Join us for a chilly adventure as we learn how animals like polar bears stay warm in icy places! Preschool-aged children will explore the science behind fur and blubber, then get creative by making their very own polar bear paintings to take home. Perfect for curious little minds and busy hands!

Celebrate Hina Matsuri, Japan’s delightful Girls’ Day Festival, at the Museum at Prairiefire on Saturday, December 13, from 1:00–4:00 PM in the Great Hall! This free, family-friendly celebration is filled with color, creativity, and culture. Learn about the beautiful traditions of Hina Matsuri and craft your very own Hina dolls to take home! Enjoy festive decorations, hands-on fun, and an afternoon of art and learning for all ages. Come join the celebration and experience the joy of Japanese culture, creativity, and community!

Prepare to be amazed as wonder fills the Great Hall! Enjoy a complimentary Origami with Archie and a Magic Show and roaming sleight-of-hand performances that bring the art of illusion to life. Spend your Saturday afternoon discovering how a touch of mystery and a dash of imagination can create astonishing tricks and interactive moments that will leave you asking — how did they do that?

Young visitors can become part of the art! Enjoy complimentary face painting and Origami with Archie inspired by the colors and creativity of the season.

Soar into American Aviation Day at the Museum at Prairiefire on Saturday, November 20th from 1–4PM during our exciting SciFun Saturday! Learn about the science of flight and the history of American aviation pioneers. Kids and families can design, decorate, and fly their own paper airplanes—inside the museum or out on our terrace (weather permitting).

Celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, at the Museum at Prairiefire on Saturday, December 20, from 1:00–4:00 PM in the Great Hall! Welcome the season of renewal and joy with this free, family-friendly celebration filled with color, creativity, and culture. Learn about the beautiful traditions of this ancient springtime festival and make your own hyacinth flower craft to take home — a symbol of growth and new beginnings! Bring your friends and family for an afternoon of art, discovery, and celebration as we welcome the spirit of Nowruz together.

How does snow happen?  What is the best kind of snow for making snowballs or building snowmen, forts, or igloos?  Why do the days of winter seem so short and the nights seem so long?  We’ll answer these and other questions in this fun, engaging camp for young scientists.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$50 Non-Members

$40 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

Back during the Age of Reptiles, living in the ocean was just as dangerous as living on land.  Imagine an underwater version of Jurassic Park.  In this camp you will learn about the marine life that lived in a shallow sea that once covered much of the western half of North America for about 40 million years during the Cretaceous Period and what caused the extinction of most of that marine life.  Campers will create dioramas of the sea and populate them with small figurines of the colossal ancient creatures that lived in the sea during that time.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$50 Non-Members

$40 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

Have you ever wanted to play an instrument and sound like some of the jazz greats?  In this activity, you have the opportunity to do just that.  A membranophone is a musical instrument that produces sounds a bit like a cross between a saxophone and a clarinet, is made of readily available materials, and is fun to make and play.

These mammals have some unique characteristics in the world of just mammals. Come learn with us on this adventure about mammals that lay eggs, have armored plates and even make your own hedgehog!

Have you ever wanted to play an instrument and sound like some of the jazz greats?  In this activity, you have the opportunity to do just that.  A membranophone is a musical instrument that produces sounds a bit like a cross between a saxophone and a clarinet, is made of readily available materials, and is fun to make and play.

These mammals have some unique characteristics in the world of just mammals. Come learn with us on this adventure about mammals that lay eggs, have armored plates and even make your own hedgehog!

These mammals have some unique characteristics in the world of just mammals. Come learn with us on this adventure about mammals that lay eggs, have armored plates and even make your own hedgehog!

What is a simple machine, you ask.  Simple machines form the basis of much of the technology that goes into everything from nuts and bolts to the International Space Station. Join us for a day as we explore these simple devices and perhaps spark your imagination of what you could use these devices for to make your life easier.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$50 Non-Members

$40 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

A hovercraft is a vehicle or craft that travels over land, water, mud, ice, and other surfaces  on a cushion of air. They are used throughout the world as specialised transports in disaster relief, guarding coastal areas, and in military and survey applications, as well as for sport or passenger service.  In this JAM you will make and be able to operate a simple version of a hovercraft to understand how it works.

