- Visit The Water Center to learn about water treatment, play in the fountains and visit the aquariums – all for free!
Places to Eat
- For old-fashioned breakfast favorites, head to Jimmie’s Diner (Northeast & South)
- Grab lunch at a food truck or nearby eatery like HomeGrown Wichita - Downtown or Peace, Love & Pie at Naftzger Park
- Get an old-fashioned shake or malt from Old Mill Tasty Shop
- Try a little bit of everything from maple bacon to Fruity Pebbles at The Donut Whole
- Watch planes land 40 feet from your table at Stearman Field Bar & Grill
- Get a concrete or some delicious fries at one of several Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers locations (the original Freddy’s is located in west Wichita near 21st & Tyler)
- Enjoy pizza for dinner at Ziggy’s Pizza (Clifton Square, Northeast and West)
Kids Ages 6-12
In addition to the list mentioned above, here are a few more things to do geared toward a little bit older crowd. If your child is ages 6-12, they will enjoy the following activities:
Active Fun
- Scale the rock wall at Bliss Climbing & Fitness
- Go bowling or play in the arcade at The Alley Indoor Entertainment
- Go for a family bike ride with Bike Share ICT and explore downtown Wichita
- Look at all the cool urban art around the city – and be sure to have your camera ready!
- Learn how to ice skate or play hockey at Wichita Ice Center
- Have a blast swimming at Rock River Rapids water park (summer only)
- Try your hand at pickleball or any of Chicken N Pickle’s oversized yard games
- Experience the inflatable slides, bouncers and more at Splash Aqua Park (summer only)
- Ride go karts, play miniature golf and more at All Star Sports and All Star Adventures
- Bike, walk, run or just enjoy some fresh air at Open Streets ICT
Educational Fun
- Learn about the history of Wichita in the 1870s at Old Cowtown Museum
- Explore our Native American culture and heritage at the Mid-America All-Indian Center where you can see a life-sized tee pee and learn how the Indians lived on Plains
- Sign up for an art or culinary class at Mark Arts
- Become an artist and hone your skills at CityArts
- Did you know the founders of Pizza Hut are from Wichita? Visit The Original Pizza Hut Museum and learn all about the restaurant’s early years and reminisce with memorabilia
- Train lovers will have a blast looking at the trains at the Great Plains Transportation Museum
Sports Fun
- Love soccer? Experience it live with FC Wichita (May through July)
- Watch the rough and tumble ICT Roller Girls skate their way to victory at The Cotillion (May through September)
- A little more intense than soccer or football, the Wichita Barbarians RFC rugby club brings hardcore action to Harrison Park (September through November)
- Enjoy the excitement of arena football as the Wichita Force dominate INTRUST Bank Arena (February through May)
- Catch the Wichita State Shockers playing basketball, volleyball and more at Charles Koch Arena and baseball at Eck Stadium
- Experience the city’s professional hockey team, the Wichita Thunder as they play at INTRUST Bank Arena (October through March)
- Catch minor league baseball action at Wichita’s beautiful Riverfront Stadium, home of the Wichita Wind Surge
- Have a good time watching the Wichita Wizards, Wichita’s Minor League Basketball Association (MLBA) team (April through June)
- Watch the NBC World Series, which has been around for nearly 90 years
Places to Eat
- Find donuts, breakfast burritos and more at Paradise Donuts (west and downtown)
- Play big lawn games on the patio at Nortons Brewing Co.
- Order mac ‘n cheese in just about any flavor at River City Brewing Co.
- Get some ice cream frozen with nitrogen at Churn & Burn
- Enjoy the burger menu at Dempsey’s Burger Pub in Clifton Square
- Experiment with different cupcake flavors from Monica’s Bundt Cake
- Get your fill of savory and salty treats at Nifty Nut House
Kids Ages 12+
Kids 12 and older are more than welcome to enjoy any of the above activities – but if that list isn’t jam-packed with enough fun, here are a few more options geared toward older kids.
Active Fun
- Race the clock and see how quickly you can escape at The Room-Wichita
- Learn to throw axes like a pro at Axe to Grind or Blade & Timber
- Hangout and play video games while you enjoy a delicious meal at Headshots Bar & Grill
- Kayak on the Arkansas River in downtown Wichita via Boats & Bikes
- Zip around downtown Wichita with electric scooters
- Play hundreds of arcade games at Dave & Busters
Educational Fun
- Older kids might enjoy the live theatre experience at Mosley Street Melodrama, where the audience becomes part of the shows. Shows are for older kids, recommended for ages 14+
- See the first electric guitar, an original Jones VI automobile and learn about Wichita’s rich history at the Wichita-Sedgwick Co. Historical Museum
- Get a taste of Broadway as Music Theatre Wichita brings live entertainment Wichita
- Discover the stories of influential African Americans in Kansas at The Kansas African American Museum
- See traveling Broadway shows when the American Theatre Guild brings productions to Wichita at Century II
- More live theatre can be enjoyed at Roxy’s Downtown, a cabaret-style theatre in downtown Wichita
- Learn to appreciate art at the Ulrich Museum of Art on Wichita’s State University’s beautiful campus
- See artifacts depicting Kansas’ firefighting history at the Kansas Firefighters Museum and Fallen Firefighters Memorial
- Celebrate the history and culture of long ago at the Great Plains Renaissance & Scottish Festival (spring and fall only)
Places to Eat
- Eat authentic Italian brick-oven pizza at Piatto Neapolitan Pizzeria
- Order pizza the way you like it at Wichita Brewing Co. & Pizzeria
- Grab some hot chocolate and snacks in the Chocolate Lounge at Cocoa Dolce Artisan Chocolates
- Chow down on chicken and biscuits at Dempsey’s Biscuit Co.
- Street tacos are calling your name at District Taqueria or Molino’s Mexican Cuisine
- Order some potato skins or a delicious sandwich option at Monarch
- You’ll find the best burgers ever at The Anchor
- For barbecue, give B&C Barbeque Pub & Grill a try
Wichita plenty of things to do, more than 1,200 restaurants and events happening all the time, Wichita is the perfect place for your family’s next vacation. Plan your trip today!
This press release was produced by Visit Wichita. The views expressed here are the author’s own.