Wichita Summer Bucket List 2023 | 150 Things to Do With Kids (+ Free Printable)

Wichita Summer Bucket List

We are thrilled to bring back the Ultimate Guide to Summer with our Wichita Summer Bucket List for the 9th year! We don’t care what anyone says, Wichita is not boring! And we are sharing over 100 of our favorite Wichita summer ideas for every budget, interest, and age – straight from local moms. (Please note to check each event/business website for the most up to date information.)

Thank you to Bradley Fair for partnering with us and making the production of this guide possible for Wichita families! Be on the lookout for the following family-friendly events this summer:

  • Mother’s Day Bouquet Workshop with Trader Joe’s: Something’s blooming at Bradley Fair. Learn from the floral experts at Trader Joe’s and put together a beautiful springtime bouquet, just in time for Mother’s Day. Enjoy snacks and smiles while you get crafty with this all-ages activity on Friday, May 11.  Get your tickets here. 
  • Summer Adventure Club: Join the Summer Adventure Club – weekly fun for little ones! Every Tuesday at 10 AM through June and July, meet us on the Plaza for kid’s entertainment. Please register in advance to let us know you’re coming.
  • Summer Concert Series: A beloved Bradley Fair tradition is back, with tunes for every taste. Every Thursday evening in June. Shows start at 7:30 PM. Stick around following the final concert on June 29 for some extra fun! We are proud to partner with Fidelity Bank, the official sponsor of the Bradley Fair Summer Concerts Firework Finale. Be sure to RSVP for a chance to win a special prize of Bradley Fair goodies.
  • Takeout, Picnics & Patios: Indulge your cravings at Bradley Fair. Whether it’s date night, pizza night, or even dessert-for-dinner kind of night, there’s something to satisfy your appetite.  
  • Summer Sidewalk Sale: Discover the best of Bradley Fair at this summertime sidewalk sale. Your favorite retailers and restaurants will set up on the sidewalk for an outdoor shopping experience. Enjoy deals, entertainment, children’s activities, and more. Date to be announced soon!

 

Join us as we explore all that Wichita has to offer this summer, and enjoy the customizable FREE printable below to hang on the fridge!

Wichita Summer Bucket List


Wichita Summer Fun for the Whole Family

  • There is something for the whole family at Bradley Fair this summer, like their Summer Adventure Club and Summer Music Series
  • Attend a baseball game to see our home team, the Wichita Wind Surge, at Riverfront Stadium. Friday night games will have firework shows, and kids can run the bases on Sunday home games
  • Get ready to get splashed at Stingray Cove or ride the Safari Express at the Sedgwick County Zoo
  • Visit the goats and play at Elderslie Farm, enjoy the scones at the Bramble Cafe, and taste the cheese and gelato at the Creamery. Berry Picking season typically begins the end of June!
  • Check out the Dinosaurs Around the World exhibit at Botanica through the summer
  • Enjoy an animal encounter (we love feeding the lemurs!), a new experience (like otter meet & greets), checking out the splash park and more at Tanganyika
  • Pack up the car and head out for a family-friendly day trip from Wichita or a weekend getaway 
  • Find a table in the shade at Chicken’n’Pickle and enjoy lawn games, food, drinks, pickle ball courts, and a great atmosphere.
  • Book a Staycation at a local hotel with a swimming pool just for fun
  • Head downtown and enjoy everyone’s family-favorite River Festival June 2-10
  • There is a little something for everyone at Revolutsia – eating, drinking, shopping and more
  • Take the fam to one of Wichita Children’s Theater Picnic Theater Once Upon a Time Series – Cinderella June 8-10, The Little Red Hen June 22-24, and Hansel & Gretel July 13-15
  • Pack a picnic dinner and take a walk down by the Keeper of the Plains and then stick around to watch the magic of the 15 minute Ring of Fire at 9 pm
  • Get out of the house and burn some energy at family game night at Nerf Warz
  • Check out a STEAM class, camp, or event at the Let’s Go Build Shop
  • Ride the Q-Line, Wichita’s Downtown Trolley service and hop off at one of your favorite shops or restaurants
  • Ride a pony, put your muscles to use on a paddleboat, or play a round of mini golf at OJ Watson Park
  • Visit Wichita Art Museum for a FREE family Artventure
  • Check out the permanent Health Exhibit at Exploration Place (we love it!), the traveling exhibit, and plan to play at the Exploration Place park and take a walk along the river
  • Step back in time and enjoy a wagon ride or try a sarsparilla drink at Old Cowtown Museum
  • Go on a hunt for one of these hidden gems in Wichita – we especially love the Wichita Troll (and let us know if you find him!)
  • Head to Stearman for dinner on the patio, and watch the planes, play on the playground, and listen to live music while you wait
  • Cool down at any of Wichita’s interactive fountains and splash pads, open Memorial – Labor Day
  • Rock out to musical instruments and bond with your littles at Music Together of Wichita or Riverside Music Together (DEMO classes are free!)
  • Splash around at Toddler Time (Wichita’s version of a mini waterpark) at any of the designated YMCAs around town
  • Field Station: Dinosaurs has amazing life-sized animatronic dinos and activities every hour
  • For the really hot weeks, head to an indoor play place, like Towne East or Chick-fil-a, or hit up another favorite place for indoor fun
  • Create little bookworms with a local storytime
  • Pack up the stroller and go for a walk before it gets too hot
  • And if you are still looking, here are plenty of Things to Do With Babies & Toddlers in Wichita
  • Enroll in a summer camp or program (fun for all ages, schedules, and budgets) 
  • Make it a late bedtime night and check out the wonder of our solar system at Lake Afton Public Observatory
  • Explore the inner workings of planet earth and the solar system at the Cosmosphere
  • Explore the salt mines in a safari shuttle at Strataca in Hutchinson
  • Bowl a STRIKE and register the kiddos for Kids Bowl Free to receive two FREE games of bowling everyday all summer long
  • Climb, attend a lock in, or enroll for a camp at Bliss Bouldering and Climbing Complex
  • Enjoy a FREE movie in the park at the Andover Amphitheater this summer, and while you’re waiting, check out the Andover Central Park & Library

Wichita Summer ICT Love:


Wichita Summer ICT Eats:


Wichita Summer Outdoor Adventures:


Wichita Summer Concerts & Movies: 


Wichita Summer Learning Fun: 


Wichita Summer Sports and Fitness:


Wichita Summer Date Night (or Date Day): 


Wichita Summer Homebodies:

  • Host a cookout with friends
  • Make homemade popcicles 
  • Grow a vegetable garden with your kids
  • Host a splash party with a water fight
  • Roast marshmallows for s’mores
  • Beat the heat with these non-crafty toddler activities at home
  • Camp out in your backyard
  • Make summer treats and deliver them to your neighbors
  • Host an outdoor movie party
  • Have a lemonade stand
  • Build a fort in your living room
  • Have a backyard picnic
  • Spend the evening catching fireflies
  • Let the kids cover themselves in shaving cream in the backyard then hose them off
  • Buy a sandbox, add a little water and let them make real sand castles
  • Arrange weekly letters with a friend (kids love getting mail and writing real letters is good for the soul)
 
Angela Green
Angela is the founder of Wichita Mom, the premier parenting website and digital guide for families as they navigate life in Wichita, KS. She is a wife, business owner, avid reader, proud gymnastics & dance mom, Peloton lover, and is always planning her next trip.

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