Come visit a time in the earth’s history when a large part of the world was covered with ice! How did animals, plants, and early humans stay warm in the ice age? Find out on this Little Explorer’s Club adventure all about the Ice Age and even experiment with some glacier goo!

A hovercraft is a vehicle or craft that travels over land, water, mud, ice, and other surfaces  on a cushion of air. They are used throughout the world as specialised transports in disaster relief, guarding coastal areas, and in military and survey applications, as well as for sport or passenger service.  In this JAM you will make and be able to operate a simple version of a hovercraft to understand how it works.

Come visit a time in the earth’s history when a large part of the world was covered with ice! How did animals, plants, and early humans stay warm in the ice age? Find out on this Little Explorer’s Club adventure all about the Ice Age and even experiment with some glacier goo!

A grandparent might have told us that our Moon is really made of green cheese.  Is that true?  What’s it like to be on the Moon?  Why does the Moon’s shape change throughout the month?  Why does the Moon have a dark side?  We’ll explore these questions and more in the camp for young scientists.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$50 Non-Members

$40 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

Come visit a time in the earth’s history when a large part of the world was covered with ice! How did animals, plants, and early humans stay warm in the ice age? Find out on this Little Explorer’s Club adventure all about the Ice Age and even experiment with some glacier goo!

In this fun-filled and colorful activity, JAM kids are challenged to build the tallest wall possible using only Valentine candy hearts. Once they have finished constructing their tallest wall, they will test it to see if it is windproof.

Did you know decomposers are small creatures in our environment that eat all of nature’s trash!? Come with us on this Little Explorers Club adventure as we learn about decomposers and how they help us! See some of the museum’s own decomposers and some you might find in your backyard!

Humans have enjoyed music for a long time, but what kinds of music were they making in prehistoric civilizations? What makes different instruments produce different sounds? In this camp, we will explore different ways people have made music throughout history and how different instruments work.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$100 Non-Members

$80 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

In this fun-filled and colorful activity, JAM kids are challenged to build the tallest wall possible using only Valentine candy hearts. Once they have finished constructing their tallest wall, they will test it to see if it is windproof.

Did you know decomposers are small creatures in our environment that eat all of nature’s trash!? Come with us on this Little Explorers Club adventure as we learn about decomposers and how they help us! See some of the museum’s own decomposers and some you might find in your backyard!

Humans have enjoyed music for a long time, but what kinds of music were they making in prehistoric civilizations? What makes different instruments produce different sounds? In this camp, we will explore different ways people have made music throughout history and how different instruments work.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$100 Non-Members

$80 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

Did you know decomposers are small creatures in our environment that eat all of nature’s trash!? Come with us on this Little Explorers Club adventure as we learn about decomposers and how they help us! See some of the museum’s own decomposers and some you might find in your backyard!

Some of the wildest and strangest creatures around us are invertebrates, but many of them look nothing alike. In this camp, we will discover the similarities between many invertebrates, what makes them unique, and how they fit into their ecosystems.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$50 Non-Members

$40 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

Here’s an opportunity to make your own homemade, silly putty or super ball and have a fun time learning a little about chemistry.

Roar into learning at Little Explorers Club: Dinosaurs! Young adventurers will discover fascinating dino facts and create their own themed craft in this fun, hands-on session.

Roar into learning at Little Explorers Club: Dinosaurs! Young adventurers will discover fascinating dino facts and create their own themed craft in this fun, hands-on session.

Here’s an opportunity to make your own homemade, silly putty or super ball and have a fun time learning a little about chemistry.

Wind, water, and gravity act on and modify Earth’s surface 24/7, 365 days of the year.  Some of the time, how they act is helpful to humans, but at other times, they can be harmful, such as during flooding.  In this one day camp, we will explore how these movers and shakers modify the Earth and how we can enhance their beneficial effects and reduce their harmful effects on our lives.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$50 Non-Members

$40 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

Roar into learning at Little Explorers Club: Dinosaurs! Young adventurers will discover fascinating dino facts and create their own themed craft in this fun, hands-on session.

Design your own Mars landing vehicle for an egg using materials provided by the MAP.  JAMers think about the best way to protect an egg as it lands on Earth and then design a landing vehicle using the available materials provided by the MAP, then test their landing vehicles.

Join us for Little Explorers Club: Animal Homes! Children will explore the amazing places animals build and call home, then make a creative craft inspired by what they learn.

Join us for Little Explorers Club: Animal Homes! Children will explore the amazing places animals build and call home, then make a creative craft inspired by what they learn.

Design your own Mars landing vehicle for an egg using materials provided by the MAP.  JAMers think about the best way to protect an egg as it lands on Earth and then design a landing vehicle using the available materials provided by the MAP, then test their landing vehicles.

It’s almost Spring!  Daylight is getting longer and the days are getting warmer.  What causes Spring?  And how does nature respond to these changes?  We’ll explore these and other questions in this fun-filled camp for young scientists.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$50 Non-Members

$40 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

Join us for Little Explorers Club: Animal Homes! Children will explore the amazing places animals build and call home, then make a creative craft inspired by what they learn.

During this five-day camp, children will tour the world virtually looking at various ecosystems and then will spend the rest of the camp conducting experiments to better understand how soil, water, plants, animals interact to create the local ecosystems we see in our parks and other natural areas.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$250 Non-Members

$200 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

During this five-day camp, children will tour the world virtually looking at various ecosystems and then will spend the rest of the camp conducting experiments to better understand how soil, water, plants, animals interact to create the local ecosystems we see in our parks and other natural areas.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$250 Non-Members

$200 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

During this five-day camp, children will tour the world virtually looking at various ecosystems and then will spend the rest of the camp conducting experiments to better understand how soil, water, plants, animals interact to create the local ecosystems we see in our parks and other natural areas.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$250 Non-Members

$200 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

During this five-day camp, children will tour the world virtually looking at various ecosystems and then will spend the rest of the camp conducting experiments to better understand how soil, water, plants, animals interact to create the local ecosystems we see in our parks and other natural areas.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$250 Non-Members

$200 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

During this five-day camp, children will tour the world virtually looking at various ecosystems and then will spend the rest of the camp conducting experiments to better understand how soil, water, plants, animals interact to create the local ecosystems we see in our parks and other natural areas.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$250 Non-Members

$200 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

Ever wonder what’s inside a flower and why bees and other pollinators are attracted to them?  In this activity, JAM participants will take apart a daffodil or other early spring flower to develop an understanding of the pollination process and why it is vital to flowering plants and animals that assist in this process.

What is a rock and how is it different from a mineral?  What will help me identify rocks and minerals?  What kinds of rocks and minerals can you find in the Kansas City Metro? Children will explore these questions and other related topics in this one-day camp.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$50 Non-Members

$40 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

Join us for Little Explorers Club: Animal Adaptations! Young explorers will discover how animals survive and thrive in the wild, then make a fun hands-on craft inspired by what they learn. Perfect for curious kids and families!

Ever wonder what’s inside a flower and why bees and other pollinators are attracted to them?  In this activity, JAM participants will take apart a daffodil or other early spring flower to develop an understanding of the pollination process and why it is vital to flowering plants and animals that assist in this process.

Join us for Little Explorers Club: Animal Adaptations! Young explorers will discover how animals survive and thrive in the wild, then make a fun hands-on craft inspired by what they learn. Perfect for curious kids and families!

Join us for Little Explorers Club: Animal Adaptations! Young explorers will discover how animals survive and thrive in the wild, then make a fun hands-on craft inspired by what they learn. Perfect for curious kids and families!

Ever wonder what’s inside a flower and why bees and other pollinators are attracted to them?  In this activity, JAM participants will take apart a daffodil or other early spring flower to develop an understanding of the pollination process and why it is vital to flowering plants and animals that assist in this process.

Bounce into discovery! At Little Explorers Club: Bouncy Balls, children will make their own bouncy ball craft while learning the fun science behind how they’re formed.

Ever wonder what’s inside a flower and why bees and other pollinators are attracted to them?  In this activity, JAM participants will take apart a daffodil or other early spring flower to develop an understanding of the pollination process and why it is vital to flowering plants and animals that assist in this process.

Bounce into discovery! At Little Explorers Club: Bouncy Balls, children will make their own bouncy ball craft while learning the fun science behind how they’re formed.

The weather is warming up, and plants and animals everywhere have emerged from their winter slumber.  You may know that April 22nd is called Earth Day.  It is a day to celebrate nature.  Through a series of guided experiences, campers will learn about how conservation of natural resources and recycling of waste materials can help minimize habitat destruction. Campers will tour the wetlands outside of the museum to identify its natural resources and how they benefit local wildlife and will conduct a cleanup to remove waste products left behind by others.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$50 Non-Members

$40 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

Bounce into discovery! At Little Explorers Club: Bouncy Balls, children will make their own bouncy ball craft while learning the fun science behind how they’re formed.

In this life-science JAM, participants conduct an experiment to determine whether seeds will sprout faster in coffee or water and will learn a little about how seeds turn into plants.

What is weather, and how is it different from climate? What tools do weathermen use to gather data on today’s weather?  How do they use data to predict the weather?  In this one-day camp, we will answer these and other questions about weather.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$50 Non-Members

$40 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

Explore and create! Young scientists will learn about Moon craters and make a fun, hands-on craft in Little Explorers Club: Crazy Craters on the Moon.

Explore and create! Young scientists will learn about Moon craters and make a fun, hands-on craft in Little Explorers Club: Crazy Craters on the Moon.

In this life-science JAM, participants conduct an experiment to determine whether seeds will sprout faster in coffee or water and will learn a little about how seeds turn into plants.

Explore and create! Young scientists will learn about Moon craters and make a fun, hands-on craft in Little Explorers Club: Crazy Craters on the Moon.

How are dinosaurs different from other animals?  Were dinosaurs all alike?  How did they take over the world’s continents?  How did some dinosaurs become birds?  Year after year, we learn more about how these animals relate to one another and how they lived. In this camp, children will learn what modern technology has revealed about the lives of these creatures and how they relate to each other in the dinosaur family tree and to other animal groups.

For elementary school ages

Drop-off for camps is from 8:00-8:20 and pick-up is from 3:30-4:00.  

$50 Non-Members

$40 Members (please sign in to your account and use the discount code emailed to you)

In this JAM, participants will use natural and man-made raw materials to simulate the way birds use these materials to build their nests. In the process of doing this simulation, JAMmers will realize how much work it is for a bird to build a nest.

Join us for a hands-on adventure learning about animal defenses and crafting your own nature-inspired creation.

In this JAM, participants will use natural and man-made raw materials to simulate the way birds use these materials to build their nests. In the process of doing this simulation, JAMmers will realize how much work it is for a bird to build a nest.

Join us for a hands-on adventure learning about animal defenses and crafting your own nature-inspired creation.

Join us for a hands-on adventure learning about animal defenses and crafting your own nature-inspired creation.

In this session of JAM, participants will learn how to identify and name common trees in the Kansas City Metro using the characteristics of leaf shape and arrangement, tree bark, and shape of the canopy.  Weather permitting, participants will practice their identification skills in the wetland area of the Museum or indoors using images arranged on a Powerpoint presentation.

What is the difference between weathering, erosion, and deposition and what land formations do they cause? Join us on this Little Explorer’s Club adventure as we learn about being a geologist!

What is the difference between weathering, erosion, and deposition and what land formations do they cause? Join us on this Little Explorer’s Club adventure as we learn about being a geologist!

In this session of JAM, participants will learn how to identify and name common trees in the Kansas City Metro using the characteristics of leaf shape and arrangement, tree bark, and shape of the canopy.  Weather permitting, participants will practice their identification skills in the wetland area of the Museum or indoors using images arranged on a Powerpoint presentation.

What is the difference between weathering, erosion, and deposition and what land formations do they cause? Join us on this Little Explorer’s Club adventure as we learn about being a geologist!

We all rely on clean, drinkable water to survive. (Remember that most of our body is water.)  The water in our bodies must be replenished by drinking plenty of it during the day. How do we get water that we can drink? The water that comes to us from our environment is not usually drinkable—it must be treated to remove harmful substances in it. One type of treatment involves filtration. Filtration removes substances and microscopic organisms that float in the water, as well as some substances that are dissolved in it. Using materials from the pet and hardware stores, you can construct your own water filtration device to see how this treatment process works.

Have you ever wondered why snot and boogers stick together? The answer is polymers! Come join us on this Little Explorers Club as we learn all about what snot and boogers are, how they relate to polymers and even make your own stretchy snot polymer.

Have you ever wondered why snot and boogers stick together? The answer is polymers! Come join us on this Little Explorers Club as we learn all about what snot and boogers are, how they relate to polymers and even make your own stretchy snot polymer.

Have you ever wondered why snot and boogers stick together? The answer is polymers! Come join us on this Little Explorers Club as we learn all about what snot and boogers are, how they relate to polymers and even make your own stretchy snot polymer.

When you think of a wetland (maybe a marsh, swamp, or small creek flowing from a pond), what living things come to mind? Most participants can probably name a few large animals and at least one or two plants. But, did they know that these large living organisms actually depend on tiny, even microscopic, plants and animals to survive.  Without them, a wetland would not function the way it does.  In this natural science JAM, partici- pants will each be given some sampling tools for collecting water samples and other natural materials in the stream behind the Museum.  They will observe their “catch” through magnifiers and microscopes and learn about the amazing tiny things living and swimming in the creek!

Summer Solstice is the day where the Earth is the most tilted towards the Sun and changes the amount of sunlight we see. This occurs in June in the Northern Hemisphere and in December in the Southern Hemisphere! Join this Little Explorers Club to learn even more about our amazing Sun!

When you think of a wetland (maybe a marsh, swamp, or small creek flowing from a pond), what living things come to mind? Most participants can probably name a few large animals and at least one or two plants. But, did they know that these large living organisms actually depend on tiny, even microscopic, plants and animals to survive.  Without them, a wetland would not function the way it does.  In this natural science JAM, partici- pants will each be given some sampling tools for collecting water samples and other natural materials in the stream behind the Museum.  They will observe their “catch” through magnifiers and microscopes and learn about the amazing tiny things living and swimming in the creek!

Summer Solstice is the day where the Earth is the most tilted towards the Sun and changes the amount of sunlight we see. This occurs in June in the Northern Hemisphere and in December in the Southern Hemisphere! Join this Little Explorers Club to learn even more about our amazing Sun!

Summer Solstice is the day where the Earth is the most tilted towards the Sun and changes the amount of sunlight we see. This occurs in June in the Northern Hemisphere and in December in the Southern Hemisphere! Join this Little Explorers Club to learn even more about our amazing Sun!

In this life-science JAM, participants will celebrate the fourth of July using food dye to create colorful carnations and learn about how plants use water.

Young explorers will dive into the wonders of the night sky! Make your own telescope craft and discover the stars, planets, and galaxies in a hands-on learning adventure.

Young explorers will dive into the wonders of the night sky! Make your own telescope craft and discover the stars, planets, and galaxies in a hands-on learning adventure.

In this life-science JAM, participants will celebrate the fourth of July using food dye to create colorful carnations and learn about how plants use water.

Young explorers will dive into the wonders of the night sky! Make your own telescope craft and discover the stars, planets, and galaxies in a hands-on learning adventure.

In this simple STEAM activity, children use the path of the Sun across the southern sky to tell time using a simple version of a sundial.  As an introduction to the activity, tell children that before there were watches, clocks, or computers that would tell us the time, humans had to rely on sundials.

Young explorers will dig into the world of fossils! Make a fun craft and discover how fossils tell the story of life long ago.

Young explorers will dig into the world of fossils! Make a fun craft and discover how fossils tell the story of life long ago.

In this simple STEAM activity, children use the path of the Sun across the southern sky to tell time using a simple version of a sundial.  As an introduction to the activity, tell children that before there were watches, clocks, or computers that would tell us the time, humans had to rely on sundials.

Young explorers will dig into the world of fossils! Make a fun craft and discover how fossils tell the story of life long ago.

Anybody up for some ice cream? Following the steps in this activity, you can make your own. July is a great time to enjoy some cold, refreshing ice cream. As with any kind of cooking and food making, there is science involved. There are chemical changes that happen when making ice cream, such as changes of state and the effect of adding substances that lower the freezing temperature of water. And in the end, you get to eat your science

Anybody up for some ice cream? Following the steps in this activity, you can make your own. July is a great time to enjoy some cold, refreshing ice cream. As with any kind of cooking and food making, there is science involved. There are chemical changes that happen when making ice cream, such as changes of state and the effect of adding substances that lower the freezing temperature of water. And in the end, you get to eat your science